[Mulcarn]

The fatigue of yesterday's summoning disappears with the rising and falling of the moon.  Fresh snow blankets the ground outside.  The dust of December's foggy breath exhaled wantonly.  A gentle reminder of the world's callousness to Seattle's vagabonds and street urchins.  Anders climbs out of bed, slowly walking atop of creaking floorboards to the bathroom.  He relieves himself of his full bladder and washes his hands in icy rusty water.  The cold wetness sends chills up and down his whole body.  Every skin cell crying out in pain and discomfort.  The rumble in his belly interrupts the cacophony of chilled flesh.  A few paces outward into his kitchen only to discover that he's out of food.  Anders lets out a heavy sigh and heads back into the bathroom to shower.

Twenty minutes is all he can bear to bathe.  A fresh set of clothing donned to greet the new day.  Tough black jean leggings tucked into black combat boots.  A dark sable long sleeved shirt covers his torso.  Anders slips into his leather jacket when he's done dressing himself.  He knew to always wear his armor no matter where he went, along with his gun.  It didn't matter if he was going to a stuffer shack to get donuts or crossing the street.  Not having the gear was simply too risky otherwise.  Everything was all set and Anders was dressed to kill.  Hopefully not literally, at least not today.  He spirits himself out of the apartment complex to a local coffee shop.  Roughly a three mile walk but nothing he couldn't handle.

Anders briskly walks to the meeting place.  He sees the ivory-haired elf already waiting for him there on one of the outside serving tables.  Sitting peacefully, probably browsing the menu to see what's good and what isn't.  Anders treads forward and takes a seat opposite of Yelena with his hands pocketed into his jacket for warmth.  Looking up at her, he says.  "Sorry about the other day.  Didn't mean for you to leave on a bad note."

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena grins.  "Is Yelena fault.  Yelena death and murder.  Yelena think Viking same.  Viking not think same.  Was rude but Yelena not want fight.  Want eat?  Then go garage meet Firefly.  She want go range.  Talk us."

[Mulcarn]

Anders nods eagerly at the mention of food.  The two order from a virtual menu and minutes later, steaming hot soykaf and bagels are brought by the waitress on staff.  Took the starving mage mere seconds before he scarfed down the baked goods.  Piping hot soykaf nearly scorching his throat raw as he guzzled down the aphotic brew.  After he was done satiating his ravenous hunger, Anders curiously asks.  "Who's Firefly?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena notices how fast the man eats.  She can remember being that hungry on many occasions, especially when younger.  She does not ask. 
Anders want more bagel?  Firefly woman Yelena come garage with yesterday.  Young woman.  Part of team.  Yelena want Anders talk Firefly about spirits.  Bad time with other spirit from Marco.  Hurt Firefly.  Now Yelena think Firefly not like all spirits and need talk.  Anders seem in control.  Maybe talk.  Convince Firefly spirit mojo not bad in right hands."

[Mulcarn]

Anders raises an eyebrow and rubs his chins slightly.  "She must be talking about that petite asian.  This Firefly probably got scared after seeing Tróndur."  He closes his eyes briefly and nods in agreement again.  "Yeah, order a few more for the road.  And I understand her pain.  Or at least, I think I do.  My first time dealing with spirits didn't end well either.  In fact it was awful.  So, yeah, I won't mind talking to her.  Also, who's Marco and why does he have his spirits hurt girls?"  Anders got up out of his seat as he asked his question.  Genuine concern and confusion within his voice.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena orders the bagels and leads the way to the bike.  "Marco is Keeb mojo slinger.  He working with other mage for training.  Firefly hurt in last mission.  Marco summon spirit to heal.  Spirit do something wrong.  Firefly frightened.  Now think all spirits demons to hurt.  Is part of heritage."

Climbing on the Scorpion, Yelena waits for Anders to get on behind her then fires the machine up and leaves for the garage.  One thing that Yelena has a lot of experience in is male erections and it is hard indeed to disguise one when sitting on a bike behind a woman.  Yelena smiles to herself, half wondering if Anders might just lift his hands a bit higher around her to grab onto her chest.  She is very into Marco, but he has already said that he may be seeing his customers and that would let Yelena enjoy the experience of other bed partners as well.  That Anders does not take more advantage of the situation takes nothing away from her now knowing that he at least finds her attractive enough to be aroused at her closeness.  Once at the garage, she opens the door and wheels the bike into the bay, noticing the new machines.  Finding a place to park, she goes and hugs Arc, who is hard at work on one of the bikes.  Motioning to the new additions, she says, "Much new repair work.  Done in time?  Yelena take Firefly range.  Talk spirits with Anders.  Decker mage in room?"

Her Srui removes a welding helmet and gives Yelena a tired grin and answers, Yes, yes, and yes.  Yelena smiles at her and points to the tusks as she says, "Rigger man like new Vruk?"  She laughs when Arc give an emphatic yes to the question and leaves to go get Firefly.  She finds the girl in her room.  "Hey, decker mage.  Yelena here.  Take range.  Talk Anders man about spirits while Yelena practice.  Firefly come."

Yelena leads Firefly out to the bike and introduces her to Anders as that was apparently missed yesterday.  They stand around and try to figure out the best way to get all three on the bike when Arc looks at the van and goes back to Arc.  "Srui.  Fix van today?  Yelena take Firefly and Anders to range, but bike small.  Yelena take van?"  Arc nods and tosses her the keys and Yelena goes back to the others.  Motioning at the van, she removes her case from the bike and leads them to it.  "Yelena take van range.  All in."

[Shaman_Yuri]

"Range?  As in shooting?" the girl says with surprise looking up from a virtual text no one else could see.  "Um...I'm game but I'm not very good at it.  That said, I'd like to get better."

[Mercy Merchant]

The drive is uneventful and gives Firefly and Anders a bit of time to get to know each other.

[Mulcarn]

The ride to Arc's was somewhat uncomfortable for the Norwegian.  Having to hold on to the elf during the trip was way more intimate than what he wanted for a person he had just met.  Anders couldn't help but feel a little aroused being so near to the pretty woman.  To distract himself, he thought about what Yelena had said.  "How do you hurt someone with a heal spell?  What kind of incompetence is that?  Could be Marco is just an evil wizard that hates girls.  I should ask Thor to hurl a lightning bolt at him.  Or have a Valkyrie watch over Firefly.  One of the two.  Maybe both."

Eventually they arrive at the garage.  Anders hastily hops off the bike.  Not that he doesn't like Yelena, he just wants to respect her boundaries, and more importantly for her to not notice his arousal.  She goes inside first and strikes up a conversation with Arc and Firefly about what she's planning on doing.  With Anders shadowing her not long after.  Arc hands Yelena the keys to the van that she had been working and like that the trio was all buckled up inside.

Now instead of riding awkwardly with one person, Anders was riding awkwardly with two people.  Two strangers he barely knew anything about.  He had no clue as to what their hobbies or interests would be.  Besides maybe Yelena.  He knew she liked Ares guns.  To break the ice, he'd would have to use something universal.  Anders runs a hand through his hair to straighten it and says to Firefly.  "So... how do you like your cornflakes?  Do you like them crispy or soft?"

[gilga]

The afternoon with Samia was pleasant and her savvy mind seemed intuitive enough to drop just the right remark at the right time. It felt strange to actually study without a spirit distracting you. Jed opened up a wound, an open wound - “What is my magical tradition? What kind of magic did Agrat taught me?” Marco thought and feared “I made a deal with a Daemoness... There is no saying what kind of magic she taught me over the years.  I use my desire, my compassion and curiosity to manipulate the world around me. I know that I can use fear and hate - but I avoid these emotions. Catholics use their belief, they use holy relics to anchor their belief. Somehow, I just know that this is not how I do things. I pray to beg for help - my prayers are just prayers they do not manipulate mana.  My magic is not divine and it is not the Lords will, it is my own will and might for good or for ill.”

To Marco Artificing was about singing, constantly singing and he had the voice for that. It was not without difficulties that he translated the arcane knowledge in Samia’s notebooks into melodies,  beautiful melodies. He made many mistakes at first - missing a note or attempting the wrong pitch. The only way to actually get some quiet was to offer cookies and tea, and Marco felt embarrassed for being such a loud student that sings at the books. He could not see it any other way, his metaphor for manipulating mana is music - he cannot sense it in any other way. Without singing - he cannot practice and memorize the required processes.

As they approached morning Marco felt that the music improved - it was still crude and there was a lot of room for refinement but the voice felt right and intuitively the mana that periodic rhythm manipulated should  be embowed into an object - it was exhausting.
Before he left Marco said “Thank you for enduring me all this evening... I afraid I am not the silent study partner, I’ll understand if you do not want to study with me again. Though I did have fun and thanks for the hospitality - the Cinnamon cookies were divine, and blended well with the herbal tea”.
 

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena quietly smiles, thinking that the man might not be used to women, and now here he is with two.  She quickly looks over her shoulder at Firefly and waits to see how she responds.

[ismilealot]

@ Marco & Jed  Samia had seemed to understand how Marco needed to learn. But, surprisingly enough it was Snowden that had helped the most. He sang along with Marco as Marco had studied. Sometimes perfectly singing the main chorus, and at other times singing a complimentary accompaniment. It had put Marco at ease as he'd studied. And sometimes it had helped him understand a tricky bit when Snowden's voice wrapped the mana around something. It had been difficult for Jed to study this way, but, his own tradition borrowed so heavily from others. And a week of being with Joshua had taught him so much about simply allowing the mana to flow forth with the song that he'd been able to learn a little of this method with them. And then towards evening when they'd been practicing a particularly tricky bit Samia declared a rest bringing in sandwiches. Everyone fell on them hungrily and the topic naturally fell to different accidents that had happened to each of them when they'd been studying and laughter filled the room. After Jed had regaled them with one story of a fellow student trying to bind mana into a brooch and instead had caused a small explosion of his nearby lunch Joshua almost fell over laughing and said, "Yeah! When I tried that the damn thing melt......" His breath catches in his throat and he says, "The damn . . . . . " He chokes up and he can't get the words out. He starts shuddering with sobs. "I studied magic. I studied magic. I studied . . . . . " Samia goes to him instantly and holds him. Her cheek against his she nuzzles him with her nose and says, "Of course you did. You're a mage. Same as your mother, and your father, and your mentor. You're the most amazing man I've ever met." She continues to hold him and her eyes go across the room to Jed and Marco and she looks at the door, signaling them.

[Shaman_Yuri]

Ever since arriving in Seattle I've felt awkward around the people here.  North Americans are different than Asians and even Europeans.  Add to that the change in my social status and it's made me a lot quieter.  With this new Anders fellow being a summoner, it makes matter worse.  It was my intention to just stay quiet as the two of them, Anders and Yelena, talked.  This plan crashed and burned when the Scandinavian turned to me and asked...

"So... how do you like your cornflakes?  Do you like them crispy or soft?"

Cornflakes?!?

That was unexpected and I'm sure my face shows it.  Still, an honest answer pops to mind and I run with it.

"Cereal like you describe is an American thing.  I haven't seen it even in Europe.  For breakfast I eat rice and whatever vegetables I can scrounge up, maybe with some imitation fish.  If I'm really feeling adventurous I'll whip up some miso."

[Mulcarn]

Anders wasn't anticipating the detailed response from the pretty asian.  Nor the surprised expression.  Out of shyness he looks down and away, half-wondering if he said the wrong thing.  Long locks of brown obscuring his face when he talks back in difficult pronunciation.  "Didn't mean to startle you.  We don't have to talk about food if you don't want.  But I guess you don't know what kind of cornflakes you like then.  I should get you some when I have the chance."  Turning his head slightly to peer at Yelena who is driving, then going back to Firefly he says.  "How did you two meet?  Are you girlfriends?"  What the Nordic summoner meant to ask was that if the two women were compatriots and fellow runners.  His english could still use some work.  But it was good for the most part.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena grins as she drives.  She knows that she would not mind introducing the young decker mage to the joys of sex, but the girl is not yet ready for that.  Without turning her head, she says, "Yes.  Yelena friends Firefly.  Meet for club job."