[sblock=Image]
Juno "Thorn" Reyes[/sblock]
8:00pm, 13 November, 2008
Cormant House
Salem, Massachusetts
A dirty grey Camaro that had probably been a beaut about twenty years ago prowled up the road and into the small rustic parking lot of the Cormant House. Its front tires pressed against one of the logs that marked the end of the spot, then backed off. The car thrummed with drumbeats conducted through its frame, and the sound of heavy electric guitar playing could be heard muted from within. The sound of the engine was an afterthought, though it sounded meaty too. All of these things cut off sharply, and the headlights died out. A moment later the driver's side door opened and she emerged.
7:00pm, 13 November, 2008
15362 Coolidge Ave
Cambridge Massachusetts
Hector Reyes was eating breakfast when Juno slipped out of her room and made her way towards the front door...somehow managing to be both stealthy and nonchalant. He didn't even turn around.
"You done with your homework,
mija?"
Juno froze in mid-step, then sighed. "It's not homework, dad. It's an application. I have like, another month to get it in."
Besides, she added mentally,
it's not like they teach what I'm into at State.
"You need to take this seriously," her father said firmly. "Or you can work with me all your life if you want. Wake up as the sun goes down and have dinner at dawn? Like a vampire."
That gave Juno a moment of curious pause. She'd never asked 'Papa Chango' about vampires. Huh. A moment later she gave voice to the first thing to come into her head, which was, "I dunno, you get to carry a gun around."
"Just makes me a bigger target," was his tired reply. But he quickly shot his daughter a sly look. "Besides, they play country music on the speakers sometimes."
Juno scowled. "I'll do the application, I promise. I'm just going out for a bit."
Now it was Hector's turn to scowl. The expression was very similar between them. "A guy?" There was a warning in his voice.
"Friends," Juno clarified. "A bunch of us. We'll be doing some heroin and some Russian Roulette but don't worry, no guys."
Hector nodded. "Okay then. But you know I'm working tonight, so you can't use..."
"...it's cool, Uncle Hugo's letting me use his," she quickly replied.
"Back by midnight," Juno's father said stubbornly.
"Always," Juno lied.
8:00pm, 13 November, 2008
Cormant House
Salem, Massachusetts
The radio had started playing 'Enter Sandman' as she'd driven up to the place. Seemed oddly appropriate to her. Oh, it was possible that some wizard had magicked her (oops, make that Uncle Hugo's) car stereo, but really...
why? That'd been one thing her uncle had warned her about.
Once you knew, there was no going back. You couldn't unsee it, you couldn't forget that anything you might once have shrugged at and filed away under 'stuff happens,' now had to be scrutinized a bit harder. Even silly, stupid, or innocent coincidences might have a double meaning, or a purpose working behind them.
Or it might just be a cool song by Metallica that a DJ wanted to hear.
Juno grinned at herself and shook her head. Wasn't she a deep vat of wisdom tonight? Well. A deep vat of
something. She concentrated for a moment and checked her spells...obsessing over them momentarily like a performer might over her makeup before going on stage.
This was, after all, the first time someone other than Chango would be seeing them.
Okay. Eyes up. Head straight. Shoulders square. Lets do this.
As Juno came to the front door, it opened to reveal a young-looking man within, who spoke his name to her. She blinked at 'Arathnos,' momentarily taken aback by how not-what-she'd-been-expecting he was.
"I'm Ju...Thorn. Just Thorn," she said when he introduced himself...nearly flubbing her Shadow Name.
Oh, that was smooth. Making a great impression so far 'Thorn.'
Another surprise; no one else was here.
She wandered around the little vestibule then asked Arathnos, "There's more coming, right?"
(OOC - Forgot to list spells active: Second Sight (Spirit 1, Mage Sight plus Gauntlet strength), Ephemeral Armor (Spirit 2, 2 Armor, works against spirit or physical attacks), Sense Life (Life 1, can detect living things in area, establishes 'safe zone' where nothing living can approach without alerting mage).)