089. Bingo

Sophia and Patches investigate the Vampire menace while Braum announces his news.

## Bingo

### Play of the Game:

Scott as Braum, for managing to survive every single social landmine he personally hid.

***"Fate has a way of seeming like it can be manipulated. As can I."***

As Sophia oversees the rebuilding of Heart's Light, Patches finishes building the pocket loom for High Queen Lenore. Braum arrives back at The Spark to find his motley mates and Claude gathered in the Exhaust, and excitedly tells them of his engagement to Kyoko. Patches is congratulatory, but Claude sasses him hard for not allowing Kyoko to bear her own news to him as well. Braum tries to fix his error by asking all of the residents of the Spark to a dinner that evening where they will both share their announcement, and then goes off to apologize to Kyoko.

Sophia and Patches take Duke Granville, still only "Graham", from Dr. Sayley in order to have him re-enchanted. En route, they both receive calls from the SPVM's Constable Jones, who ask them to come in to a nearby police station for interviews about the incident at Riverside Designs. Re-awakening Duke Granville, they explain the events of the last few days to him: the Duke is surprised that Heart's Light was able to be attacked at all; its magical protections must have been sabotaged. But by whom? Or what?

When Braum apologizes to Kyoko for having let slip their news to Patches and Claude, she is relatively understanding, but suggests that Braum tell the two people who "most deserve to know": Claire and Kay. The troll calls his ex-wife to set up a meeting to tell her, and ends up inviting himself and Kyoko over for lunch. Braum is despairing: why can't his good intentions and directness ever help his situation?

Patches and Sophia head down to the precinct to be interviewed, Patches in an informal setting, and Sophia in a very cold, clinical and banal one. Constable Jones, the interviewing detective, is simply trying to get to the bottom of the fire at Riverside Designs: was Patches there when it happened? Did Sophia *really* not hear anything other than the fire alarm at the time of the incident? What are their relationships with Jigg Grifter? He seems suspicious of their stories, but lets them go without incident. They are joined outside by an old friend, Pasebakhaenniut, who takes them out for a coffee to get them up to speed on what he knows. Since the Garou are hunters of the Wyrm, he's been keeping a careful eye on the events of the architecture firm. He doesn't believe that the vampires from Abford Pharma were actually involved, but rather a group he refers to as the "Sabbat". He warns them that these Sabbat are creatures who don't have the same desire to stay hidden from mortal eyes, which makes their magic all the more dangerous. Also, because he has a compulsion to exterminate these creatures of darkness, he suggests Patches and Sophia undertake a "judicial" mission to see what they can learn.

Braum and Kyoko have lunch with Claire and the boys, which is going relatively well until Claire and Braum are left alone to talk. He reveals that he and Kyoko are indeed engaged, and she seems very surprised, given the age difference. It's like she doesn't even know him any more…. Braum tries to explain that the two of them bonded over the loss of someone close to them, but refuses to name Kay. Claire hardens, drawing away from Braum, and the troll leaves, dejected. On their way to the Old Port, Braum explodes, furious at himself for screwing up another relationship. The police siren behind him interrupts his thoughts, but Kyoko uses her nature to send the police officer away without giving Braum a ticket. She's always got his back, but maybe it's time he let her help him more.

Pasebakhaenniut accompanies Patches and Sophia to Heart's Light, passing along a trinket to Patches that will, when broken, allow her to call him to her location "in a hurry". He sniffs around the grounds of Heart's Light and discovers traces that vampires were there. He is absolutely horrified to learn that they did some sort of blood magic on the grounds, which may have defeated the Changeling defenses there. They hurriedly agree that he will bring his pack to the freehold to secure it for the night, and that the motley is on the case!

Braum and Kyoko end up in Montreal's Old Port, near the fountain where he and Kay swore their Oath of True Hearts. Both of them speak to Kay, with Kyoko telling her that she gets to be happy with Braum, what Kay always wanted. They both agree that they didn't replace her in their hearts, but rather made them bigger to accommodate more love. And as they leave, Braum whispers to the fountain "I still love you,"….