[Red and Ari had just finished talkiong to Maris, they were planning to go interview some students that were gathering for dinner.] [They're currently alone and by the library.] [They also saw Jarrett (Ron-like) and Dustin (Malofy-like) last session.] [If they want more recap, I finally have the log properly up. :P] [Start] * Red walks in the general direction of the hall where dinner is had. * Ari walks alongside Red. She appears to be thinking about something, but then again, that's her normal state. [When you get to the stairs, judging from the general flow of students, you'd guess that the hall is on the first floor. Also hunger doesn't seem to hold any particular allegiance to Unicorn, Drake, or Lion house.] * Red looks like she's thinking for a bit, but then stops and just walks, down the stairs, wherever the students are going. [Students mostly stick in groups by house, although many of the smaller groups are multihouse and some of the larger ones have a few hangers on from different houses.] * Ari speaks up. "Are we going to try and talk to more of the students after dinner?" [Without too much trouble you get down to the ground floor, although you occassionally have to stand in flocks of students waiting for a rotating staircase in order to do so.] Not sure. We might go and try and talk to more students during dinner. * Red looks around at the students. Are they going to or from dinner? (to) [To dinner it would seem that is. Some are looking forward to Cajun night, others worrying about spice levels, others quite oblivious.] (Still doesn't start for a bit though, it's just a common room where people sometimes gather early.) [After reaching the bottom, you can follow the groups of people down another large hall (not the one you entered by). And to clarify I little we aren't talking a swarming mass, just a couple dozen at this point.] I suppose it depends on how their seating is arranged. It could, yes. It is likely that they also have places arranged for us, since we were invited to join them. [The main doors are on the right side of the hall, great big gothic wooden doors that open outward.] [You can actually see into the great hall, which currently has the glammer of a bayou. There's a definite smell of Creole cooking and a fine mist as well as several apparent Cyprus trees spread throughout the room, and under the canopy of said trees, a starry moonlit night.] [While there's no sign that the students feet are getting wet there is a fine layer of mist/apparent swamp water on the floor.] Now this is something I haven't smelled in a few years. Haven't found a cajun restaurant in London yet. [There's about two dozen students in here now, organized by long tables, one for each of the houses. You do see Mallory at the lion table, there's a conversation going on around him but he looks distant.] * Ari inhales sharply, then coughs. She looks slightly embarrassed after that. [Isaac Maddox is also here, he's more active in the conversation although obviously not at the center of it.] Do you not like spicy food, Ari? Do you remember the Chinese food at your apartment? Yes? Did you have any of General Tso's chicken? * Ari shakes her head. "I remember that you and Tim told me to avoid that." [The teacher's table is elevated and at the far end. Currently Alvar is there talking to Jaida Kinsley. Lynn Theobold is there too, although she's sitting a bit separated and working on something apparently.] * Red drifts over to the Lion table, specifically the part where the avid conversation it. (is, even. ^^) [There's a few Lions of varying ages involved. "Healer mage doesn't really work, I mean you could be a herbalist..." "Magic's quite capable of healing, particularly the effects of other magic." I don't think you're supposed to mix--] * Ari searches the faculty table for the man they met in the computer lab earlier, although she highly doubts he would be there. A good technophile does not leave his lab for such mere things as meals. ( Lemme guess, they stopped when they saw us coming? ) ["Hogwash, that's just something wizards say when they're out classed." "Still, really you should be a cleric if you want--" "Look stop trying to apply DnD logic to the real world."] [They're actually keeping going. Mallory's watching you though.] [Ari finds that he is in fact not here. Or at least not yet.] * Red giggles a little when someone brings up 'DnD logic'. [You're getting a few more interested glances from the Drake table. The Unicorns seem pretty ambivalent. The conversation is slowing a little as more people notice you.] * Ari does not watch Mallory in return. Rather, she keeps going, although she smirks slightly when she hears the bit about DnD logic. ["Bah, if I wanted to be a herbalist I could just enter pharmacy." "I don't know, I mean medicine men have hordes of cures that science--" "No I think they all got figured out by like 2015" "Really?" "Yeah, I read it in a book somewhere." "Huh.."] [And by now everyone is watching you.] * Ari does a fairly good job of acting like nothing is out of the ordinary here. * Red walks around the table to Mallory. "You're Mallory Corwin, right?" [There's a few Lion's whispering to each other now, hearing check if you want.] * Mallory looks up at Red. "Who wants to know?" * Red reaches out a hand for shaking! "Leslie Seifer, Supernatural Affairs Branch." * Ari stands a bit behind Red. She does not introduce herself. Yet. ["Is that them?" "Definitely." "Wow, they look like MiBs. Wonder if they're going to erase our memories." "Hopefully they didn't bring any Dementors." "The MiB don't have Dementors." "Yeah, but we're not in America idiot, we're in England. Ministry of magic dumbass."] * Ari glances over the students in general and smirks briefly again. * Mallory looks rather unsurprised but a tad suspicious, he does however shake Red's hand. "Mallory Corwin." Pleased to meet you. I've heard interesting things about you. Will you be available for interview after dinner? * Mallory puts his hands behind his head and leans back slightly. "Well, it won't start for ten minutes or so, and I do hate suspense." [Whispered conversation continues: "Bet you they screwed up and need his help." "Naw, bet you they're screwing up now and are here to arrest him." "You're on." They shake hands.] Oh? Well, I was hoping to catch up on some gossip first, honestly. * Mallory nods and goes back to looking more distant and brooding. "Go wild." * Red nods, still smiling, turns, and walks away. * Red whispers to Ari. "That was very educational." [Unicorn table is in between Lions and Drakes, for the record.] [Whispers: "You lose, they didn't arrest him." "They're waiting til after dinner." "You just don't want ot admit you're wrong." * Ari whispers back. "So you are planning on talking to him later, when he is alone?" [Isaac's been trading off between nervously watching you and nervously trying to pretend he's not watching you since he's noticed you.] ( Damn. That would be Red's cue to smile warmly at him, but she's already walking away. ) * Red nods. "The other Lions think too highly of him. I prefer to face him when he doesn't have so much backup, and a little better armed. So we're going to dig up some info on him, first." A wise move. (Oh, slight retcon. Isaac's actually a unicorn. I forgot to mention that. He's sitting with the lion's at the moment but there aren't too many unicorns here so it's not that odd.) ( Isaac? Right, Isaac. Hm. He was caught on camera, so he's bound to know about Mallory's adventures. ) ( And I'm thinking out loud again. ^^; ) * Red looks. More people at Unicorn or Drake table? [Drake] [Isaac Maddox actually slipped over to the Unicorn table at some point when you looked away. He's trying to be unobtrusive and failing badly.] * Ardweden has quit IRC (Ping timeout ) * Red struts over and has a seat next to Isaac. "Hullo." She smiles, of course. "I couldn't help noticing you over at the Lion table. Do you hang out with them much?" * Isaac makes a fairly eep type sound. "I do, some." * Ardweden has joined #sab2020 * Red nods. "What do you think of the school, here?" * Ari sits down next to Red, provided there's an empty seat there, and tries to look as non-threatening and unobtrusive as possible. It's quite nice. I.. uh, excuse me please, I need to run to the bathroom. Do you, now? Well, I'll talk to you after dinner, then. * Isaac nods and scoots! * Red stands, and walks over to the Drake table. [A few unicorns snicker.] * Ari shadows Red again. Why, oh why, must they be dealing with people and not computers? ^_~ * Red looks for someone who seems to be gossiping, or at least talking avidly about something. ( And if there's any at Unicorn table, she'll go to them first. ) [Bit of a trek over to the Drakes, since you have to go around the unicorns. Unicorns don't really start up til you're gone and quiet when you get near.] [There's a fairly lighthearted conversation as you approach. "Well, looks like the government has come for you Rob." "Dang, and I haven't even started conquering the world yet." "Well, stop procrastinating about it." [About now a sixteen year old students with dark hair and slightly worn if not ill treated robes walks in, trailed by a few smaller Drakes. She goes to sit at the Drake table.] (Does she look familiar?) [Smaller student: "But Crystal, I really want a plush Cthulu, they're so cute!" "Whining about it isn't going to get you anywhere twerp." "Aww..."] (That would be a yes, then.) (You haven't actually seen her yet, just gotten a description.) (That would be me making an incorrect assumption, then. ;p) * Red walks over to the girl identified as Crystal. "Crystal Moonbeam?" * Crystal looks up, and slightly amused as she checks over the two of you. "That'd be me." * Red holds out her hand to Crystal. "Leslie Seifer, SAB. I'd like to ask some questions about the school's security, and I've wondered if you wouldn't have answers for me." * Crystal shakes Red's hand and smirks slightly. "I might." [The Drakes, and a few Unicorns, are all watching. A few of the Drakes look worried on Crystal's behalf or seem to hope she's going to get her comeuppance. But the older ones just seem to be hopping to be amused.] * Red goes from smile to grin. "Excellent. How do I contact you if I'm looking for you? Or do you just want to settle on a time to meet somewhere?" Well, you can get my cell phone number AND a priority spot in my date- book for the low, low price of ten pounds. * Red chuckles at that. "Fair enough." She pulls out a ten-pound note and forks it over. * Crystal takes it, puts it in her bag, makes a quick magical gesture, and then gives her cell number. "Pleasure doing business with you, and I do hope our future meetings are profitable." Oh, they will be. Do cell phones work in here? [Around now Jarrett wanders in and joins the Lion table, this seems to cheer a few of the Lions considerably.] Attempts to contact mine should. Fair enough. See you later, then. * Crystal waves. "Blessings on your journey." Why, thank you. * Red looks for gossipers again. Unicorn or Drake. * Ari whispers to Red. "I wonder if I'd have time to go back to the computer lab after dinner." * Crystal then settles in with a fairly gloating expression. Another Drake pats her on the back in a congratulatory manner. They then get into a money making magical scheme. Involves using magic for technical support, or extorting money with the threat of techno gremlins, it's hard to tell. * Red whispers back, "I fully intend for you to do so." * Ari whispers, "I could try to access the network right here, but considering my earlier reaction to it, I think I should wait." I would want a good deal more privacy when I do so. * Red nods. "Good thinking." [The other tables are actually fairly settled. Although Jarrett seems to be telling a mildly amusing and risqué if mostly juvenile story about a prank he pulled with the help of Cem.] ( How much longer 'till dinner starts? ) [The rows are actually filling up, should be starting nowish, or at least the bread course. You see Maris arrive in a bit of a hurry.] Honored guests, perhaps you could join us at the head table. * Ari nods and starts heading there. * Red smiles. "Of course." She walks up to the head table, and looks for a seat that doesn't seem reserved for a teacher. [The food does float in from the kitchen, it actually arrives on small floating alligators, which startle a few students but most seem used to that sort of stunt.] * Ari eyes the alligators. [Around now you notice Dustin Amherst enter. He gets some glares from Lions, particularly Jarrett, but seems quite popular among the Drakes.] * Red isn't worried about the alligators, because she's armed. [You end up sitting next to Lynn Theobold. She looks up briefly from her work and smiles before getting back to what she's writing.] [The alligators fade into the table once the food is delivered, cups rise shortly thereafter from the swamp and sit themselves in front of each person.] [You see Jessica Winslow, a lion, hurry in, wave to Maris and Jarrett, and then squirm into a seat by Mallory, slightly nonplussing the person who had been giving him a little space.] [Isaac Maddox enters a bit later.] ( How's he look? ) (Calmer) So are we being inspected? No complaints about academic standards I hope. None that I've heard, so you're all clear. What's it like, trying to teach a bunch of wizards? [Not long after you notice the Luther Hurst enter and pull Isaac Maddox out] Honestly? They're mostly quite smart but they're attention span for anything non-magical is often quite short. And you would not believe the academic integrity measures necessary when dealing with people that can cast spells. ::she gives an exasperated sigh:: [Jaida and Alvar keep talking amongst themselves, occasionally talking down to students at the heads of their respective tables.] I can believe it, actually. At a guess, I'd suppose it's quite taxing. Any students give you particular trouble? * Lynn shakes her head. "Not particularly. They don't really give me trouble so much as just not giving me attention." Ah ha. * Ari narrows her eyes briefly when she sees Hurst talking to Isaac, then turns her attention back to Lynn. Well, that's something, at least. It is. [Isaac returns to the table, looking fairly shaken, after a few minutes. Rica then leaves again.] [Lynn provides reasonable small talk, Rica tends to think none of the students are provide anything but good natured mischief.] [The actual dinner involves a terrific gumbo followed by jambalaya followed by Beignets. All quite good.] [Rica doesn't return until near the end, she's quite hungry when she gets there.] * Ari eats very, very little. If there is rice, she mostly has that. * Red shrugs in acknowledgement of Ari's point. (There is some) * Red provides smalltalk to all who care for it, although how good she is at it is anyone's guess. * Ari avoids anything remotely spicy, and only drinks water. [And near the end Ari gets a quick phone call.] * Ari blinks. "Excuse me for a moment, please." She walks out into the hallway to answer her phone. * Red nods. "'Course." [And after a while Ari gets back and dinner breaks up.] [There's mingling so it's fairly easy to catch anyone. I'm going to head back to the lab. Where and when shall we meet? Uhm... I'll just check in on the computer lab every now and then. * Red makes a 'come here' gesture. * Ari nods and walks over. * Red leans and whispers into her ear, "Check for logs from the teachers, and some students. Try to dredge up information on Mallory." She straightens up. "I'll prolly try your cell sometime just to see if it works. But either way, I'll see you at the computer lab." * Ari gives Red her cell number. "I shall see you later, then." She heads off for the lab. * Red stands and goes looking for Isaac Maddox. [You manage to catch him in the hallway.] Hullo again. Would you mind terribly having a chat? * Isaac looks like he might but doesn't say so. "I.. uh, okay." * Red smiles warmly. "This way, then." And she leads off to... oh, say, an empty classroom. [There's not actually an empty classroom handy on this floor, but you do find an unoccupied teachers lounge.] * Red shrugs. That works. She heads on in, and closes the door behind Isaac. So much noise in the hall. [A few students glance at you as you go off, but otherwise nothing of note.] How can I help you? Well, first I wanted to ask if you were alright. You seemed unsettled after that man talked to you. I'm alright. * Red nods. "Of course you are. What'd he want to talk about?" Uh, adventure. Really? And what do you have to say about adventure? Not particularly my thing. You don't think you're good at it, or you don't think you like it? * Isaac seems to be picking up some confidence. "Either really, what's this about?" * Red grins. "Why, it's about adventure, of course." * Isaac nods. "I don't understand." What're your adventures like? You must have them, or else you wouldn't know you don't like them. Are they *dangerous*? We do field trips and the like. They aren't too bad. * Red waves her hand. "Nah, not field trips. I mean, just you and a couple other guys going off and doing something exciting!" * Red seems real enthused about the subject. I don't know what you're talking about. * Red looks thoughtfully into Isaac's eyes. "You're... scared of something. That's why you're not regaling me with tales of derring-do. Right?" * Isaac looks down. "I don't have any stories." * Red says, in a tone mixed with soothing and pleading, "But you do. I know you do. Something's just keeping you from telling me." * Isaac shakes his head. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'd like to go." * Red sighs sadly. "Of course." She stands, walks over to the door, and opens it, holding it for him. * Isaac nods and looks fairly sheepish. "Thank you." He then hurries out. * Red shakes her head sadly and pulls out her cel phone. She dials the number Crystal gave her. Salutations. * Red smirks. "Hi, Crystal, it's Leslie. Could you meet me in the first-floor teacher's lounge? Or do you have a better place in mind?" Mmm.. how about the Greenhouse in ten minutes. Take a quick walk around the grounds before getting there. Sounds like a plan. See you there, then. * Red hangs up, and starts walking for the school entrance, dialing Ari on the way. [It rings.] * Red smiles her smile. The phone ringing is a good sign. "Ari." Ari, it's Leslie. Just checking in. Isaac wasn't quite the wellspring of info I'd hoped for, he's either very afraid of or very loyal to someone else. How are things on your end? [Red gets out through the entrance just fine.] * Red says all this softly, so as not to be easily overheard. >.> <.< (Aww. ;_;) ( ^_^_v ) "Finding a few interesting things. It seems that young Mister Maddox is also in the business of trading, though nothing large or illegal." In other words, not the sort of thing we're looking for. Although who's to say he hasn't expanded his horizons? "Possible, but not definite. Also, Mister Corwin seems to have acquired quite a few disciplinary notes, although nothing that really stands out. Typical precocious student behavior: talking back, sneaking around, attempting to access things beyond his ken." So he's done his share of trouble, but nothing criminal. "And, to go back to the 'DnD terminology' the students were referring to earlier... Professor Hurst seems to be decidedly Lawful Neutral. Emphasis on the Lawful." * Red looks around, making sure no teachers are in earshot. [None are.] * Red hisses into the phone. "Professor Hurst is a right ass, is what he is. 'Lawful' is fine, but he's more than that. Or less, really." "But not necessarily the one we are looking for. I have checked e-mails and disciplinary records, so next I am going to see if anyone was investigating the stolen items." Good thinking. And I'm not saying he's our culprit; I'm just saying what I think of him. * Red keeps walking towards the greenhouse, looking around at it as she approaches. "Noted. Is there anything else?" * Red smirks. "Not yet. I'm off to speak with Crystal about matters of security." [The greenhouse has quite a rich supply of plant life, some of which babbles like a small brook or produces almost musical notes. There seems to be one of most every kind of plant in it, and a few larger bushes that obscure view fairly well.] "Please let me know if you find anything interesting. I shall do the same." "Of course. I'm out." "Take care." * Ari hangs up. * Red hangs up too, and walks around the greenhouse once, looking for people or anything ear-shaped. Are the lights on inside? Or is it dark out yet? [There's some light and it's dusk out. Nothing too ear shaped. No obvious people yet.] * Red goes inside once she's done. She looks to see if there's any sign of Crystal, and if not, she looks at some of the plants, hoping none are carnivorous or spit poison or carry interesting diseases. (Hearing awareness check) [Red hears a sound of some sort, probably something opening, on the far side of a rose bush.] * Red steps back from the rose bush and reaches into her jacket. * Crystal comes around the side. She's carrying a small sac and looks up to Red with interest. "So, what exactly can you do for me Leslie?" * Red relaxes. "Well, it's less what I can do for you, and more what you can do for me, honestly. I've got a silly question I'm going to ask you, and then you're going to see if you can help me answer that question, and then I'm going to either do you a favor or pay you a lot of money, negotiable depending on the quality of the answer. How's that sound?” * Crystal smiles. "How many figures we talking?" * Red smiles. "Again, that depends on the quality of the answer." For a good answer then. For a good, but not spectacularly enlightening answer? A thousand, easily. * Crystal, as she's talking and checking on the rewards for a good answer, looks over the plants, finding the set of blue bell flowers from which music is originating. She taps one of them with her wand and an odd but fairly calming note fills the air. * Crystal nods. "I'll expect a good deal more if I manage enlightening. New product lines or customers would also be appreciated. So, Leslie, what can I do for you then?" Let's say I had a medicine ball. Let's further postulate that the medicine ball is not allowed inside the school here. How do we get this medicine ball inside the school, and where do we hide it then? First, I'm assuming we're saying highly not allowed and not just frowned upon. There's a good number of secret passages but they're mostly known by the administration. * Red nods. "G'wan." Luther and Dennis are both quite formidable if they're putting their mind to it, Goddess help you if you're a lion, Luther'd love to catch one of them with something. * Red smiles. "Then let's say I'm a lion. But that I have at least one Unicorn accomplice." The best course is actually to avoid the fancy stuff, smuggle it in as something else, sporting equipment, jack'o'lantern, whatever. Some subtle magic but mostly practical effects for sneaking it by, those raise lets flag. And you use your unicorn as your mule. * Red nods, and thinks. "By 'subtle', I assume you mean 'anyone can do it'." * Lynn shakes her head. "Anyone has the power to do it, but it takes talent to do it right. Anyone can hammer a nail in, takes a carpenter to make it unnoticeable." Oh, and stash it in town for a bit and then take it in via the main entrance in broad daylight. Even home made or forgotten passages will draw more attention than just walking it in. Good analogy. So someone with skill and finesse would have to put these spells on -- to keep the real items from being noticed, I suppose. Are there many such someones here at the school? Ah. That was actually going to be my next question. Myself of course, Maris, a few other upper classman I suppose. Faculty could of course but if you've got an in with the faculty you've got a much easier job anyways. Hm. As for hiding places, well, there's a good number of artifacts on site, including one particularly secure room of them. Could hide it near there and try to stay under their signature, otherwise really best to find some other security or non-detection system already in place and use that. Any such items in the school that you know of? Or do you just know they're there? A few, nothing too big, I certainly stay away from anything actively hot. * Red nods. "Of course. If it's used too much, people will see what you're stashing." * Crystal nods. "You could extend the spell through a floor or wall or something and hide it on the other side. Although if you were really paranoid I'd say store it off campus. Tougher to get to on short notice but on the other hand less curious mages around. Even a first year can get lucky on occasion if they're dedicated." Alright, Crystal. That was a pretty good answer. How's five thousand sound? * Crystal smiles fairly broadly and then hits another one of the bells, the quality of the sound alters slightly, but more than anything else it renews, as it had been beginning to fade out. Handy plant to have around for private conversations. Just fine, although I would like that in writing. No offense, but you're cute and you smile a lot. Luther would rightly berate me if I didn't take some precautions. * Crystal nods. * Red smiles. "Oh, cute, am I?" And I assume you have an account I can write a check to? * Crystal chuckles at the first one and then nods, she gives you the necessary information. So, anything else I can help you with? * Red pulls out a checkbook. "Well, I suppose you could tell me why Luther would care about such things, but that's just curiosity." * Crystal chuckles again. "He's a prick but he's our prick. Or as he'd put it we're brats but we're his brats. He teaches us not to act like bloody fools and would be most displeased if we didn't listen." Ah. So it's not because of shady dealings or anything. Too bad. * Red writes a check! And fills in the stub ('bribe to student'), tears it off and hands it to Crystal. "Here you are. Don't spend it all in one place, now." She grins as she says it, tho. Well, he does let me resell some confiscated items, but only because Alvar would make him give them back end of the school year anyways, and that way they wouldn't learn anything. * Crystal takes the check, puts it in her sack, and makes a magic gesture you've now seen once before. * Red nods. "What's that gesture?" Bookkeeping, saves time and harder to trace. Ah ha. Another handy thing to have around. Maybe I should learn some magic. Do you think I'm too old for the school here? Tell me honestly, now. * Crystal chuckles again. "Well, let's say you've got too mature of an outlook. If you want to check if you've got any aptitude or care to develop some the hard way you're welcome to call me later and I can get you most of the materials, but one transaction a time I suppose." Of course. I have your number, and I'll look into it. A pleasure doing business with you, Crystal. * Crystal nods and heads off, "For myself as well." [End!]