[ismilealot]

The clouds were gone from the sky, the snow cleared from the streets, and the night was bone-chillingly cold.

[gilga]

The evening was cold, and the night was going to be colder, but the coldest of them all was Blackbird. He walked to the Dom Polski and his thoughts raced. Memories, so many memories - he was resisting but always passively. Previously he had ideals, pacifism he had some noble goal to fight for. What now? It all faded away. Perhaps this is what being an adult was about, taking responsibility on your life. "Perhaps I am growing up, seeing the world for what it is. Accepting my own impotence to change it and focusing on the only thing that I can change - my own story. "

Blackbird checked the astral around him frequently - part of it was being cautious while another part was seeing his favorite peacock and doing the astrally equivalent of smiling. His alone days were over, Marco could always sense the presence of his bounded spirits. He changed them and they changed him, his eyes were open now - his mind was open. There were fewer answers and more observations - the black and whites have faded into greys. The newly crafted power focus proved extremely useful - it amplified Marco's emotions to new heights.  Unlike his surrounding, he was not slave to his emotions - he was their master. He forgave Sam, forgave Yelena and most importantly forgave himself. His concerns were no longer about his past... "the past is just an illusion, revenge is empty I turn to the future. I opened my third eye and discovered my courage to find out what I really am and how I can break free from my masters. Today is the first day of my new life."

The Dom Polski was an expensive restaurant, with live traditional polish music, and private tables. As Blackbird arrived, the hostess quickly showed him to his booth where the wine of his selection was already unbottled and waiting in the perfect temperature for consumption. Blackbird purred a glass of red wine and begun playing with it, smelling it. "I can kill a man and just move on with my life like nothing happened. Perhaps I am an assassin after all... My masters taught me well." He thoughts as he nursed the wine glass, waiting for his comrade to join.

[ismilealot]

Perhaps the most gorgeous man Marco had ever seen walked into the restaurant wearing a perfectly tailored Tain Morgana suit. The deference of the waiter was immediate d Marco saw the man turn to the maître 'de with a relaxed, easy mannerism. Marco couldn't see the man's question, but from the shake of the maître de's head, he was guessing the answer was no.

[gilga]

Marco briefly assensed the man, would probably wont be very useful but new senses required some getting used to. He checked the man and the suit trying to take some style notes. He rose from his seat and walked to greet the man, he introduced himself  John Black.



[spoiler]
assensing: 8d6t5 1
Perception: 8d6t5 2
[/spoiler]

[ismilealot]

      Assensing the man showed Marco that he was indeed male and human, and not much else. And Velenkoradi was at the far end of the restaurant, apparently amused by a small, plain woman sitting across from a clearly nervous man. Currently the spirit was playing peek-a-boo with Marco using the woman's head to hide behind. Up close the man showed a casual elegance and grace. His clothes while clearly current fashion and well tailored, were also not brand new and purchased simply to impress a new client.
       Upon hearing Marco introduce himself the man turned away from the maître de and said, "It is a pleasure to finally meet in person John after all of our business dealings." He extended his hand for a firm handshake. And nodding towards the maître de he said, "Andrzej tells me that Janek is not here today. It is a shame. He is the Dom Polski's best chef and his seasoning is sheer perfection. But, lets sit down. It's inhuman to discuss dinner before we've had a glass of wine."

[gilga]

Marco smiled and winked at Velenkoradi, astral gestures were new to him and it was the most he felt like he could get away with without a physical giveaway. It was only as the sommelier poured them some of the wine, and the woman started giving some visual attention to Marco that he understood what he did"I just smiled and winked at that woman... Darn, it Velenkoradi let's hope she won't make more out of it."

Marco played with his wine and said "Good aroma, I can almost imagine the grapes, sends me right back to my childhood." At least to the childhood Marco liked to fantasize about that was.

[ismilealot]

The man smiled, "Mine as well. Wine was my fathers only religion. Much to the chagrin of my mother." he chuckled.

Out of the corner of his eye Marco saw the woman give him an embarrassed glance several times, a slight flush to her cheeks. Velenkoradi in the meantime had taken to pecking the head of the man she was out on a date with..

[gilga]

Marco closed his third eye as he clearly cannot handle the distraction, out of amusement he sneaks a smile at the lady. Perhaps it would keep her curious but otherwise h does not encourage her with any obvious gesture. He is after all enjoying the company of a very attractive man, one that tries to impress him.  He flirts with the wine, playing and smelling and then closes his eyes as he tastes it. Lavishing the moment, why on earth did he come to Poland.  "So no sunday mornings at church for you? This is a shame, some churches have divine music." He said. After a few sips of the wine he asked "You seem to be knowledgeable with the place - got any recomendations?"

[ismilealot]

"They have an excellent cheese board for starters. But for dinner go with the venison. They have a red from a local winery that is worth coming here for. The winery is just now beginning to get some recognition, and still hasn't competed in any of the major trials where you would recognize the name. But, it is excellent, and paired with the venison it more than holds it's own. And it's Janoka's best dish. She is the chef on duty tonight." The man, who Marco can only assume is Queen, is relaxed. He does not reach for the menu and for all of his relaxed air and clear enjoyment of the wine, he has not taken his eyes off of Marco since they were introduced.

[gilga]

Ideally, Marco would be flattered and mix pleasure and buissness, after all, it has been a while. Then he remembered who pointed him to Queen. Sam - and what did Sam want? Clearly to get rid of them, this is why he mentioned the priest. "Tsina the mundane psychopath did not kill us so perhaps an awakened one would. Tossed away once the fun is over becuse the things we did to close the stardust can never see light... I feel like a used conom. "

Marco smiled and said "Well, another bottle will have to wait for a second date, but I'll be happy to try the venison" He said and that was what he ordered as the waiter came in.  "Queen is an interesting name, don't you think? I bet  there is a story there.

[ismilealot]

The man chuckles. "It has been a hard name to live with." he answers. "At least when I was young. It's an English name that just happens to rhyme with a ghetto slang word for prostitute here in Poland. When I was young I was always getting into fights. But, that was all part of my misspent youth." He spears a small piece of cheese and savors it's smell before popping it into his mouth with a sip of the wine. He raises an eyebrow and waits for Marco's response.

[gilga]

Marco smiled "What's a childhood without a few misfortunes? The worse part of mine was watching my dog dies, poor Lucky just had no luck at all and run into a speeding car. It's interesting how names can either fit or be ironic. Perhaps they change something about us. Darn, I loved that dog and was sleeping with him for years. I never had a pet since." He took a sip from the wine and then asked "So I take it that you grew up in some greener fields than here?"

[ismilealot]

The man laughs, "We had enough. But, my tendency to get into scrapes set my feet on a different path." he raises an eyebrow and says, "You?" and then he straightens as the waiter places the first dish in front of both of them, a salad with a light wine.

[gilga]

Marco sighed "I cannot say that it was bad, but let's say that I would raise my own children in a different manner.
Life of worship is good... as long as you stay on the right side of the fence. It was pleasant until I begun to see the flaws and think for myself." Marco then examined the salad, he liked fresh vegetables. Sure, these were a luxury that few people could afford. Ironically, they could also be grown with rather simple means. As he ate, deep sadness enveloped Marco's heart as he understood that: He did not really have a childhood, he was not the person that he thought he was. Then, the most painful understanding was that every single one of his past memories may have been false. The very things that defined him, that shaped his story are all manipulations and deceit. "Heck, I would not know truth if it bites me in the ass."

The young human-looking elf, grew a bit dreamy as he continued to dig through the salad. He allowed the vegetables to tell their own story and the wine to comfort his sad heart. To remind him of that wonderful ignorance that he has lost. That time when he was a young monk and believed that he was touched by God and received the most precious of gifts for the benefit humanity and the Catholic faith. "I do not recognize that boy, and strangely enough I no longer look like an elf." He sighed.

[ismilealot]

Marco found his dinner companion to be an excellent conversationalist having traveled to several different countries. And he was right about the venison and the wine. The woman had studiously avoided Marco's gaze after he'd smiled at her. But, the color in her cheeks that his attention had given her had done her a world of good and the man she was with had paid a bit more attention to her afterwards.