So, did you get that viral video that's been going around?

[hyperpsyche.livejournal.com]

Who: Ren, Ray, Chase, Song
What: A brainstorming session over Josiah's cryptic email--okay, so three out of four of them are cursed, but really, the odds aren't that bad, right?
When: August 26, mid-afternoon
Where: Ren'a apartment in Radiant Garden
Status: Ongoing

Fun fact: it was far more difficult than it seemed to open the lock on Ren's front door without any hands or other extremities. It had taken way more time than Ren would like to admit to butt the latch open, but at least the others would be able to get inside once they came over.

Now all there was to do was wait and ponder some more about Josiah's message. Ren had played it again before tackling the door, making note of any clues she might have missed last night. There still wasn't much she could decipher that hadn't already been brought up before, but maybe with four relatively fresh minds looking at it, they'd all have better luck today.

Comments

[seolearo.livejournal.com]

"I've been wondering, actually, if the talisman might be what really allows Calum to possess him," Ray said thoughtfully. "I know it's a little far-fetched, but looking at some of the things they had at Star Market, it wouldn't surprise me. And if that's it and we get the talisman away from him, than Calum might not be such a threat anymore."

She smiled. "Whatever the case, Josiah did say we need to get it, so doing that must help somehow. You can leave that to me, once this curse is over."

[apollo-chase.livejournal.com]

Chase wasn't so sure about that - but then again, she wasn't optimistic by nature. She considered herself a realist just because she learned a long time ago never to get her hopes up only for them to come crashing down. She shook her head at Song. "I don't know...maybe you have more faith in her than I do."

She paused, thinking about the talisman again. "Maybe it doesn't mean anything at all...but what exactly is the talisman? I think it's made out of copper...and something green. Does it have any carvings or anything?" She was rambling and took a breath, collecting her thoughts. "I just want to know what its magical properties are. It could be nothing, but maybe if we found something that could work against it..."

[songbird9.livejournal.com]

Song let the subject of Lilith's loyalties drop. She barely understood the succubus herself, but... she still trusted her. And she believed that by trusting her, she encouraged Lilith to prove trustworthy. An almost paradoxical loop.



Her writing was getting sloppier in her haste. The inconvenience of this curse was starting to annoy her.

[hyperpsyche.livejournal.com]

"Fair enough," Ren said after reading Song's message again. She was used to reading messy handwriting--her grandfather's was atrocious, and how many times had her teachers and parents gotten on her case about her own penmanship?

"So how do we... wait..." She turned toward Ray, regarding her curiously. "What do you have in mind?" she asked warily.

[seolearo.livejournal.com]

"That's right, we don't have time." The smile widened and she chuckled softly. "Don't worry about me, Ren. Remember who you're talking to, yeah? I'm just crazy enough to pull this off. You just have to trust me."

[apollo-chase.livejournal.com]

Chase just nodded, too tired to argue. She had her reservations, of course, but if Song wanted to trust the demon...well, that was what she wanted to do.

"Getting the talisman...yeah, that should be fun," she mused aloud. "Maybe we should distract him with MST 3000. That distracts everyone."

More lame jokes. God, she was tired.

[songbird9.livejournal.com]

Song brooded over her notebook, but wrote nothing more. If Ray was going to handle the talisman, than she could do it however she saw fit. There didn't seem much need for any more suggestions. At least they were on the right track...

Song was just tired of being nearly powerless against their enemy, and it was something she didn't know how to change.

[hyperpsyche.livejournal.com]

Right, that was so very reassuring. Still, it wasn't like Ray couldn't take care of herself, and she did have her own magic on her side. "Just come back in one piece, all right?" Ren asked, deciding to go ahead and trust her.
"Okay, so we'll figure out our next step after we get the talisman. In the meantime, we'll talk to Riku and find out what he has to say about this," she noted.

A quick glance at the sofa told her that Chase was looking pretty drained, and Song seemed satisfied with where they stood now. "I have one last question, and then we'll wrap up?" Ren asked the others. "What should we do if something goes wrong? Say Calum attacks again, or getting the talisman fails? ...No offense, Ray."

[seolearo.livejournal.com]

Ray nodded. "None taken. If something goes wrong - and I expect something will, it always does - we'll probably just have to figure it out as we go. I mean, if Calum attacks again, we can deal with him. If getting the talisman fails..." she paused, not wanting to say what that implied. "Well, if at first you don't succeed..."

She sat up, finally reaching for the hot chocolate. "Seriously, though? I think that would depend on who he attacks. Some of us are capable of taking him on our own, like Brandon did. But if he were to attack, say, you, Ren, you wouldn't really stand a chance, no offense. Only thing I can think of to do about that is either you learn some magic, get some more training in, or stick with someone who can handle it." She shook her head. "I don't know what to say, other than that."

[apollo-chase.livejournal.com]

Chase chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about Ray's words. Yes, Murphy's Law should just be renamed Refugee's Law - anything that could go wrong would go wrong. And with Calum- wait.

"Ray, didn't you say that if Lilith hadn't interferred in Neverland, Brandon would have been killed?" she asked quietly, not liking the implications of the probable answer. "You don't think that maybe Calum's been holding back all of this time, have you? We're going to need some uber tag team effort to get that talisman."

She paused and added with a grimace, "I'd suggest asking Rak since he seems to be a pro at stealing things, but that almost might be a borderline suicide mission."

[songbird9.livejournal.com]

A soft click issued from the direction of Song, her failed attempt at a the "tch" noise that she liked to use as a sort of tisk or scoff.



She snapped her book shut, apparently done with the conversation.

[hyperpsyche.livejournal.com]

"Hah... Believe me, Ray, none taken," Ren muttered. Both of her meetings with Calum had proven that well enough, though she did still wonder what would have happened if she had thrown that mug at his head. Now that she thought of it, though... "I saw him at the Star Market," she told the others. "The creep went and pulled the old fear and guilt trip, saying that 'if I valued the life of a friend, I wouldn't tell anyone about our meeting.' Well, the Market's over now, and how's he going to know unless we tell him?" It was like learning in elementary school about how to deal with abusers all over again. "At least he's suffering the same indignity as the rest of us."

She sighed and rocked back again. "I fully support the tag-team idea. Of course, this won't be like an RPG where he'll wait politely for all of us to have a turn before attacking, but strength in numbers, right? Besides, if some of us keep him distracted, the rest can go in for the talisman."

She read Song's message aloud one more time, mentally wincing as she snapped the book shut. That probably would have hurt a little had it been her...

[seolearo.livejournal.com]

She shook her head. "I said he might have been killed, but we don't know that for sure. He was holding up pretty well, considering."

She looked down out of habit, as if she were trying to avoid their eyes. "Guys, normally I'm all for this tag-team shit, but I don't think that's the best idea this time. Calum's threatened to kill if someone interferes, so just trust me, okay?" She sighed.

"You remember Luxord. Cheryle, Clover, that whole mess. I can be a snake sometimes. I'm not proud of it, but hey. If I can use it to gain an advantage, then pride be damned, I will. You'd be surprised what I can do with that when I want to... And hey, if it comes to a fight and he kicks my ass, I'll haul tail out of there and to somewhere safe, to a healer if I have to. But I don't see that happening."

Ray hesitated. She didn't want to tell them about her most recent conversation with Calum just yet. She doubted they'd react well to that. "Trust me, guys. I can keep secrets. I can be sneaky. At the very least I can get information. I'll manage. If it comes down to me needing help, I'll ask, but just let me handle it for the time being, alright?"

[apollo-chase.livejournal.com]

Chase winced when Song slammed the book shut - she hadn't meant to say anything that would irk her. But she was nervous - scared that a wrong move on their part, however small, would cost Josiah his life. She couldn't lose one of her best friends, not like this.

"I trust you to do the right thing," she finally said to Ray after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence and shooting Song an apologetic look. "Just be careful, okay?"