2019.02.11 - Curious Goods

**Emitter:** Staff

*The seekers have finally reached Curious Goods, but there*s bad news about the Shattered Mirror.

January 4th, Year Unknown; Afternoon

Curious Goods, Seattle

In the aftermath of defeating the circle of cultists, the fog in the area began to lift considerably. Some returned to alert Riley that they had accomplished what they said they would, while the others proceeded to Curious Goods, nearby. As they drew near, the building can be clearly seen, resonant with defensive magics for those who can perceive such things. Before they reach it, though, there's one small surprise: one of Riley's vampires arrives in a blur of speed, carrying someone in her arms. The vampire gives them all a nod before depositing Stiles on the ground, then blurring away again. No doubt, Riley and his army will soon be moving through the city, clearing out more circles and thus, eventually, liberating the city from the dark influence of the Outsiders.

Now, they must find the Shattered Mirror, in hopes that it will aid them in restoring their fragmented reality....

Derek has set his senses to finding what they need to find. After the absolutely revolting defeat of the maddened cultists, Derek took time to cleanse himself as thoroughly as possible, in the circumstances, then set out on the trail that his senses gave him. That is, until the one vampire arrived with cargo...which means that Derek, instead, goes to see if Stiles is okay and what he's up to. If he's here, he surely has a good reason to have come so quickly and urgently.

Jason Christopher seems puzzled to see Stiles arrive, if not so much the manner of his arrival. That, at least, seemed to make perfect sense according to the hazy and infuriatingly fractured memories of the human boy. Carried in by vampire express, of course. But, with Derek Hale present, he would no doubt see to what Stiles presence meant for them all. For his part, Jason strode purposefully to the shop, pausing to admire the magical defenses which he could sense if not so much see. A few dozen feet away he pauses and speaks out loud to his son. "Sly, you may want to do the honors. There is a chance their memories are as fractured as our own."

Sly grins at his father, nodding, and eagerly heads up to the door. He knocks on it, then calls out, "Hey, guys! Micki? Ryan, Jack? Anyone here?" He reaches out to try the door handle, relieved to be here but also, now they are, fast becoming concerned about his friends, inside. He does glance back when Stiles arrives, though he doesn't seem terribly concerned about that, keeping his focus on the store.

Jacob, having returned to human phase and recovered his things from Sly's keeping, walks beside Jason. He takes in the building with a calm enough air, though there seems something almost ominous about it. He sticks close to Jason, seemingly not very concerned about Stiles' arrival, either.

As for Stiles, he wobbles a little after being released by the vampire, then heads over to Derek, reaching to hug him. "I just... couldn't keep sitting around doing nothing," he explains, seeming a bit embarrassed but also determined, and perhaps oddly, excited. "I found out some stuff--uh, not really probably useful right here yet or anything--but I just," he hesitates, frowning, and shoots Derek a meaningful look, vaguely motioning with his hands. "I couldn't exactly help guard the house, anyway, so I came to see how things were going, and when Riley's people said the roads were clear, I asked one of them to hitch a ride."

Merek has shifted his shield he's been keeping with to protect the others. After a little of recharging, he has shifted it to them again, as he follows with them.

The door to the antique shop is quiet for a few seconds, but the windows show well enough that there is light inside, there is power, and what's more, there is life. The door opens, to reveal a redhead, well but practically dressed, with dramatic hair and near-flawless makeup. She's been active, but it's clear that she's been careful.

"Sly!" She brightens up immediately and throws her arms around Sly, looking to the others with a smile and gesturing for them to enter. "Come in, come in. We were just putting the Shard of Medusa in the vault...something must have happened to disrupt the cultists. Was that you?"

Of course, there's more to the story than just that, but they've only just reunited. A man about the same age as the woman waits just near the door, and though there's no one else visible, there's chanting audible from the back. Obviously they're aware of this, and it is most notable not evil chanting.

Kiara had not taken herself the time and effort to clean up after the battle, her gear showing the clear signs of having stood toe on toe with those eldritch abominations the cult hat danted to summon. And between that and a trip to a magically fortified place wasn't something that allowed much slak, much less if you took it upon yourself to scan the area for remaining enemy personnel. "If you know what we are looking for, go ahead." was all she had to greet the late joiners with her face showing the stress rising slowly. That shop shouldn't be too far from here... right?!

Derek smirks softly, reaching a hand over to ruffle Stiles by the hair. "We'll talk more when we get in. Stay close to me." He doesn't press up against Stiles, but he remains very close, probably figuring that Stiles would rather him not spread any of that gross stuff around. So he waits for the others to lead the way, primarily Sly. What happens at this much-discussed Curious Goods will set the tone for the rest of his actions.

And when they're invited in, Derek looks mildly pleased, moving with Stiles once Stiles decides to move. It's got to be better than outside. He continues into the shop with Stiles, waiting near the doorway to make sure they're all safely in before the doors are once again secured.

Jason Christopher sighs fintly, in a not displeased manner, when Micki Foster recognizes Sly. He had taken the time to dress again after the battle, so he was presentable as he approached the door to the shop. Side by side with Jacob he nodded his head. "Hello again Ms. Foster, Micki. It is good to see you unharmed. I am pleased to report this small area of the apocalypse has been cancelled for the time being. But we find ourselves in need of your assistance." He accepts the invitation inside, where they can continue the conversation in more pleasant surroundings.

Sly lights up when Micki appears. He hugs her happily, then bobs his head in an eager nod. "Yeah, we did it! Mostly my dad... well, and his friends." He doesn't mean to slight the others, but it's pretty obvious that Sly has a bit of hero worship going on, where his father is concerned. When they're invited in, he fairly bounces into the store after Micki. "I knew you guys'd be okay! You're experts at this kinda stuff. Actually, that's why we're here." He nods at what Jason says, then adds, "You remember that magic mirror from a while back? The one that messed with us all back in Forks?"

Jacob lightly touches a hand to Jason's back, indirectly relieved that Sly's friends are all right, to say nothing of learning that there's a good chance their visit has not been in vain. Otherwise, he keeps quiet for now.

Stiles grins at Derek, glad to be included, and falls into step beside the others. He does crane his neck with great interest, hearing the chanting, and tries to catch a glimpse of what's going on within.

Merek listens to the others, while he watches the folk and shifts to look to the place. He seems content to keep attention to the oters also.

"Jason," Micki answers him, visibly recognizing Derek and Stiles too, offering them a wider smile. The rest aren't entirely familiar to her, but she seems happy enough to have good company. Once they're all inside, she shuts the door and secures it, with any help offered. "I'm Micki Foster, this is Ryan Dallion, my cousin." She waves a hand to the man around her own age. "Our partner Jack Marshak is in the back with Rashid. We've had to really work at our defenses."

And there, on the countertop next to the register, sits an object that resembles a wedge or a spike of some kind, made of some sort of stone and exuding tremendous negative energy. Ryan, as if sensing that others could pick up on it, takes it in his hand and moves his head to indicate a direction. "I'm gonna stick this in the vault." With another little wave to the new arrivals, he walks off to do just that.

Micki, meanwhile, ushers their guests into the shop. "I'm not surprised to see you," she says to Sly, arm around his shoulders. "I think it's that mirror that gave us so much trouble. You remember Lewis, don't you? Our uncle -- who sold his soul to evil -- used a mirror to attack us. Nearly destroyed us! That was back when we first started what we do here. But it can't be a coincidence."

Kiara hat resumed to scanning the area with her eyes, tense, not really sharing the revealing into the victory they just achieved that seemed to dominate some of her companions. The Mauser only lowers as the shop gets into view, but it stays up n a reay till she herself has passed into the shop, making sure to be the last - and to close the door. "Finally made it..." she mutters as she visbly relaxes, the rifle going upright for the first time since they left the needle. "I am at a little disadvantage here... I'm Kiara..."

Derek nods to Micki. It's not entirely clear in his mind exactly what the sequence of events was that led up to this, but he's sure he remembers Micki. She's hard to forget. He looks to Stiles, perhaps for some confirmation, or perhaps to make sure that Stiles, too, remembers. Almost absently, he rests a hand on Stiles's shoulder.

Jason Christopher feels Jacob's hand lightly touch his back, and he nods to him, pleased with this development. It was after all about as good as they could have hoped for. Walking inside he listens to Sly, shaking his head faintly as he assigns the lion's share of the credit to a wolf and not a panther. But there were more important matters at the moment. After assisting Micki and Kiara in securing the door he listens to Micki before speaking again. "I don't know how much you know about what has occured. But in brief, a powerful agent of what we refer to as 'The Outsiders' managed to start this chaos. We have allies that could give you a more detailed explanation of just how. Right now time is a factor though. As Sly said, we believe the mirror may play a part in this. I don't believe in coincidences, and much of what has happened is reminiscent of the situation the cultist put us through with the mirror in Forks. He seemed corrupted by the outside as well. Is it still here, in your vault? Were you able to learn anything about it?" He lets the others handle their own introductions. This is entirely to much talking for him as it is.

Sly happily goes in with Micki, looking with interest at the cursed object, but he keeps his attention focused on Micki and, generally, the task at hand. He gestures to the others and says, "Oh, yeah. These are our, um, allies, I guess? They're helping us save the world." He almost seems to float, dancing subtly from foot to foot, filled with the excitement of the moment and the promise of actually achieving their goal. "Yeah, you're right," he says to Micki. "I don't think it's a coincidence, either." He continues to nod and gestures to Jason. "See, exactly. We've got to find the mirror so we can use it to fix everything."

Jacob smiles again at Jason, knowing that Sly's skewing the facts a little, but he can't judge too much. The kid's proud of his dad, and that's sweet in its own way. Sticking close to his mate, Jacob folds his arms across his chest, nods politely to Micki, and lets the others take the lead again. This is way, way outside his area.

Stiles looks around wildly, taking in the shop with insatiable curiosity, but he does grin at Micki and nods his agreement. "Oh, yeah," he says. "I don't even totally remember who I am, kinda sorta, but *that* I definitely couldn't forget." At Derek's hand on his shoulder, he smiles again, looking fondly at him. "How could I forget Derek, the secret superhero?" Whatever that means, though, he does not explain.

"They were using the Shard of Medusa. At least, that's what they intended to do. We just got it back." Micki leans against the counter, near to where Ryan collected the item in question. A manifest sits open there, and she turns to close it. "We have the mirror. The one responsible for all that nasty business a few months ago. A woman tried to get it, but...well, as far as I can guess from the story we were told and firsthand experience, she was a bad girl with grandiose ideas. A vampire, too, but not like vampires I'd seen before."

Derek just listens, not grimly but seriously enough. He stays close to Stiles, almost like he expects a threat to present itself at a moment's notice. It's Derek's place, he knows, to protect those in his pack. Stiles is definitely a member of that pack. At the mention of the mirror, his mind returns to that struggle they all fought, the major effort uniting them, and the personal extent to which Derek himself went. He knows Stiles would never let him forget that one. It's as close as they came to Batman.

Jason Christopher pauses and takes a slow, shallow breath. It was all going a little to well wasn't it? "I've heard legends of it, the Black Lodge. Never anything solid, and frankly never anything I felt the need to follow up on. When I past through what would become the United States the first few times, following legends of giant wolves." He glances at Jacob and smiles tightly. "One of the so called mountain men of the region raved about it. The local tribes said he was touched, they explained it was because of an encounter with the Black Lodge." He glances at Derek, and then the others. "More than one--" He lets the rest of the thought trail off, but really does he even need to say it? They probably need them both to effect any real difference. "For a moment, let us consider we need that other mirror. Do you, or Jack, know anything about how we might retrieve it?" For the record, yes he is asking how they'd get into the Black Lodge.

Sly quiets a bit, looking suddenly tense and worried at the description of all that happened. The mention of the woman leads him to glance at Jason and Jacob, even Derek and Stiles, but mostly he stays focused. "That... sounds horrible," he murmurs, looking utterly stunned to even contemplate what Micki's saying.

Jacob's look turns downright grim as Micki speaks. Frowning, he asks in a low, tense voice, "What does 'imperfect courage' mean? If the stakes are that high, shouldn't we know exactly what we're up against?" He shoots Jason a very pointed look, as if already anticipating an impending argument about personal risk.

Stiles' jaw drops, and he looks to Derek in almost the same way. It's less pointed than Jacob's look, more just worried and incredulous, as if any moment a tide of words might erupt out of him, but... for the moment he just nods rapidly, sputtering, "Yeah! How 'about some details, there? Annihilated souls are *officially* on my 'nope' list."

Micki sighs and stands straighter, folding her hands. "We'll have to wait for Jack and Rashid to finish what they're doing," she answers. "But if you want, I can fix us some tea or coffee or something. We have clothes...a shower..." She makes a little gesture in a general guestwardly manner. "Since we all know by now that whoever these cultists are, they fight dirty." And then she smiles, at her mild joke.

"They fight with like ninety percent snot." Ryan comments, as he returns. "Yeah, I mean, we've got clothes, towels, whatever. Jack'll probably be in there with Rashid for the next hour or two. We've had to step up all of our magical defenses. You understand. Probably."

"Anyway, we're happy you got here." Micki's smile spreads, and she holds out a hand to Sly. "Let's go fix some refreshments. Welcome to Curious Goods." This last is offered to all of their friends and allies here. Though it's not the first time that everyone has come to the shop, most are new to it. But even amid this blasted warzone called Seattle, it feels like something akin to home, or at least a safe place to stay.