21:55 <Crion> When and where is the first time that Stewart steps out into public on April 7, 2020 without any of his hearthmates? Is Lauren with him? 21:57 <VoxPVoxD> Probably going grocery shopping in the afternoon after the stream. Assuming the weather's nice, he suggests Lauren come stretch her legs. 21:59 <VoxPVoxD> We're far enough into the league life cycle now that Stewart isn't bleeding too badly to take a break between the regular morning/early afternoon stream for stayhomes, students, the european crowd, and the evening streams he tries to do when night work or social life don't interfere. 22:01 <Crion> Depending on his security regimen, memory, and general sense of paranoia, then, Stewart may not actually be surprised to find the hangdog Kentucky fixer who didn't give a name leaning against the trunk of his car with his arms crossed. The man's a long way from riverside, and doesn't look very kingly. He's got his arms crossed and is staring somewhere past Stewart, into his blindspot as he 22:01 <Crion> and Lauren walked out the front door of the apartment building, down the side alley. 22:03 <Crion> And that's where the voice comes from: "You will have to take on faith, I think, and I know that can be quite a lot to ask these days...but believe me: us meeting like this, it is the best of a litany of bad options." 22:03 <Crion> *take it 22:03 <VoxPVoxD> Oh shit. That was today, wasn't it. He's slightly startled, but it blends into his naturally slightly-startled demeanor. "Afternoon," says Stewart behind his mask. He shades a step or two to put himself between the Riverside King and Lauren. 22:09 <Crion> Well, Stewart will immediately be able to tell it wasn't the Riverside King talking. This voice was European, though not a continental accent. It would seem the Parson attended English public school. Meaning, one of the really private ones. He stands in the mouth of the alley, considerably older and smaller than in the artist's rendition from Prague -- but then, he does appear to be a Wizened. 22:09 <Crion> He is flanked by a Beast smoking a cigarette, wearing a bandana, jeans, and a Q shirt, and what appears to be a plague doctor. Difficult to tell the Mien there. Probably Darkling. 22:09 <VoxPVoxD> ... 22:10 <VoxPVoxD> "...Good to finally meet you." 22:13 <Crion> The Parson: "Oh, I doubt that." It's not said with menace or bravado but a strange sort of long-suffering detachment. "Introductions are not necessary for myself, or yourself, or the young lady, or this misadventure's tour guide, so you might as well hit these two with that MTV contract you Americans are all so fond of. It will, at least, settle a bet." 22:14 <VoxPVoxD> "Sure." First the Parson, then the Beast, then the plague doctor. 22:21 <Crion> The Parson -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6te4xieQDg Would you want to see, if seeing meant that you would have to believe? 22:23 <Crion> Baron Nothing -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHiqn4z-1Wk You don't wanna see these guys without their masks on, or their gloves. 22:24 <Crion> Vice Princip -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_T7bD4pAlE Nothing to be sorry for into the fight, nothing to be sad about. 22:25 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart smiles ruefully. "Can I ask what the bet was?" 22:30 <Crion> Something from the Continent rasps behind the mask: "The value proposition of yours. How would you value the ante Glamour, I asked? Marginal, yes, but meaningful. I suspected you would forego it; Princip said learning what godsforsaken pop music that gaudy, spiritually-goblin contract had assigned to the indeliable, immortal soul of Man this month was too 'cool' to pass by. The Parson, of 22:30 <Crion> course, spoiled the bet by mentioning its existence before your decision point, thus influencing it. In that way he still serves God." 22:31 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "I think of it as a gesture of courtesy rather than a tactical concern. We don't live and die in seconds, not by attrition." 22:31 <VoxPVoxD> *We live 22:32 <Crion> The Parson's eyes narrow slightly behind his spectacles. The Baron's expression is, of course, totally unreadable. 22:33 <Crion> The Baron: "I think of everything as a tactical concern." 22:33 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "I imagine that's served you well." 22:34 <Crion> The Parson: "The point is somewhat mooted by the fact no one here right now wants to start a fight." 22:35 <Crion> Princip, sadly, wistfully: "Yeah." 22:35 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah. But you're also not just out here taking the air of Locust Point." 22:35 <VoxPVoxD> "What's on your minds?" 22:35 <Crion> Lauren: "...That's good, but I still dialed the scramble number on my phone. You've got maybe 10 minutes." 22:36 <VoxPVoxD> More than enough time to kill us if that's what they came here to do. But then they wouldn't have announced themselves. 22:37 <Crion> The Parson: "I was wondering how you and your friends became...you and your friends. The young lady excluded, of course; I mean your motley." 22:37 <Crion> Lauren: "I have a name." 22:37 <Crion> The Parson: "And I suspect you would find it quite offputting if I were to have walked out from this alley using it with familiarity." 22:38 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "It was always going to be offputting. We can be offputting and respectful, can't we?" 22:40 <VoxPVoxD> "But I don't know the answer to your question. That decision was made over my head. Maybe that's answer enough for your purposes." 22:51 <Crion> To Stewart: "You see, ever since I got the summons, really, but especially ever since I've arrived on this side of that dreadful ocean, I've been unable to put the feeling out of my mind that someone's trying to pull someone over on me. What in the world was Proctor doing in Baltimore of all places with a fresh gang of nitwits instead of his usual team, and where did this super-group of 22:51 <Crion> fresh-off-the-bough hitters come from that could not only get the commission to handle Proctor over whoever was usually provided by your Freehold tithe and tax at work, but who would do so while withstanding the casual visitation of one of the Titled?" 22:52 <Crion> "And so I've asked this of my esteemed augurs. But it appears the ram and pig entrails are silent. Or worse." 22:54 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "I know about as much as you do. It does feel a little deliberate, but I couldn't say at whose deliberation." 22:55 <Crion> Princip: "Did you guys even notice about the Dodges? I gotta ask." 22:55 <Crion> Baron: "They did not. Because it was moronic." 22:56 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Sorry." 22:56 <VoxPVoxD> "So you don't know anything about why you're out here either? Except that it's over what happened to the Proctor?" 22:57 <Crion> The Parson half-turns to give the two a look. Princip looks kind of disappointed in both Parson's censure and Stewart's reply, but doesn't elaborate further. 23:02 <Crion> The Parson: "Oh no, the orders were very clear. We were supposed to kill the five of you. Which is itself bizarre, if you think about it for even a moment. I've simply decided that the order is illegitimate and that I'm not obligated to execute by the oaths I've sworn. And so far..." He raises his arms to indicate the beautiful, 68 degree spring day around them. "The sun continues to shine 23:02 <Crion> on you, us, and the plague." 23:03 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Weird." 23:07 <Crion> The Parson: "And worthy of further study." He takes a step back into the alley. "Another time, another time; for all things there is another time. A famous bit of Scripture, from the King Theodric Bible. Or was it Balthazar? In any event. This was a courtesy call for, I imagine, all our peaces of mind; that shotgun of Anthony's looks quite terrifying and I want no part of it in a straight 23:07 <Crion> fight. But I doubt we're done here." 23:07 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "See you around. Enjoy the pestilence." 23:09 <Crion> The Baron inclines his head as if that reminds him of something. "Refrigeration trucks." He turns to Princip as they leave, continuing some earlier conversation. "They're going to stack them like cordwood in refrigeration trucks. Not throw them in dumpsters." 23:10 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart grimaces. 23:12 <Crion> Some Riverside King goes wordlessly with them, giving Stewart a somewhat indecipherable grimace as he does -- was it "sorry from bringing them to your home?" was it "yeah they really dress like that?" was it just that he'd learned his contract had been extended? -- and not forty-five seconds later, cars roll up and Gerald, Canterbury, and a Summer or two pop out. 23:13 <VoxPVoxD> Nice to see Canterbury in the neighborhood again. 23:13 <Crion> Just as quickly they're off into the Hedge and calling for Jackie to meet them there, but...well, we're transitioning to the next scene here so, you can imagine how well that worked out for them. 23:14 <VoxPVoxD> What the fuck is going on?