(IC) Acrewood Chapel, scene 2

[Rukellian]

Catching his breath and looking around, Clarence is a bit puzzled when he finds a house before him in the middle of what seems like no where. He becomes even more confused when he sees a Mercedes pull up.

I didn't even know that a path big enough for a car was in this place, let alone this house. Just was is Mrs. Price-Walters doing here anyways? Looking back over his shoulder one more time, Clarence swallows the lump that was forming in his throat and carefully starts to approach the house from the left side, his curiosity getting the best of him. He moves slowly as he navigates through the debris field and feels confident that he was not spotted.

When he reaches a window to look into, he will do so very carefully, slowly inching his head up.

[Q.Q Elf]

you will have to test Hold Steady to get anything here.

Roll with Cold, Rukellian.

[Rukellian]

[2d6+1] = 9+1 = 10 Well, hello there!

Edit: What does my character see?

[MonkeyWrench]

MonkeyWrench, with that dice result for lashing out, you have a choice.
Seth automatically inflicts 1 harm on Duke, which is a black eye, or a split lip, or any other undeniable damage.

You get an option: Increase the damage by +1 harm, or take a String on Duke. (i don't think the third option applies to a NPC since I don't roll.)

2 harm is a serious injury that may need medical intervention. In this case, it will. A busted arm, fractured jaw, or some other significant bodily damage.

Anyway, let me know.

I was opting for the extra harm

Seth needs to teach Dukey boy a lesson, whether or not he remembers it

And since my last IC post had Seth carrying Victoria home I'd say that is a pretty good resolution. I will move myself over to Scene 3

[Metal Fatigue]

Assuming the Dark Power is Mr. Finney or someone else who actually holds a String on Summer, I am all for copying the Infernal's move.

[Q.Q Elf]

damn. Okay, SFW... And I need to keep Mrs. Meecher as a wild card...

Through a slit between the curtains, Clarence sees Mrs. Meecher on her knees, still wearing the sweater and jeans she wore to the party. Mrs. Price-Walters stands in front of the younger teacher. They are having some sort of argument. Or, rather, the Principal is laying down the way it must be.

Clarence can barely make out the words from the principal...
"... Not to mention the complaints from some of the parents. They are more than concerned that their children will not be able to attend their schools of choice if you persist in burdening your students with pointless busy work. If you do not shape up, then perhaps I will allow my Lucinda to manage you, from within the classroom. The only reason at all that I tolerate your youth and disrespect is based on her word. Do not misunderstand me, Amie. You are on very thin ice, and even Lucinda will not save you if these complaints continue!"

[Q.Q Elf]

okay... Duke will definitely be in the hospital.

And I'll have to figure out who the dark power is for the infernal. Mister Finney is a good choice.

[Rukellian]

damn. Okay, SFW... And I need to keep Mrs. Meecher as a wild card...

Through a slit between the curtains, Clarence sees Mrs. Meecher on her knees, still wearing the sweater and jeans she wore to the party. Mrs. Price-Walters stands in front of the younger teacher. They are having some sort of argument. Or, rather, the Principal is laying down the way it must be.

Clarence can barely make out the words from the principal...
"... Not to mention the complaints from some of the parents. They are more than concerned that their children will not be able to attend their schools of choice if you persist in burdening your students with pointless busy work. If you do not shape up, then perhaps I will allow my Lucinda to manage you, from within the classroom. The only reason at all that I tolerate your youth and disrespect is based on her word. Do not misunderstand me, Amie. You are on very thin ice, and even Lucinda will not save you if these complaints continue!"

Okay, the SFW acronym came up again, I guess it would be dangerous to have Clarence get a closer look at this point, I think?

The boy just shakes his head with disbelief as he sneaks out of the forest and back to the town, completly bypassing and ignoring the party in the chapel now. Lucinda and the principal? What, she owns her too now?! This is ridiculous, the whole situation is ridiculous. Clarence shakes his head in frustration as he tries to figure out how he can help Mrs. Meecher out. Wait... what the hell was she doing in that abandoned looking house in the middle of the creepy forest anyways?

The cold realization hits him as he starts to pick up his pace in his panic. Mrs. Meecher must have been invited to that aweful party too, and if that is the case then... 'I don't quite know why I came here tonight. I thought she might be here. She's different now. She's not who she used to be. Everything is so different now.' Frederick's words echo throughout Clarence's troubled thoughts. Vanessa. Oh god, I hope she didn't go to the party too!

His fast pace becomes an outright sprint towards Vanessa's house as he enters the general neighborhood of where she lives. Out of breath and panting, he reaches the front steps of her house and rings the doorbell. It's strange though, he doesn't feel all that tired, yet he is forcing himself to go through the motions of being tired. A strange thought to be sure, but it only lasts a second as his mind races back to the now. Clarence won't be able to rest easy tonight until he knows for sure...

[Q.Q Elf]

Clarence arrives to see Frederick sliding a note through the mail slot at Vanessa's house. When he heard a noise, he looks up and spots Clarence.

"She is in there, you know. But she can't come to talk. I... was just passing by..."

Then Frederick turns to walk home.

[Rukellian]

Clarence arrives to see Frederick sliding a note through the mail slot at Vanessa's house. When he heard a noise, he looks up and spots Clarence.

"She is in there, you know. But she can't come to talk. I... was just passing by..."

Then Frederick turns to walk home.

"Hold on a minute," Clarence shouts to him from the doorway. "What do you mean she can't come to talk. How do you know this?" A panicked look once again takes hold of Clarence's face as he darts his attention back and forth between Frederick and the door behind him, occasionally looking up to see if any lights were on.

Do I need to roll anything for this, to get information out of the guy? Or is this considered a normal conversation (the definition of normal set aside...)?

Edit: If Clarence hears nothing from behind the door and is ignored by Frederick, he will try to catch up to him and get a real answer out of him.

[Q.Q Elf]

There is nothing out of place about Vanessa's house. Some upstairs lights are on. There is no sign of broken glass or someone attempting an abnormal entry into the house.

Frederick shrugs when questioned. "She didn't seem well when she left class. I didn't want to... upset her too badly." Frederick continues waking.

[Rukellian]

Clarence nods his head in understanding. I don't blame the guy, but still, he cares about her too, right? Why give up so easily...

"I owe her at least this much, checking up on her after everything that has happened today," he says to himself under his breath. He looks back up at the door and knocks on it, this time calling out saying that it is Clarence. If he doesn't get a response again, after waiting for some time, he will walk to the side of the road near the mailbox and pull out his phone from his pack. He dials up Vanessa's number and silently hopes that she picks up, all the while looking up to see if he can see any activity from the windows.

If I get nothing... I will probably end it here for now. Clarence currently does not have the courage to barge into someone else's home yet, even if it belongs to someone who knows him. On the way back to his apartment, assuming this is the route that the story is taking, he will stop by the library to pick up some college and university brocures/pamphlets, enough for a whole class covering a wide variety of places and institutions.

[Q.Q Elf]

Okay. That's it. We'll leave open question marks for Clarence. I don't know exactly the resolution about the Vanessa situation, but we are getting closer, I think.