Just off the Streets of London...

"We think as one then." Crest let himself breath inaudibly knowing they were on the same page and he hadn't gone into public for no reason. 

"I've attempted to track their movements for months, but they've been more cautious now. They've scarcely left a trail. Have you had any encounters with them?"

"My family have not seen sight of them since they fled from Hogwarts." he muttered, considering. 

"The only tail I have is the Fox spirit; the one who defied death to aid me." Bryn was aware the kitsune could lead them straight to the hands of the Death Eaters, but he doubted Lukas would be so negligent. 

"He is amicable with the Death Eaters."

OOC Come to think of it, didn't crest have some sort of deal with Lukas? 

IC

Crest was silent but his contempt for the fox spirit could be felt from the walls. "I see. Have you anyway to communicate with him? I doubt he'd fall for anything with me."

Ooc indeed he did! Don't know what though (have a list)

Ic "yes, but tricking a trickster is unlikely to end well. I believe he would be interested in helping us because it causes chaos, or at least promises it."

"I'm also unable to harm him." Bryn added.

Quite the logician.


His confidence bolstered, knowing he had such a sound and rational mind as Bryn as an ally. "I agree. That's the best course of action."

"I suggest we not be seen together when either you or I contact him. Being so indebted to the enemy, he could very easily tip them off about our partnership to escalate the chaos."

He nodded, in full agreement. "I would recommend you see him, for being a contractee means I am a subordinate to him. Besides, his curiousity would get the better of him." Bryn had observed that the kitsune could not resist curiousity, or of course, the chance at causing trouble.

Crest knew he was in a contract with the kitsune as well, but coming back from death probably created a deeper link between them. He felt no reason to tell about his own dealings with Lukas. 

"Very good. We'll reconvene when I am certain he is not watching me."

"I highly doubt the kitsune would ever trail you, he is not that type of person." Bryn immediately disregarded the idea of Lukas following people. Lukas was a free agent, after all. 

Crest's paranoia made him uneasy.

"I prefer being a thousand percent certain." Whenever you relied on faith or assumptions, you were just asking for trouble.

"Not possible when dealing with a chaos spirit; it would be like trying to predict the exact path of a hurricane." Bryn was flat in his observation, aware that Crest would never see it this way, but would try to explain regardless. 

"Relying on what you are certain of does not account for any unpredictabilities in human nature, which therefore makes you more vulnerable. You are certain people will act in a certain manner when every person is a storm."

"People are predictable animals. They're simple causality." 

"They all run on the rules of survival. And will do whatever it takes to reach their end goal." Spending so many years pursuing the worst of humanity, the young auror had become jaded. 

"This is hardly relevant though. What your views are don't matter to me so long as we reach our end goal." He told him coldly. His mind was always on the objective. It almost didn't matter to him what he had to do to succeed so long as he succeeded.

"If my opinions and judgements hold no weight with you, then I will not work with you. I will not be treated as a subordinate." Bryn rose to his feet, knowing the paranoid auror had no means of stopping him. He was also aware that he could not trust the auror, the only trait he would hold dearly in allies. 

Crest did not know compromise, so Brym reflected Crest's own stubbornness back at him.

"Don't be stupid. You need me as much as I need you." 

"I don't have to agree with your views, and you don't need to agree with mine. All we need agree on is stopping them."

"But I do not agree with you." He insisted, mirroring the young man's adamance. 

Bryn found Crest's assumptions almost ironic, for someone who claimed to never make them. "No, I do not need you." The elder Desouza rose to his feet, preparing to leave. Brynmor knew that no matter what, he would have his family. Even if some were amorl, or actions were questionable. Their bond was absolute.

Crest scoffed, "You idiot. You really believe they'll leave you or your family alone just because their master is dead?"

Stepping out from the wall, like a ghost coming forth to hunt the night, the young man had changed much from the last time Bryn saw him.

Rather than archaic robes from his family's past, it was now a open dark gray cloak that went down just to his ankles. It was hanging down over a nondescript black shirt and pants. His strayer pin rested on the left side of his shirt, just over his heart.

His dark brown eyes hide all of what was happening in his mind, and his hair was now long. A very clear deviation from his former buzzcut. 

He was trying to find himself. Sam wanted him to be his own man, and he was trying for her to do this.

"You're higher on their priority list now then ever. They're going to regroup and they're going to eliminate those who can stop them." 

"Namely, our families."

"We are both men of our family, that's the only reason I wanted to speak to you and the only reason I'm letting you see me, and believe me I hate being seen."

"I thought you'd understand why we need to take action now, but if you're more interested in deciding who's right than I've wasted my time..." It was clear his frustration was mounting. He was hoping this encounter would be simple, he hoped Bryn would see the end goal and protection of their families to be paramount. But if he insisted on focussing on the trivial, he could find more focussed allies elsewhere...

Bryn's placid gaze was roused by the significant change in the man's appearance. From voice only, his ears had betrayed a man who was paranoid, a rugged Strayer who was desperately anachronistic. But no, Crest was finally being humanised.

Crest's personalisation had shaken his guard, as surprise always did. 

"This is not a fight about what is right and wrong." He spoke calmly even though he could feel the tension building in his shoulders. "This is about me admitting that the stubborn pursuit of protecting my own family only served to alienate them further. I was not careful enough."

It was clear his mind was on Sydnay, and how his dogged drive for family unity had led to the events of her death. Had he not interfered, he believed his sister would've been more than capable of handling her moral struggle. 

"My family are safer without my intervention. I know where they are - yes - but they never needed my protection. They are not my children; I am their equal." It was a harsh burden he carried, slightly relieved he had someone to admit it to, even if they could not comprehend it..

"Ace disappeared for 7 years, she knows how to do it again. As for Meredia? Her defensive shields and agility are exceptional. The wolf will never catch the bird. And Amaya may be reckless and unpredictable, but she's oath-sworn to Lukas. The only weak link is myself." 

It was possible that the young man had become disillusioned with the typical view of justice, or maybe Bryn was simply growing up. The consequence of passing time would not easily reveal his intentions. The stakes were more serious than ever, and Bryn hoped his non-actions would draw the Death Eaters to him rather than his family.

"To make a move now would jeopardize my sisters. I will aid you, but I do not want for both of us to consign ourselves to death. I have to be able to trust you."

"If we do not ensure that the momentum of their defeat is kept up, they will unite once more and they have no respect for inaction." Neither do I.


"Regardless if you act or not, they will target you. These are no human beings, Bryn. They are rabid animals. The only thing that they understand is force."

"Already I have my network gathering intel. The prior months have been less than fruitful but I have word one of my own might have a lead." This man who worked with Crest had done so for many years and was among the handful of people Crest trusted without reservation. If anyone could pull through for him on this, it was he.

"I prefer doing things myself, but..." He paused and stared out the window before shutting the curtains. "I think the situation is more complicated than it was before and I can't afford my judgment be the sole one." According to his reports, there may or may not be another death eater, one previously unknown to him. The facts and evidence were sketchy at best, some hardly even credible. Either it was all erroneous or simply someone knew how to cover their tracks as well as him. Perhaps better. Uncertainty was like having a leech in Crest's brain, eating away at it until he could finally understand it.

"I do want you as an ally. And you're not the only one. What must I do to gain your trust?" The Crest of the past would never ask for help unless it was truly necessary much of less multiple people. But he was at last coming to the understanding he needed to rely on others sometimes. His new extensive network of informants had been evidence to it's usefulness.

There seemed to be a clear conflict within the young man, and Crest's judgement had clearly swayed him. Whilst inaction had been viable before, his sister was now dead, and his other sisters were at risk.

He ran his hands through his shaggy brown hair, sighing. "That was enough to convince me." He admitted. "Your stoic traits from before this encounter would have never persuaded me. I thought you were too... Heartless for me to ever co-operate with you. But times have changed, and if we hadnt changed with it, we wouldn't be standing here."

Bryn had to be honest, knowing that he did not want any resentment between the pair before it started.

"With your intel, I think you are right." He declared, considering his own lead with Amaya. "My sister is... Friendly with a woman, who warned Ace was going to die years ago. And she was right, the Death Eaters tried to kill her. This woman claimed to be a traitor to their cause, and not to reveal her."

It was clear from Bryn's tone that he was skeptical, whether this woman was like Sydnay or simply bluffing for the family's trust. Bryn did not know either way, and did not feel comfortable judging on the issue with such little information. 

"She was so pale..." He murmured.

"I would like to see this person. She could be the key to everything." Crest determined, "is it possible to meet her?" The mere act of knowing the gender set crests constantly-racing mind a small bit of solace, to finally have something... Anything... On this potential new player.

"Maybe. She seemed very reluctant to warn my family, since the mere act of meeting us put her in danger. A spy has to keep their cover, after all." Bryn was inclined to write an owl to her, but her means of communicating were... Unorthodox.

"She would seek you out, if she wanted to talk." He clarified, since he hadnt found out about her presence until she had approached him.

"Seeking me out would be foolish. I've hidden myself well. This is the most face to face contact I've had with anyone but my wife for months." Crest confidently assured him. No matter how well this girl had concealed herself, the young man felt that he was just a lack of a pulse away from being a ghost in this world.

"Could she meet with you and I could observe from afar?"

"I cannot meet her unless she initiates the contact." He clarified, lips weaving into a grimace. "But she seems to like Amaya, so you may be better off trailing my sister." Bryn knew a dead end when he felt one.

He paused and considered his options. Lukas probably knew the enemies plans, but this rogue element couldn't go unchecked either. 

Which took priority?
Discovering the enemy's plans might unveil opportunities to discover the rogue element.
But if the rogue element was vital to them, then stopping her could cripple them before they began.

He had to take great care with either one. 

Then again, finding Amaya probably wouldn't be as difficult as getting Lukas to cooperate multiple times. "I'll begin with Lukas. I'll find you when I have information. Don't look for me, you will not find me."

"I believe you will seek me when you need me. I'm not hiding; I don't need to." Bryn believed he was prepared for a sneak attack, but if the Death Eaters were operating covertly than attacking him would be the equivalent of announcing their return through a megaphone.

"Just.. remember he isn't human. He is only predictable in his love for chaos, and blood." Bryn rose, shrugging his cloak back over his shoulders. Bryn needed to find Ace, the elder sister he defaulted to in crisis. For now, he had to leave Amaya alone and trust her to handle herself.

"Best of luck." 

ooc want me to put Lukas and Amaya somewhere for subsequent RPs? Think May would like to see Toph or Joachim

Crest turned away, vanishing from place as quickly as he came. No farewell. 

He didn't feel he needed to say it. He had to track get to Lukas and get things into motion and every second mattered. 

With any hope, he'd hear back from Frederick soon...

OOC By all means!