#bergen_county

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Symon is a little uncomfortable showing up at Lucia's house, but better that then the restaurant. He's sure that the family is all very nice, but an ENTIRE family of boggans sounds like one of those nightmares where a clone army of Anne Marie comes bearing down on him for hugs in unison. Also, the heady and aromatic smells of roasting garlic, fresh bread, and fragrant pasta sauces make him feel a little ill.

He knocks on the door, judging by the time of day that Lucia should be home...

The door opens, and it is Lucia "Hey, just the guy I was goign to see"

She actually looks set for a trip?

Symon has a satchel on his side, and a bundled up sling carrier on his back. He nods to Lucia as she opens up. "Mind if I step in? It's chilly out here for the little nasty one."

"Actually, you may not want to go in.. My parents are PISSED at me. But... hold on, this way don't want the creature to freeze to death as we make the transfer, that's what you're hear for right? " she stealths.. not bad either, leading the boy up to her room. The smells are thicker for a moment

He ghosts up behind her, soundless, flicking glances around to take in the unfamiliar surroundings. There a window, here a hallway that probably leads to the kitchen - noting the exits in case that clone army appears and he needs a quick escape.

And the sluagh can't help angry voices on the phone "and the chief tells us what OUR daughter will be doing, a quest? Why does she need to quest- she has everything"

Lucia may hear it too as she cringes

A small wince, sympathetic.

Once they are in her room, which is so very tidy, she turns "We've probably got 10 minutes of them on the phone complaining to friends of the family yadda. I'm so sorry you heard that"

He lets the satchel slide softly to the floor, and starts unstrapping the carrier. "Hey, I understand. I only have ONE boggan in loco parentis, and you have to deal with a double-whammy, plus since you're carrying on the kith you get the weight of the entire family tradition. It must suck sometimes - like, here is your life laid out before you, we've carved the path trod by ancestral boggan feet, ready for you to walk along after us."

"Anne Marie at least understands that I'm gonna be a bit different, even if she doesn't really completely get it sometimes."

"Yeah" she says at that first part "Exactly. Anne Marie is..very boggany but she at least... she's used to helping non boggans. My family is used to FEEDING non boggans. It's like... how could I dare want more?"

He nods. "Well, it sounds like you're taking a step to forging your own path. You sure you want to do this alone, though? There's no shame in taking a party for a quest. If anything, there's folk to help you haul back loot... or corpses." He adds this last, pragmatically.

A smile, "I can see why Dagmar likes you. You're..well, obviously devious and sneaky, but you're also good counsel. But I'm going to at least start out alone. If I gather help in other holds or lands, then that's fine, but I can't be-" A sighh "If I take like Sylvi, and Sylvi's a great friend, or Dagmar, or Siv... then it become 'Whichever troll girl and her boggan sidekick'. And with me gone, I need someone here with sense and subtly to guide folks now and then or at least keep tabs. That's you. "

A soft snort. "Being a sidekick ain't that bad. It's a choice, though. You can't stand out without making a target of yourself, it goes hand in hand. And whoa- I wasn't volunteering." A toothless grin at that. "I'm so relieved that the Chief found someone to take this on. To be honest, I was dreading what to do with this thing."

"The fact you were dreading it says a lot. Don't worry, I'll take good care of him..er her? It? Does it..they have a name yet?"

"No, I know better than that. Give it a name, and someone will get attached. I was calling it the vuldra, for Vulture-Hydra, which is as good as anything I guess. And... listen. It looks like you're really wanting a quest, but are you sure this is the one? It's... I can't promise it will be as easy as a "return the foundling" hearts and flowers TLC lifetime movie." A pause, and he glances away, greasy hair masking his features a bit. "I didn't lie to the chief - I mean, you know, you can't, but I may not have divulged the entire story. I don't know HOW this thing got to my house after samhain, but I know MYSELF. And chances are, I didn't rescue it out of the kindness of my heart. I may have stolen it, or bird-napped, or whatever ... there might be a big, angry mama out there out for blood."

"Vuldra" she repeats, and then says "Symon. Everything you say makes me want this quest more. Boggan shows kindness to pour chimera isn't a quest for me, it's a tuesday. Boggan goes into the dreaming, faces challenges and gets it home.. that at least has ... I don't know, significance? If I wanted easy? I would stay here and put garlic on bread."

He gives her a small grin. "I hear ya. Just wanted to make sure you knew what you were in for. No surprises, eh? Well, fewer anyways."

"I appreciate it," She reaches into her own pack and pulls out some slightly aged meat for the Vuldra and feeds it. It says "Mama Mama!" As she does. She makes a face, "This thing is loud. I can see why you wouldn't want it"

"I had to keep it away from the Lodge before someone decided to adopt it. There's enough of a menagerie there already." A thoughtful pause. "Though, if you don't find a home for it, I guess having a winged sentry wouldn't be the WORST thing. "

"Ugh... I'll try to find a home for it. No offense but it's just not that attractive." It nips and she shushes it, "Manners" and then she ttransfers it gently into her keeping "I'm heading out now I think. My best chance to really get going. "

"Do you have any weapons?" He asks, helping her with the straps.

"Yes, short sword, leathers under this winter clothing, and a sling for distance with seven stone bullets... I'm better wit hthe sword than the sling."

"Sylvi taught me some basic weapon moves"

He nods, and offers her over one more thing, a tiny little knife that could easily be palmed and hidden. "Take this too. It might come in handy if you need to shank someone when they're not expecting it. I borrowed it from Olgar a while back."

"From Olgar? wow. Are you sure it doesn't have .well ,sentimental value as well as use for you?"

He shrugs and grins. "He didn't actually give it to me. He told me to return it when I was done. I figure, I haven't been done with it yet. Bring it back when your quest is complete. And if you see anything that you think I might like that fits in a pocket, well, I wouldn't say no to a quest keepsake."

"What if it's a plain but oddly alluring ring? Very precious?" she tries for deadpan but her eyes give the humor away

She does take the knife and puts it away carefully. She knows about knife safety, that's for sure

"Hey, before you go - sorry to hit you up for boggan shit, but I was wondering... have you heard any scuttlebutt about Adam recently? ...word is he and Dagmar broke up, and I needed to know if I should send Dirk to break his kneecaps or something."

"Well, gosssip is one of the parts i have trouble overcoming... I might know a little" A breath "Dagmar dumped Adam, BUT I heard that while Adam is bummed about it, Dagmar feels even worse ... and it's possible she's feeling really shitty and dumped him as a kind of 'I wasn't a good girlfriend' thing, BUT... apparently Zane has hinted that Adam was nice about everything, but zane is often on his side but a chimera i know talked to Nab and apparently Adam never pressed for certain advantages whichi is good because a poisoned canoli would cure all his ills if he did but he didn't so mostly he was.. decent, but that doesn't mean she's not hurting kind of thing"

"Nevermind how Tense Dagmar has been about family, I don't know if it's about her dad's conivence store getting canned around christmas or the baby... but the poor girl had the break up at the worst time."

"of course, Adam is still feeling left out but I think it's a bit better since he fought that linnorm thing which was pretty impressive."

"And Siv is not getting enough sleep because she's trying to take up the slack while Sylvi goes diplomacying when she's not with her boyfriend and Dagmar is down.... and there's rumors of magic magazines of all things"

She stops "Sorry. I'm going to be gone for a bit so I guess i just felt the need to dump"

He blinks.

"Your gossip power level is... over 9000." Sounding impressed.

"Well, yeah" She blushes "I mean, it's the one thing about my kith I just dive right into without much resentment. But seriously, while I'm gone if you wanted to kick Siv in the shins and tell her to stop doing double shifts, study, AND dating all on less than 4 hours of sleep a night I think it would be nice. And see how it's going for Dagmar, though I know you'll do that anyway given how you care about her?..as a friend. I'd tell you to inform Gerd that she has fallen for the WRONG sidhe boy but that won't go well. I've left a hint or two with Sir Vali...so hopefully that' will resolve but don't tell her I said so. Jonas has been a big help to your step mom so don't resent him too much if you can but if you want him out of your hair let him know about Siv and he'll spend more time bullying her to take care of herself. Am I forgetting anything? " More to herself "Oh Dirk is planning to impress Lupe with the severed head of some monster he found. Stop him from getting himself killed if you can?"

His eyes are starting to bug out a little at this, and he is taking quick notes. "You... do a LOT more than people give you credit for." He says, impressed. "On second thought, it sounds easier to take on the quest."

"Please, Boggan info gathering is easy 1) Offer your ear to anyone, even obnoxious folks have stories to tell even if they're actually betraying their own seflish ways. 2) Keep your head down and don't stare at others when they're talking too loud, too loud talk is fair game for attentive ears. 3) watch how people interact and gauge it against how they claim they interact and put what they say through that filter 4) Find another boggan and collaborate stories. Boom.. soon you know so much."

He nods, taking mental notes now, too. "With our powers combined, we would be invincible." A pause, and he snickers. "Does that sound a little too super-villainy?"

"I think you'd look great in a spindly mustache" A smile. The Vuldra makes nose, and she says "I better go. Can you get out without my folks noticing?"

"Certainly. And don't worry. We'll keep things more-or-less intact here for you to come home to."

"Thanks though I'm not vain enough to think I ever really had much of an impact beyong shoring things up. That's one reason I'm going .I want to matter. Now I'm leaving before an ANgel Chimera appears and shows me how I really had a wonderful life. He'd mean well, but I'd kind of want to tell him to kiss off"

He scoffs. "Anne Marie loves that movie. Me, I think he should have jumped off the bridge if he's such a useless sad sack." A smirk. "Catch you on the return. And... thanks again. I know you wanted a get away, but thanks for cleaning up what is pretty much my mess."

"Please, one thing we both know because we know too much- everyone's got a mess somewhere, but you're welcome" She guides him out of her room, and.. they sneak out together before parting.

And Symon heads on his way - lightened in load and bearing much more, in different ways.

It's almost flattering that while she trusted him with that gossip, she made sure he wan'st left along in her room as if he might learn TOO much there. Girls. They have their priorities