The Hunt for Le Fay: Tour Guides Optional

[Lucian Ambrose]

"I am so sick of this nonsense," Lucian Ambrose said as he paced the hallway outside the grand entrance to the meeting chamber of the Mystic Council. He was with Elizabeth Herondale and her daughter Isadora Rydenborne, and he knew they were as thrilled to be here as he was. "Melkir has his own bloody police squad. He doesn't need to call in every Shadowhunter in the known realms to do his bidding."

"While he is in office, he has the right to call in any favor he so chooses, and today he called in the one to our council," Elizabeth said as she drummed her fingers on the wooden bench where she and Izzy were seated. It was made of mahogany and had ornate dragons carved into the back and sides. "And we three pulled the short straws. Jayce Starkweather should be joining us, but he hasn't returned from his latest mission. He left that mess in New York and went straight to Hong Kong, I think."

"Of course he did," Lucian grumbled as he sat on a bench across from his companions. "He's a Starkweather. Of course he gets called to the four corners of the globe. I just wonder why we haven't seen any of the council police roaming the hallways? Did they all pop round to the nearest pub or something?"

[Blackwell]

There was a ruckus down the hallway as a portal opened and Alastair Blackwell popped out with guests in tow. Jack Sparrow, Mira Mcgowan, Craig Dragotti and Maureen Brown all followed the council police force member out of his portal and into the heart of the Mystic Council's base of operations. "And here we are! I'll take you all around for refreshments later, but first, let's see if Melkir is taking visitors."

Alastair started to march down the hallway until he saw the grumpy lot of Shadowhunters sitting in front of Melkir's office entrance. "Oh. I take it there's a line?" he asked Elizabeth Herondale as he bowed to her slightly. "If he has you waiting, Lizzie, things must be crazy indeed."

"Please, Alastair, I'd prefer it if you didn't call me Lizzie," the Shadowhunter said as she looked at the group with Alastair. "Perhaps you and your guests would like to have a seat?"

"Is Gramps in there?" Alastair asked as he went closer to the door, only to be stopped by a force field. "How rude! Might as well have a seat, folks," he said as he walked over to Craig. "Sorry for the delay, Craig. If we don't get in to see Melkir soon, I'll start with another part of the HQ."

[Craig Dragotti]

Craig followed Alastair out of the portal. *Refreshments are not bad ideas now. I am a bit hungry* he thought. His eyes narrowed in caution after he saw Shadowhunters. The Shadowhunters were strangers to him. He noticed Elizabeth and nodded at her.

Craig turned to Alastair until he grinned. ''No worries,'' he said in a casual tone. He sat and tried not to make eye contact with the Shadowhunters. He adjusted his tie and vest.

[Blackwell]

"If we are all sitting out here, might as well make the introductions," Alastair said as he motioned toward the Shadowhunter group. "Elizabeth Herondale and her daughter Isadora Rydenborne, and Lucian Ambrose, Shadowhunters extraordinaire," he said with a slight bow, "I am sure you know Mira Mcgowan and Jack Sparrow, but this is Mrs. Maureen Brown, Jack's housekeeper, and Mr, Craig Dragotti, a friend of Jack's."

"I think I saw you at that party in New York," Elizabeth said as she nodded to the new arrivals. "That was..."
 
"A terrible event! And please, call me Izzy," Isadora said as she waved at everyone. "I'm glad you all made it out safely," the teen added as the doors to Melkir's office--huge and made of solid gold with inlaid jewels--started to open and then shut again abruptly.

"And...maybe we'll make it in soon. I hope so anyway!" Alastair said as people could be seen rushing about in other hallways off the main entrance. The place seemed to sparkle as the walls emitted a glow of their own. "Witchstone," he said to Craig. "Has crystals in it that make their own light. Very handy to have if the electricity is shut down. You know, at any time, there are thousands of people in this underground complex. There are portals that lead right to the magic schools around the world, and of course there's the armory where we tuck away all the things no one is really supposed to know about, like that big man made of marshmallows that everyone thought was a prop from that movie. He's real, and he really hates fire. Best not to pop in to see him. You know, magic is a funny business. Been around since the dawn of time, yet no one is supposed to know it exists. A bit silly, don't you think?"

[Craig Dragotti]

Mr. Dragotti began to tilt his head in confusion after Elizabeth said she thought she saw party guests. He wasn't sure if he remembered seeing her. He was quick to notice the glowing walls. Craig turned to Alastair for a moment. ''A big man made of marshmallows?'' he muttered. He started to grin. ''If the marshmallow man dreads fire, I'll be able to protect you from him.''

[Jayce Starkweather]

The huge gold doors opened once more, and a figure clad in black from head to toe exited the chambers, his golden hair peeking out from under the hood of his outfit.

"Not that story about the marshmallow man...again...Alastair," Jayce Starkweather said as he exited Melkir's office. He was another of the Shadowhunter lot, but he was a bit more self assured than the others. He had a swagger all his own and a lengthy family history to back up the swagger. "Please. Aren't we all a bit old for such things?"

"And that is Jayce Starkweather," Alastair mumbled as he looked back toward Craig.  "If old Stay Puff gets out into the hallways, you can be the first in line to toast his squishy self. Then perhaps you can scare off snippy Shadowhunters."

"I heard that," Jayce said with a light growl. "At any rate, Melkir wants to speak to all of us," Jayce said as he waved his hands toward everyone. "It has to do with that party in New York. And those silly nitwits at SHIELD. Those Bond wannabes may have stumbled onto something, but Melkir isn't sure of that yet."

Jayce looked at Craig and Alastair and then over to Mrs. Brown. "You can do the introductions inside, Chins," Jayce said with a slight grin as the doors to the office opened wider and a flock of birds flew out. One was a tiny Phoenix, followed close after by a raven. Jayce stopped to watch as the birds flew toward a wall and then disappeared from sight. "I wonder who they will become?" he asked no one in particular as the creatures vanished.

[Craig Dragotti]

Craig's eyes became bigger after gold doors opened and a figure appeared. ''That's quite the entrance!'' he muttered. He nodded as soon as Alastair said who the figure was. He laughed after the latter informed him that he could use his pyrokinesis against Stay Puff and Shadowhunters. ''I can do that,'' Craig said prior to a quick frown. He gasped after he saw a Phoenix with a raven.

''Last time I checked, aren't ravens signs of death or something like that?'' Craig muttered. He wasn't sure about a Phoenix. All he knew about Phoenixes was that they were able to die and be reborn. His shoulders began to slump at a snail's pace. If only Isabella Dragotti was able to be reborn. Then they could be together again.

[Blackwell]

"Around here, seeing ravens often means that somebody connected to the Clan MacFeorais is roaming the halls, but yes, they are usually symbols of death," Alastair said to Craig as the group got up and started to follow Jayce into Melkir's office. "Melkir is a bit showy, so the birds are nothing new for him. The Phoenix I have no clue about, unless that is some symbol of welcome for you since you are with the X-Men. Jayce, what were you muttering about just now? About them becoming someone?"

"It's nothing, Alastair," Jayce replied as he watched everyone move into Melkir's office. "You know how I like my poetry."

"All I know is that you like to go hunt demons," Alastair said as the lights dimmed and everyone stopped in their tracks. "Here we go. Craig, Mrs. Brown. Don't be alarmed. Just a bit more showmanship."

A fleet of faeries started to fly around the room, and most of them stayed very far away from Jack and Mira. They seemed to know Jack all too well. "Bugger. They remember me from my last visit."

"Of course they do!" a man said as he stepped out from behind a deep blue velvet curtain. He was clad in black leather and had very spiky hair. He held an orb in one hand and held the other behind his back.

"For those of you unfamiliar to this place, I am Melkir, current president of the Mystic Council." Melkir bowed to those who had entered the room. "Mrs. Brown and Mr. Dragotti, it is indeed a pleasure to meet you."

"His secretary gave him your information. He didn't do any mind reading," Alastair said as he tried to reassure everyone that Melkir was not being a bad mystic at the moment. "So, Mel, how's tricks?" Alastair asked as Jack groaned and shook his head. "I just wanted to show Craig and Mrs. Brown here around the building. Nothing dodgy about that!"

[Craig Dragotti]

Craig started to gulp as his eyes became bigger. ''Ravens are both connected to the Clan MacFeorais AND death?'' He tilted his head in interest. ''The Phoenix greeting me would make sense.''

Craig gasped and stepped back after many fairies appeared. *Where did the fairies come from?* He got his answer after a man stepped out from behind a velvet curtain. *So that's Melkir!*   

[The Alchemist]

"Miss, I am supposed to be in there," a voice rang out as the doors parted again and Edward Praxus MacFeorais made his way into Melkir's chambers. "Melkir, my apologies. Your guards didn't have me on the official appointment list it seems. Cousin Mira, I'm glad you're here," he said as he rushed inside before the doors shut on his long red coat.

"Oh, Branan's boy from that far away place where Ronan was a bit off his rocker and killed his own family," Jack said as he stood next to Mira, keeping an eye on Melkir as the young man called The Alchemist joined their group. "What on earth brings you to this little soiree?"

"Like you, I am clueless on that matter," Edward said as he nodded to the others in the room. He took one look at Jayce and smirked. "Kindred spirit, I see?"

"I sincerely doubt that," Jayce replied as he looked back toward Jack, Mrs. Brown and Mr. Dragotti. "And I thought this was a closed meeting? Am I mistaken?"

"Closed how?"  Edward asked as Jayce laughed. "You are starting to sound like you might be one of those nonsensical pure blood maniacs I had to deal with back home."

"Enough!" Melkir bellowed as he looked at those before him. "We have a mutual concern, and I think it's better to include people of every walk in this matter."

"And, what is that concern?" Jack asked as he started to palm a gold doubloon he had pulled from his pocket. "Sorry, but you worry me, Melkir." 

"Mystic artifacts are starting to pop up in all sorts of places they should not be," Melkir started to say as he set down the small globe he was carrying on his desk. "And I'm afraid we might need outside help to keep this in check."

[Craig Dragotti]

Craig viewed a man appearing until the doors closed. He was ashamed to admit that it was difficult to keep track of everyone. Melkir wasn't easy to forget at all. Something about Melkir's name and appearance. The fairies were easy to remember. Craig heard every word from Melkir as the latter explained about mystic artifacts appearing all over the world. 

[Dorcha]

"Ah Edward! Welcome to the party!" Mira responded with a pleasant smile and a nod. Her attention was brought back to the subject at hand. "So far I do know of only one that has surfaced that is for sure in friendly hands. As for any others that I am sure all of us are all ears to learn about some of the others that have popped up."

[Craig Dragotti]

Craig started to look around the room. Those present seemed so pacified even though a few looked threatening. He could not help but smile. It was a change from the chaotic environment in his past home. There weren't any mystics poking one another like Reynard would have done to Sasha. The mystics didn't pull one another's hair or exchange hits.

[Melkir]

Melkir paced as he looked at those gathered in his chambers. They were a bit of an unusual lot. One human female who could cook but not do much in the way of battle. One mutant former gangster who could set everyone on fire if he set his mind to it. Various Shadowhunters and two members of the far-flung MacFeorais clan. And Jack Sparrow. How in the name of the elder gods did he wind up in this situation? Melkir didn't have time to figure all that out now.

"I take it you mean that battle axe that dropped into the Hellfire disaster?" Melkir asked Mira as he shook his head. "I was supposed to be there, but I did not want to go and end up in a fight with Aro or one of his compatriots. I know he and Deirdre Sun had a bit of a dust-up, and I did not want to turn that party into a battlefield. Little did I know it would become one anyway."

As Melkir thought about it all for a moment, he really should have gone to that damned gala. If nothing else, he'd have been an eyewitness to whatever happened when Morgan Le Fay popped into the party. "Now, the artifacts in question," he said as he flicked his wrist and a holographic map appeared to hover in the air. "Some nonsense is going on with the terra cotta army in Beijing. One of them ended up with a jeweled mace and came to life. It took down several tourists. I've heard about enchanted swords coming off walls in France and some unaccounted-for ghost in a German castle. It's maddening. And now I heard that SHIELD is running after demons in New York, and some of those demons popped in with Avalonian weapons."

Melkir looked at Craig, sizing the man up and down. "You are a pryokinetic, correct? Did you go up against any of those creatures at that party? I am unfamiliar with the full spectrum of mutant powers and how they work against magic. Do yours work against magic?"   

 

[Craig Dragotti]

''Aro?'' Craig muttered after the latter was mentioned. He heard Melkir's questions. Frowning, he nodded. ''Yes. I am indeed a pyrokinetic, Melkir. To answer your other question, I did battle a few creatures at the party.'' Craig shrugged after the third question. ''I'm honestly not sure if my abilities work against magic.''

[Dorcha]

"Indeed that is the very one I am talking about Melkir." Mira responded with a nod. "It has a new bearer in the MacFeorais clan. To be honest I'd be surprised if it ended up anywhere else."

She then listened to Melkir describe what had been happening with the different artifacts. "I wonder what is causing all of this? It would take quite a magical source to awaken so many of them."

[The Alchemist]

Edward looked at Melkir and then to Mira and Craig. "Maybe it isn't someone with a magic background at all," he mused as he looked around the room. "Is it possible that someone who wants magic powers is trying to bring in these items to get that power?"

{{Mira, my father and a few others went to Buckland's in Edinburgh}} Edward said telepathically to his cousin. {{Should we try to loop them into this or get them here? I know they are looking for Morgan Le Fay, and maybe they figured something out by now?}}

[Jack Sparrow]

"Craig should not be tossed into the line of fire for the lot of us," Jack said as he moved closer to his friend. "Melkir, I don't like where this is all going..."

"Master Jack, I think President Melkir was just trying to see who might be of help if, push came to shove, those nasty folks pushed first," Mrs. Brown said as she stood on the other side of Mr. Dragotti. "Don't fret, Mr. Dragotti. Mr. Blackwell could take us home if things went nutty."

"That said, I don't want this coming down to some mystic versus mutant nonsense, savvy, Melkir? This is not Craig's fight..." Jack started to say as Jayce Starkweather made an odd face at him. "Yes? Mister 'my family has been hunting demons since the day Pandora opened the bloody box!' Starkweather. Do you have a comment?"

Jack placed his hand on Craig's shoulder. "Don't worry about that young buck. He's full of himself and is likely getting his britches in a twist to show how many demons he can kill. At the first sign of trouble, we will be leaving. For now, let's just see if we can figure out what's going on in case the X-Men need to know."  

[Craig Dragotti]

Craig glanced at Edward. ''Good point about a person without magical abilities desiring powerful magic.'' He frowned after he faced Jack. ''Tossed into the line of fire?'' It hadn't occurred to Mr. Dragotti that Melkir and the others were using him to battle the most. ''At least I'm not being sacrificed. Riiight?''

Craig's mouth was tight with worry before he turned to Mrs. Brown. ''Hopefully you're right about Mr. Blackwell bringing us back home.'' He saw Jack again. ''I'm eager to aid everyone, but not at the cost of a life or lives.''

[Melkir]

Melkir tapped his foot and waited for Jack to shush before speaking. "No one is being sacrificed, Mr. Dragotti," he said as he tried to parse his words carefully. "I am as unfamiliar with most mutants as they are with me. If I sounded like I was giving you battle orders, rest assured I am not. I am just not used to working with those born with powers not granted by magic."

"Or with those of us with no powers save our own wits and throwing arms, I bet, sir," Mrs. Brown chimed in as she nodded to Melkir. "Perhaps those of us not truly needed for this meeting should let you all converse amongst yourselves? Maybe Mr. Blackwell can take us to the cafe for that spot of tea?"

"I'm sorry, but I need Mr. Blackwell here," Melkir said as he clapped his hands. "I will get one of our other guides here in a moment. Again, Mr. Dragotti, I did not mean to alarm you."

[Craig Dragotti]

''That's good to know,'' Mr. Dragotti muttered after Melkir said that nobody was going to be sacrificed. He took a deep breath and exhaled. A café sounded good to him. He grinned at Melkir. ''Don't worry about it. It's easy to misunderstand others sometimes.''

[Blackwell]

"When you head out to the cafe, makes sure not to eat something called Squidgy," Blackwell said as he moved closer to Craig. "It is made with squid's ink and is truly an acquired taste. It's black and smells like old socks. They have it made into gelatin and cakes and some horrendous soup. I think the sea dwellers eat it."

"Do you need to have an opinion about everything?" Jayce asked as he looked at Blackwell and Dragotti.

"And you don't have opinions?" Blackwell said as he rolled his eyes. "Christmas! Everyone needs to have opinions, or the world would be a big, old and boring place! And frankly one of the cooks can get a bit twitchy with newcomers and suggests that Squidgy business."

"I've asked Shalandra to be their guide," Melkir huffed. "She will make sure you do not run afoul of the staff and end up eating something not fit for human consumption. They do have perfectly lovely teas and cakes. Not everything is fit for demons, gryffins and kelpies!"

"Oh! Do they have that lovely cake that does the fizzy thing? Or can you get that only on holidays?" Blackwell asked as Melkir threw his hands into the air and stared at him. "Makes sure you ask for the fizzy cake, Craig. The pink one. Not the yellow one. The yellow one can be a bit too tart."

[Craig Dragotti]

''Squidgy?'' Mr. Dragotti asked with one raised eyebrow. He shrugged at Blackwell. ''You are right about no opinions causing the world to be boring.'' He started to smile another time. Tea cakes sounded good to him. ''A pink fizzy cake? Sounds good to me.''

[Blackwell]

Blackwell smiled as he thought about the fizzy cake, but then he started to frown. Shalandra was a nice person and all that, but she was not exactly a party maven. She could be exceedingly dull if put with the wrong group of people. "Shalandra? Bald? Blue skinned? Tried to shut down the 'Party like it's 1899' party a few years back?"

"Don't you mean 1999?" Izzy asked as Blackwell shook his head "No" most emphatically.

"No, it was a turn-of-the-century Victorian ball. Dr. Briscoe was there in her fancy dress. Her scales shined in the moonlight. It was a lovely night," Alastair added as he started to dance around before Melkir  glared at him. "At any rate, Craig, if Shalandra gets all party-poopery, have me paged. I don't want your first visit here to be a snore-inducing nightmare."

[Craig Dragotti]

Craig looked from Blackwell to Izzy. ''Shalandra?'' he muttered under his breath. He couldn't help but smile at Blackwell. He laughed for a few moments. ''Shalandra shouldn't be worse than Reynard and Sasha. If I can endure those two always battling, Shalandra should not be a problem.''