Setting up the meeting was a lot trickier then I had thought. What I had hoped would be an instant 'in' had instead turned out to be something that was actually extremely troublesome.

"I'm sorry I have no interest in recruiting or being recruited to any sort of parahuman organization," was Parian's immediatereply to my introduction as 'Malfean; a new cape'.

"Wait!" I recognized that tone she was about half a step from hanging up already, "that's not what I'm after!" I added in.

Originally I'd come in on a charming business tone. The type you normally used when you were getting ready to sell someone something with. After all, as much as it was fake cheer and everyone knew it was fake cheer it was actually an effective approach. It let people know your intent, that you wanted to sell them something and was so bluntly obvious that it was in ways actually disarming.

They knew what to expect, were prepared to hear your pitch and to analyze what you were offering in their own mind. The theatrics could even be amusing which further lowered their guard. So long as you didn't do anything stupid and blow your credibility it actually worked more often then not.

Unfortunately I hadn't really considered just who I was talking to. Parian was a parahuman rogue. One of the few capes who did not do the hero or villain thing but instead stood neutral to the whole conflict. In her case she used her powers to advertise by animating giant plush creatures which she could direct in various ways.

Which meant that A, she was a fellow businessperson who could see right through my theatrics like glass, and B, she'd managed to avoid being pressganged into any one of the highly predatory organizations in the area who would love to have some extra super-powered muscle. Even if that muscle came in the form of cottony fluff.

Coming in confident was entirely the wrong approach. To her it didn't seem like I was a potential equal trying to sell her something, it probably seemed more like I was some egomaniacal nut-job high on brand new crazy ass superpowers who thought he was the king of the world trying to get her help to claim it.

Which to be fair was actually a generally accurate assessment but that didn't mean I was out to screw her over.

"Look," I said tone shifting to a more haggard pace as I kicked my pride right out of the conversation and went with raw begging. "I'm a cape new to the scene. Not even in the country I'm used to living in. I just got done telling Armsmaster that I don't feel like being someone's toy solider and I'm pretty sure the Empire is going to make a much more aggressive pitch if I don't have some place to duck into for a few hours while my powers recharge. I'm not asking for anything long term, I'm not even asking to spend the night. I'm just asking if you know a place I can hide out for about... four or five hours? and not be accosted by a giant dog man made of whirling razor blades."

~Ouch right in the pride~

It was necessary. As powerful as being Exalted made me, there were plenty of enemies I just wasn't ready to take on yet. Not without a ton of backup.

Given time, that would change, but right here and now? I was about as vulnerable as I was going to get.

There was a pause and for a moment I worried that she hung up.

"You just need to duck out for a few hours?" she asked warily.

"It's complicated," I explained, "I've got a sort of mixed bag of powers, but the more I use them the more obvious it is. One will let me pass for normal but it'll be a few hours before my power's quieted down enough that I don't let half the city know using it."

"You're a brand new cape on the scene and you managed to bring down that much trouble on yourself?" she asked now seeming to shift gears.

"I... kind of went to the Endbringer fight," I explained.

"As a complete newbie," she responded.

"Seemed like a good idea at the time?" I offered up as an explanation.

I heard a sigh on the other end of the line, and something muttered I didn't quite pick up.

~She's saying you aren't going to last a week~

Thank you roommate. I never would have guessed it was something like that. Truly your services are invaluable.

~Hey I'm trying to help here~

Yeah I know, sorry just... tense bit of time. Also I was really not enjoying swallowing my pride like this. I wasn't sure why that was bugging me so much, probably Malfeas' influence but it definitely was getting to me.

"I know a place," she informed me, sounding somewhat exasperated, "I suppose if you're willing to fight The Simurgh that I can do that at least."

"Thank you," I responded honestly.

"You can thank me by not bringing any trouble down on me the next time you need help," she said warningly. "I'm only helping you because your story is sympathetic."

"Right right," I replied quickly. "So where do I go?"

"I have a shop," she listed out an address, and I focused down on memorizing it.

~I got this one~

It seemed better to hedge bets when possible.

~Who has the word Navigator in their name again?~

The one who came from a world with a very different culture and address plotting scheme then this one.

~You'll see~

I hope I would.

"Right, got it. I owe you one big," I responded to her.

"Yes, you do," she replied crisply, "Now if that's all...?"

"Yeah, thank you again," I responded.

"Goodbye then," she hung up.

I did the same exhaling a sign of relief.

Then I turned right to face a group of skinheads.

I blinked slowly.

You had to be freaking kidding me.