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[perfectsymmetry]

[HEY MAYFIELD. Something weird is going on with your local uber-polite nerd boy. He receives a package in the mail after getting home late in the day, finding it sitting on the porch. He opens it there, and is ecstatic about what he finds inside - anyone who's watching only sees something in a small black canvas case. Grinning widely, he tucks the case into his coat pocket, throws open the front door of his house, planning to go and call Kay Faraday - and he disappears!

The mystery package Crowe received is causing him to teleport randomly whenever he passes through a doorway to somewhere else, anywhere else, in Mayfield. Maybe he's in YOUR house! Maybe he's intruding on something embarrassing/hilarious/crazy/fun. Whatever the result, Captain No-Common-Sense here will take awhile to gather that the package he received is causing the chaos. And he'll arrive in your home/business completely flustered and apologetic.]

O-oh goodness. How is this even happening?! NOW where am I?!

Comments

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Oh! I saw the floating man! I tried to help him but I teleported away before I could...

[He reaches inside his coat pocket and produces a small black case. He sighs.] But this is a mundane object! There's no reason it should be doing this...

[passes-out.livejournal.com]

[Ichabod looked very shocked at the sight of the bag.]

Is that the cause? How interesting. Very interesting. So you started experiencing these....random disappearances the moment you touched it or the moment you hid it away?

[Even he was now examining it, being very careful not to touch it.]

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

I-I guess? It was in a package left for me on the porch... I could hardly believe what I was seeing. But then when I tried to go into the house, I ended up in another house... _{I guess this IS the problem....}

[Outwardly it's a small, unassuming, black canvas case. But Crowe unzips it, and folds it open to show Crane a set of lockpicks and miniature tools. He chuckles sheepishly.]

Ah. Um, i-it's uh, it was my gift from my parents for my 16th birthday.

[passes-out.livejournal.com]

[To Ichabod, they looked like locksmithing tools. He has no idea of their uses in modern times and he certainly didn't think Calleo was a thief. Even then, in the back of his mind, everyone was capable of crimes even himself and he certainly was going a darker route since he feels oppressed. Getting him to admit that wouldn't be wise on his part though since his main target is Grady and not the Mayor.]

Ah. Calleo, I have always believed that a person is capable of anything yet I assume nothing. You have given me no ill intentions to believe anything less of you. There is no shame.

[He puts his hand on Calleo's shoulder with a smile.]

If anything, I firmly believe that you are an upstanding individual despite what you suspect you are to others. To each his own.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Part of Crowe is relieved. He's been hiding it from everyone but Kay since he got here. Well, until Sniper caught him red-handed, but that was his own fault for screwing up....

He gives Crane a small smile.]

It's... the family business. Though my family tried to talk me out of it dozens of times, they finally resigned to it, I think. [He chuckles, looking down at the tools. They're very modern, and high quality. Only the best from his parents. He zips the case back up.]

O-of course, sir, I wouldn't ever take anything from the people in this town! I... did for a little bit, but I returned everything I took, I swear! I-it was just as test. I was only checking to see how well they were paying attention to their surroundings, you know?

I really am interested in helping the town, sir. Promise.

[passes-out.livejournal.com]

[Ichabod gave a proud nod to Calleo. He knew that if he really wanted to take anything from him, he would have done so a long time ago and even he saw that sometimes the need for upgrading security was to think and behave like a thief.]

I'll let you in on a secret. Some of the best officers in the world have experience just like yours. To catch a criminal, you must think like one.

Security and protecting the people often means to be smarter than the ones you are looking to catch. Surveillance is only a small part of it. Sometimes to do the greater good often means to be looked at as something less. It's a thankless job yet it has great rewards.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Crowe grins and laughs.] Thanks, Mr. Crane. I feel a bit better getting that off my chest. Though I'm not sure how my parents would feel about me being on this side of the law, they might make an exception in this case. Thanks for your understanding, sir.

[passes-out.livejournal.com]

Certainly. I'm not sure how to deal with your parents other than to be honest. I never spoke much to my own growing up.

[There is no way he's going to tell that story now when Crowe is feeling good about himself.]

I was a bit of a social recluse as a child.

[He chuckled. It wasn't far from the truth after his mother was killed by his own father.]

In any case, just tell them the truth. and don't back down.

I should finish comments before I hit send. :B

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

I will. I guess if I actually make it home, they'll just be glad for that anyway.

[Crowe will lay the tools on the table.] Um. I-if these are the cause of my teleporting problem, w-would it be OK if I just left them here? I can hide them somewhere else if you're not okay with that, but.... I can't just get rid of them...

It's okay, I've done that before. XD

[passes-out.livejournal.com]

They will be fine here until you need them or when those in charge of the magic decide to release the curse upon these given things.

[He pulls out his own package and opens it gingerly. He doesn't open the sealed contents just yet but he does hold on to the envelope.]

I want you to witness in case I have an ill fated result.

[He breaks the seal with a butter knife and pulls out his Cardinal flip card. It doesn't look like much but it means a lot to Ichabod. He lets out a sigh of relief and shows it to Crowe.]

It was a gift from my mother another lifetime ago. I will set your tools in my study and you can retrieve them when we figure out this hopeless mess.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Crowe gives it a curious look. He's not quite sure what it is.]

It looks harmless enough, sir, but... how can you be sure it's safe?

[passes-out.livejournal.com]

The only way is to test it and I dare not to at this time.

[He tried to put it back in the envelope but finds that he's too compelled to look at it.]

Well, I suppose it cannot do any harm.

[He begins to spin it to show what it does only to find himself go completely blank.]

Uhhh...

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Uh... M-Mr. Crane? A-are you okay?

[passes-out.livejournal.com]

[He quickly smacked his hand with the flip card on the table. His hand covered the card and decided it was best not to look at it.]

I...do not know.

[That was the first time that he ever drew a blank or looked blank and it was brief. Crowe's voice was enough to snap him back to reality from his blank stare.]

These items...are cursed.

[It was enough for him to put the card away and not look at it for a good long while.]

Something so harmless could cause a dreadful effect that I may not be prepared for. Blasted.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Crowe looks at his toolkit sadly, and slides it to the middle of the table away from him.] I should have known it was too good to be true. But... it's not like I can just get rid of them....

[passes-out.livejournal.com]

I propose a trade. When the items are lifted of their curse, please keep this safe for me. I shall not be tempted to use it if it is out of my sight and you will not be tempted to use your tools.

It is my hope that in one week's time, the curse should be lifted. Less use would most likely cause the curse to stop its cycle completely.

I hope this works.

[He hands the envelope to Crowe before he gathers the tools into his hands once he wraps up the canvas bag.]

The card may not have an effect on you since you were not the one intended to use it.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[Crowe takes the envelope and places it in his coat pocket.] I'll take good care of it, sir. But you're sure that the curses will go away? How do you know it won't happen again later? This town... it's so hard to predict....

[passes-out.livejournal.com]

I trust you will. As with the weather and time, even the most powerful of spells wear off. Perhaps the same will happen with our items. Spells placed on items never last long though it does present other issues which I am uncertain of.

Without the Compendium, I cannot be completely certain. I saw no seal. Thought that is not saying that it was traced somehow with an oil that should disappear.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

I hope you're right, sir. I don't really know anything about magic so I'll have to take your word on it. Although I'm wondering with all the people around here, and the events that are occurring, that maybe I should start to learn...

[passes-out.livejournal.com]

Learning the mechanics of magic is just good as learning the spell. You do not need to know how to cast it as you should learn how the spell effects a thing and a person.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

That's what I'm thinking. I doubt I'd be able to cast it, but that doesn't mean I can't learn how it works anyway. Maybe I won't be so confused the next time something like this happens, then. [He chuckles lightly.]

[passes-out.livejournal.com]

Precisely. Which is why it is of utmost importance to learn as much as you can when you can. How magic is learned is through the vision of one that intends to use it. Providing, of course, that the one willing to teach is willing to give a full explanation.

In time, the rug will be taken from under the mayor's feet and he will be exposed for what he truly is. A wizard wearing a mask of virtue is just as dangerous as the one that wears no mask at all. The difference is the lie.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Right, sir. I think Miss Nadia is willing to help me, she knows a lot about it. I think it's about time I get on track with this stuff.

The mayor? I've heard a lot about the police chief... I've even seen first hand what he can do. Is the mayor as powerful as he is...?

[passes-out.livejournal.com]

Right.

[He stands with his arms folded over his chest and smiles.]

In time, I do believe that the truth will present itself to who is in control here.