Owner Pose
Jonathan Sims     The main trouble with the Velvet Room library--well, with the Velvet Room in general--is that while you can take the books around to other parts of the castle, you can't take them /home/. So any research anyone needs to do has to be done right there in the Velvet Room.

    Thus it is that Jon's sitting around with stacks of books on a table near one of the couches, nursing an old-fashioned while he writes in a notebook balanced on one knee. He's not alone in the room, Cael's joined him there, but they're doing separate research for the moment.

    The stacks of books? One stack on Egyptology, another on Wonderland and Lewis Carroll, another appears to be philosophy of law. The main stack that he's working through right now is treatises on magic--most of which he seems to disagree with.

    "Ugh!" He tosses the notebook on the couch next to him and glowers. "Why are there /so/ many bloody books about magic written by people who haven't the first clue what magic /is/?"
Cael Becker     "Simply to drive you nuts, clearly," Cael replies. She is resting on a couch near Jon - with Bear sprawled over her lap, and gnawing at a plastic toy she'd filled with peanut butter. It has the pup's full and complete attention, naturally. She holds her phone in one hand, and a glass of whiskey in her other, sipping idly at her glass as she scrolls down the screen.
    "Why do all researchers use such dense language when writing out their work?" she complains in turn - letting out a frustrated sigh.
Gabby Kinney "If you can't do, teach?" Gabby supplies from her postion at the sofas where she is currently sitting cross legged on the floor facing the seat itself. All so that she can be mostly eye level with the kimono-clad doll that she had brought in which proved to house the spirit of a little girl. She's got some cards in front of her laid out, but nothing so worrisome as tarot cards. These cards were covered with pretty floral images and she appears to be in the middle of some game with the doll itself. Hanafuda cards were an on old game after all.

Looking over toward the pair at the bar she smiles in sympathy. "Maybe it's time you two took a small break. They're big about teaching the Pomodoro method of learning these days. Small stints of work followed by a break so you don't start to go cross-eyed." A card is placed down carefully only to get a displeased noise from the doll which causes her to glance up eyes narrowing.

"I can't tell if I played wrong or I played right and she's losing."
Jonathan Sims     Jon huffs out an annoyed breath at Gabby's words, although it's not so much at /her/ as at the books. "I /can/ do, and I am /also/ teaching. But this," he gestures at the top book on the magic stack, "it just so much bloody /drivel/. New Age pseudo-philsophy wrapped in a quasi-Kabbalistic veneer with made-up angels stacked on top for good measure. Who ever heard of the 'Angel of the North Wind?'" He shakes his head and gets up, going through the stack of magic books and pulling out about half of them.

    "You're probably right, though. I need to put these back anyway, they're bloody useless. I should probably stop bothering to try to find anything /real/ about magic in a book, and focus on historians and anthropologists; even if they don't believe in the magic they'll document it correctly." They pause, to look down at Cael, and add, "That's why researches use such dense language. It's an attempt to be precise. Doesn't always offer clarity, though. What're you having trouble with?"

    They say this last as they head for the library, going to at least put the books on one of the tables in there. The invisible--or at least unseen--attendants will put them back on the shelves.
Cael Becker     "...all of it?" Cael replies, letting out a frustrated sigh. "I mean- schooling wasn't really a priority growing up. I made it through college on sheer tenacity and gumption - and with a lot of help studying." She runs a frustrated hand through her hair. "I really am going to need help writing up the grant proposal - aren't I?" she admits wryly.
    Sometimes it's okay to admit you need help.
    "Teach the doll how to play video games. She'll thank you."
Gabby Kinney Gabby Kinney continues to regard the cards while nodding a bit at the complaints of the other two. She, too, disliked school. Which is why she's rather glad she's not in either of their shoes at the moment. "Mm. Sounds like what we do in school with reports; Make filler to pad out a required essay length. Wonder if that's essentially what they were doing. I mean," another card is drawn from the pile, head tilting to regard the image there. "Since magic is one of those topics that the 'real world' is kind of uncertain about, it's hard to prove if you're full of shit or not."

At Cael's suggestion she glances over grinning toward her in amusement. "I was going to but I think her hands are too small for a controller. Do they make them for babies?"
Jonathan Sims     Jon smiles and reaches down to ruffle Cael's hair briefly as he sits back down, having deposited the books in the library. "Yes, you're going to need help. And that's fine, love. Really, your role in this isn't to be a technical expert or anything. You're the one who knew Alis best. You're an advocate, you're the /face/ of the idea. You're also proof that it can /work/. I can help you understand the research, but I'd say that beyond that what you /should/ be doing is refining your elevator pitch, and your longer presentations. Figure out the salient points, I can help you find the data to back up what you're proposing. Like that."

    He sits back without picking up the notebook, instead conjuring up a glowing green ball and trying to get Bear's attention. "I rather liked school. I'm good at research, and I'd /never/ pad a paper with filler." He smirks, and then peers at the doll. "Any progress in communicating with her? If we could ask her questions I'd understand the answers at least, but..."
Cael Becker     "I mean - if we're depending on my winning personality to sell this idea, then it's doomed from the start," Cael remarks in a wry smile. She does lower her phone, though - more than ready to take a break from the headache the dense language is starting to cause.
    Bear looks up from gnawing at his peanut butter filled toy, to study the ball Jon offers. The large pup wags his tail, and lets out a single, loud bark - before jumping down off the couch.
    He still has his peanut butter toy in his mouth - but he'll have to figure out what to do about the problem of two-toys-at-once when it arrives.
    "We know enough smart people that surely someone can jury rig a small controller for her."
Gabby Kinney Gabby Kinney grins at the pair again. "What are you working on, anyway? I don't think I've asked." Sitting up with a little stretch she watches as the doll collects the sweep of cards with a quiet, "Shoot. She won." The response however is to smile broadly, clap her hands together, and cheer, "Great game!" Even if it was a different language the intent was easy enough to get across.

"I'm not really trying to communicate right now, just give her some company and amusement. If I were younger and around a bunch of people I could barely communicate with, I'd be bored as hell. I could always phone Logan and have him speak over the phone... but uh, he's not really great with young kids. TRUST me."
Jonathan Sims     Jon waggles the ball back and forth for a moment before throwing it across the room. Bear's lucky that Lady isn't here; normally it's the two of them trying to play fetch at once, and Jon naturally favors his dog even if Bear is the /best/ boy. Lady's the best girl, after all.

    "Your winning personality got me to come back from the dead for you, I'm sure you can sell the idea," they say to Cael with a bright smile. "Anyway, it was your idea, so..." They gesture toward Gabby. "I've just been generally... poking around at various things I'm working on."
Cael Becker     Bear barrels after the ball, seeming to have very little care what he bumps into in his high-powered pursuit - cornering it, and nudging it around the floor as he struggles to fit both toys into his mouth at once. There HAS to be a way to do it! Right? Right!
    Cael watches the dog's antics with a smile on her features, before turning her attention back towards Gabby. "I, uhhh... I had the idea for a memorial project, in my sister's name. She was an amazing mechanic, but she got killed because we made the bad decision to get involved with some local street gangs. So what I have in mind... is a program that takes young offenders, and offers them a paid apprenticeship instead of jail time. They learn a career that's well paying, that can support themselves and their family. And while they're learning it, we make sure they're following the rules of their parole, that they're going to counseling, that they and their family have appropriate housing, and that they're food secure. That their family has access to counseling as well - so they can support each other, and heal together. And that these kids are also getting their GEDs or high school diplomas at the same time - so their options are always open."
    She takes a sip of her whiskey before adding, "But it's going to be expensive, so Jon's been helping me find research into similar programs to prove it works and reduces recidivism rates. And that it's a good expendeture of money. That it helps more people, and costs less money then just... sending people to jail."
Gabby Kinney While Jon plays with Bear, and Cael sits on the couch, Gabby is seated on the floor near the couches with a deck of hanafuda cards out. They were cards decorated with various floral patterns. That wasn't the odd part though: The odd part was that her apparent opponent in this game is a two foot tall Japanese doll wearing a kimono which is propped up on a plush pillow behind her. The doll's hair appears real even if the rest of her doesn't. In a tiny, child-like voice, the doll speaks in Japanese. "<< You're not very good at Hanafuda. >>"

Gabby for her part just grins broadly and nods to the doll while gathering the cards up to reshuffle. "Another round?" Her attention was split between the doll and the others though, especially when Bear thunders past knocking into the side of the couch jostling things around.

"That's an awesome plan and I totally love it. If there's anything I can do to help out let me know! I mean. I know some people with money if backing is an issue," she suggests.
Rien D'Arqueness Rien and Robbie enter together, the blonde of the pair smiling towards the gathered folk. Rien's in her usual comfy chic, white shorts, a loose white peasant blouse dotted with blue and yellow flowers, strappy sandals with a chunky sole, and a pair of those big fashionable sunglasses currently perches in her hair.

"Bonne journee! How is everyone? Gabby, why are you playing cards with a doll?" The last part has her looking curiously towards her sister before shaking her head with a chuckle and smiling at Cael, "Hello hello! And hello Bear! Good boy." She glances back to Cael, 'Is it okay to give him a treat, or no?"

She presses a kiss to Robbie's cheek and murmurs, "You want a beer or something?"
Robbie Reyes Correction: Rien's fashionable sunglasses are currently on Robbie's face. Which, to his credit, he somehow manages to pull off along with the leather jacket, skintight shredded jeans, combat boots and half-inch gauges. The pair are a study in Paris fashion meets punk chic.

"What *is* that?" he wonders, when the blonde draws his attention to the weird doll thing. Her sunglasses are nudged down his nose so he can peer at it. But Rien's asking him a question, and of course he'd like a beer. He gives her waist a squeeze before murmuring something and letting her go.
Jonathan Sims     Jon snorts at the doll. "She says you're not very good at... hanafuda? Is that the name of the game? It didn't translate, so I presume it must be." He's sitting on a couch with several stacks of books in front of him, and a notebook on the opposite side from Cael. Wonderland and Lewis Carroll, magic, philosophy of law, Egyptology.

    For the moment, however, Jon isn't actively researching. Instead, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and starts looking for a translation app to be able to actually converse with the doll. "Hello Rien, Robbie. I don't suppose either of you speak Japanese? I understand the language, through the Archive, but I can't speak it." He frowns at the highest rated app and shrugs, goes ahead to press install.
Cael Becker     "Well - he's had enough peanut butter - but a bit of meat, or a dog treat, or some carrot or broccoli... sure. He's not on duty," Cael answers Rien, leaning back into her seat, to take another sip of her whiskey. "Hello, Robbie," she adds calmly.
    Her attention shifts towards Gabby as she answers her with, "I'll definitely be needing some funding - but that's what the formal grant proposal is for. I figure it's probably better to get that put together properly before approaching anyone... I don't want us to be turned down by being unprepared."
    Bear finally manages to find a way to shove his peanut butter toy to one side of his mouth, and get the ball with the other side, carrying it towards Cael and Jon with a happily wagging tail.
Gabby Kinney "Haunted doll," Gabby states matter-of-fact in response to Rien before she even glances over to grin at her and Robbie. A single eyebrow raise comes at the fact that Robbie is rocking Rien's sunglasses which earns a small snort of laughter. "Awesome shades, dude," she teases before looking back to the doll. And then over to Jon who translates. "Yeah, it's a flower card game. Aaand I'm playing with her because I don't want her to be lonely or bored." A beat. "I got her off EBay."

"I was thinking of asking Logan to talk to her but you know how he is with kids." Not great. She's still shuffling the cards when she looks askance toward Robbie.

"So, uh, did you give my number to Gabe?"
Rien D'Arqueness Grinning at Robbie's whisper, she reaches up and pulls him down into a brief but fierce kiss, then winks as she pulls away to head towards the bar. Smiling to Cael, she offers, "I was thinking rawhide pig's ear? Has that nice bacon-y flavor and just lets him chew." Slipping around behind the bar, she glances to Jon with a chuckle, "Yes, actually. Family trait. I plan to start indoctrinating Gabby now that she's 18."

Rummaging around, she comes up with a pair of beers, and heads back towards Robbie, offering him one of the bottles with a smile. Then she's looking to the doll and cants her head a little, "Interesting..."

<< "Do you -want- to play Hanafuda? Is there something else we can help you with?" >> This in Japanese towards the doll, and offered with a smile for the trapped girl's spirit.
Robbie Reyes "Uh.. konnichiwa?" Robbie's got the accent all wrong, and fumbles the pronunciation pretty badly. "That's all I got. But Gabe speaks Japanese fluently." He shoots Jon a sheepish look. The sunglasses are slid off eventually, and handed back to Rien when she returns with the beers, along with a fond -- and slightly shy -- smile.

Then he goes to sprawl on the couch near Cael; but not so near as to make Bear unhappy. Hopefully. "Evenin'," he greets, gesturing to her with his bottle, then taking a swig. "'course I did," he tells Gabby. "Check your messages."
Jonathan Sims     "Good lord, does /everyone/ speak Japanese except for me?" Jon says it good-naturedly, smirking. "S'pose I'd better get on learning. Add something to the Archive for Agnes."

    He puts the phone down and leans forward to beckon Bear, to grab the ball. "You need to drop the other one to make this work right, silly creature," he murmurs. But he takes the ball and throws it again, hard, so it bounces off the far wall.

    "I can definitely help with writing grant proposals, but Terry's suggestion of Caitlin is a good one, too. You've got people who can help, love." He looks to Gabby. "Who'd you have in mind? I mostly know a Wayne and Steven Grant."
Cael Becker     Bear relinquishes his ball - but still retains possession of his peanut butter toy, tail wagging cheerfully as he waits for the throw.
    "Yeah, pigs ears and other chews are fine," Cael agrees readily. "He likes them." She smiles at Robbie, seemingly unbothered by his proximity.
    Bear bounds off after the ball - taking a direct route. And then, as the ball bounces off the wall, he turns immediately in hot pursuit - knocking roughly into the doll as he goes, and upsetting the little thing onto the floor. He keeps running, heedless of the possible mayhem he's just called.
    "I'll definitely need help with the proposal, but the more I can understand this stuff myse- BEAR!" There's an unusually stern note in her voice as she rises abruptly to her feet. "Come. //Now//."
    The poor pooch skids to a halt - and slinks back to Cael, tail and head hanging low.
    "Down," Cael commands firmly, watching as the dog lies down at her feet.
Gabby Kinney "I mean I KIND of speak it, just it's mostl insults and jokes," Gabby explains simply when it's brought up about who speaks what. "I know that Logan spent time in Japan though. He had a wife there that ended up killed by..." She trails off as it may be best not to bring up that the Winter Soldier had killed his wife. She'd found out only because she came in on Logan trying to kill Bucky before he had a chance to recognize him once.

Instead her head whips around to look at her stuff behind her where she'd apparently left her phone. "Woops!" The cards are set back down, now shuffled, and she taps the top of the deck in case the doll wanted to deal this time. Who knows, maybe? Maybe. As for her she rolls up to her feet to head for her bag which she rummages inside to pull out her phone and flick open the appropriate screen curiously.

As for the doll? When Rien speaks fluent Japanese she lets out a small cry of delighted surprise. Sure these people were TRYING but it was so hard for her to figure them out. "<<No, bored now!>> The dolls little arms lift to smack down against the pillow she was on in a semi-tantrum way. << Ah-->>

Whatever the doll was going to say is cut off as Bear plows through sending her crashing to the floor with a little scream that was rather ear piercing for such a tiny thing. A wail that picks up in pitch and volume in a manner that would be easily recognizable to any parent: The sound of a hurt child about to burst into tears from a fall or scraped knee.
Rien D'Arqueness Rien takes the sunglasses with a wink and a smile, watching him for a moment before turning to start towards Gabby. She pauses long enough to wave a hand and produce the promised pig's ear to hand to Cael so she can choose when to give it to Bear. Then she moves towards Gabby once more, albeit it not in time to stop Bear from knocking the doll over.

Wincing, she moves to pick up the doll and tucks it into the crook of her arm before settling on the floor in front of Gabby. << "Hey, hey.. I know that was scary but it's okay. You're okay. You're safe now. I can't help you if you don't tell me what you want, alright?" >>

She smoothes back the doll's hair and resettles the kimono around it's body. << "I need you to be big and brave and calm yourself down, okay? Tell me what you want." >> To Jon, she smiles, "I spent a number of years roaming the world, remember. I speak and read a great many languages."
Robbie Reyes Robbie's about to start to his feet, but Rien and Cael seem to have things well in hand, in the aftermath of Bear's little rampage. He relaxes back into the couch with his beer, and gives the misbehaving animal a wink. Mostly because he doesn't dare lean in to scritch him behind the ears; he'd probably lose his hand.

The rest of the conversation largely washes over him, but he seems more than content to be a passive observer on the periphery of things.
Jonathan Sims     Jon's response to the wailing child is immediate and instinctual. The ball disappears as he gets up off the couch and moves over swiftly, crouching down in front of the doll. "Hey, it's okay," he says in a soothing tone, though Rien will surely do better with actually speaking Japanese. Still, he practically exudes parental energy, and smiles at the doll from behind gold-rimmed glasses.

    He glances to Rien. "Ask her if I can look her over? Make sure she's not hurt or anything." Cael's odd behavior is noted but not commented on. Not yet, anyway.
Cael Becker     Cael's attention remains stern and disapproving, as she reaches down to take Bear's peanut butter dispensing toy from him, and sits back down - with both the toy, and the pig's ear beside her. It looks like he won't be getting either for the moment. She picks her drink back up, taking another sip of her depleted amount of whiskey, while she leaves Rien and Jon to tend to the doll. The sad looks Bear gives her from his position at her feet goes completely ignored.
    "Any interesting cars in the shop?" she asks Robbie instead.
Gabby Kinney "Oh shiiiiiiiiiii--" The phrase doesn't make it all the way out of Gabby's mouth as she had started to lunge for the doll to help her up looking stricken at the sounds coming from it. Thankfully Rien scoops the doll up, and she sits back on her heels allowing her sister to speak to the doll. At least she was getting further that way. Though she does glance over toward poor Bear being grounded, and then Jon for translation. Maybe. Hopefully.

Rien's words do seem to calm the doll at least. It's odd though: She goes from crying to dead silent. Perhaps there were times it became obvious to the spirit of the child in the doll that she was not still alive. Perhaps in times like these when she should be in pain but felt nothing it was harder to ignore. << Mother. I want to see mother again. I don't want to be here. >>
Rien D'Arqueness << "Oh, sweetie... we can help you look but she may not be alive anymore, depending on how long you've been trapped like this. If she's gone to Takamagahara, would you like us to send you there, too, to be with her?" >> Rien speaks with the doll, calmly and patiently trying get the girl to recognize and acknowledge her situation.

She looks to Jon and murmurs, "She wants her mother. But... this is not a new doll... this was hand-crafted, years ago. Possibly even before my time." GLancing to Gabby, she asks, "Do you know anything about the doll itself? I know you got it from E-Bay but... was there any history with it? Any sort of authentication certificate?"

Rien glances over towards Cael and Robbie and grins, "He got to go to a ballgame today."
Robbie Reyes Watching with quiet fascination as Rien converses with the doll, Robbie takes the occasional swig of his beer. He looks about as content and at ease as he ever does in social gatherings; which is to say, he looks a little tense.

The question has him glancing up and over at Cael, and pursing his lips slightly in thought. "Had a Jalpa come in the other day, needin' some engine work." He thinks, after a moment, to elaborate: "It's a Lamborghini, from a few decades back. Real nice car." He gestures with a tip of his beer bottle to emphasise that.

Rien's interjection garners a glance in her direction, and a brief smile. "Sure did. Against my home team, too."
Jonathan Sims     Jon nods to Rien. "I understand the language. I understand /all/ languages that have ever been spoken. That's provided by the Archive. What isn't always provided is the ability to /speak/ the language. The Archivists have never spent much time in Japan, so it's a gap in our ability."

    He picks up his phone off the couch and taps something in, then speaks in halting but surprisingly well-pronounced Japanese, << Where is the last place you were with your Mother? >>
Cael Becker     "A Jalpa, huh?" Cael remarks - typing into her phone, and pulling up a few pictures. "It sure looks fun," she agrees, giving Robbie a grin. "Alis wouldda loved to get her hands on something like that. Were the parts expensive?" she asks in a curious tone, before finishing off her glass of whiskey. She sets it aside on a little table, then leans forward to look down at Bear. Finally seeming to relent, she rubs at his head, and offers him the pig's ear to gnaw on.
Gabby Kinney Gabby Kinney purses her lips while everything is explained looking jsut a bit pained over the situation in general once Rien explains. She tips her head to the side considering all the details she'd read. "Not a lot, really. Apparently the seller had bought one of those abandoned homes that are cheap in Japan right now and while cleaning out the belongings left behind, they found her. Since she looked old and expensive they didn't want to just throw her out. But they were scared too so they wanted to get rid of her."

The doll grows quiet again. Perhaps she knew. Admitting it though was harder. It seems she ignores or at least doesn't want to answer all of Rien's hard questions for the moment because it's Jon who she responds to at last. Maybe it was the odd, robotic voice speaking Japanese that is what stirs her to answer. << At home, before I went out to play in the snow. >> Before more can be asked or explained she blurts out the same thing that she had said the other day: << Keep me somewhere warm, please. >> It's followed momentarily by, << I'm tired. >> With that the doll tries to wiggle out of Rien's grasp reaching toward the pillow she'd been kept on before.
Rien D'Arqueness Rien nods to Gabby and smiles softly, "Think you can get Red Robin to get that address and ownership history? We can find out which of the previous owners had a daughter that passed young." Then to Jon, she chuckles, "Sorry, I'm used to doing the full translation." Turning back to the girl, she watches the doll for a long moment.

The response has her nodding, << "Of course. We'll keep you nice and warm. Here, don't struggle, we'll get you tucked in." >> Shifting the doll around, she sets her down on the pillow and conjures up a smaller pillow and a snuggle fleece blanket to cover the doll in. << "There. Nice and warm. Get some rest, and we'll work on finding your mother." >>

Once the doll has settled in, Rien will stand and move tot he bar to get herself something strong. There has to be some really old whiskey or something back there!
Robbie Reyes "Yeah, I bet she would've," Robbie agrees with a dimpling of his smile and a low, warm chuckle. He tips his beer back again, swallows, and gives Cael a nod. "Sure as hell were. Don't think the guy liked looking at the bill after. But I got her running smooth as silk, so he can't have been too unhappy, you know?"

After a moment or two of watching the doll, he adds distractedly, "Talked to my boss about the apprenticeship idea, by the way. I think he's in." Then he pitches his voice a little louder to Gabby, "You think she might want to..?" He isn't going to say 'come sit on my lap', but it's no secret the young man runs.. well, hot.
Jonathan Sims     "That's an old doll," Jon murmurs softly. "Her mother may be dead. I would imagine... she went out to play in the snow and died in the cold. Gods." He rubs at his face, then stands and goes to sit back down on the couch next to Cael, offering her his arm to put around her shoulders if she likes.

    "The Judgement bottle has the strongest spirit, if you're looking for something that might get past your healing factor," Jon notes.
Cael Becker     "Is it awful that I want to go hotwire the thing and take it for a joyride?" Cael muses in a wistful tone. "I mean - I'd bring it back with a fresh tank of gas. No harm, no foul, right?"
    No. That is not how Crime works. She lets out a sigh - and leans into Jon's side, a relaxed smile appearing on her features. "Poor little kid, huh? Life can be a real bitch sometimes."
Gabby Kinney Gabby Kinney grimaces a littel bit at mention of dying in the cold. She hadn't really understood most of that conversation but the last parts... and the doll had asked to be kept warm the other night, too. A glance is cast over toward Robbie along with a shake of her head and a clueless shrug. "Maybe. For now maybe we should just let her rest. I mean. She's a ghost but she's also a little kid so maybe she's a bit tired."

The fact that Rien had already tucked the doll in seems to satisfy that thought rather well. The doll doesn't close her eyes--she can't--but she does grow eerily still given she had been moving and speaking not long before. As much as she could be, the spirit was currently at rest.

"Yeah I'll see what we can dig up. Maybe if we can get a proper name or find the family it'll help put her to rest. I hope." Reaching up she scrubs her hands over her face a time or two before stepping over to offer Rien a hug. "Thanks for helping, sis. This is a bit beyond me."
Rien D'Arqueness Rien squeezes Gabby tight and smiles softly at her, "Anytime, Gabs. No child should be without their family." She smiles softly at Gabby then moves behind the bar. Jon's suggestion has her nodding and reaching for the bottle before halting and turning a squinting look back to Jon, "That isn't that Chartreuse one, is it? You know I can't do that one."

She looks towards Robbie and smiles, "Te quiero mucho. Te vas a acostar mas tarde."

There's a pause, then she clears her throat and flashes a grin towards Jon, "Sorry." Rien glances towards the doll, then lets out a small breath and goes back to hunting for booze.
Robbie Reyes "Sure, you know her best," Robbie replies with a glance Gabby's way. He's certainly not going to press the matter. Though he does watch Rien get the doll settled in with a slightly odd expression on his face.

A moment later, he turns back to Cael, chuckling. "You want to take something for a joyride, I've got better ideas." And then, realising what that must have sounded like, he blushes hotly. "..not. Not like that. Cars. I was talking about cars. I could-- fuck, never mind."

Then Rien's calling out to him, which makes him blush even more under the freckles. Deciding that discretion might indeed be the better part of valour, he goes silent and tips his beer back for a long swallow.
Jonathan Sims     Jon smirks down at Cael. "That's not how it works, love," he murmurs as he pulls her closer.

    To Rien he calls, "The Chartruese is in the /Hermit/ bottle. The Judgement bottle appears to have Spirytus. Far stronger, and fairly pure." He's ignoring the innuendo flying about. Pointedly so.

    To Gabby: "That's a good idea, I think. It'll be nice if we can help someone for once." Rather than fighting the monsters, that is.
Gabby Kinney Gabby Kinney steps away from Rien once the hug is over nodding in agreement. Given everything going she turns to gather her bag up slinging it over a shoulder. She does pause and put the stack of hanafuda cards near the doll though, just so she has a toy nearby if she needs when she wakes.

"I'll get to work on that. I should be checking back in anyway--" She pauses as Rien speaks in Spanish tipping her head to the side with lips working to mouth the translation. "I want you so much... something bed..."

For once Gabby actually turns red as she gets the gist of it. "YEP, going now." A hand waves over her shoulder. "Later everyone. Thanks for the help Jon, and sorry for worrying you about Bear, Cael." She knew the woman was worried from the first time the doll showed up. With a faint smirk she glances back at the grouping. "You guys can do your couple things in peace." Then she's off.
Cael Becker     "Are you sure?" Cael answers Jon in an amused tone, her head resting against their shoulder. She was, as ever, content tucked in against Jon - calm and at peace.
    "Don't worry about it, Gabby," she adds easily. "Bear was being careless. He has to learn to be more careful - before he breaks something." Hearing his name, the pup looks up from gnawing determinedly at the ear, to look between the various people using his name, before going back to his gnawing.
    "Come on, now, Robbie. Was was you idea?" She asks curiously - a smile playing on the corner of her lips. "We all want to hear it."
Rien D'Arqueness Rien gives a nod towards Jon and plucks up the Judgement bottle, pouring herself out a measure of it. She knocks it back without further comment. Moving back around the bar, she flashes a grin towards Gabby, "Not quite. You're missing the nuance. But close!"

Moving back towards the sofa, she settles on the floor in front of Robbie, leaning back against him with a smile upward. Then over to Cael and Jon, "Admittedly, it -is- nice to be helping instead of just... beating up and banishing."

She glances up to Robbie and smiles, "Yeah, I wanna hear your idea, too."
Robbie Reyes Unbeknownst, perhaps, to Gabby, the phrase 'te quiero' is one with multiple meanings. Physical desire is one; love is the other. It's one of those contextual things. Which Robbie looks like he might be on the cusp of explaining, but then seems to change his mind about.

"I was gonna suggest the Charger," Robbie mumbles to Cael. Which is a fairly huge compliment; he doesn't let just anyone ride in his car, much less drive it. The hand unoccupied with his beer drops to Rien's shoulder, fingers digging into the muscle for an absentminded massage.
Jonathan Sims     Jon sighs as he leans his head over toward Cael, putting it atop hers and waving at Gabby as she leaves. He seems fairly content for the moment, sighing and just listening as the others talk.

    Then he suddenly sits up, eyes widening. "Oh, /shit/." There's an almost palpable pulse of worry that goes through him.

    "Dr. Xavier's calling," he says as he pulls his arm frown around Cael and stands. "Sorry, ahh, I've got a bunch of lost souls in the Archive, it's a /long/ story... but evidently there's been an incident in Greenwich. I need to..." He frowns. "It's best, probably, if I astrally project."

    That said, they go to another couch to lie down. "Keep an eye on my body, please? It'll... I'm sure it'll be..." They give Cael a worried look. They're /not/ sure it'll be fine, but they shake themself and smile. "Go on and talk about taking a joyride or whatever. Alright? Don't worry about me. Just... make sure nothing happens to my body while I'm not in it."
Cael Becker     "I'll be fine, Jon," Cael finishes for him, giving the man a reassuring smile. "I'll be here. You'll be safe," she promises, watching as he lies down - and goes still, shaking her head slightly. There's a hint of worry on her expression for a moment, but she banishes it quickly.
    "Oh? I'd love to give your Charger a try," she agrees. "And we could go on a ride in my C6 - or the Camero. Or both." She grins at Robbie, then leans down to scratch at Bear's head. "You're still a good boy," she murmurs to the pup.
Rien D'Arqueness Laughing lightly, Rien smiles up at Cael, "You should be very flattered. He hasn't even let ME drive the Charger yet. It's a pretty big deal." She shifts her head to kiss his wrist, then tips he head back to rest against his thigh.

"Now you guys are making me want to go get my favorite vehicle of all time, just to beat the brakes off you both in a race. Buuuuuuuuuuut, I feel like that would be a traitorous move all things considered, so I will just sit here and smile and drink." Lifting the bottle of Judgement, she takes another swallow.
Robbie Reyes Robbie doesn't know a damned thing about astral projection or the risks therein, so he doesn't say a word as Jon prepares to.. do whatever it is he's doing. He does watch him speculatively, though, as his beer's finished off.

And nearly spits it out with the laugh that sputters from him on the heels of Rien's challenge. "Baby, unless your car can teleport, you ain't beating me in a race. Neither of you are. But it's cute that you think you could. He ruffles his girlfriend's hair. "Lemme up. I think I'm gonna bail, and head home."
Robbie Reyes Robbie doesn't know a damned thing about astral projection or the risks therein, so he doesn't say a word as Jon prepares to.. do whatever it is he's doing. He does watch him speculatively, though, as his beer's finished off.

And nearly spits it out with the laugh that sputters from him on the heels of Rien's challenge. "Baby, unless your car can teleport, you ain't beating me in a race. Neither of you are. But it's cute that you think you could. He ruffles his girlfriend's hair. "Lemme up. I think I'm gonna bail, and head home."
Cael Becker     "Oh, nothing get my competitive edge up like overconfidence," Cael remarks - letting out a laugh. "We should have a three way race! It'd be fun. Jon and Agnes and- well, some of the others can come cheer us on," she suggests. "...and watch me cream the both of you," she adds, with a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.
    She looks down towards Rien as she adds, "He's running away because he knows he can't beat us."
Rien D'Arqueness Laughing lightly, there's a twinkle in Rien's eye that says she has more than one trick up her sleeve. But she's happy to let Robbie have his moment. She ducks the hair ruffling, then reaches up and pulls him down into a sizzling kiss. Releasing him, she winks and murmurs, "Try to stay there and I'll be home shortly? I meant what I said earlier."

Cupping his cheek, she holds him there for a moment, then releases him with a smile. "Want me to bring anything home? Milk, beer, edible undergarments?" Winking at him, she glances aside to Cael and grins, "Oh I think we've been taking up what little patience he has for socializing. He needs to recharge his batteries."
Robbie Reyes Robbie wouldn't be Robbie without his flair for being supremely overconfident in his abilities. To be perfectly fair, he is a spectacularly good driver, and his car is as demon possessed as he is; the mechanic schtick is merely his day job.

"You're on," he tells Cael with a devilish grin that flashes his teeth and makes his freckled nose crinkle up. He's about to say more, but Rien drags him into a heated kiss, and who is he to refuse?

The poor boy looks a little dazed as he regains his feet. "Skip the beer and the milk," he murmurs, letting his gaze linger on her a moment more. Then he mouths one more kiss to her, murmurs a, "See ya," to Cael, and meanders off.
Cael Becker     "Oh, I hardly count as 'socializing.' You think I give a shit about people conforming to social norms?" Cael asks in an amused voice.
    "See ya!" she calls to Robbie in return - climbing to her feet to go over to the bar, and retrieve the High Priestess. She pours herself another glass, and returns to the couch, to look at Jon with a faint frown on her features.
    He would be okay. Of course he would.
    "So. What're we gonna do about the damned doll?"
Rien D'Arqueness "Mmmmmmm, you're on." Rien grins against his lips, returning that second kiss before letting him slip away. She watches after him and lets out a small sigh, "Gods but I love watching that man walk away, even though I hate to see him go." Shaking her head, she looks back to Cael and chuckles, "Ah, sorry. He always manages to make me feel... young, vital..." She lifts a shrug.

Shifting up onto the couch proper, Rien settles in at one end and glances over to Jon with a smile, "He'll be fine. I'm keeping an eye on his tether. If anything happens, we can pull him back in. Sort of like fishing... with souls. It's weird." Everything about magic is weird.

Looking back to the doll, her features soften, "We try to release her soul to Takamagahara, so she can be with her family. But she has to get to a point where she can accept that her physical self has passed and that she's lingering as a spirit."
Cael Becker     "...if you say so. All I can do is CPR, or call for medical staff," Cael admits in a wry tone. "And - honestly, I don't know if moving him a good idea when he's not... home? Can you get lost from your body?" she asks uncertainly.
    Her gaze flicks towards the doll, then back to Rien for a moment, before fixing onto Jon's still form one more. "So... kinda like what happened with Alis," she remarks. "Only Alis ended up in //Duat// of all places. ...because of Jon. Gives me all the more reason to end up there myself, someday."
Rien D'Arqueness "Okay! Lesson time! Impromptu! Let me see if I can't show you what I see..." Rien looks to Cael, lifting both brows, "If that's okay, anyways. I don't have to touch you or anything for it. But it will let you see Jon's tether and I can explain a little better how astral projection works?"

She flashes a quick grin towards Cael, then lifts the bottle of Judgement for a swallow and shrugs, "Like I said, I hate classroom book learning. I'm more of a hands-on, show people kind of teacher."

Glancing to the doll, she gives a nod, "Kinda, yeah. Only the Japanese don't have a Duat. Duat is where souls go to have their hearts weighed on the trip towards the Field of Reeds. Duat itself is..." She shrugs and wobbles a hand back and forth. "Takagamara is literally High Plain of Heaven, connected to earth by the Ame-no-ukihashi, the Floating Bridge of Heaven. Those who have lived good lives go there when they die. If we can get her to agree, we can send her on to be with her family."
Cael Becker     "Well - Alis is in the Field of Reeds now. She passed the weighing - she was found worthy. So... I just need to keep living the sort of life that will lead me there, too - someday." She smiles a bit tightly, and takes another sip of her whiskey.
    "I wouldn't mind a lesson," she agrees. "As long as 'showing me' doesn't have anything to do with affecting my mind. I don't, uhh... I don't like people messing with my head, no matter the intention. You know?"
Rien D'Arqueness Rien smiles faintly and gives a nod, looking wistful for a moment, "You know... I have to say, I envy you that. The eventual rest. The eventual reuniting with your loved ones and friends." She lets out a breath and takes another swallow, "I suppose technically I could, but it's not in me to just.. give up a fight."

Blinking, she looks back to Cael and grins, then shakes her head, "No, I'm just sort of... sharing my sight with you for a few minutes. You'll be able to see what I see, but you won't be in my head, and I won't be in yours." Flashing a grin, she gives a nod, "Given who my father is, and my past? Yeah. I get you."

"Okay!" Rien sets the bottle between her thighs and rubs her hands together, murmuring under her breath, eyes closing. When they open again, there's a sort of sheen covering her eyes, it gleams once then passes to Cael. "There. You should be able to see astrally now. At least temporarily. Only lasts about ten minutes." Plucking up the Judgement bottle, she rises up and moves towards Jon, kneeling next to him and pointing to the slender silver cord that pulses occasionally with the teal-gold light that's become synonymous with Jon and Ma'at. "This is his astral tether. Everyone that travels by astral means gets one. It's what tethers the spirit to the physical. Don't touch it except in case of emergency. These pulses let us know that he's doing okay. They're regular and the color is normal. If things started going wrong, you would see the tether start to pull taut and you might see it start to shift towards a different color spectrum depending on the means of distress. Or you might see it go slack. You never want to see it go fully slack. That means the tether has been severed and his spirit wanders without a clear means back to his body. Then we go on a soul hunt, and those suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. They're a terrible slog across the Astral Realm." She looks back to Cael, "So that should answer your previous question. Yes, you -can- get lost, but it takes some pretty nasty doings. Inside the Archives? I can't imagine what sort of horrible shit would be have to happen to put Jon in that kind of danger."
Cael Becker     "I'm not one for giving up, either," Cael agrees. "But... yeah, someday. In the distant future, though."
    Her eyes blink as her vision shifts subtly - and she sets aside her drink to rise to her feet, moving over towards Jon. "Don't mind us, love," she murmurs, fingers touching his cheek briefly, with no discernable reaction.
    She listens in silence before letting out a quiet, "I see. Well... Uhh - does giving me your sight also give me the ability to touch it? I mean - normally I wouldn't be able to touch it at all. ...would I?"
Rien D'Arqueness "I'm afraid not. That requires a particular magical aptitude that I can't share. Sight is easy, senses are fairly easily shared in general. But the actual ability is much harder. That's falling into the realm of learning actual magic." Rien offers a wry smile before shrugging lightly and looking back towards Jon. "That said, if you have the ability, then yes, you can pull on someone's tether. Generally not a good idea unless it's something you've worked out in advance."

Turning back to Cael, she smiles, "And you're correct in saying that normally you can't touch it. Now this being the Astral Realm... I don't know. You might be able to. It's not usual for someone to astrally project -in- the Astral Plane. Normally you're in the physical world and astrally projecting -to- the Astral Plane. So... normal rules may not apply."
Cael Becker     "Ah, then, I don't need to worry about touching it or not," Cael replies easily.
    She has zero aptitude, she somehow seems completely confident in that.
    Though as Rien continues with her explination, she lets out a quiet, "oh." She studies Jon some more- her hand slipping into one of theirs before she asks, "So - is he taking additional risks, doing it here, you think?" she asks.
Rien D'Arqueness She looks back to the silvery tether and shakes her head, "No, I don't think so. No moreso than projecting is any other time. Maybe if he weren't in the castle, where his body will be safe. But that's true as much in the physical realm as this one." Rien lifts a small shrug and smiles towards Cael.

"You might want to stick with Jon until he comes to, just to keep an eye on him, but barring anything extreme, he should be fine," Rien rises up and moves back to the sofa, seating herself once again. Lifting the bottle for a sip, she offers, "Usually what I would do if I'm trip-sitting is offer to scry on them while they travel, that way I can keep a closer eye on them and if anything happens, we can get them back faster."
Cael Becker     "I'm not sure how Jon would feel about scrying," Cael admits in a quiet voice. "There's an enemy on his past - well, maybe not so much in his past, to be honest. ...there's an enemy that uses scrying to spy on Jon, and on Agnes, so I'm not sure I'd recommend it without explicitly checkin with them first." She brushes a stray lock of hair back into place, and then leans in to give Jon a gentle kiss, before she moves back to the couch.
    "So I guess we just sit, and watch, until they come back. Hopefully it isn't long."