2023.02.23 A Cat is a Cat

02.23.23 A Cat is a Cat
Caressa discovers there’s more to a cat than just a pooka kinain.
IC Date	02.23.23
Players	Caressa, Trey
Location	The Witches' Brew
Spheres	Changeling, Mage, Sorcerer, Kinain, Bastet

Witches Brew and Occult Shoppe - Main Room

When entering the shop, the door will chime from an old-fashioned little bell set above it. First to assault the senses are the scents within the shop, there are heavy herbal smells along with delicious scents of baked goods. Describing the shop itself, it can be considered broken out into two sections. A front section that is the entirety of the front of the shop houses the cafe portion, and a back section that is split in half with one half devoted to tall bookshelves and a wide-variety of books, while the other half is devoted to a huge herbal and apothecary section that includes needed supplies for the practicing pagan. Separating the front and back sections of the shop is a long, rectangular glass counter for specialty items and checkout. It has a narrow space to enter and exit in order to serve customers and check people out from the cash register that is at this counter. There is a sign that states, 'If you can not find the book you are looking for, please enter your request in the special order book.'

The front of the store has nooks built against the front windows that are comfortable window seats with piles of cushions for the customers to sit and read, chat or snack comfortably. There are also plush, comfortable seats that have high cushioned arms arranged in cozy triangles around little tables for people to relax and chat. Just to the left beyond the cafe seating is a long glass counter that is displaying a plethora of baked goods, all very interesting and all very delicious. Behind the counter is a barista that can also offer a multitude of drinks, from coffee, to tea, to water or any non-alcoholic drink. All drinks are delivered in unique cups, no two cups are alike, and they are all porcelain.

In the far back of the room, behind the bookshelves and shelves of merchandise are two doors that are always closed. One door has a sign on it that says 'Employees Only', the other door says, 'Private'. At the front of the store, there is a set of double-glass doors on the right hand side that lead into an expansive greenhouse, although the glass windows are often misty due to the moisture of the greenhouse beyond.

Trey is seated at the usual table, perusing a copy of the local paper. Or to be precise, he's doing the crossword. The Sudoku is already completed. He's doing it in pen. This is one confident dude. Either that, or he didn't have a pencil.

Caressa wanders in just around noon. "Lavender honey spice tea, a Tree of Life Apply Pie, and...I guess that's all. I wish you had savor pies." She comments to the attendant, paying her bill while the items are pulled together. Once she has her times, it is time to find a seat, and there he is. Sunning in her favorite spot. "They say consistency is a virtue?" A head bob towards a chair, "Mind if I join?"

Trey waves her affably in and scoots to give her room to sit in her favorite chair without the belly getting awkward. "Of course! Good morning, how are you? How's the little one growing?" Maybe it's a tacky question, but it's not like he's an expert on pregnant women. Besides, she's not the prissy sort.

Caressa sets the items down, shrugs her purse off her shoulder, then eases into the chair awkwardly. "Oh, he's doing great! Getting his ten jabs an hour in." She chuckles and rubs briefly of a rib. "You've been busy." She motions to the completely sudoku.

Trey grins and says, "Oh, the sudoku just keeps me sharp, you know? Good way to wake up the mind." He laughs at the 'jabs' remark and says, "Sounds like a potential soccer player. Or maybe a Russian dancer. Someday, I'm hoping to have my own, but there's a few steps ahead of that happening." he puts the newspaper aside and reaches for his probably-cooling coffee, taking a swallow.

Caressa nods, "There is a time for everything. I thought my first one was bad about it, nope. This one is worse. But this is my second, and his father is tall, so maybe he's just bigger than my daughter was at this stage." Her eyes go wide with a deep inhale at the implication of her statement.

Trey nods and says, "Oh, I know. Not in a hurry, so much. I'd like to be sure I find the right one, you know? I haven't done much actual dating." He doesn't seem embarrassed by this admission -- just matter-of-fact. "I don't stay in any place too long, so it kind of keeps me from committing. Now, if I met someone who was into wandering, and was simpatico with the rest of me, I'd give it a lot of thought." He oofs at the discussion of the child's size and says, "Probably. How big is his father? I haven't met your other half."

Caressa mms, "Probably around six foot, maybe bit over. Has a surfer bod." She smirks, "Sort of like your build. No, you haven't met him yet. But I'll see about making that happen sometime."

You say, "Oh, so he's not *that* tall. I met a seven-footer the other day while helping out clean up some graffiti on D Street. Now *that* is some potentially big babies." He grins impishly and says, "Women are much stronger than men, most of us would crumple like paper if we had to give birth."

Caressa blinks a bit. There's a deviant shimmer in her violet-silver eyes. "Sounds like fun." She shakes her head and tries to drown herself in sips of tea.

Trey studies her for a moment, as if checking that she's okay, and then fiddles with his mug a bit. "I'd like to meet him, yeah -- his name is Steele, right? I mean, with a name like that, he's gotta be a stone badass, right?"

Caressa giggles, "Or Stoned badass, depending on the day you catch him. Usually sober though. Has to be. He runs the weed shop near Roaster's. Yes, his name is Steele." A pat of her belly, "And this will be Flint. I don't think he's put together the problems they are going to cause me." She chuckles. "He also owns Twisted Toppings, an amazing pizza shop. Great place for when you have the..." A pause. "..oooooh. Clever. Very clever." She muses making some sort of connection.

Trey laughs brightly. "There's something to be said for being a stoned badass. Oh! Cool, I may have to stop by there to get some for ritual purposes." He tilts his head and considers her belly, then nods approvingly, as if his vote mattered. "That's a good name. Ooh, good pizza? I'm down for that, too. I had the best diner cheeseburger the other day, so now finding the best pizza would be awesome as well." He winks as she makes the connection, merry as usual. He's really a pretty happy guy, all things considered.

Caressa wags a finger at the air, "He snuck that one past me. Not really. I just didn't have a reason to think about it till now. But anyway.. I think I have one of his cards." She digs into her purse finding a business card for Down the Rabbit hole. "Here you go." It is slid over then she scratches lightly at her temple.

In the nook, Trey says "Snuck which past who for how many cookies, now?" He's amused, but the curiosity overtakes... well, just about all common sense. He accepts the card and tucks it into his wallet after giving it a look. "Thank you." A pause. "Everything okay? You look like something's tugging at your thoughts.""

In the nook, Caressa says "I'm almost positive he didn't buy Twisted Toppings to stave off his munchies. But now that I think about it, if he did, it was a rather brilliant move." She shakes her head, "Pftts, I don't know anything about the edibles. I've only tried weed once. Didn't do anything but make me sleepy." And then there's the questions about her thoughts, "Oh, no. Everything is fine." Except that it is immediately not fine! How she manages to knock over her mug of tea even she couldn't say. But now there is tea pooling on the table, "Oh for the love of fuck!" She's frantically starts collecting napkins to soak up the mess."

In the nook, Trey bursts out laughing. "Definitely a clever move, if deliberate..." He mmhmms at that. "For people who get angry a lot, it's good for bringing calm. It helps get the mind into a good place for a ritual, too." He ohs as the tea spills, and he quick-as-lightning bolts to grab some more napkins and blot up the tea puddle. "It's okay, it's just tea. There's plenty more where that came from." He speaks in a soothing way -- not backed with any magic, per se, just a voice of easy relaxation. "I use pot as a tool for insight, not recreation, but hey, I don't judge. Pot isn't a dangerous thing."

In the nook, Caressa is fine with spilt tea, really! Though she hisses when an escaping rivulet of the hot liquid falls onto her belly, scalding the flesh. It is a brief thing really, in the scheme of things. She sighs. "Oh. I..I'm not usually prone to those thoughts. Takes a lot to make me that angry. Weed is fine. It works great for a lot of my patients. I try to avoid prescribing meds as much as I can. But if you need anything stronger than weed, he can hook you up. Very discreet."

In the nook, Trey hands her a few more of the napkins and says, "Sorry, I didn't catch it all." He shakes his head and says, "Pregnancy is full of changes. From what I understand, it makes everything more intense for the moment, emotionally, which is perfectly understandable -- as both a highly spiritual and vulnerable state." He stops and smiles ruefully. "Sorry, there I go again. And... I don't really do pharma, I'm more holistic, you know? But I appreciate the hookup if needed -- I'll keep it in mind." He pauses and regards her evenly. "Someday," he says, as if deciding something, "When we are somewhere quieter, there is more of my tale to tell, but I think if you ask your Umbral companion, he might know it already."

In the nook, Caressa glances towards the nearest corner, then up. As though she were inspecting the place for spider webs. A moment later her otherworldly gaze moves back to him, "Want to see a trick?" She smiles.

In the nook, Trey says "Absolutely," he says with a grin. No fear, just curiosity. Stupid cat.

In the nook, Caressa scoots her chair around so her back is to the majority of the room. She lift a fist into the air, just casually holding it out. There's no tension to telegraph a more violent action. Then, opening her palm, a small ruby flame bursts to life. The ruby color licking up into a silver tip. She moves her hand this way and that, letting it dance along her palm, the back of her hand, and back again.

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Caressa rolls Arete vs 5 for 3 successes.
2 3 +6 +8 +10
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Trey rolls Perception(3) + Awareness(2) (5 dice) vs 8 for 3 successes.
5 6 +8 +8 +9
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

In the nook, Trey watches, letting out a soft oooh, and his focus is completely on the flame -- as she looks at him, the pooka features seem to grow more *real*, an overlay of something like a mix of lynx and man over his face, shaping his features. His chuckle becomes a low purr to her senses, and he seems rapt in that flame's sight. "What does it do?" he asks, knowing there's more than just a pretty fire to it.

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Caressa rolls Intelligence + Lore Fera vs 6 for 1 successes.
1 2 +6 9
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

In the nook, Caressa watches the flame along with him, though for different reasons. The flame does produce heat but it doesn't seem to bother her skin. Just about the time he asks what it does, there is a sense in the air. An assured, sheltering and creative feel that wraps around him. When his chuckle is heard as the purr, she gasps and closes her fist. The flame gone. "You...you're... more..." Her gaze glances around her for the quickest exit if she needs to fast-walk herself out of here.

In the nook, Trey smiles lazily, as if relaxing more. He's not the Rage-iest of shifters, after all. "Ahh, that's what it does," he says, question answered. "I imagined your familiar might know, because it's easier to see from the Umbra, or so I'm told." He's not inclined to get angry, it seems. "Since I didn't *tell* you, I'm golden. We're not supposed to *tell*, of course, but then, most kinds of *special* people have similar rules."

In the nook, Caressa mmms, "It is only a focus. A trick and nothing more on its own." She shakes her head, "To him you're a cat. Which, to be fair.." She tucks a strand of hair behind a faintly pointed ear, "..I didn't give a second though to. You know, sorta cousins and all. Karma has no interest in the depths of souls. Pretty trusting and if people are friendly, he's happy."

In the nook, Trey ahs and nods. "Nonetheless, it's a beautiful focus." His mouth quirks up at the corners and he says, "I am. In more ways than one. I was born a cat, with the Dreams of a cat marked upon my soul, and this body is not my most familiar one, but people tend to react oddly to seeing a lynx just walking around. Plus, I can't really have human conversation with a cat voicebox."

In the nook, Caressa is a bit more cautious at the moment than he is. "I, for a very short while, had a Sidhe mentor. He taught me the laws, took me across to his realm trying to comfort away my fears of the place. But when I returned, I found my spirit had...opened? In a sense. This little bit of flame came with it. It is the same color as his balefire." She gasps and looks up wide-eyed, "Oh! no, I didn't steal his glamour! I have no need of it." She shrugs. "But lynx are lovely. Another reason I spend more time outside the city.. but I have an estate in town too."

In the nook, Trey says "Opened?" Huh. Now that's curious. "Ohhh, I see. Somehow the balefire colored your magic. Or became part of you." He's thinking this through as he speaks, and then says, "That must be both terrifying and wondrous, finding that kind of change happening without your will." He smiles at she compliments his breed. "Not too many of us around here, though. In this climate, our closest cousins are bobcats. I spend a fair amount of time outside town, too -- I walk. A lot. I like the wild places best.""

In the nook, Caressa lifts a hand to get the staff's attention. Because having to haul herself up is just too much at this stage. "May I have a refill please? Afraid I had a bit of an accident." Then she turns back and lowers her voice again. "It was...difficult to understand. For so...so many reasons that maybe someday I'll feel is worth sharing. You are always welcome to prowl the Covenstead. There is no power there, just a gathering spot for the pagan to gather with me if they wish. Help yourself to the orchards if anything is ripe."

In the nook, Trey also motions to his empty cup and smiles. "Just a refill, black, please." He turns back to Caressa and listens, looking pensive, his eyes taking it all in. "The Dreaming often is. If you ever feel like sharing it, I'll be happy to listen and learn." He blinks and murmurs, "Where is it located? I'd love to see it."

In the nook, Caressa nods, "Someday. The Covenstead is on the northern edge of the forest. There's a few hundred acres of dense forest, the entrance to the covenstead is well marked." She glances to the counter briefly, curiously she looks back to him, "Would you like to get them to-go. I have nowhere else I'm needed till the evening. I could take you out here?"

In the nook, Trey says "It sounds lovely. Yes, let's take these to go." He nods, definitely on board with this plan. "I'd love to see it."