but oh what a year

[patrols]

Comments

[swillpot]

Oh, no thanks needed.

[He won't say that he was properly thanked, it was just by someone else.]

I was happy to help. How've things been going with that? Adjusting okay?

[phonetically]

Other than one or two identity crises, I seem to have my head on straight. ( There is no easy way to segue conventionally, so he just does it. ) I was, uh, talking to Isaac, and he said that the both of you are familiar with an organization that goes by the name of Black Badge?

[seirenes]

[Alexander points over to Serena. "You work with Dolls the most."]

Right, so Black Badge, while a lot better than it used to be, is a government organization that's dedicated to monitoring the supernatural. In the past they have been responsible for disappearing a lot of supernatural creatures. They also have run some pretty horrific experiments on their agents infusing them with different supernatural abilities or DNA.

But they came under new management about fifteen years ago? Give or take? And they've been a bit more ... progressive, let's call it. Still a little shady sometimes but generally working toward the public good. Or at least the agents I've dealt with have been.

[phonetically]

Waverly Earp?

( Those are pretty even odds, so he drops her name to get the best answer. )

[seirenes]

[At the mention of Waverly's name, Serena completely relaxes.]

Oh, love Waves! We got stuck together during the wild magic thing in New York.

[So yes, someone who knows her personally.]

She is essentially a cupcake in human form and probably the nicest person I've ever met. She's also been driving a lot of the more ethical changes that they've been making.

[phonetically]

You were in that, too?

( What a thing to have in common. )

OK, so, if say, a former partner is counting on her help, she'll be there - all... icing'd up.

[seirenes]

Oh, yeah, she's totally solid.

[Audrey is in good hands! Not that Serena knows that's who Stiles is talking about.]

You were in New York then too? That was crazy. I was literally setting everything on fire. And that's usually his thing.

[She taps Alexander on the chest.]

[phonetically]

Solid cupcake. Okay.

( Good, good. )

I -- was covering while someone in an elevator with me was, like, electrified. And then we were stuck in the elevator. My friend shot these missiles out of her hands.

[seirenes]

Yeah, that's wild magic for you.

[Serena shakes her head.]

I don't have a ton of experience with it, but it's really a roulette wheel what you wind up with. Every time Waverly's sister tried to talk a stream of bubbles came out.

[phonetically]

A stream of -- like she was underwater?

( Huh. To Alexander: )

Have you run into wild magic before?

[swillpot]

No, not personally. My dad has though. Claims it's how he met my mom.

[He smirks slightly.]

Claims he got turned into a potted plant and she had to carry him around with her until he turned back.

[phonetically]

Isaac was a sheep.

( He smiles, unable to keep himself from laughing at the memory of that group chat. )

[swillpot]

[Alexander can't help but grin at that.]

That's very unfortunate for Isaac. Though it could have been worse.

["Some people get died permanently blue. Or lost all their hair," Serena shakes her head. "Honestly so long as no one got hurt it sounds like everyone got off easy."]

[phonetically]

Permanently?

( A blink. )

Like a Smurf? Like, if he were a werewolf, he'd likely be a blue werewolf?

[swillpot]

Basically, yeah. In theory there are ways to turn him back, but the people who know those kinds of spells off-hand are few and far between.

[So he definitely would have been blue for as long as it took for people to do their research.]

[phonetically]

Aw man, I really hope I get to see that next time.

( Cruel, cruel man, Stiles. )

[swillpot]

Maybe you'll get lucky. Wild magic is pretty rare though.

[So he wouldn't hold his breath.]

I take it you and Isaac have more of an ... adversarial relationship?

[phonetically]

We're not, like, enemies.

( But, yeah. Between how he treated everyone toward the end of sophomore year. Moving in with Scott. Seeing Allison behind his back and generally being a scarf snob. )

Some personalities clash.

[swillpot]

It happens. As long as you're not trying to kill each other, you can make it work.

[Sometimes squabbling is how you show your love.]

[phonetically]

You know, I could actually put up a fight, but, no, not looking to shoot or bite Isaac. We're still pack.

( And that does rise above everything. )

Do witches have something like that? Like a... craft or coven?

[swillpot]

Covens, yeah. Some more intense than others.

["We have a lot of witches in the Underground, so I guess technically we're a coven? But we're more diverse than most covens," Serena adds.]

True. Most of them will align with like vampire coteries or werewolf packs but they won't be actually part of the coven.

[phonetically]

Like they have their own resident witch.

( Interesting. )

Before becoming a vampire, I only really know druids.

[swillpot]

Druids aren't that far off. They just like to call each other a more fancy name.

["You guys have Deaton, right?" Serena blinks before she thinks. "Or was Beacon Hills Marin's territory?"]

[phonetically]

Deaton for a while. Then Marin. I think, they, like, share? Marin was definitely out of town more than she was in, though, and she had questionable taste in who she was an emissary for.

( For a little Deaton and Marin lore! )

[swillpot]

Not all packs can be winners, it's true.

[He doesn't know anything about Deaton or Marin so he's not one to judge. Some people like the danger.]

I've never really been one to impart sage wisdom so the emissary road never really was for me.