IC: S1:E3 "Homecoming"

[Laurie Brightman]

Relaxing only slightly as Marius neither mocked nor antagonized them, but instead offered gifts and a measure of humility, she returned his greeting politely, if coolly.  For all his civility and intellect, he had already proven himself to be both dangerous and utterly without scruples when it came to getting his way. That he departed so amiably gave her pause, but she didn't detect any hidden subtext when he explained his gratitude as a father. That she couldn't imagine what sort of children he might have, or what kind of woman would have considered him a worthy partner, was a matter for another time... perhaps late at night, sitting 'round a campfire, telling ghoulish stories over warm cider.

On 1/3/2018 at 6:20 PM, Beth said:

"That sounds like backstory from where I'm sitting," she said, "But given the whole airy-fairy 'oooo I'm so much cooler than you' thing he had going, I'm gonna guess he was one of those guys. Oh, and I guess he pretty much said he was someone's dad."

She looked at Laurie. "Yours?"

Although Laurie was rapidly getting the sense that Beth either didn't care for human interaction or had simply been forced to adapt to the barbaric hellscape that was public school, she had, ultimately, been of assistance in rescuing the children from Spear-Finger.  Not for the first time, she reminded herself that she ought to set the example, not be one.  Besides, it's not as if she'd really discussed her family before, so there was no way Beth could have known...

"No," she replied, "not mine. My father..."  Laurie inhaled and exhaled slowly, working up a smile as she did so. "He's not here, anymore. He-"

Anything else she might have said was abruptly cut off by Fisher's inexplicable outburst, leaving the normally eloquent teen at an utter loss for words.  The look on Darcy's face...  Oh, Fisher, she thought despairingly.  Do you have any idea what you just did?  ...And then Nadya chimed in. Oh, for-

"He's not a... a 'creeper,' Nadya, he just thanked us for crying out loud, and if you have a problem with people who have more money than you do, I fully expect you to disgorge all of the muffins one of them just bought for you. Please do use the wastebasket, though, or at least do us the courtesy of going to the restroom first."  She exhaled again, letting some of the sting of the other girl's barb- intentional or not- bleed away.  "Darcy, I'm sorry. It's been kind of a rough day. We-" She glanced at the others, obviously flustered and uncomfortable with what she was about to say. "Fisher, and the rest of us, we helped Sheriff Farrow track down some missing children.  It wasn't at all what we expected, and, although I can't speak for everyone, I'm still pretty overwhelmed, and it sounds like he is, too." Laurie allowed herself the luxury of remembering, now that it was over, how terrified she'd been, how utterly out of her element, and some of it crept into her voice. "I honestly don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight."  She paused, and her earlier smile returned, if more self-deprecating than wistful. "It was supposed to be a secret," she added, darkening blue eyes directed pointedly at Fisher, "but I'm a terrible liar, and if he'd wanted to keep you from worrying about what he was doing, he should have been more honest with you in the first place.  That goes for you, too, Billy," she added, nodding at the confused young man with Rachel. "You guys are friends, and if at all possible, it would be nice to try to forget about today for a little while, have a sandwich, talk about the dance and Nadya's shoes, and pretend we didn't just find out how awful the world can be. Just for tonight. ...Please?"

 

[Rachel Cooper]

"Beware of Greeks bearing gifts." Rachel said as she picked up the two tickets for her and Billy, "Or Roman's, or ancient Babylonians, or whatever." She tore the two tickets in half. "I suggest you guys do the same."

She looks over at Billy. "We can talk about what we are going to wear later, but right now Laurie is right. It was a day that wasn't pleasant but ended well and right now we just want to celebrate and relax.

[Austin Lange]

Austin like the others took the Ticket, and pocketed it.  He knew the sayings, and he didn't trust Marius as far as he could throw him, but there was something in his tone, something that said this time he was on the level.  He hated that, but couldn't bring himself to dismiss the ring of truth in his words.

He sighed.  "We now return you to your regular night of rest and relaxation, The rest of the world is a question for tomorrow."

[Nadya Lunălescu]

"Oh, I'm always wary of gifts," Nadya claimed airily, tucking away the golden ticket. "Doesn't mean I turn them down cold. Who doesn't like the idea of a fancy new dress? Just be smart about it and we won't get Wonka'ed with our golden tickets."

Or three? I'll just have to check for razor-blades stitched in or see if it had been powered or drenched with something nasty... And besides, this Evelynn might know or let slip something more about Marius.

When Rachel shifted her attention for a moment, Nadya filched the ripped tickets and tucked them in with hers. A little tape and they'd be nearly as good as new. If Evelynn still honoured them, sweet. If not, well, it's not like it cost her anything. And if she couldn't get Rae-Rae to reconsider taking them back for the dance, well, Nadya had no qualms about ending up with two more swanky outfits.

She was a little exasperated with Laurie. She didn't have anything against wealthy folks, not really. They had the best stuff to... redistribute after all and could afford it to have it redistributed. But she had only said that stuff about Marius to stop Billy and Darcy from being even more curious about him. Oh well. She stretched and rolled her shoulders, working out lingering traces of soreness.

"Are you kidding me, girlfriend?" Nadya countered Laurie. "The world is awesome. There's just awful people in it. A thousand thousand places to visit, a thousand thousand people to meet-"

"A thousand thousand pockets to pick," Fisher muttered.

Nadya grinned with a shrug, not the least ashamed. "- and a thousand thousand pairs of shoes to try. Hey, there's a story to the contents of every pocket, Fisher. There's infinite possibilities out there. And yeah, many will suck balls. But that just makes the good ones all the sweeter. We're in Salem for now, but not forever and there's a whole world out there, more fantastic than imagined. What place do you all wish you could visit?"

[Dave ST]

Darcy laughed and shook her head.  "Wow, you know... you guys are so full of it, and it doesn't bother me that I'm not in on it, no, I can handle that.  What bothers me is that my best friend will sit here and lie to my face."  She spoke with no particular malice in her tone, no more than the usual snark they all might trade with one another on a daily basis, but it was obvious that Fisher's way of trying to keep her safe came out more like a series of barked orders than anything else.

"Excuse me," she pushed herself up from the table.  "I need espresso, like, now."  Darcy left the table and made her way through the rather busy coffee shop.  She'd already slipped out the back under the lie that she was 'checking her schedule'.  She snaked her down the alleyway, weaving betwixt the dumpsters and the loose debris cast off by the uncaring people of her neighborhood.

Spoiler

"Hey!"  She shouted down the way at the man whose hat she'd know anywhere.  "I want some answers and they won't give them to me.  Tell me what the hell is going on around here.  Who the hell are you?"

The cold chill of the Autumn evening caught her breath as it past her lips, giving it form.  The man turned with a grin on his face as the chill breeze seemed to catch every feature and pull it gently through the night air.  "Go back inside, kid.  You don't want none of what I'm selling."

"You don't scare me," she shouted.  "I've seen what they can do in there, I want some answers.  Who are they.  What are they.  I want the truth."

"I'll bet you do, kid,"  Marius smirked.  "My truths aren't for you, girl.  I have no time to waste my words on a simpering little brat who plays at being the hard ass.  It works on them, Darcy, but all I see is a scared, weak, pathetic little twat who can't even muster the strength to keep daddy's hands out of her pants."

Her resolve shattered as the dark figure drug her horrors into the open.  She swallowed hard now that her planned strategy of strong arming answers had failed.  Fear gripped her, not the usual sort she was used to, but primal terror as she looked into the eyes of a mad man and saw the absolute truth the way he saw it.  Despite all her bravado she was nothing but a small, fragile human being with her own problems, trying to get herself involved with the lives of other's in some vain attempt to forget her own misery, if only for a moment or two.

"But, you got guts, Darce,"  He stepped into the light of the street lamp and she saw that his eyes were nothing were nothing more than orbs of the blackest night reflecting everything on the street around.  "So, here's a secret.  Just.  For.  You."  His smile widened as his laughter filled the cold, empty streets.

Darcy's mug hit the table with a thump a lot louder that she intended.  She looked like she'd seen a ghost, or just escaped one, her eye wide in a revelation known only to her.

Billy laughed.  "Darce, you just missed a budding rendition of Dane's new hit single... 'Please Rae Don't Kill Me At The Lockers, I'll Swear To Be Your Bitch'."

She forced a smile and managed to look at him as some of the color returned to her cheeks.  "Title needs work," she managed to force out something to keep up appearances.  "Sorry, had to, uh, make it myself.  Pretty packed tonight."

"Right?!"  Nadya laughed and picked off a muffin bit to shove in her mouth.

"So, for clarification," Billy chimed up after a long sip of his hot chocolate.  "One, I'm not her bitch."  Everyone laughed and chimed up their own two cents to the contrary but Billy seemed a good guy and bore the brunt of all his peer's slings and arrows.  He looked to Rachel, "And, two... how are we doing this homecoming thing?  I mean, is it just one dance, or are we... y'know... an us.  Because that kiss this morning, man.  I just want to make sure I wasn't on the end of one of this groups practical jokes or if the signal you sent was intentional, again... because, damn."

Rachel could have probably stared down a band of giants and issued them threats until sheer fear kept them from raiding Salem.  When it came to discussing her relationship status in front of all of her friends... well, emotional expression wasn't really high on her list of proficiencies.  Her cheeks began to flush as he'd caught her completely off guard.

"Mmm."  Nadya nodded like a nosy Nelly that fed off all the drama.  "That's an excellent question.  Rae-Rae?  Your rebuttal?"

[Rachel Cooper]

Rachel cocked her head and gave Nadya the narrowed eyeball of death. She started to say some thing then noticed that everyone at the table, with the exception of Darcy, was watching her.

Clamping her mouth shut she pushed Billy out of the booth and stood up after him. With one last glare at Nadya and a look of warning the rest of the band, she grabbed Billy's hand and all but dragged him across the coffee shop to where the old fashioned jukebox (deco only it actually played mp3s, five for a dollar) stood.

“You got a dollar?” she asked Billy who was flexing his hand, man did she have a grip. Billy fished out the bill and fed it into the machine then made a little bow and offered her the song choices.

Rachel leaning on the machine made her choices slowly and picked the first two songs before she said anything.

“It's a date Billy, nothing more nothing less. We go to homecoming and we'll see what goes from there.” she finished choosing the songs. She hadn't really been paying attention but all the songs she had chosen had been sappy love songs. A flash of anger colored her cheeks again.

He tried to hide his disappointment but it showed nonetheless, and damn if that didn't make her feel bad.

“No Billy, don't... Look about the kiss. It was .. not thought out and I don't know why I did it, but I'm not sorry that I did.

When you showed up back at school this year I was having to deal with...changes. And seeing you just I guess brought up all that old crap. I latched onto you as something that couldn't change I didn't see you I saw that kid who was a jerk and who was mean. But at the same time part of me did see you. And those two parts were at odds.”

She reached up and brushed some stray hairs from his face letting her fingers linger looking into his eyes. “I know you are not the same kid, I know you have changed. And I like the changes. But I've changed too. And to be honest it's got me confused.

But I do know that, after all I have seen the last couple of months, we have to grab life while we can, live it to it's fullest.”

With out realizing it they had moved closer together, bodies not quite touching, eyes locked onto each others lips so close..., “And right now that means you.”

 

[Dave ST]

Life was simple, for those who knew how to dance along with the rhythm.  When it came to expressing herself, Rachel was less than what one may call 'smooth'.  However, when she took the time to just slow down and let the right words flow into something heartfelt and warm, she became a true Aesir: warm, kind, honest and forthright.  Unlike Dane, who they didn't notice over at the jukebox (an old 50s style model that played CDs), who could compose ballad after ballad and write songs and poetry to woo even the coldest of hearts, Rachel was flying by the seat of her pants and wasn't sure how she was doing...

...even though she was doing damn good all on her own.

With a quarter and a tap of a few keys he walked away, catching Rae-Rae's field of vision just long enough to shoot her a wink and a 'I got yer back' grin.  Soon the music began to play and there they were holding one another rather close, so nature did the rest.  Billy began to sway with her, and she reluctantly followed suit.

"I wasn't trying to put you on the spot, Rae," he said softly.  "It's just, you and your friends seem to part of some other world, a club no one else is invited to.  I like you, always have.  And while I may seem like I've changed, I'm still just a guy.  I'm gonna screw up, goes with the teenager territory, but if you're okay with that then I'm certainly okay with right here... with you."

The Drip may as well had been empty when he tilted his head ever so slightly and every teenage warning bell went off in Rachel's mind.  His kiss was nothing like the one she doled out at the lockers earlier that morning.  It was tender and affectionate, born from teenage desire.  Classmates woo'd and made other noises, even cheered them on, but neither of them heard it as they swayed to the music and shared in what she realized was a true power in a kiss: the power to completely lose yourself in it.

Spoiler

That was Rachel's moment.  The rest of you, do something.  Quit staring at them... it's creepy.  There are a few closers to this thread that I will do once Rachel has a chance to reply, then I'll hand out the XPs.

 

[Rachel Cooper]

Rachel's eyes were closed, wha... when did i close my eyes, when they kissed and it was nothing like what she thought it would be like. She felt the soft tingle of their lips touching and the heat spread from there. Hew scalp tingle and her stoncah the felling spread all the way to her toes. The Drip faded away all there was, was Billy, herself and the music.

The kiss lasted longer than it probably should have and when it stopped and Billy pulled away Rachel wanted it to go on, her arms tightened around his neck. She took a breath through barley parted lips and opened her eyes and stared into his and drowned.

"Me too...Billy. Right now there isn't any place I would rather be than with you." She wanted to kiss him again but instead rested her head on his shoulder as they danced. "I'll explain everything soon. Just not tonight. Tonight let's just be those kids who are gonna screw up."

 

[Nadya Lunălescu]

With feline scorn for any danger in the face of curiosity, Nadya unabashedly watched Rae-Rae and Billy from the booth, a wide smirk on her face as she munched on muffins. She was totally getting ahead of herself, but if Rae-Rae was finally gonna be getting a little 'sumthin'-sumthin'' maybe she'd finally relax and stop being such a hardass. Her hollers were among the loudest and most exuberant in the Drip.

Behind her good cheer, there might have been the slightest tinge of envy, not that she'd ever admit it to anybody. She'd dated plenty, and had never had problems hooking up with a guy - if not to the extent the rumours Mercedes had spread around suggested. But she had never felt the heart-in-your-throat, swarming-butterflies-in-the stomach yearning, young love that Rae-Rae and Billy seemed to be feeling. For her, it had been fun and pleasure, nothing more.

Don't get her wrong, while it made for great entertainment, watching it in real-life or what passed for it on reality TV, it wasn't something Nadya had ever wanted. She wasn't exactly the introspective sort, but she couldn't help wonder if it was something wrong with her. Or had she just never met the right guy? Had she just inherited the infamous feline self-regard from her mother, a Goddess of Cats, or the fact she'd been raised by her father alone after believing herself abandoned by her mother?

As quickly as she considered it, Nadya shook the introspection away, shoving it into a closet in her mind, refusing to let it bother her while everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, having survived a terrible night or testing out the bounds of budding desire. But suddenly, she found The Drip to be constraining. Her eyes fell on the frenemy Band, Mercedes giving her an instinctive scowl, the guys varying expressions of interest.

Nadya hopped out the booth and shrugged on her short coat. "Hey, how 'bout we give the lovebirds some time to find out what fits where and do something besides watching them? I need to move some, or I'm gonna be all tight and stiff in the morning." She grin with false innocence, silver-grey eyes wide and guileless (if one was blind). "Anyone up for a few rounds of pool or something? Maybe put a bit down to make the matches more interesting?"

Nadya's grin showed a hint of teeth, and there might have been a groan from someone in the Drip who heard her. The Romani girl might not have been called pool shark, but she had always liked pool, and maaay have been accused of hustling a guy or three (or ten) around town. A good and simple scam to pull off, if you had the hands and eyes for it, and usually pretty easy to get away with without serious consequence even if you got called on it.

[Austin Lange]

Seeing how things were going back to normal, at least for now, Austin smiled.  The Drip was pretty busy and it seemed like everyone was here, save the adults.  Though he hadn't seen here yet, he assumed Yokiko was there as well, and a part of him did actually want to see her.   Part of fighting a monster that could have killed them all easily and surviving, he mused, "It makes you see what's important."   He thought about the Ticket, and made up his mind to see if They could share in the benefit, it wouldn't do for him to outshine her at the Dance, not when he wanted to attend as equals, as he'd first told her.  

He made the rounds, wondering if any were foolhardy enough to take on Nadya at the pool table, and looking For Yokiko.   He finally spot her, at the counter, alone, but not overly far from her own band.  He could see she was drinking tea, and smiled as he came into her view.  "Mind If I sit with you?"

[Cara Angelo]

Beth followed Nadya up and out of the booth. There wasn't really much more for her to do here unless she seriously wanted to poison this well, and she wasn't there yet. Truth be told, just getting away for a private moment was sounding good but...maybe a little longer.

"Gee, pool?" she said to Nadya, oozing dewy-eyed innocence. "I played once before with my uncle, but I didn't really understand the rules. You'll go easy on me, right?"

[Dave ST]

[Rachel]  "I can live with that," Billy said with a smile as he looked at her and smiled.  They swayed with the song and once onlookers saw that they had the courage to dance in a room full of people girlfriends from throughout the Drip suddenly asked they're men 'why they didn't dance with them like that' and lo n' behold more and more followed them out to the dance floor and they suddenly surrounded by several of their slow dancing classmates.

[Austin]  Yokiko noticed his approach, but didn't acknowledge it.  She was sitting there with her tea in a pair of tight black workout pants and a touristy sea foam blue tee advertising Pensacola, Florida.    Her long black hair cascaded down her back in wet strands, darkening her tee shirt with it's lingering dampness.  Like the rest of the Scions present it looked like she'd been home, cleaned up, and came back here in whatever she could throw on.

She lifted her mug of tea and sipped.  When she was done she motioned to the seat beside her.

[Nadya] "I got winnah."  Said a familiar voice with a thick Louisiana accent as a fifty dollar bill hit the table's edge.  A lump rose in Nadya's throat as sighed at the newcomer.  The only woman in Salem High that could match Nadya scam for scam, con for con, hustle for hustle: Bridgette De La Croix.  The chocolate skinned beauty smirked as her pool cue tapped the floor.  A cursed gift from her father with fancy engravings all up and down it's length of various Loa's dancing and reveling.  The top of the staff was circled with four skulls of pure silver that represented the four directions of the crossroads each set with perfectly cut rubies for eyes.  If one looked closely they could see the skulls watching them, and hear the cries of the dead being voiced through their silver jaws.

Bridgette was everything Nadya could be... if Nadya had no moral compass whatsoever.  Sex, drugs, violence... violent sex while on drugs... there was nothing Bridgette wouldn't or hadn't done and she was shameless about it.  The only reason no rumors sprouted up about her was 1) she owned everything like a mantle of pride and 2) people were afraid she'd find them and severely hurt them for even mentioning her name.

She was Eric's enforcer and angry sex partner, that was no secret or rumor, at least among Scions.  She was in ripped, but way to tight, jeans and her black hiking boots.  She wore only a tight leather vest that hugged her frame just right and it was adorned with several pins of skulls.  Her hair was in a long braid of cornrows and was falling loose tonight.  The cigarette tucked behind her ear really brought the whole outfit together.

"Who's t'fresh meat, Moon Baby?"  she looked at Beth like she was food, sizing her up for which cuts would be the most delectable.  "Heard y'guys made quite d'ruckus."

[Austin Lange]

He took the offered seat and smiled.   The attendant looked at him and asked if he wanted anything.  "A Coke would be fine, thanks."   He fixed the drink and set it on the counter, Austin paid him and he went to help someone else.  Austin took a sip and sighed.  He looked to Yokiko.   "Tonight was pretty crazy, wasn't it?  Is it always going to be like this?"

[Dave ST]

[Autsin]  "Saving innocent lives from the spawn of pure evil?  I should hope so."  She replied in her typical monotone voice.  She was hard to get a read on, out of all her companions she was just always neutral in everything.  "I heard you and the others did battle with a great evil, well done."

[Austin Lange]

"Put that way, yeah I can see it not being so bad."  He smiled, idly wondering if she was like this in battle too.  "We worked together to win, and no one got seriously hurt in the process, while saving the kids.  That's always going to be a win in anyone's book."      

He spared a glance towards her band, and then turned his gaze back to her.  "What about you guys?  Seems like everyone else is in high spirits too."   It was a statement and a question at the same time,  He'd noticed she seemed to keep her distance form everyone, making their little conversation an oddity.

 

[Nadya Lunălescu]

"Don't call me that!" Nadya snapped at the Cajun Bitch - well, she supposed Brigitte really was an actual daughter of the Loa. Still, she might have to put up with the nick name from Fingers, but she'd be damned taking it from her. Distracted by her dark mirror, Nadya's last shot sunk the 6 ball with a sure economy of motion and precision she had been trying to hide behind luck and happenstance a moment before. "Yeah, we had a hard night of rucking, Bri-git." Nadya but a stank on the godblood's name that suggested a blond, vapid valley girl rather than a distillation of Nawlins. "Surprised you missed out."

Moving around the table to line up her next shot, Nadya gave Brigitte a casual appraisal, silver-grey eyes flicking over the fifty sitting on the edge of the table with instinctive greed. Want deepened, mixing with embarrassment as her eyes slipped over the fancy pool cue, then down to the battered, public cue in her hand. Too many skulls there, and in her fashion sense, but that pool cue sure was sexy.

"Her?" Nadya gave Beth a light slap on the ass with the end of the pool cue, leaving a smudge of blue chalk. "This is Beth. She joined in the fun tonight, so I decided to help out and show her how to play an actually fun math game." There might have been a lot of math in pool, force, english, angles of incidents, but there was a realm of difference in recognizing it, and putting it in action. Nadya nodded at the fifty as she sunk another ball, how own challenging smirk gracing her lips. "Next game is yours, if you want it, Bri. You can even your own cue, if you think it'll help you win."

[Dave ST]

"You're adorable," Bridgette smirked when Nadya attempted to be snarky with her.  "You know what the difference is between you and me, girl?"  She moved around the table, eyeing up the possible shots and calculating Beth's chances for winning.  With every step her cue tapped the ground and the eyes of the skulls seemed to shimmer in hungry delight at the prospect that they might taste a fresh soul.

"You're petty."  She said plainly.  "Picking pockets, selling test answers, bootlegging movies.  It's cute to you to try and be devious and shady.  Sure you'll throw down, but your heart is all filled with that pettiness... you wanna be the thief, not the assassin.  Thief's are quirky and fun, and do no real harm... me?  I'm the assassin.  When I throw down, Moon-Baby I throw down to kill.  I would beat you to death without thinking twice about it and leave your broken corpse in the fields under the moon where mommy could find it... and I wouldn't even loose sleep.  You're weak, Nadya.  That's why you and your band take in all the strays."

Beth certainly noticed the gesture that was made in her direction when Bridgette mentioned the last part.  "We only need the six we have.  What are you guys on now?  Twelve?  You're like the Divine Special Ed class down here."  Her smirk was down right devious.

"I'll take the next game," she said simply.  "Hell, if you're gonna cheat, I might as well too."

Quote

He spared a glance towards her band, and then turned his gaze back to her.  "What about you guys?  Seems like everyone else is in high spirits too."   It was a statement and a question at the same time,  He'd noticed she seemed to keep her distance form everyone, making their little conversation an oddity.

"We," she paused, searching for the right words.  "Have our own victories.  As well, we are celebrating Donnie the other's victory over the fiend that was brought low earlier this evening."  She read his expression, sipping her tea as she, again, searched for the right words.  "Your concern lies with why I am away from them, instead reveling alongside them?  Their, how do you American's say it... 'rowdiness'?  It is a bit too loud and exciting to me.  I prefer my space and silent contemplation."

She looked to him, her glare examined every bit of the young man sitting beside her like a predator sizing up a meal or a tactician reading to crush an invader.  Every thing she said and did was a calculated move backed by years of discipline and doctrine.  "I have, despite my time here in the states, not yet grown accustomed to the way American teenagers are so carefree and unburdened by worry or concern for their future.  My Band lives in the now, my mind is always on the ripple we have sent out to our enemies that will soon grow to waves in the waters of our eternal conflict."

[Nadya Lunălescu]

"Yes, we get it!" Nadya countered in exasperation as she moved around the table, now making no pretense as she sunk solid after solid with sure, precise strokes. "You're the big bad, voodoo mama from Nawlins, who'll put the hoodoo on us before you put us in the grave. We have dutifully pissed our panties." Nadya sunk the 8-ball with a hard shot, rolling it against the far edge to sink into the far right pocket. "And I wasn't cheating. I was hustling. You'd know that... if you were a thief. But if you need to play that way to have a chance to win, sure, I'll match you, Bri-bri."

Nadya fished the balls from the pockets and racked them, humming a little ditty. Let Bridgette think what she wants. She'd faced zombies and the Spearfinger, and Coach Fingers' gym class. If the small thefts and scams were all Bridgette thought her capable of, all that she'd done, let her. What she didn't know could bite her in the ass.

"Being a sassy 'sassin is all fine and dandy, but killing shit doesn't always get you what you want. Sometimes is just nets you a corpse at your feet and mud on your shoes, instead of the thing you actually wanted or needed. And if the six of you were really enough, we... " Nadya waggled the pool cue, indicating herself, Beth, and by association, the rest of their band. "... we wouldn't be needed, would we. Yet, here we are."

Nadya pulled a coin from her pocket and rolled it over the backs of her knuckles. "Flip for who breaks?"

[Rachel Cooper]

Rachel was lost in the moment this was the first time she had ever really been on a romantic date (wait when did this become a date?) with a boy, and to think it was with the boy who she had hated all her life and who now she found herself having feelings for. But moments pass.

Voices from the other side of the cafe, probably lost in the din of other voices and the music and what have you , but clear to her, brought her back to the here and now. She took in the scene at the pool table with a glance then separated herself from Billy with a quick kiss on the cheek. "I gotta go see about something. Why don't you grab our shakes and find us a table where we can be alone." Then she gave him another quick kiss and sauntered over to the pool table coming up behind Nadya eyeballing Bridgette.

"Hey Nadya, everything alright over here? You guys are getting kinda loud."

[Austin Lange]

"It's not a bad way to view things, having concern for the Future.  It's very mature actually, and respectable.   I like that personally, but I do understand the desire the others have to live in the now, and be as rowdy as they are.   It's life-affirming in a way.   Meeting a big challenge, winning and walking away from it no worse for it.    It's like that for most people, now add the fact that we face monsters from myth and legend, and put our own lives on the line,  The rowdiness is even more a celebration of victory and survival."

He felt abit silly explaining things like that, but it was how he saw it.  "I wouldn't worry overmuch about it, though I do think it is important to celebrate victories in your own way.  Let me offer this though.  There is only one Now, but there are many possible futures.  Isn't it better to enjoy the Now sometimes to give you reason to keep planning for the future you want?"

Austin smiled, and sipped his drink.   "I was recently offered a token of appreciation for services rendered.   I was thinking, that since I asked you out of the blue to the dance,  the least I could do was use it to help make the night special for the both of us.   Would you be open to that?   It's something I want to do, because I do actually care if you have fun there."

[Dave ST]

On 3/20/2018 at 8:44 AM, Rachel Cooper said:

"Hey Nadya, everything alright over here? You guys are getting kinda loud."

Bridgette smirked and shook her head.  "What?  You the Drip police or something?  We're having a conversation, that okay with you, or do we have to clear it with you first?"  She shook her head and motioned for Nadia to go ahead and flip.  "Wow, Nadia... no wonder no one likes you... can't have a conversation without Asgard's little watch dog runnin' up to sniff my ass."

On 3/20/2018 at 9:17 AM, Austin Lange said:

Austin smiled, and sipped his drink.   "I was recently offered a token of appreciation for services rendered.   I was thinking, that since I asked you out of the blue to the dance,  the least I could do was use it to help make the night special for the both of us.   Would you be open to that?   It's something I want to do, because I do actually care if you have fun there."

Yokiko smiled and chuckled to herself.  "'A token of appreciation for services rendered'?  And people say I talk funny.  Do you always overstate the obvious?  Why would you not want me to have fun?  You could have just said Marius dropped off coupons for Evelynn's Boutique for you and your Band, I saw him speaking with all of you.  Sometimes simplicity is the best approach."

[Rachel Cooper]

Nadia watched Rae-Rae for a second then went ahead and flipped the coin "Tails."

Before the word even finished Rachel's hand shot out and caught the coin in her fist, with a step she invaded Bridgette's personal space. "Or something. Your conversation is getting loud and doesn't need to be heard by the mortals, so lower your voice. As for walking over here to sniff your ass," she tosses the now bent in half coin onto the felt, "I didn't have too, everyone can already smell your swampy butt from across the room. Didn't anyone teach you how to shower in Louisiana?"

[Dave ST]

Bridgette was deadpan or a moment, glaring at Rachel the way two predators do before they both battle to claim the same meal.  Then she smiled.  "You second stringers are so cute, thinking you're all hot shit when..." Laughing like she appreciated the joke, she turned around and took two steps away from Rachel.  "You ain't."

She should have seen it.  Gods-be-damned, she should have seen it coming... but when Bridgette spun on her heel and slammed that surprise right hook into Rachel's eye Nadia's own eyes flared wide with an immediate 'oh shit' declaration that shit had officially just gotten real.  "Say it again, bitch!  Talk that shit some more!" Bridgette demanded, slamming another fist into Rachel's face.  Rachel took the hits with a cock of her head and flared with a grimace of rage.  Her own fists balled up and Bridgette was on the receiving end of the same right hook followed by a slam to the gut that followed her side of the Voodoo Princess's head being slammed onto the surface of the table (very hard).

Thankfully, neither of the girls applied their full, gods-given strength.  No, they were handling it like mortal teenage girls with serious social issues... and when you've been chosen to save the World from supernatural monsters and complete your Trig homework... it was hard not to have issues.  Social or otherwise.  This was not a hair pulling, slap fight one might expect posted on a website.  Fists were balled and faces were slammed into the pool table... absolute anarchy broke out as The Drip was now home to one of the best MMA brawls in Salem history.

Yokiko turned her head to see what was happening just as Austin had learned her Band was somehow connected to Marius.  He cursed Rachel and her ability to find a fight literally anywhere she looked.  Was that her divine gift?  Divine Shit Starter?

"Tawagoto..." Yokiko grumbled under her breath and swiftly dashed from her chair towards the fight that was happening.  Eric's Band and Rachel's Band all saw what was happening and quickly moved to break up the fight...

Spoiler

I'm granting you the benefit of not using your super abilities in front of mortals, but that doesn't mean you've forgotten how to fight just because you're not putting people through walls.  The fight requires no rolls, there will be no decided victor as the Bands will come to break it up in due time... doesn't mean you gotta be nice though.  Bridgette sure as hell ain't.

 

[Rachel Cooper]

Bridgette twisted away, rotating her back toward Rachel slamming her elbow into Rachel's chest, following that blow with her knee into the blond's stomach. Rachel staggered back her breath exploding from her lungs she looked up just in time to see Bridgette's right fist coming at her face again.

That fist never got there as Rachel caught it in her vice like grip just as she caught the left the swamp girls threw with a snarl.  Holding both of Bridgette's fists spreading her arms wide, Rachel stood to her full height and pulled Bridgette toward her at the same time rocketing her head forward and with a resounding crack,  headbutted the witch in the face!

[Cara Angelo]

Beth quickly two-stepped back to give the brawl some breathing space, and herself a bit of room to get her phone out and start recording.

"Oh shit," she giggled, "We coulda sold tickets. Opportunity lost."

That aside, Beth WAS keeping an eye on the fight itself though. If Rachel started having trouble, she'd have her back.

[Austin Lange]

Austin quickly moved towards the fight, his reply to Yokiko, and more than a couple questions would be held until later.  For now he had to stop a friend from being party to tearing up one of the main local hangouts.  He waited to see the outcome of that vicious headbutt, or a moment where Rachel released Bridgette, so he could try to get her away from her.   He knew better than to get in the midst of the two of them, he wasn't really made to take that much abuse.   He could see others moving, mostly to get a better vantage point of the fight, but this could only go so long before the cops showed.

[Fisher Capra]

Fisher though, had been glowering to himself over Darcy's overreaction - it had to be - had even when she came back, they found themselves sitting in an awkward silence. Then Rachel and Bridgette got into fight. Couldn't Rachel bloody control herself? So yes, unlike Austin, Fisher got up and began moving in to intervene. Really, he'd already suffered and survived a broken neck, plus Donner.

In that break where Bridgette stumbled back from Rachel's headbutt, Izanami's boy planted himself between the two brawler. "Ok, knock it-" He was cut off by Brigette's sudden haymaker. And then Rachel shoved him out of the way.

[Nadya Lunălescu]

Some of Rachel's and Bridgette's respective Bands may have been moving to break up the brawl, but Nadya wasn't one of them. Rae-Rae really should have seen that sucker punch coming, but she giving at least as good as she got now. Laughing, Nadya had the same idea as Beth, whipping out her phone and hopping up on the edge of the pool table to get a different angle of the fight.

"Rae-Rae likes me just fine, Bri!" It was awesome that Rae-Rae was expressing herself so much nowadays... as long as she wasn't expressing all over Nadya. "And you think you can have enough friends!"

On 3/27/2018 at 6:34 PM, Beth said:

"Oh shit," she giggled, "We coulda sold tickets. Opportunity lost."

"But I bet we can get this to go viral, with the right music track," Nadya giggled back, which turned into a snort as Fisher tried to intervene and neither of the girls were having it. She smirked at Austin hesitated at following Fisher's example.

Aaron and D.J. were coming around the other side of the pool table to intervene on Bridgette's behalf and Nadya couldn't have that - a bloody nose wasn't nearly enough for Bridgette and through the angry face, Nadya was sure Rae-Rae was actually having fun. Nadya shuffled along the edge of the pool table and when Rachel and Bridgette slammed into it again, she exaggerated her stumble, 'falling' into Aaron and D.J., tangling them up with the pool cue and her body and 'accidentally' jabbing one of them with an elbow, not softly.

Her other hand kept her phone aimed at the action. Priorities, right?

"Whoops! Sorry boys!" Nadya apologized insincerely. "I'm so clumsy."

[Laurie Brightman]

Things had been going so well.

They'd worked with Eric's band to save innocent children from certain death, and in the process she'd managed to spend time one-on-one with their leader. Sure, there'd been some minor drama, but it was nothing extraordinary. Marius had made an unnervingly pleasant appearance, they'd enjoyed coffee and fresh muffins, and the sandwiches she'd ordered for everyone as part of their celebratory feast had just arrived.

And then, in the span of a few moments, everything dissolved into anarchy and angst.

Shocked by the sudden outbreak of violence, for a moment Laurie could do nothing more than stare. Nadya and Beth were right there, at least. They could intervene and prevent the fight from spreading, keep someone from getting hurt or -

But, no. They were too busy laughing, actually laughing, and when Nadya had the nerve to actually stop two of the other Scions from ending the fight, Laurie had seen enough.

These were the ones charged with protecting the world, making it a better place? People who were more interested in cheap thrills than doing the right thing?

As she pushed her chair back, the petite blonde could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, the sting of tears blurring her vision; she fought hard to keep her mounting frustration at bay, moving through the confused patrons with purpose and conviction. She didn't dodge, bend, sway, or weave through the crowd, staying focused on the two young women fighting. That she managed to actually make it to the pool table without getting flattened was something of a minor miracle, but she was so intent on her course that it simply didn't occur to her that the trajectory of a flailing fist or errant elbow might accidentally intersect with the side of her head.

Laurie knew she wasn't strong enough to physically haul either Rachel or Bridgette away, but she had to do something. Naturally, the most instinctual course of action was the least logical one. Without waiting for a break in the action that may or may not come, the young violinist jumped in front of Rachel, hands in front of her chest as if bracing for an inevitable impact.

"Rachel, stop!" she shouted above the chaos, fighting to keep her voice from breaking as she pleaded with the furious Aesir. "Please, just stop!"

[Rachel Cooper]

The rage of being attaked was gone replaced by the unadulterated thrill and joy of combat! It hade become a contest and Rachel thrived in contests one woman against another who would best the other. Forgotten were the reasons all that mattered was battle.

Then Laurie stepped in front of her pleading and Rachel stopped in mid swing her fist inches from Lauries head. Bridgette stopped too, they looked around at the mess .

"That was stupid you could have been hurt." she said to Laurie as she gently put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her out of the way. She stepped closer to Bridgette who stood ready, "Your tougher than you look," Rachel extended her hand, "let's call this one a draw."

[Fisher Capra]

"Oh, now you're worried about someone getting hurt?" Fisher snapped as he got up and brushed himself off. Rachel had just enough time to glare before Fisher made a long-suffering and displeased sigh. "We are going to need to have another talk." Rachel glared harder. Fisher was patently unmoved.

[Dave ST]

Fisher stumbled out from the fray into the waiting arms of Darci and they both fell to the ground.  "Nice try hero," she grunted, pushing him off of her.  "What is it with you guys!?  You're the worst example of human behavior.  I swear if I get fired..."

Bridgette threw a another after Rachel's peace offering.  Laurie winced as she was right in the line of fire.  "How, bout' no!"

Eric hooked his arm in Bridgette's and pulled her back.  She flew back with a stumble into her waiting Band mates who grabbed her arms.  Eric looked at her sternly.  "That's enough!  Stand down Bridgette."

"After I tear her fucking head off!"  The Loan woman hissed, a cross between blood lust and pleasure easily visible in her expression.

Eric was upon her, mere inches from her face, cupping her chin tightly to force her to look at him.  Softer and quieter he repeated himself.  "I said, enough."

She calmed as the sheer intimidation of Eric's iron grip threatened to hand her her jaw if she didn't obey.  Her Band mates let go of her and she raised her arms to signify it was done, and over.