Logfile from Brass&Steel. Downtown -- Crown Center Zach comes walking swiftly down Oak. He's got a bag draped across his shoulder. Ruby is just outside the Crown Royale...apparently she's just been shopping. She's got a bag along at least. She's wearing a hot pink leather romper. Very tight and -very- short. Actually, it's made like hotpants. Three heavy seems run up the front and back both. One over each leg, up to under her bossom where it stops, one in the middle running up to the square neckline, down underneath her and up her back. It's very tight, though, as mentioned, so the middle seem digs into her and helps to ensure -everything- is detailed on her. It's got short, poofed sleeves too, and fits tighter, all in all, than a second skin. It's really -quite- a sight on her. Zach notices the lady in pink as he comes striding along the street and he smiles brightly. "Miss Ruby! Aren't /you/ a sight for sore eyes! How are you?" Ruby smiles and turns around, "Why thank you. Nice of you to say so.", she says. "I'm doing quite well, and yourself?" Zach shifts the bag over his shoulder. "I'm doing fine, thanks. You been shopping?" Ruby nods, "Oh, definately. I can only wear jeans -so- much before going nuts." Zach grins and nods at the store. "And so you sought out this wonderful little shop, eh? Sarah's got some nice stuff in here." Ruby shrugs, "I like leather. This place carries a good, varied line. Sarah? Is that the sales-girl or the owner?" You say, "Sarah's the owner. She's usually around." Ruby ah's, "Wasn't sure. Okay.", she nods and probably stores that somewhere. Zach smiles. "So how's work life trating you?" Ruby hmm's, "Quite well, really. And yourself?" Zach's eyes twinkle merrily. "Oh I can't complain. I get enough work to get by and a little on the side." Ruby oh's? "A little moonlighting by any chance?" Zach chuckles. "Actually that's just about /all/ I do. I'm freelance and my own boss, so.." Ruby tsk tsk tsk, "A man of low moral fibre.", she muses, "Handsome -and- roguish. What else do you have hidden?" Roger arrives along Oak, and makes his way into the Crown Center. Zach places his hand over his heart in a show of being deeply and profoundly wounded. "Low moral fibre? Moi?? Really, lady.. You wound me!" Ruby heh's, "Yeah right. And pigs fly.", she grins. Zach makes a show of sulking, but his eyes glitter. "Well they /do/ sometimes..." Ruby says, "if you throw them hard enough" From nearby comes the sound of whistling and shortly after the cause of the whistling is clear. Roger makes his way though the late lunch crowds of Crown Center. He pauses to hold a door for a mother and her two kids, earning him a grateful smile before he moves on. Zach nods. "And often they tend to swarm at around 4 in the morning. Usually the blue and green ones..." Ruby nods, "Oddly enough usually on saturday mornings, correct?" Roger pauses to buy a iced Latte at a coffee stand and drinks it as he wanders closer to Ruby and Zach Zach leans forward conspiratorically and stage whispers. "You've seen them too, haven't you? They're all around us..." HE straightens up. "But we mustn't talk bout it here, cause the Man can hear us." Zach nods toward Roger. "Like him.." Roger grins as he over hears Zach "Yep thats me...I'm the Man." Ruby facepalms, "Oh hell, I'm surrounded by maniacs. What-ever- did I do to deserve this fate?", she says and giggles Lucian arrives along Oak, and makes his way into the Crown Center. Ruby heh's and hates doing this Zach but...I said it'd not be for long. I need sleep -desperately-. Zach chuckles. "Well I dunno. Must be some karma stuff, mayhaps?" To Roger he says: "Hey man! How's it hangin?" Roger grins at Ruby "It's your fate dear." He nods at Zach "Pretty well." Zach says, "That's Ok Ruby:)" Lucian says, "Hi and bye, then, Ruby. :) Sleep well!" Roger waves "Sleep well :) Ruby waves to Lucian too. Hey there...take care Zach looks after the hurrying Ruby. "I wish she could just lose that beeper..." Roger shrugs "She a model, probably has to go to a photo shoot or something." He sip his coffee "So, what have you been up too> Zach shifts his bag from one shoulder to the other. "Me? Oh just the usual. Fixing cars and stuff, doing my job and having fun. You?" Lucian sits on a bench on a public thoroughfare, studying the crossword with an intent look. A careful observer might note that his eyes flick up at regular intervals, looking around quickly before he seems to return to the crossword puzzle. Roger grins "Been keeping busy. You heard about that rash of naked people driving cars? Zach nods. "Yeah, I did. What the hell's that all about?" Roger shrugs "I'm not sure, but I'm thinking of looking into it. It's kinda wierd you know." You say, "Yeah it is. It's like they're swarming or something." Lucian scribbles in another word. 9-Down. "LURK." He nods approvingly, and looks up to survey the crowd again. He picks up the styrofoam cup of coffee next to him, and takes a long swallow. Roger nods "Yeah, oh hey, another wierd thing. What do you think about that so called dragon sighting." He shakes his head amusedly." Zach coughs. "Oh. That. Yeah, it's real curious. Now we're getting all sorts of weirdoes running around. It's kinda fun." Roger shrugs "I suppose so, I just think it's wierd." He takes another swollow of cofee and nods towards a bench "Want to sit down? "SERPENTINE." 40 Across. Lucian smiles, allowing himself a faint chuckle as he looks around the crowd again. He raises an eyebrow - perhaps he spots Roger and Zach. Then again, it's a big crowd. Maybe he thinks he saw Elvis. Zach cracks up!! Zach smiles and surveys the crowd. "Yeah, why not." Zach says, "Perception roll." AutoJudge: Zach rolls: 6 + 4 = 10 . Check die: 3 AutoJudge: Roger rolls: 6 + 4 = 10 . Check die: 4 Roger says, "bah" Zach says, "Oblivious to the Lucian:)" Roger says, "yep" AutoJudge: Lucian rolls: 6 + 1 = 7 . Check die: 2 Lucian says, "Sorry, boys. It's not Elvis I'm checking out. :p" Roger says, "darn" Zach floomps down onto a bench. "So what do you think prompted all those sightings?" Roger shrugs "Too many drugs? Zach looks a lot better than Elvis, so that's perfectly understandable! :) Lucian says, "Uhhh-huh" Lucian says, "!" Zach grins to Roger. "But drug addicts have visions all the time. Why do they get in the papers /now/?" Roger shrugs again "Because more then one person haluinated it?" Lucian can't hear their discussion from where he sits. However, his eyes follow the pair intently as they take a seat on another bench. He reaches with his pen and goes to fill in another answer... and oops! He tears a hole in the top of the page. What a pity. Nothing to do now but unfold the newspaper and read it. Curiously, the hole is near eye level. Zach eyes Riger carefully. "Those kind of stories in the papers may contain more truth than most things you read or hear. If you know what to look for." Zach says, "You want us to start whispering? :)" Roger shifts slightly in his seat "What do you mean?" Lucian says, "Nah... I'm enjoying reading it OOCly. Besides, making Lucian be a bit outlandish in his "subtle observation" is amusing. ;)" Zach's face shifts into utter seriousness. "I mean that sometimes, when you read wierd stuff like that - the wierd stuff actually happened." Roger eyebrows shoot up "Oh? So there really was a dragon flying around downtown yesterday> Zach snorts grumpily and looks around before answering. "No. That was no dragon, that was a fucking demon! That damned overgrown worm nearly bit my arm off!" He keeps his voice low, but there is no mistaking the intensity. Roger blinks and leans in "The worm...you mean Lucian?? He can turn into a dragon?" Lucian folds up the newspaper and straightens up. Time to tweak some noses. With a broad smile, he rises to his feet and begins strolling towards Zach and Roger's bench. He whistles a cheerful tune. Those musically apt would recognize it as that damned Rolling Stones number that EVERY pretentious demon thinks they've hit upon first to whistle as their own personal theme. Zach shakes his head. "We met in the park and... I don't fucking /belive/ it!!" He stares at Lucian. Roger turns around and follows Zach's gaze "Ah" He squints at Lucian and mutters "Well I don't see any wings." Zach smiles a slow, nasty smile. "Well good afternoon, /professor/..." Lucian comes within speaking distance, and inclines his head. "Good afternoon, Lieutenant Freeman. Mister Ellis." His smile is wide and predatory, and not at all friendly. "How are you both doing this afternoon?" Roger folds his arms and frowns at the professor "I *was* doing fine, thank you* Zach eyes Lucian with an intense look. "I am quite well. And how are you?" His voice is soft. "Remarkably well, I think," Lucian replies. "My thanks for asking. How is your hand?" He flicks an imaginary bit of dust from his jacket nonchalantly. Roger frowns and looks at Zach "Your hand?" He looks down at Zach's hand. Zach lifts his hand and flicks his fingers at Lucian. "My hand, as you can see, is quite allright. How's your throat?" Roger's eyes flick between them "What am I missing here?" Lucian tugs at his collar. "A little song and dance works wonders," he replies. Turning to Roger, Lucian's smile is, to say the least, condescending. "Nothing you _should_ be concerned about, Lieutenant. Mister Ellis and I simply are comparing our share of injuries gained in our respective lines of work." You say, "Indeed. Talking too much can lead to sore throats.." Roger scowls at Lucian "Clearly this is something I should be concerned about." He smilkes pleasently "I mean we wouldn't want you to have problems with your visa now would we." "And putting your hand where it should not be can lead to pained hands." Lucian smiles. "In Arabia, those who grab what is not theirs have the hand removed. I have often thought that such punishments would do well to be implemented here." Lucian looks towards Roger, and raises an eyebrow. "My visa would only be in danger if I held one, Lieutenant. However, I long ago became a citizen of this grand country of yours," he says, waving a hand about expansively. "However, if you intend to bring some weight of the law against me, I shall be happy to refer you to the University's legal counsel, or, failing that, retain my own." He glances towards Zach with a smirk. "Tell me, have you heard the one about Heaven trying to file a lawsuit?" Zach inclines his head. "I can't say I have, Professor. Why would Heaven try to file a lawsuit?" Roger leans back against the bench with a frown and waits for the joke. "Something about inequitable distribution of souls - a joke in its own right," Lucian says with a chuckle. "However, when God went to file the suit, he found a problem. He couldn't find a lawyer at all..." Zach sighs. "You know... That was kinda lame, Lucy. I don't think you have much of a future as a comedian.." Roger raises an eyebrow "Is that all? Not very funny I'm afraid." Lucian shrugs. "Oh well. I'll keep my day job, then." Roger grunts slightly "Good idea." Zach shakes his head. "So how do you like all the attention you're getting in the media?" Lucian blinks, all blue wide-eyed innocence. "Attention? In the media? Why, what could you be talking about, Mister Ellis?" Roger smiles slightly "You wern't very subtle I'm afraid/ You say, "You do read the newspapers, don't you professor?" Lucian holds up his copy of the Kansas City Star. "Of course, Mister Ellis. I must say, I did not see my name in the papers. Did you?" Zach smirks slightly. "Course not. But there was a good description there. The seedier part of the Media seem to have fun anyway.." Roger looks over at Zach "You think the Media played this up? Lucian raises an eyebrow. "What a shame. I missed the description of the six-five white-haired Slavic gentleman with excellent hair. Or is there something else you were referring to?" He smiles widely Zach smiles back. "Yeah." Zach is starting to tire out. Will probably be heading for bed soonish.. <:| Roger nods "My word. What do you mean, then?" Lucian smiles, apparently refusing to rise to the occasion. Lucian :( You say, "Snake in the grass, snake in the sky..." Roger chuckles softly at Zach's words as he looks at Lucian "And there's more then one was to skin a snake." Lucian raises an eyebrow. "Sometimes... you just have to wait for him to shed his skin, and you may not like what you find under it..." He smiles, showing too many teeth. Zach stoically nods. "Truth." Roger glances over at Zach "Which is? Zach glances at Roger. "Filth." An unholy jumble of notes sounds loudly from Zachs pocket. It's the dread polish free-jazz ensemble again. Adonia arrives along Oak, and makes its way into the Crown Center. Zach jumps and hauls his cellphone out and ends the horrid noise by answering it. Lucian recoils at the sound of the Polish Free-Jazz Ensemble, with a grimace. "Surely, there must be some better tone..." Roger looks like he can't help agree with Lucian "Err yeah, why not use Bach or something? Roger and Zach are sitting on a bench and Lucian stands over them. Zach frowns and listens to whoever is calling him. "Yeah, yeah.. I'm coming right over. ... Yeah, right now. Don't touch anything, ok? See ya." *boop* *Tap, tap tap* Ahh, the unmistakeable sound of Catholic school shoes tapping on the floortiles is soon lost to the free-jazz stylings of the Polish. She walks in, an absent smile on her face, blue eyes lost in a vague daydream found in the heads of adolescent girls. She looks around vaguely being brought back to earth, as not even a teenager can ignore Polish jazz. Lucian arches an eyebrow. "One of your friends, Mister Ellis? Perhaps with blood on their hands?" He smiles, blandly. Zach looks at the two philistines. "Bach? Nah, that's boring. But I'll make a new ring for it soon." Roger sighs "Yes, please do. I beg you for the sake of humanity. Zach shakes his head to Lucian. "Grease actually. Gotta split." He leand over and whispers to Roger. You whisper "Do be careful! HE knows you're a soldier." to Roger. Roger nods at Zach and says softly "I will." Lucian shakes his head. "I'd beg you for Humanity's sake, as well, but I suspect you'd not think I meant it..." He sighs. Zach stands up and flashes a smile to Adonia as he pockets his phone. She could be the postergirl for Catholic schools. Standing 5'4", legs muscular and defined under that mid-thigh length bottle-green skirt, a small waist and C-cup breasts neatly buttoned inside a grey button-down shirt, bobby socks and those sturdy black shoes. Her face and features are quite angelic-looking with slightly slanted blue eyes put in with a smutty finger, tip-tilted irish nose lightly sprinkled with freckles, an elfin bone structure from high cheekbones to pointed chin, and blond curls riotously framing her face, and dusting the nape of her neck. Her mouth is the only truly human part of her face, wide, with beestung pink lips, that form a sweet smile over almost regular teeth. A tiny gap in between her front teeth adds to the impish charm of her face. Perhaps a close observer would notice that none of her clothes appear new, though they are well-pressed and clean. Her backpack likewise looks like it could barely stand a book thicker than the history of Patagonia. A very delicate silver rosary lies around her neck, disappearing beneath her uniform. The worn school jacket is tied around her waist, the emblem that of the Church of the Virgin. Zach is heading off to bed. See you all later, k? :) Roger follows Zach's gaze and nods politly to the schoolgirl, although he is obviously wondering why she's not in school Roger waves!! Zach says, "Thank's for the great rp! :)" Lucian says, "See ya, Zach." Adonia says, "bye :)" Lucian doesn't wonder - it's 4:30 in the afternoon. Still, he looks towards the girl everyone else is looking at. "Someone you know, Lieutenant?" He arches his eyebrow, and chooses to say nothing further, though clearly something else is on his lips. Zach turns to Lucian. "Goodbye professor. If you want anything fixed, do let me know." HE smiles predatory and walks off towards the nearest parking lot. Roger blinks up at Lucian "Nope, never met her before in my life."