1. ManOrAstroMan

    ManOrAstroMan Magical Space Detective Contributor

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    LIBRIS - Protecting Happy Ever After

    Discussion in 'Role Play' started by ManOrAstroMan, Aug 10, 2016.

    LIBRIS: Once upon a time, we had to kick some butt.

    Stories are meant to help us understand our world. Unfortunately, the stories understand us too well. Stories are alive. They're causal parasites, pseudo-intelligent patterns of events, looking for a place to happen. Most are harmless, like the shopping cart with the squeaky wheel you always seem to get, or the glasses you can't find because they're sitting on your head. Strange little events that happen, give color to the mundane, and are over, before repeating with someone else. Other stories, though, shouldn't happen to anyone.

    Enter LIBRIS: the Literary Incursion Bureau of Research, Investigation, and Security. We protect humanity from becoming a series of stories. Sure, most have happy endings, but how many grandmothers have to be eaten, orphan girls abused, kingdoms cursed to sleep for a century, before Happily Ever After? And that's assuming reality doesn't get in the way. People can't sleep for a century. They die, long before that. Fairy tales are serious business.

    Who We Are and What We Do

    LIBRIS monitors the world, watching for signs of Literary Incursions. Some are normal people, nowhere on the Memetic Spectrum, but aware of its existence, typically because their lives have been touched by the Narrative without consuming them. Others are Memetic Events--story characters, using what the Narrative gave them save mankind. Contrary to common assumption, not all of our ME members are "hero" characters. Clever Foxes, Shoemaker's Elves, Red Riding Hoods, even Sea Witches have joined the fight against the Narrative. LIBRIS needs good agents to ensure a Happily Ever After for everyone. Do you have what it takes?


    The Enchanted Kingdom?
    The game is set in a fictional version of contemporary Saint Louis, Missouri, in the United States. Many real locations will be mentioned, like the Zoo and the Gateway Arch, but we're not going to be too picky about exact streets and such.

    The Index and Classifications

    Literary Incursions and Memetic Events are classified by LIBRIS using the Aarne-Thompson Index. Stories follow patterns, most of which have been catalogued in the Index, though more and more variations have been appearing lately, even with new Tale Types occurring. For instance, ATI Tale Type 410 is Sleeping Beauty, a particularly dangerous story, while ATI Tale Type 130 (Bremen-Town Musicians) is relatively innocuous.
    Unfortunately, the Index is incomplete. Works considered to be fairy tales, such as The Little Mermaid or the Wizard of Oz, were not included on the original Index, since they were original works, not born of oral tradition. The upside is that they are new enough that, as their presence in the collective unconsciousness of humanity causes them to become part of the Narrative, their source material can be readily called upon to handle Literary Incursions.

    A great resource on the Index:
    http://www.mftd.org/index.php?action=atu

    Memetic Events, the people made into characters of these stories, are classified not only by their ATI Tale Type, but by the depth of their immersion into the Narrative. This immersion ranges from Level 0, not on the spectrum at all (sometimes called NPCs or Townsfolk), to Level 5, someone who has fully embraced their role in the story, and has a greater effect on reality. Of course, diving into that role not only gives them greater magical power, but strips them of their ability to act outside their role. Some manage to straddle the line between real human being and fictional archetype, but it's tough, and there's always a choice to be made.

    ME Levelsb
    Level 0 - "NPCs" or "Townsfolk". Zeroes are ordinary people, not on the spectrum at all. They tend to avoid Narrative influence, and are fairly resistant to enchantment.
    Level 1 - Potentials. Level 1s are people whose situation fits the at least a few requirements to become ME's. A person's name, appearance, job, circumstances of birth--there are many factors, almost too many to predict. For one reason or another, these people show up on the Narrative's radar, if only briefly. Most times, there isn't enough there for the Narrative to work with, and they fade back to level 0 without requiring LIBRIS intervention.
    Level 2 - Activated. Somehow, the Narrative found a way to push these people towards a story, though there hasn't really been opportunity for things to really get rolling. This is when LIBRIS really looks at the situation and makes a judgment call, and a story is easiest to avert, if necessary. Many ME's, if pushed past this level, can't recede any further.
    Level 3 & 4 - ME's at this level have been irrevocably changed by the Narrative, for good and bad, the difference being to what degree. ME's can go back and forth between level 3 and 4, but not move further back on the scale, though many find themselves clinging to level 4. Level 4 is as deep into the role an ME can go, while remaining themselves.
    Level 5 - Full Immersion. When an ME has gone to level 5, they have fully embraced their role in their story--though some say the role has consumed them. They lose their personal identity and become the role, unable to act in ways outside the role. An ME can drag themselves out of full immersion, back to level 4, but it's so difficult as to be nearly impossible.

    *Keep in mind that many roles will change an ME more than others. An Aladdin or Dancing Princess will not face the same struggles as a Bridge Troll or a Frog Prince. Full Immersion into a role such as the Bremen-Town Musicians might even be encouraged, as it is one of the few stories with a genuine happy ending without bloodshed.



    THE WEIGHT OF REALITY
    ~or~
    MAGIC SCHMAGIC

    The Narrative seeks to rewrite reality as we know it. It does this mostly in small, subtle ways. Sometimes...not so subtle. But reality has a weight, an inertia. It's hard to shift without a lot of power or a lot of leverage. The latter is considerably easier to achieve.
    The Narrative can stack the deck and weight the dice, nudging events to suit its purposes. It nudges people, too, whispering in their ears. Whether it's the angel or the devil on your shoulder depends on the circumstances.

    The powers available to ME's work the same way. Those abilities which nudge probability or influence behavior are easy enough to use: the Pied Piper's musical control over animals, Chicken Little's ability to sway the emotions of a crowd, or Goldilocks' ability to bypass home security. Most of these can be used without dipping too deeply into the story.
    Other abilities, though, defy reality too greatly, and the cost of breathing fire or flying is giving yourself over to the Narrative and allowing it to change you.

    An example character:
    Name: Humbert Malcolm Fenric
    Age: 30
    Position: LIBRIS Field Agent, Team Leader
    Type/Level: Big Bad Wolf, Level 4 (Tale Active/Averted). Originally activated as a 124 (Three Little Pigs), but the Narrative can drag him into any dog- or wolf-related story.
    Physical: White; approximately 6'6", 230 lbs, and solidly muscled. Black hair, threaded with silver, golden eyes, noticeably fang-like teeth, angular features, and overactive follicles. Tapping into his role's power tends to make him look even more bestial. Pre-activation, he looked like a rather delicate and sweet lad, often compared to a puppy.
    Dresses in simple black suits and ties, trying to look like a stock Hollywood Fed, but usually ends up looking more like a Mafia hitter. The tinted lenses he often wears to disguise the unnatural color of his eyes don't help.
    Skills: a fully trained agent, with the necessary investigative education, firearms and self-defense training. Pre-activation, was studying to become an actor.
    Powers:

    *Animal-keen senses, particularly hearing and smell, though his eyesight is still better than that of the average human.
    *Enhanced physical capabilities; not exactly superhuman, but a bit stronger and faster than is typical for someone of his size and build. Tapping into the role can enhance this further.
    *"Huff Puff"-- able to take a deep breath and expel a destructive gale, capable of damaging property. REQUIRES REACHING INTO THE ROLE AND RISKING LEVEL 5 STATUS. EMERGENCIES ONLY.
    Flaws:

    *Hunger. Wolves always have huge appetites, and not necessarily for food. Humbert chooses to buy a lot of pork products to avoid becoming *that* sort of Wolf.
    *Silver. Though not actually a werewolf, the modern interpretation of the Wolf as a lycanthrope means he can be seriously hurt by silver weapons.
    *Sensory Overload. It's not unheard of for criminals to use overpowering smells and sounds to debilitate Wolves.
    *Instincts. Territorial aggression and drive to hunt and kill are tough for him to ignore
    History/Personality: Originally a sweet boy with dreams of stardom, he studied acting, though his delicate build would limit possible roles. His name seemed a hindrance, too, so he started going by his middle name. Then came the Bacon brothers, three greedy and corrupt contractors who build dangerously shoddy homes. So shoddy, in fact, his grandfather actually died because floor joists gave way and collapsed. The third brother, though, had built a fortress of legal loopholes and bribed officials around them, protecting them from prosecution.
    The Narrative, already having it's eye on Humbert "Mal" Fenric, pushed his frustration and anger into blind rage, driving the young man to take the fight directly to the brothers. Though the Bacons were so unimpressed with the angry, yet small and meek youth they let him in, the Narrative actually triggered a physical transformation, hulking him out, adding height and mass before their eyes. They fled, of course, but he pursued. Two of their homes were destroyed by the time LIBRIS was able to intervene. Their arrival was timely, since Humbert would have been fated to die horribly while breaking into the third Bacon home. LIBRIS covered up the real cause of the destruction. The Bacons were discovered to have bricks of cocaine stored in their homes for sale, and were jailed. Fenric was swept away, ostensibly on a vacation to cope with the death of his beloved grandfather, and his sudden growth was explained away as the result of tumors on his pituitary and thyroid glands.
    Of course, LIBRIS couldn't just let an active Wolf out in society, so he was drafted into the agency.
    Humbert was always a sweet, affectionate young man, though his activation has turned him a bit gruff and bitter, angry at his new lot in life, but knowing there's not really anything he can do about it. He's still an actor at heart, playing appropriate parts when dealing with witnesses or local authorities. He tries to be professional and and capable as an agent, holding on to the knowledge that what he is doing is helping others avoid his fate. He also misses the days when he didn't have to shop in the Big & Tall section or spend hours shaving and waxing to be fashionable. And though he'd always preferred well-built men, he often finds himself in close quarters with young ladies.
     
  2. Kingtype

    Kingtype Banned Contributor

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  3. ManOrAstroMan

    ManOrAstroMan Magical Space Detective Contributor

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    A large hand reached out and slapped the button on top of the radio, silencing it. It was the sort with a CD player, which currently held a classical music disk. Humbert Fenric had gotten fed up with the local radio stations. Almost invariably, they chose to play "Hungry Like The Wolf", "Werewolves of London", or "Little Red Riding Hood" whenever he set his alarm, and that was *not* how he wanted to start the day. But, then, neither would you, if you were a recovering Big Bad Wolf.
    His Role in the Narrative had made sure he was big and bad, but he still went through a morning workout routine. It kept him sharp and the discipline kept the Wolf at bay. Then came breakfast, and Humbert allowed the Wolf a little leeway, piling a plate full of eggs, hamsteak, potatoes and fruit.
    After breakfast, Humbert went through his morning ablutions with a sense of resigned determination. He shaved, even though he could watch his scruffy beard regrow within minutes. He neatly combed his hair, even though he could feel it writhe on his scalp, mussing itself. He filed down the points his nails had grown into overnight.
    But then, trying was the point, wasn't it?
    Then, he got dressed. Much of his wardrobe were simple black suits, crisp white shirts, black ties, and shiny black shoes. Humbert would have preferred a softer, more casual look, but the black-suited agent of a mysterious government bureau was a story of its own, and a layer of insulation between Humbert and the Narrative.
    The Narrative.
    The Narrative started all of this, turned him from a slightly built youth with dreams of stardom into an embodiment of primordial fear. Then, he'd been basically drafted to fight the Narrative. And when the Narrative couldn't be stopped, LIBRIS tried to safely deliver a Happy Ending.
    Neatly dressed, yet looking like a Mafia hitter, rather than a Fed, Humbert put on the last piece of his uniform, a pair of glasses with colored lenses to help disguise the bright gold of his eyes.
    It reinforced the hitman look.
    With a sigh, he locked up and got into his car, with its bulletproof and charmproof glass and mirrors, and headed to work, bracing himself for what was waiting.
     
  4. Domino355

    Domino355 Senior Member

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    Jacob woke up from a deep dreamless sleep. He yawned, and got out of bed. He dressed in a grey suit, put on a purple tie, made himself a sanwich, and walked out of the house. He wasn't a man of wandering around. The whole experience took him just over ten minutes.
    His car, a green old Beetle, crimged under his weight. He put it to first gear, and started driving to work. He readied himself for another dull day at the desk. He could not be more wrong.
     
  5. AnonyMouse

    AnonyMouse Contributor Contributor

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    It was a small room. Square. Plain. No windows and a single door that seemed to disappear into the walls when shut. It was illuminated by soft white lighting, giving no mood, no focal point, no aesthetic highs or lows. It was just a space, a dead space into which she was brought three times a week so these so-called ‘doctors’ could pick her brain and figure out what makes her tick.

    After nearly a year of this nonsense, they still hadn’t figured out a thing. But bless them for trying, the poor fools.

    Dr. Fringilla Feiss sat calmly at her table, as she always did, eyes affixed on the door-that-wasn’t-really-there, while she waited for her usual therapist to show up. Oh, but wait, what’s this! The door opened and a frowny-faced fellow swaggered inside, with a portfolio tucked under his arm. This was not her usual therapist. Today was going to be different. She quite liked different.

    “Afternoon, Miss Feiss,” he said as he pulled up a chair and took a seat opposite her. “My name is-”

    “Doctor Henry Jenner,” she said with a cheerful smile. “And, the answer to your next three questions are: ‘no, we’ve never met before,’ ‘no, I can’t read minds,’ ‘and yes, I would like some candy. You’re too kind, sir.’”

    His frown persisted. “I wasn’t going to offer you any candy,” Dr. Jenner said dryly.

    “A pity.”

    An awkward silence settled over the room before he cleared his throat and went on. “Today is going to be a little different…”

    “Tell me something I don’t know,” Feiss muttered.

    “…My name is Doctor Henry Jenner, as you correctly guessed, and I’m the head of-”

    “It wasn’t a guesssss,” Feiss shrugged, “but whatever helps you sleep at night, darling.”

    “No, it was a parlor trick,” he said sternly. “I’ve seen your kind before. You’re a charlatan, a trickster. I’ve seen real monsters and magic, sure, but you…” he wagged a disapproving finger at her, “you’re just a con woman, a phony ME-wannabe. Every day you sit here, in our care, is another day of taxpayer dollars being flushed down the drain.”

    Feiss’s smile slowly melted away. “Is that so?” Her entire demeanor shifted. “Go on…”

    “Maybe you passed me in the halls and spotted my name tag or maybe Doctor Nielson mentioned me. I’m his boss, after all. There’s plenty of ways you could’ve known who I am,” Jenner said. “You’re a fake. If you weren’t here, you’d be telling fortunes in a traveling carnival. You don’t impress me.”

    “My, my, aren’t we sensitive?” Feiss said. “Sad, sad, little man. It hurts, doesn’t it, not being the smartest one in the room? And here I was, thinking we could be friends…”

    His frown became a deep scowl. “As if I’d want to be friends with a leech. Do you have any idea who I am? I’m the head of-”

    “Oh, how wonderful! You’ve gone from denial to anger to bargaining in no time flat,” Feiss said, with enthusiastic applause. “What, still grieving your loss of power, little man? You swaggered in here thinking you would command the room. You thought you were in control, when the fact of the matter is, you need me. I suggest you start acting like it.”

    She leaned across the table and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Your silence and that puppy-dog look on your face suggests you’ve hit the depression stage, so let’s skip straight to acceptance, shall we?” Feiss said. “I humbly accept your offer, sir. I will join this special-task force-whatever you’re putting together… even though I bet it’s not even ‘special.’ I bet you call them all special. I bet you think you’re something special. You’re not! And next time you come to me for a favor, I suggest you bring some goddamned candy!” She pointed to the door. “Now leave the blackmail on the table and get the hell out.”

    Another of those awkward silences fell over the room.

    “The what?” Jenner said.

    “Your folder of blackmail,” Feiss said with a nod to the portfolio. “Leave it here and get lost.”

    “It’s a list of patients I’m going to see today,” Jenner said, sliding the file toward her. Feiss opened it and thumbed through the first few pages. Now it was his turn to laugh. “I guess even you don’t know everything,” he said haughtily.

    She slid the file back to him with a demure expression. “Well… this is awkward.” She suddenly smiled as if they were best friends. “Would you like some candy, sir?”

    “Crazy bitch,” he muttered under his breath as he stood to leave. “Either way, I got what I came for: your consent. I’ve already drafted a shortlist of field agents you can be partnered with. By the end of the day, you’ll be out of my hair and I can get my researchers working on some actual cases, instead of this nonsense. And who knows, maybe you’ll do some good out there.”

    I know,” Feiss said.

    “Yeah, I bet you think you do,” he said as the door slammed shut.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2016
  6. halisme

    halisme Contributor Contributor

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    Ella stared out over the city, drinking her coffee slowly. She normally got some music practice in before she left, but not today. She didn't feel like practicing today. How many people in this damn place would make a deal with me just to make their lives that little bit easier? It was a rhetorical thought. She already knew the answer was all of them. With the right offer, people would do anything. She took another long sip before putting the mug down and getting dress. Dark trousers, plain white shirt, jacket, sensible shoes. She filled her cup with coffee again and carried on drinking, flicking through tv channels till she finished.

    Her had afforded her family a lot of wealth. She made very little herself, earning the standard Libris salary, though her brother would give her enough to keep up her current lifestyle. Considering his wealth and marriage was caused by her, he felt it was fair. She had a fairly large apartment near the city centre. Not in it though, she tried to avoid people just in case. It was also the main reason she took the stairs, who else would want to walk up fifteen floors?

    Her car was a much simpler thing though, nothing flashy. She tried to avoid attention as much as possible, and attempted to seal herself off from the outside world. Windows up, loud music. Both to make sure she'd never hear someone say "I'd give anything for" or "If only".
     
  7. ManOrAstroMan

    ManOrAstroMan Magical Space Detective Contributor

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    Humbert went to his desk and was about to take off his jacket, when Director Putnam called him into his office.
    "Sir?"
    Putnam tried to cooly regarding him over the top of his glasses, but the lenses were simply too large, and the effect was more like that of a stiff neck. "Agent Fenric," he said. "We have a situation which may require your particular talents."
    Putnam handed over a printout, which Humbert read, frowning. "I see," he said. "And my team?"
    "Has been selected for you," Putnam said, frowning, and gave him a few folders.
    Humbert read through these, thick eyebrows raising. "Rabinowicz isn't even a field agent," he said, "and as for the other two--"
    "For once, you and I agree," Putnam said, "but this wasn't my decision. This...arrangement came from on high." Putnam sighed and leaned back in his chair. "It's non-optional."
    Humbert felt his ears trying to twitch in ways human ears couldn't. "Very well, sir," he said, and collected the files, then headed down to Dispatch to speak to Rabinowicz
     
  8. Domino355

    Domino355 Senior Member

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    When Jacob arrived at Dispatch, the department was empty. He looked at the clock. Twelve minutes to eight. Just twelve minutes early, and nobody had arrived. It was typical, really.
    Jacob sat at his desk, just outside Mr Lang's office. He made himself a cup of coffee and waited. Ms June, the other secretary geeeted him with a smile. He smiled back. She was just about the only woman he was on comfortable around, and even that was after a year of accuentance, and as long as their conversations remained perfectly platonic. She did try making a move on him once, and that was enough for even her to try again.
    "Rabinowitz," Mr Lang entered. Jacob looked at the clock. Eight fifteen.
    "Morning, sir," he answered.
    "Why are there files at my desk not sorted and put away like I asked of you yesterday?"
    Because you didn't ask me yesterday, and you know that since you just got here. "Sorry sir," he said. "I'll be right on it sir."
    The files Mr Lang spoke about were different police reports of MEs and potentials around the states. LIBRIS kept tabs on all the national authorities, from the cities' PDs up to the secret service themselves. It was even rumoured that the head of the FBI was an ME, an Evil Queen to be precise.
    Jacob sorted through the files. Most were the usual, no reason to give a second glance. An Old Wize Man suffered a heart attack, a Troll Under the Bridge arrested for mugging an old lady. One of the reports, however, was interesting. Three dead in a car accident. One was nothing to glance at, Level 0 Joe. But the other two; a Hardworking Ant and a Crafty Peasant.
    Jacob frowned down. Something was off about it, and very familiar. He couldn't put his finger on it. He put the file under the Deaths label. Maybe on his lunch break he will look it up. He continued to work when a he noticed somebody standing over him.
    The black suit and glasses implied a field agent, obviously. The man was tall, taller than Jacob, and impressive-looking. His angular features sugfested some kind of canine ME, maybe a dog or something.
    "Morning," he said. "Mr Lang will not be expecting any appointments until twelve, so you will have to come back later Agent..."
     
  9. ManOrAstroMan

    ManOrAstroMan Magical Space Detective Contributor

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    "Fenric," Humbert replied, regarding the sturdy young man at the desk. "Humbert Fenric." He extended a large hand to the Dispatch clerk. "And it's you I'm here to see."
    Humbert held up the files, all reports of MEs, all from relatively harmless stories, all meeting an untimely demise. All filed by Jacob. "I understand you were the one who brought these reports to your supervisor's attention?"
     
  10. Domino355

    Domino355 Senior Member

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    Jacob shook the agent's hand. "Jacob Rabinowitz," he said.
    He looked at the reports in Fenrir's hand. Now he rememberedwhat had bothered him with the last report.
    "Yes, I did. The past month saw a large rise in MEs from harmless stories who died violently. Accidents, crimes, the like. Over three hundred percent. Thought it was suspicious. It's probably nothing though, just a statistical error."
     
  11. ManOrAstroMan

    ManOrAstroMan Magical Space Detective Contributor

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    Fenric gave him a look over his tinted lenses, showing the yellow of his eyes. 'Because coincidences just happen in our business? For what it's worth, you are no longer a LIBRIS Dispatch clerk." He paused, allowing Jacob to react to the statement. "Welcome to the field, Probationary Agent Rabinowitz."
     
  12. Domino355

    Domino355 Senior Member

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    Jacob stood. He was a a head shorter than Humbert, but his muscular build and stone eyes more than compensated for that.
    Well, isn't that the way to keep my ME level under control, sending me off to a field job. And what do you mean probational? Am I under some test?
    "Very well sir, but if you don't mind, I will have to consult with my boss first." he said.
    "No need agent Rabinowitz," Mr Lang's voice came from the intercom. Of course he had every one of his employee's (and rival's) desks bugged. "I just recieved the word from above. You are moving to the field. Agent Fenrir will be in charge of you." Then, forgetting to turn it off, "Slackers, going behind my "
    The slightest hint of a smile appeared on Jacob's face. Then it disappeared just as soon.
    "Okay, sir," he said.
     
  13. ManOrAstroMan

    ManOrAstroMan Magical Space Detective Contributor

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    "Go ahead and move your things to the field offices," Fenric said. "Ms Gosset will show you to your desk. I have a few stops to make." He gave the new agent a hearty slap on the shoulder and steeled himself for a visit with the Doctor.
     
  14. AnonyMouse

    AnonyMouse Contributor Contributor

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    She was usually escorted back to her quarters after these little get-togethers. But, like Doctor Jenner had said, today was ‘different.’ He hadn’t told her to leave. Then again, he hadn’t told her to stay. You would think, by now, they would have learned not to allow me such freedoms, Feiss thought as she stood and smoothed her skirt, as if anyone was around to see. The room was bugged, of course, but was anyone actually watching?

    No. She knew the answer to that question.

    They didn’t trust her. Never did. Probably never will. She was, perhaps, the greatest threat to national security ever conceived. Simply by being here, she compromised every firewall, every security clearance and access code imaginable. She found immense pleasure in that. She wasn’t going to actually do anything with these dangerous secrets, but simply having it put a smile on her face.

    “All your base are belong to meeee,” Feiss whispered to herself as she danced and twirled toward the door. She wasn’t sure where that phrase came from. It just popped into her head. Seemed fitting, considering the circumstances.

    She wrapped her fingers around the door knob. Unlocked, of course, but she already knew that. But the moment she touched it, a delicious little fact surfaced in her mind: in approximately 34.67 seconds, someone was going to walk through this door. A man. A big man. Big and lupine. She didn’t know his name --and, boy, did that piss her off, not getting the full picture-- but she knew he was coming for her. And not in the pitchfork-and-torches sense of the word. He was coming to extend an invitation.

    “Oh, this will be fun,” she said with a devious grin and waited there, with one hand on the knob, as if frozen in time. 29, 28, 27, 26... 10 seconds, nine, eight, seven...

    At five, she snatched the door open and there he was, all six-foot-six stuffed into that awful suit. "Come in, come in," Feiss said with a dramatic sweeping gesture, said the spider to the fly. "Mind the gap, darling. Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea and crumpets? A proper barber?"
     
  15. Erik-the-Enchanter!

    Erik-the-Enchanter! Banned Contributor

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    Jessamine arrived at LIBRIS Headquarters in the way that all good witches and fairy godmothers arrive in fairy tales: unannounced and uninvited. When they are needed, they know and they come. She breezed through the front doors playing Gypsy by Stevie Nicks on her phone with a dreamy smile on her face, swaying gently to the beat. She was wearing a flowing maroon dress with a silky black shawl draped over her shoulders, her old beat-up cowboy boots click-clacking on the polished floor tiles. Two braids framed her glowing heart-shaped face and the rest of her wavy black hair fell loosely to her knees.

    "Good morning, one and all!" Jessamine sang out. She waved her hands over her head and magical sparkles rained down all around her and everyone else in the lobby. Some people stopped and smiled, entranced by the beautiful distraction, while others shook their heads in annoyance and bustled away to do their jobs. With a sigh of contentment, Jessamine turned off her music and strutted down the hall in search of the reason she was here.

    When she came by Jacob's office, Jessamine leaned in and giggled, twiddling her fingers at him. "Hello there, Mr Handsome," she trilled. "Where are you headed? Can I tag along?"
     
  16. Domino355

    Domino355 Senior Member

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    "Please don't leave me," Ms June begged. "I don't want to be alone with Lang."
    Jacob looked uncomfotably over his shoulder. She was helping him pack his things. Seeing the fact that all his belongings fit in one cardboard box, this was probably her excuse to say goodbye to him.
    "I will be back," he said. "This field agent thing is probably not permanent."
    "But you know LIBRIS," she said. "They probably will kust dump you in another department once this is over."
    She lifted his last piece of belonging. It was a photo in a silver frame. Ten children of varying ages, the boys in polo shirts, with long sidelocks, the girls in identically styled dresses, hair pulled back, and their parents, all looking at the camera with joy. He touched what was him once, before his change. Who knew what will be.
    "I will miss you," he said, blushing deeply.
    "Do my ears decive me, or is Jacob Rabinowitz actually saying words of affection," Ms June exclaimed, making him blush even deeper. "Call me when this is all over, big guy."
    They hugged, and Jacob, who just recovered from his embarresment, walked out to find himself face to face with a beutiful woman who called him "Mr Hansome" nontheless.
    "I'm goin to the field offices," he muttered, looking down. "And, sure."
     
  17. ManOrAstroMan

    ManOrAstroMan Magical Space Detective Contributor

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    Fenric inclined his head to the woman. "Doctor Feiss, I presume? I'm Agent Fenric. We have a situation with which we think you could help. What would you say to a little fresh air?" he asked, extending a hand.
     
  18. Erik-the-Enchanter!

    Erik-the-Enchanter! Banned Contributor

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    "Oh, joy!" Jessamine exclaimed. She jumped up and down, clapping like a little girl. "I can already tell this is going to be a great adventure. I was so getting bored of fixing up poor girls with rich men...I mean, I do enjoy making people happy, don't get me wrong...but that story is so common and I needed a change, ya know?" She fell in step with Jacob as they walked along, still swaying as if music was playing that only she could hear.

    "I met this girl named Cindy when I was seventeen, you see," Jessamine said, slinging a wiry arm over Jacob's shoulders. The smell of her sweet perfume washed over him. "I still see her during the holidays and all that, she married my brother, after all. But I should have seen it coming! Her name is Cindy and she's the prettiest blonde I've ever seen and she had an evil stepmother..." Jessamine shook her head and giggled at herself. "I mean, how dense can I be, amiright?"
     
  19. AnonyMouse

    AnonyMouse Contributor Contributor

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    Feiss's nose wrinkled at his question. "I wouldn't say anything at all, I suppose," she replied, mildly offended. She placed a hand dramatically over her heart. "What do I look like, a madwoman who talks to the wind, a deranged lark who carries on conversations with fresh air and cool breezes? You wound me, sir." Her gaze leveled with him for a moment and a smile slowly leaked through until she was back to her cheerful self. "But I forgive you. You did, after all, begin by ackowledging I am needed. Finally, someone with some sense."
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2016
  20. halisme

    halisme Contributor Contributor

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    Ella took a deep breath as she came into work, receiving a text about her assignment and heading to her locker, stepping over several small piles of glitter as she passed through reception. Within it there was a small book, bound in burgundy leather with a black ribbon to act as a bookmark. Only she knew of its existence. Partially because she kept it as secretive as possible, partially because whenever anyone else tried to focus on it they'd get a throbbing headache. On the front of it was a three headed dog, impressed into the leather with flecks of copper around the edge. Within it were her accounts, doubled entries of who owed her what and what she had given to people. She placed it in her pocket, before doing the same with a red pen . Afterwards she attached her holster and slid her pistol into place. One of her items was for when she was allowed to talk, the other was for when she wasn't.

    After that it was time to find the others, her wandering till she found Fenric talking to a prisoner. She decided to wait out of sight, it being her standard mode when not knowing what to do.
     
  21. ManOrAstroMan

    ManOrAstroMan Magical Space Detective Contributor

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    Fenric was, all things considered, about 70% sure Feiss was being sarcastic. Nevertheless...
    "I take that as an acceptance of the position of field agent?"
     
  22. AnonyMouse

    AnonyMouse Contributor Contributor

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    Feiss shrugged. "Sure, why not?" she said, a little unenthusiastically. "I hope this little excursion proves to be intellectually stimulating. So, when do I start? Or should I say, 'when do we start, partner?" She took his hand and gave it a firm shake. "But wait... you said 'we,' which implies plurality, as in more than 'me' and 'you,' therefore there are... 'others.'" She pouted as she released his hand. "I don't play well with others, or so they say. Do we really need them? "
     
  23. ManOrAstroMan

    ManOrAstroMan Magical Space Detective Contributor

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    Fenric found himself smiling a little, flashing fang. "We do, actually," he said. "But I'm sure a woman of your intellect could rise to any possible challenge, couldn't you?"
     
  24. Domino355

    Domino355 Senior Member

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    "Yeah, sure," Jacob muttered back to the woman's constant chattering. "M'name's Jacob by the way. Jacob Rabinowitz."
    They walked through several corridors, up an elevator, until they reached the field offices. Jacob looked around desperately, until he spotted a stern looking young woman, who seemed like she'd kill you if you did as much as look at her. The infamous Ms Gosset.
    "Excuse me," Jacob said. "Jacob Rabinowitz."
    Ms. Gossets eyes seemed to pierce ahole in his chest, which, according to some rumours, she could.
    "Follow me," she said.
    She led him to his desk. It was bigger than his usual space, and had a view of the city. Jacob put down his things, and looked to see if the blonde woman was still there.
     
  25. halisme

    halisme Contributor Contributor

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    "Are you almost done Fenric?" Ella called, her voice raised enough to be audible but not to be a shout. She was a patient woman. She had to be. Half of her power was literally waiting till someone wanted something enough to justify her appearing. She knew about the person in the cell, and decided to stay away for as long as possible. Mostly because she didn't know if it would trigger both their narratives to move forward. And the fact Ella's narrative didn't seem to have an end for her worried her a little.
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2016
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