2601/Pardon me, this skull seems to be leaking blood.

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Pardon me, this skull seems to be leaking blood.
Date of Scene: 26 September 2017
Location: Unknown
Synopsis: Summary needed
Cast of Characters: Ravenna Levesque, Ares




Ravenna Levesque has posed:
On the outside, the Illusion appears to be a small curio shop. There are mundane 'magical' supplies for those who only dabble, but for those who actually have talent there are actual useful magical items with in. The shop is well lit with light colored furniture that is artfully distressed with well organized potion ingrdients, potions and old tomes that radiate magic.

Ravenna has a very busy night job, and a moderately busy day job, but the woman seems to thrive when working so she tends to do it as much as possible. While she's usually professionally dressed at Lux, she is in more comfortable clothing at the Illusion. Her hair is loose and wild over her shoulders and she has on a flowing and airy dress. Currently she's taking inventory as she scans over the shelves.

Ares has posed:
    For the number of magical individuals in the city and the amount of stores that purport to be representative of individuals skilled in the arcane arts... rather few of them actually fit the bill. It had taken two days of time of wandering from one place to another on what free time he had. Subtlety was the name of the game, at least as subtle as one of his ilk was like to be. So he did not appear before thosee stores in a flash of light or twisted reality. Instead he actually hoofed it around, walking to each store at times with a backpack slung over his shoulder and his construction worker's helmet hanging off his hip, for what spare time he had... was often stolen during work hours.
    It was on this particular day, a Tuesday after the invasion had done its worst to the city of New York and Metropolis. Matters had been wild for a few days but the emergency services had done their job with no small help from the city's mask and cape crowd. The rebuilding would go on, but New Yorkers are a durable people and even today things proceed almost as if normal.
    It starts with the jangle of the bell at the door. This place, this Illusion, had elements of the eldritch to it, true magic possessed if not by all the materials available... then by the proprietor. Or perhaps... the clerk?
    That man who enters is tall, halfway to seven feet and ducking slightly as he enters lest something dangly from the ceiling be struck while he strides within. He stands there giving the place a once over, gaze sweeping the room with its supplies and distressed furniture. He gives a small grunt to himself.

Ravenna Levesque has posed:
Ravenna is used to a certin type of client that walks through the door. A very tall construction worker is not the type she is used to seeing, but it's the magica that she can sense rolling off of him that causes her to take a second glance and pause. Remember her manners, she clears her throat and looks to Ares. "Welcome to the Illusion, how can I assist you?"

She sets the clip board on the counter as she pushes a stray strand of hair out of her face. It's hard for her to hide her magical aura, it's almost like a storm of magic, mixed with pure life energy. "I'm sorry about the low height of the ceiling, you know how these little stores are. The more you pay, the less room you actually get."

Ares has posed:
    That furrowed brow beetles further as his attention slips away from the oddities on the shelf that had snared his attention for a moment. His regard falls heavily upon Ravenna as he steps past the shelf and towards her. She can feel the intensity of his consideration. A passerby would notice nothing untoward. To them it would seem as little interesting. Just a man speaking to a clerk. Yet it is more as two mystical beings sense the other, and he can tell that this one. This one may be of use.
    "Save your apologies for later should you find yourself unable to be of aid." That said he brings the heavy brown leather backpack around and lets it slide off of his shoulder to settle down upon the countertop before her, perhaps causing a few things to be pushed askew by such presumption. He then undoes the clasps and reaches inside, producing what seems to be a bleached white skull wrapped in a plastic bag. A skull of something humanoid... yet also holding features that one might almost consider... equine.
    Yet the reason it is in that plastic bag is that the plastic is smeared by a faint faint slow trickle of blood that comes from the creature's eye sockets.
    "When you look on this object, speak to me of what you sense."

Ravenna Levesque has posed:
Ravenna's demeanor changes when his words are so brusk and when the backpack is thumped onto the counter. Frowning, the woman gathers up the items that he displaced and sets them back where they go. "A pleasure to make your aquantence." She says dryly before the skull is presented. She's not a stranger to people bringing weird magical items into the shop, but they're usually a regular. Still she looks at the bag with the nearly bleeding skull.

"It appears to be a bleeding skulll." She replies dryly before she takes a proper look at it, allowing her mundane senses to dull and her magical ones to sharpen. Her lips fall into a frown and she reaches to rub her arms as if she's suddenly cold. It's obviously a gesture to sooth herself with the sudden and unwelcome fear that washes over her. "Fear, that's the obvious one at least. This is definatly not something I would keep on the mantle as a conversation piece." Reluctantly she leans forward, trying to get a better view of it through the bag, but she doesn't seem at all keen to remove the item from it's protective covering. "It's.. very strange, where did you find it?"

Ares has posed:
    "My name is John Aaron," The tall man says levelly, his eyes finding and holding hers when she looks up from the skull. He'll reach forwards and rest his hand upon the top of the object, and when he does so the feeling of its subtle manipulation seems to weaken noticeably. "This was worn by a member of my family who sought to set upon me and mine. It bodes ill and when I look upon it I see..."
    The tall man looks down and lifts his hand slightly, "I see naught. An absence in the fabric of reality. And this... this displeases me." He draws the backpack off of the counter and sets it down. "I have spoken to another of my kind and they see naught as well. Yet this thing, I am told... holds power."
    He rests a hand upon the counter and peers, then lets his eyes lift back up to the woman. "I have sought the findings of someone who is at least familiar with the arcane and I would prefer to have the insight of one who may be considered... impartial."

Ravenna Levesque has posed:
"Ravenna Levesque." She says by way of greeting, and at least now that names are out of the way, she's a tick less grumpy. "I do not know what you are exactly, but you feel very powerful, so I am assuming your family is not one to be trifled with." Though when he explains that he really wants she reluctantly nods her head. "However I suppose that means I am great at being impartial."

Taking a step back, mostly because the object is unpleasant, she watches how the manipulation weakens when touched and tilts her head to the side. "Perhaps you see nothing, because your powers dull it? When you touched it, the fear ebbed, but it was still there." It takes a moment, but to her eyes it shifts and changes, and once that view comes into play, she shakes her head. "I see... my brother?" She questions herself. "I wouldn't be surprised if he were dead but... that's what I see when I look at it." There is a frown on her lips, showing that it isn't a welcome sight for her to see.

Ares has posed:
    A frown mars the man's grim features and he looks down at the object he can feel under his hand but cannot see. He murmurs quietly, "My family are... individuals who have possessed abilities beyond the ken of mankind for some time. But we are an argumentative lot, and get along poorly with each other." As he says this he picks up the object and places it back into the backpack, folding the strap over and then tightening the clasps.
    With it now being hidden there's no longer the feeling, whatever it is must be connected to visually perceiving it. That done he pushes it across the counter towards her. "I would have you find what you can about this object, gather what information you may with what gifts you have, and then grant me your insight. For this..." He pauses as he looks upon her, "You shall be paid well. Name your price, but on top of that know I shall grant you a boon, which for most would be enough for me to engage their services. Such is its value."
    That having been said he uncurls a hand towards her, "What say you?"

Ravenna Levesque has posed:
"Ancient and powerful, got it." Ravenna works at Lux, she's used to not asking questions about people's past, and getting paid for it. "It's rare that a family actually gets a long, at least in my experience. There's always a thorn in someone's side for something petty." Still when she realizes that he can't even see it, she furrows her brows. "Have you attempted to photograph it? At least that way you can see what it is, and maybe pass it around to your other family members to see if it is familiar."

When he mentions the price for her findings, she slowly raises a brow. "Money and a boon? Boons arn't not hand out all to often anymore, you really must be ancient." She reaches for the bag and gently takes it to her side of the counter. "I'll look into it for you. I don't know what I'm going to find, and I'm pretty sure it isn't going to be pleasent."

Ares has posed:
    "To myself and my son," John says as he folds his arms over his chest, expression displeased, "It appears as naught even in recordings. There may be connections to a pantheon of some sort." Of course he does not offer a few facts of his own in this brief mention, perhaps letting her prove herself down the line by what she comes up with.
    Yet as she accepts the task he gives her a nod as she takes it and places it down behind the counter. His eyes lift and return to her own as he murmurs, "Then decide on a dollar amount if that is preferred. Keep in mind that this may well be dangerous. I cannot ascertain the risk, yet it would be remiss of me to not at least mention such."
    That said he looks down, then back up. "I shall come upon you again in a week's time. Is that acceptable?"

Ravenna Levesque has posed:
"Well, it was worth a shot." Ravenna replies with a shrug. "My Aunt has an extensive library, so perhaps I can at least find some history on it, as well as work out the magical enchantments on the piece." When he asks her to name her price, she frowns. "It's hard to gauge just how long it's going to take me to crack this, or if I even have the ability to. It might be best to defer payment until I can actually produce something."

When he mentions the risk, she nods and gestures toward the back room. "We have a vault that we keep the dangerous artifacts in, I'll be sure that this one get's it's own little corner. Hopefully that will keep it from making friends and ending the world all at once." She laughs, trying to stick a touch of humor into a situation that doesn't have any. She reaches for her phone and checks her calendar before she responds. "A week should be enough. If I don't learn anything and it hasn't blown up the shop, I won't charge you."

Ares has posed:
    At that the first semblance of something beyond a domineering and edged facade is seen when his own smile meets hers. His lip curls just with a hint of amusement as he eyes the vault area towards the back, then looks back to her. His brow knits with consideration as he considers her then gives a single nod as he agrees to the terms. "Be careful then, Ms. Levesque," He says as he unfolds his arms from his chest, then takes a deep breath.
    "If you feel you are in a situation above your head, then call me." He withdraws a small card from his flannel shirt pocket and sets it down upon the counter. He tells her calmly, "I will hold no ill will nor think less of you." As if that was important for some reason.

Ravenna Levesque has posed:
"I am always careful." Ravenna says, and her words are mostly true. Seeing that break in his facade the tension in her shoulder eases slightly. It's always hit or miss with these really powerful people and seeing that they are able to at least crack a smile makes it easier.

When he presents his card, she takes it and slips it into a hidden pocket in her dress. "Thank you. I do my best to stay out of situations like that, but sometimes they find us when we do not want to be bothered." His last words cause her to frown just a touch, but she nods. "Good to know."

Ares has posed:
    "Til a week from now," The tall man says and then he turns away and starts to move back towards the front door, taking the hard hat off of its place upon his hip just to hold it casually in one hand. Once he reaches the door he'll shoulder it open, turning slightly to the side and lifting a hand to offer a small wave in her direction. "Again, be careful."
    And with that said he'll step back out onto the streets of the city, leaving her alone there with the skull in her possession and awaiting her to discern its mysteries as she can.