A Philodox do what a Philodox do

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 1, 1, 3 (Botch x 2 at target 6) !!nightmares!!

[Rises Above]

Sundown. Elliot arrives outside The Brotherhood at the time she specified in the early hours of the morning. She's no longer baring scarred pale flesh. Her layered clothing is clean but no less ragged. Her red hair has been combed recently, and falls to her shoulders. The sun is setting, and still a pair of oversized sunglasses obscures her face, shielding her eyes from the dying rays of sunlight and the glare of street lamps. Her hands are shoved into the pockets of her jacket. Her movements are relaxed, her stride long and easy. She waits outside the back door for Chloe, and hopefully another half-moon to oversee the challenge.

[Whispers to Nothing]

A body arrives. It is young and fair skinned. her eyes are green and her skin is clear. It has a pretty smile, it has a soothing voice. The body waits with Rises above, and it does not say a word to her. It gives its pretty smile, but it does not say a word. The two wait patiently. One set of movements are relaxed, the other is a series of programmed motions. Chloe's moon is high in the sky, but she is nowhere to be found.

[Rory]

A third arrives - not a part of the challenge, but infinitely interested in the outcome. Pale and fairskinned, dressed in almost everything she owns in an effort to keep warm, and standing near Chloe as she tucks the knit hat down lower in an attempt to corral blood red curls - an attempt that fails, at best. She wraps her hands around the straps of her backpack, and chews on her lower lip absently, and waits.

[Boy]

There were whispers in Umbra. A call in fact. The kind he spent most of his day listening for. Only this was different. It wasn't a panicked cry for succor or the mad wail of something in need of killing. This was ordered. This was even, and leveled, and balanced. This wasn't a message that would attract a garou. This was a message that would attract a Law-moon. He comes like a ghost. Appearing only as a peeking shadow at the edge of the alley behind the Brotherhood. And then he steps into view, moving closer with certain steps and stopping a safe distance from the gathered. Boy looked at them each with an heavy, conspicuous stare. There was only one that he recognized. And even so, only barely. "Someone called for a half moon?"

[Rises Above]

Elliot stands near Chloe, feet apart, posture somewhat slouched. She does not straighten when a brother of her auspice arrives, answering a call that the Theurge had sent out earlier. In the early hours of the morning, Elliot gave something like a speech in the bathroom on the second floor of this building. Now, she speaks considerably less. "My name is Elliot Ferguson, Rises Above. Cliath Philodox for the Bone Gnawers. I challenged the alpha of The Forgotten for her place as alpha. The time and place are here and now." She inclines her head to the Theurge, inviting her to rename her terms.

[Whispers to Nothing]

"We did. My name is Whispers to Nothing, this is Rises Above. She's challenged me for Alphaship of the Forgotten and I accepted her challenge. We need an impartial third." Call and Response. Question and Answer. Names. Mine. hers. What we need. The body could do this without having to determine where it was or who it was with. Knowing why it was asking for a philodox seemed to be a strain. Basic reactions. eat. sleep. breathe. breed. challenge. die.

[Rory]

Rory remains quiet - this is not her challenge. She is here simply to observe, as packmate and member of The Forgotten.

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 1, 3, 8 (Success x 1 at target 6) [WP] (what were those terms again? Information recall)

[Boy]

Boy's shoulders squared under his heavy denim jacket and his arms crossed over his chest. He listened to the two of them, nodding at each, and then glancing at the one with the fiery red hair. "And who's this?"

[Rory]

She blinks, and looks up, meets Boy's gaze then drops hers quickly. Respectfully. "Rory. Tongue-Twister. Fianna Mull Foon. Forgotten." She doesn't seem to notice that she switches her words around, that they come out jumbled. In fact, it's like she hears what she intended to say, rather than what she does.

[Whispers to Nothing]

"Terms were three fold. Testing her knowledge of territory, which was contested, and knowledge of tactics and ability to get others, packmate or otherwise, to follow you. Which were uncontested." Something was Wrong. This was not the woman that the two redheads had seen before. This is not a woman at all, in fact. Chloe looks at Rory for the longest time, and it searches for recognition. The body knows that it recognizes her, and it is a genuine effort to pull up her name. "Tongue twister, Rory. Packmate."

[Rory]

She watches Chloe as she struggles to remember. She's slept next to her in the alley for weeks now, and knows something is wrong, knows that there are things she doesn't understand. But she doesn't put it in words, she says nothing. She follows Chloe unquestioningly, and that never will change. She just offers her packmate, sister, a slight shy smile as she puts the words in the right places.

[Boy]

Boy's brows prick into a furrow, then relax as he turns to the other two, he nods at Chloe's words. "Forgotten. Alleycat. Your territory is...Chinatown, yes? Do you know how you will test your packmate's knowledge of the territory?"

[Rises Above]

Testing her knowledge of territory, which was contested. Elliot watches impassively as Chloe robotically answers Boy's questions, as she repeats the terms of the challenge. When he asks Chloe how she would test Elliot's knowledge of Chinatown, the tall half-moon speaks up. "With all due respect, I contested the challenge of territory because I have none. I have been in Chicago for weeks only, and have not even been bonded to Allycat for a day. However, if Chloe wishes to keep this as part of the challenge, I will not back down."

[Whispers to Nothing]

"She made a valid point; it wouldn't be fair to challenge this as that she has not been here long enough to know the lay of the land.I would be fine with removing it as a term of challenge. If she wins, we'll deal with that issue." The body replies carefully, tactfully. "If you want to keep it, the challenge would be to name the spirits and the plights of those in the area. Of the entrances and exits and major threats to the territory and those who are there. This is not appropriate for the current time frame, and I would have an unfair advantage."

[Boy]

To this bit of news he nods thoughtfully, then turns to Chloe once again. "Whispers-to-nothing-yuf. You are the challenged. You have the right to set the terms of the challenge. Your challenger has set a time (now) and a place (here) as his her right." He thinks for a second. Two. Three. "You've both set your terms. If I allow you to adjust the terms of the challenge, Whispers-yuf, then to be fair I have to allow Rises-Above-yuf to adjust the time and place." And another pause, long enough to breath inward, and outward, and let those facts sink in. "I'm not one for hasty decisions, but should Rises-yuf decide her terms stand, I cannot allow you to delay the challenge any further. Take a moment and decide. Now."

[Administrator]

vikthya, welcome to Caern & Surrounding Territories (Night)

[Rises Above]

Her response time is getting faster. Her speech is getting stronger, and more verbose. This is what it is to communicate with others of the Nation. She'd almost forgotten what that meant, had almost forgotten the tingle down her spine at the prospect of a challenge. Elliot tips her head slightly back. The sunglasses make it difficult to tell where her gaze actually lies. Seconds tick by, silence stretching. She is also not one for hasty decisions. "No. Now is fine. Here is fine."

[Whispers to Nothing]

"I drop my terms relating to knowledge of territory. The rest continue to stand."

[Boy]

"Right then." Boy nods at the two of them. "So a test of knowledge of tactics, and a test of leadership. Lets continue with that. Did you have something in mind, Whispers-to-Nothing-yuf?"

[Whispers to Nothing]

"We play chess, for tactics. If you win, or your opponent can't finish, then you win that portion of the challenge" A pause. If your opponent can't finish. Full contact chess. "As for leadership. We convince you to follow us."

[Boy]

"Me?" he says, with no little surprise and a raise of his eyebrows. Boy smirks slightly, but hides it with one hand, stroking at a mustache that he hadn't quite grown yet. "Alright. Lets get started. We have a chess board ready? If not, I'm sure Tongue-Twister can get one for us from upstairs."

[Rory]

She waits to see if they've brought on - and when no chess board is brought forth, she simply nods and turns to go upstairs and find one. She returns within a few minutes, the chessboard in hand, holding it carefully so that the pieces do not fall, and gives it to Boy, with a brief meet of his gaze, and that same little shy smile that disappears as she ducks her head and steps back again.

[Rises Above]

Elliot watches the discourse in silence. As the challenger, she has no say in the challenges set forth, except to contest which, at this point, means backing out of the challenge. When neither Gnawer produces a chess board and set from their pockets, Rory is the one who goes to find one. It appears to Elliot that they are going to play the game on the stoop behind The Brotherhood. Elliot waits to see what Boy does with the board, and then she moves to the side with the black pieces. And she waits for Chloe, as the challenged, to start.

[Boy]

Boy accepted the board, looking over the pieces briefly to make sure they were all there. He looks around, then kneels, setting up the pieces. He seemed to be familiar with the game so far. When he was done he looked up to the two. Elliot moves into place, and Boy looks to Chloe expectantly. Meanwhile he's settled into an odd crouch, sitting on the back of his heels. "Traditionally, the player with the white pieces has the first move."

[Whispers to Nothing]

They are old men on benches, taking part in age old ritual. later, one will feed scab birds and coo to them as though they are her children. The Gnawer will preach the diatribe of madmen to their invisible ears. They will eat the same bread and share their tales. she has yet to feed the impudent birds rice; she saved that for the servents of the Dissolver

[Whispers to Nothing]

They are old men on benches, taking part in age old ritual. later, one will feed scab birds and coo to them as though they are her children. The Gnawer will preach the diatribe of madmen to their invisible ears. They will eat the same bread and share their tales. she has yet to feed the impudent birds rice; she saved that for the servents of the Dissolver Wyrm. She looks at the white pieces, looks over them and finds herself inspecting one quietly. She moves a pawn. the game has begun.

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 3, 5, 10 (Failure at target 6) (int+enigmas: 6, -1 (I taste purple!) 5, diff 6)

[Rises Above]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 5, 5, 6, 8, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6) [int + enigmas]

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 3, 5 (Failure at target 6) !!WP: don't start hallucenating!!

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 1, 6, 7, 10 (Failure at target 7) (Int+enigmas: oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck I taste blood...)

[Rises Above]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 8, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6) [again]

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 5, 5 (Failure at target 6) !!WP: come ON!!!

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 5, 6, 8, 10 (Success x 1 at target 8) (Same roll, don't go crazy, Whispers...)

[Rises Above]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 9, 10, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6) [keep going!]

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 6, 6 (Success x 2 at target 6) !!WP: go away, hallucenations!!

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 3, 4, 5, 8 (Success x 1 at target 7) (back in the game)

[Rises Above]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 10, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6) [I am Bobby Fisher]

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 7, 10 (Success x 2 at target 6) !!WP: No, I'M Bobby Fisher!!!

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 1, 4, 9, 9 (Failure at target 6) (you can still win this...)

[Rises Above]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 3, 4, 5, 8 (Success x 1 at target 6) [No I'M Bobby Fisher!]

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 2, 6 (Success x 1 at target 6) !!WP: you can be Bobby Fisher, I wanna be Debbie!

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 3, 6, 7, 8, 10 (Success x 4 at target 6) Int+enigmas: make a good showing, theurge

[Rises Above]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 4, 4, 9, 10, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6) [I'm the Chess Master!]

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 5, 5 (Failure at target 6) !!WP: are we sane yet?

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 4, 4, 4, 5, 7 (Success x 1 at target 7) Int+enigmas: no, no we are not

[Rises Above]

Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 (Success x 1 at target 6) [BAM!]

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 1, 5 (Botch x 1 at target 6) WP: Go away crazy!

[Whispers to Nothing]

The game goes back and forth, and Elliot takes an early lead. SHe is a bright young woman, and she is actually quite good. On a good day, she and the theurge are evenly matched. On a good day, Elliot could give her a run for her money. Rises Above has proven herself tactically sound. Chloe would appreciate this, when she comes back. The pieces go bac and forth. Pawns captured, the white queen is taken out early in the game, the rooks are soon to follow. Elliot is methodical. Elliot is Gifted. Chloe would appreciate this, when she comes back. It is Chloe's turn to move a piece, three pieces left on the board- a pawn, a knight, and the white King. Whispers to Nothing does not move any of them from the eminent checkmate. Mate in three. ____ Nothing happens. It looked at the board, and it didn't look at anything else. The body sat there for a second... another... moments ticked by and she didn't move. She barely breathed. Something was wrong. Something was Wrong. Genuinely wrong. It looks at the piece and takes a look at its own king. The red haired figure smiles, then flicks it over. "Accept an honorable surrender," it intones. The voice is vacant. It reminisces over the litany.

[Rises Above]

Chloe starts with a pawn, and Elliot follow's suit. They go back and forth without pieces getting too close, until Elliot takes a pawn. Takes a rook. Takes another pawn. She's on her way to a check when Chloe simply stops. Elliot looks up from the board. She watches the alpha of the pack she's only just joined, and her lips flatten into a line. Part of her thinks that the fair thing, the impartial thing to do, would be to pause here, come back to the challenge when Chloe is in her right mind. Part of her also realizes that if they were in battle right now, if lives were on the line... Elliot would not follow Chloe. She would step in, take over, and lead in the girl's place. The taller woman, seated on the ground with legs crossed, white knobby knees peeking grotesquely from massive tears in her old jeans, sits up straight. Her hands rest on those pale knees, and her head tips oh so slightly to the side. "I accept your surrender. Next challenge."

[Rory]

The game begins, and she sinks to a crouch, watching as the pieces move, as turn goes back and forth. Soon she's not watching the game at all, but watching Chloe. They share something, these two, something that is evident in the way they react with each other, the way it's clear that every fiber in the Ahroun's being wants to stand before her friend and protect her, bring her back, give her the lifeline to will away the crazies. But she does nothing, her fingers flexing then curling into a fist and flexing again, over and over again as she remains where she is, crouched there, and waiting. Rises Above wins the first challenge, and Rory looks at her, meets her gaze, then drops her eyes again in respect.

[Boy]

"Hm." Boy had been silent throughout the game. He hadn't even said anything when Whispers-to-Nothing went catatonic, and then surrendered. When Elliot accepted Boy reached for the chess board, gathering the pieces and setting it aside. Then he rose to his full height, stretching out his legs and back. "Good game. Excellent. Lets move on. Whispers-to-Nothing?" And an expectant look is pointed at the the theurge.

[Administrator]

vikthya has left Caern & Surrounding Territories

[Whispers to Nothing]

Dice Rolled:[ 2 d10 ] 1, 3 (Botch x 1 at target 8) (spending a willpower to actually be able to finish the challenge)

[Whispers to Nothing]

(don't look at that roll! it wasn't supposed to be there!)

[Whispers to Nothing]

It is a genuine effort for her to come back. It is a force of will to get the body to move. To get its mind to start working again and to get the taste of blood out of its mouth and make the gears turn. Next challenge. Let's move on. The body nods, stands, and finally seems well enough to continue.

[Rises Above]

Elliot pulls herself up from the ground. Standing at her full height, she's considerably taller than all present. She angles her head down to look at their impartial third. By now the sun has fallen beyond the horizon. The sky overhead is dark, light pollution and cloud cover obscuring the stars. The only light comes from a sconce set into the back of the building, and whatever lighting illuminates the back parking lot. Elliot pushes her sunglasses up to her forehead. Her eyes are pale and colorless in the low light. Elliot looks from Boy to Chloe, and waits for the next challenge. Getting the other half-moon to follow them.

[Boy]

"Alright then." He says when they've both indicated they're ready. His arms fold squarely over his chest again. "So. I am your subordinate, and you're both leading me into battle." He turns to Chloe first, an expectant look on his face. "Why should I follow you."

[Whispers to Nothing]

It pauses, and it regards Boy briefly. "How long have we been together? How long have you known me? How often have we fought together?" This is where Chloe would excell, where she would shine. It would be nice if she were here right now, but as it stands the body standing in her place is doing a decent job of immitating her. "I need you at my side right now. More than that, but I know what we're fighting, I know where you'll be strongest and we need you. The plans aren't going to work if we don't have everyone on deck and every hand in." The body emphasizes his usefulness, how they need him in the fight. The faith that it has in him.

[Boy]

"...." Boy listens and only blinks. For a moment his gaze lingers on Whispers-to-Nothing, expecting her to continue. But, he's given her enough time. His gaze moves to Rises Above. "Why should I follow you?"

[Rises Above]

Elliot, hands once more the pockets of her jacket, spine curved in a slight slouch, is silent for several moments. The difference with this silence is that her eyes can be seen. Those present can see when they slide to the wall, studying the texture of the brick for an answer. Finally, the pale eyes slide back to the young Uktena's face. "I will not lie to you. I am metis. There are those who would look down on you for following my orders, who will think the less because you would listen to my words. But if you would look past that, if you would brave the shame our Nation believes my kind to bear, I will not lead you astray. I would guide you to strike our enemies where they are weak. I would ensure healers keep you alive to the best of their ability." Here, her eyes flick momentarily to Rory. An instant later, they're back on Boy. "Not only in battle. In peace I would ensure that you are fed and sheltered. That you and yours are kept safe. I would see to it that you survive at all costs."

[Boy]

There's even more silence from Brother of the lost at the end of that. He buries his face in his palms, stroking at a beard that wasn't there. Not yet anyway. Afterall, he was still a teenager by all indications. He does this for a long moment. Almost unbearably long, and then he looks up, facing Chloe first. "You're right. The length of a relationship goes a long way toward earning their trust. But...I don't know if the weight of this challenge is taking its toll on you or if its something else. You said all the right things, but you said them without conviction." And then he looked to Rises Above. This would be where he'd point out her successes or failures, if he went by the standards of the other Challenges he'd seen. "You've won this leg of the challenge." One Philodox was rarely like another.

[Administrator]

cricket, welcome to Caern & Surrounding Territories (Night)

[Administrator]

cricket has switched to Caern & Surrounding Territories (Now)

[Rises Above]

She's won this leg. She, for all intents and purposes, won the first leg as well. There is no joy that sparks in the young metis' eyes, no whoop of victory, not even the cracking of a smile. Her pale face could have been carved from marble. She does, however, stand straighter, her shoulders pulling back. She turns to The Forgotten, eyes straying first to Chloe, then to Rory. "I have won the challenges you set forth, Chloe Whispers to Nothing. I asked before, and I will ask again. Will you submit to my authority? Will you, Tongue Twister?"

[Whispers to Nothing]

Something is Wrong. That is an over-reaching thread right now, that there is something that is very distinctly not Right with Chloe right now, whether it be the stress of the challenge or something else entirely, but something isn't right with her. All of those gathered can see it, have noticed it, have even commented in some way, except for her. When Chloe comes back, she will be mortified by her own behavior. Or, possibly, she'll have a hard time remembering most of it. There is no moment of clarity after this, though. "I am not fit to lead. And I will follow one who is."

[Rory]

Elliot stands, and makes her claim, but Rory waits for Chloe's answer. It's clear she is the omega here, and waits for her betters to reply, waits her turn, and waits specifically for Chloe's lead even now. Chloe isn't doing ok. There's something wrong, and while Rory has seen parts before, nothing this badly. She chews absently on the inside of her cheek while she waits, and then just like that, it's her turn. She stands, and Elliot towers over her. Rory glances up, briefly meeting her gaze, then drops her eyes again. "I submit." Some phrases are easier than others.

[Rises Above]

The sunglasses are slid back into place, hiding eyes that are somewhat lacking in emotion. That should be no surprise. Those who have met with Elliot, who have fought with her, rare though those times have been, should know or at least have guessed by now that Elliot is not horrible social. Her face doesn't not easily split in a grin, and she's usually quiet. She's spoken more today than she has for most of the past year, if not longer. And she's not done yet. There is something obviously wrong with Chloe. Whatever it is, it has cost her leadership of her pack. Elliot will get to the root of that first. Right now she turns to Boy, tipping her head respectfully. "Thank you for overseeing this challenge..." she trails, her head angling back and to the side as she realizes she doesn't know his name.

[Boy]

"Alright then." Boy says yet again. That seemed to be his transission phrase. Something to bring the attention back to the mediator whenever they were about to move to another leg of the challenge. This leg: Wrap up. "The challengers and the challenged have met. The terms and conditions agreed to. You have both conducted yourself well and a winner's been decided." Boy rubs one hand over the other. "This challenge is complete. Congratulations, Rises-Above, Alpha of the Forgotten."