Minor and Major Keys

[credit_not_blame]

Who: Stacia, Bunny, Saturday, Remy, others to be added
What: Stacia finds a mysterious key and investigates
Where: About the rig
When: After Pathless Woods/Saturday Morning/Unicorn Hunting
Warnings/Notes: none as of yet


There is a mysterious key in Stacia's possession and she is wildly curious about it.

She'd found it in her room, and promptly stomped on it just to make sure it wasn't going to get any funny ideas. She'd crumpled the accompanying note a bit in the process, but the message is still legible:

Never forget: Keys turn both ways. You can lock something away... But you can also throw a bolt and set something free.

It's true enough, she has her own experiences that speak to it, but someone or something is playing a game here and she doesn't appreciate not being told the rules ahead of time. She also doesn't appreciate the fact that she knows that this key will open the wooden music box that Jorgmund has in their Collections room just from touching the key.

Stacia is not a girl prone to investigating the weird and mysterious on her own unless she has no other choice, and she has a person or two she wants to talk to before she takes this thing to Collections to see what will happen...

Comments

[bringinghopewithme]

It's always easiest to assume Bunny is somewhere in the gardens when looking for him, and this time he is, bending his will and focus on growing a line of sweet potatoes. It always leaves him in a slightly bad mood that growing plants is so hard now, but if he can turn his mood around for anyone it's Stacia.

[credit_not_blame]

Stacia misses being able to use Pulse of the Prey, being able to find anyone you know something about with a little concentration is very handy. It doesn't take too long to locate Bunny today, but it is still a way in which Jorgmund has inconvenienced her and she's exactly petty enough to keep a mental tally.

"Bunny!" she calls when she sees him, in...roughly the same tone the average teenage girl would use upon spotting a regular bunny. In this case, it's largely to announce her presence so that the whiff of wolf doesn't take him by surprise. She trots in his direction, blinking in surprise when she spots the gauntlets on his forearms.

"Ooh, those are pretty!"

[bringinghopewithme]

It is extremely polite of Stacia to announce her presence as loudly as she does, but the way she does it is also very cute. Bunny appreciates both of those things.

He holds one jeweled gauntlet out for Stacia to inspect. "Ah, thanks. Tell you the truth, I'm a little surprised they let me keep the jewels. What brings you around? You hungry?"

[credit_not_blame]

"I mean, I could pretty much always use a snack around here," Stacia says, taking a closer look at the gauntlets. It sounds like they were something from home, but it also sounds like...

"You got these back from the Jorg? They just gave them back?"

The key she found definitely isn't hers, but if someone from Jorgmund put it in her room, she's definitely not taking it to Collections.

[bringinghopewithme]

"They didn't give the boomerangs back, but at least now I know for sure they've got them too," says Bunny, reaching around into one of the holsters on his back. He looks around cautiously as he flips some inner packet open, and pulls out, wrapped in a leaf -

"First temper," he says, handing the leaf-wrapped chocolate to Stacia, with the attitude of one handing over contraband - which he is. "It won't be up to my usual standards, but let me know how it tastes. Werewolves can eat chocolate, right?"

[credit_not_blame]

Stacia bites back a gasp, briefly utterly distracted from her concerns about the key and where it came from. There's not a lot that could do that, but chocolate from the Easter Bunny definitely rates. She accepts it with what she hopes is an appropriate amount of respect considering that it's also contraband. She'd normally glance around first to make sure they're not being watched, but frankly she trusts Bunny's instincts on that matter over her own. Prey animal and all.

"I can't speak for all werewolves, but I'm not allergic to chocolate," she assures him before bringing it to her mouth to take a bite. Not going to pop the whole thing in her mouth all at once if he's looking for feedback.

"Nnnghm, ohmigod."

That's...probably not as articulate as she wants it to be. Certainly less dignified.

[bringinghopewithme]

Truth be told, Bunny's a little giddy. He doesn't usually get to see the reaction up close. He's usually not in a position to ask for feedback.

"Still good? I had to compromise on a lot of ingredients more than I would back home, but as long as it's still a treat, I'll keep on tweaking the recipe. How's the texture, even enough? Melting too fast, or too slow?"

She came to see him for, presumably, some other reason, so he'd better ask about that too.

"Besides a snack, what brings you about?"

[wheyoftheadept]

Saturday is having some complicated emotions of her own; Stacia will run across her, if she does, tucked away in a secluded corner of the gardens, nowhere near Bunny, and brooding over something she's clasping in both hands. Should she draw close enough before Saturday looks up, she can see that it's a bronze brooch of some kind, radiating gentle magic.

"Hey Stac. What's up."

[credit_not_blame]

Stacia shudders dramatically. "Oh no. I'll take that with the intention with which it was meant, but please don't call me 'Stac'. It's barely a hop away from 'Stacy' and then I'll have no choice but to fight you." She plops down next to Saturday. "Even 'Ana' is better, and I only use that when I'm suspicious of someone's intentions."

She glances briefly at Saturday's cupped hands. "Something from home?"

[wheyoftheadept]

"Howsabout Staz?" Saturday counters, determined to be the only person in her life with a three-syllable name. The brooch disappears into her pocket. "Yeah, I, uh, kinda just found it in my room. Been sittin' here trynna figure if it's a fake or a trick."

Her eyes aren't wet, that's just a trick of the light.

"You heard of anything similar happening around the rig?"

[credit_not_blame]

"'Staz' is acceptable," Stacia agrees after a moment's consideration. "It's a little butch, but I think I can do something with it." Take it home, slap it on a new identity, see if any of the local Glass Walkers either still feel sorry for her or are looking to buy a favor.

"I've only talked to Bunny so far," she says, choosing not to comment on a certain trick of the light. "He says he got something from home." She dips a hand into her pocket and pulls out the music box key, holding it close to her body. "I got something that's definitely not from home, because it goes to something here."

[wheyoftheadept]

Saturday whistles. "Well, ain't that a coinkidink. How do you happen to know it does? An' where does it lead?"

She cranes her head to get a better look without touching it, in case of booby traps. "Small. Maybe for a box or somethin'?"

[credit_not_blame]

"I know what it does because it told me," Stacia says. "Not with words so much as a little knowledge bubble in my head when I picked it up."

She lowers her voice, even though no one's around and they all know the cameras don't work. Habit dies hard.

"It opens a music box the Jorg has in Collections. No idea what's inside though; aside from some kind of magic bullshit." Keys that tell you how to use them only ever open magic bullshit.

[kingofneworleans]

There isn't a lot for Remy to get into on the Rig. Not at the moment, at least. He's done a good bit of exploring and finding his way into places where he's probably not supposed to be. He's taking a break from that, though, having grabbed a book from the library and found a couch to stretch out on in the rec room.

He looks up when somebody else comes in the room and raises a hand in greeting when he recognizes Stacia. "Bonjour, petite."

[credit_not_blame]

It's probably little more than his standard greeting, but Stacia finds herself flattered to be the recipient of a French diminutive anyway.

"Hola, amigo," she answers, circling around to perch on the arm of a nearby chair. "I heard a rumor people are finding presents around the Rig. Think someone's playing Santa Claus?"

[kingofneworleans]

He grins, sitting up and swinging his legs down so that he's even sitting properly. The grin does fade a bit into a considering look at that news. "I...can't say I'm so s'prised, really," he says slowly. "'Cause I got somet'ing. Makes sense dat others got stuff, too."

He knows Rogue got good gloves. Nothing magical. But what he'd gotten was definitely not the usual sort of item.

[credit_not_blame]

"I've only talked to a couple other people so far, and they both got something from home," Stacia says. "Which would be strange enough on its own...but the thing I found isn't mine, and I don't think it's from home."

She pulls the key out of her pocket so he can see it, holding her hand close to her body in case someone else walks in.

"It goes to a box in Collections," she says. "It told me so when I picked it up. Apparently, stomping on it first wasn't enough to keep it from being weird."

[kingofneworleans]

He leans forward to get a better look at the key, raising an eyebrow. "Ain't had a chance to talk to many 'bout what dey got. Know someone dat got what she really needed to feel comfortable an' safe, so dat was important. I...mos' definitely didn' get somet'ing from home."

Although curious, he keeps his hands to himself, lower arms on his knees. "Collections, huh? Looked through dere, but ain't had much reason to go pokin' 'round proper like. Though, usually, I'd 'vise 'gainst trustin' keys dat talk to you."

[credit_not_blame]

"It didn't talk to me," Stacia said, with faux-cheer. "It was psychic at me, which is objectively worse."

She dropped the key back into her pocket so that she could throw her hands in the air with appropriate gusto. "Have I mentioned that I find magic intensely aggravating? Because I do. That may sound weird, since I am magic, but oh my god is it ever a pain in the ass."

At least someone else got something not-from-home. That's a little reassuring.

"What did probably-not-Santa leave for you to find?"

[credit_not_blame]

Stacia ambles into Collections on her own, casually glancing around as though she's not looking for anything in particular. Not her people (all there), not the security system (also there), not the staff (being engaged in conversation by one of her people, she appreciates the initiative), and certainly not a particular artifact. Nope, just a New Hire who happens to be innocently engaged in checking out a space on the Rig during her free time.

(Maybe they should have surveilled the place first to make sure that their arrivals, as separate as they appeared, weren't a noticeable uptick in visits, but there's not a lot of way to watch places on the Rig without being suspicious. She'll consult with Remy afterward, maybe he'll have some suggestions.)

Stacia makes a mental note to come back here to actually browse, not just fake browse and pilfer from. The view is exciting, and there are a lot of things here that seem worth poking at. But she's on a mission and surely K is only going to be distracted for so long, so she keeps her dallying to a minimum. The music box looks exactly how she knew it would, and she knows that the key in her pocket goes to the drawer and not the top part.

She really wants to know what's in the top part, but: another day.

Glancing idly over at K to confirm that he's still distracted, Stacia retrieves her key and slides it into the lock. The drawer slides open no problem, and there's another key inside. Weird, but okay. Stacia takes that one too, and -- great, it's also psychic, Stacia loves psychic objects. She drops the head-shaped key into her pocket and slides the drawer closed again. Unfortunately, the original key she'd found in her room dissolves like smoke before she can retrieve it. Ominous much?

She doesn't stick around too long. Places to be (not here), people to see (the people in this room who are not K). She ambles out (ha! no alarms) and off toward the lounge where she and the others agreed to meet up after.

[wheyoftheadept]

" - anyway, thanks for your time," Saturday tells K about five minutes after Stacia leaves the room. She's not an amateur, after all. "Sorry it was a wild goose chase."

He responds with bland platitudes and goes back to his business. Saturday takes her time leaving, stopping to linger at interesting exhibits, staggering her exit with the others. Plausible deniability is very much the name of the game.

About ten, fifteen minutes later, she wanders in to the lounge, having taken a route that dropped by the bathroom and the mess hall. Very ordinary errands, nothing to indicate urgency or concern. Then she flops down into the patchy, overstuffed armchair in the corner of the lounge facing the door and runs a hand through her hair.

"All right, chummer, whatcha got?"

[bringinghopewithme]

Bunny didn't talk to anyone in collections, because grifting in this environment is not part of his skillset and he's never going to pretend it is. What he did was find an artifact with cabochons that are similar enough to his gauntlets that he could reasonably be expected to want to compare them, which gave him a good post at which to keep his ears tilted often enough towards Stacia, ready to leap to her side should anything go wrong.


When, fortunately, nothing did, he waited until Saturday was gone to finish taking down the sketch he was painting on a large leaf, perfectly normal activity for an artist who once had the means to make his own gear to do. Then he follows the sound of Stacia's voice, nodding g'day to Saturday as he does.

[kingofneworleans]

Remy hadn't been looking at anything in particular. It's his first time in Collections, after all, and it's worth it to have a look around.

The puzzle box is, maybe, a little too tempting to pick up and have a go at for somebody who likes having something to do with his hands. Which is why he walks away from it, pulling out a deck of cards to shuffle to keep himself occupied.

He's the last one to leave, giving K a wide smile and a tip of his head before heading out, whistling jauntily until he's far enough away to not be heard. Then he makes his way more quickly through the halls to the meeting point.

"So. You get anyt'in' interestin', petite?" he asks, finding a chair to perch on. Not bothered by the fact that the Easter Bunny is in the room. It's hardly the first time he's had a furry teammate, after all.

[credit_not_blame]

"Before we get into what I got, I just wanted to thank you all again," Stacia says. "Knowing that people have my back lets me breathe a little easier here. And, in case you haven't run into each other yet, this is Saturday, Bunny, and Remy." She points to each one in turn as she says their names. "I trust all three of you, so I hope you guys can all trust each other, too."

With that out of the way, she holds up the key between her thumb and forefinger, so they can see both the head-shaped bit on one end and the bit that goes in the keyhole.

"I traded the first key for this one, which is also informatively psychic, so I think that might be a function of the keys themselves. Which may mean that there are others out there, because if there are two psychic info-dump keys, I can't imagine that there aren't more. This one doesn't open boxes or doors though, it opens people's memories."

She pauses, looking between the other three, trying not to let her gaze linger too much on Bunny.

"From what I understand from the how-to-use-me tutorial, I stick the key in the back of someone's neck and a door appears, and I can just...go inside their head and root around. It takes time, and if someone pulls the key out of the person while I'm in there, I could get stuck inside their head; so if I use it, I'm gonna need someone to stand guard and make sure no one interferes." She rolls the key between her finger and thumb. "Also, people will only remember me going in if they agree to help me. If they don't, or if I ambush them and jab the key into their neck, they won't remember shit. So I'm just gonna say this out loud now: if it's another New Hire, I'm gonna ask before I go traipsing around inside their heads."

Jorgmund employees however are absolutely fair game.

[wheyoftheadept]

Saturday waves a bit at the other two, elaborately cool with the Easter Bunny being a thing. Or at any rate, a man sized bunny with magic powers and an Australian accent who calls himself the Easter Bunny. She's not going to argue with him about it.

Then she listens attentively, and whistles when Stacia's done.

"Okay. So how badly can this backfire? Like just doing an idiot check because experience has this coming to mind first, for example, is there some kind of curse or addictive quality? Just, that's a very useful thing to have just arrive at our doorstep with no hidden fuckery. I don't trust things that useful from unknown benefactors."