8382/Warding the Curio

Warding the Curio
Date of Scene:	24 October 2021
Location:	The Curio
Synopsis:	For the Night Brigade, the evening is spent getting to know one another while John, with help from Zatanna worked his magic on the Wards. A blood offering is nearly too much for one vampiric member of the team, but in the end... it was the bond of newly forming friendships that pulled it all together.
Cast of Characters:	John Constantine, Phoebe Beacon, Lydia Dietrich, Jubilation Lee, Jonathan Sims, Nico Minoru, Tara Tsabedze, Zatanna Zatara, Chas Chandler

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John Constantine has posed:
    It's been in the works for awhile now and it's finally all coming together. ... but was that old building there before? There *was* a building there, next to the Laughing Magician, but was it *this* building? Didn't the other one have a lot of newer work done after the incident with Nergal a few months back, the circle that crushed the neighborhood?

    The lobby, it looks a whole Hell of a lot like...

    Maybe it wasn't obvious when John and Chas talked last night, the lights were dim. Maybe they were too caught up in the moment for Chas to notice it? Maybe it's just been so long ago that he didn't even *remember it* clearly enough But this building, this lobby. Bloody Hell, he's gone and done it again. It's an *exact* replica of that first shitty building the two of them shared a studio in. Or is it the same building? It's John Constantine, so who knows.

    All that aside, the place is actually all set up with a few extra chairs, enough seating for all should they wish to sit. Folding tables and all that...

    All the groundwork and blood magic portion of the warding was finished last night and this morning, who wants to stand around and watch John bleed himself, right? He's looking a tad pale, but it's the cost of doing business and he's on his feet, so.

    On his feet and sitting at one of those folding tables with all his 'bar supplies' laid out in the same order he'd have them if they were... on the bar. Ashtray, Silks, his zippo on top the pack, glass and bottle.

    Bluetooh speakers in the room pump music from his phone, currently the song of choice is: London Calling by the Clash.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    In comes Phoebe from the loft next door, having stopped to get that one last batch of orange sugar cookies in and out of the oven. She has a large tuppeware container full of orange and black sugar cookies for those who can eat them, some with Jack-O-Lantern faces in orange and white frosting, and on top were about a dozen, fresh from the oven and pulled a minute or two early so they were still soft in the center.

    Those go next to John, with a soft 'Hi Dad!' The tuppaware container goes off with the other food items, and she starts being a good bar back and setting out cups and containers of fruit to add to drinks. Mostly so that she's busy; she never liked downtime. Too much to think about.

    "How many are we expecting tonight for the 'grand opening'?" she asks, looking back to John with a little worry in her eyes at his pallid countence.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Even though Lydia doesn't need to eat anymore, she realizes that other people do, and it wouldn't be an event if somebody didn't bring something to snack on. So she shows up with a couple boxes of donuts in hand, and two of those huge boxes of Starbucks that you can buy for party events. She sets these down on the table for public consumption.

"You look like shit, John," she says in a friendly greeting kind of way. Her nose picks up the faint scent of blood that he's left all over the place so she knows /exactly/ what he's been up to. "I should have brought you some orange juice."

She nods to Phoebe when she sees her. "Hey there. How's the shoulder?"

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    The door opens quietly and Jubilee slips in. "...Montgomery Ward... Ward Cleaver, the dad from Leave It to Beaver... no... Oh! Maybe it's short for Ed-ward... or... Ho-ward!" Jubilee can be heard muttering to herself, eyes glued on her smart phone. She heard the group was gathering to ward the Curio but no one actually told her what that means and Wikipedia is really not that helpful.

    Once inside, Jubilation lowers her phone and immediately frowns. "I /knew/ I should've been the one in charge of this!" she cries out. "Where are the balloons? The streamers? The dance floor?!" The look of disgust she's giving John Constantine right now is downright vicious. "This is, like, the worst thing to happen in human history!" Jubilee tucks the phone into the waistband of her skirt, letting her hip do the work of keeping the precious object in place.

    Jubilation's body is covered a bit more than it normally is. Tonight she's wearing a white dress shirt, collared, with not quite enough buttons done, a tartan skirt that's mostly yellow and black, sheer black tights, and black flats -- a far cry from the usual Heely sneakers she might normally zip around in. Sexy Hufflepuff.

    "You never ask for help!" Jubilee cries out, finally addressing John Constantine directly. Both arms are up in the air, gesturing at this or that.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon walks in with his hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched a bit. He's in enough of a mood to comment aloud, "Ahh, yes, the /height/ of gentrification: just moving England right on into a place and never mind the people who--" He snaps his mouth shut. No need for that, and what good will it do? But clearly the building's mere presence bothers him on a deep, fundamental level.

    Instead, he slumps himself on over into a chair to one side. He didn't really bother dressing up, aside from making sure there wasn't blood on his shirt. Waves at the others who are there, and seems vaguely amused by Jubilation's disdain for the decorations.

Nico Minoru has posed:
    Nico comes in, not so much fashionably late as 'Oh shit oh shit oh shit where is that notepad? OH THERE IT IS!' late.

    Which is to say there's a bit of thudding from thick soled, buckle-festooned boots, and a squeak of treads as she slides towards one of the chairs.

    She lifts her metallic hand in a wave to John, eying him... well, he doesn't really look _worse_ than the last time she saw him, so that's probably fine. As she skids to a stop and looks around, her eyes widen a little. Ohhhh. Snacks... right. Snacks. She didnt' bring any. Oh god. Her first actual official hocus pocusing and she's already messed it up.

    Still, she leans towards Jon and stage whispers, "Hey! The last time I was around for a gentrification, they kicked me out of this totally sweet abandoned hotel! It wasn't nearly this nice, so like... you know, I think we can let this slide!"

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Not entirely certain what sort of food one brings this sort of potluck gathering, Tara made Wali wa Nazi (coconut rice) and Nyama Choma (Roasted gazelle), then made sure to bring some bowls and forks just in case. She wasn't entirely certain what was happening or going on, which was her usual state since leaving Kenya, but she was happy and content to be a part of something.

With a smile on her face she delivers her food offerings to the table, then starts to look around for the faces she has seen before. John and Lydia are the first she notices, so she offers each of them a slight bow. Nico she remembered from the Wal-Mart, so she gets a slight bow as well. The others, she has no idea so they get offered nods.

John Constantine has posed:
    "However many show up," John replies to Phoebe vaguely because he's always the king of details isn't he? He actually *grins* at that plate of cookies. Sugar rush, it'll happen later and so much more tasty than Poptarts. ... and just the way he likes them, gooey.

    Jubilee gets a little jerk back of the head, a raised and furrowed brow and a nose wrinkle. "Help with *what*, you don't know how to lay down protection warding?" Confused John is confused.

    "You don't have to live here rent free then, aye?" he snips back in Jon's direction. Because damn it all to Hell and back again, if John has to walk through the fires of it nearly on the daily to keep a line drawn between Hell's Kitchen and its surrounding areas and the things that go bump? Well, he's going to have himself a few of the comforts; a few of the places that hold some of the best memories he has in that dark head of his. This place was one of them along with the pub next door.

    Nico gets a little half smile. Yeah, he likes that kid. Reminds him of himself back in the day, that one. He gives her a wink and raises the glass of scotch in her direction.

    Coconut rice and roasted Gazelle? Well, it's a good thing he doesn't actually recognize all that, there might be comments and quips and such, snark even, if he did. But he doesn't so Tara gets a, "Hey, luv," greeting.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon blinks slowly at Nico. Have they met? They... have not met, that he can recall, but he says, "Oh, don't mind me, I'm just grouchy. I'm Jon." Which is by way of introduction.

    To John he says, "I've offered to pay more than once, but that's all the complaining you'll hear aloud from me about it. You're feeding people rather than hiding all the potatoes so I think she's right," he nods to Nico, "we can let it slide." (Hiding all the potatoes is /not/ what happened. He's being facetious.) Then he pulls out a pack of Silk Cuts from his pocket and tosses it toward John's table. "Just got my monthly shipment in. Consider it a house-warming gift."

    Finally, /finally/, it's the smell of coconut rice that gets him to get up and go investigate, nodding politely to Tara as he does so.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zee followed the sound of voices and the scent of coconut and roasted meat with a good dollop of magic overlaying it to the room in time to hear John snipe at the Archivist and take a healthy drink of scotch. If things are not all right in the world they are at least running close to normal, she decides after a glance around the room crowded with magic users of every ilk.

Jon's introduction is her cue to chime in, "He is normally rather sweet natured if you ask me. Hello," she says, sweeping a small bow with a self-deprecating grin to Nico, "I'm Zatanna, we haven't met either."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Now that the food has been offered up, and initial recognitions made, Tara offer John a broad smile at this greeting. Had she not spend time in London, the use of the word 'luv' might have led to a something other than a smile, but she gets it. British.

With so many she doesn't know, she begins to move among the people present. She doesn't offer her hand to shake, but each is offered a polite bow and quiet, "Greetings, I am K'tara Tsabedze, feel free to call me Tara." So that she is certain she has introduced herself to everyone.

In the end she finds herself back by John and offers him a quiet, "Good to see you John, though Lydia is correct, you look like shit."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe's a good kid. She also knows that John's blood sugar is precious and should be kept up. She also *specifically* made that particular plate of cookies for John.

    She takes a deep breath, catching the coconut rice, and as she takes off her motorcycle jacket and exposes a shirt with a happy smiling pumpkin on it, and gives a bit of a shrug as she lays her jacket over the back of the couch.

    "I think she means help with decorations -- not that there needs to be much in the way of decorations. I mean, it's just the lobby. We've got food. It's a party." she jokes. "Good to see you, Jubilation!" she smiles, but doesn't shake hands. She's not new bling in the form of a blue headed necklace and a silver locket along with her Night Brigade bauble.

    "Hey Jon! Thanks again for playing messenger, I appreciate it." she greets the Archivist.

    The be-pumpkined teenager proceeds to grab a couple of the orange sugar cookies and stands off to the side a bit awkwardly.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    The door opens and a mammoth of a man comes in carrying what looks like 8 large pizzas stacked one ontop of another. "Hey everyone! Sorry I'm late!" Chas says from behind the stack. "I brought food for most everyone... Didn't know what people liked so I got a bit of the basics. Cheese. Pepperoni. Sausage." He peeks around the stack and angles toward a cleared surface to set the food down.

John Constantine has posed:
    John pushes himself to his feet slowly. He clears his throat a bit and offers, "So, this is it. Official home of the Night Brigade. Eat, talk... be bloody merry or whatever." Not much with speeches, anyone surprised. He snatches the new pack of Silks up and shoves them into a pocket of his trenchcoat. There's one more thing that needs to be done to make the building 'home' John Constantine style and it's the only reason he's really here.

    To finish his magic, with his single minded obsessiveness toward protection, to ward the place against enemies, to sound alerts when a strange supernatural presence enters, to make it a fortress of safety. And to do so while the 'family' that will live and work within its walls are gathered and enjoying oneself.

    The paints he plans on using for that task are behind the reception desk mixed and spelled in gallon containers rather than small things, this is a Big Job. He gets them settled along one wall before all of his stuff from the table gets moved to the floor nearby the paints. Even his cookies, *especially* his cookies, those are HIS cookies and pity the fool tries to snatch one.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "I am /not/ sweet-natured, Zed," Jon grumbles. "I am a grouchy arse at all times, as everyone knows."

    Then he immediately belies that by smiling at Phoebe and nodding. "You're quite welcome. I, ahh..." He hesitates, then goes over to stand next to her and say in low tones, "I... had something else, but I couldn't seem to find the right..."

    He huffs and pulls something out of his other pocket: a small handmade doll with shells for eyes and smile. "I picked this up, ahh, in the village. On impulse. You're the last child of the place, and... you should have had something like this. So. Ahh. House-warming gift for you, too, I suppose." He offers the doll to Phoebe.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia is only passing familiar with about half of the people that has shown up, some she's never even met, so she goes into socialite mode. She grabs a cup of coffee, adds a bit of sugar and cream into it to taste, and picks a random person to introduce herself to.

"Hello, Tara. I'm Lydia. We've kind of met at the Walmart," she says, holding out her hand.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Jubilation offers up the palm of her hand in the form of a high five for Phoebe, expecting the other girl to turkey it like last time. It's a thing. "Lookin' good, Pheebs," she greets before her gaze shifts to John and his announcement. Eat. No. Talk. To who? Be merry? She can do that one, at least!

    Jubilee folds her arms in front of her chest and squints, looking at each person who came to this thing, sizing them up, maybe. Her gaze can't help but linger on Lydia.

    "So, what do we do now?" she asides to Phoebe. "Karaoke? Is there such a thing as magic karaoke?"

Nico Minoru has posed:
    Nico's mostly absorbed by all the food, eyes darting from option to option like some sort of cartoon mouse or something. But then there's so many people to look at and throw little waves too and she's got to work on getting her notepad in order.

    The solid fifteen seconds she spends patting herself for a pen before she realizes it's tucked behind her left ear is totally a show to keep everyone casual and relaxed, and not in any way her genuinely being overwhelmed.

    Except yeah, she's totally mind reeling from all this, and that's before she hears a voice she _swears_ she's heard before and... like... that's _the_ Zatanna! And as starstruck as Nico is, well, then Chas is coming in and carting enough pizza to build some sort of pizza box fort.

    And then John's throwing off serious 'These are MY cookies' vibes, and Nico is contractually obligated to point at the plate of cookies, then pantomime Cookie monster-worthy nomfing.

    But then she's trying to subtly make her way towards the community cookies, because Nico's not really going to tempt fate _that_ brazenly. Always go for the _free_ cookies. As true at a warding as it is at a community center.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
The hand offered is eyed for a moment, but rather than shakes it, Lydia gets a more formal Kenyan greeting. Tara takes the hand lightly, lifts it to her cheek to touch lightly, then releases her hand, all done with a broad smile.

"I am honored to meet you Lydia," she says, the smile going big enough to show her elongated canines. "I remember you at the Wall Mart, very effective abilities."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    
    Phoebe gives a smile to Jon, and was about to go help Chas with the pizzas -- and she pauses.

    She looks at the little doll. She blinks a moment, and hesitantly accepts the doll with cowrie shells for eyes and nose, twisted yarn like hair. It could have belonged to a cousin, or a potential friend... now lost.

    "I... I don't know what to say, Jon. John's been reluctant to bring me there until things are safer..." she trails off a moment, holding the small doll in her hands.

    And she's pulled out by Jubilation. "Karaoke? Uh--" she looks to John's phone, hooked up to the bluetooth speakers.

    "I mean if we hooked up a different phone that had an app maybe? I don't have a mic--" she pauses.

    "But really when has that ever stopped someone from singing? But you'd have to ask my d-John about that one." she admits, still holding the doll in one hand and a cookie in the other.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Zed?" Zatanna rolls with it, shaking her head in disagreement at Jon's self-description. "He truly is not a grouch unless scared or feeling off balance."

Following his greeting to Phoebe she adds her own, "You may now call me Zed, Phoebe." While Jon presents her with the pretty doll, she watches with a smile warming her eyes. Then regarding Phoebe closely with more than eyesight, comments, "You look so much better, how are you feeling?"

After John's announcement, she passes close behind him to pour herself a drink, asking him, "Any of the good stuff about?" Drink in hand, she gestures to the paint, "Do we pick a color John or do you have it planned?"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon just nods to Phoebe, and smiles a bit sadly. Teenagers are resilient, and with Phoebe and Jubilee distratced by the possibility of karaoke he seems to decide he's done his due diligence on the matter.

    He goes to put coconut rice and gazelle (not that he knows that's what it is, just yet) and a donut on a plate. Grabs a coffee and goes to sit down, somewhere off to one side a bit, to watch everyone and particularly to watch the last parts of John doing the warding. Maybe he's off-balance, because he does indeed still look grouchy.

John Constantine has posed:
    Settled there on the floor, John starts at the center point, the place that lit with a red line when he wrapped a knuckle and spoke a word yesterday while Mairin was here and learned the lesson the warding isn't always about just circles. When he starts at the X drawn there, it's not a circle his work travels in first.

    The fine, small paintbrush he uses is an indication of just how long this is going to take, likely long after everyone else is gone, but there's bits and pieces he needs to finish before that happens, while hearts - beating and not - share the pleasure of just being together.

    Artwork, before he taps each little section of what he's doing with a finger and murmurs the words to cause the paint to seep *into* the walls and vanish, what he's doing is beautiful, and for now, in a straight line up and down, not circular. It's sigils and weird curly Q's likely not recognized by most, it's letters from long dead languages, it's marks of angels and gods and even maybe a few demons.

    Wordlessly, with his free hand, John lifts his bottle of scotch to offer it to Zee, hey... that *is* his good stuff. "Planned..." Mapped out to the last detail in his head already after the day spent laying the groundwork for it, groundwork that's marked on the walls in pencil all over the room in the form of the same sorts of things he's drawing now, but in the singular... as if each space is marked in kind with *what* bit of lore or legend or faith or path will be that section when the painting's done.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Thank you," Lydia says, letting her hand be guided to the Kenyan's cheek. "You're not so bad yourself. Really showed that giant clown what's what." Her eyes drift to Jubilee, feeling the attention of the other vampire in the room. A slight frown pulls down at her lips as a kind of territorial instinct rises up in her. That's not good.

"I should probably go talk to her sooner or later," she says to herself. Turning back to Tara she says, louder, "So how did you meet John?"

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Collecting herself a little something from the table, though not entirely certain what the things may be, Tara steps back by Lydia and out of the way.

"I saw a flyer seeking bartender, waitresses and bouncers," she replies. "I figured I would make a good bouncer, so I spoke to him and was hired in a span of five minutes."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Much better, than you Zatanna--Zed -Za-- you know what we're just going to stick with Zed." Phoebe answers, and popping the rest of her cookie into her mouth, she pulls at the collar of her T-shirt, showing off the pinkish scar tissue that's not quite healing from the most recent attack. "I'm alive, and that's really all that matters." she states with a grim smile, and she takes the doll and puts it into her pocket, drawing over to John as he works. Last time she was with him warding, it was less educational and more painful memory.

    "Anything I can help with?" she asks softly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas lays out the pizza on a table and then says out loud. "Dinner is served..." he glances and notices Lydia and Jubilee. "For most people. I'll be right back, going to get the cooler I had stocked for this."

    With that announcement he heads back out, presumably back to the bar next door.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Two vampiresses in a single room. It's a recipe for disaster, but so far they seem to have it all under control. Jubilee lets her stare be known, unflinching, as the two of them share that private moment of tension. When Phoebe goes off to help John with the paint, the notion of karaoke fades into the ether.

    "Jon-without-an-h, that was really nice!" Jubilation exclaims with an enthusiastic (and fangy) smile. She stares at the man, perhaps with some intensity that she can't help, and nods in his direction. "I like you." It's said so plainly, so matter-of-factly that she might as well be drunk.

    "Chas!" she calls out, hoping to stop him on his way to the cooler. "It's okay! I don't come on empty!"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia laughs good naturedly at that, "That certainly sounds like John. His instincts are /usually/ pretty good, but I'd say they're spot on with you. I'd pity the man who'd make a scene in his bar with you around."

She takes a sip of the coffee to enjoy it's taste, even though the caffeine would have no effect on her. "I met him at a diner. Warned me that my golem would go mad and start killing people. That was /months/ ago and the only people he's hurt were people who tried to kill or injure the residents of Bushwick."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
    With a satisfied nod, Zatanna scrutinizes Phoebe's scar, "Nice work. You being alive is all anyone wanted. The scar will fade with time. Pretty doll."

    John's work is truly beautiful though not many mortal eyes have seen it. Museum worthy for the balance of color and line, something for magicians to admire, for the power it contains.

After selecting a paintbrush to her to her liking, /Zed/ kicks off her shoes to settle next to him like a child in the same sandbox at the playground. Though this is not play but the serious business of protecting the people that he has gathered to himself and provided digs for.

    Zatanna's work has its roots in her mother's land, Turkey, reminiscent of the complex repetitive designs drawn in henna on a bride's hands and feet. Magic sigils are worked into the flowers and stars that she draws. Like John's with a word they integrate themselves into the house, protecting everyone within and warding them from outside dangers.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon blinks at Jubilee. "Thank you? Thank you. The sentiment is mutual."

    Then he calls across the room to Tara, "Miss... ahh... Tara? What /is/ this meat? It's delicious." He isn't meaning to interrupt the small talk she's making with Lydia, but he has to know. And getting to know people helps fuel the magic, right?

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara seems quit content and happy, ears turning this way and that to listen to the entire room, and probably even more than that. Her tail swishes to and fro behind her as she watches the other people around her.

"I have seen that golem, very effective," she nods to Lydia. "I enjoy watching him walk by the hotel."

Left ear turns as Jon calls out, his voice easily heard, so she calls back, "Gazelle, I am well pleased you like it!"

John Constantine has posed:
    John shakes his head. "Not on this bit," he murmurs, voice distracted. "This is the foundation." Has to be absolutely perfect and it has to be John because it's the center of it all, the source from which the rest of it will span. It's the part he has to pour the most into. It shows too, in the sweat beading on his brow.

    Maybe later, after the party's over and the people have left and there's still work to be done on the smaller points, yeah, that's when he'll teach his Daughter, but for this? For him to pull the rest of it all together later, this has to be him. "Go have fun," he adds to that distracted whisper. Because he also, like any dad, wants her to be a *kid*, something he never had.

    When Zatanna sits next to him, he doesn't exactly *stop* her, but he takes her hand in his before she can lay the first mark and moves it about four inches from the edge of where he's building the heart of it all. The heart that will run the entire height of the wall and across the ceiling, down the other side by the time it's over. East to West.

    He stops, takes the paintbrush from his right hand and shakes his wrist out a bit. Faded denim blues flick from Zatanna to Phoebe, back and then forth once again. Eyes fixed on his daughter, he finally gives in and nods to the spot on the other side of him. His mind already remapping and recalculating, adding in the new elements and figuring how to tie them all together in the end.

    Magic, it's not unlike many of the 'sciences'. John certainly could have been a mad one had he stayed in school.

Nico Minoru has posed:
    Nico's so not letting the bounty of free pizza go to waste, nor the chance to make notes on warding by carefully observing the goings on. Which means she's got the uniquely difficult task of trying to look all Classical Gothic and serious, while taking legible notes.

    Except she's also trying to sketch out examples of both Zatanna and John's warding styles. It's difficult to balance a slice of pepperoni and all this academic zeal. But she's going to try, damnit and if anyone makes fun of her, she'll... turn them into a toad. Or punch them. Probably punch them.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas hears the call of the short woman and turns at the door. "How's it going, Sparks?" he says with a smile. It seems he's labeled her with a new nickname. "What can I do for you?" he asks, tucking his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans. "If it's about you and Lydia... I've got a few bags on tap if you're needing anything. I was going to bring them over as well." He doesn't seem too put out by the thought. "Not much, but it should cover at least the night for the both of you."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Gazelle?" Jon blinks down at the plate for a moment, then peers at the woman. Then he rather abruptly gathers up the plate and gets up to go over to actually talk to the woman.

    He nods politely to Lydia as he approaches. "I should ask for the Story of the golem sometime," he says, "but, ahh... I..."

    He turns to Tara. "I don't think we were properly introduced. Jonathan Sims, the Archivist. I gather experiences and stories for... well, for the service of Thoth." He hesitates, then actually bows a little.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "It's going. I think I broke Jon-without-an-h's brain!" Jubilee calls back at Chas, thumbing her hand in Jonathan's direction. Sparks is a better nickname than Elvira, at least. She brings her hand up to her mouth and raises her voice. "I'm just..." Jubes rolls her eyes at herself and starts to walk towards Chas to just, you know, talk to him.

    "I'm just saying you don't need to go," she says. "I came already, uh, fed." Pause. "And who's Lydia?" She knows who Lydia is. It's just a vampire-on-vampire micro-aggression.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia beams proudly at the compliment. "Thank you! It was quite an experience creating him." She catches Jon's question and Tara's answer and her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Where were you able to find gazelle here in New York? I'm going to have to try a bit of it. Never had Gazelle before."

She nods to Jon, "Which story? There are several. Or are you asking for mine? There are several."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara looks between Lydia and Jon as he approaches, tail flicking, instinct watching his movements because she didn't know him and hadn't seen him in action before. It doesn't mean she's going to pounce on him and chew his throat out or anything of that sort, it just means she /can/ if she needs to.

"The gazelle comes from my tribe in Kenya," she offers to both Lydia and Jon at the same time with a slight chuckle. "My people raise them as you would cows, but they are taster than beef."

Now she offers Jon the appropriate bow, and performs the proper introduction of herself to him, "K'Tara Tsebedze, Kivuli of the Paka ya Mwezi, living avatar of Bast, the Goddess Moon. I am honored to meet you Jonathan Sim's, he who serves Thoth."

Her feline eyes shift back to Lydia, "I would also enjoy hearing more about the golum, if you are willing to share."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe gives a smile, and she takes off her shoes to put the sneakers to the side, under one of the tables. She's wearing socks with happy little cactuses on them, and she draws down by John, watching his work and learning, watching Zatanna's work and admiring the glyphs, watching two masters at work with appreciation, but not writing or adding anything unless she's told to. She's stull the student.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Two magicians working in concert are like dancers moving in unison. Zed lets him move her hand without protest before she begins her first line. Humming in concentration, she reinforces the foundation that he lays down. Her stomach rumbles which she ignores until she reaches a stopping point that won't weaken the work in progress.

"I need food," and stands to help herself to a slice of pizza, happily watching Jon work his way through the group while she finishes it.

"Oh, the power in this room," she comments to John, not expecting an answer. "So many gods," she murmurs meditatively as she picks up her brush and dips it in the can, resuming her work.

Chas Chandler has posed:
    "And how are the rest of the people here going to drink without beers or sodas or water, hm?" Chas asks the shorter woman with a smile. "The cooler wasn't just for the two of you." He places a friendly hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad you came already satisfied. And even more glad that you're taking care of yourself. I'll be right back. Besides, it's just next door." With that he's slipping out of the lobby and towards the street.

John Constantine has posed:
    Everything around John fades into distant background noise and clutter. This is probably the most important ward work he'll ever do. He know this group of mismatched misfits is going to amass a LOT of enemies and this one line, a mere few inches in width, will be the battery that powers it all, the beating heart of it that pumps life to the rest. This is where most of the blood he shed is already seeped into the walls.

    It's also the hardest part for him. After this, it'll go quickly. When he reaches a point where he can't sit and stretch his arm up, he pushes himself to his feet and staggers a little.

    Scotch, Silks and even cookies are forgotten in that single minded determination. He starts painting again from the higher vantage point, struggling a little each time he needs to bend to re-wet his brush.

    Can they feel it? Not a pull on their power, but a pull on ... what's happening, on the groundwork of bonds being formed? It's a sort of magic in of itself, innit? And he's channeling what he can of it into his work now.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    A frown forms. Jubilee offers up one last protest towards Chas. "Hey," she begins, moving quickly to try and put herself in the man's path. "Let me go. You're always pouring and stirring and all that for everyone. I can get that stuff." She raises both eyebrows and brings both ankles together, as though she's standing at attention.

    Jubilee reaches out to hold the door open and tilts her head back inside. "Go on," she says. "Go pin the tail on something or... I don't know... Draw stick figures on the walls or whatever they're doing?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Warding work." Phoebe answers to Jubilee. "Like... a magical locking mechanism, keeping Bad Stuff out and protecting everyone inside here. They're giving it the circuitry and you're giving it the initial charge." Phoebe answers, and she gives a smile, and she turns her left wrist over, showing her own tattooed-on warding.

    "What makes things stronger is -- us. All together, helping one another. Every one of us is pulling and pushing on one another. Everyone in an orbit, providing potential and kenetic energy. Establishing this building as a Home-with-a-capital-H." she gives a grin.

    "... and I can feel it. Humming. Through my bones."

    Phoebe remains seated near John, turning to watch him work, and she brings her feet up into a lotus position.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The energy in the room zings with a panther and vampires and gods. Zed looks up once to smile brightly at Phoebe. Then, she returns to a particular area where she draws in a panther, representing good fortune, wisdom and, of course, protection, next to the Moon surrounded by feathers and leaves. She had already completed an Ibis head for Thoth. Dreamily, chewing the tip of her paintbrush, she looks at who else in the room she can incorporate into the design, John's very blood is already in it.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Warding work. Jubilation nods her head slowly at those two words as Phoebe repeats them. Yeah, yeah, warding work. She's heard it said so many times. But then Phoebe continues, describing the term and what it means. What it means to her. How it makes her feel. Jubilee just stares and listens, lingering in the doorway, her eyes transfixed on Phoebe. Her eyes only move to look at the girl's tattoo.

    "...I can't feel any of that," she replies, her tone going somber and losing some of that manufactured exuberance from earlier. Jubilee turns and looks at the designs that John and Zatanna are working on, staring at them with the same fixation from earlier. Her eyes trace their intricate paths, going from one of their perceived beginnings to the perceived end.

    Jubilation wanders from the doorway and Chas and lowers herself into one of the available seats, frowning a little and staring forward.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Your golem Story, particularly," Jon says to Lydia. "Only if you're willing! Not right now, of course. Unless, ahh, it's proper 'warding party' conversation, I suppose."

    Then, to Tara, "Oh! Bast as a moon goddess... /oh/, yes." His eyes go distant for a moment, his voice changes subtly. "An Archivist met your people, long ago. 'Magic flows from the moon, Her light bathes the tribe in glory, and as such we walk all in Her shadows.'"

    Then he blinks himself back to the present and smiles almost shyly. "Ahh. I am... honored to meet a living avatar of the Eye of the Moon. And the gazelle really is good. As is the rice."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Well..." Phoebe considers, and she holds her hands out, palm up.

    "Come here a moment?" she asks, raising her eyebrows as she sits on the floor in the lobby, near the paintings, her legs in the lotus position still as she shifts her body around to face Jubilee with a smile. "Maybe I can help?" she offers, "I've been doing really well with pulling on different threads of my magic, and a coulple months ago I probably wouldn't have been able to feel it either." she admits.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia nods at Jon, giving him a warm smile. "Perhaps a later time, then."

Her attention is drawn to Phoebe as she explains what the warding is, what it means to her. She can barely feel the zinging of magic herself. It would be stronger if she still had her full connection to her magic but that's been fading ever since she'd been turned.

She looks at what Zee has been drawing and she excuses herself to make her way over to the magician. "Either the Star of David or the Sephirot for me," she tells her. "I may be a vampire, but I still hold God in my heart."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara could feel the draw of energy and power, the forming of the wards, but that is what she was there for, to offer up that energy, as much as was needed she would give and more if it was required. The very nature of who and what she was would go into protection wards without hesitation or pause.

Her golden feline eyes remain on Jon as he speaks, watching him but seeing into him as well. There was a familiarity to him, something that touched at the long time of memories within her of all the Kivuli before her. Indeed, his ancestors has been to her tribe, and had spent some time there with them. This is confirmed more so when he speaks the English version of their creed, the very soul of who they are.

"You are... familiar to me," she almost purrs, her tail flicking behind her. "It is a wonderful sensation, thank you, Jonathan Sims."

Her attention is pulled away by Lydia's words about God in her heart. Not the vampire part, that doesn't seem to phase her in the slightest, but to learn Lydia is Jewish? That makes her smile very broadly.

John Constantine has posed:
    John's painting becomes a near frantic thing, but it's a controlled thing. There's no loss of quality or detail caused by it. His 'in the zone', the all of it from beginning to end so embedded in his mind's eye that now the painting is near muscle memory.

    The blonde hair around his forehead is more than dampened by sweat now, it's *wet*.

    There's a ladder against the reception desk, leaning and waiting for the moment that he gets beyond arm's reach, but when it happens he doesn't get the thing. Instead he does something John almost never, ever does despite the ability to do so. He murmurs a few words under his breath and levitates to the next 'level', nearing the ceiling.

    He's chanting now, but it's soft, barely a whisper, using a spell to pull on the power of the room, to draw on the bonds being formed, the friendships beginning, to transfer that energy into the wards. All things John very rarely allows himself that, bonds and friendships. He tends to break them before anyone gets too close, outside of the few and the most stubborn.

    But he needs *theirs* now to truly turn this into a Home that will be safe for every last one.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
A serpent wends its way out of a leafy thicket of minty balm, climbing a rod, next to another depiction of the Moon. Zed stops to stretch her fingers and shift her weight before adding details to bring the serpent to life. Sistrums rattle under the moon. For one dizzying moment, Zatanna loses herself and walks in a moonlit desert. With a gasp, she returns to the smell of pizza and scotch.

It is not the moment to be God touched. She glances over at John pouring himself into the work.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    And so, Jubilation rises from her seat in a supernaturally unnerving way, as though there was such a thing as being too graceful. She walks over to where Phoebe sits on the ground and lowers herself to her knees. As if to restate her point, Jubilee shakes her head. "Nothing," she confirms.

    "But, I dunno, maybe it's different for us?" Jubes glances in Lydia's direction briefly before her eyes shift towards John and Zatanna and the wards that are forming. She watches quietly as John begins to rise, her head tilting back just a touch to follow it. "I mean, maybe it's just not something I'm part of." Jubilee shrugs, perhaps finding the one party that even she isn't meant to attend.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon blinks at Tara and then bows again, a little awkwardly, trying to balance food and coffee and polite gestures. "Ahh. You're welcome."

    There's that feeling of power being pulled. He... resists for just a moment. He is, oddly enough, /more/ resistant to letting himself be part of a true bond of friendship than even Constantine. As friendly and personable as he often is, it's a mask; he does not trust easily or at all, he keeps people well outside his bubble, even people he's known for years, not least because when he does let them in... well, there's only really the one line of defense. Once they're in his trust, it's far too easy to be hurt.

    Zatanna, of all people, managed to get inside the bubble rather swiftly. And he /wants/ to let in Jubilation, and Phoebe. And John himself? That's complicated, but... he does trust the man, even if it's a different sort of trust. Besides, Thoth wants him to.

    So he sighs, and relaxes a bit, and asks Tara in a tone that really /is/ trying to be friendly and not just superficially so, "What brings you to America, then?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Trancelike, Zed adds what could only be fireworks spangling stars of David, encircling the eleven circles of the Sephirot connected by lines of power so much like the connections between the wildly different people gathered into the building. With a sigh, she comes to the end of this portion of the wards and looks up, rubbing the back of her neck.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Nah, here, hold out your hands like this." Phoebe states, holding her hands out, palm up, about waist level. "I'd like to try something, if it's okay?" she offers, her shoulders rising up. "See, because we all belong here. Every one of us. My dads, Jon, you, Lydia, Tara, Zed -- we've all bonded. We were pissed off at each other and forgave. This place should feel like home. After my house burned down in Gotham, I lived in a friend's home. I did a fair amount of couch surfing, you could call it." Phoebe gives a smile, and she looks up around around the room, some of her dark kinks and coils drifting into her face. "But magic is magic, it's different. I can feel the magic being worked into the walls. I can feel the heartbeat of it as Dad and Zed work, humming like a song that I heard long ago."

    Phoebe's hands are still held out. "I didn't hear it before, but I hear it now."

Chas Chandler has posed:
    Chas moves passed Jubilee as she is distracted by John's actions. Teaching sessions were always a blast when dealing with Constantine as your professor. He slips out and heads back to the bar to get the bevs for the guests/future residents/neighbors.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara's eyes move to following what Zatanna and John are doing, but her ear turns toward Jon as he speaks. Politeness requires she looks back, but the smile is entirely her own choice.

"The Kivuli must serve the entirety of the world," she explains. "I have been to many of the countries outside of Africa, America just seem..." she pauses and hmmms softly. "... it needs the most help."

John Constantine has posed:
    John continues, the chanting growing a little louder, but still barely above a muffled whisper. It's Enochian for anyone familiar, upper level not lower, despite the fact that John has about the same feels for both levels; they suck. But they're a good source of what he needs. Across the ceiling, eyes wild and vacant, a little Hellfire dancing in each of his pupils, paint smudges, smeared more so by sweat dripping down his face and crazed little smile curling his lips, he makes that path across the ceiling with a speed that seems nearly impossible - no, impossible - considering the detail in the work.

    Down the far wall, setting to the West. And finally down to his knees to finish the last bit. He drops the paintbrush and the gallon bucket he'd had through it all heavily. A little paint splatters on the floor.

    The chanting stops, leaving him panting and desperate to catch a breath but he's not quite done with the hard part, not quite yet.

    "Zed," What the hell, he'll jump on the bandwagon, "Need their blood, just a drop. Mix it, gold bowl, on the desk."

    The final touch for the heart of the wards, the heart of the Home.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "Do you have to be alive for this?" It's a touchy question, a loaded one, perhaps, but Jubilee asks it earnestly. If she's not alive, what is she? It's hard to say, hard to know, and the concept is usually abstracted as un-dead. All Jubilee knows for sure is that she can't feel the magic in this room the way Phoebe is describing it.

    Without waiting for Phoebe's answer, Jubilee holds her hands out as instructed, offering up two cold, porcelain palms. As soon as she hears John call for their blood, Jubilation pulls both hands back, wide-eyed. Deep down, her Dark Passenger is stirring. Take her blood?

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia watches with satisfaction as Zatanna does her work, and when she's done she nods. "Thank you." Jubilation's comment garners a slight scowl. Maybe it's true. Maybe vampires aren't tuned to magic like this the way other people are.

Seeing that John is done she walks up to him. "I... I don't know how much more use I can be," she says, sounding strained. "My magic... it's fading. Ever since I've turned I've been losing my connection with it. I'll give you my blood for the warding. It's pretty potent, but that's about all I have to give."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
    Zed collects a tray to place a glass of what looks like acupuncture needles that she conjures into existence on it. After pricking her own finger and letting a drop fall into it she begins the rounds. Bowl in hand, she moves between the participants beginning with Phoebe who will show the others what John wants. Her eyes dart to Jubilee, feeling a darkness stirring in her at the mention of blood.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Striding over to the golden bowl, Tara uses her own claw to puncture a hole in the palm of her hand. Holding her hand over the bowl rather quickly, exactly two drops manage to fall before the wound heals itself. Once she had added her offering, she steps back to allow others to do the same, those that will.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I don't think it matter--" Phoebe was about to say, and she stiffens a moment as Jubilee pulls her hands back. She tilts her head back and gives the 'worst timing ever' sound. Her hands slowly drop down, and she recognizes Jubilation's hesitation.

    "For the wards. So they recognize 'us'. Kind of like..." Phoebe considers a moment as Zed and Tara shed first "... a keycard to get into some place." she explains to the other teen. She looks to the needles and gives a momentary balk -- but her knife's elsewhere at the moment. She accepts the accupuncture needle, and has to concentrate on not healing that pinprick as she adds a drop of her brilliant magi blood to John's too-familiar golden bowl. And before the drop even hits the bowl, the wound is completely healed over.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Ahh," Jon says to Tara. "It..." He chuckles. "It does need help, at that. America, I mean. That's..." A hesitation. "That's why we came, too, in a way. My husband and I." He glances around. "And, well, this place and these people are providing help, so..."

    He glances over toward John, at the comment about blood. Frowns at Lydia for a moment, with a look of faint sympathy. He only met her once or twice before, but he can understand the burden of changing into something new, something you don't recognize.

    When Zatanna comes by he doesn't hesitate, his resistance to the pull of the magic already past. He goes ahead and adds his own blood, murmuring something under his breath in Egyptian. A prayer to the gods, to bless this place and provide their protection. To Thoth, god of writing and magic, for the wards to be strong. To Isis and Hathor, the Mothers, to Ra and Osiris, the kings.

    And then, /very/ quietly, to Neith, the terrifying one, the ultimate creator of all. Mother and hunter and warrior. /Bless and keep them, Neith, with my blood./ A quiet thing, and he ignores the clenching in his gut at /naming/ her.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Jubilation flinches a little and shakes her head. "I'm not... I..." She rises to her feet suddenly, compelled by the misguided survival instinct of the dark curse that stirs inside her. "I'm going to have to pass..." Her attention shifts from person to person, lingering on those looking in her direction.

    "You have enough, I think, yeah, yeah," Jubilee mutters, taking a careful step backward.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Shaking her head at her objection, Zatanna holds the tray out to Jubilation. "Try," she says, just a hair from ordering her. "It is to protect us all. If you are vulnerable it is like a chink for something to slide through."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Jubilee -- it's okay... you don't have to if you don't want to at this moment." Phoebe states gently, contesting Zed's claim, and she holds up her hand, showing that the pinprick is already gone.

    "Take a moment. Focus on my voice. There is no one here who would wish you harm. We have stood between danger and fought back the darkness together. You are among friends who have otherwise shed their own blood to defend the others here --" she reaches up, and touches her left shoulder a moment. "Some in more ways than one." she states, feeling the whorl of those scar tissues beneath the tee.

    "... there is no one who is not here by choice. If you want, I'll hold your hand."

John Constantine has posed:
    John looks up at Lydia from there on his knees, eyes a little more sunken then they were a moment ago, skin a little more death pallor pale. But he smiles and, through those exhaustion hitched breaths he says, "You'll find another connection, all that are born to be one of the magical greats always does, even if they die."

    Then he's just there, will turned out toward holding the power he needs for that final touch.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia goes over to the bowl and holds her left hand over it. The scent of blood is powerful, and her fangs have already distended but she manages to keep control of herself. An onyx claw forms from ectoplasm on her forefinger and she pricks the palm of her hand, letting a drop of thick, vampire blood drop into the bowl.

All the while she's saying a prayer in Hebrew.

    "Hashkiveinu ADONAI eloheinu l'shalom, v'ha-amideinu malkeinu l'hayim.
    Ufros aleinu sukat sh'lomecha,
    V'tak'neinu b'eitza tova mil'fanecha,
    V'hoshieinu l'ma-an sh'mecha.
    V'hagein ba-adeinu, v'haseir mei-aleinu, oyeiv, dever, v'cherev, v'ra-av, v'yagon;
    V'haseir satan mil'faneinu umei-a?areinu,
    Uv'tzeil k'nafecha tastireinu ?
    Ki Eil shom'reinu (umatzileinu ata;
    Ki Eil melech chanun v'rachum ata.
    Ushmor tzeiteinu uvo-einu ? l'hayim) ul'shalom mei-ata v'ad olam.
    (Ufros aleinu sukat sh'lomecha.)"

It's the Hashkiveinu, a prayer of rest and protection. What power she has left she binds into that prayer as the drop of blood falls into the golden bowl. She licks her palm to seal the wound.

She sees Jubilation one step away from panicking so when she's done she walks over there. She rests a calming hand on her shoulder and says gently, "I know the scent of blood is strong, and it pulls to you. It pulls at me too. But you are stronger than it so do not be afraid."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon's finger already healed over as well; several people here heal fast. He smiles to Jubilee, a sympathetic smile. "Listen to Phoebe," he urges her. "It's alright, one way or another." Something about the words makes him hesitate, then he adds, "You... belong here, as much as we all do. Together." His gaze flickers to Lydia. The pull of the blood itself is a natural concern, but that's for vampires.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"We are not ganging up on you, Jubes. We are here for each other and you are part of all of this," she adds gently to the others encouraging her. Zatanna patiently holds out the tray regarding her. "Donuts after this!" she jests quietly.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara stays back from Jubilation and the situation, not because she doesn't care, in fact she has a concerned expression on her face. She stays back because too many people crowding a nervous vampire was a very, very bad idea. Sipping at the coffee she picked up, she stays prepared and ready, in case the nervous vampire loses her temper, other wise, she remains present and watchful.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Apparently misunderstood in her protests, Jubilation shakes her head and backs away again, moving further from the group. "Come on by, celebrate while we ward the new building..." She quietly repeats her memory of being invited to this. She shrugs away from Lydia's touch and closer to the door.

    "...But no one said anything about taking my blood," Jubilee announces, looking from person to person.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia's touch was gentle so it doesn't take much for Jubilation to shrug out of it. She watches the other vampire back away with sadness. She doesn't understand the girl's uncomfortableness, but she doesn't press it any further. In fact she takes a step back to give her room, since it looks like they're all crowding her.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara cants her head, tail flicking, one ear twitching. "No one is taking your blood, they are asking you to willingly give it. If you will not, then so be it," she offers calmly, not making any excuses and stating it all bluntly. "One drop, no more is asked for, but if you will not, then you will weaken the wards and that is how it will be."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "You are /all/ crowding her and none of you are /helping/." Phoebe pipes up "She's right. That part wasn't explicitly said." Phoebe states, still calmly sitting on the floor, her hands on her knees. "Everyone just... sit down. Those who can, take a breath." she takes a breath.

    "What options do we have other than her giving a drop of blood? Dad?" she asks, turning to John... and she takes a deep breath to center herself as she looks to poor John, off to the side.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Let her be," Jon says softly, but firmly, mostly to Tara. "The wards will be strong regardless. It's about letting her through them." He had never stepped closer to Jubilee, but now takes a firm step back, actually going to sit back down in his corner, so he's well out of her way if she wants to leave.

John Constantine has posed:
    "Jubilation." Not Elvira. "C'mere, please..." He actually lifts one hand, a trembling one at that. Even before she comes closer, John starts with. "Do you trust me to do what's needed to keep you safe?" Not simply do you trust me, but... because he's lied to her, or lied by omission anyway, in the past. Why did he do it? To keep her safe.

    "This is no different than what I'll need for you... for..." It's not his to tell. He'll trust she knows what he means. "Close your eyes, luv, listen to your *heart* and not what the other inside of you is saying. Trust *Jubilation*, make the distinction and do what *she* wants to do."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zee returns to John's side with the bowl, trusting him to reach through Jubilee's barrier. Her regard moves from person to person in the room, watching the many shades of concern on their faces for the young woman. Her mouth tightens at John's words as he dispenses advice that he could well take for himself.

She leaves the bowl on the table she took it from and walks over to Jon and completely out of character tentatively touches his hand with a finger then slips her hand into his.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Jubilee doesn't have a pulse or even a functional heart but she could swear that it's pounding in her chest. Each person, their eyes upon her, each with their little addition to pile on top. "Giving. Taking. I already said /no/," Jubilation replies to Tara, anger peppering her tone.

    As Phoebe comes to her aid, Jubilee's face softens a little, one panic replaced with another. Words come quickly. "Phoebe, Phoebe, I'm sorry! I just... I can't... I can't..." She closes her eyes tightly, her chest heaving in and out -- an affectation of panic she felt while alive. She's not afraid of what will happen to her anymore. Jubilee is afraid of what she's going to do to them. What she'll be forced to do.

    If she wasn't too busy battling a hyperactive vampire id, Jubilee would make some kind of wisecrack just there. 'What'd he call me?' Jubilee would want to quip as John Constantine finally uses her name. She'd give everyone a snarky grin and then go back to her business like the situation didn't even matter to her. But, that's not what happens. The strangeness of hearing her name said by John is enough to draw Jubilee's attention.

    She blinks a couple of times and glances around the room, first to Phoebe, calling up memories of the girl's sunlight and how it protected them all up in Maine. To Jon and the memories of hiding in his arms so she didn't get obliterated by it. Even Zatanna and that awkward, though very discrete attempt to bail her out of her truant bill at the donut shop. And finally, well, finally she slips from this moment and her mind lingers elsewhere, lingers on someone who isn't present.

    Jubilee closes her eyes and approaches John slowly. She lowers herself to the ground and holds the pad of her finger out to whoever is brave enough to do it. "Everyone hold me down," she requests miserably, sliding into a position on her stomach.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe nimbly hops up.

    She strides to Jubilee's side, and as she sinks down next to her, she gives a smile, and holds Jubilee's arm and other hand.

    "You're going to be just fine. We got you." she smiles to the other supernatural teen, and she goes to lace her fingers with Jubilation as the vampire slides down.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia folds her arms and nods at Jubilation's request, stepping up to the other vampire. She doesn't put a hand on her, though. Instead her ectoplasm extends to gently caress her back, slightly tingly to the touch, giving her something of an odd cloak. Her power is stronger than she is, so if Jubilation should end up trying something harmful she's sure that she'll be able to keep her in place. "I got you," she tells her, softly, kindly.

John Constantine has posed:
    John slides a small blade from his pocket, toothpick with a handle really, designed for just such things. Razor sharp, it won't take but a poke to make her bleed. It was him that asked it, is asking it, for the sake of all... for the sake of one. Jubilation should have *everything* being a part of this team entails, its protections and early warning systems included. It was him asking, it should be him that takes the risk.

    "No, luv. No one needs to hold you down because I was *wrong*, you're strong enough to listen to what you want, fight what it wants. I'll still make the rest of it easier for you, because the rest of it *should* be easy. But I was wrong, kid."

    Quick, like a snake, hand steady out of the *need* for it to be, through will alone... a simple pin prick a hand held out desperately to someone, to anyone for something to collect that precious gift into.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon glances over as Zatanna takes his hand and smiles, a friendly thing, then looks back over to watch Phoebe and Lydia offering to help Jubilee, John stating she doesn't need it.

    "We do have you," he says, "but... you have yourself, too. You're strong, Jubilation." Just another word of reassurance, for whatever it's worth.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara will move closer, be ready, but she doesn't know the woman and doesn't feel comfortable just piling on. If needed she could shift her form and easily hold Jubilation down, but for now she will remain in reach and ready in case she is needed. Everyone else seemed ready to aid as well, so perhaps she wouldn't be needed... but she still wanted people to understand she cared and would help.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe reaches up with her other hand, still holding to Jubilee's free hand, reaching for that golden bowl, and brings the vessel down, holding it carefully, knowing what precious cargo it holds.

    Blood, of course, being a hot commodity in her won family issues. She hands over the golden bowl to John.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zee shrugs at herself, returning his smile for the bond of friendship and swings his hand. It's a precarious moment: something John is wont to do, balancing on the edge and pushing Jubilation to dominate the Vampire within her. Unwittingly, she holds her breath and when the deed is done releases the Archivist's hand.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Jubilation's eyes rise, squinting a little as she smiles in Phoebe's direction. "Yeah, but... You don't understand," she murmurs. How could she explain what she knows is going to happen the moment her skin is pierced? It's a funny thing to know you're about to lose control.

    The unusual sensation on her back, the tingle, draws Jubilee's head backwards a bit, eyes rolled so she can catch just a tiny glimpse of Lydia as the source. She leans forward, no longer trying to watch. "Thank you," is her response. It's quiet, meant only for Lydia. Kind words are nice, but Jubilee feels true comfort knowing at least someone is taking the warning seriously. Lydia is offering some insurance.

    Jubilee closes her eyes when she hears John continue. She squeezes them oh-so-tightly and nods her head rapidly, her cheek dragging against the floor. She winces in anticipation, her finger trembling. And then...

    Blood.

    As much control as she might have, Jubilation still reacts. Her body stirs as she lets out a primal hiss. Muscles tense. Her fingers squeeze Phoebe's. Her back pushes up against the ectoplasm. And then... she relaxes, just for a moment, before curling into the fetal position. "I'm okay," she mutters into her knees.

John Constantine has posed:
    Once John has the bowl and Jubilee's blood is added, he adds the last, but not the least - far from he *least* bit of blood to it. Chas', it's actually the most important in John's mind... best mate since acne and awkward. He opens a little vial pulled from his pocket and dumps it in with the rest.

    He sticks his hand right down in there, coating his palm before he stands on shaking legs and walks to the other side of the room. East to West. He reaches out and slams that bloody palm, his left, the side of the heart, against the wall at center point.

    "Bring life to it!" he shouts, booms in that same dead tongue. Or at least that's the closest translation there would be to modern English.

    The light that moves through the line, East to West, up the wall and across the ceiling? It isn't Holy or made of the sun, it won't burn anyone here; but it's bright and it's blinding and it's brilliant and it's warm and it's safe.

    ...and the backlash of power from it blows John Constantine across the room like a ragdoll. He crashes through one table, knocking its contents of pizza and beer all over the floor, before that ugly ass couch catches him, keeping him from impacting the opposite wall.

    "Bollocks," he mutters somewhere between trying to stay conscious and not being quite so. After a moment though, his eyes come more into focus. He pulls out a Silk, lights it, tucks it between his lips and says, "Well, wasn't that just a helluva blast?" as he reaches up to flick a piece of pepperoni from his cheek.

    ...and to those sensitive to such, the magical pulse of the building beats a hesitant beat, then another, stuttering and finally it falls into a strong steady rhythm.

    Welcome Home Night Brigade.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    It was no accident that it was Phoebe who took Jubilation's hand. For the first, she heals quick if any of those bones were busted. And the second -- well, if Jubilee lost control and went after John, Phoebe could stop it. But she trusted Jubilation

    And she relaxes as Jubilee curls up.

    "You're good, Jubes." she whispers, giving a squeeze to the other teen's hand, and reaching out to rub her upper back in a comforting fashion--

     -- until John's blown across the lobby! Then Phoebe plants herself OVER Jubilee in case anything comes down on top of them, covering her head with an arm.

    "Holy --" she breathes out, and she sits back on her haunches as the warding takes affect... and she smiles, then leans over and peers across the room, looking to John.

    "You good?" she asks him.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
The expulsion of John to the other side of the room was unexpected and caused Tara to drop the coffee she was holding and instantly become so much larger and hairier. Her clothing merely disappears as she takes this large form in a flash of silvery white light.

Too late to stop it from happening, she rolls with it as she realizes it was just John doing something similar to what got him blown across the room at the Wal-Mart... it was something he should probably stop doing, but who was she to tell him what to do?

"You alright, John?" She asks, her voice a little deeper but still touched by the same east African accent it always has.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon reacts to the light and sound of someone being blown across the room like someone who's been through a sudden burst of power or two, which is to say he does his best to yank Zatanna down since she's right next to him, hits the floor and puts his arms over his head. It's a weirdly practiced motion, even if it's awkward.

    And then it was just John that got blown anywhere, so Jon slowly looks up, and takes a deep breath. He pulls himself up to his knees, peering first at John and then at Jubilee. And then he sighs and goes to pick up the food he spilled all over the floor. "Too much power in the metaphorical circuit?" The question is a cover for the reaction, clearly.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
    With the instinct of a magician born, Zatanna had stepped out of range of the powers motivating the wards. Poor John, yet so so John to get lit up by his own spell. She rises, laughing kindly at Jon's reaction and question.

    Still chuckling, "Yes, exactly that, my friend."

John Constantine has posed:
    "Yup," John answers, both his daughter and Tara. He pushes himself up, head spinning and jello legs, but he does it even with that cigarette still between his lips. He finds his scotch, an ashtray, his cookies, he leaves the glass out of the equation to drink straight from the bottle. He finds a spot in the corner of the room to settle onto the floor and lean his head against the wall.

    Out of the way, out of the bubble... on his own. The way he claims he prefers to live his life. That's where he'll sit and recover before finishing the smaller points of it all, the arteries and veins that'll tie it all together.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia is ready for Jubilation's reaction and gently keeps her down. When the other vampire curls up into a ball, she lets go, letting the ectoplasm that was holding her down evaporate into mist. She nods, knowing how hard it must have been for Jubilation. The smell of blood has got her inner predator going, too, but she's got a tight rein on it.

And then the world explodes in light. "AUGH MY EYES!" Her eyes are attuned to the night, and the unexpected bright flash blinds the woman and sends a spike of pain seemingly directly into her brain.

Holding her arm over her eyes she stumbles about for a bit until she regains her balance. "What happened? There was a flash and a crash and now I can't see."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara steps over to Lydia and lays a large clawed hand on her shoulder.

"John blew himself across the room," she says quietly, "Need guidance to sit down?" She then asks. She doesn't think she can help Lydia's eyes, but she can be a seeing-eye cat for a moment.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "I'm calm, I'm calm," Jubilee mutters to Phoebe, keeping her voice quiet in response to the whisper. The prick of her finger heals over immediately. It'll take a lot more physical damage to create a wound that can linger on her body nowadays, but the smallest draw of her own blood is problematic. Her Dark Passenger cherishes it, guards it, protects it.

    If there's one positive outcome of the little fit on the floor, it's that Jubilee's own eyes, capable of near perfect sight in total darkness, were shielded against her knees in that fetal position. She rises to her feet and brushes her tights off, having gathered some dust from the floor. She doesn't approach Lydia -- after all, what could she even do? Instead, Jubilation takes a couple of steps towards John and his corner.

    She opens her mouth, as if to say something, but no words come. Instead, it's a flurry of brown-black hair as Jubilee spins on one foot and jets towards the door, running out into the night while this story still has a happy ending.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia bursts out laughing when Tara describes what happens. "Of course he did. If I had a dollar for every time he did that I'd have enough for a couple of McRibs." She lets Tara guide her to one of the folding chairs and sits down blinking away the stars. "I forget how sensitive my senses are now."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
    The wards mostly in place, Zee, tired from the work, takes her leave. But, not before grabbing a few slices of cooling pizza and a tumbler of scotch.

    Food and drink in hand, she returns to Jon's side. "Show me your place when you can. I just wanted something small, a pied a terre for NYC, when the Brigade has business or I'm performing. It's so nice to not stay in a hotel."

She toodles her fingers at John and nods to Phoebe and Chas, Tara and Lydia as she crosses the room to the door leading upstairs.

    "Give me a call when you want to finish," she says passing John ensconced on the couch.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Once the food on the floor is cleaned up, Jon stands all the way up, stuffing his hands in his pockets to hide the trembling. "Well," he says crisply after watching Jubilation run off into the night, "it's been a pleasure meeting people, but I... have a few things left to grab from my flat. So. I will... go do that."

    People getting blown across rooms is /not/ good for his mental health.

    He nods to Zatanna, and barely seems to have noticed Tara's transformation. With a last wave at everyone, particularly John and Phoebe, he slips on out into the night.

John Constantine has posed:
    Corner, John's ensconced in his corner. With his bottle and his cookies and his Silks. It'll be half that bottle, half a dozen cookies and at least a pack before he's ready to get up and finish the rest of the building. But by tomorrow, it'll take the abject fury of Heaven or Hell to get into this place, at his people.

    So bring it on, New York. Fuck you Leksandria.

    The Night Brigade is on the mother fucking job now, bitches.