[center][hr][img]https://i.imgur.com/zGDBwfS.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/cxJGiFq.png[/img] [hr][/center] [quote=Trisha will Misha][color=MediumSlateBlue]“It could be someone from our family, Father had plenty of children we didn’t know about before now. Maybe one of them decided to curse us all? Or a vengeful ex-wife? He definitely has plenty of those.”[/color][/quote] That was also a possibility that crossed Justin's mind... but again it kind of raises the question of just [i]why[/i] wouldn't they do something harsher. Then another thought crossed the boy that perhaps he was thinking a bit [i]too[/i] hard on this matter? That he was shooting a bit too high here... it was still a possibility that someone [i]intended[/i] to do something worse and then it didn't work as planned. Magic was a very... fiddle thing to work with. This was why Justin loved that his abstraction was very simple in nature. If a Vanburen did it, then they were [i]definitely[/i] stuck here in Araminta with them. Justin would like to say that narrows it down a bit, but Araminta's a big place one full of hiding spots. He hated to say it, but there was a [i]high[/i] chance that they stood a snowball's chance in hell at finding the person if they didn't have a solid lead. If that was even the case. It seemed more and more daunting but Justin wasn't going to give up. No stone unturned, no giving up unless there was truly no other option - that was Justin's way. That said, he wouldn't like such a curse to befall his own family so he would like a curse that turns [i]entire bloodlines[/i] into stone out of the picture. He nodded his head as he said, [color=red]"If you have any siblings you don't know about, they're [i]definitely[/i] in Araminta."[/color] Justin asked, omitting the "or dead" that he was thinking about. [color=red]"And do we know how many wives or other... lovers he has? It could narrow it down, but [i]honestly[/i] we don't have a whole lot of leads."[/color] He hated to say it. [color=red]"But I will do [i]everything[/i] in my power to help you, even if it's hopeless, I swear."[/color] [quote=Ezra The Ocelot Not-Fan][color=darkgray]“I think it’s safe to say Mr. Liao that if any of us had an idea of where the curse originated from then you would not be here. The only thing I can say for certain is that before the curse our house wasn’t such a hotbed for weird activity. Besides that attack today, we were robbed a few weeks ago. I don’t know if they were related, or if it would have anything to do with our curse, but to me, those outsiders seem like the only thread we can pull on. We track them down, maybe we get some answers. Fortunately, I have a surefire way to find out who is in this [i]cult[/i] of yours. See—”[/color][/quote] Justin didn't let Ezra's words offend him, because he had a point. In all honesty, he was here for his own reasons but he was going to help them before he passes on. The money and the direction will definitely help if the quest takes him... strange places. Though, he wondered if they would trust him if he told them what really directed him towards the Vanburens. He would keep his mouth shut on the matter [i]until[/i] he gained their trust. He honestly had a lot to work to do for that end. However, before Justin could say anything to Ezra, he got a phone call... [quote=Ezra The Pegged][color=darkgray]“I’m sorry, things are running long. Could you tell her—who? Are you serious? Get an ambulance; I’ll cover it. I’ll be there in a minute to pick up the girl. Bye. Arabelle’s injured. I’m going to make sure she’s okay. Don’t destroy the house while I’m gone and call me if anything pressing comes up. I shouldn’t be long.”[/color] [/quote] Shit. Somebody got injured in all of that. Justin felt a little bad for not being able to stop the cult in time... he sighed as Ezra walked out. Same with the straggly guy that helped him fight them (he had earned a great deal of respect from Justin for helping them) to go out and look for the cult. That brought Justin to the matter of the cult... while he was all for going out there and giving them a good reason not to come back, he didn't think [i]they[/i] of all people were responsible for their curse. He didn't want the Vanburens to get their hopes up. [color=red]"Okay, while I personally don't think that cult is behind this - or that we'd get anything useful from them at all,"[/color] Justin started as he looked from the left to the right. [color=red]"I really, [i]really[/i], think we should go out and handle them at some point... preferably soon as possible. Because if they're really after "stolen property", they're definitely going to be back."[/color] [i][color=red][i]Even though I'm fuckin'[/i] lost [i]on why they left in the first place. Maybe they already have what they want and they're gonna fuck off.[/i][/color][/i] He balled his fist as he said, [color=red]"I doubt it'd be hard to track down a white girl with red hair named [i]Morgana[/i] of all names. I don't think there's really much more to go over in this meeting... I'm just gonna cut things here so I can get started and you guys can uh-"[/color] Justin looked back at the gaping hole in the wall. [color=red]"... Pick up the pieces."[/color] [quote=Alexander the Not-So Great][color=c4df9b]"If you want, I could try to summon the old man's ghost from the afterlife for a while, try to get answers. I don't think he'd like to have a conversation with [i]me[/i], though. Not after what happened long ago."[/color][/quote] Justin raised an eyebrow when he said that. [i][color=red]How does that abstraction work?[/color][/i] He thought to himself as the first thing that came to mind was summoning his grandmother's ghost. Though he had to keep it to himself, he had to move on. He nodded his head as he answered, [color=red]"It's worth a shot,"[/color] Justin said as he was sure that it wasn't going to go anywhere. He could just [i]hear[/i] the vague excuse he'll make before he fucks off. [center][hr][img]https://i.imgur.com/iasHidX.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/DP7VoTG.png[/img] [hr][/center] In all honesty, there wasn't a whole lot that Sabrina could contribute to this meeting. This was definitely not her forte... it was more of Oscar and Ezra's business and she was just here. LeBeau was in her hands as she was stroking the ocelot and then after her contribution to the meeting she was quiet. The apparition in her clothes changed her outfit from the dress that didn't really fit her, to a light-red sweater and blue jeans. However, Ezra and Shane showed themselves out for different reasons... Shane was obviously going to go after the cult and... she wanted to go with him. Sabrina stood up and gently placed LeBeau on the ground and patted the feline as she quickly moved after Shane. She didn't want her brother going after that cult alone, even if she cannot do a whole lot in a fight. She caught up with Shane on the porch as she said, [color=coral]"W-wait up."[/color] She caught up with Shane as she said, [color=coral]"You aren't gonna go after all of them by yourself, are you?"[/color] She asked as Mary Roberts manifested a scarf around her neck after she shivered just a bit. She stuck her hands out as Mary Robots created a thick winter counter stitch by stitch in her hands - one that would [i]probably[/i] fit Shane. [color=coral]"At least take this."[/color]