Joss | Connections and Companionship [Marcus]

He’d found an abandoned shipping depot, and went inside. He picked up a metal piece of rebar weighing about 15 pounds, and had found an old tire that was left behind, one those that you put on a dump truck. He’d hit, and hit, and hit, and hit the thing over and over again working out his fury.

His mind was racing, no matter what he did it wasn’t going to matter. Even the people he wanted help got upset with him. He said the wrong time, something always went wrong.

He growled out as thoughts of his grandmother came into his mind, mixed with Sarah, his home he left, this place he was in, all the frustration pouring out of him as he picked up his tempo faster and faster pounding into the tire until he didn’t notice he’d dropped the piece of steel and was smashing his now bloody fists against lone cinder blocks breaking them as he went into smaller, smaller pieces.*

Joss is a curious creature, that much has been obvious, and she can’t help but peek into the door, into the building to see who may be there. She smiles when she sees Marcus, though it’s turned into concern as he beats his hands bloody. Something’s wrong. She carefully steps over debris, lifting her skirts so they don’t get snagged as she moves gracefully into the building, and leans against a wall, watching him. He’ll notice her soon enough. Till then – she waits, patient.

He’s not wearing a shirt, and his muscles ripple from the shockwaves of the force coming back through his arms from his strike. Joss has never seen him… well so exposed before.

His body is lean, cut, and muscular not an ounce of fat on him. Well defined six pack abs, back muscles, shoulder you name it. One thing is his chest is completely hairless. Must be genetic as Marcus doesn’t look like the type to shave it.

He has some distinctive features that she can see:

Four jagged scars on his chest. They are about four inches long spaced about an inch and a half apart, with two on each pectoral muscle. There run parallel to each other straight up and down on his chest.

On his back is a tattoo with a circle made up of eight tepees forming what looks like an eight point star, the symbol of his father’s people, the Oglala Lakota. In the middle of the circle is a tattoo of the symbol of the Get of Fenris. Together the tattoos take up most of his back with the top point of the star stopping just below the top of his spine, and the bottom part at the small of his back.

He’s huffing and puffing, and when he looks over and sees Joss, he blinks. He says “Hey…. Joss.” *Each word between two breaths. His body is slick with sweat, and his hands are raw and bloody. He unceremoniously drops the iron bar, and it makes a loud CLANG! when it hits the concrete floor.*

Her hands are tucked into her pockets, until he drops the iron bar with a clang, and she pushes away from the wall to move closer, and steps to the old tire, stepping up on it and balancing on the rubber, bouncing lightly. She grins over at Marcus and arches a brow, curious.

“So… who pissed you off?”

She grins at him, and then turns to survey the damage he’d done to the cement blocks, the wall, and wander through the room. Her skirts sway against her knees, her footsteps are light, her dreads damp from an earlier rain, clinging to her shirt. “Doesn’t look quite done. Want to talk about it?”

He looks at her as she walks around, the sway of her hips, the way the fabric of her dress moves with body, the smell of her, the smile on her voice, the way her voice is light in the air. For a brief moment he’s completely ensnared by Joss. For moment all of his existence is focused solely on her.

He frowns, and grunts trying to banish such thoughts from his head. He says in a low voice, same shame there, but is with what happened with Maija, or what he was thinking a moment ago? Perhaps a bit of both. “No.. I made an… ass of myself and it’s done. Nothing more to say on it really.”

He says he made an ass of himself, and she laughs softly, as she continues to move through the room, her fingers trailing along the walls, sliding lightly, until she turns to look at him with a smile. “What kinda Foresti doesn’t want to talk? That’s like a Galliard that doesn’t want to sing. I hardly think it’s as bad as it seems – out with it.”

There’s a quit command in her voice, an encouraging smile, and a willingness to do what so few of her Tribe do – listen.

He swallows, and moves to sit down on the floor leaning against the wall.* “That’s the problem. I sometimes forget I’m not such a wise Foresti as I think I am, and it would be best to just shut my mouth and listen.”

She tips her head, slightly, and lifts a hand to push her dreads back over her shoulder and out of the way before falling still again. “But I won’t judge you – I’m just a Godi. I’ve no wish to judge, even if I were Foresti, but I can at least listen, and maybe figure out what really happened.”

“And so now I am here.” *He swallows a bit and looks at the ground.*

And now he’s here. And so is she… “At least you knew enough to come here. That kind of control can be rare for our Blood. Perhaps when things cool down a bit, you can speak with her again?”

He swallows and then leans back against the wall. Hurt by the injustice of the world, and the fact that even tonight he couldn’t gain a small victory toward ending some it. Of making things right.*

“We know that she is not worthless, to be thrown away. Perhaps those who raised her didn’t, and treated her badly. That would explain her reaction to someone telling her she was valuable. A lifetime of being told she is not is hard to overcome in one conversation.”

He points at something between them, and she reaches out to take one of his hands in her own, fingers smoothing over his bloody broken knuckles. “Talk to her again – another day. Ask her what happened to her, what she knows of Garou. She might not tell you, but if you are gentle and persistent, she may open up, and give you the chance to prove that not all Garou are the same.”

These he would never, could never know with Joss the way he wanted to right then. So he simply nodded to her.* “Maybe. Truthfully I wouldn’t know what to say. Perhaps it’s better this way.” *He swallows again.* “Thank for listening anyway… It… It means a lot.” *He says in a soft voice to her, his fury all but gone.*

“Tell her…” she pauses, and then smiles. Maybe she thinks he is trying to get to know this kin for an entirely different reason then he is, maybe she just likes to think he’d be happy with a girl to hold for a while. “…tell her your sorry. And ask her to tell you her story, so that you can understand where she came from, why she reacted that way. Maybe it’s better that she knows she has a friend in you, instead of someone like every other person she’s known.”

He thank her, and she pats his hand with a smile. “I’ll always listen, Marcus. I’ll even fight with ya if ya want a moving target instead of a beat up old building.” She tips her head, slightly. “I could make a talen for you to give to her – so if she needs help, she can brake it and send the spirit inside to find you – you can give it as a peace making gift! What do you think?”

She pulls out little wooden pendant that has – of all things – the statue of liberty etched on it. The wood is light and thin, and wouldn’t break easy, but would crack if pressure were applied evenly. It’s threaded on a small light chain, long enough that it can be hidden under the wearers shirt if need be. She hands it to him with a bright smile. “How’s this? Think she could break it?”

She smiles at him, as he asks about her new home, and nods. “I like it- I sort of took over the attic, and set up a little beehive, and some lights, and some ornaments, and flower boxes… All part of the protection plans and stuff.” she looks at him with a happy grin.

“You haven’t met Decker yet, have you? He’s everything I’d heard of, and more, and his Mate – I think she likes me, as much as she likes anyone, really.” a pause. “Have you thought about joining any packs with those you’ve met so far?”

To think just not five minutes ago he would’ve demolished the building and probably the block if he could have, but no he’s completely calm, more so then she’s ever seen.*

Then she takes a breath, and holds up the pendant, and teases “So, wanna go umbral with me? Or are you scared…”

*He smiles.* “I won’t be scared if you’re there to protect me.” *He says playing in on the joke, trying to get her to laugh.*

She then slips her arm into his, and winks up at him. “Ready?” And without waiting for an answer, she takes a deep breath, and stops sideways, pulling him with her. Once there, she shakes off the feeling of the Gauntlet, the tug and pull that is the veil between two sides of the same coin. Here, here she is at home, as much as she is in the real, the umbral winds tugging at her dreads, whipping at her skirts as she takes a deep breath, content.

She’s not sure how much he’s dealt with or watched a Godi at work, so takes the time to explain what she’s going to do, and what she wants him to do to help. “Alright. I’m going to use my spirit drum, so that the summoning is more powerful. Take the seed…” she hands it to him “and spread some handfuls out in front of us. Sparrows can be flighty,” oh punny punny girl… “So when they come – sit very still, next to me. Alright?”

Now, she said she was going to use a drum – but she has no such thing in her bag. In fact, as she kneels there, she takes a breath, and pulls her skirt up along her thighs, exposing the perfectly placed matching set of claw marks etched into her skin. Four long marks on each thigh, the skin twisted and gnarled and roped into perfectly placed scars. it’s on these that she begins to tap out her beat, thrumming fast like the wings of the swift flying Sparrow, giving her all to establishing a connection with the drum, with the spirits she intends to call….

[spirit drum – dex+performance, diff 5
Come on baby – slap those thighs!]

here she is in her element, here she is doing what she was born to do, what she lives for… here if she were to see herself – even she would admit she is beautiful.

(Summoning little gafflings – TN 4. Wits+ rituals+SD = 10)
(come on lil birdies! Fly to mama!)

She speaks to the spirit in his own language, a language as natural to her as her own, the chirps and tweets and stutters and comments are almost amusing, if not for the obvious fact the little gaffling understands. “Honored Sparrow, we are here to request a great gift from you. This Garou beside me, this mighty warrior, has a kin in need of his protection, a kinfolk he cannot be with at all times due to other responsibilities. I ask that you give us your aid, to help watch over her, so that Two Ravens can continue to fight for Gaia, without the added worry his Kinfolk friend might be in trouble and need his aid, with no way to find him. I ask that you step into this Talen, that when she breaks it, and frees you, you will fly to find him as fast as you can. For none are so swift as the wings of the Sparrows, the small but mighty Spirit of flight… Will you aid us in this cause?”

the little sparrow listens, and when asked what she will do for him, she adds again. “I have a balcony where I will keep seed in a beautiful feeder for your brethren to partake of as they need. Two Ravens will hang another from his window, so that you brethren will have feed for the next two moons.” When the sparrow nods his agreement, she smiles, and as he steps on the pendant, she focuses her will, and works to bind him to the little wooden coin.

(Binding – spending 1 gnosis, to reduce sparrows to 6, Spending wp to ensure success, rolling wp 5 diff 6.

Come on lil birdy buddy, work for me!)

Joss picks up the pendant, and offers it to Marcus, while putting the second one in the front pocket of her bag, to be used another time, or set free if it is not needed. The rest of the extras she places in her bag. She makes no excuses for only ending up with two talens especially as she only needed the one.

“There. Now you’ve a gift to help keep her safe. You need only be alert for a little sparrow dive-bombing you out of the blue – and for the next two moons hang a bird feeder for them in your window.”

She reaches with her free hand to touch his face, cupping his cheek, his jaw, before she turns to put the talen in with the others in the front pocket of her bag. “Just be sure that when you battle next, you return as well, despite having given it to me.” She then smooths her skirts down over her thighs again, and standing. “Ready to go back? I feel like Pizza.. my treat?”

“I hear there’s a place not far from here with a fantastic Chicago Deep Dish…”

“I like your tattoo…”

*He exhales and licks his lips.* “I figured that way… There will always be apart of me that is in the land of my father’s people.”

He’s Fenrir. Of course it was.

She pauses, and then… “Do you think me over eager to join them? Decker thought it was hero worship that brought me here… I wonder sometimes if he is correct.”

“I won’t deny that it’s partly that? Who wouldn’t want to pack with the best of the best, you know? But it’s more… At Storm Hammer, I am one of many Godi, the omega in a pack that is one of many, the majority of them just as strong and capable, and ready. Here, in Chicago, there is need of a Godi of talent – not that I’m the best of the best by far, I still have much to learn. But here… they need me. I am one of many at home, and here is a place where I can make my name as well. And to prove myself worthy of Eagle, that is certainly something worth fighting for… wouldn’t you think?”

She pauses, and lifts a shoulder in a shrug. “Imogen says that my youth and eagerness is part of my challenge, to overcome it. I am not sure it’s something that must be overcome, but instead used to my advantage…”

A pause. “…i think. She’s a hard read.”

Your spirit takes over for the mind, and guides the body without thought. That is what you must strive to be if you wish to be warrior. So in a way yes she is correct. Hero worship can be dangerous, if you are star struck. But remember the world worship simply means something ascribe worth to.

You should take what you see about the Jarl. The real Jarl, both his good traits and bad. Use him as an example and take that to make yourself a better warrior then you are now.”

She pauses a moment, a few more steps taken until she continues. “The hardest part of rebuilding the wards is that they have been neglected for a long time. The last Theurge the Eagles had did not last long. I am not setting up the defenses and such simply because asked, but because the Spirits need to know there is a Godi in residence now. You saw how quickly the Sparrows came – they are eager to aid our cause. I’m pleased that they have accepted me so far.”

“I can see they respond to you. You have strong medicine.” *As says talking about the spirits.*

She is laughing though, and shakes her head. “Hummingbirds and some others. They respond well to my drum, my summons. I’ll simply have to work hard for the them to willingly bind for me too.”

She lifts her head and smiles at him, than reaches for the door handle – the scent of pizza heavy in the air.