1246/Black Magic Women

Black Magic Women
Date of Scene:	02 July 2017
Location:	Metropolis Park
Synopsis:	Fresh from meeting a certain sorceress in fishnets, Nico arrives late to a picnic with Traci and Paisley. The three enjoy some food, friendship, and talk about magic.
Cast of Characters:	Traci 13, 267, Nico Minoru

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Traci 13 has posed:
    Metropolis Park. Dusk. Traci had left a message for Nico for her to meet herself and Paisley for an impromptu picnic, where they could enjoy a meal, get some fresh air, and of course, talk about magic.
    There is a Darkwing Duck blanket spread out on the ground, over which - not so much a picnic basket, but some paper plates, and several items purchased from the local deli. Like red potato salad, coleslaw, a couple hot dogs from a nearby vendor in the steam bag on pretze buns, and other simple, cheap foods. Traci's brought along several candles as well, which she's set into the ground nearby, and also has a can of ashes with her too.
    "But," Traci is saying to Paisley, "Artemis said the Doctor would see me, when he was ready. Until then I could come and go to the mansion as I pleased, but I couldn't access the library until he gave me his personal permission."

Paisley (267) has posed:
    "Huh, well. That's something, right?" There's a shrug from Paisley, who lays back onto the blanket and stares up at the sky overhead. She croses her legs at the shins, black knee high boots one atop the other, blue navy blue tights in evidence. IT seems the blue-haired gir has decided to wear a black and whtie checked skirt with tight pleats paired against a sheer black longsleeved top worn over a white camisole.
    "Well, I can definitely say... I hope Nico's almost here. The hot dogs'll get cold soon." Paisley shrugs at that and hten licks her lips, leaning back into the blanket they've led out. "And then it's time to get dangerous. The blanket demands it."

Nico Minoru has posed:
    The message was received on Nico's completely new and awesome cellular phone. And...by new, she means an older used burner phone model that was on clearance and awesome because it doesn't require a contract and actually can do stuff more than just take messages and calls....such as play music. Which is exactly what she is doing as Nico approaches the park. Tucked under her left arm, without glove so the peculiarities of her gauntlet are visible, are a couple bolts of fabric. One is a dark purple of a satin nature...and the other looks more like a black suede. In the other hand....is the Staff of One. Out and present. And, even though the bolts of fabric appear perfectly dry, Nico looks like she was caught in a rain shower. On an otherwise perfectly clear and dry day. Funny, that.

    With a small sigh, Nico reaches the blanket and the two women upon it. A brief glance is given to it, with a slightly raised eyebrow, then the bolts of fabric are placed to the side, while the staff is placed next to Nico as she descends to the ground. "You would not believe what just happened to me a little bit ago." Considering that Nico seems a little damp, coupled with the fact that there is a fresh cut on her right arm that seems to have stopped bleeding within the last half hour, it was a recent venture. "Some red-haired girl was cornered in an alleyway by a reject from a Midsummer's Night Dream production. I and a girl in a tuxedo top and fishnets ventured by and went in to help. I smarted off to the goat...thing, and it came after me. I get the Staff out, and then it suddenly starts to rain." A laugh escapes Nico. "Something about the fishnets set me off. The person said that satyrs smell....so I told it to take a bath. And...I think I washed it away. The rain became a jet of water. It was actually pretty cool." She pats the Staff next to her. "But...I think I have seen the tuxedo before. For some reason, reminded me of a magician's outfit. I think I saw something like that on TV, just in passing. Someone with a Z name..."

Traci 13 has posed:
"Absolutely time to get dangerous," agrees Traci with a bit of a mischevious smile. "It was the biggest blanket I had," she says, a bit sheepishly. And laughs, just a little.
    "Wait. Fishnets. Tuxedo? Tophat? Did you -," Traci's eyes narrow a bit, thoughtfully. "You don't mean Zatanna Zatara, do you? Probably the most famous stage magician in the world, and one -hell- of a Sorceress? She's -amazing-. I hope to be as good as her, when I'm a few years older," Traci confesses. But, she's certainly pretty jealous. "I need to hang around you more," she says to Nico, before handing over one of the hotdogs. "Let's eat. So, you saw a Satyr? What did he want? Do you know?"
    

Paisley (267) has posed:
    "Satyrs, Zatanna Zatara, rainstorms, redheads... You have all the fun, Nico." Paisley wiggles her fingers in a sort of vague wave, still lookign up from her place on her back. She hardly moves otherwise, content to stare up primarily at the sky. "So hello, beautiful sorceress girl with the amazing magic staff. Welcome home. Have something to eaat."
    The blue-haired girl takes a deep breath and reaches over to snag a hto dog of her own, tilting her head slightly as she does. "All I know is that his sounds like the sort of adventu I should get to go on. What good is being a changeling without fringe benefits like that? Lame. Did you have fun?"

Nico Minoru has posed:
    There is a pause as Nico considers Traci's deduction. After all, even Nico has heard of Zatanna. "Hmm...yeah. Now that you mention it, she did bear a pretty striking resemblance to her. Not that we actually had time for formal introductions or anything like that." Then...there is a shrug for the answer to Traci's other question. "Beats me. All I know is that hoof-for-brains was stalking the redhead like Tony Stark at a Playboy Bunny convention...and not in a friendly way, either. Certainly not the way she was screaming. I can't just let something bad happen...not if I can help it."

    Fingers flutter back towards Paisley. "Hello to you, lovely azure-maned changeling." If there was a reaction to being called beautiful, it might have been a slight reddening of the cheeks...but nothing more. "Well...not sure what you mean by fun. It almost made me late coming here. And the redhead just ran off, so it wasn't like I could find out if she was okay. It was just....weird."

    "So, sounds like I didn't miss anything. And here I was hoping I wasn't going to be the strange one..."

Traci 13 has posed:
    "Well, I got invited to visit Doctor Strange's mansion," confesses Traci, "And to meet him. But he wasn't available when I did get there. So, I'll have to go back soon and try again. That's pretty much all the excitement I've had."
    She shoves a hotdog into her mouth and bites the end off, nomming it delightedly. "Maybe you'll get an invitation, too. From what the lady there told me, Artemis, he's opening a school. Or will be." She grins at Nico some, and ventures further, "You should start learning some other magic, so you're not just reliant on the Staff of One, anyways. I can at least help get you started. But, it's important that you know -where- your power is coming from. How it is. If you don't understand that? You're just slinging spells. You're not -practicing- magic."
    She looks over to Paisley, then. "I thought being out here would be a good way for you to try your unraveling, maybe with a simple spell. After we eat. You up for that?"

Paisley (267) has posed:
    "Sure," Paisley agrees slowly. "maeks sense to me anyway."When Taci speaks of the school paisley is oddly silent, her expression one of carefully practiced disinterest. The girl splays hr slender fingers on the blanket and takes another slow breath, blue eyes ultimately staring into the clouds overhead.
    "You're sweet," Paisley observes of Nico after the compliment is breathed, tracing a fingertip against the blanket she is laying on. "Anyway, I'm still the weird one, don't worry. Until interdimensional grandparents stop trying to steal my soul so I can inherit my fulll power and become some kind of strange transdimensional bogieman thing. Or whatever the fuck a Faerie is anyway." She shrugs those slender shoulders then.
    "Okay. So what are we going tostart with first? This probably won't be dangerous. Not that I KNOW what it'll be..."

Nico Minoru has posed:
    There is just a shrug at the mention of Strange. "Maybe. Be kinda nice to learn how to do stuff without having to be tortured." Nico just lets that comment fly as if it was the most normal thing in the world to say. "Parents weren't too keen on teaching me magic. Hell, didn't know I could do anything until Mom tried to stab me with the Staff. So, yeah, been kinda of a learning curve starting out."

    Nico flops down, so that she too is staring up to the sky. "But, I know where my power is coming from. It's blood magic, you see. I can't summon the Staff unless I offer it a blood sacrifice. And I can't do anything with it out unless I channel some sort of trauma into it. Physical works...but the Staff likes emotional best. And I can certainly give it some of that. I'm a magazine's worth of issues." Nico pauses...then adds. "Wait...I did get some training. But, like I said, it probably isn't the way that Doc is thinking. Had gone back in time and met my great grandmother. At least, she said she was. As for her methods....well....they called her the Witchbreaker. so you can figure out how she went about things."

    Nico flashes a smile to Paisley. "I think it is safe to say that we are all weird. Normal is too boring, anyways." Well...at least Nico seems to be happy enough. "We can do whatever. I can do stuff without the Staff...though things are better with it. It is kinda like borrowing power from it."

Traci 13 has posed:
    Traci leans over to scritch Leroy, the adorable little iguana who goes nearly everywhere with her, most of the time, while nodding to Nico. "I don't know -much- about the Staff. I didn't even know it required blood magic. But, you might have the ability to do other things that don't require blood magic. I mean, I didn't even know I could do magic -really- until I started to connect to the city. I've learned more since. I knew my mom was a Sorceress, but my ability didn't really materialize until after she died."
    Traci frowns some, at that, and then looks back to Paisley, telling the girl, with absolute confidence, "You're not going anywhere, as long as I'm here, that you don't want to go. Grandparents, or no."
    She pauses, then, and she licks her lips. There is a pause, as she concentrates, and then a visible blue shield, electric blow and translucent appears around a very non-pulssed Leroy, who almost seemed to expect it.
    "So. Paisley. See what you can do with that?" It's a simple shield spell, but something that's pretty resiliant to physical damage, just the same.
    Traci exchanges a look with Nico, "Well, Paisley is far from boring. Let me tell you." She grins, sharply. "And you? You're just plain fun."

Paisley (267) has posed:
    "Don't worry. I'm too nuts to be boring," Paisley replies with a sly grin. She blows those blue tresses away from her face as she listens to the girls around her speak. Paisley studies the blue shield with some thought. She tilts her head slightly to the left as she examines the spell and gives a slow nod.
    A deep breath is taken and then Paisley is lifting her hands, idly tracing something in the air.
    "Don't tell me we can do whatever because I migh start to get ideas. Ask her I'm pretty much shameless." That is stated without too much inflection while Paisley is making her motion. Finally a finger is pointed at the shield, near the iguana's rear left leg. "There. That's it." She concentrates for a second, closing her eyes. Paisley mimics pinching something, then pulling like she's drawing a string from a sphere.
    With a snap the shield simply vanishes into so many magical sparks. Paisley opens her eyes and then nods slowly. "That wasn't- so hard to figure out. I have to look and- read the spell, I guess? But I could see the fault lines right away... hm."
    Finally Pais lays back onto the blanket and takes another of those quiet breaths. She clsoes her eyes and adds quietly, "That was- easier than I thought it would be.. And harder too." She doesn't elaborate.

Nico Minoru has posed:
    A barely-audible hum escapes from Nico's throat as she rolls to her side. Placing her hand upon the Staff, that hum shifts to a slight wince as the Staff retracts....into Nico. Though, this seems to be a desired act, as Nico seems to want to try to do things without the Staff in tow. "Well, I am not exactly sure what ideas you would get. Though, I believe that it would be something, given your words." Nico shifts once more, to a sitting position while she crosses her arms on her lap. "though not too sure if I am the fun one. I was always the responsible one before."

    Brown eyes shift to watch the sphere...and it disappearing. "That...was awesome. Just untied it? I mean, that's what it looks like." Nico grins a bit lopsidedly. "never really tried other magic, before. Not sure if I could, really. I mean, everything seems tied into the blood line. Being the last and all. Somehow makes it more...potent, I guess?"

    Nico glances over to the iguana...and points her own finger at the pet. With a little flick of her fingers, Nico sets him hovering....gently, but floating, nonetheless. "See...I can do some things without the Staff. Though...if we really want some fireworks, having the Staff and my fancy appendage here together makes things really special."

Traci 13 has posed:
    Traci watches, as Paisley works at 'unravelling' her spell. It hadn't been an overly complex shield, that would've required more focus. But, nonetheless, she seems impressed, and quite excited. "That," she declares to Paisley, "Was, pretty awesome. We'll have to practice more, later. And," she offers, "It will give us a sense of - well, how effective I'll be against some of your kin." You know. In case things get ugly. But, Traci doesn't elaborate on that particular part. Instead, her eyes switch back to Nico as she sets some fruit bits in front of Leroy for his help in participation.
    "Blood, perhaps, is your focus. The city is mine. But, you can learn, maybe, as I have, to go beyond your focus. I mean, I still have a -ways- to go, but, the way I think it works is magic, or your ability to use it, is kind of like a muscle. The more you use it, and the more varied ways you use it, the stronger your ability gets."

Paisley (267) has posed:
    "Kind of like untying. But that was just how I visualized it." Paisley doesnt' elaborate and instead continues to study the back fo her eyelids. Fingers delicately trace across the blanket, proving the girl is awake even when she is otherwise both siletn and still.
    "Everything is about blood for me too.. I don't need to shed any, I guess, but..." Paisley licks her lips and then slowly sits up. She slowly turns herself toward Nico in order to look her over carefully. "So, um. You need to shed blood to summon the power... Does it have to be yours?" Those too bright azure eyes are fixated onto Nico's features agian as she slowly shifts her way closer.
    "Can you use any blood with sufficient power... Like mine?" She hesitates at that last part but forges onward. "That might be one part of this we should figure out. If, um, it works like that all, I guess. Beyond that... More experimenting, I guess. Figure out where we stand." A beat. "And then look at a slightly bigger apartment."

Nico Minoru has posed:
    "Well...I don't know about that, Paisley. I mean, if anyone's blood can be used." Nico pauses to consider. "The Staff only comes out when it is my blood, though. And...it's more protective of me now than before. I wouldn't recommend anyone else touching it." There is that tilt of the head as the blood witch thinks. "I mean, if I went without the Staff, I probably could, maybe? This arm..." and with that, Nico holds up her left arm with the weird gauntlet, "...gives me the same sort of thing as the Staff does...but it won't just up and eat you if it doesn't like you. So, maybe..."

    Nico stretches out, sliding one of her fabric bolts over to use as a makeshift pillow. "Oh, I get the whole muscle thing. If you can tap into the source of what drives the magic more readily, then it will get stronger, of course. I know that rather well." Nico doesn't elaborate, yet, but it seems to be a story behind that comment. One for later.

    Only after a couple of minutes does Nico catch the bigger apartment comment. "I...thought you wanted a place for yourselves? I mean, I can find my own place. I'm good at that. No need to have everyone out apartment hunting." It seems Nico is either being somewhat innocent in regards to certain intentions, or she truly doesn't want to inconvenient the others.

Traci 13 has posed:
    "Interesting that it seems to have it's own presence. Some magical artifacts are like that, but not as nearly many as you might think. Doctor Strange's house had that feel, too," she reveals to Nico. She'd already mentioned something along those lines to Paisley.
    She nods, "More experimentation is good. But, it's best to start off nice, and easy. And, with simple things. You kinda don't want to just start flying magic around," she says, in a cheerfull sort of manner. She picks up Leroy and sets him in her lap, now, after he's finished eating the fruit and seems content.
    She looks at Paisley, then back at Nico, "We can work it out later," she says, gently enough. "One thing at a time, right?"

Paisley (267) has posed:
    "Bigger apartment, two apartments, whatever." Paisley shrugs as if this distinction means nothing to her. "I'm not sure we can afford two apartments between the three of us, though." When Traci suggests they talk about it later Paisley drops the subject entirely and shifts her weight on the blanket, slowly.
    "Anyway. I'm going to take a nap in a second," Paisley offers, yawning softly. "And we can do all the magic stuff we want when I wake up."

Nico Minoru has posed:
    "Later sounds good, to me. No sense getting all worried over something when there are perfectly good hot dogs to eat." Nico flashes a smile as she adds her second bolt to her pillow pile. "Though yeah, if I lay here any longer, I might just fall asleep, too. It is much too nice of a day out, even with freaky magical rainstorms about."

    Arms lift up to stretch languidly, then Nico settles back down. "Oh...remind me to make you two something after I finish with my commission. I should have enough fabric here left over to make something fun for you both." Then, with a wink, Nico adds, "as long as it's gothic. Otherwise, you are going to be sorely disappointed."