A new team member

[demikara]

Team meetings were not the norm. They probably should be, but for the most part the team was small enough any meetings were had at their desks by turning around. It wasn't like they didn't basically live in each other's back pocket at work. The only breaks were when they were working on their specialty, something that finding time for was tricky. At least she still got to though, even if she basically forcibly carved out time so she could. Other things could wait. She needed a break from constant bureaucratic hell. The cases made so much more sense than the paperwork required after them.

Molly took a seat in at the conference table and leaned back. "Yay new team member. And new Warden. I'm impressed they found one so quickly." She hadn't heard the news on who it was yet.

[Circe]

The Council hadn't exactly found a new Warden, more so had been forced to renegotiate the previous one's contract. The contract this time had been thankfully written in the favor of the Warden, who in their wisdom had seen it beneficial to agree. Politics in the unseen world often revolved around who had the most influence, or those who could bully their way to the top. Sometimes it was both, but in recent years it had been more so the bullies that got what they wanted and did as they pleased.

"Just be thankful they found someone at all Bronson." Xiaolian commented tersely as she took her seat in the conference room. The day couldn't possibly get any better, two new people to break in to the routine in Dallas would be far from easy; especially since one was apparently new to acting as a specialist. That alone gave Xiaolian pause for concern, as their office wasn't exactly the easiest to learn in. In fact it was still considered something of a punishment to be assigned to Dallas, if only because the case load and backlog was so insane. "Let's just get this over with... I have things to do that don't include babysitting." She grumbled under her breath.

While the two traded barbs back and forth between eachother, two others were beginning to make their way up to the conference room from the main lobby.

"Hello Officer Zhang, it's nice to meet you. I'll be the Warden assigned to your team." Catherine greeted the other, extending a hand to the woman who would be the team's newest specialist. Surprisingly it was a group of mostly women, but they seemed to manage equally as well if not better than many of the other offices.

[demikara]

Maria offered an uncertain smile and shook the other's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Warden. Please, feel free to call me Maria." She had a slight accent, one that wasn't quite easy to place. English was not the language learned at her mother's knee. That would be Spanish. And at her father's she had learned Chinese. It made for an interesting accent. "I look forward to working with you." She wanted to make a good impression on her new boss and her new team. Maria was going make it clear that she was worth the rank she had been given.

She hadn't expected to ever make it to specialist, but she had been nominated and sat the class and the test and passed with flying colors. Then she had requested the Dallas office and greatly confused the person in charge of placement. No one requested Dallas. But Maria wanted to be close to home. That was Dallas. Besides, she already knew the ins and outs of the Dallas office. She had been here as a junior officer and well knew how chaotic the place could be.

Molly stretched her legs out and wondered how much longer they'd have to wait. Then again, she and Xiaolian had shown up early for the meeting. "Hopefully they won't be so bad."

[Circe]

Catherine's hands were slightly cool to the touch, but her grasp was firm. Everything about the Warden spoke of confidence and assurance, something that only came with practice. If there was any possiblity of doubt or distrust, she made sure not to show it outwardly. Having grown up in the fae courts and now as part of another court, she knew that somethings were best kept in strict confidence of yourself or trusted others.

Returning the others smile Catherine spoke, "You'll do great. Let me show you where you'll be working with and introduce you to the rest of the team." Her voice was warm and charming when she was being pleasant; but when she wasn't it could be cold, hollow, and terrifying. Thankfully, her fuse was relatively long and her patience equally so when it came to matters with MCU. "We're a small group, so I feel it's necessary to apologize for your workload. We need more Specialists, but it's hard to get willing persons even for just officers." She explained as she led Maria through the building.

"Just... don't try to break the door or write reports like you did. I don't think anyone is going to be nearly as patient with you as the last one." Xiaolian commented with a frown. The first week had been spent trying to make heads or tails of Molly's writing and in the meantime trying to distract her from the newly warded office that Catherine was in. It had been made abundantly clear at the start that their Warden valued privacy above all, and often didn't constantly question her officers about their personal lives outside work unless it began to impact their jobs.

[demikara]

"Dumitrescu had the most interesting wards. I doubt the new warden will measure up. But don't worry. Reports in English and keep my ward breaking to myself." She could behave, if given the chance. It was going to be interesting seeing what the new Warden was like though. It was hard to make it to that position. Whoever it was would be very clever and decently powerful. She was curious as to who they were. "What about the new kid? Do you know anything about them?"

Or was it all going to be a surprise? That would be interesting to find out.

Maria followed carefully. The building was familiar at least and she knew her way around the front half at least. But they were going deeper in to where the specialists were at. "I'm not worried about the workload. I knew it was going to be high." And she could handle that. "I'm not afraid of hard work." She had done that her entire life, and she wasn't about to stop now.

So far she liked her new boss at least, so that was a good first sign. Now she just had to see if she got along with the rest of the team. It would work out though, and she could do this. It was a big change though, and she was nervous. What if her skills at magic weren't up to snuff? She wasn't a powerhouse like most specialists.

[Circe]

Xiaolian offered a shrug, "Not a whole lot to be honest. I think it's one of the officers here who actually managed to pass the exam. Gods know how hard that blasted thing is." Xiaolian had nearly failed herself, as in the beginning there had been a bit of a disconnect for her between Ba-Shu, Chinese, and English. Having to translate across and back three languages had made for slow going, especially when initially her English hadn't been so good when it came to reading and writing. "You have got to learn the first rule of the unseen here is don't ask and don't tell unless absolutely necessary. I'm not the one who nearly ran head long into the new Ra either." She pointed out. It hadn't been her fault that Molly had gotten out of her sight, the other just didn't have any sense when it came to events like that one.

"That's good to hear." Catherine commented as they stopped at a pair of frosted glass double doors. "Your badge should already work, but if it doesn't let someone know." She explained as she swiped her own against the terminal, the light quickly turned from red to green. "Warded proximity pass." Most of the building was designed like that, but the specialists had an extra layer of security. Holding the door open for Maria, she motioned for the other to step through and that she would follow.

"If you don't my asking Maria, what made you decide to become a Specialist?" She asked the other. Catherine had seen the other's file, not a real powerhouse but had the skills and then some required for the position. Something that she was glad to see, and would also gladly take more of if they knew how to use what they had instead of playing at it.

By now both Molly and Xiaolian could hear the sounds of conversation echoing through the hallways, a new voice followed by a much more familiar one in conversation.

[demikara]

"That sounds like our Warden. Not a new one at all. Are we getting her back?" Now Molly was excited. "And I got turned around in the crowd. It could have happened to anyone." She had been damned lucky she had been deemed a child though and she well knew it, even if she was insulted by it. She wasn't a little kid. She was, maybe, too young for her position, but she could handle her duties and did a good job.

Maria considered the question. "I suppose...when I was a kid, my brother got hooked on Powder." She explained. "MCU caught the dealer and my brother was able to get help once the supply dried up. So I wanted to help people. I can help even more people by being a specialist than I could by being an officer." And she sat the exam for that reason. She smiled. A lot of her life was inspired by that. She had seen the damage herbs and potions could do, but had also seen how they could heal.

She didn't have the magical power to become a true healer, but she was good with what she could do, and her herbs took her farther still. "It sounds a bit silly, putting it like that. But I don't really know of another way to put it." She wasn't some big tough person. She was well aware she wasn't tough at all, no matter her skillset. But there was more to being a specialist then how tough you were and they all knew it.

[Circe]

Xiaolian looked over at her partner with a mix of confusion and dread. When the other got excited, things got out of hand quickly, and it was never good. "Don't be so sure." She admonished, hoping that she wasn't about to see what she thought. Molly's levels of excitement were not normal human levels, they were hyperactive and insane. Something that Xiaolian did not enjoy dealing with in the least, especially given that normally she was dragged along for the ride against her will. "And you got turned around because you didn't follow instructions like always!" This was relatively normal between the two, and they were likely paired up because no one else could stand the other; it somehow worked.

"I remember that, the aftermath wasn't pretty. But either way we're glad to have you here Maria." Catherine replied. Their new team member was dedicated and passionate, all things that the rest of them often lost sight of in the daily fray. "Here's the rest of the team, we normally don't do briefings like this... however I had hoped it would be a little less intimidating than how we normally do it." She added pausing just outside the conference room door. Molly had been right, they were getting 'their' Warden back.

[demikara]

"Why else would she be here? This is a restricted area." And Catherine would have lost access when she stopped being a warden. Molly grinned widely. "I can't believe she came back. I was so sure she was stuck there through mind control or something!" This was great. She couldn't wait to see the other again. She was amazing, as far as Molly was concerned, and she knew the best and hardest wards.

Not that she was going to mess with those wards. Maybe just theoretically that was all. Just to look at them and theoretically break them. She wasn't going actually break them or touch them. She had some common sense at least.

Maria smiled. "Thank you. I'll do my best to adjust quickly." She planned on it too. Maria hesitated one moment longer before pushing open the conference room door and stepping in. She took in the scene and moved out of the way of the warden, coming in a bit more thoroughly. "Hello." She greeted, though she didn't yet take a seat, not sure where to sit. One of the two she'd be working with was practically vibrating. The other didn't seem terribly impressed, though Maria didn't know if that was with her or with her partner.

[Circe]

Xiaolian was not terribly enthused with her partners behavior at the sight of the new person. Always the discreet one, she issued her partner a sharp and well aimed kick to the shins underneath the conference room table. "I apologise for my partner here... I'm Lt. Xiaolian Boyuan." She said standing up and extending a hand to Maria. Molly could lick her wounds and get payback in the gym later for all Xiaolian cared.

Catherine entered not long after Maria and gave Molly a mildly annoyed look. 'Some things never change...' She thought to herself seeing Molly's reaction to what she thought was Maria joining their team.

[demikara]

Maria shook the lieutenant's hand, thrilled at least one of them seemed sane. "I'm Maria Zhang. It's a pleasure to meet you." The greeting came by rote. She was about to say something else, but a bullet went past as Molly dashed out of her seat and gave Catherine a hug, or at least attempted to. Eyes wide, her mouth dropped open just a little bit is disbelief. Surely she hadn't just seen that. This may be a slightly different team than she had though it was going to be. Were they really allowed to be that casual with each other? It was a bit much.

"Warden! You came back!" Molly hugged Catherine, assuming the other didn't knock her back, and beamed brightly at her. "I thought for that the new Ra had you under some kind of mind control. Did you break free?" She must have given she was back in the saddle. This was great! Molly didn't have to figure out how to work with an entirely new warden now.

She hadn't been looking forward to that at all.

[Circe]

"Welcome to insanity, Zhang." Xiaolian said with a grin as Molly tackled Catherine. That she knew the fae was going to pay for in spades for the next week or more, and it would keep her out of the way of both her and while their new team mate adjusted to their new job. "Ignore Bronson, she's rather prone to that sort of thing. Great ward breaker, not so much as an officer at times." She added shaking her head.

Meanwhile, Catherine who hadn't been expecting Molly hit the floor with a loud thud as the fae tackled her with the full force of her excitement. Glasses, hair and clothes askew the Warden lay on the floor in shock, the wind knocked out of her. Molly sat on top of the other like an overly excited puppy, complete with bouncing on top of Catherine. Coughing slightly, she struggled to sit up only to find herself being shaken by the other. "Get off of me!" Catherine demanded pushing the other roughly to the side. First it had been Scottlyn the other week and now she had been knocked over by one of her own team members. She was beginning to hope there wasn't a trend appearing.

[demikara]

"Um. Okay." That wasn't what she had been expecting at all. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind?" What was she supposed to say to that. She hadn't really been prepared for one of her co-workers to be so...excitable. That was a kind way to put it. She'd stick to that. "Should I be worried about that happening to me?" The idea that she could just be bowled over like that was not one she was fond of at all. She much would rather keep to her feet after all.

Molly tumbled off the other and grinned. "Sorry! I'm just so excited that you're back. I thought for sure that we'd never see you again. Especially because I'm not supposed to go to the court again." For good reason. She was entirely too immature to be there and it had been an absolute disaster that she had been there at all. She had been lucky not to be snacked on.

[littlekreen]

Ivor had come from research to look for tea and other supplies. As he did every evening to stock up for the next day though some of his coworkers seemed to be resigned at his apparent consumption. His office always seemed to be out of everything in spite of the dozens of post-its he left himself on his monitor to keep track of how much he had left. Pencils were out already and had to go get more of that too. Security always kept an eye out for him at least he could sens the buzzing reference frames in their own spaces recalculating a new axis point. He swiped his badge at a door and it blinked red for a moment then someone let him in manually. Ivor figured it was just the new ID they gave him just this morning not being fully set up yet. Something something security concerns, make sure you take this ID home with you, et cetera.

So he appeared in his medium-length brown hair at the window, wearing a labcoat washed only just yesterday, sporting an empty bin with one tea box in it past the window. As far as he remembered the conference room stored spare office supplies. There were some things he needed in there if someone hadn't used them already. He scanned his badge again, the lock beeped red, then a camera swiveled over as the lock clicked open. As Ivor turned the doorknob few could feel the trough approach in the veil from all directions. Even those who would certainly remember a cabinet in the corner had rearranged itself. While the shortlist likely included those in the room Ivor was not on it. Like a boat at sea reality listed slightly as a wave of deficit collapsed into reality things Ivor had in his pockets if not his home when returned to it. Though many of those things now irretrievably missing they often now appear in his wake.

Ivor stooped over the two on the floor and flashed a smile in his smooth mid-ranged voice, "Wrestling Molly again are we, Warden? Don't mind me then. I just need some things from supply and I'll be out of your hair."

Ivor fiddled with a keyring as the lock it not ought to fit clicked and opened, "Honestly, they really should just move it to the main supply room if they intend to keep odd stuff out of it. Someone's even stocked groceries in here. Ah, Here we go."

His voice raised excitedly, "Milk Chocolate Hobnobs! I love these. Mine now!"

Shown ahead of him as he stepped back to look at the package was a printed sign, 'Alert security to any unexpected materials in this storage cabinet. Stock mundane supplies only. Do not remove the cabinet.'

A fistful of pencils went into the bin as well as the box of tea biscuits. Though the occluded lowest shelf was seen better by those on the floor. Four handguns and an athame neatly arranged. Clothing more akin to one infiltrating a building than office work hung in neat plastic bags on coat hangers in the center. Ivor looked once more and pulled out some post-it notes, a small box that said 'TAKE ME TO RESEARCH', and a sharpie.

He looked over at the new woman bin in hand as the cabinet door creaked and settled, "Ah, new blood eh? I'm Ivor, I work in R&D."

[Circe]

Catherine glared at Molly, clearly unhappy with how the other had greeted her. It was her first day back and already she was going to have to have the discussion about boundaries with Molly again. "I swear to gods Bronson..." She began before punching the other with a mean right hook. While Molly may have gotten off of the top of her, she was still bouncing and vibrating with excitement that somehow included violently shaking the other.

With the overly and aggressively friendly Specialist and Sergeant off her, Catherine was able to stand up and straighten herself out. "It's a good thing no one allows you in either court too." She muttered tersely before turning her attention to Ivor.

"Ivor runs our research facilities here. Our forensics tech however, is probably still in her lab processing evidence from a case earlier this year." Catherine explained as she adjusted her glasses. Slightly tinted, they helped with the flickering florescent lights that many office buildings were so fond of.