GranspearZX

Marcus stood there, dumbfounded for a moment as he watched Equinox do her thing. Again. He flinched reflexively, worried for a moment that he might've been too close to her, but after a moment he just... stared. It was really all he could do, and as the flames settled in her hand and faded as is if it were nothing at all, the shapeshifter finally found his words.

"...you have got to show me how you did that."

He followed Eric inside, regarding the woman that had been in the burning church with a somewhat confused expression. This was their culprit? She looked weird, and the scene was a wreck--downright blasphemous, really--but she seemed mostly harmless. Crazy, but harmless. When she showed her true face--literally, as she turned into a he--Marcus's jaw went slack. He'd never seen a demon before, and all the pictures and theory in the world couldn't really prepare anyone for the real thing. He wasn't afraid of it, but there was a considerable amount of uncertainty in his body language, even as he stood his ground. "...holy crap," was all he could manage to get out as he stared at the monster...

Push taking off the way he had rubbed Marcus the wrong way. It reminded him of the look that he'd had at the station, and now there was a name to Mr. Stone's warlock--Scratch. He'd never heard the name before, but suddenly things started to make a little more sense--Stone's sense of urgency was very specific and narrow. Perhaps dangerously so. Not that Marcus was the most level-headed person on the planet, but he at least had a magical nudge when his emotions were getting the better of him. He didn't even get a chance to respond before Push and Equinox took off in a rather unusual fashion.

"...the hell was that?"

Marcus grunted as Eric suddenly levitated him; it felt weird, but he didn't panic--it was depths, not heights, that gave him problems. When they got there, he took a moment to reorient himself, and that was all it took before the sound of shattering glass echoed through the streets, followed by the all too familiar smell of something set ablaze. Staff in hand, Marcus wasn't long behind Equinox once he'd landed. God, this is gonna get ugly...

The threat was mostly an empty one. In reality, he had no idea how he was going to follow up if the monster called him on his thread. He could have certainly trapped it in something, but that sort of thing took time. In the meantime, though, Marcus looked up and saw things starting to fade back into normalcy; he did the same. He'd managed to shift without much damage to his clothes, but they were ripped and torn all the same. He looked at his hand from the earlier burn; Marcus couldn't even tell that he'd been hurt earlier.

The fact that his secret was out to two strangers didn't seem to concern him at all.

"...hm. I don't think he'll be bothering you again, Mary... you alright?"

Arc tries to Intimidate the Boogeyman!

1d20+11=16

...and I'm gonna use a Hero Point to reroll that. @.@

1d20+11=22

For a brief moment, Marcus's compassion wrestled with the Beast Rune's aggressive nature; it made him hesitate, staring at the cleft in twain monster with obvious incredulity. "Why? So you can terrorize little kids in the real world too? Do I look stupid to you?!" The big bear's eyes flared red as he leaned forward, pointing a menacing claw at the unsettling ink spot that was the Boogeyman.

"This is what's gonna happen. You're gonna crawl back under whatever rock you came out from. You're gonna leave this little girl be. And if I hear about you trying to pull this with another kid, I'll put you in a jar. Several jars."

"Magic can be... dangerous in the wrong hands. For a while, I couldn't really control this little trick I do either. First time it happened, I slung a guy across my living room. Broke another guy's collarbone. Don't get me wrong; I was trying to protect someone, but... that's really not much of an excuse." Marcus tapped his staff on his shoulder as they walked, eyes narrowed a bit as he remembered that night. The night AEGIS agents came and hauled his father off... and his ursine nature surfaced for the very first time. Much of that unfortunate event was blurry in Marcus's mind. He'd gotten so agitated that he literally went blind--so pissed he couldn't see straight, in a disturbingly literal sense. Since then he'd been more than a little apprehensive about getting violent; the Beast Rune fed on aggression, after all, and thus far, he'd done a decent job of reining it in.

"From what I can tell, my magic comes from my dad. He couldn't control his either and... stuff happened. Bottom line is, if you can't control yourself, controlling magic isn't gonna be a walk in the park. Just the thought of a bunch of undisciplined yahoos slinging fireballs all over the place..." Marcus shuddered a bit at the thought. He made a mental note to get back to Eric about the whole 'dying' thing.

"...and who the heck is Dick Dale?"

Ack, I knew I forgot something... I meant to do this yesterday. Got a bit sidetracked. :|

1d20+9=22

"This nose is nontransferable," he replied, shaking his head. "Sorry for the shock, ma'am." His return transformation was just as noiseless, and he put his coat back on as he changed back. He rubbed vigorously at his nose and made a particularly displeased face.

"I kinda figured it wasn't you." He nodded faintly at Equinox. "Good lord... I can still smell it. But I could probably recognize that perfume if I smelled it again. Definitely not gonna do that in town though. Not in plain sight anyway." Stepping outside the crime scene, Marcus was quick to remove the plastic covers on his boots and head. He eyed Push's bike for a moment... then shook his head and started walking. "To town it is, then."

Marcus drifted around the edge of the crime scene, a bit further away but still facing east. Casting off whatever nervousness and apprehension he'd had up until that point, he glanced at Officer Durand. Curious as to what Equinox's spell had gleaned, he decided to see--or smell--for himself. He made doubly sure he was well away from where the body had been found. "Since we're all sharing... ah... well, I'm sure you've seen bears before." Marcus took his coat off and leaned forward, the entirety of his form engulfed in a warm, dull glow. For the brief second that it lasted, it obscured his features entirely and then grew at least two feet taller, leaving Marcus standing there in his bear form as the light faded, his nose in the air.

He'd gotten better at the transformation in recent months; his clothes and even his boots were still in tact--though he'd forgotten about the plastic boot covers and the one on his head, making him look far more comical than intended. Even his book, knapsack, and staff were all still there, though the staff was significantly larger than it had been in his human form. The second the smell hit his nose, he covered it as best he could with his huge hands. "...ugh. That's nasty! And somebody has crappy taste in perfume."

Still covering his nose, he watched Eric as he spoke, his cryptic words catching his attention. "Sir?"

Arc's Knowledge (Arcane Lore) roll: 1d20+11=23

"...hm." Marcus grinned faintly, though he was certainly not going to confirm or deny anything. Instead, after putting on the plastic boot covers again, he simply watched. Watching Equinox's magic at work, he raised an eyebrow. It really was rather impressive--not just from the pretty lights and what not, though that was nice too, but because for once he could actually grasp the mechanics of what she was doing... vaguely.

"...are you okay?" he asked, frowning. He could just imagine if that had hit his bear senses how it would have smelled... better her than him, he supposed. He looked off towards the east, fingers tapping on the book still hanging at his right side. "Well, *I* definitely can't track it. Not like this." If the sheriff had reacted as she had from something as innocent-looking as Equinox's spell, his beast form would definitely jolt her if she wasn't prepared for it. He could probably cobble something together, he thought, but that would take time they likely didn't have.

Arcturus kept up his assault, stubbornly refusing to let up even for a second. Always in his peripheral was Mary though... She didn't seem to be scared at all. In fact, her overall condition seemed to be improving; he wasn't sure if that was his doing or Rene's.

Maybe there's more to his 'hero' business after all.

He couldn't fire a lightning bolt, but he took another swipe at the Boogeyman, roaring as he tried to cleave the apparition in two.

Marcus had moved further from the body by the time Push showed up. Frankly, the young wizard looked a little ill, trying to shake off having seen someone his own age in that state. He didn't even look at the agent as he passed, more concerned with not embarrassing himself. After taking a second to compose himself, he turned around to face the rest of the group--still keeping to the back and out of direct visual view of the body. As the sheet came to him, he stared quietly at it, reading... and his eyes narrowed a bit.

"I knew that sounded familiar. And that crime scene definitely looked like someone was trying to summon something... Crap."

At that point, Marcus was mostly talking to himself. "...to summon something like that, you'd need a lot more than just some random circle and a little blood; if it was that easy, everybody would be doing it. And from what I heard and saw, there should have been more blood at the scene than there was. I can't really speak on what this.... this murderer was trying to do, but whatever it is, I don't think they're anywhere close to being done."

He paused for a moment in thought; for a second, he seemed... stuck. "I'd need to actually look up that book. But I wonder if anyone else in this town already has..."

Arcturus's Arcane Lore (1d20+10=22) roll. Since he doesn't actually have that other Knowledge skill, an INT check is all he's got (1d20+1=12)

Marcus sighed. He wasn't going to say so, but there was a reason that he didn't want much to do with religion. Vigourie was one side of the coin... and Equinox was the other. Still, he sympathized with her more than she realized. He was certain that this part was where he was supposed to say something profound and consoling; the best he could come with was muttering, "It's not like I agree with the guy..."

He was actually a little more concerned with 'Mr. Stone'. This warlock of his was surely going to cloud his judgment, not that he would have minded clubbing him over the head to get him to think clearly. Especially not after being called 'shorty'. The subtle reactions about the room--the same ones that dissipated when he left--caught Marcus's attention too. He knew enough about anger to know what it looked like. His just wasn't as obvious outside his own body. At worst, someone might notice his pupils going red or his teeth getting a little bigger; past that it was just too late to catch it and he'd have some real explaining to do once he'd calmed down. He winced a little bit as Push slammed the door shut and his palm found his forehead. Sheriff Durand and Eric back to the morgue.

It was rather unexpected; he half expected a trip to a hospital somewhere. As tough as he was, or pretended to be, the sight of the body caused a very physical reaction in the artificer, forcing a muted grunt from him. "...that's about what Officer Malloy said it looked like. Reminds me of... somethin'. I can't remember what exactly though... I'd need to look it up to be sure."

"He said there was a windstorm that day too... Ten bucks says it wasn't a normal weather pattern either. I would've checked around the woods a little more, but... y'know. Procedure." He took a step back, pretty much done with staring at a dead body.

"We don't always have the luxury of choosing our friends."

Otherwise quiet, Marcus's comment almost seemed out of place. Not that he liked Vigourie any more than the rest of the group, but it was a fact that he couldn't help but point out. Still, he didn't look directly at Equinox when she said it... she was sort of scary when she was mad--and she was obviously mad. He glanced at Vigorie as he made his exit. "I'm sure we'll manage one way or another."

He folded his arms across his chest, standing relatively near his 'employer'. "Now that that's over... ...it is over, isn't it?"

Arcturus

Dreamtime

Get On Board

Witch Hunt

Extras: Reputation Chart, Wiki Page

He had to admit a little bit of growing respect for Gabriel; Marcus wasn't much of a talker, but the display Gabriel put on was pretty impressive. Still, words weren't a particular talent for the young artificer. That and 'Stone' being an AEGIS officer didn't sit well with him either. Grudges like that didn't simply disappear, and he could only wonder if this particular agent knew anything about him at all--especially since his real name was somewhat out in the open thanks to his own ineptitude.

The mention of the inverted cross caught Marcus's attention, but there was so much arguing and posturing going on between the 'adults' that it was starting to give him a little bit of a headache. It wasn't difficult to annoy him, that much was proven, but this seemed to be wasting a lot of time that, as far as Marcus was concerned, they didn't have. He stood up; despite his age, he was easily as tall as anyone else in the room. Still playing the part of the humorless intern, the teenager adjusted his pack on his shoulders, making eye contact with everyone in turn--especially Vigourie--before turning to Eric.

"I can see this will take a while to sort out. Should I just wait outside?"

Adults. Pfft. Idiots, all of them...

He really didn't plan on going anywhere, but the escalating bickering was starting to get to him, and the Beast Rune was picking up on the aggression in the room--even though it wasn't his own. Cooler heads prevailed, after all, and Marcus was starting to think he was the only one save his 'boss' keeping their eyes on the horizon.

I'd be cool with Arc joining.

Yet another arrival caused Marcus to raise an eyebrow; Equinox was definitely something new for him. It really was quite the entrance. Stone's question went entirely unanswered by the young wizard--he wasn't sure he wanted to answer, especially not after the woman's answer. That and he didn't think it was any of the newcomer's business, even if he did know the guy covering for him. Flipping to the back of the page he'd been using, he absently started sketching the people in the room rather than the scant amount of information he'd been able to get from the crime scene.

I am so out of my league here.

As far as anyone knew, he was just a kid working for Eric--or Nick, though Marcus was savvy enough to know not to call him that. That was the story he was going to stick with, and he was going to play the role as well as he could. After all, his actual talent wasn't exactly suited for social situations, leaving the man rather than the beast to deal with it all.

He regarded the sheriff and the flown-in expert with a reciprocated amount of skepticism, but he wisely kept his mouth shut. He wasn't really sure what to say outside of a swift, almost undetectable nod hello. "I work for Mr. LaCroix," he said flatly, quietly closing his book. 'Smile and nod', Gabriel said. Somehow, Marcus didn't really feel like smiling.

For a brief second, Arc's eyes widened at the boogeyman's watery form, but he wasn't so shocked by it that he stood immobile as it lunged for him. He dove off to one side, his surprising agility aiding him in quickly getting back to his feet. It was huge, and threatened to swallow him whole... Arc growled, baring his fangs against his rapidly accelerating heartbeat. Its scent reminded him a little too much of that day at the beach in Maryland; he stood his ground, refusing to let his fears control him.

"You think you know me, monster? You haven't got a clue!" A dull, yellowish light flowed from the Beast Rune on Arcturus's shoulder, settling in the form of an upward-facing triangle on the back of his hand as he lunged forward, taking a hard and vicious swipe at the beast with his claws.

He didn't know Eric, but Marcus immediately decided that he liked the guy. It was pretty rare for anyone to stick their own neck out for him, and Marcus was willing to trust his judgment. "Er... yeah. I'll explain that later..." He figured they should know what he found at the crime scene--or, more importantly, what he didn't find. He still wanted to go back and literally sniff things out, but he had a feeling that would have to wait until it was darker out. All in all, Eric seemed like a nice guy... though where he fit into the world of the paranormal had Marcus incredibly curious.

Gabriel, on the other hand, was another story entirely.

"So we're basically going to have to be fighting this blighter constantly, at the same time we try to do actual work. Which is why I'm making myself Public Relations for our little temporary group here. You two will just stand back, smile, shake hands, and give polite greetings. Any press conferences, any meetings, anything dealing with the police, you let me handle it. It's not because I don't trust you. It's because, unless you have a majorly unrevealed talent, I am literally better at this than you ever will be. This is what I do, or at least part of it. So go out on a limb, trust me, and let's hope we do this right."

It wasn't that he didn't like Gabriel. He was just so damn... charming. His entire demeanor insinuated charm, and Marcus could see that inner beast of his making childish and obscene gestures at him as he spoke. It stopped short of being smug, although he wasn't even certain Gabriel was even capable of that. It was strange that he was willing to play sidekick until Gabriel's 'smile and nod' suggestion. Gabriel had a rather irrefutable point, however; in the world of public opinion, Marcus knew he was rather powerless, and using the abilities he did have were certain not to win him any popularity contests. If nothing else, this particular case was going to test more than just his physical magic.

That didn't at all change the fact that Gabriel's first impression rubbed Marcus's proverbial fur entirely the wrong way. It was something he could live with though; he had a feeling that a significant part of his life as well as his magical education was going to involve swallowing that deep well of pride he had. Rather than dwell on being all but told to 'sit down and be quiet in public', Marcus shifted his belongings and put his book in his lap as he sat down, his right ear twitching a little bit at the heavy booted footsteps of yet another visitor to the station.

Man, does this happen THAT often? Marcus eyed 'Mr. Stone' for a brief moment brief moment before opening his book to one of the back, blank pages, quietly sketching what he recalled of the crime scene. If Gabriel was going to be the group's mouthpiece, the least he could do, he figured, was start compiling what he did and didn't know.

Arc's Initiative! 1d20+6=24

And Arc attacks: 1d20+9=23, burning his recently acquired Hero Point to add the Affects Insubstantial feat to his Strike.

Marcus wanted to hide under a rock somewhere; in his heart of hearts, he knew he was busted. Had he really come all this way just to get himself into trouble? He didn't have any real way of getting out of this situation, and while he was pretty certain he wasn't under arrest, he'd put himself into a rather unfortunate and indefensible position.

"This kid here wanted to take a look around the crime scene. Said he was an expert."

"Seems we're getting more of those."

Marcus frowned; he never explicitly said he was an expert... just that he'd seen things like this before. And he had... in books. His one real mix-up with magic was hardly the same, and it wasn't even on the same plane of existence--a difficult thing to explain to someone not magically-inclined. And who would really believe that he scared off the Boogeyman?

"Yeah, well, he's got a Jersey driver's license, says his name is Marcus Irons, place of residence, Freedom City. Not really any other credentials on him, though, and I mean, look at him."

And what the heck is that supposed to mean?! Marcus's brow furrowed, betraying his irritation; the Beast Rune pushed at his psyche, making him feel a little bit lightheaded. Being treated like a child was definitely one of the young wizard's pet peeves, and though he managed not to say anything, his temper was threatening to get the better of him. At hearing his name again from a less familiar voice, Marcus looked up, blinking at the strange man walking towards them. Marcus didn't have a clue who he was, but for some odd reason, he was being vouched for. Fate really was jerking him around today. Still... when opportunity knocked, who was he not to answer?

"I... I'm sorry, sir. I guess I got a little bit ahead of myself."

For a moment, Marcus fully recognized he could probably bolt and the officer would never catch him. That, however, would defeat the entire purpose of his being there. Outside of some extreme stroke of luck, he was going to be in trouble a lot sooner than he thought. "...I thought you might say that." He sighed, shaking his head. There was no sense in trying to run from it, after all...