3671/Anyone home, Harry

Anyone home, Harry
Date of Scene:	18 January 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Harry Dresden, Redstar

---

Harry Dresden has posed:
The office has seen better days. It looks like it hasn't been maintained in over a month, as there is a nice layer of dust over everything up to and including the coffee maker. The shelves that line the walls of the office are in a state of disarray, books toppled over from their perch and some have ended up on the floor to be left untouched.

Those seeking the wizard Dresden are in luck to actually find him in the office, but the state he is in isn't much better than the office. Unwashed, unkempt and unshaven the large man sits at his desk peering over old manuscripts and texts as he mutters softly to himself. "I'll find a way, Karrin." he says softly, as he reaches up to scratch at the months worth of growth on his face. "I'll get you back...I lost Susan, I won't loose you..."

Redstar has posed:
The last few days had been awkward for Vicky and Starr. A new truce and understanding had formed between the conjoined souls and their respective minds. They both wanted answers as to why they were the way they were. So a little digging on the computer and she finds an unexpected entry and paused. Again the two agreed, an uncommon occurance, and took off for Gotham as fast as the wind and their wings could take them.
    It is dark when they arrive, but the light in the window brings hope that the wizard is actually still in. Being evening there are few to gawk as she lands and walks quickly into the old building. She meets no one on the stairs, but also doesn't bother to quiet her footsteps or avoid creaking floorboards. She pauses on Harry's floor, glancing at her phone, and then proceeds down the hall to his partly open door.
    It is gently pushed far enough open for Vicky to peer through, though she keeps her wings out of it for now. They usually make people jumpy. "Um...hello? This is..." She looks around the office and tries to keep the skepticism from her face. Tries and fails. "Harry Dresden's office?" She sounds uncertain she even wants to be here.

Unheard by Harry, Starr sighs and speaks within the confines of Vicky's mind, ~I knew this was a bad idea...~ Vicky whispers hurriedly under her breath, "You agreed to it, now shut up so I can focus." It could be she's talking to someone behind her...but this is Harry we're talking about. Things are never that easy.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Looking up at the sounds of someone's voice other than his own, Harry instinctively moves his hand to the 2 foot long wooden rod on his desk, his hands grasping the end as the sigils and runes carved up and down its length start to glow with a burnt orange color, the subtle smell of wood smoke starting to waft through the stale air of the office. "Hello? Whose there?!" says the wizard in a voice that cracks from lack of use. "Karrin? No...can't be Karrin. Mab...I'm warning you, you...you better bring her back you bitch! Queen of air and darkness be damned, I will take you down!"

As his eyes focus on the doorway, the wildness in them seems to taper down as he cocks his head to the side, like a confused dog. "You're not her..." he says, quietly, the voice barely above a whisper. "You should be her...but you're not..." He shakes his head and looks back down to the tomes, then shoves them all off of his desk in one fluid motion with a yell.

Redstar has posed:
Vicky stares. She just stares after first flinching with an actual squeek of fear behind the door. But no blast comes from the glowing wand and curiousity is just too much, so she peers back around the door. And stares. "A-are you okay sir?" She asks in a quiet and scared voice.

The sound of leather slapping gently together comes from the hall as she shifts her wings in nervousness. That probably isn't going to help the stressed out and paranoid wizard on the other side of the door. But she has no way of knowing this strange, and seemingly demented, man's past and so they rustled as she nibbles her lower lip. "I need help?" She doesn't sound too sure, but maybe it will make him lower the wand.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"No." says Harry flatly as he stares at the now empty desktop. "No, no I am most certainly not okay."

As she says that she needs help the fire that is in Harry's eyes, and that flickers along the length of the blasting rod, die down as he lifts his gaze to look at her. His life could be falling apart and torn asunder, but the moment someone asks for his help, and a woman no less which is something that Karrin would most certainly call him a pig over, the protective instincts snap back into place like they never left. "I'm sorry. I'm...I haven't been myself. Please, come in." He drops the rod to the desk top and moves towards the old coffee pot, a frown forming on his lips. "I'd...offer you some coffee, but I think I just need to take this out back and shoot it now. I might be able to make some tea?"

Redstar has posed:
Vicky watches the blasting rod more than the man wielding it. She is frowning, but it is one of concern and not fear as she regards this stranger. She straightens and as he turns to the coffee pot she slowly pushes the door the rest of the way open. Most of the light from the hallway is blocked because of her wings, but her being over six feet doesn't hurt either.
    "PPpfffft!" Vicky snorts at his comment about the pot and slaps her hand over her mouth, trying to fight the smile. It only takes a couple deep breaths and she is lowering her hand. "No thank you, I'm good. Though you should probably have some..." She takes a step inside and looks around at the office more fully, pity registering with the concern. She recognizes the sign of hard times and hard living, so recently having been there herself.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Wise choice...I'm pretty sure that whatever would come out of there wouldn't be coffee, but some sort of sentient being hell bent on taking over the world. Take me to your undercaffeinated and I shall set them free, or some other cultist type rhetoric from the cofeesludge overlord."

Harry shakes his head and turns his head from the coffeepot to look at Vicky, and as he takes sight of her wings his brow raises just a hair. "Well, I can see your problem, but I am not a plastic surgeon. Besides, isn't it 'hip' now to sport some type of bodymod like that? I never will understand the quirks of the young people...and I am not even that old." He snorts, "Ok, seriously. What can I do for you, miss...?"

Redstar has posed:
Vicky is a bit taken aback by Harry's comments, her ice-blue eyes widening a bit, and her head shaking slightly. "Ummm..." She licks her lips and swallows, taking a few more steps into the room and rubbing suddenly moist palms on the pants of her unitard. "Yeah...I do need help and the wings are the least of my worries, honestly," She says and fidgets awkwardly.

~This guy is mental, V. Just cut and run.~ Starr snidely remarks making Vicky frown in consternation at the unheard voice. Her lips thin into a line and she does her best to ignore the nattering that continues, but her eyes unfocus slightly with every comment. ~Don't ignore me! You wanted my advice. I advise bailing. Hey! HEY!~ Vicky closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. When she opens them again it is clear she is struggling to focus on Harry.

"My name is Vicky. And I don't know if there is a better way to explain it, but...I'm not alone in my mind," There is a seconds pause and then she rushes quickly before her nerves get the better of her, eyes falling to the floor. Floors are easier to have discourse with. "She's been there since I can remember. I'm not crazy. Telepath confirmed that much. There are two of us, one body, and we need to know why..."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Taking a seat on the edge of the desk, kicking away one of the old tomes with the toe of his boot, Harry hrms slightly to himself as he looks over the girl. "Ok, Vicky. I'm Harry, nice to meet you." He shrugs a shoulder, "I'm afraid you caught me on a bad month so forgive me. That being said, this isn't about me, so let us focus on you."

He lifts his head and folds his arms over his chest as he peers at her, his eyes seekign her face but never meeting her eyes as he stares just below them as he speaks. "Voice in your head? This is going to sounds like a somewhat personal question, but do you happen to own any ancient coins? You know, something in the realm of tarnished silver? Might have some angelic script or a sigil on it of some sort? This voice in your head, does it try to tempt you with things that you want? Offer you power? Tell you that if you play nice nice you can get whatever you want? Do you have any odd marks on your own body that you have noticed?" He subconsciously rubs the palm of his left hand against his bicep, as if scratching an itch. "And the wings...were you born with them, or did they just show up one day? Any other physical changes that you have noticed? Any periods of blacking out?"

Redstar has posed:
"That's a lot of questions all at once when someone's being loud in the background," Vicky says as she blinks rapidly, taking it all in. She closes the door suddenly and then leans against it, rubbing her bare arms as she considers the question. "No. No coin or anything like that. This has been going on since I can remember...and that's my third birthday party," She says looking less that pleased with that fact. "My wings...they started growing right after my...other abilities showed up," She says and pauses. He's already showed off a bit so she lifts a hand and a globe of shifting light, like sunlight filtering through deep water or ice, appears over her hand. Cold can be felt emenating from it a few feet away and she tosses it between her hands in an almost idle fashion. There is a pause and she adds, "But...tempting me. Not with power...and not really tempting either. Our relationship hasn't been the best. Mocking, deriding, bossy, occasionally lude and crude. And always a subtle battle for control."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden hrms to himself, as he watches her for a moment. "Since you were three? Well, then the likelyhood of this being one of the Denarians is slim. They have patience, but I don't think that they have that much patience." He cocks his head to the side and smiles a smirks forming on his lips, "Oh, they like to think they have all the time in the world, but they don't fool anyone, certainly not me."

He turns his head back to Vicky and rubs at the palm of his left hand again, "So, you have been living with this for...a long time. I'm assuming you are the dominant entity? I mean, no offence intended but how do I know you aren't the other one, and this is someone else's body that you are trying to get control of?"

Redstar has posed:
Vicky frowns at the name and shakes her head slightly. "That...no that isn't familiar to me or her. I...Do you want to talk to her?" She obviously doesn't like this idea. The globe stops bouncing between her hands and she glances around. She leans over and lets it drop into the metal wastebin. There is a momentary splash and then vapor ala liquid nitrogen reverting to gas. When she sits back up she gives Harry another long look.

~Yeah! How do you know? Maybe I was supposed to be dominant.~ Starr quips snidely and Vicky can be seen to sigh and roll her eyes. "Well, I guess you can't...It's not like I have any proof. It's really why we're here. We don't know the why. And we want too. And the lady at the shop in New York hasn't been able to help..."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Well, the why might be a bit difficult to obtain. I can try a soulgaze, but that might not be the best idea in the world. I'd know for sure if you were Denarian though." Harry says as he taps his finger to his chin in thought. He sighs, "But I don't think you are given the information that I have. God, I could so use a Coke right now." He glances over longingly at the icebox which looks like it hasn't had a Coke, or ice in it, for months and sighs again before he looks back to Vicky. "Woman in New York? What did she say? I can really use some more information about who you are, and who this other soul is. I'm loath to do a soulgaze, but it might give me the clearest picture of what it is we are dealing with, and then that might lead to more actionable intelligence I can run by my research assistant."

Redstar has posed:
Vicky reaches up and tugs at her pony tail as she considers the wizards comment, frowning as she tries to follow the more esoteric lexicon. But the word coke makes her brows raise upwards and she smiles, pulling the messenger bag hiding at her back forward. From it she draws out a can, pulling it from a six-pack inside, and holds it out. As she does Harry sees the outside of the can suddenly become slightly frosty and begin to sweat, like it was pulled from the coldest fridge before it went slurpy. "Here. I'm kind of an addict too," She says seeming to be pleased there is some common ground.
    "Honestly I...My parents are wealthy aristocrats in Conneticut who believed that I was schizo my whole life and tried medications, therapy, you name it. When my powers manifested me they dropped me at some secret institution for crazy folk with gifts..." She pauses and blows out a breath, pulling her own can out. The same chill flows across the can before she taps the top and pops it open. "What's a soulgaze?" She asks, letting her curiousity get the better of her finally.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden blinks at the sight of the Coke and reaches out to take it. "Oh sweet nectar of the gods..." He pops the top of the can and takes a long pull from it, letting out an exaggerated "aahhhhh" when he finally removes the can from his lips. "Whoever you are, I think you just did your first miracle to qualify you for sainthood."

He takes another sip, a smaller one this time, before he look over to Vicky. His eyes focus on a spot just under hers, "Well, you know the whole saying about the eyes being the window to the soul? For someone like me, it's the absolute truth. If I stare into someone's eyes to long I will see exactly who they are, what type of person they are and what type of person they could become. It's not something I like doing often, since you never know what you might see, and whatver you see stays with you forever. Oh, and the catch is that on top of all that, the other person gets to see into me as well. I've had people have...some strong reactions. And no, I don't know what they have seen." he shrugs, "I'm not sure I want to know."

Redstar has posed:
Vicky takes simple pleasure in her little good deed, letting Harry enjoy the coke as she sips from her own. Flying is hard work, it's why she brought the drinks for the flight, but who knew they'd be such a blessing. "That sounds intense," She says as he describes the soul gaze. "But it kind of makes sense...Oh, and the lady in New York. She owns a mystical shop. Her name is Kaelyn. She says she's an enchantress. She has a dragon!" For a moment there is a glimmer of excitement, a flash of innocence, then it is gone again. "It's so cool. It moves, and purrs, and likes scritches..." Then she realizes this is not the point and may not be of any interest to the Wizard. It certainly doesn't have anything to do with her.
    "How about I let Starr come out first. She is...not me. In most ways she is my exact opposite so...yeah..." Vicky lets out a sigh and doesn't meet the wizards gaze, making sure not to at this point. The icey blue eyes suddenly unfocus and her face goes limp. She remains holding her coke and standing, but otherwise for a heartbeat she is a statue. Then her pupis thin to pinpricks before expanding out in a flash to fill the entirety of her iris. It happens in the blink of an eye and then those eyes are magma-red and her whole demeanor changes.
    One hip juts slightly to the side and where one arm hung limp at her side she now props a fist on that hip. A slow smile, almost predatory, replaces the shy smile of only seconds before. "You, sir, need a maid, a shave, and a shower," She says and gestures at Harry with her coke. "I recommend the last first though," And she sips the soda while eyeing him with slight disdain.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Oh, yeah. I've met her before. Has a bunch of automaton type animals and the like?" Harry says before he takes a sip of his Coke. "And yes, the soulgaze is intense. Very. There is a reason it isn't my number one go to thing."

He cocks his head as he looks at Vicky, watching her change. A smirk forms on his lips as the new soul takes over and comments, "Hell, lady, you're lucky I just don't burn the place to the ground and start over. I can't disagree with a single thing you just said, and trust me...as soon as we are done here I will be heading to find a shower and shave post haste." He takes another sip, "So, what do I call you? Red?"

Redstar has posed:
"Cute," Starr says and tosses the ponytail that Vicky had been nervously playing with over one shoulder. She takes a few slow steps towards the man and looks him over. "My name is Starr," She says waving her free hand in a dismissive way. Her eyes rove about the place and then lock back onto Harry. "You might be better off burning it down," She adds, seemingly perfectly serious.

She takes the last long gulp from the can and finishes it, tossing it into the can. "So it seems to me magic isn't very useful if it can't divine a person's past," She says with a disappointed sigh as she flips open the cover of a tome in a stack, bending over to peer at it, flipping a page thoughtfully. "I'm not wizard or witch or anything, but it seems pretty...useless."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"If I burned the place down, I'd never see a penny of the insurance." Harry says as he looks around the office. "I've had enough issues with buildings burning around me that I most certainly don't need another one added to my list. Nope, it's just going to take some time and a little...or a lot of elbow grease."

He turns his attention back to Starr and folds his arms over his chest, "Well magic can do all sorts of things, and given some time I am sure I can probably come up with some thaumaturgic spell that might be able to help, but something off the cuff is a bit to subtle for me. Anything I do off the cuff tends to be more the make things explode type of magic rather than the delve into your past type of magic." He shrugs, running his fingers through his longish hair, frowning a bit at how long it actually is. "As I was telling your other half, the only immediate thing I could do right now would be a soulgaze."

Redstar has posed:
"Oh I know. I hear and feel and see everything like I?m in my own private theater with infinite darkness surrounding it. And a soulgaze sounds," She looks Harry up and down thoughtfully, "Let's go with worrying?" She smiles but there is no humor there. It?s the kind of smile Lash would give him sometimes, hungry. "Well...that's disappointing but not unmanageable I suppose. What do you need to figure it out? Hair? Nails?" She is definitely starting to encroach on his personal space, despite comments on hygiene earlier. Maybe she saw the leather beneath the mud, since he sure ain't no gem.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Remaining where he is, Harry watches at Starr approaches as his brow arches ever so slightly. "Hair works as long as it is relatively fresh. Nail clippings are better. Blood would be the best." says Harry as he reaches up to scratch at his chin. "From there, well, that all depends on what my research assistant and I can come up with. I can't promise anything, other than I will try my best to find something." He lifts the Coke to his lips and takes another small sip as he watches her move even closer.

Redstar has posed:
Starr pauses only about a foot away and then rests her right hip against the desk too. The smile doesn?t fade and curiousity fills her eyes. "Blood is powerful. I know that. How do I know you won?t do other things with what?s left?? One red brow raises as she reaches out to scratch at some mustard stain on his shirt.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Tracking her hand as it moves to scratch at his shirt he looks back to Starr and nods, "Yes. It is, which is why it would be the best option for something like this. I'd only require a drop or two, and there wouldn't be anything left. Once I figure out the ritual, I would take the blood at the time of the casting and you would be able to see how much I took, and what I did with it." He shrugs, "If you want to go hair or nails, we can go that route as well, but I think for something like this blood might be the best option."

He pauses for a moment, and cocks his head to the side. "I wonder...do you know of any other physical changes to your body other than your eyes when you 'swap'? Is it the same blood that flows through your veins?"

Redstar has posed:
Starr seems surprised and then thoughtful at the question. "A...subtle shift in our hair. Mine has always been a deeper red and hers more...blonde," Then she srugs and says, "This is all new territory. I have no answers. That?s why we're here? She spreads her hands and tucks her elbows in with the shrug. ?Do you have any super discount low cost overnight options by chance? I imagine it'll take a day?? She gives him a little more room as she leans back.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden sighs, reaching up to scratch at the mustard stain himself now. "Overnight? That's a tall order. This isn't just your run of the mill location spell or a simple summoning or anything like that, but if I get to work and Bob has done something like this before, then maybe? And, just to be on the 'safe' side I will want a drop of blood, or hair, or nails from her and you. Just in case there are body chemistry changes." He shifts a bit on the desk and sighs as he scratches more at the mustard before he gives up and looks back to her as he finishes the Coke. "I might be able to do something tomorrow. Might."

Redstar has posed:
Starr nibbles her lip thoughtfully and then sighs. "More waiting. All right. What will it cost?? That's the number one question. Then it clicks and she blinks, "Your assistant's name is Bob? I didn?t think people actually used that name...Thought it was a bad Fiction trope."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Sorry. I could rush things, but that might not be in anyones best interest." says Harry as he runs his finger along the edge of the can of Coke. "Bad things happen to wizards who rush spells." He casts his eyes back to Starr, making sure to keep their gaze just below hers. "As for cost, I typically charge $50 an hour, plus expenses. But, seeing as I look like something the cat just dragged in and I am in no way going to ask for my going rate looking like a Shemp, then how about we call it $100 total. And yes, Bob is my assistant. It is bad fiction trope, just don't tell him that."

Redstar has posed:
Starr glances at his hand fiddling the coke and she smirks, "Need another? Afraid I can?t make it cold like Vicky. I'm more hot blooded," She smiles and there is certainly innuendo in that statement. As she flips open the messenger bag again she pulls out a stack of wrapped $100 bills. It's not the typical way to carry around cash, that's for sure. But also why is a teen in possession of what is probably a ten grand stack. "How about this. I..." She eyes the place, "I will pay you normal cause seriously, you need a maid whose a bulldozer,? And she pulls three bills from the stack. It seems to give her great pleasure to hand them over too.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry smirks, "Yeah. I bet you are. I'm sure you're a hit with all the boys." He shakes his head and then glances at the bills. "Yeah, but I would hate to take advantage of the kindess of strangers." He eyes the money some more and then sighs, slipping a hand out to take the bills. "But I do have rent to pay. Alright, I will get to work on the ritual and I will let you know when I am ready. I assume you have one of those mobile phone type things the kids all have now a days? If you could leave your number, I will give you a call."

Redstar has posed:
Starr nods her head and her smile becomes wider as he takes the bills and then hands him a second coke. "Yeah I do. Don't you?" Then she notices the very old phone on the desk and raises a brow. She hasn't seen a corded phone before and picks it up fascinated.

"Weird...clunky..." She puts the receiver down and grabs a pen and a scratched out post-it. She doesn?t need to bend over the much, but she does anyway. It is easy to see at this point that Vicky and Starr are, funny enough, like two sides of a coin. Vastly different.

The paper has her name slashed with Vicky?s and she holds it out between two fingers.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Averting his eyes away as she bends over less he get accused of inappropriate behavior, he clears his throat and shakes his head, "No, I don't. Electronics and I don't get along very well. They tend to short out or stop working. It's a wizard thing." He glances back over when the paper is offered over, and he reaches out to take it. "Alright, I will call you tomorrow with details. Hopefully we will get you some answers."

Redstar has posed:
Starr pauses again in the manner done earlier. A statue for several heartbeats as her eyes stare off into space. There are minor facial twitches before she sighs and the eyes once more black out before becoming ice-blue.

With it goes the coy and sexual mannerisms and it is replaced with a slightly annoyed and very red cheeked Vicky. "Sorry and thank you. We're trying to work together, but I don't care for Starr's actions. Can't choose your family I guess?? She walks to the door, pauses, then draws the remainder of the siz pack and sets it on the small table by the door. A pat on top gives them a glorious sweat. ?Tomorrow, Harry Dresden. We'll be waiting."