Log:Portraits of Power, Scene 1

Portraits of Power 2008/02/24 	 Ellbeth Halcyon Howl Heavy Metal Princess Icon Kihzra Peregrine 1

Ellbeth is seated at the window table, coffee steaming gently close to hand as she sits back and chats with Max.

Carrying a parasol, which is black and matching her body, Halcyon enters the shop. The parasol is twirling periodically, a grin showing on her face.

Ellbeth looks up as Halcyon enters. She grins at the sight.

Kihzra enters, just as she has on many a day, going to the counter and ordering "coffee, brack."

Ellbeth nods to Kihzra.

Kihzra nods and smiles back to Ellbeth. "Hi, tjasivju!"

Two men enter the coffee shop. The first is a shorter gentleman with graying bushy hair, round bodied without being fat. His companion is dark haired, in his thirties, which makes him younger that the short man. He has a slim build. Both wear dark colored suits, with conservatively chosen ties. The two men stand by the entrance a moment, looking around at the people inside.

Ellbeth smiles, "Greetings to you."

THe parasol-weilding girl presents a smile toward Ellbeth, looking toward the counter and menu thoughtfully. No reaction registers on her part when the door opens, and she mulls over her choices.

Ellbeth signals the server, indicating Halcyon, and signals for the bill to be added to her tab.

Kihzra gets her coffee and heads to Ellbeth's table, after the quick assessing glance at the two men she generally gives people.

A chair pulls back for Kihzra to sit without a hand touching it.

Kihzra asks Ellbeth, "You made chair move?"

Ellbeth nods. "Yes. I was hoping you'd join me at the table."

The two men begin to approach Ellbeth's table. The shorter man one speaks first. "Doctor Wyrd... Doctor Ellbeth Wyrd?" he asks, with a French accent. His companion stands quietly, looking at Kihzra and Halycon.

Kihzra smiles and sits. "Fank you. Is strange fing vough. Is magic?"

Halcyon is taking her time with this decision, though at least she is not standing in the way of other customers in the process.

Ellbeth nods to Kihzra and then to the man speaking to her, "Yes, I'm Ellbeth Wyrd."

Kihzra returns the favour and regards the two men.

The shorter man reaches into his inner breast pocket and pulls out an identification badge. "I am Yves Rousseau. This is my partner, Michel Laurent. We are from Interpol. Would you have time for a few questions?"

Eventually Halcyon arrives at a choice, not yet braving the prospect of actual coffee in favor of a berry tea. She is already on her way to paying when the server is nearly finished explaining that the beverage has been already paid for. Directed to the person responsible for the kindness, Halcyon approaches Ellbeth's table.

Kihzra says, "Where is Interporr?"

Ellbeth nods again to the man. "Of course. Please be seated. Would you like something to drink. Or food. I can recommend the Danish pasties." A smile is flashed towards Halcyon and one by one three chairs pull back for people to be seated.

Agent Rousseau nods. "Merci..." He watches quietly the chairs pull themselves out from the table. He has a seat, as does Laurent. "I hope that I am not interrupting... I think I will try one of those pastries."

Ellbeth smiles, "Not interrupting at all. I was doing no more than enjoying a cup of coffee. How can I help you?"

Halcyon is surprised by the chair moving. Perceptive people might notice that her mug was not black before she got hold of it. Not-as-perceptive people might notice that when she accepts the offered seat, it also turns black. On the table, in front of Ellbeth and beside Max, the words 'Thank you very much' appear, formed out of inky darkness and done in a fairly close reproduction of Arial font.

Ellbeth chuckles on seeing the inky black message form in the air.

Rousseau looks to his partner. "Michel?" he asks. His partner declines, with a slight shake of his head. Rousseau smiles and looks back towards Ellbeth. "Young people these days, so concerned with diets and exercise, they forget what it is to enjoy life..." He leans back and crosses his legs. He nods, listening to Dr. Wyrd. "Right, so to business.. Doctor, do you know anything about a metahuman named Peregrine?"

Kihzra jumps up from her seat and reaches for her bag as the black squiggles appear in the air.

Kihzra jumps up from her seat and reaches for her bag as the black squiggles appear on the table.

The reaction to the words forming give Halcyon a bit of a start herself, and the words sort of shift abruptly into unintelligible squiggles.

Ellbeth says, "Do I know anything about Peregrine? Not at this moment, gentlemen. That can change if need be though."

Agent Laurent stands as well, reacting to Kihzra's sudden movement. Agent Rousseau looks up at Kihzra then to Ellbeth, "Is everything alright?"

Ellbeth thinks. o O (Max, start checking please, public sources first and then might as well look through the Interpol records.)

Kihzra points to the squiggles with her left hand while keeping the right near her bag. "What is vat?"

Sheepishly, Halcyon raises her hand to claim fault for the squiggles, and they vanish.

Ellbeth nods, "It's ok, Kihzra." She says to the warrioress. "Kihzra is from a place with different customes. She can be startled by events here."

"A little bit of magic, non?" Rousseau asks. He looks at Halycon, studying her briefly, before asking, "Is she your apprentice, Doctor?"

Kihzra sits again, and asks Halcyon, "You did?"

Laurent relaxes and sits down again.

Ellbeth shakes her head smiling, "Non. Just a talented young girl. This is Colonial Bay City after all."

Halcyon nods once, appearing apologetic. Thoughtful, she places a finger just above the table, and sets to sketching. Where her finger goes, she leaves that same inky darkness behind. A favored thing of hers to sketch lately, though it turns out a little less complete than expected, a flower of some kind. Once she's finished, it seems to flesh out a little using varying shades of darkness, and it appears to slide over toward Kihzra. Entirely an illusion, two-dimensional.

Kihzra says, "Qhah! Can make brack."

Ellbeth lifts an eyebrow, "Mmm... Stealing from the Louvre. I'm not surprised you are interested in him. What I don't yet understand is why you have sought me out?" Ellbeth says to Rousseau.

Halcyon nods at Kihzra's assessment, though the first word she saw used puzzles her a little.

HMP walks into the coffee shop after a few laps around the city looking for crime. She did not find much a few muggers and a little old lady jay walking but thats it. She goes to the counter and orders her self a half caf moca latta. Once she gets it she makes her way to a table. The bottom of her helmet retacts so she can drink but keep most of her face cover.

Rousseau nods to Ellbeth. "Yes, yes... the Peregrine has stolen a valuable painting. When we found his safe house, he was not there. However, we did find a computer and on it, we found your name and address. We thought perhaps that the Peregrine had tried to contact you, or would try to visit you."

Kihzra introduces herself to Halcyon, since Ellbeth seems friendly with her. "Am Kihzra daughter of Pfarok and Jungre from city of Jhorbagh in rand of Brun, descendant of King Briun Sorcererbane, and am corred Sword Dancer. Tjasivju."

Ellbeth says, "Interesting. I'm an author. I run an e-magazine and moderate several literary forums. I'm in contact with many thousands of internet users. However it may be I know him under another name. Do you have the IPv6 address he was using?"

HMP sips her coffee and tries to listen in on the covastion not she one to do that most time but she over hear a few choose words when passing and wants to hear more.

Yves looks to his partner, eyebrows raised. Michel, his partner, nods and finally his speaks. "Oui, madame... Yes, we have the address he was using." He pulls out his PDA. It's a slim and trendy model, a bit more fashionable than the ones typically available stateside.

Halcyon focuses, concentrating hard on reading Kihzra's lips while she introduces herself. She appears to be having trouble comprehending, though enough words are pronounced in a way familiar to her to catch enough of it once she is able to disregard the very unfamiliar ones. She has her hand over the table, not touching it, and an image of an ear forms below her hand. She draws her hand away, and a big X forms over the ear, and an arrow points to herself.

Ellbeth refrains from magically linking into the Interpol officer's PDA. He might not be amused. Instead she turns the laptop so the InfraRed port sensor is facing him. "Please transfer the address. Max can check if he has been in contact."

Michel beams the information to Ellbeth's PDA.

Ellbeth says, "Max, have we been in contact with anyone using that IP?" She asks the AI. Then she looks at Yves, "Peregine has enjoyed a good reputation from what Max has looked up. It seems rather out of character for him to be involved in a robbery."

Kihzra frowns, failing immediately to pick up the symbology of the message, but gets there in the end. It's not like deaf people are unknown where she comes from. "Qhah. Ajah."

Yves looks curiously at the diagram on the table. "Yes, but we have several eyewitnesses who claim to have seen him escaping from the museum."

Max speaks up. His voice, sounding from the computer, is a rich baritone with percise dictation. "We have no record of that IP address making contact, Doctor."

Halcyon relaxes more visibly when it's clear her little trick is something Kihzra is growing accustomed to. The ear changes to lips, moving as though speaking, and the big X remains.

Ellbeth nods and looks at the Interpol officers. "I afraid it seems your journey has been in vain, gentlemen. If he does make contact I will of course contact Interpol and inform you of that fact."

Yves nods. "We will remain in town another day, to speak with the FBI. Here is my card. Please do not hesitate to call." He places his card down on the table, in front of Ellbeth.

Kihzra nods to Halcyon, and says slower, but rather louder, "You can understand me, vough?"

Ellbeth takes the card and holds it in front of the laptop's camera lens so Max can scan it in. "If I learn of anything I'll contact you."

Yves nods and says, "Thank you." He looks to his partner. Both men stand up. Michel heads to the door. Yves says, "It was a pleasure, Doctor." He begins to head for the door as well.

Ellbeth thinks. o O (Max, you have their contact details. Run a quick check on our visitors could you?)

Halcyon nods, almost tripping up on the last word but getting a little used to the unfamiliar accent.

Kihzra says, "Is good."

The two inspectors leave the coffee shop.

Ellbeth nods to the agents as they are leaving, "Enjoy your stay in Colonial Bay City."

Augustin enters from Bridgend.

HMP once the strangers left she stands and walks over to the table with Ellbeth, Halcyon, and Kihzra. Sheek the bottom of her helmet open for Halcyon sake, "I sorry I know it not of my buisness but what was that about I only could hear bit and peaces"

[To HMP] Kihzra says, "What what was about?"

Halcyon's face brightens at the appearance of Princess, whom she waves to. She's carrying the parasol and a white mug of berry tea is before her.

Ellbeth looks up as HMP walks over to the table. "They didn't ask for it to be kept confidential so there's no reason you shouldn't know. A Europeam Meta Gadgeteer is believed to be involved in a crime. The meta had my internet details on his computer. They were checking to see if he had been in contact with me."

Augustin steps into the coffee shop, eyeing the French police with an arched brow.

HMP looks at Kihzra, "Those men what did they want I know it about some other guy but that about it like I said I only got bit a peaces of what you 5 where talking about. The thing I like to help if I can even if it just grunt work" she smiles at the shadowing and waves.

[To HMP] Kihzra says, "Didn't rearry rissen. Were from Interporr. Where is Interporr?"

Ellbeth smiles and gets out her PDA although there was no ring tone heard. "Hello, Harry. Is everything ok?"

Augustin wanders towards the group at the table. "We're getting a visit from the frogs? Weird."

HMP blinks, "do you mean Interpoll? This guy they want must be bad news I love to help bring him down" She so excited she almost jumping up and down allowing her youth show thought her armor.

Ellbeth says into her PDA, "Are you at the yacht?"

A very dark child sits upon a very dark seat at a table, and she is carrying a very dark parasol. The same table has Kihzra and Ellbeth, with a nearby Princess.

Kihzra says, "Bring guy down?"

Along with an Augustin.

"Easy there, Sparky." Augustin chides to HMP. "No villain is worth those jumping jacks." He nods to Halcyon.

Ellbeth says into her PDA, "Assure him I'll be there in a few minutes, Harry."

HMP looks at Augustin, "name not sparky" she stikes a pose out of a comic and very loudy says, "I am the Heavy Metal Princess!" She then smiles and in a lower voice continues, "but most just call me Princess. I know I she not be so hype up that there a villan on the loose but I am a hero I was looking for villans who don't brown out there pants when they see me coming like most the muggers do around this city do"

Augustin hmms. "I like Sparky better." He replies. "You're gonna be Sparky for a while. Forgive me, I'm kind of a nickname phase."

[To HMP] Kihzra says, "Tjasivju, a Heavy Metarr Princess. Am Kihzra daughter of Pfarok and Jungre from city of Jhorbagh in rand of Brun, descendant of King Briun Sorcererbane, and am corred Sword Dancer."

An amethyst light glows around the door, as it swings open. In floats Icon, crackling with a matching glow around him. He enters, and as he passes, the door swings closed. Icon glances at the cafe for a bit, then floats towards the counter to place an order.

Ellbeth nods, by habit seeing she is talking on her PDA. "You may be assured of it, Harry." Closing her PDA she looks around, "I wonder if you might consider providing a little assistance? It seems there's a visitor at my Yacht who is rather keen to meet me. Keen enought Harry, my handyman and cook, is getting nervous. The visitor is a meta by the way."

[To Ellbeth] Kihzra says, "Is probrem?"

HMP frowns and sticks her tongue out at Angustin and then smiles. She looks at Kihzra not understanding most of what she said, "I see". She then looks at Ellbeth, "and you wnat use to go with you?"

Augustin nods. "Sounds that way. I'd be willing to tag along, if just to see what's going on."

Ellbeth waves her hands, "Possibly. Going with some companions will make it less of a problem if it turns out to be one."

Kihzra says, "Wirr come."

Kihzra drinks down the last of her coffee.

Halcyon watches the amethyst light, quickly captivated by it. The commotion at the table draws her attention back though, and already she's trying to figure out what just happened.

Icon places an order for his drink of choice.

Ellbeth quickly checks with Max using GPS to find the distance to the yacht club. "Drat. Too close. We need to move to the far end of the street. Please follow me."

Augustin nods to Ellbeth, getting ready to follow.

A question mark appears over Halcyon's head.

Icon receives his latte, and then glances over at the commotion.

HMP blinks and nods, "sure"

Kihzra follows, puzzled. "Must go more far?"

Augustin gestures for Halcyon to follow. "C'mon."

At Augustin's behest, Halcyon stands, leaving the mug behind. Her chair returns to its normal color when she is off from it.

Ellbeth explains to Halcyon, "I intend to set up a gate to the yacht. But I have to target it far enough away from the spell casting that the magic doesn't make it unstable."

Icon pauses a moment, and decides to follow behind the assembled, staying in the background.

Ellbeth walks down the street away from the yacht club until she is far enought that she can safely cast a Portal Spell. It takes a minute to prepare and then hengestones appear with a portal shimmering between them leading directly into the main cabin of the yacht. "Quickly, through the gate."

Halcyon is quick to enter, unhesitating.

HMP stays close to the shadow girl

Kihzra enters rather more hesitantly, though not fearfully exactly.

Augustin follows.

Icon looks at the portal and floats on through.

Ellbeth steps through herself and lets the portal lapse after a couple of seconds.

The other side of the portal is below decks on Ellbeth's yacht. The seas are calm, but the boat rocks gently in the water. The room itself would be elegantly for something on land, let lone a ship. Inside, there are two men, Harry Fenchurch, devoted butler, and a man in a cape. He wears a helmet with a darkened visor that has a hawkish beak to it. His costume is in varying shades of blue, with a light blue cloak and a darker blue bodysuit.

Harry says, "Welcome home, Madame..."

Ellbeth says, "Peregrine I assume?"

Ellbeth is relieved to see Harry is unharmed.

HMP blinks behind her helmet and frowns, "and I thought my armor looked strange"

Augustin arches a brow at Peregrine. "Not bad."

Ellbeth smiles, "Thank you Harry. There's a parcel at the Yacht Club office. Maybe you can pick it up while I entertain our guest."

Icon glances around the room, "Oh, pardon,, if I knew I was coming to your home, I'd brought gift."

The man in the bodysuit turns and closes his cape around him, so as to hide what his arms are doing underneath. He's crouched, tensed for action as he watches everyone come in through the portal. "I did not think you would bring an army with you!" he hisses, in German accented in English.

"Yes Madame." Harry says. He takes the cue to make himself scarce.

Halcyon is already looking around the room in awe, though the reaction to the group makes her wary. She offers a little wave, unsure of what might happen.

Augustin hmms. "I wish I hadn't forgotten my German. And we're hardly an army. Just what you might like to call friends and acquaintances. If no harm is meant on your end, we reciprocate."

Kihzra stays quiet, and turns so her bag is less obvious.

HMP nods after Augustin is done and adds, "Yah!"

Ellbeth says, "When Harry is nervous, I'm nervous. You made Harry nervous. However that is rather beside the point now. I've just spoken to two Interpol agents who were asking me about you. And now here you are. I sense a story, and am willing to listen."

Icon looks around, "Interpol agents, sacre dieu, they are everywhere."

Peregrine relaxes a little bit, but his tone of voice is still harsh, annoyed. "The story should have been obvious from the package I sent you, Doctor Wyrd. I'll take the painting and be on my way."

Icon looks around some more, mumbling, "Painting..." and starts to inspect the artwork in this room.

Augustin arches a brow at the demand, looking between Ellbeth and Peregrine. "Now here I thought the Peregrine was opposed to extortion."

Kihzra says to Pergrine, "What is happening?"

HMP stays quite for the moment since she has no idea what they are talking about

Ellbeth gestures to seats. "Possibly receipt to the package would explain all. However since I have not received any package recently and no package at any time from you an explanation is still in order." she tells Peregrine.

Halcyon watches the Peregrine, deciding to stand close to Augustin.

Peregrine looks to Augustin. "Extortion?" he repeats, indignant. "No. There is a dangerous painting that I took from the Louvre. The authorities were closing in on me, so I could not keep it. So I sent it to someone know I knew would keep it safe!" And he points to Ellbeth. "The package was delivered. I have confirmation from the courier that it arrived." Peregrine states the date of the delivery.

"Dangerous painting sent to a renowned expert on the arcane." Augustin muses. "Perhaps I spoke too soon, Peregrine. Though it might not be fair to judge you by your predecessor. I suppose you stumbled on something a bit more interesting than a tourist magnet"

HMP is more confuse by that and has no idea what they are talking about

Kihzra says, "Why is painting dangerous?"

Ellbeth sighs, "Ah. At that time Harry had been abducted I was, with others, engaged in a rescue attempt. I assume the courier requested and obtained a signature? In which case we can ask who signed for the package because neither Harry nor I were on board the yacht."

"Yes, I have." Peregrine says to Augustin. "But first things first. The painting... Where is it?" Upon hearing Ellbeth's response, he seems to deflate, the tension running out of his body. "Mein Gott..."

Augustin hmms. "Who else knows about it?" He asks Peregrine.

Halcyon nears the Peregrine, now that he seems less anxious.

"At least one other person." Peregrine says. "The painting... it is one of a series of five paintings from the Rennaisance, done by a mad artist named Pucini who was later executed as a heretic..."

Augustin shrugs. "Who wasn't?"

"Ja..." Peregrine says to Augustin, "But perhaps this time, they were right."

HMP nods, "other then who there painted by what makes this paint so important?"

Ellbeth muses, "Pucini. Five paintings... Oh! The Portraits? But they were supposed to have been burnt by the Monks of Caldiz to prevent them falling into the wrong hands. If they still exist that is a fearful threat."

Peregrine looks at Kihzra. "The painting by itself is not dangerous. But when it is combined with the other four paintings, then it becomes dangerous."

Halcyon glances down, drawing a completely black pager from a pocket, seeming to examine it despite the display being the same as the rest of it. She waves, then steps into a shadow and she is gone.

Augustin sighs. "How come none of this burning ever gets done? And who were the portraits of?"

Ellbeth says, "The legend is the paintings were portraits of Demon Princes. And if the paintings were brought together they could be used to open a gate for the Princes to this realm."

HMP close the bottom of her helmet since the shadow girl dose not have read her lips, "There paints what could dangest the bigegest threat I can think of is they clash with the room there in"

"Symbols have power." Augustin comments to HMP. "They can store magic, Sparky. In a time not too far removed from this one such a thing would have been apparent. But we've since been blinded to the fact that we create such things." He pauses. "Makes me wish my mentor were here."

Peregrine nods to Ellbeth's comment. "That is right. I did not believe in the story myself, until I noticed a pattern... the owners of three of the other paintings met untimely ends."

Kihzra says, "Demon prince is bad. Cha. Why you not destroy painting?"

HMP nods, "so they work a magic battery then giving any magic user who has all five a power up then?"

Peregrine looks to HMP. "Perhaps. I don't know magic. I only know criminals. Someone interested in collecting three of the paintings would not hesitate to collect number four and five."

HMP nods, "so where is this painting I will burn it my self then the world is safe once again?"

Ellbeth says, "Only a very foolish mage, Princess. The Devil promises much but the delivery is always poisoned. So four of the Portraits are now missing presumed in bad hands. What about the fifth?"

Peregrine answers Kihzra. "I don't know magic. But I know enough not to mess with things I do not understand. I wanted to have Dr. Wyrd examine the painting before I did anything more."

Augustin hmms. "Sounds more like a gate to me. But I was never the demonologist...Erikson would know more."

Kihzra shrugs. "Most fings are easy to break, even if don't understand."

"This..." Peregrine says. "This is perhaps where we have a break. The last painting is going on display here, in Colonial Bay."

"Lucky us." Augustin comments wryly.

Ellbeth nods, "There will be power bound into the painting, Princess. Burning it may do nothing. It might ignite a conflagation that would burn out half the state or open the gate for the Prince whose portrait it is."

Kihzra concedes, "Sometimes magic fings break *too much*."

HMP palms her fact plate with her hand, "So if we take it we doing a crime. Great! Hey maybe if we ask real nice they will hand it over"

Peregrine says, "It's much to important to worry about... being polite. The painting is to be part of an exhibit at a school, not too far from here."

Icon looks around, "So, you have someone collecting occult art, interesting."

"Higher or lower ed?" Augustin asks Peregrine.

Kihzra says, "Why is evirr magic painting in schoorr?"

Ellbeth says, "First I need to examine it. I should be able to discover a safe, relatively, means to destroy it given time. We need to ensure the painting's security until me studies are complete. Only then can we make further plans. If it is safe to do so an accident can be arranged."

"Bayside Academy. Know of it?" Peregrine asks.

Augustin hmms. "I was hoping CBHS. I know my way around that place."

Ellbeth nods, "I know of it."

HMP nods, "I know it as well. Can't we just burn the painting it magical but it is still a painting it should go up easy"

Peregrine looks around the room, trying to size up the heroes. "I plan on going to collect the painting, before someone else does. Tonight."

Ellbeth shakes her head, "Princess, burning the painting may be what we finish up doing. But not until we know it's safe to do so."

Augustin nods. "This is why we call you Sparky. Pyromania." He turns back to Peregrine. "Short time frame."

Ellbeth nods to Peregrine. "Is the exhinition open yet?"

"It opens tomorrow." Peregrine says.

HMP looks at Augustin, "I am not! it just that seems the easest way to get rid of it I mean isn't fire spouse to cleance everything?"

Peregrine says, "Ja, but the paintings may be like dynamite!"

Ellbeth asks Max to access the publicity material for the exhibition. "Let's see where it is. It may not be put on display untill tomorrow morning."

Augustin shrugs at HMP. "Fire can also energize."

Kihzra observes, "Can cut painting, too."

HMP nods, "have a sword to cut"

"Well," Peregrine says, "We can't do anything to it, until we have t in hand."

Augustin nods. "Agreed. Still, some are likely to balk at this act of thievery."

Ellbeth lifts her head after a minute of musing, "Here's my plan..."

Ellbeth says, "First, what resources do you have. Can anyone fly?"

Peregrine is about to comment. He waits for Ellbeth to speak instead.

HMP shakes her head, "I can't but I can run faster then most normal people"

Augustin shakes his head. "No such luck."

HMP raise her hand, "I can glide from high places"

Peregrine says, "I can fly."

Ellbeth says, "Ok, seems not. Peregrine, I know you can fly but at the moment you need to keep your head down. Princess, that's perfect if you can carry me at the same time. Now if only we had a holocaust cloak my plans would be complete."

Kihzra says, "What is horocost croak?"

Augustin arches a brow. "Holocaust cloak? And here I thought Sparky was the pyro.'

Ellbeth waits a moment for response to her joke. "Ok, forget the Holocaust Cloak. Anyone immune to fire?"

"I heal quickly." Augustin replies. "But burning still hurts."

HMP blinks, "holocaust you like durning World War 2?"

Ellbeth says, "No, Princess, as in the cloak in The Princess Bride. Augustin, if I give you a credit card do you think you could hire a fire proof suit by this evening. The type that firefighters use?"

Peregrine asks seriously, "There some place we can steal the cloak from... Oh."

Augustin nods to Ellbeth. "Shouldn't be a problem."

HMP blinks, "um I can try Ebay or some unform shops in the city"

Ellbeth grins, "Ok. I'll scry out the location of the painting. When it gets dark Princess can glide with me over the school. I'll use illusions to create the effect of demons running wild in the building. Augustin, you can wear the fireproof suit, wrap up in lots of cloth soaked with gas and do a flaming creature act. By that time the police will be calling in heroes. We go in with the approval and assistance of the police."

HMP steps back, "wait are we burning down it down that seems alittle much"

Augustin arches a brow. "So your plan is that I light myself on fire and play at being a demon, which then gives you heroes an pretext to come in an clobber me?"

Peregrine says, "I prefer simplicity. We go. We take it. Surprise will be with us. Anyone have a problem with that?"

Augustin nods. "The Peregrine speaks wisdom. And here I was thinking that Gadgeteers were the lowest form of heroing."

Ellbeth says, "Yes. If I have to I will. But I'd rather avoid being on the run for the rest of my life if I can."

HMP sighs, "how about this idea, "we know where the painting is so why not wear outfits that hide out outfits and faces. Then Ellbeth opens a portal to it and we walk in and take it"

Kihzra nods. "Is simpre. How hard can be, stearr from schoorr?"

Augustin glances at Kihzra. "Why would you ever say that?"

Ellbeth nods. "You think about who will go and how to conceal your identities. I'll scry out the location of the painting and secure a portal fix there.

Icon takes a seat and a sip of hid drink, "So, you all are going to do an art heist?"

Ellbeth says, "No. We're going to save the world from being overrun by demons. The art heist is just a necessary part of that."

HMP nods, "well I am in and easy way to hide forms is with wearing other clothes and ski mask"

Icon nods and says, "I doubt the security will be that high, considering it is out of the museum."

Peregrine looks over at Icon. "Do you have another plan?" He shakes his head, thinking aloud, "I usually work alone."

Icon takes a sip of his drink, "Well, this piece of art, who is the legal owner?"

Ellbeth nods, "Which is why, Peregrine, you are here on the run and the painting isn't. Some help from us back in France would have saved you from these problems."

Peregrine shrugs to Icon. "I don't know, and it isn't important to me. Some things should not be owned by men."

Icon shakes his head, "You know you could of asked the owner to view it. Most collectors do allow viewings." then shrugs, "And now you've lost it. C'est tres triste." pauses to take another sip of his drink. "This painting is now lost in transport?"

Augustin arches a brow at Icon. "There's one at a local high school. Keep up before offering solutions."

Icon nods and says, "Yes, but of the one he stole from the Louvre."

Kihzra says, "Cha... don't have many cloves for disguise."

HMP thinks of something thanks to Icon, "Why can't we buy the painting it seems that Ellbeth is anything but poor"

"Not lost. Stolen, I think." The Peregrine says.

Augustin shrugs. "Not relevant at the moment. You need all the paintings together as I understand it. One is enough for us."

Icon nods and says, "Ahh, I can make contact with my sources if any of these paintings are up for sale, both legally and in the black market."

Ellbeth says, "I had thought of that possibility, Princess, but even my capital is insufficient to buy an old master. And you can be sure that whoever is collecting these would outbid me."

Augustin nods. "Illicit is probably the best way to go on this one."

Icon nods and says, "C'est vrai, perhaps a switch then? A good forgery goes a long way."

Augustin shrugs. "If you can whip one up in an evening..."

HMP looks Icon, "you sure your not a crimal?"

[To Icon] Ellbeth says, "That would be a good solution. Can you have one ready by this evening?"

Icon looks and says, "No, a forgery would take time, and the oil needs time to dry."

HMP sighs, "so it back to a smash and grab I guess"

Augustin nods. "Certainly looking that way."

Kihzra says, "Simpre pran is often good."

HMP nods, "harder plans are cooler but easyer plan there less problems"

Ellbeth sighs, "So speaks the warrior."

Icon nods and says, "I shoall make some contacts to see what I can find out." then nods, "Pardon for a few minutes."

Augustin nods to Icon. "So, what time do we all want to get together?"

Icon concentrates a moment and seems to be focused on something.

Ellbeth says, "I will need time to scry. I'd suggest late evening when it's getting dark. Say 9pm?"

HMP looks at Ellbeth, "With out Warriors mages would be on the front line" She then shugs, "Any time after midnight is fine I have sneak out it is a school night"

Icon looks over and at the gate, "There is going to be a party... oh, uhmmm." then glances into it.

Icon looks over and says, "There is a lovely party tomorrow, I'm sure I can get you an invite madame."

Ellbeth's gateway opens into the art gallery, which happens to be in the basement of the campus library. It's night time and all is quiet. There are several exhibits, mostly paintings, but some sculpture, including a lifelike stature of a girl from the colonial times. The painting is a centerpiece of sorts, at the far end of the hallway.

Howl steps through the portal, having adopted his signature guise. If anyone were to get in trouble for this, he wouldn't mind it being him.

HMP is standing head to toe in black. Once the mask is on she stops using her helmet so there less chance people knowing it HMP. For the same reason she leaves her sword behind on the boat. This makes her nevus in many ways first no sword means her attack strangth is cut. Her helmet gone means if her mask is removed people know she HMP and on top of that that HMP was trying to steal a painting. She pushes these thought back and tries to suppress them as she ready her self for this. she keeps telling her self this is for the good of the world. She steps thought the gate and looks around, "Is that then painting it doesn't look dangest"

Peregrine steps through as well.

Kihzra steps through too, also head to toe in black. She's also carrying a different sword from usual, though she also has her usual sword with her, sheathed and disguised, for emergencies: she's aware her normal sword is a bit distictive.

Suddenly, the stature of the colonial era girl comes to life. She says aloud to herself, "He's here." She steps into the middle of the hall, between the heroes on the painting.

HMP frowns and steps back alittle as the art comes to life, "I starting to dislike magic"

Icon looks through the gate and peers at the living statue. o O (Automaton... non...)

Howl arches a brow at the statue, his nose working to see if it's alive.

The statue's movement is followed by the sound of footsteps as three other rush into the room. One is a woman in a power armor suit, another a woman in a black body suit with a domino mask, and the last one is a young man with a high tech rifle in a meta costume.

The woman in the power armor says, "You know the plan. Young Warriors -- let's stop them!"