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Post by Circe on Aug 13, 2018 16:23:56 GMT -6
The transition between the letter outside the cube and inside was seamless. "If not, I suppose there are other ways." Catherine replied to Molly as she concentrated on the outside of the envelope. "No residuals, no hallmarks." She noticed as she continued a careful scan of the item inside Molly's containment cube. The woman once on task, was perfectly fine to work with, if you could keep her on task.
Frowning as she worked within the confines of the magic, Catherine wasn't used to this sort of thing on the daily basis. The intense concentration needed was evident on her face as slight fine lines briefly deepened as she finished her scan on the outside of the item. "Opening envelope now." She said as she moved long fingers, working through the intent required to manipulate through the field.
"There's a significant amount of magical residue, enough for an imprint even." Catherine remarked before turning her attention to the text of the letter.
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Post by demikara on Aug 13, 2018 16:36:43 GMT -6
Molly held the containment steady. "Agreed. I can still see the spell active, so be cautious. Scotty, keep an eye on the time." It didn't need done, but was helpful and gave the dhampir something to do. Scotty looked startled then nodded and turned her attention to her phone screen, checking is regularly. Molly kept her focus on the containment though, strengthening it as Catherine read the letter.
My darling childe,
That you have lived so far makes me proud. So few make it past their awakening. If they do not die in the burst of it, the aftermath often kills them. You are clearly a strong childe, or you will be one day. But that day will not come if you cower inside all day and night as a shopkeepers assistant. So I thought to provide you with inspiration to become greater. You know our line's abilities can be used offensively. A thrall discovered that for me, in your paperwork from that inane jail they put you in so long as you recovered from your blooming. So I sought to give you practice.
And all the practice has done is encourage you to hide behind the skirts of your eldest sister. Childe, I have higher expectations for you than that. So I lay upon you a geas. You will take your vengeance on your attackers young one, or I will have to come to force the situation further. You do not want that.
Your most humbly affectionate,
Father
The spell on it was powerful. The effects were diluted under the spell, but that didn't stop a final missive from shimmering into existence.
Darling Catherine,
Let your sister grow.
Your ever proud,
Father.
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Post by Circe on Aug 13, 2018 16:47:15 GMT -6
Reading the letter, Catherine scowled, anger clear in her expression. "We are not starting a bloody war!" She remarked vehemently. The wolves and vampires were already on shaky ground, and Catherine was in no mood to continue to entertain the blood bath that both were always eager to cause. This man who was so intent on insinuating himself into their lives, was though. "My father is dead. Burn the letter." She said, voice devoid of emotion and feeling. Catherine would compartmentalize things until she couldn't ignore it any longer, and while it wasn't healthy, she had no intent of ever acknowledging it wasn't either.
As far as she was concerned, Scotty was a nuisance and a pain who refused to learn; spending her days bemoaning her fate like most teenagers.
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Post by demikara on Aug 13, 2018 16:53:05 GMT -6
"Okay, Warden. The letter is evidence, so before we burn it, we document it." She was not going to deal with another lecture from the powers that be on that one. Once was more than enough. Carefully, Molly manipulated the cube to a table top and kept it there. She frowned and grabbed a nearby camera, shrinking to cube to fit around the letter with one hand and she fumbled with the camera for the next.
Scotty wrinkled her nose. "I don't want to start a war either, you know. Just so we're clear." As far as she was concerned, the attack were over with. The young woman slouched, and stuffed her hands in her pockets. "There was no time lost. I checked." That had seemed important. It seemed like the cube was doing what it was supposed to at least. "Besides. I have a dad, and that is not it."
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Post by Circe on Aug 13, 2018 17:02:15 GMT -6
Catherine sighed, she knew Molly was right. "No.. you're right Bronson. We'll document it and inform the Council." She conceded. That was not going to be a fun discussion, especially given how eager they were to find the vampire. "This gives me a headache just thinking about it.." She muttered to no one in particular. What did he want anyway? 1500 years and now this, it confused Catherine possibly more than Scotty.
"I'll also check with Council to see if there's anyway he's able to track us. I don't like this." Catherine finally said, still largely ignoring Scotty. The other had so much to learn and seemed apprehensive to do so. Maybe the best policy was to just let her learn the hard way. She wondered what sort of problems that would cause.
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Post by demikara on Aug 13, 2018 17:10:22 GMT -6
Oh good, she didn't have to fight the warden over this. That would have been more than mildly unpleasant and not nearly as hilariously sad, in retrospect, as testing out Catherine's latest wards. In retrospect. Also, Molly hated them and how effective they were at keeping her out. "I find it's best not to think about what people that old are plotting. Just try and dodge, really." She snapped a photo with the digital camera, checked it and swore, then looked it over visually. "That bastard!"
"No text when I try. I can see the text, but I can't make out the words. How are we documenting this?" Molly passed the camera to Catherine, but fumbled. Unthinking, she moved her other hand to help catch it. The containment cube, without the constant feedback that Molly had been providing, burst.
Scotty tried hard to disappear into the wall and squeezed her eyes shut, determined not to be caught again.
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Post by Circe on Aug 13, 2018 17:30:43 GMT -6
Moving swiftly, Catherine managed to catch the camera before it hit the hard concrete floor of the lab. "Seems the sperm donor has figured out how to avoid modern technology." She grumbled, far from pleased with the current situation. "Just put it in evidence, the wards should hold it till I can get someone in here tomorrow." Catherine sighed, this was probably the worst start to her week.
"Also, I'm going to say I resent and resemble that remark Bronson." She added handing the camera back to the other. There was likely an alternative way to capture what was on it, it was just something largely beyond her scope. Catherine just didn't possess that sort of knowledge.
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Post by demikara on Aug 13, 2018 17:40:13 GMT -6
"Yeah, I'll put it back in the containment envelope too." Molly said simply. "Between the envelope and the wards everyone should be safe." Not paying attention, Molly motioned as if to move the containment cube and brushed against the letter lightly. She froze like that a second, before straightening out carefully and holding her head erect. Eye vivid red now, she looked around the room and then smiled a rather sickly smile.
"Daughters." She spoke, her voice much smoother than usual. "It's good to see you once more, and to speak to you finally." This was not Molly. Scotty stared in horror as she took that in. she hadn't known possession was a real thing. "Scotlynn, come here. Don't quiver so." A gesture of Molly's hand and Scotty was forcefully pulled to her, stopping about two feet away, tense and ready to bolt the second she could. "You are a daughter of my line, girl. Do not act like a frightened rabbit."
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Post by Circe on Aug 13, 2018 17:54:23 GMT -6
"Right, I'll give one of the contractors and Council a call tomorrow. It's too late in the day to do it now." Catherine agreed as she turned to set the camera onto the lab counter. Molly had been distracted with raising the containment cube again to think to take the camera from the other. "Bronson? You feeling alright?" She asked turning around to be greeted with the red eyes and sickly smile. Catherine didn't know if this was normal and wasn't entirely sure she wanted to confirm it.
Then the Sergeant spoke, and it sounded very little like the other. "I'm sorry, but I think you have the wrong number and I'll have you know this is very illegal." Catherine commented as she immediately raised her own defensive wards without a second thought. Anything like this was to be considered a danger until proven otherwise.
Scotty meanwhile would just have to hold on, as Catherine didn't dare risk getting in a tug of war like this. The labs were supposed to be warded to prevent these incursions, unless they had unwittingly brought it in. "Oh nu ... a fost o modalitate de a primi o invitație" Catherine muttered to herself, wishing she could go back and do things over again. She had grown complacent and too comfortable given the distinct lack of activity after the Cedar Ridge pack's incident.
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Post by demikara on Aug 13, 2018 18:02:55 GMT -6
"A man has a right to see his daughters. and I worked hard to get you both in one place. A little geas to carry a letter and not leave it's side. And a little bit of knowledge of how your people treat, what did this body calls them? Your family's foundlings? An appropriate term, even if the latest is your own sister." He made a motion and brought Scotty to his side, more amused with her attempts to fight back than not. She was a fledgling. "And wards. Wards to guarantee a private meeting and the body of a ward breaker besides. How fortunate that was."
He rubbed his head. "Though the child does put up a fight for her body. I wonder what would happen if I let the glamour drop? Ah, that stopped all fighting. Such secrets this body has." It was interesting. "Catherine, you've grown so wonderfully. Your true blossoming was late enough I was beginning to wonder."
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Post by Circe on Aug 13, 2018 18:11:51 GMT -6
"Daughters? Sister? I'm sorry but the term you're looking for isn't that." Catherine replied coldly. Her week was getting off to a terrible start, and she wasn't about to discuss control issues with a man she didn't know, currently possessing the body of one of her officers. "So you gamed the system, nothing new to us." She added with a bored shrug. If he wanted a reaction, he'd have to try a different approach. Most of Catherine's experiences in the unseen had largely left her numb and apathetic, this wasn't anything new or novel to her.
"What do you want Constantin?" Catherine asked crossing her arms, clearly unamused by the current situation. She also wasn't entirely sure she was comfortable with what was likely to come next out of Molly and Scotty once the vampire released its hold.
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Post by demikara on Aug 13, 2018 18:19:49 GMT -6
"Offspring then." He offered simply. He moved closer, keeping Scotty by his side. "And I wanted my latest daughter to grow and to check on my eldest daughter." He ran a hand over Scotty's hair. "I suggest you begin helping her Catherine. You blossomed late, but this one blossomed much too early." A sickening grin stretched across Molly's lips. "She'd be easy enough to push one way or another."
All too easily pushed. He smiled, and opened his mouth once more, only to drop to Molly's knees as her glamour twisted shrank, and grew again, "You will not fight me child. I have taken this body as my own. Or shall I reveal your secrets to the world, you ungrateful gi-" The officer shuddering as she gasped out a breath and grabbed her head. "Magical transference of consciousness via printer paper is not going to be enough to hold me back, mother fucker! Oh fuck. Can someone please put the letter in the magic dampener, before he pulls that again? I don't know how long I can hold him out." She held her head tightly, knuckles white as she began to ward herself, magic crisscrossing over her body, fluctuating as the control of her body was fought over, even as Scotty was released and quickly darted away.
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Post by Circe on Aug 13, 2018 18:35:07 GMT -6
Catherine scowled, but stood her ground as Molly's body possessed by Griogre Constantin inched closer to where she stood; Scotty towed along with. "She has a free will Constantin, help has been offered and she has refused at every turn. I may share genetics with you, but you're not my father." She replied bluntly. She wasn't about to claim Scotty as her sibling either, the girl seemed pretty adamant about everything going her way. Much of the community had offered assistance, even Rahal and Brandon had risked their current tenuous positions with the Dragon Court to help. Scottlyn had largely turned everyone down she could and was facing options few wanted to consider.
As much as Catherine would have enjoyed standing there arguing with an unreasonable vampire, she was more inclined to help her fellow officer. Reaching for the magic, this time there would be better control. "Eitha Nosu Grigore, Eta! Skölir!" Catherine exclaimed directing the energies towards the paper. The magic would cooperate this time, and she was more than willing to blow the wards on the lab to make it do so.
It didn't take long before the letter found itself wrapped in a sphere made of the most powerful and ancient of magics; that of the veil itself, the very life source and force of the unseen. Glamours were broken and wards were blow as Catherine struggled against the will of the other caster imprinted onto the paper.
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Post by demikara on Aug 13, 2018 18:50:47 GMT -6
The struggle was brief, but hard until there was a snap of power. The spells on the paper, paper not truly designed for magic, crumbled against the force held against it. Catherine's magic was effective, containing the letter and it's spell-work effectively. Even the oldest could not stand against the will of the veil. And Catherine had wielded the seldom used magic very well.
Molly collapsed to the ground and shuddered, then paused and looked at her now smaller, tanner hands. Oh hell no. Scotty was looking right at her. Molly swallowed, sat back, and recast her glamours quickly so she'd look like her usual tall blond haired fair skinned self, before any of the officers could arrive to investigate. "So, uh. I vote that only our team ever discovers what just happened Warden." Molly stood up and brushed her clothes off, trying hard to pretend like everything was okay now. She threw up a basic privacy ward in the room, frantically, though very thoroughly.
The calm recovery did not help. "You're a KID!" Scotty yelped, staring at Molly accusingly. Clearly there was too much system shock if the other was stuck on that. There were other things, any number of things that the other could have focused on. Why that?
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Post by Circe on Aug 13, 2018 19:19:57 GMT -6
Catherine leaned hard against the lab's counters and she took a moment to regain her senses. The struggle had taken a great deal of energy out of her, and the magic had shattered even her own wards and glamours. "Smart choice." She said, exhaustion evident as she slid down the cabinet towards the floor. "Shut up Scottlyn." Catherine grumbled finding things just a bit too loud and too bright at the moment. It was tempting to cast another spell on the young woman to keep her silent for a moment, but the energy just wasn't there. Her magic while powerful, was draining, and Catherine kept very little in the way of reserves.
While Molly's glamour had revealed a smaller, tanner individual, Catherine's had broken down to reveal someone ten to fifteen years younger than initially thought. Her hair was still a stark white, evidence of the veil having touched or even claimed her as it's own briefly. "Give me a moment, just let's hope the alarms don't go off." She added. The magic used to exert her will on the letter wasn't exactly designed to be used without containment; at least there hadn't been anything set on fire this time.
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