Owner	Pose
John Constantine	It's been about a day and a half now that John's Pauper's Throne has been empty. ...and it's still the case. If for different reasons than yesterday. Someone had a side job this morning; a consulting gig with the NYPD.     It involved the stereotypical 'murder in a locked room' and what John *thought* would be a simple divination spell. But when is life ever *simple* for John Constantine?     So, it isn't on his Pauper's Throne that he sits. He's not sitting anywhere. He's banging and clattering his way around the back room calling, "Chas! CHAS! CHAAAAAAAS!" He probably knows, somewhere in his head, that Chas isn't on duty yet in the bar. It's just his go to reaction when simple things are... not so simple.
Nettie Crowe	Unlike her normal entrances, Nettie makes her entrance a bit more demurely into the Laughing Magician. She's gotten one of her hand-rolled ciagrettes -- but she hears John's call. Her eyes go wide, and she rushes the backroom, hitching up her skirts because of course, today's the day she's going to wear long skirts and not her normal jeans!     Damnit, John!     "Lord Above and Below John St. Gertrude Constantine!" she calls out as she comes to the back room, hanging one moment as she opens the door. "Chas isn't in yet!"     Door was open though. Oh well.
John Constantine	Back there, in that backroom, John's feeling around the place, knocking thing off the table, off the counters, off shelves. He should *know* this room well enough to not do that. But he's a little out of sorts. His eyes are squeezed shut tight and he's almost do the door, and Nettie, about to maybe place groping hands somewhere they should not be when he says, "I can't bloody see! Where's Chas?!"     It's not the first time it's happened, something goes amiss with a divination spell, a glitch or something sent through from the space and time he was trying to access. It won't be the last time either. Doesn't matter *how* many times it happens, it sucks and it's disconcerting and it's *dark*.
Nico Minoru	Nico's been doing what Nico does best... well, okay, maybe not what she does best. But she's been doing what she does pretty well. She's been out tracking down bargains, doing a little bit of what could generously be called 'busking' and is really closer to 'grifting', but hey, there's danger in doing actual tarot readings. Making stuff up for tourists is way safer.     It's also enough to let her make a glorious entrance to the Laughing Magician carrying half a hot dog and a soda, only to pause just inside the door at the shouting and commotion.     Eyes dart around, slim goth tenses, prepares for a rumble... but nope, no possessed stuffed animals or anything. This is probably just one of those more normal 'family' commotions. It's not her place to interrupt, so she just steps inside, closes the door, and resumes consuming her hot dog with relish. ...Well, with sauerkraut and mustard, but you know what she means.
Nettie Crowe	"Oh, bloody hell." Nettie gets one of John's hands to her face.     He might be able to feel her nose screwing up slightly and her lips against his palm. She reaches out, and grasps the man by the shirt.     "Not here yet. Or upstairs. Or something. Take a breath, boyo. I'm here." she states, and she brings her hands up -- she's not enough to shake John like a ragdoll the way Chas can, but she can at least lead him to his chair. "Ah, hello, Nico, yeah? Be a dear and have a seat. I'm sure this place will open eventually!" she cheerily states to Nico, trying to steer John to a seated position so she can get at his face easier.
John Constantine	John gets led, it's not as if he has much of a choice unless he wants to add to the collection of bruises that might already be forming from him running into things. NYPD isn't the greatest in regards to pay and he's really wondering now if the five hundred bucks was worth it.     When he's finally seated and peels his eyes open it's... well, they're stuck all rolled back in his head to show whites. Usually an indication that he did something he shouldn't have, pushed beyond the spell he originally cast to things the net wasn't cast for without starting a different spell.     Fucking John and his fucking *shortcuts*.     Wait, someone else is here? "Who are you talking to?" he snips, a little on edge. Not at all like Nettie just said the name Nico. In a moment of mild, blind - literally - panic he causes the wards to flare bright and hot, dropping them into a more readily offensive mode. Literally.. they flare for a brief second, allowing mundane eyes to see the intricacy of them even.
Nico Minoru	Nico lifts her left hand in a little wave to Nettie's greeting, as she consumes her hot dog, one eyebrow lifting as John's clearly out of sorts. Well, okay, mostly he seems in a foul mood, which given what she's seen so far, is actually very in sorts.     But he also seems blind? And that's definitely new. Still, Nico's happy enough to wander her way towards the bar, "Hi! That's right! So... uhhh... what's going- THE SHIT?!"     Nico doesn't send her hot dog flying, but there's sort of a muffled glmpf-like noise as she shoves it in her mouth, her left forearm flaring with purple light for a moment as the bar's wards fire up.     This is fine. This is fine. Inexperienced witch, panicked priming of defensive wards, this is a-okay.
Nettie Crowe	"JOHN! Nico is here. She was at the place with the toys, she's just a wee pup. Now calm down. I would never let anything hurt yuo as long as I'm by your side, boyo. Nico -- take a breath. He's likely pushed himself trying to find out something for someone.     Nettie, though, is better at the messing things up for others than she is for the aftermath, but divining? Well. She's not all tea leaves and tarot cards.     Nettie feels the wards reacting against her as well, and she gives a soft 'tch' of breath before she brings her hand up to cover John's eyes, her palm cool to the touch. She reaches, straining with her other hand to grab at some ice in the chest (HOW UNSANITARY!), and she holds the cube in her other hand so that it melts.     "Baerlic a' waefergange seolc sin besceeawodnes," she orders, and then flicks the cold water at John's head.     Was flicking the water a requirement? She'd say yes.
John Constantine	It was the instinct of a man that's lived most of his life on the run from one vile thing or another. The wards settle back into their normal 'observation mode'... only a split second before they might have flared up and bit Nico in the arse for her on little display.     "Mum murdered, kid missing from the house," John offers in way of explanation before he finds himself water flicked! Was it *really* necessary, *Nettie*.     "Bloody *Hell*, Nettie!" he gripes before reaching up to run hands back through his hair. But he's blinking his eyes, rapidly, like he's trying to clear them, the blue's all back where it should. Now they're just *dry* and *painful*. ... seriously, worse dry eye ever, feels like grains of sand.
Nico Minoru	Nico does her best to look cool, calm, and collected. Mostly, she tries to look like she totally meant to cram her lunch in her mouth. Chewing slowly, buying time to walk across the bar and perch herself on a stool near Nettie and John. Eyebrows perk silently at John's explanation as she just tries not to be too obtrusive. Someone's clearly having a bad day, after all.     She quirks an eyebrow and looks around the bar, just taking in the scenery, "So... how 'bout... uhhh... okay, listen, I'm not great at smalltalk, especially, you know, after weird magic shit going down in a Wal-Mart?"
Nettie Crowe	Yes it was.     "Well ordinarily it's done with *holy water* but there's not enough visine in the world for that on your eyes." Nettie gives a friendly smile, and then breathes out, leaning back in the barstool next to John. "Were you able to get a bead on their location?" Nettie asks gently of John, her hand lightly resting on John's elbow, and then leaving wet fingerprints there. This is just another day ending in Y.     "Small talk is boring anyway. You have questions, and the answer is partially an ex girlfriend of mine with a terrible disposition and penchant for afflicting her will on others via branding and using them as puppets. Toys happen to be easiest since there's no soul on the inside of a brand new poppet." she comments, "Which was one of the things I wanted to bring up to John, since Mary Jessop Hyde and I have shared history. Might be useful for researching who all is behind the thinnings."
John Constantine	"Found the kid hiding in a shed a few houses down, couldn't find the bastard that killed the mum," John replies quietly. Which is why he'd pushed. "Wasn't human though." Which means he'll try again, and again, and again... until he *does* find the bastard.     "Luv," he begins in Nico's direction. "Wal-mart doesn't even touch near weird on my radar. It's bloody weirder *without* the killer toys." He reaches up to rub at his grainy eyes with a thumb and index finger before standing to head behind the bar to snag a bottle of scotch, a glass and an ashtray.     "Well, I'll just summon up old Mary Jessop and ask her, nicely (doubtful), who the bloody Hell she was working for, aye?"     He has a name, he has Nettie and her memories of the woman, all he needs really.
Nico Minoru	Nico's eyebrows perk up, darting her gaze between Nettie and John, nodding slowly, "Ah! Well, no strange extradimensional gods and cults and the like? Okay, a little outside my wheelhouse then, insofar as I have one."     She shakes her head and rolls her eyes slightly, "And come on now, normal Wal-Mart's not weird. Soulcrushing apex of late stage capitalism? Sure. Confusingly laid out? Definitely. But those built-in burger places have real cheap food! And the loss prevention officers are... you know... _really_ badly trained."
Nettie Crowe	"Yeah, just make sure she leaves her branding irons down below." Nettie states, and she rubs her side. One mysterious mark on her body explained.     It's why she always stole T-shirts. She turns at the 'wasn't human'. She narrows her eyes, and gives a nod. "I've got my good deck on me if we want to give it a shot in the back room. Be a love and grab me the gin while you're back there, boyo?" Nettie gives a smile to John, leaning over the bar and setting ehr chin on her hands before she makes a playful wink at him.     "Aye, haven't seen such misery since the 'Company Store' days of mills and mines. Late stage capitalism shouldn't exist, yet its devilry cannot be fixed by normal means. So then, wee Nico, you're used to extradimensional gods and cults, and not a small thinning in the veil between our world and the next?" she asks, and she takes a fabric pouch from her vest, and flicks it open with a practiced, yellowed hand. She extracts a hand-rolled cigarette, and offers one to Nico. To be polite.
John Constantine	"A thinning that could, in fact, have been caused by extra-dimensional gods and cults. Or at least a demon and cults," John mutters while he's pouring that gin. He slides it over to Nettie before returning to his seat on his Throne. All of his supplies get laid out on the bar in front of him in nearly the same position they always are - ashtray, Silk Cuts, glass and bottle. He's almost obsessive about their placement. Speaks to more than a few of the man's neurosis, dunnit?     "Warding the Curio tonight, laid the ground work but there's still a lot to be done. Need the energy for it." ... so not much to give in case something with the card reading ran afoul. "Besides, I think I have it narrowed down to two or three 'whats', need to book dive and try to figure out a 'which' before going further. The room wasn't only locked, Nettie, it was warded. Not my level, but... warded and the husband, he's distraught, genuinely so, and didn't seem to have a clue what I was talking about, so the wife's definitely the target, wards had to have been hers. Room was a giant pantry in the kitchen, only warded one in the house. It was her panic room."     Capitalism, his opinions remain his own... lest his mood be fouled any further.
Nico Minoru	Nico's happy to reach out and take the offered cigarette, shoulders shrugging lightly, "Well, the cults and gods thing was like... family? Well, families. Mine and my friends'. I guess we sort of interrupted their plans at an important moment without uhh... you know, really getting the whole rundown? The human sacrifice seemed like kind of a dealbreaker right off."     She nods to John and perks her eyebrows up, "Well, if you could use some help with like... chalk drawings or whatever, I've learnt a bit of the basics of ritual magic and the like." She gestures with that metallic arm of hers, "But between this and my staff, uhhh... I'm a little more of an 'enthusiastic amateur' than, you know, educated."     There's a bit of a scowl there, as Nico reflects on how she's really lacking education in a few ways. But hey, dropping out of high school to avoid your parents' death cult is just one of those things. Could've happened to anybody.
Nettie Crowe	"Well luckily you've got a couple of people who are high-energy hanging about. Your girl I'm sure could use a lesson on warding. Just make sure you're getting protein in your diet t' make up for the blood loss, John." The Grey-haired weitch comments, and she extracts her lighter, and lights Nico's cigarette, and then her own.     "Well, if you've learned the basics, you're a fair bit stronger than some of the pups who we've come across in recent days. Some are extremely talented, lacking in direction, adns ome..." she takes a drag of her cigarette, and then considers her words.     "... are a bit more bombastic."     And she turns to John again. "So the lady of the house was an occultist. SOmeone was after her. Think it's connected to the thinnings, or just a one-off?"
John Constantine	John Constantine's School for Magical Girls. Kinda has a ring, dunnit?     "Well, only way to learn is to do," John murmurs. "I can teach the doin', but most aren't fond of my methods." Pointed glance in Nettie's direction there. The pair of them? Much different in that regard. Except... this time.     "Tonight though, it'll be a watching, not a doing. That's on me." It's an extension of his house, where his people will be living and gathering, nothing short of his obsessive perfection will do on this one.     "Not related no, but there was something fuckin' familiar about what I *did* manage to pick up, but I can't put my finger on it. Not recent familiar." A little shake of his head, tilted and frustrated, sound low in his throat. "If I could finger it, might help narrow down the 'which' of it."
Nico Minoru	Nico inhales slowly, cherry at the end of her cigarette glowing as she nods slowly, "Well, I'm not going to turn down free lessons. Especially ones where I don't have to do anything, or like... sign an infernal contract or something."     Slim shoulders rise and fall, "I mean, once people are animating the toy aisle in a big box store, that's _gotta_ be like... some set of steps into someone's big evil plan, right?" Sure, the cynical part of Nico also thinks 'Crazy toy aisle at the department store' right before Halloween could be some studio marketing ploy. But really doing it? Nahhh, there's no way film marketing's going that far. Definitely not using someone that these folks seem to know from the past. Too coincidental to be something so off the wall. It's clearly serious bad news.
Nettie Crowe	"You're going to have to let her do eventually, Boyo." Nettie states quietly, and there's just a gentle touch on John's arm, and she leans back again "An' don't you glare at me. You somehow managed to get the rabbit to grow fangs. I'm not complaining, just that Crisis Learning doesn't suit everyone." Nettie gives a roll of her eyes. Of course, she had a very different upbringing.     "Oh, nothing is ever free, poppet. You still work for lessons. My students occasionally get wrangled in for duty at my shop or running amok for reagents in Scotland -- oh! Reminds me, I have some nettle and some Highland Bluebells to bring you -- along with a fresh batch of nightshade. Don't Tell Chas." she states conspiritally to John, and then turns back to Nico.     "That's one of the things people are trying to figure out."
John Constantine	"Infernal contracts aren't all bad luv," John points out, it's a thing the man knows a thing or... what? Four, five? About now. Probably lots more if one considers the smaller ones. But at least one of them, the newest with the timer ticking and breathing down his neck currently, is the reason his daughter's still alive.     "Bunnicula is it now?" he quips at Nettie before he pours himself a glass of scotch, downs it, pours another... downs it, double double that. He snatches his Silks back up and presses a kiss to Nettie's temple before, "Gotta run." No explanation, but is there ever?     "We talked about that," he calls out along the way to the backroom. "... he's picking the shotgun back up again and he's gonna shut-up about shortcuts and stick to fixing it when we get home."     To Nico, he adds, "Don't forget your notebook. You're going to need it to study for the test on Monday." He's kidding, right? Right? He sounds so *serious* though. And then he's gone through the backroom and then through a portal to somewhere.