15858/A new piece to the puzzle arrives.

A new piece to the puzzle arrives.
Date of Scene:	02 December 2023
Location:	Harry Dresden's Office, Kingston Falls
Synopsis:	Another person comes to Harry and Willow with the strange dream.
Cast of Characters:	Harry Dresden, Willow Rosenberg, Vampirella

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Harry Dresden has posed:
The approach to the office outside will give off a warded feeling to those of magical inclination. They are strong and not easy to pass. The door is unlocked, but right now the wards are keeping most magical sorts out. Otherwise, people can come or go without too much issue.

The reason for the wards being set is probably obvious enough at the sight of the tall man, bent over a desk. He has a notebook open on one side of the dest, a notebook on the otherside, and some sort of green quartz set into a pendant. The coloring and profile are wrong for emerald or jade. Harry frowns and studies the words between the two books and mutters something under his breath.

Next to the desk, lying there apparently asleep, is a pony size dog. Likely Tibetian Mastiff or the like. Snoring loudly, he drools on the floor a little bite and twitches like he is running in his dreams.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow has the passcode for the wards - at least she calls them that. With a flick of her wrist she enters, bringing with her two coffees. Sure, Harry probably likes something on the side, but she didn't have time to go to the library and be back at Harry's at a reasonable hour.

Even so, the coffee was lukewarm by the time she got to his house.

"We're going to have to warm them up? And I brought some books to read." More books?? "Seeing as I can't use my laptop.." She holds the fairly big pile of books aloft. "Where can I put them?"

She gives him the coffee, and a kiss while he decides.

Vampirella has posed:
A lot of people think Vampirella is magical. She knows better. So she doesn't trip those wards; isn't even aware of them as she spies on the man a dream told her to find, standing outside the window, letting her ears and nose do their jobs. Did this man send the dream? The tawdry supernatural bric-a-brac he surrounds himself with suggests he might be able to, but that doesn't make much sense. If he has magic enough to find her, he could just say what he wanted to say instead of the runaround. The only reasons to send dreams are bad reasons.

So. Magic books, magic nerds, big dog, coffee. Is there any need for her own move to be subtle?

Well, if there was, she probably should have dressed like a human.

The front door it is, then. She walks through it like she has every right to be there.

Harry Dresden has posed:
He doesn't look up when the wards come down. There are a few that have the pass for it and they are most trusted. When the wards go down, the big dog wakes and looks up. Oh look, his favorite red headed person. He jumps up and lumbers to her and walks back with her. Well behaved to know she has he hands full.

When she draws near, Harry looks up and sees the coffee and the books attached to his favorite red head he smiles a little and tells her,"Set the books on the file cabinet so we can cycle them into research." he replies.

Freakishly tall, he doesn't have to stretch his neck much to return the offered kiss from Willow. He takes offered coffee and tells her,"I'd call you an angel, but most of the angel's I met were tools. It's good to see you."

The arrival of someone gets Harry's attention and Mouse too. The big dog settles next to Willow, not aggressive, but wary. Harry sometimes is slow on the uptake and for a second or two he sees the woman standing there in the outfit she has on. Up and down, taking in the sight with the eye of a detective...well a red blooded male detective, but he's a taken guy so surprisingly he shakes it off quicker than most.

Standing up he nods to Vampirella, looking most at her eyes, but not locking gazes. Probably just below her eyes,"Hello. I'm Harry Dresden." He indicates Willow,"My girlfriend and partner Willow." He nods to the hulking beast,"Mouse." The dog actually looks like he expected the intro, those eyes terribly intelligent even if he looks like a big drooly goof.

"How can I..we help you?" he finally manages.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Once her hands are empty, Willow bends down and scritches her favourite dog. That he is the only dog she knows doesn't matter. "Have you been taking care of Harry?" Yahweh knows Harry wasn't taking care of Harry?

Louder, then, for Harry, "Some of the books are research for my Master's. You can read them if you care to. Well, at least the mathematics books." She didn't know if his aversion to technology was only physical , or it it was metaphysical as well. No sense pushing the boundaries. "I figured I could get some studying in while I couldn't do the other."

Brrr. Lukewarm. The coffee was stirred with an index finger and warmed it up.

Of course, then came Vampirella!

Standing back with her one hand in a tight fist.. ready. (Those who were magic savvy, would have noticed the beginnings in a spell ready to go.) Though Harry caught her attention with her introduction of her. For a moment she smiles with a faint blush on just the tips of her cheekbones.

She still had her hand erect. Just in case.

Vampirella has posed:
Vampirella notices the threat from the second magic nerd, and evaluates the distance between herself and that one. She likes her odds of closing it before any spell can go off, if need be, but she's not here for a pissing contest, so she just regards the redhead with a look of amused irritation and reminds her, "Manners like that will make sure you get no repeat customers." Then, as if that settles the issue, she turns her eyes to the man. (Why is she so reluctant to use their names? A part of her is expecting to have to kill one or both, she supposes, and is emotionally distancing herself from them in case she's right about that.) "A dream told me to find you. I want to know if you sent it so I can decide how irritated to be."

It didn't slip her mind to introduce herself. She'll hold on to her name just for now, thanks very much.

Harry Dresden has posed:
His name is on the door coming in, so it's kind of a give away. The big dog cocks his head to the side a little and continues to look not bright, drooling on the floor. Thoses eyes still mindful.

Harry frowns a little when she mentions a dream told her to find him. He lets a hand rest lightly in the small of Willow's back for a moment and then indicates the chair across from the desk,"Have a seat if you want." he tells Vampirella and moves to take a seat again. If she's observant she can't really miss the shoulder holstered magnum resting on the nearby file cabinet and if she is really observant, among all the rest of the random things on the desk is a short, slightly gnarled stick.

"It's all right Willow. Let's hear her out." He lets Vampirella decide what she wants to say and only prompts her a little,"Tell me more about the dream please. There seems to be a lot of that going around with mystical women that I have known and a few, like yourself, I don't."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Well, sugar!

Not only was the woman supposed be here, because of the dream, but Willow had almost forgotten the second reason why she needed to talk with Harry. The Dream.

It was clear that is was a bigger thing than she had hoped.

Letting the spell go, Willow nodded. "I've had the dream as well. The other night. I'm sorry, I should have told you."

Vampirella has posed:
Spotting the gun is one thing. Smelling the gun oil is another, and all but a given. Doesn't matter. "I'll stay standing, thanks. I was in a forest on a mountain. A tall, gaunt thing with a deer's skull for a head said 'Hungry,' then 'Dresden'. I didn't try to stop the dream from ending." She shrugs. "That's it."

Harry Dresden has posed:
A quick glance to Willow and he frowns slightly. Not angry, probably more concern. He nods to her and then looks back to their visitor. The desire to remain standing gets a nod and it isn't pressed any furthur.

"So another acquaintance I know told me last night it was trying to eat them and that it had already eaten someone else. Still hungry anyway." he tells her,"I tapped into a few resources and the description matches that of a cursed cannibal that hungers no matter how much it eats. Typically found in the northern moutainous areas on this continent though there are reports of a few potential sightings in the Smokey Mountains and the southern Rockies and even the deserts. They are known as Wendigo. Not to be confused with the bigfoot looking creature, also cursed that goes by the same name. That one is different and so far as anyone knows it is the only one of its kind."

Vampirella has posed:
Vampirella snorts and rolls her eyes. "Wendigos are real? I thought they were just a metaphor for homophobia."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Wendigo.

Willow could feel the hand beating her forehead. Of course. Wendigo.

"Oh, they are real. Unfortunately. But I never equated it with you, Harry. That's why I didn't rush over here. He jumped at me. Saying he was still hungry. Well, in between the snarls and gnashing of teeth."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"First time my name came up." Harry mutters softly. He takes a breath and exhales softly. Looking down at Mouse he frowns,"Last time he showed up in the dreams. This is starting to feel like someone is behind it and they know me."

He scowls darkly and muses,"So, the two of you, Cassie, and Satana have had this dream. The dream with the dogmen and chupa cabra appeared to Willow, Sabrina, Cassie, Satana, Faith, and Buffy I think. Am I forgetting anyone?"

"Whoever it is, it must not want to live long, messing with an Amazon, two Vampire Slayers, and multiple magic users. I get the feeling we missed someone before or I am not getting a name out of my head just now. Whoever this is, if they are trying to be helpful they should just come out and say so. If they are looking for trouble, they are very stupid."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
*blink blink*

"Unless.." And here Willow made a funny face as she was trying to get her thought out. "What if the person, or thing, was actually trapped on the side of dreams?"

Vampirella has posed:
"Maybe," Vampirella muses. "I was about to say 'only an idiot would get into that position without knowing how to get out of it,' but that kind of person would be exactly the type to get stuck in dreams. Eager, arrogant, and naive." She gives Willow an appraising look, and the little smile on her lips suggests the appraisal came up positive.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry looks back to Willow and nods. He frowns a little at that thought. If Ella hasn't noticed yet, Harry frowns a lot and it isn't necessarily and angry frown. A sigh and he mentions,"I have an idea to look into that. I get the feeling we should reach out to Buffy and Faith too. Sabrina will be around most likely sooner than later if she has it."

His attenion moves to Vampirella and he tells her,"The last time this happened several people ended up in Mexico facing dogmen and chupa cabra. Neither have been particularly taken as real until then. Well those that saw them take them serious enough now."

He taps his chin thoughtfully,"All right. If we end up going on another field trip would you like to come along? Some of us have access to planes or we can move through the Ways if you don't mind moving through the Never Never."

Vampirella has posed:
Vampirella is quiet for a moment, one arm across her ribs, the other reaching up to tap the corner of her mouth with her forefinger. "Maybe. There are too many unanswered questions here. I don't like that this thing called for a harem of women to contact you instead of just reaching out to you personally. The easiest way that makes sense is if you aren't the target, but the means of access to the rest of us in a way more real than dreams. At least, if you assume a dream creature is rational." She shrugs. "I'm in until I decide how best to express my annoyance, at least."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Well, Duh. Although He probably mean Vampirella, not Willow. Still, she nods. "Anytime you need. You know that."

As for the Never-Never? She shudders, but keeps her mouth shut about that.

"I could help you research, if you want? It's that, or my mathematics. You chose." Willow grins. But she actually /liked/ her mathematics. Ergo the double Masters. It was probably a good thing they didn't allow triple Masters. Alas she would have do it all again if she felt the urge. Most likely she would just go on to take her PhD.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"No one has been terribly fond." Harry replies to Vampirella,"I don't like that someone doesn't come to me head on either, but there are reasons. I have two ideas why someone would avoid coming around here at night even in dreams." He nods to Mouse and the big dog chuffs softly,"Believe it or not, that would be one. He actually entered the would be harem's dreams the first time, so whatever is behind it had to be careful."

He looks to Willow and nods,"I know. I appreciate it. You're better company that Bob." he quips with a wink,"As for the mathematics, I think you just enjoy unnecessary suffering. Hence the questionable company you keep."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"I don't like that coming to me in dream." *pout* "My place is warded nine ways to Sunday. Almost nothing can get in - unless they aren't evil, or supernatural. And it bypassed everything while I slept."

Willow was not impressed. Not. At. All.

Vampirella has posed:
"It needn't be magic," Vampirella says with a shrug. "Could be a mundane creature on an astral plane. Depends on what you think magic is, I guess."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"I don't like someone getting to any of your dreams." Harry mutters. He looks at Vampirella,"I don't know you and I don't like it's messing with yours." He glances at Willow and nods,"I don't like it got past your wards either."

He looks back to Vampirella and admits,"Not a bad idea. Something in the astral plane might not be hard to find. Maybe opening the third eye and studying a few of the places where the dreams have happened."

More things for the wizard to mull over. He doesn't have enough.