THE JARS THAT BLEED BEFORE THEY BREAK.

[glassjar]

Congrats! You've somehow stumbled upon the pocket dimension where five people with questionable morals (some more questionable than others) live and operate. Are you here on business? Do you have an appointment? Or are you here to see a friend? (Come on, don't make us laugh.)

Maybe you're here on accident due to some multiversal, magical, or otherwise supernatural nonsense? It's happened before, it was bound to happen again.

You can wander towards the house, see if anyone's home. Or you can explore the lush grounds, and maybe run across the wolfman groundskeeper who might try to usher you out towards the nearest portal, anyway. The world is your oyster, just try to be a good guest.

Comments

[spacecaser]

[Her excitement is cute. Reminds him of himself in his teenage years, a very, very long time ago.

He clicks his tongue, looking at her with amusement.]

Ah, Miss Iona. You are making it far more complicated than need be. You see, this is but a university. There are not even cameras in every corner of the gallery for a thief like me--no, thieves like us--to worry about. And thus, the school's locks will be saved from your wrath.

Non, we needn't even leave. The trick is to stay in the building, unseen, while they lock up. Then, when we are alone, we simply unearth ourselves from our hiding spots.

Tell me, how do you feel about... vents?

[infusion]

[You said the magic word Thomas.

Well, no, not exactly but it's more than enough for Iona to become starry-eyed and energetic.]

Oh my god.

You're not serious, are you? We're gonna be sneaky!?

[You know, if Iona's gonna get any better at this, might as well learn from someone with experience.]

[spacecaser]

[He's grinning fully now. It's almost as though the tiredness in the corner of his eyes doesn't even exist.]

We are going to be very sneaky.

...In either the women or men's restrooms.

[Sorry, that's the easiest place to access a vent in a building, usually.]

[infusion]

[Okay, deflated somewhat... But no, that doesn't deter her at all really.]

How about I meet you halfway? I do have the blueprints of the school. Oh and I might not be the best with spellcraft, but I can Envision the vents to be big enough to crawl in comfortably.

And that way we don't have to follow each other into one bathroom. Much more conspicuous even if no one is around to see.

[spacecaser]

[Well, he was just going to suggest sneaking in when no one was looking, but that works too.]

Magic makes things so much more convenient, doesn't it? Very well. We do it that way. And then we wait. Quietly.

[infusion]

[Iona gives Thomas finger guns and grins.]

I'll be quiet as a mouse. You won't even know I'm there!

[Though when they go into the vents, the echoes of the Mission Impossible theme might be heard very, very, very faintly...]

[spacecaser]

[Faint enough that it doesn't matter. Is this her first real baby heist? Then let her have her fun.

She'll soon learn, however, that when it comes to most stints of theft? 80 percent of the game is waiting, waiting, waiting. Thomas is used to it, at least, and he spends the time waiting for 9 pm and some change to roll around... Mostly just lying there, on his back, eyes closed and waiting for time to pass. Snug in a vent that he shares with a witch.

Very exciting, huh, Iona?]

[infusion]

[Then it's good that Iona knows how to distract herself during the wait. There are games on her phone, looking over possible menu items to add to the Midnight Grind... She's even doing some yoga stretches!

This girl's got way too much energy.

She's lying on her back with her legs resting straight against the wall at a nearly 90-degree angle. Iona glances at Thomas and although she had been active during their vent-wait, she hadn't been bothering him specifically. But she had to wonder...]

Mr. Durand? Are you tired?

[spacecaser]

[Thomas laughs lightly. He doesn't even bother to open his eyes as he replies in a low tone.]

Miss Iona, I would say that I am tired... at least seventy percent of the time. Though I am recovering now.

[infusion]

Oh.

[That seems to stir up some concern in the young woman and she swerves her legs off of the wall and sits cross-legged instead.]

Are you sure you're okay then? I mean... Does it have to do with your powers?

[spacecaser]

[Thomas cracks open one eye to turn his head and look at her.]

Oh, right now, I am fine. Yesterday, I was a mess.

[He says this with such ease; it's been the reality for so long, it's a bit like talking about the weather.]

I carry a plentiful amount of energy within me, you see. And it grows, and grows, and feel far too overwhelming for this small, human body. So I must let it burn off. All the way. [And it feels good to let it burn.] And after that? I am so, so tired.

[infusion]

[Iona doesn't say anything for a second. She just examines him with her brown eyes, like and unlike her grandmother's. Her pair didn't have any mystical layers hidden beneath like Berna's. She had said it herself back at the charity ball; "unblemished and hopelessly optimistic and loving."

The words she offers are simple and direct.]

That must really suck. And I hope this job isn't like, irritating or anything.

[Cause just now, she wonders if Thomas is doing this just to humor her. Like in the short time they've known each other... Wow it was short. But he was easy to talk to. Charming in that way unnaturally older people were... She kind of sees why Berna would take a liking to him, criminal ties aside.]

[spacecaser]

[He looks at her for a moment longer, considering. He doesn't mind her direct nature, for it's better than playing a game of pretty words and unspoken intentions like he feels like he sometimes gets tangled up within his group.]

Irritating? Oh, no, no. In fact, it is... nice. To do something simple, something that might keep me active, but not too strenuous, you see.

[Here, he eases himself up into a sit, one elbow pressing into his knee.]

A nice in-between. Between being too tired, and being too... lucid.

[Head too full of thoughts, muddied up by a lifetime that is too long to stuff into a single human body.]

Do not worry about me. And do not fret for yourself, either. This is not an inconvenience.

[infusion]

If you say so.

[Iona smiles at Thomas when he reassures her.]

I really am glad that you took on this job. [She runs her hand through her hair and checks her phone (still a good chunk of time left).]

By now, I bet you know all about the Urn Incident, huh? When stuff like that happens, I get really down about how effective I am at this whole witch thing. Berna's way of teaching me is just kind of letting me stumble and fall so I pick myself back up again.

[Oren is there to soften the falls so to speak, but it's still hard on her self-esteem sometimes.]

So uh... I guess what I'm saying is, thanks for stumbling in the dark with me for this one!

[spacecaser]

[Oh, Iona. That is such an earnest thing for her to say, he can't help but smile despite himself.]

It is hardly a stumble at all. I am certain that you will not think it so by the time we are done here.

But yes, I heard all about the Urn Incident. It was all Jake could talk about for such a long while.

[infusion]

God. Was he that sore over it for that long!?

[Like her grandmother, Iona creates bombshells, just less elegant. Voices float through the vents with a few straggling students and security taking care of their business.]

"Man, I can't wait for the gallery to open! Think they'll serve free food?"

"I think I've been staring at my painting too long... Did I paint a blonde there before?"

"We need some more escorts on the other side can you fill in-?"

[Iona glances at Thomas and stretches her arms in front of her.]

Well? Sounds like we can drop in soon.

[spacecaser]

[Don't take it personally, Iona. Jake is sore about a lot of things for a while.

But he listens as the voices permeate the vents, snippets of conversation privy to them as a few straggling students linger. He nods quietly in Iona's direction.]

Once the last of them are gone, we find the painting again. Then we deal with the issue at hand, hopefully without too much noise.

[infusion]

Yes. Little noise.

[She rubs her hands together, trying to hype herself up or rather cool down in this instance.]

Sneaky. I will not knock over any displays.

[spacecaser]

[Again, he looks amused.]

Try not. Just follow me... like a shadow, mm?

[And so, whenever the student voices fade and disappear altogether, Thomas has them wait a few minutes more before slipping out of the went. He waits for Iona to follow, eyes casting about. Looks like the coast is clear for now!]

[infusion]

[Iona slips out after Thomas and lands softly on her feet. It's a lot eerier in the galleries at night and without other people to fill in the gaps, the unnatural atmosphere is palpable.

The witch glances back and forth.]

Okay. She'll be more active now that there's no one to stare at her.

[She shakes out her right arm and opens and closes her fist.]

I can kind of track her based on how much my arm tingles.

[spacecaser]

That arm of yours is very magical, correct? I can sense it, too, in a way that is different than the rest of you.

[He glances around the empty gallery, almost casually as he speaks.]

We are the same in one way, then, Miss Iona. Did you know that I have a unique arm, too? In a way.

[infusion]

Oh, really? Your senses are really sharp then.

[The crystal is separate but not. The material has bonded with her body in a strange fashion that not even Berna and Oren can predict what it will be like in the future.

Iona was looking around too before Thomas reveals that rather intriguing fact about himself. Jake definitely didn't say anything about that.]

You too? I mean... Is it made of something different like mine?

[spacecaser]

It is as I told your grandmother, I am the most sensitive of all the Jars.

[And again, for good or ill.

Still, he shakes his head.] No, not quite like that. [Here, he fusses with the cuff of his long sleeve, rolling it up his right arm. As he does so, he reveals... red markings? Of a dark, deep crimson, thin little lines embedded in his skin. It is almost like a Henna tattoo, except the lines leave tracts like very faint scars, and the color is a little off. A little too red.

It runs all up and down his arm, from shoulder to wrist. Strange, wispy designs, interlocking with each other. Iona's own arm might be able to sense imbued magic present--yes, actual magic--different from the energy generated by his soul.]

A little gift from Rachel's... ah, "family." [He holds his arm up, wiggling his fingers.]

[infusion]

Whoa...!

[Her voice is hushed but she's taken aback by the crimson markings. Her right arm pulses at the magic inherent within.]

Is... Is it like an embedded spell? A curse? I mean, it looks like bad news I think.

[spacecaser]

[He laughs lowly.]

Oh, all of that kind of magic is bad news. But in this case, I am not sure how to describe it. Curse, mm, maybe. But it was explained to me like... it is a dreamcatcher that is etched in blood.

[Also ominous sounding, but-]

Catching dreams and nightmares and storing them in the markings. But eventually that net becomes too full, too, and must be expelled on occasion. Filling up the mind of someone else or something, and putting them to sleep. Helpful, as a thief.

[But WHY does he have this, exactly? It's fine, probably.]