Eighty Five: Crime and Punishment

General Summary

This calls for a quest!

  Stepping out of his home Hal meets Moonshine for the first time. It turns out he can’t understand the horse yet until they’ve bonded. The group moves to Hawkstreet 1 to be a little less conspicuous, as there are currently no other tenants there. Once there Hal asks Malak to mediate, and eventually Moonshine comes to a place where he’s ready to ‘give Hal a try’. Edward understands this to be the type of quests superheroes sometimes need to do to come into their power or realise their core bond.   So logically, everyone will be joining Hal as vigilantes for the evening.  

Stop! Dinnertime!

  But first it’s time for dinner. We head over to Malak and Kiasuh’s, where the former goes to wait by the kitchen window to try and give the latter at least *some* notice of Hal’s being there. Cody joins dad there.   Tristan has questions about Hal’s spiritual powers, since he’s started growing some of those himself. Hal explains that the ability to see spirits is a hereditary one for him, though the powers of the Blaze are a separate thing. He produces an amulet from his chest with a blinking eye, called the ‘Eye of Thirza’, which is the source of those. In terms of advice for Tristan, he suggests trying a different sense without seeing at the same time. Get the hang of using one sense at a time first, the rest will come with experience.   Kiasuh is warned as she approaches the home, and upon learning Hal has been watching them grabs the back-up bow. Unfortunately the other fresh face, Edward, is the one who gets the arrow aimed at his face. One flowery intervention later tempers have cooled, and hugs soon follow.   During dinner Tristan ‘officially’ announces the pregnancy to a very ‘surprised’ Kiasuh who definitely ‘didn’t know or suspect anything yet’. More flowers are exchanged. Do we have enough vases lying around for all this?   Malak makes it clear that he won’t be joining the vigilantic expedition this evening, as he needs to introduce Cody to his sister. Naturally, Cody stays behind as well. The others start preparing their costumes and ‘secret identities’. Edward makes spooky masks for everyone to mark the occasion. During this process Ari is let out as well, since Grace intends to observe from above. The feathery friend clearly is not happy with the upcoming changes to his life and looks just about ready to gobble Tristan up, which he considers somewhat problematic.  

Meeting his sister

  With peace returning to the house, the Ishims take a little breather. Malak lets Kiasuh know he’s agreed to go to dinner with his mother and new step-father tomorrow. Kiasuh suggests they bring Cody. It’s around this time they realise their conversation is not as private as they thought, as a little mouse jumps from Cody’s pocket and turns into Princess Corinne. Cody had not said anything before due to Hal’s presence (and probably forgot after). After some quick hugs, Corrine shifts again to go spy on the vigilantes and let the family do their family things.   Malak takes Cody upstairs but stops him outside Myranna’s bedroom door. He explains that she’s stuck asleep the same way Griff is, and has been for many years. Going in after this, Cody approaches her very gently and carefully. He introduces himself, and says he will always protect her. He also tells her to find Griff if she ever needs help in there.   After meeting his adoptive sister, Cody leaves. Malak goes on to inform Kiasuh about our recent exploits and dealings with less favorable members of the church. He also informs her about what he’s learned regarding Myranna’s role in things to come, and how it means she won’t be coming back to them. It’s a lot for Kiasuh to take in, and she asks Malak if their daughter chose this or had it forced on her. He doesn’t have the answer (though he believes she chose it), and the two decide that they will visit their daughter that night.  

Let’s Get Dangerous!

  The vigilantes have donned their disguises and assumed their temporary new persona’s. The Traveler (Vence), Trash Ghost (Edward) and Bat-Man (Tristan) join Hal and Moonshine on their quest to find crime (and who knows, maybe even stop it). Around midnight they find themselves passing an alleyway near some less reputable establishments, where they notice someone being yanked into said alleyway. Hal moves in, and the others follow. Vence shoots a fairy fire into the darkness which illuminates several robbers and the victim. After Moonshine is given a rapier, he and Hal lead the charge and a fight breaks out.   The robbers are by no means a match for the seasoned adventurers. Edward takes one of them out with a single shot, and pulls up his House of Cards around the rest. With the robbers sufficiently distracted, Tristan decides to instead make sure the victim is okay, offering them some comfort and healing. Vence charms the remaining perps into coming out of the House of Cards in a calm and orderly fashion. Hal then takes out a lasso to round them up.   When he does, everyone starts to hear the sounds of Moonshine neighing, as well as the sound of hoofs imitating a heartbeat. A bright blue light shines from Hal’s chest and soon enough he and Moonshine fully transform into The Blaze.   The Blaze looks the criminals into their eyes and strikes fear into them, which knocks them out. The horse leaves a horseshoe brand as the rider picks up the perps, and they then ride off and disappear into mist.  

The Royal Rodent

  The intrepid vigilantes’ musings on what to do next are swiftly interrupted by a very excited princess Corinne, exclaiming that that was ‘so cool’! While Tristan is happy to see her and lets her know he actually wanted to talk to her about something, Grace is decidedly less so since the princess shouldn’t be out of the palace on her own like this. Before Corinne departs, she asks if she can pet Serpentor. He allows it since he can feel the essence of a god on her.   Once they’re alone again, Edward makes it clear he wants to continue fighting crime that night. Tristan has had enough of it for the moment, and would rather go home with Grace. Vence decides to stick with Edward, and the two dimension door out.  

Barbarians really put the ‘Slam’ into ‘Slam poetry’

  While Grace and Tristan, after ditching his disguise, make their way back home, they notice that several people from nearby taverns are pointing in their direction. As these people soon approach, it appears they are familiar with Tristan’s ‘slam poetry’ (much to his confusion and chagrin) and want some autographs. Tristan asks how they know his face, and the woman he’s talking to, Sandy d’Deneith, shows him a recording that was made of his performance on her House Console.   Grace is able to find the recording herself as well on her own Console. When she tries to end the encounter, the fans ask who this woman is. Tristan tells them Grace is his fiancee, which does little to minimize the amount of daggers that are being stared. As the couple walks away, Tristan muses how this is not at all how he’d have wanted his ‘coming out’ as a Bard to go.   While on the way, they also briefly discuss Ari’s increased jealousy/hostility towards Tristan, and who already knows about the twins. Specifically his sister he’d much prefer to tell himself if he can manage to speak with her. They also talk about how to tell Griff and Cissa. Finally Tristan admits he’s unsure what to do about his father. Grace suggests letting him find out on his own in due time as a taste of his own medicine.  

Reunion

  Malak and Kiasuh decide to move their mattresses into Myri’s room for the Dreaming. Once the spell is cast, they end up in a dream of Kiasuh’s; a memory from the war. Medics and Clerics rush into a recent battlefield, Kiasuh runs in too to start helping. As she does so, Malak sees Myri appear behind her. Once Kiasuh realises she’s there, she hugs her daughter. Before long it turns into a full family hug. During the hug they shift into Myri’s dream, a silver blaze all around them.   As Malak asks Myri about what’s coming, she counters by asking what he’s learned. He relays our recent findings in the crystal cave near Woodhelm, to which she says it’s a relief that he knows. She asks her father if he’s mad about her choice. Of course he isn’t.   Myranna explains that this is not the kind of thing that can be forced on to someone. A willing sacrifice is required. It’s a choice she’s had to make for herself. Tula appears at that point, and kneels beside Myri. Malak says that he’d understood that Tyra fought in ‘our’ world, and because of that he’d hoped the same would be true for her, but Myri explains that Tyra never did.   Malak realises this means Myranna will likely never return to the waking world before becoming the new Silver Flame. He’s sad about this, of course, but also proud. Myranna says she’s scared about what’s coming, even if she’s willing to do it. Malak admits he’s scared too, but there is nothing wrong with that.   He asks if she heard her brother earlier. Myri (jokingly) asks what the fuck is up with that. The exact situation is explained, and she’s glad her parents won’t be alone. Malak also says he’d take her place if he could. She knows this, as Tula’s been keeping her informed. Tula at this point decides to leave to give the family some space.   Myranna asks how long they can stay. Due to the nature of the spell they can stay all night, and so they do. The family catches up, sharing stories, memories. Eventually Malak asks if she’s ever heard of someone called ‘She who keeps the Loom’. She hasn’t, but wonders if a place called Loomkeep might be related.   Malak asks if there are any messages Myranna wants to send. To Dallean: ‘grandma always scared me a bit, tell her I love her’ To Cody: ‘Hi… you better take good care of mom and dad, or I’ll smite you! Hugs.’   Myri learns that Cody is a Sky King, which she thinks is pretty cool. She asks Malak if he’s ridden Ash before. He has… though he wasn’t technically conscious at the time. She’s happy to learn this means Cody has already been protecting him. Smiting is postponed until further notice.   As Malak and Kiasuh wake up after saying their goodbyes, briefly he hears the tune of the Flight of the Silverbird in his ear.  

We came, we watched…. yeah mostly we just watched

  Edward and Vence continue trying to fight crime until the wee hours of the night. Mostly though, they get to see the Blaze doing good work, leaving nothing for them to do themselves. Eventually they find their way to Cissa’s apartment to spend the night.