[i][/i][center][hr][img]https://i.imgur.com/zGDBwfS.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/cxJGiFq.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/iasHidX.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/DP7VoTG.png[/img][/center][right][b][code]The Vanburen Estate[/code][/b][/right][hr]

[quote][color=darkgray]“Why are we immediately jumping to the idea that we go in swinging? Like you said, Justin, they caught us unprepared and still lost. They didn’t get what they wanted, they were forced to retreat, and they took casualties while we only lost the use of our dining room until repairs are done and the bearskin rug in the entryway that, in hindsight, was a bit tacky. I honestly think the threat of violence would be better than actual violence, and I rather not go murder a bunch of people who might have family that might start asking questions. So before we go galavanting off to assault what seems like a couple of losers who hang out in a ransacked Five Seasons maybe we could try brainstorming a few other ideas? Anyone?”[/color][/quote]

[i][color=red]You really shouldn't let whatever's watching out there get the idea that they can come in here and rough house you all without retaliation.[/color][/i].

Is what Justin really wanted to say. That was that prideful, no-prisoners, nuclear option, upbringing speaking. He knew that maybe they wouldn't understand that - well, maybe he gave off the wrong intention. He tried to save face.

[color=red]"Whoa, whoa, whoa, I think I [i]kinda[/i] sent the wrong message here,"[/color] Justin puts his hands up shaking them back and forth. He leaned back a little bit like a dramatic display. Before he chuckled and said, [color=red]"I'm not saying we should be killing anyone - in fact, I advise against it. But, it's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation here, by that I mean I don't think there's anyone to solve our problems [i]without[/i] violence."[/color]

He shrugged as he looked Ezra down. He was obviously the man in charge and Justin was going to give him the utmost amount of respect. It was a miracle he's even hearing him out after all, but he had to say this. [color=red]"What we [i]need[/i] to do is take the Triple Goddess out of the equation. And if what I know about ancient ghosts is correct; she's gonna go down swinging."[/color]

Justin shrugged again as he said, [color=9e0b0f]"Take her out, and the cult's just gonna be a bunch of idiots floundering around."[/color]

[color=red][i]At best, that is. At worst, they'll just find another patron saint and become a problem down the line.[/i][/color]

[quote=Nisha][color=lightgreen]“What if I pretend to join their cult but, but, but instead of kicking their asses I instead lead their leader to a mirror? And then Arabelle and I could pull them through and they’ll have nobody to follow, causing a power vacuum which will make them turn on one another and crumble from the inside.”[/color][/quote]

Justin raised an eyebrow at the mouthy girl, Ezra seems to be compatriots with her? For a second Justin thought that she was his sugar baby but then he heard something about being a "sister" to the Vanburens. That was an interesting notion, to say the least, but James slept around a [i]lot[/i]. He probably has kids all over Araminta and beyond. Still, the girl was quite... annoying. Constantly talking about nonsense... Justin didn't know what, but he got some odd vibes from her. By that, he meant that she was odd.

[color=red]"I don't think that's going to work..."[/color] He cut himself off there as he was certain that explaining how the Triple Goddess was the real problem (for the third time) was gonna fly over her head. 

... If she was listening in the first place.

However, the servant chick that disappeared dropped a skull on the table and explained what it was. And Justin's heart started racing.

[quote=Arabelle][color=804061] “This is what they came here for. The Horned God is sealed within this skull. A girl within the cult spoke to me before I escaped. She is against this Morgana and the Triple Goddess's plan to release him. She gave this to me for protection. If this girl is truly against their plans, she may know a way to stop them without violence. She may know about this goddess's weakness too. I think we should try to contact her.”[/color][/quote]

The Horned God.

Probably a powerful Apparition. Just in the hands of some servant all along. He was relieved that she had the Horned God and not the cult, but they should [i]definitely[/i] get this somewhere secure. ASAP. The rude chubby girl took the skull and voiced some points that Justin had no choice but to agree with. However, Justin faced Arabelle when she mentioned that she made contact with one of them and something didn't quite sit right with that. He scrunched his face for a second as he slid his hands into his pockets.

[color=red]"Do you like... know her name? Or how to even get in contact with her?"[/color] Justin started. [color=red]"Or if we can really trust her, you know? Don't get me wrong, this could work out in our favor but she could be aiming towards installing a [i]different[/i] deity for all we know."[/color]

[color=MediumOrchid]”Do you think you’ll be able to contact her?” We’ll have to get rid of the Triple Goddess either way, but it will be easier if we can negotiate with the cult itself. Without her, I don’t think they will be a threat to you.”[/color]
[quote=Georgie][color=CE6857]"Whatever we come up with will end in violence anyway. If we try to negotiate it will turn into a fight. If we ambush them we'll most likely win the fight. The most important thing here was keeping the ram's head away from them and it wouldn't be safe with Arabelle."[/color][/quote]


[color=red]"She's got a point,"[/color] Justin gestured towards Georgie. As much as he liked Tuyen, he had to admit that her idea was definitely not going to go anywhere. [color=red]"Only thing I think they'll want is the release of the Horned God."[/color]

He paused for a second.

[color=red]"And that is [i]not[/i] going to happen."[/color]

The tallest of the bunch kept quiet during this entire conversation... Sabrina Vanburen had a scarf over her face to protect her from the cold. All this talk of violence was not... boding well with her. [i][color=coral]Even you, Ozz...?[/color][/i] However, she didn't want the Vanburens to go in and fight these people, she finally stepped up as she said.

[color=coral]"We know the names of a few of them and where they work,"[/color] Sabrina piped up. [color=coral]"Why don't we just send the cops after them?"[/color]

Justin sighed as he facepalmed at having to explain the obvious. He held up one finger as he said, [color=red]"One, try finding a cop that'll take a report of a cult of actual witches raided your mansion with hellhounds and magic seriously."[/color]

He raised another finger, [color=red]"Two, a cop without magic is gonna get [i]shredded[/i] by them... there's a little thing protecting us from each other's abilities. I'm not gonna stand here and explain it because we have better things to do."[/color]

He raised another finger as he said, [color=red]"And three, we need to take the Triple Goddess out of the equation and unless there's some kinda secret ghost hunting agency out there - that task falls on us."[/color]

It sucks but the Vanburens should have realized that they can't have other problems solve all of their problems. Though, Raymond mentioning the cult and their known abilities (so far, Justin [i]knew[/i] that they had something up their sleeve) reminded him of something: he didn't know what the [i]Vanburens[/i] could do. He had a vague idea of what Shane, Georgie, Raymond, and Alexander could do, but not the entire family. So, what better way to find out than ask?

[color=red]"So, uh, what can you all do by the way?"[/color] Justin asked before he felt the need to demonstrate his own abstraction. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few steel balls, and then they floated into the air for a moment before they combusted into flames. They spun around in a circle as he explained,[color=red] "Mine is Pyro-telekinesis. I can move objects with my mind but whatever I control catches fire. Pretty simple, yeah?"[/color]

He didn't want to go into his grandmother's abstraction because he realized how impractical it was to use at the moment. Shane mentioned something about hitting up James' bar and not to bother him until they decide on a plan and Justin couldn't help but roll his eyes. Well, if he wanted to get drunk now of all times, that was on him but Justin was gonna focus.