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Matt Walker ([info]this_fire_burns) wrote in [info]marvel_nextgen,
@ 2010-04-17 23:42:00


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Current location:Los Angeles
Entry tags:inactive - matt walker, marlow, sydney ashcroft, team - defenders

Dark Pact
Matt's most recent case was, on the surface, a simple one. A middle-age father of four skips out on his family to join some kind of New-Age Spiritual Club (read: cult) that offered to eternal peace and tranquility. The wife was understandably distraught, as her husband left in the company of a beautiful, young twenty-something who was saying all the things Victor Pabst wasn't hearing elsewhere.

Matt almost considered it an open-and-shut case until Mrs. Pabst showed him pictures of the symbols that her husband started drawing on the basement walls four months ago. Pentagrams, mostly in animal blood,  adorned the walls of their Queens home. Matt had already decided to take the case on that alone, as the symbols were the kind used to summon demons and other baddies from the Otherside.

But when the wife indicated that Pabst had been using their children's blood to make the symbols, something inside Matt snapped a little bit, and he'd offered her a reduced rate. He hoped that Pabst was really just a guy who was being manipulated by some rogue sorcerer and that he hadn't actually become one; otherwise, this would get ugly in a hurry. He should have gone to Lynch with this, but knowing her, she'd bring the cops into it and if he was dealing with a summoner, this would get a lot of unprepared cops killed.

So he made his way to Los Angeles himself, leaving Whisper in the company of Mrs. Emberstein.

Two days after his arrival, Matt finds himself inside a warehouse not far from the Staples Center, looking at the same symbols from the pictures on these walls. If these people are summoning a demon, he doesn't have a lot of time to find them and stop it.

Just about every summoning ritual he's ever heard of requires a sacrifice, and someone will die if he can't connect the dots.



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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-20 06:56 pm UTC (link)
Matt gives her the exact address of Mark's and smiles.

"Don't try to teleport us inside. He's set up things to keep that from happening."

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[info]marlow
2010-04-20 07:21 pm UTC (link)
Magic was much easier to locked into and use as a beacon. The demon GPS in her mind guided her silent spell and formed a connection between the two locations. They were through before Marlow had a chance to blink herself.

She shivered a little, shaking off the sensation. "I hope this is the right place."

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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-20 07:35 pm UTC (link)
Matt blinks as he recognizes the familiar alleyway housing Mark's. The last time he'd experienced a teleportation that smooth, he was with Ian.

"Pretty and good with magic. I'm impressed." he smiles."Now, lots of wizards come here and a few...other types as well. Don't be alarmed if someone looks at you. This place is neutral ground for EVERYONE, so there won't be any over hostilities."

"Oh, and don't ask for cold ale.Drives Mark nuts." he says, opening the door for her.

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[info]marlow
2010-04-20 08:01 pm UTC (link)
The compliment put color in her cheeks. The Brit mage had been complimentary too. The universe was telling her something.

"I'll do my best not to embarrass you more than absolutely necessary," she said with a smile. A small joke, but big in the grand scheme of Marlow. She didn't socialize much and the opportunity to do so with people who were like her was another treat.

She stepped inside and felt something relax in her head. "Neutral ground. I think I remember Doctor Strange mentioning other places that were considered neutral ground for the supernatural community."

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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-20 08:22 pm UTC (link)
"That's correct." Matt says, guiding her to a table and nodding to Mark, who was cleaning a glass, and wearing a stainless white apron.

"There are a few places where our type gather to relax, but this is the best one, in my opinion. Good food, and precautions taken against drink sorcerers doing something dumb." Matt says.

"I'm going to have a steak sandwich. What about you?" he asks.

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[info]marlow
2010-04-20 08:49 pm UTC (link)
"That sounds good to me." She sat down and gave Matt a smile. "Thank you for inviting me. Are there many sorcerers in Chicago?"

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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-20 09:08 pm UTC (link)
"I hear there are some, but I don't know them. I'm from New York, myself." he says, as Mark comes over.

"Hey, Mark. Can we get a couple of steak sandwiches, and two ales, please?" Matt asks.

Mark grunts, giving Marlow an even look before nodding and giving Matt a meaningful look.

"Nothing for Whisper?" he asks.

"No, man. Whisper's at home tonight." he says.

Mark nods, then heads back to the bar.

"So, what's it like training with a Sorceress Supreme?" Matt whispers to Marlow.

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[info]marlow
2010-04-20 09:22 pm UTC (link)
"We've gone to New York when the Avengers needed help. It was exciting. The city moves so fast compared to Los Angeles."

She listened to the brief conversation with a polite but puzzled look that vanished when he asked about Clea.

She gave the question thought while she watched Mark behind the bar. "I thought it was hard until I was old enough to realize she was trying to keep me alive. Then it was worse. Clea was kind to me and taught me a great deal, but she was hard to please. What I can do, I do very well because of her exacting requirements, and the areas I need work in can get ugly. And I was a bit rebellious. She had to deal with me wanting to know who I am and she had no answers for me."

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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-20 09:29 pm UTC (link)
Matt just stares as Marlow recounts her training and life with Clea. Replace a couple of names and she'd be describing his own life verbatim.

"I get where you're coming from in a lot of ways Marlow. There are three men responsible for who I am, and only two of them were good to me. The third is the reason I know magic, but...he was a cruel bastard who's probably rotting in Hell right now." Matt says without thinking. He catches himself and shakes his head.

"I'm sorry. You didn't need to hear that." he says solemnly.

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[info]marlow
2010-04-20 09:53 pm UTC (link)
"I have only a name, Marlow. No family name. I don't know if it's really mine or given to me by the people that gave me to Clea. I don't know how old I am or my birthdate." She smiled in understanding. "You didn't need to hear that, either. We're even."

"Except I'd like to ask one thing, if I may"

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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-20 11:25 pm UTC (link)
"Sure, go ahead. If I can answer, I will." he says.

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[info]marlow
2010-04-20 11:31 pm UTC (link)
"Do you ever have a problem with levitation? Sometimes I can rise three stories to the roof of the mansion, and sometimes I'm upside down hanging by my feet."

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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-20 11:38 pm UTC (link)
"Levitation and I are NOT good friends. I usually use potions to achieve it, and only for short periods." Matt says. He expected a far more personal question, but he'd take this one.

Mark clicked his tongue at Matt, putting the bottles of ale on the counter, and Matt excused himself to get and get it. He returned and put the two warm bottles of ale on the table, sliding one to her.

"This is great stuff, Marlow. I hope you like it." he says.

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[info]marlow
2010-04-20 11:49 pm UTC (link)
"Thank you." She smiled and picked up the ale to hold between her hands. "I'd never had ale before a recent visit from a dimensional Doctor Strange apprentice. I found out I liked it."

"I haven't done much with potions. Clea decided I did better with my own energies. What about transmutation? Sometimes after a visit with Zoey, the daughter of one of our advisors, everything comes out peeps."

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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-20 11:53 pm UTC (link)
"Transmutation is another tough subject for me; it's one that I can pass if needed, but I'm not great at it. One of these days, I'll get myself one of those ivory towers, complete with lightning and a high cliff and devote a few decades to the study." he grins.

"How are you with evocation? That's one of my stronger suits." he tells her.

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[info]marlow
2010-04-21 12:11 am UTC (link)
"I can call minor demons without a problem, but I'm not allowed to at the compound and there really is no real need for them. Ghosts not well at all. I'm really good with illusions. Doctor Strange once told me I was better than I should be with them."

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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-21 12:24 am UTC (link)
"I'm good with summoning, myself, but I don't do it unless I have to. Illusions are another weak point for me. Never really seen a use for them." he says.

"How well do you know Doctor Strange? I've heard a bit about the guy, but a lot of if is either fan worship or epic hate." he says. Matt personally doesn't believe in the idea of one guy calling himself head and shoulders better than anyone else, or being appointed as the one guy to defend the world from mystic incursion.

If anything, there should be a group responsible for such a burden. But that's just his opinion.

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[info]marlow
2010-04-21 12:43 am UTC (link)
"When you live with godlings, it's not only useful, but smart to send an illusion of yourself in first. They are physically much stronger than I am in every way. They wouldn't hurt me on purpose, but accidents can happen. Also, if they're looking for someone to do something, my illusion can simply disappear."

Doctor Strange was an entirely different subject, but she knew what he meant. "He visited Clea quite often. She used to give me things to do to keep me away and occupied while he was there, but after awhile I learned to just be gone. He would review my progress and make suggestions, but it was like a distant relative that you forget exists in between sightings."

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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-21 12:57 am UTC (link)
"That makes a lot of sense. I've been in that position, too." he says.

She makes some good points about illusions, and he considers that he may have to get better at them in order keep from getting killed the old fashioned way some day.

Mark clicked again, placing the steak sandwiches on the bar, and Matt excuses himself again to get them. He returns and slides Marlow her plate, with a large steak sandwich and fries, then sits down with his own.

"Good thing you came out tonight, Marlow. Thought I might have to settle for some dive burger-joint while I worked." Matt says, offering her a smile before taking a bite of his sandwich.

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[info]marlow
2010-04-21 01:10 am UTC (link)
It smelled wonderful. She beamed a smile in Mark's direction and picked up the sandwich to take a bite. It was seasoned perfectly and melted wonderfully.

She took a second bite and chewed with a blissful expression before responding. "You're very strong. I felt you in the area and I'm sometimes more curious than I should be."

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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-21 01:16 am UTC (link)
"I have to say, I'm glad you were you and not one of the people I was looking for. I get paid to be overly curious, but it doesn't mean I like being outgunned." he says.

"I've got a lot of raw ability, all told, but my fine control is what's lacking. My mentor, Ian, has always said that once I get it together, I'll be ready for the big leagues, as it were." he tells her, taking another bite of his sandwich.

"So...you don't know anything about who you are or where you come from? Have you ever considered a bloodline spell of some kind, if you really want to know?" he asks.

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[info]marlow
2010-04-21 01:34 am UTC (link)
She picked up a french fry. "It's a double edged sword. I'd like to at least know my family name, but what if the reason I don't know is a very good one? I'd rather not know than find out I'm descended from dark wizards and the bloodline is under a death sentence."

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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-21 01:40 am UTC (link)
"I couldn't imagine what that would be like." he says simply. He's had to deal with a couple of people like that before, but he doesn't go into that.

He's glad he knew his parents and where he comes from. He wasn't lucky enough to avoid Anton, but being found by Ian makes up for the hell he endured.

"I do understand your reluctance, though. I got luckier than most people with real talent in a lot of ways. I didn't know my parents long, but they were good to me." he says.

"So...what else do you like to do, besides follow crazy wizards on damn-fool idealistic crusades and the like?" he grins.

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[info]marlow
2010-04-21 01:51 am UTC (link)
She tried the ale. Mark got another beaming smile.

"I follow crazy gods around on crusades and the like." She almost giggled. It was a close thing.

"I practice a lot, both magic and talking to people. I've learned you don't start out a conversation by explaining how you helped defeat an army of demons. But it being California, they assume I'm on drugs. Swim in the ocean and explore the supernatural hot spots when I find them. Winchester Mystery House really isn't much of a mystery."

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[info]this_fire_burns
2010-04-21 02:08 am UTC (link)
"Mentioning demons in most places will get people to think you're on drugs. Swimming in the ocean, on the other hand, is adventurous, if not outright dangerous. You are a braver soul than I." he says, taking a pull from the ale bottle.

"How is that place, anyway? I wanted to check it out, but meeting you is actually part of my first time in California." he tells her.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 02:20 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 02:26 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 02:31 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 02:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 02:51 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 03:01 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 03:20 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 03:29 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 03:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 04:10 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 05:32 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 07:43 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 01:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 01:48 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 02:27 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 02:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 02:48 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 03:01 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 03:15 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 03:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]marlow, 2010-04-21 03:55 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]this_fire_burns, 2010-04-21 04:04 pm UTC

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