THE HEDGE! (Long scene, turns out. Until 23 January!)

Cassidy listened for a moment to the two Mages speak. After a bit though his mind began to trail off. He thought of Tyco and what would happen when they met. He had been dead set on an apology before, but now he really didn;t care. The name still stirred something in him. It made him angry. Maybe it had to do with his connection to the chief? He knew their feelings and goals sometimes bled into each other. Either way, he needed a distraction or he was going to get moody, or fall asleep. He stood from where he was sitting.

"Pardon me, friends."


On his way to the next car he noticed Crus primping and making herself up. This train was amazing! He had never seen anything so beautiful. His Dad and him used to build model trains together. God, the things dear old dad would say if he could see this! He'd be so proud that all those times of model making led to little Cas repairing something so beautiful. Cas smiled with pride. He really loved working on things. Almost as much as he loved feeding people... Hey! That was a thought!

"I'm gonna see if there's a chow car! If dere is I'll whip us all something up!"


With that he left the car. He was sure there would be plenty of interesting things to poke around in and check out on the way. Maybe he could find something useful. There were a lot of hedge creatures on the train. Maybe there had been some Sin Eaters too? Why else would they have a drink that affected his synergy. Either way even he knew it would be dumb not to at least look around a bit before making the party some grub.

(Nat 20 on a empathy + presence roll for a total of 29) 

        Ysolda gives Cass a rather pointed look as he leaves, like she knows exactly what's going through his head. Is she sensing his thoughts? Just an expert at reading facial expressions and body language? Is it just a bluff, or something else entirely?

        There is, indeed, a dining car, just a little ways down. Pretty well stocked, all things considered; though everything is preserved, nothing fresh. Still, you can do a lot with canned goods, salted meat and full spice cabinet. Speaking of the seasonings... while poking around in the cabinet, you find something that definitely doesn't belong.




You don't know what it is, but you can feel the touch of plasm ALL over it.

---

        Back by the bar, Ysolda regards Cinnamon kindly. Visions revealed her as a leader, a chieftain. She is a proud warrior, yes, but also a wise sage, and that aspect is apparent now in posture, gaze, and tone of voice. Placing a hand on Cinnamon's shoulder and looking her square in the eye, she says, "You want to know a secret, young one? It's something you won't hear many mages admit to; we're all lost, and we have been since Atlantis. You're a cut above most of us - you know you're lost, you admit to it. That shows wisdom. You also know it's all connected, something the brightest minds, both Sleeper and Awakened, have trouble with. You need direction, certainly... but you don't need to have it given to you. You found your way through the Hedge! Surely you can find your way here. What do you have within you? You have your mind, you have all you've seen... and you have the Wyrd. The Wyrd is far older, and knows far more, than any of us. Not everything in the Hedge is hostile. Surely there is some story you've heard, some legend no doubt real, that walks its passages and speaks truths long forgotten? Or perhaps some token, its purpose long forgotten, that serves only as curiosity now? The wise are not so because they have all the answers; they are wise because they know to ask the right questions for the answers they seek... and if they don't get it right the first time, they keep asking." She peers at Cinnamon, searchingly, but looks satisfied with what she finds. "I believe you are wise."

As he hands out the bowls Cass listens in on Cin and Ysolda. He has already begun to nod in agreement as he comes to his two conversing friends. He hands Cin her bowl and Ysolda one as she finishes her thought.

"Well, Ysolda you have that right. Cin here is the best of all of us in that regard, eh?"

He looks over at tge changling. A look of respect, and admiration in his eyes. Contrary to what she thinks or what he even thinks of him, Cass thought a lot of Cin.

"Excuse me."

He pardons himself and sits down close by. He hangs the Chief from a window frame so that he can get a good look at the place. Cassidy begins eating.

While he is very happy his thoughtsbsoon stray. He looks at Ysolda. He remembered the look she had given him earlier. He was thinking about Tyco. Could she have known? They had a strong link, like Gutenberg and the rest. Hmmm...

"Well." he trailed off under his breath.

Tyco. He used to be ao angry at him. Still is to an extent, but his name causes more anxiety now than rage. Was this regret? He had learned so much about the strange man since that night. Tyco had been through so much. What he was doing was for his loved ones. Cass knew that now, and how could he stay mad at him for that? Cassidy himself had done aome horrible things in the search of protection for his friends. Cass had only known these people for a short time. Tyco... He had an unimaginable amount of time. Their bond must have been so deep, and strong...

Cassidy could feel the mental slap on the head. He got it now. He realized what the rage was. It wasn't Tyco. It was Cass. Cass was so angry at whatbhe had done, and how he treated his friends. He didn't want to take responsibility so he put it on someone else... He was the one who owed Tyco an apology.

"Ysolda, is Tyco a good person? I know he's done some thigs, but do you feel like he is a good person who can be forgiven?"

Cass looked over bto realize he had said that outloud instead of in his head. That was rude... He was interrupting.

".... Uh, sorry haha."

"Thanks, boss" Arden looks at the bowl of food with hunger, he can't remember the last time he ate so he tucked in.
While he ate the conversation started taking on a personal tone he was a little uncomfortable with, kind of like a guest hearing about family details. The food also reminded him of other bodily functions he had put off for too long.
"Pardon me folks, but i need to find a loo."
(Hmm i wonder if this train has any puzzles in it.)
Manipulation + empathy nat 20 for a total of 24
omnivision with find the hidden horde 24
Arden looks distracted as he walks off trying to find a bathroom.

Ysolda's words hit Cassidy like a ton of bricks, or like one of Joffrey Lupul's famous shoulder checks. Ends to a mean... Yeah, he knew that. It's why he made the deal with Gloria so long ago. Why he damned that soul, why he juiced that hunter downtown, why he helped kill that other changeling. All means to an end. Protecting his friends, chicago, or whatever... Maybe he had more in common with Tyco than he wanted to admit. He laughed to himself a bit. He placed his hands over his face and rubbed a bit before sitting back once again. He placed his hand on the hanging hockey mask. 

"His methods may not have been the best, or even misguided, but his intentions and heart were in the right place, eh? I can respect that."

Cass picks up the Chief and holds it up to his face so that the mask covers half of his face. 

"Thank you."

He smile behind his mask. The token of gratitude came from both Sin Eater and Geist. Cass placed the mask in his lap.

"I've been holding on to a lot of misplaced anger. Learning even a bit more about Tyco helped me let go. Kinda put me in my place too, eh? I just. I don't know. I'm still fresh to this all I guess. Worlds not black and white. Sometimes you gotta be bad to do good. I owe that man an apology."


Cass thinks for a moment, and looks at the necklace again. What was it? It was so strange. Back to Ysolda.

"You lot have been through a lot huh? Getting through all this craziness, the acts and the princes and farmers. Must have been hell sometimes, eh?"

        The Black Locomotive is a bizarre construct; whatever it once was, it's been in the Hedge so long that it's no longer simply iron and wood and cloth and glass. It has a 'mind' of its own, and it too 'dreams', after a fashion. Just being within it strengthens your discipline (bonus success, bringing your total to two). 

        In your dream, you are walking down a long hallway. You come to a door set in the wall - beyond this door is a vast, circular room. The door is locked, but you possess the key. When you open the door, a woman in a blue dress joins you and you continue down the hallway. The scene remains focused upon the door, and as your footsteps fade into the distance, a sinister black shadow emerges from the room...

---

        Ysolda shrugs. "I don't know if I'd say hell. There are some horrid things lurking in the dark. But a lot?" She takes a deep breath, lets it out all at once. "Yeah, it's been a lot. I'm... what, a hundred and fifty now? Something like that. We were all so young when everything started. And we thought," she laughs, "we thought we weren't naive. We had already made mistakes, suffered the sting of Paradox. We believed in caution! We planned carefully! But you know what they say; the Sin of the Awakened is Pride. Every time you think, 'this time, for sure, I've got it!'... you learn how much farther you have to go. I've realized something - well, I think so, anyway. I have a theory; that certainty that so often brings disaster? It's not just a character flaw, it's a sign of fatal weakness. To think such thoughts is to impose limits on ourselves. Only the smallest minds strive to comprehend their limits... and Creation will not answer to the Will of a small mind. To be uncertain is to know no limit, and to be limitless? It is the only path to enlightenment."