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Another mild February morning breaks upon the city of New York. Strange is still meandering about the Loft, enjoying the last few sips of a particularly dark blend of tea with a spoonful of honey — because a spoonful of honey makes everything better, even the nasty nutritional shake required to keep his mortal body alive. Earthly gastroparesis is an awful state. He idly scratches at a rough spot on his blue tunic's collars when the wards report an arrival. Glancing up at the silvery guardian spells, he nods once before tossing back the last gulp.
It's an easy and lazily-masterful warping of reality to bring himself downstairs and he opens the front door of the mansion to see a familiar face. Those expressive lips curl the slightest and he says quietly,
"Ah, Mister Reyes. Do you, as trouble, come knocking on my door? Or is it a simple visit for the more mundane of things?"
Robbie arrived in front of the Sanctum Sanctorum in his beautiful '63 dodge charger, the sleek black making it look good as new…Robbie must have touched up on his ride. Either way, he steps out of it and shuts the door…noticeably his hair has gotten a little longer as it now cascades down to at last his shoulders in a wild look…but one that's strangely charming and stylish. His beard having grown a little thicker, yet still nice and trimmed.
He wears his trademark black leather jacket with the upside down white U decal on the front, fingerless gloves on his hands, a black longsleeve shirt, black jeans, and combat boots….his usual devil-may-care style.
He was about two seconds from knocking on the door before Strange opened it for him. Lowering his hand back into his pocket, he shrugs. "Sadly it's the former. though the trouble isn't from me. Mind if I come in or do you have company?" ..he's very casual, given who he's talking to.
"I always have company, but you're welcome inside," Strange replies as he steps back from the door and turns to walk back deeper into the Sanctum. "Shut the door behind you once you've entered, please — and don't mind the wards, they're curious things." A riffling of colder air slips around Robbie in a brief cyclone and then the guardian spells disperse, sensing no ill will from the young man. The Sorcerer lingers by the doorway leading into the living room.
"If you like tea, you're welcome to some. The set is by the fireplace." Indeed, walking into the room proves the stand to be sitting on the hearth, complete with all the trapping needed to make a proper cuppa: ever-warmed teapot with water, clay mugs that are charmingly foreign and extremely heat-conserving, various tea satchets with small different-colored labels, sugar, cream, and a small jar of high-quality honey. The room itself is cozy, warmed against the later-winter chill, and full of shadows cast by the flickering fire that seem deeper if you stare too long. Walking over to stand by the fire, Strange crosses his arms loosely and waits to hear precisely what brought young Reyes to the Sanctum's stoop.
Robbie nods softly to Strange but he enters the Sanctum nonetheless…and while the Spirit of Vengeance was a little unnerved and defensive, he's happy he found no trouble with the wards and shut the door behind him as politely requested. Following Strange, Robbie keeps his hands in his jacket pockets as he looks around…..it was his first time inside of this powerful house of magic. He can look!
He looks to the tea and accepts it, pouring himself a cup before moving to one of the available seats. "Alright…I take it you know how Ghost Riders and Spirits of Vengeance work. So….I'm going to do something that will likely either get me killed or make the situation worse…but the hope that I can get back what I lost is prevalent."
A look to Doctor Strange then. "I need to get my soul back from Mephisto. and I need your help."
"Hmm." That's all that Robbie gets at first, other than the high flick of dark brows. Nodding slowly to himself, Strange takes a minute or two fixing up his own cup of tea. It's a lighter blend than before, something with citrus and mellow green notes, though still with a goodly-sized stir of honey involved. He sips at the steaming mug and inclines his chin again in silent approval before turning to face Robbie again. An air of gravitas drops about him, as appropriate as the mantle-born hang of the crimson Cloak — this relic is resting upstairs in the Loft.
"I do know of the Spirits of Vengeance and the Riders, yes. I also know that Mephisto isn't going to appreciate you taking something of his." The Sorcerer thins his lips. "I have no love for the being, mind you this…but most approaches to the being are suicidal by nature. What do you need my help with precisely and what is your plan?"
Robbie watches Doctor Strange with only the most mild of impatience, but Robbie was always a man of action and not a man of conversation. This a bit new for him, apparently….though when he's told that Mephisto doesn't like people touching -or- taking his stuff, and that any approach is suicidal when it comes to fighting the Hell Lord..Robbie nods. "I know…believe me, I have first hand experience that punching him in the face won't do much for me."
A deep sigh then. "Look….I don't care if I have to go become a Hell Lord or fall into madness, I need my soul back. I'm slave to no one." given, Ghost Riders have a large degree of free will….he just doesn't like being in Mephisto's 'charge'. That said, he sighs. "Well, if the Sorcerer Supreme feels up to it, he can come with me to Hell and see what we can bargain." (HAH! movie jokes), alas, Robbie sighs. "My plan? see if I can outsmart him in Hell…or ifnd a way to lure him into this world where he'll be weakened." a small crack of his neck.
"As for what you can do for me specifically….well, what -can- you do in this situation?"
"What can I do? A good number of things, Reyes." Strange smiles, though it's a good bit jaded by nature. "I could pull the very stars from the sky if the Fate of Reality dictated I do so — or if I felt inclined, though I doubt that would do the world much good at the moment. So." He takes a sip of tea and then continues. "You wish to retrieve your soul from Mephisto's clutches. If I have my druthers, Mephisto will never set foot within this reality. Weakened as he may become, he is still powerful."
The Sorcerer begins to pace in front of the fire, his boots making soft sounds on the heated stones. "How did you come to lose your soul in the first place? This alone may dictate the approach necessary for you."
Robbie nods softly to Strange "I know you can do what mortal men deem impossible, Strange. I know you can bend reality like molding clay and perform the acts of gods." he says it outright, having an understanding of just how powerful the Sorcerer Supreme is. "True." he says that even if in a dimension other than his own, he looks to the fieplace then when asked how he lost his soul.
"I was driving with my little brother, Gabriel. Went to go drag racing for some extra cash…some gang members thought we were our uncle, Eli. Guess they had a bone to pick with him. Shot up the car, car barreled across the highway..Gabe was trapped but…I was thrown from the car. I called out to anyone…everyone..the universe, God… to save my brother."
A deep sigh. "THen I hit the pavement. I heard a whisper…asking if I wanted vengeance on those who hurt my brother, did I want to avenge my own life, and save the life of Gabe in the process….I answered yes. A thousand times yes." he keeps his head lowered…clearly this isn't something he likes to talk about.
Something hit the window with a fwip and a thwap!It wasn't the angel which left one other alternative. The wards circled his head checking him out like cartoon stars around the dizzy bird that took a minute to regain his feet. Finally being allowed in he perched - TRIUMPHANT! - and shook the snow from his tail feathers. He nodded to Strange but looked at the Rider. The tone was sympathetic, "Awww, primo." This? Thi was his cousin. Well that answers a lot. He flapped and took up residence not on Strange's shoulder but Robbie. "Dude I could feel you bein like stressed out halfway across the city. Thought I'd look in on you." His head roraret clockwise to headbut Robbie. The opposide wing lifted in greeting to the sorcerer supreme. "Hola, Doc."
The Sorcerer's broad-shouldered silhouette pauses before the fireplace, backlit in lurid light. A faint glow gathers about his irises, no more bright than a candle-flame behind a gauzy curtain; it brings his eyes towards the ultraviolet spectrum in color. He nods slowly, his pity for the Rider found in the small divot between his furrowed brows.
The thump announces Reno and after glancing over at the tall living room window, Strange gestures at it. It swings open to admit the crow and then shuts, jealousy hoarding the heat of the room once more. "Ah, Mister Cordova. I wondered what brought you to the Sanctum; now I see." A sigh. He then continues speaking to Robbie. "Unfortunately, your word is binding in our Mystical world, Mister Reyes. You have Fate, luck…karma — take your pick — to thank that you didn't sign anything in blood." He pauses, eyeing Robbie. "…or did you?"
The thump on the window gets Robbie's attention fairly easily, his eyes narrowed when he sees Reno in his crow form. A small sigh on his face as he returned his eyes to Strange, with Reno coming to perch on his shoulder, which he never minds….it was Reno's thing, usually when he had the choice, he'd be on Robbie's shoulder. Either way, he nods softly. "I know, Reno. Thanks for showing up." he gets headbutted…and the crow gets a stare.
His attention returned to Strange. "I didn't sign anything in blood….gave only an answer." he says then. There may be hope yet…
Reno has a cousin in distress. Yes. The bird was being birdly affectionate. He was quiet letting them speak and offered quieter Strange-ways, "Yeah that prime-ribial thing that Loki brought me to see that I told you about?" Look he was still working on terms here, "That… meffy dude. You able to help? Maybe help him revise some legal contracts to get him a better gig or… trade up or… something?" He righted his head leaving Robbie without feathers in his ear. Weight shifted from one foot to the other. Yeah, he was anxious. This was about family.
Strange eyes Reno. Prime-ribial? Oh — yes, now he understands. The Meffy dude.
"It heavily depends on what Mister Reyes agreed to. I speak of the literal wording of the contract…agreement, whatever Mephisto determined it to be." He takes a heavy swig of tea and looks off to one side, his mind working quickly. No wonder the Sorcerer is considered the cosmic chess-player.
"What was the wording of the offer? What did you agree to? And I need to know it word-for-word," he emphasizes.
A look then to Reno from Robbie as he sees his bird of a cousin try to help him out…looking appreciative. A lok then to Strange as he speaks, nodding a few times as he recalls the exact wording of the deal in itself.
"This was it, word for word…" a deep breath as he recalls such an experience. "I heard a strange voice asking me if I wanted to avenge both my own death -and- to get revenge on those who harmed my brother and myself, and in the grand scheme of things…my uncle. I answered yes…a thousand times yes.'
a sigh then. "Firstly…Mephisto just took the soul…I agreed that I wanted revenge, but I signed nothing. Though a few things come to mind…the word 'thousand' and the words 'thousand times'. Could be terms and conditions."
Reno sat still listening. He was no legal council and had he access to a better lawyer he wouldn't have done 9 months for someone else's stupid crime. So for this he was quiet. "Oye, Berto?" His head tilted and he carried on in Espanol, a tone of assurance "Hey, you don't have to sort this out all alone. You're still a good guy, ya know. If you weren't I wouldn't be here man. This guys is good though. He really helps people. And me. And tiny things, but that ain't important right now. Deep rbeaths man." Reno was an excitable person, but abandoning his people in distress was not a thing that ever crossed his mind.
Pacing before the fireplace once more, the Sorcerer mulls over what he's been told thus far. With back ramrod-straight and steps deliberate in cadence, he could easily be a general wondering which is the first step in a battle-plan.
"Yes, those are significantly important parts of this purported agreement, 'thousand' especially. It is a limiting factor." He pauses, listening as the crow reassures the Rider. A little smile crosses his face once the corvid is finished speaking. He then continues, "That Mephisto took your soul without the express agreement, in word or blood or form of bond specifying it as something to be bartered, was a mistake. An odd one," he muses more quietly, frowning. "Mephisto rarely makes mistakes such as these. Perhaps it was taking advantage of an opportunity." A little shrug of his broad shoulders. "Regardless, your answer lies within the wording itself. Where are you at in terms of your terms?"
Robbie looks then to Reno…probably the only person who ever calls Robbie by the shortened version of his full name. Either way, he nods softly to Reno, replying in Espanol. Thanks, Reno. Appreciated.
Then his eyes fall on Doctor Strange. "More than likely you know him far better than I do. I don't know if he makes these mistakes often….but I'll make sure it bites him hard in the ass." he says then without any kind of hesitance. As for how far he was, he nods. "Gabe is alive and well, though disabled. The gang who attacked us are all dead." he was honest…. "as for the thousand times…I've settled other's scores. Lost count after a while." he's been up to this for some time now.
Reno tilted his head down and nodded as least in support of Robbie's statement. He has been doing that for a time. It was, however, his way of taking a situation he was helpess in and find a way to help anyways offering, "Hey, I know you said you don' want me to go, but I don' mind makin sure Gabe's a-ok while you're away. I mean… at least one less concern ridin on ya… no pun intended, primo."
"Would that I knew Mephisto less. It is bitter knowledge, I assure you," Strange murmurs, his gaze sliding to the fireplace and its low-burning light. The flickering flames are mildly hypnotizing, easy to slide into mentally if inclined, and he returns to the present after a slow blink.
"I will need to know where you are at in your 'thousand', Mister Reyes, before I can continue to aid you further. If I cannot see all of the chess pieces on the board, I will not risk any foolhardy moves — not against a being such as Mephisto."
Robbie nods softly to Reno. "If you could watch over Gabe While I'm gone….that'd be nice." he nods approvingly to Reno, before his attention falls on Stephen. "In terms of days I've been doing this for nearly three years." and lo, his suffering goes ever on and on…. "In terms of how many I've wrought vengeance on….I'd say somewhere in the seven hundreds." he's been busy…and that number adds up fast.
"As for the word 'thousand' in itself…I don't know."
Reno nodded his feathered head and considered this thoughtfully, "Maybe being old he dunno how to count too well? Or maybe we can go fight some pigeons? Get your numbers up. There's a couple I wouldn't mind seeing knocked off a statue."
The Sorcerer turns again to look at the fire, more to avert his displeasure at the sheer number of lives lost. He understands the burden of a choice, unwisely made or prepared for, but it does not discount his heart-held mantra of 'First, do no harm'.
"I do have an inkling of an idea, but it's risky. It might also be acting as provocation rather than something speaking to diplomacy. You must understand, I need to remain a neutral presence here in this reality, upon this Earth." He looks to the cousins again. "I am bound by my mantle to actions in defense."
Reno has been sitting quietly and leave it to the guy that didn't speak legal but spoke Pawn Shop well enough to ask, "Can't we just negotiate a different deal and sell him on something that he thinks is a better gig but really sort of gets us out of harassin people?"
Robbie looks to Strange as Strange looked upset about that…Robbie is too. He didn't want to do what he now does, but he does. Either way, he has that glimmer of hope in his eyes when he hears Strange has an idea. "Let's hear it."
A look then to Reno with a small smile. "Heh….unlikely."
Strange allows himself a thin-lipped ghost of a smile. Nothing like sticking it to a being intent on wrecking his reality for fun.
"Unfortunately, Mister Cordova, Mephisto will bargain until you die of old age, however many years that may take. I don't intend to spend more time than necessary speaking with him. I'd much rather ensure he remains where he is, simmering in his own fluids. Mister Reyes." The Sorcerer's faintly glowing eyes flick to him. "You need numbers to fulfill your agreement. I recommend that you look beyond the immediate influence of the gang members and their actions. What influenced them in turn? Was it simply human hubris or…another type of malevolence? Have you ever considered that Mephisto's own minions may have encouraged this behavior and, in turn, twisted your own actions to suit that of their maker?" His eyes glint as he narrows them. "If you can find proof of this, therein lies your answer. Be rid of Mephisto's influence in this world and accrue your numbers. The final few may even draw forth the being himself, or perhaps a demand to treat with him further. He has little influence here and likely hates to lose it."
Robbie Reyes nods a few times to Reno before he looks to Strange, smiling big and warm then to Strange as he feels this. "hehe……that sounds like a goddamn epic plan, Sorcerer Supreme." he nods then as he rises to his feet. "I'm looking forward to knocking demons from their perches…thanks for the help strange." and with that, he bows his head softly and turns to leave. A whistle for Reno to get on his shoulder to leave with him.
Reno fwip-fwipped a short flight back up to RObbie's shoulder and said content preening, "See, Primo? I said I knew a guy." Well someone was proud of Strange. Tilting his head to teh Sorcerer he offered, "Thanks for havin our back on this one man.I'll go get you a cookie and prolly eat it on your behalf, but it'll taste amazing. Promise."