15796/An Impromptu Humani-Tea

An Impromptu Humani-Tea
Date of Scene:	05 September 2023
Location:	Candle, Booke and Belle
Synopsis:	Mina Murray's first encounter with Justice League Dark members Nettie Crowe and Josh Foley at the Candle, Booke and Belle. Nettie offers her friendship and services to another lady quite out of her time.
Cast of Characters:	Nettie Crowe, Mina Murray, Joshua Foley

---

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    A cloudy day in New York City as rain threatens, coming down the coast from Gotham. Inside the Candle, Booke and Belle, the haunted jukebox was behaving itself in a corner and playing something a bit more mellow than last time Josh Foley was hanging out in the main shop -- in this case, some light Tchaikovsky from Sleeping Beauty. Ageless, much like the owner of the shop.

    Today Nettie is looking a little more the part of witch -- gray swishy skirts layered up under a peasant blouse, over which a vest is layered and belted, so that it hides all the skin of her back. She's wearing her gray gloves, her gray hair pulled back into a braided pair of buns low on her head.

    The kettles for hot water are kept at temperature by steam, and the old witch in the young woman's body is busily checking over the apothecary drawers with the more expensive reagents.

    "Mm, need more whole basil seed from Italy. I wonder if Brother Marcus has done his own harvest yet?" she questions, ostly to herself.

    Overhead, among the rafters, a crow is napping, crouched among Halloween decorations like happy looking Jack-o-Lanterns nestled among the shadows and flickering merrily.

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray enters the shop with a light manipulation of the door handle, nothing so pedestrian as real effort there, gracefully 'floating' through the doorway with light foot falls. Her observant gaze quickly eyes a couple of sections of books, then the quartz balls, which she stares at for a second longer, the ever slightest, and briefest smirk following. With a subtle sniff however, it is to the incense sticks that she finally makes her way towards, a gloved hand lightly sliding across the cones.

Joshua Foley has posed:
Maybe it's behaving because young Josh is not there at the moment. However, the bell at the back of the store chimes as Josh comes into the shop, carrying a large plastic covered tray. "Miss Nettie!" he calls out as he sets his skateboard in his messenger back and places it to the side before heading to the front of the store.

"The owner of the deli next store asked me to bring this over to you with a note." Setting down the platter of deli sandwiches and fixings, Josh presented the note to Nettie.

In scribed handwriting, the note reads:

Dear Ms. Crowe,

I apologize for the khnyoke that gave you and the boy a hard time the other day. I bagged the shlump and sent him packing. Please accept this tray of sandwiches, that I made with my own two hands as an apology and could you please lift the curse on the place?

- Katz's Deli

PS: He's a good kid. I gave him a couple of cookies.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie gives a smile to Josh, even as her gaze rests on Mina. There some something in the wards that was rubbing her the wrong way as the very floaty lady who carries herself with a certain air makes her way around the sizable shop.

    "Welcome to the Candle, Booke and Belle madam!" she calls out in her Lincolnshire accent as she comes down off the ladder for the apothecary drawers. "Please let us know should you have any questions, I'm Nettie,, that there is Josh, anything you're looking for in particular?" she calls to Mina as she accepts the note from Josh, and looks to the platter of sandwiches.

    "Katz is a good sport about this sort of thing. I'll make sure he's taken care of." she frowns "Sorry to teach a lesson in such a way though." she murmurs quietly, tucking the note into her pocket.

    "Fancy a sandwich, love?" she calls to Mina, and motions as she picks up a turkey sandwich. "On the house."

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray smiles as Nettie calls out to her. She is not aware of the wards, nor the nature of the shop's owner, so her demeanor remains unchanged, "Oh? A fellow Brit? My name is Mina Murray. Quite wonderful to find a fellow English woman so suddenly."

At the offer of a sandwich, she politely declines, "I've already eaten, but it was kind of you to offer."

"Still it is a pleasure to meet you both. Your incense selection is quite pleasing." She sniffs again.

Joshua Foley has posed:
Josh plucks a ham sandwich for himself. When Nettie's introducing him, the black-skinned blonde raises a hand in greeting. "I got a new bag and my skateboards all repaired. So if you need me to start making deliveries, I can!"

When Mina and Nettie start talking, the young man takes a bite of the sandwich, eagerly tearing into it.

He's still not quite recovered from the food insecurity of his life.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "That I'm glad to hear of, Duckie." Nettie says gently to Josh, unpeturbed by the deep black of his body. He'll talk about it when he's ready.

    "Aye, though from your accent I think I'm from a bit more North than you, Ma'am. Murray, Murray... familiar, that name." she purses her lips a moment in thought as she considers.

    "We do custom blends as well, if you're looking for a particular working. Price dependant on the ingredients needed. I usually do a marshmallow resin base -- the plant, not the sweet -- but I've done pitch an' blood bases before." Nettie states, looking to Mina with curiousity in her too-blue-to-be-true eyes.

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray continues to look over the incense sticks, another smile crossing her face, "Yes I recognize your accent. Still I've been away from home for a while. It is nice to hear a familiar voice, no matter where you are from."

She turns to face Nettie, "You have a beautiful store and I can see myself spending hours in here just browsing until I find something. I have a bit of a library of my own, a lot of older books, so adding some newer titles could brighten it up a bit."

"But I am a woman who loves pleasant smells. The smell of a place is the first thing I notice more often than not. It will be difficult to choose just one, but I am certain that your incense is what I need for my home."

Joshua Foley has posed:
"Why would anyone drink blood tea..." Joshua starts to ask. Curiosity is a dangerous thing as he reaches to snag another sandwich to stuff into his cake hole. He about swallows it whole as he considers exactly why someone would need tea made from blood.

His blue eyes narrow in thought. "Maybe it's better I don't ask." he decides finally. Because he may just be safer that way. But he does move to start to tidy up and put away things that arrived in the shop while he was out running errands.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Oh -- blood resins, Duckie, for blending incense. Dragon's blood from the Dragon's Blood Palm is very popular. Twist of cinnamon, a bit of sharp citrus, and you have something that smells more like an esoteric incense than a pork pie... mmm. I should see if anyone's making those for Christmas." she considers, having been carrying around her sandwich without taking so much as a nibble from it.

    The crow rouses, and looking about the present company, he ruffles his feathers with a shake, and hops down from the rafter. He lands near Josh.

    "Caw." Corvax says. No, he does not caw. He says 'Caw'. And motions to the sandwich platter.

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray offers Joshua a smile at his misunderstanding, then returns her attention to Nettie, "Indeed, if you had the blood of an actual dragon, I suspect it wouldn't be so advertised." She offers a light chuckle.

"I will likely purchase a variation in bulk once I have decided. I tend to use incense rather than chemical air fresheners, or sprays, dreadful things."

The crow earns her attention now. She watches the bird move and make noise, "Adorable thing. If ravens could be content to live a more.. enclosed existence then I would likely have one. Crows seem to need less wide open space."

Joshua Foley has posed:
"Oh... oh!" Nettie wouldn't be making tea with /human/ blood. She certainetly didn't contract with him just to drain him dry for nefarious means later. No, never! Her explanation makes sense and seems to asauge his fears.

When Corvax announces his presence with a 'caw', Josh considers the crow and turns his attention to the platter. He pulls a ham sandwich and waves it at the bird. "Corvax want a sammy?" he asks in a tease before setting a plate down and the sandwich is placed upon it. "You want mustard or mayo?" he asks, as if the bird could respond.

"If you need whatever you decide to have delivered..." Joshua offers, "I do delivers for a nominal fee!"

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Ravens I've found to be a bit finicky. Crows are content no matter what space we find themselves in." Nettie replies, and she just gives the biggest freaking grin. Because that is in fact a joke on her last name, though Mina wouldn't know it.

    "and no, blood from an actual dragon is a bit more tedius to handle. You need a specialty glass container to hold it, because the blood can turn volitile, depending on the subspecies. European tend to be a bit more aggressive towards any sort of container not made from glass or dragon leather, but that's become much harder to come by with human expansion." Nettie considers, "... and the lack of wild game for hunting."

    She doesn't sound like she's joking.

    Nettie has absolutely served human blood, but it's difficult to make a decent tea with it. Coagulation and all.

    "I do have a cone made for those downward-smoke cone burners made with English Tea Rose oil and bergamont leaves that has a pleasant citrus finish. There's also myrrh if you prefer a heavier perfume," usually to disguise the smell of the tomb, "My personal favorite right now is one I order from a friend back on the Begali coast, they dubbed it Samsara. It's sweet, Jasmine based with floral notes and a soft, spice finish on the tongue."

    And she motions to Joshua "And yes, Mr. Foley here is one of my associates who delivers for a small extra fee. We even have set up subscriptions these days. It's all the rage, you know. As if they think they invented appointed deliveries." she gives a soft chuckle.

    Corvax looks at Nettie sideye, and then the crow replies:

    "Mustard. On th' rye."

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray offers a slite grin, "Oh is that so? Real dragons is it? Something I would be happy to stay away from." Her voice lowers a bit as she mentions dragons.

"But I will say yes to all that, money is not a problem at all." She takes out a small notepad, and rather fancy looking pen, and begins to write down an order list.

She hands the list to Joshua, which includes some incense types that are known, in some circles, to ward against spirits, and monsters of various kinds, "Rather old fashioned but I've never been a fan of electronic communication unless absolutely necessary."

Then to Nettie again, "It is wonderful to meet such an interesting woman such as yourself. Are you well travelled by chance?"

Joshua Foley has posed:
The first thing that Joshua handles is to set up Corvax's sandwich. Removing the top layer of rye, he squeezes out a mustard packet on it and then uses the empty packet to spread the condiment over the bread before closing it back up. "There we go!" he says, slliding the sandwich in front the crow before his attention returns to Nettie and Mina.

Wiping off his hands on the side of his pants, he accepts the grocery list and looks it over. Walking over to Nettie, he shows it to her quickly to make note of it as he moves to take a small wicker basket to start to gather the requested materials.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Quite well traveled by American standards. Grew up in Boston, the old Boston. Spent formulative years traveling through the Indian subcontinent, ended up traveling up through the Himalayan foothills and spent time in China, Japan, Sri Lanka. Then back to Ireland an' The Isles," she states, and she pulls her half-moon glasses out of her pocket, and takes a look at the list.

    She points to one item "This is in the freezer behind the main room; it's kept freeze dried for freshness. Look for the packet marked with this --" she takes out a little pen and marks a few Sanskirt symbols on the list.

    "An' if you have any doubts, check with me before we ring her out." she states to the lad.

    And the crow just digs in, happy for mustard and his own personal assistant.

    "And yourself, Madam? You speak as a lover of things old-fashioned."

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray nods as she listens to Nettie, then clasps her hands as she replies, "Yes I have travelled as well. All over the British Isles of course, but also throughout Europe, with visits to India, Japan, China, Australia, Canada, and of course the US."

"I am an investor, not a particularly significant one, but significant enough that I care to attend stakeholder meetings on occasion."

Her eyes soften, as if recalling memories dear to her, "The world is a beautiful place. It is a shame that so few people ever see much of it."

Joshua Foley has posed:
Joshua starts with the stuff that is nearby, picking up items to put them in the basket. He pauses, holding up something, sniffing at it curiously and ohs, before adding it to the pile. He eventually finishes up what he's looking for in the front.

Setting down one basket to take up another, Joshua heads towards the back, disappearing into the rear of the store to find the few items he is looking for in the back as well.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Ah, Australia, spent time in Brisbane for a short bit, attended to some business of an old friend that-away. Admittedly haven't gotten to see much of it." Nettie replies to Mina, and she then just gives a smile.

    "Now I'm dying of curiosity; Victoria's reign? she questions. "I was born during it, had a bit of an accident when I was fourteen, lent to me the best of faces without the disadvantage of aging. Rather Dorian Grey, save for the painting business." Nettie states as she goes to take a seat behind her tea counter, inviting Mina to take a stool.

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray pauses for a moment, feeling her heart sink. Indeed her confident demeanor waivers for the slightest, but perceptible second before she raises her eyes from the floor again to look at Nettie, "What? Victoria's reign..?

She is internally scrambling to decide how to actually reply, "Who are you exactly?"

Joshua Foley has posed:
If someone were to ask Josh how old he is, he's only 20! Not that it matters at this point. "Miss Nettie!" he calls out from the back. "What side of the freezer did you say it would be on??"

He doesn't come back to the front yet, giving the women their privacy.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie gives a smile. "Just a tea shop owner, dear. I mean nothing by it. Throws some of those who say they're Cleopatra Reincarnated or Mary Magdalene or any other number of pretentious new-agers for a bit of a spin. I used to collect wax cylinders for that purpose." she jokes.

    She does so love taking on the people who say they're reincarnated this-or-that for spins though.

    "Should be the left side of the freezer, Ducky. Look for those Sanskirt symbols I added to the list. That's how they come labeled." she calls back to Joshua.

    And then Nettie gives another smile, and raises those aquamarine eyes to Mina.

    "In any case, all are safe who come through here. I've seen some queer customers in my time."

    In Every Sense of the Word.

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray hmmms lightly, "Yes such people would visit book stores often, if only to find like minded invidiuals."

"Either way I have also met some strange people. Perhaps we can swap stories some time." She appears to slightly on edge still, but less so.

"Get anyone through here calling himself 'Vlad?'" She smirks lightly.

Joshua Foley has posed:
"Oh... oh! Here they are!" Joshua offers proudly as he finds and matches the markings on the sheet of paper with the markings in the freezer. Fishing out the item requested, he comes back to the front.

Slipping past the 'Employees Only' area of the store, Joshua comes up to the counter and sets down the last of the requested items. "I think that's everything." he offers cheerfully and presents the basket to Mina to check out before giving them over to Nettie.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "After the Imapler? Oh, no, I tend to pick them out pretty handily," Nettie gives a small wave "they read about reincarnation and decide that they and they alone are the reborn lord of Wallachia, but can't even determine from which time period they hail originally. Fetishize the Victorian look, or sweep in dramatically with silk lined capes and a sanguine fascination. They tend to be very involved with themselves. I've never had the misfortune of coming up against the real..." she pauses a moment "... thing." She takes a deep breath, and lets it out. She looks straight ahead at the crow, who has taken his sandwich and managed to make off with it to one of the eays chairs.

    "I'm a witch. I head an organization created to fight creatures such as that." she states, and she gives a smile to Josh, who knows she's much older than she looks.

    And then she draws her gaze back to Mina.

    "I was in Tibet while that business was going on in England. If you follow the dates and believe it took place in 1893. Young Joshua here is in my employ and as trustworthy as they come, ma'am."

Joshua Foley has posed:
Joshua adds. "I'm normal. Just twenty." then he pauses. Looks at his skin, and his nose crinkles in mild disappointment. "But I'm a mutant." he adds in the way of explanation for his strange skin color as he goes to get another sandwich. He'll work them off later.

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray appears less tense now, although she was able to hide the most of it anyway, "I see.. well I have a stalker, calling himself.. Vlad. It's the last time I give my name to a stranger. He told me that I'm his soul mate.. something about Vlad and Mina.." She rolls her eyes, although she clutches her hands, which if one were observant enough, they could see them shake a bit before she clasped them.

"I just wanted to make sure that I was not still being followed around."

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray also adds, "...witch?" She rubs her hands a bit more, looking to Nettie for clarification, although it might be a false confusion.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "... you're safe in this space, Mina." Nettie states gently. She digs out a couple of teacups. "I don't broker with men who beleive they have the sole control of a woman's fate. Womens hould have a say in such. And a good hatpin. Shame they went out of style, the fascinators that you had to pin in. Used to do a brisk business selling good, long steel hatpins in the day, did you know, Josh, in some cities they tried to outlaw hatpins the same way they tried to outlaw pockets in women's jackets? Some gentlemen got a bit roughed up on a trolly one day after handling a woman in a most ungentlemenly fashion, and she took out a pair of sewing scissors and made them regret it." she states. She sets about pulling items from the drawers behind her.

    "Aye, witch. Conjuress, sorceress, speaker to the dead, once accidentally turned myself into a gray hare and had a bit of a bout against a necromancer with a bunch of possessed undead French and Norman knights." (+Scene 14338, Something Stinks in Caerbannog) "I keep company with demons who fight on the side of good, a good many dubiously living spirits of vengence, a few with lycanthropic conditions , and others who either dabble or fight using dark arts for the side of good." she gives a kind smile to Mina.

    "So, whatever you're running from, whoever you are, you are among friends and safe people here, poppet." Nettie states in a most grandmotherly fashion. "Tea?"

Joshua Foley has posed:
"She turned me into a newt once." Joshua quips.

"I got better."

And with that, he's back to work on ringing up Mina's purchase.

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray is clearly taken aback by the sudden honesty, "...I.. see. And you.. you know about me?" She is still being very careful.

"I do not discuss this at all, unless someone truly knows. If you do know, then I will not turn down your friendship. But I must know if you know who I am, and who I am running from." She is resolute, tense now, and clearly very afraid.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie gives a bright smile at that.

    "You introduced yourself as Mina Harker who has a stalker named Vlad and purchased a large amount of materials used to keep unfriendly spirits away. You have a preference for old-fashioned communications, but clearly are a lady of bright intelegence who has reason to be guarded about her life. You are attracted to scents attached to oils that are used to remove darkness and evil from households." Nettie points out, and then, her voice lowering, her hands held palm up to show there's nothing in them, a symbolic movement for openness.

    "I have no idea who you are officially unless you inform me of your identity, but I want you to know that my offer of friendship and aid is based on the fact that I've got a terrible altruistic streak, and my word is my bond. I'll have nothing more to do with you than what you would like, even if it's just an arrangement of deliveries." Nettie replies. "But I would very much like to make you feel safe in my sanctuary."

Joshua Foley has posed:
Joshua considers and then adds for Nettie and Mina's benefit. "I don't know myself and if it makes you feel more comfortable, I can leave the room and allow you and Miss Nettie to converse." he quickly offers, that insecurity that he is quickly becoming famous for showing up.

He waits, though as he sets the bag up on the counter. "I have your order packed as well, so it'd be no trouble for me to vamoose."

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray wrings her hands for a second, "Harker.. I didn't say that my surname was once Harker. No one knows that about me, no one that should still be alive."

"Then you at least know something about me. I once had friends, powerful friends who I cared about deeply, and who cared about me. They were all men, but at the time women did not typically do the things we did. I felt safe with them, and... he did not dare approach me then."

"Now they are long dead and I am all but alone, with only my experience to guide me. I have kept a low profile, but it was inevitable that I would meet someone who recognized me eventually. I will not ask a lady her age, but it sounds like you know of Dorian Grey at least."

"I will not turn down friends where I can find them, because I have none at the moment, and have not for some time. I do not understand why he has not come for me yet, perhaps he wants a challenge, not some simple fell swoop. Perhaps he wants me to surround myself again, believing that he can tear down everything that makes me feel safe.. and then.."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie's cheeks expand and then she exhales, her eyes going wide as she realized she tilted her hand.

    "I apologize, Mina. I didn't mean to spill that bit of information." NEttie admits, because her player got the name wrong and is such a dork and now feels awful for everything aaaaarrrruuuuuuuuuuuuughghhhhhhh.

    She gives a small smile.

    "Eighteen-fifty-four, I was born in Lincolnshire, Stonecrow Hall. I'm afraid it's quite ruinous by now." Nettie Sniffs. "had a bit of an argument with the church." she replies, and shakes her head "I'm afraid I did spend much of my formative years traveling India on the run from witch hunters. Young Joshua is aware of my age, and is trustworthy in all things."

    Corvax returns, with mustard on his beak.

    "Aye. Nettie picks up strays out of dumpsters and brings 'em home. Corvax, crow familiar. How do you do." he introduces himself, and lands on Josh's shoulder. "I'll just be here an' awkward with the lad while Nettie tries not to mess up too much further."

Joshua Foley has posed:
Joshua knew Nettie was old, but dayum. The young man glances up for a moment and offers to both women. "Neither of you look a day over thirty."

Yeah, he sucks at complimentary not flirting as well.

With Corvax coming over to settle on his shoulder, he reaches into his pocket to pull out a piece of cookie and offers it to the crow. "Peanut butter." he explains. "And yes, I was a dumpster find. Except at twenty, not a dumpster baby."

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray offers a nod, still processing what she has been told, "No.. no it would be difficult not to call me by that name since you are nearly the same age as I am. I am guessing you at least heard of me, divorcing at such a young age? Scandalous for the time. Jonathan was.."

She narrows her eyes, "..not the man I believed him to be. After all of that he just.. couldn't take it. Fortunately I was able to fade out of the public eye, even being a member of high society."

"At the time I was not able to understand why he could just abandon me after what we had been through together. Now I realize that after I became.. this.. it must have triggered some deep fear within him.. the thing I am referring to, that is after me? He was after Jonathan as well for a time. Perhaps he could not bear the thought that I was.. well.. you can see it too."

"I still believe that he should have given me a chance, because I was not fully turned. Some aspects of the curse manifested themselves, others did not. My enemies are free game but.. I would never harm an innocent."

She crosses her arms in front of her, "But that is long in the past and history will never see my side of the story. But suffice it to say, we both understand that time, and why I had no voice. But given my.. condition I could not have spoken up either way. I would have been dragged to the fire."

Joshua Foley has posed:
Joshua takes that in, and snorts, looking down at the table in thought. "Yeah, but that was a long time ago. Only reason you get dragged to the fire now is if you're a mutie freak in the wrong place."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie sets her mouth in a straight line, and is trying... SO HARD... not to laugh at Joshua's statement, and fails. She looks to Joshua with a small smile and crinkles in her eyes, and gives him a wink. Not bad, lad.

    "Some men are creatures of whim and fancy, though I've never been married to one, I had a number of brothers. I would have been around to hear the *scandal* of a divorce, but I would have been cheering your side. The church executed my family; Corvax, my youngest brother and I escaped via a ship bound to Italy, and ended up in India. Understandably, British orphans in the Indian subcontinent are at a bit of a disadvantage. We learned Hindi in a hurry." she reveals, giving Joshua some details of her own past, and she looks to him with a sad smile.

    "There are more reasons than that that people would want to burn those who are different, they always want to destroy what they do not understand. Fear is a powerful motivator for us to stay in the shadows and not raise a fuss, and keep their status quo." she replies gently. And she returns her attention to Mina.

    "I am one of the leaders of what is known as the Justice League Dark. We're a bit of a shadow group beneath the shining stars of Superman and Wonder Woman, who work in their shadows. I myself was once a necromancer, somewhat feared in the later Great War and then second World War." she gives a small smile. "Since we're putting it all out there in the name of friendship and trust."

Joshua Foley has posed:
"I heal people." Joshua offers. "Either myself, or others. When I do that, I turn gold..." he considers his skin and the current black color it is now.

"When I harm things, this happens. I just found that out on my first mission with the Dark team," he explains. "I don't know why it hasn't gone away yet, maybe when I heal someone again?" he suggests to himself outloud.

"But before Nettie found me... I wasn't a good person. I was against mutants. My parents had me convinced they were an affront to God. I even joined the Reavers... which is a group of anti-mutant cyborgs. They thought my powers could make their cybernetics work better. At least, until they abandoned me to die when I turned against them when I realized that they weren't trying to harm mutants, but dissect them."

"So yeah. No great war for me. Just a string of shitty decisions that I'm trying to repent from before I end up in Hell."

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray shudders for a moment, at the mention of God, "I've long abandoned the idea of a god. Holy devices do not drive me away, but like my.. maker, I hate the name of God. No we can only save ourselves. It seems that only a select few are chosen to wield his power, or the power of some other god."

"I have heard of other groups of like minded individuals, with certain skills, and powers forming over the years. I was once a part of such a group, although I cannot speak much on what we did, since I am still bound by agreements with MI5. But that should tell you enough, but I can reveal that I did work with British Intelligence, although only on the domestic level, but this was after my merry band had reetired."

"Unfortunate events led to me remaining in the care of the British government for some decades, the details of which are unnecessary, but I am grateful to them, and I still have contacts among them to this day."

"But these modern heroes are far beyond anyone I ever worked with. Beings of great power appearing seemingly out of nowhere suddenly. Some have even existed long before any of us it seems. Gods in the flesh like Thor, after all who else could he be but that god of myth? That incident with Loki in New York? Another god revealed."

"Then there is Hulk, Superman, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, the Flash, so many to count. They are far beyond me or my long dead friends and they deal with threats greater than what we faced. But the threats we faced are still out there, subtle, and dangerous."

"I have heard of another.. "half vampire" like me, who goes by the name of Blade. He hunts vampires and other monsters. I have never met him and I do not know anything else about him. But he is perhaps the only being in the world who can truly understand me, if what I have heard is true."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "I'm a pirate from the 17th century, but no one thinks I'm important." Corvax complains, giving a flap of his wing as he gives a momentary tantrum at the idea that he's not important.

    "No. I'm afraid there's not many among us who curry favor with The Presence itself. The Magdalena perhaps. Lovely lady, Patience. But you'll find most of us have very personal arguments with the idea of 'God'. The only one I care to call upon anymore is Hekatae."

    And Nettie leans forward, her eyes unfocused. "Blade is, indeed, someone I am familiar with. I've only met him once, fighting alongside Atrun-Rai, an ancient Atlantean, Zatanna, and an Atlantean I know as 'Aqua-Boy'." Nettie gives a soft sound.

    "He's very much a loner, and terrifyingly good at what he does. He's listed among the Justice League Dark members, but a great many of us have various projects, and don't check in all the time."

Joshua Foley has posed:
Josh doesn't have anything to add at this point. He breaks off some more of the cookie for Corvax, but for now, he has successfully rolled to STFU and just pay attention for now.

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray raises a brow, "A pirate crow from the 17th century? Now that is something I have never encountered."

She returns her attention to Nettie, "Then I am not the only one who has.. issues with whatever is responsible for this mess we are in. I know I am not the only one, although it felt like it in the beginning.."

"And I am not surprised that Blade is a loner. Had I not met the people I did, I too would have remained alone. So I am not surprised that he is terrifying. One such as us fighting alone would be, it would be the only way to survive. I hope to meet him one day. We may be the only two of our kind in existence. I have never heard of others."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "If there were none others like you, we wouldn't know what to call you. Except fanfiction writers." Nettie holds up a hand "They tend to make up the most remarkable bullshhhhhpucky." she catches herself, and she gives a small laugh.

    ""Hang around the shop enough, Mina, and you'll come to find many friendly faces who would be happy to aid you." Nettie gives an honest smile, and then she points at Josh.

    "And I sincerely hope, Joshua, you *never* experience a World War like we've been through. I would happily visit the heads of state and come back sans the state to preserve the world from such horrors again."

Joshua Foley has posed:
"You know, I doubt that we'd need to worry about world wars, with all the heroes we have in the world now," Joshua admits as he listens and looks between the two. "But I believe you if you say that you'd put a stop to it, Miss Nettie."

Mina Murray has posed:
Mina Murray nods, "Two world wars in fact. Not long after the second one started, my.. group had disbanded. I was not involved in the second world war as I remained in London, just in case the Germans managed to get boots on the ground."

"My former comrades, so to speak, were too old to be of much use if it came to that, but they wouldn't have gone down without a tough time of it either.. In any case no, it is not likely that a war of that scale would happen now, not with the current balance of power being what it is." She says with a nod to Joshua.

"It was wonderful speaking to you both, and simply meeting you at all for that matter. Please deliver my incense as soon as can be possible. I would rather no one know where I purchased it from and if anyone is watching me, they will follow me, and forget about this store."