Over the River and Through the Woods

Briar set off from the Velvet Masquerade and headed in the direction of the park, the route she took was never the same as the one prior. Partially out of habit and truth be told, she never tired of exploring the city.

When she arrived at the gate of the park it was a few hours later and night had settled in like a blanket over the streets. Her alternate route had paid off in the form of a sturdy leather jacket that bore the Vegvisir on the back where it rested like a shield across her shoulders.

Taking a drag from the cigarette perched between her lips she started moving again, drifting like a shade along the footpaths, heading toward a certain bench.

It was strange still, to fly. He had only ever been told he would be able to glide, but he would never gain a mastery over his wings. He proved them so very wrong as he beat his black feathered wings against the empty air to ascend further towards the moon, until finally he burst through a cloud bank, that was when he decided to tuck his wings and begin a free fall. He fell for a moment with eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of weightless nothingness, not even the wind bothering him. With a sigh he flipped himself so that he could see below him and found his target zone, his park. Dead in the center was his bench. Not many knew why that was his bench, and those that did, didn't know the real reason. Only his clansmen and the Pri...King. he shook his head remembering he wasn't apart of the Camarilla anymore. 300 feet. 200 feet. 100. 50. As he approached the canopy of the trees, he threw his wings wide and beat them once, sending a gush of wind down through the leaves to the roots. He fell gracefully through the branches and softly landed next to the bench, that was when her scent hit him. He looked up as he grabbed his coat, with the sewn in bag for his wing, and threw it over his shoulders tucking his wings away. His hat went on over his head and horns, and his aviators covered his Tortilian eyes as Briar rounded the trees. "Evening" his voice was calm and level, even tho he had just spent the last hour and a half flying.

None the wiser to the more bestial aspects the individual whose company she'd arrived seeking, finding him present as she arrived inspired a rather warm smile from the slender young woman. "Hey Rhage. I... wasn't sure if you'd be here, but I'm glad to see you." The words were of course genuine, if he were making any effort to discern the intention behind them.

Reaching up she brushed her fingers through her hair, the cherry of her cigarette flaring briefly against the shadows. "Anything interesting going on in the city tonight?"

"Nothing that I'm aware of yet. Of course if there was Xhex would have already let me know" he turned and planted his kiester on the bench "What about you? How is your evening? You got a....a..glow about you. Get laid or somethin?" He grabbed his pack of non menthol cigarettes out of his pocket and sparked one with his zippo.

"Am I?" The question was paired with a thoughtful grin that she angled over in Rhage's direction. "It has been an interesting night; wherein I found myself beholden to a tide of introspection and the sort of self discovery that one only encounters when they aren't looking for it." Bemused with her evening thus far there was a small shake of her head given as she glanced his direction, trying to gauge if she was talking too much.

Not that she had much luck, he didn't exactly give away what he was thinking with his expression the way the average person did. So, she took the chance that he didn't mind her sharing her observations. "I realized something as I was coming to terms with the harsh reality of what I was shown in the ebb and flow of those waters. There is strength to be found in accepting the truth. The sort of strength that is required to steel one's mettle."

There was a spark in the depths of Briar's eyes as she finally managed to put the elusive emotions she'd been feeling, into words that felt right. "I've never felt that before." Another faint smile stole over her expression. "It makes me think of what the Skin Horse said."

His head fell to one side as she spoke. Self discovery? Introspection? He pondered it and felt his inner beast roil within 'You, calm down' he thought inwardly, hearing the mewl of a large cat in return. He lifted his head once she finished and asked plainly "And what was that?"

"That Real isn’t how you are made,” Briar replied lightly, “It’s a thing that happens to you." She said the word real like it should be capitalized, like it was something significant, almost tangible. "And while it doesn't happen all at once. Once you are real, you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always."

The cherry flared again, rallying against the night around them. "It feels like tonight I've taken a step in that direction and I think that was something I needed."

A realization flared in front of him "Ahh. Acceptance for what you've become and what that means. Its a good step" he dropped the butt of his smoke and stomped it out with his heel "The real trick though, is learning to coexist with your new inner self"