Logfile from Brass&Steel.


Zach knocks on the door marked 'Room 3 <3>'.

Zach shouts, "It's Zach!"

Harriet steps out of Brynn's room, closing the door behind her. She smiles
at Zach. "Hey there, you know?" An enthusiastic hug follows. "How are
you?"

Zach hugs Harriet back and looks her over carefully. "I'm good, doll. How
are you? And Brynn?" He is clearly worried.

Harriet grins. "I'm fine. So is Brynn...as much as can be expected,
anyway. She finally let me treat and bandage up those wounds, but she
wants to be left alone now, you know?" She shrugs. "Probably best to
accept the small victory, I thought."

Zach sighs and strokes Harriet's back a bit. He's relieved to see that
she's okay, but casts a concerned glance at Brynn's door. "I'd feel a lot
better about her soon as I know what the hell is up with her. How bad were
the wounds? Are they continously bleeding?" he murmurs.

Harriet snuggles a bit, and shakes her head. "Not really. At least, not
now that we don't have to peel off the shirt from the scabs, anyway." She
shudders. "Hopefully, she'll at least rest enough to let them heal a
/bit/, you know?" She doesn't sound terribly optimistic about this,
however.

Zach looks frustrated. "I can heal those wounds completely in less than 10
minutes! Weakening oneself like that just doesn't make sense. Least of all
for a warrior. I am worried about her on several levels, and I've been
fretting about that and the damn sheddie all night. I'm not sure how long
I can wait before..." He sighs again, frowning.

Harriet hugs him again, rubbing his back comfortingly. "If you try and
push her, she'll just shut us both out again. I've already learned that
one, you know? She's going through a lot right now, and doesn't want to
talk about it." A sigh. "Give her a little time."

Zach looks down into Harriet's eyes and smiles warmly to her. "A little
time I can give. Does she wants us to seriously bugger off, or can we go
inside?"

Harriet smiles back up at him. "She seriously wants us to go away, I
think." She looks a little wistful. "And I'm kinda hungry, too, you know?"

<OOC> Harriet says, "She's lying down, I think. The player."

<OOC> Zach noddies. :)

Zach nods. "Allright, let's go get some grub. Do you want to come back to
my place or do you want to go to a restaurant?"

Harriet mmms. "How about BJ's Barbecue, you know?" She chuckles. "I've
been inside so much in the past few days that I'm beginning to feel like
I'm back in tha cabin." She slips an arm around Zach's waist and gives him
a gentle squeeze. "So, what have you been up to?"

[Public] Boh says, "So now I'm trying to decide whether to beg my way into
a scene or actually go do something responsible. :)"

You paged (Harriet, Boh) with 'I've been thinking that we should do a
kidnapping scene! :)'.

You paged (Harriet, Boh) with 'However, I suppose it needs planning and
staff online... Since this is probably the only evening/night (my time) I
can be online until the new year, it'll probably have to wait though..
:('.

To (Zach, Harriet), Boh pages: We? Ahhh, Bo will be so disappointed in
Harriet's quick decision.

From afar, to (Boh, Zach): Harriet thinks Certain People have an unhealthy
fixation on kidnapping. :)

From afar, to (Boh, Zach): Harriet blinks innocently. "What?"

To (Zach, Harriet), Boh pages: Haven't you been planning? You certainly
know where to find me. I never stopped molesting the truck from time to
time.

You paged (Boh, Harriet) with 'Actually, it'd be good getting Roger into
the scene as well. And Zach's been planning, the player hasn't had time.
<:)'.

From afar, to (Boh, Zach): Harriet nods. "The holidays are always a bit
frenetic."

Zach slips his own arm around Harriet's shoulders and starts walking down
the hallway with her. "BJ's it is, then. I've not been 'up to' much.
There's been normal work to do, role to live y'know. And I had to pop out
of town last weekend to fix a few bikes for these guys.." He grins.

<OOC> Harriet says, "Shall we just go to BJ's and continue there?"

<OOC> Zach says, "Good idea. Hope we find it... :)"

To (Zach, Harriet), Boh pages: So what you're saying is, "The only scene
I'd like to do with you is this plot-important one, but we can't do it
until at least January, and then it will involve the convergence of four
specific people online," or am I misunderstanding? :)

To (Boh, Zach), Harriet pages: It's not what I'm saying. I think Zach just
wants to kidnap and hurt Boh at /some/ point. :)

You paged (Boh, Harriet) with 'No and yes. We're on our way to BJ's, so
feel free to come by there. But I won't do anything stupid there without
staff online. (I.e. hit people.) :)'.

To (Zach, Harriet), Boh pages: We could have an attempt that doesn't go so
well, too. It'd be a learning experience for both sides. ;) Bo's not
entirely incapable of resistance.


B.J.'s Lawnside B-B-Q -- Dining Room and Stage

	A raucous place, the temperature in here is hotter than it is
outside, and even with the ventilation running, the firepits in the
kitchen cause the smoke and humidity factor to shoot through the roof,
such that the burly guys in stained aprons who stand behind the counter to
take and fill orders are glazed in their own sweat, as if they themselves
might be turned on a spit at any time. Despite this, they are remarkably
friendly ... but then, if you got to spend your days serving some of the
area's best BBQ to apprecative fans to the sounds of live or live-recorded
blues music, you'd probably consider yourself to have a fairly decent job,
too.
	The counter and semi-open kitchen and BBQ pits easily take up a
third of the roadhouse; another third or so is the stage, occupied by old
but still servicable electronics and the usual racks and floor stops for
placing instruments. Four nights a week, live bands occupy this stage, and
on a fifth, the electronics are supplemented by those from a local radio
station for a blues-oriented radio show. Inside, the owners have opted for
nothing more special than heavily-primed picnic tables. Pretty standard
for a place they hose down at the end of the night. Usually occupied to at
least 1/3 capacity, on nights with live bands this place is packed with
locals and tourists alike.


To (Boh, Zach), Harriet pages: Or we could just have a scene without
kidnapping, failed or otherwise. :)

You paged (Boh, Harriet) with 'The point of having Harriet and/or Roger
involved in the kidnap scene would be to kidnap them. :) Unless you're a
Faction sheddie, then an ad-hoc NPS would suffice since taking over
another PC completely leaves said PC's player with rather little to do. :)
Or what Harriet said.'.

To (Zach, Harriet), Boh pages: So you think that what I normally do, just
making up some random NPC to be riding and then pose all their actions, is
somehow wrong and inappropriate?

To (Zach, Harriet), Boh pages: I think a scene goes much faster with an
NPC. Otherwise all conversations with me through a PC would mean I would
have to page them with what I want to say, and then they put it into their
words in their pose.

To (Zach, Harriet), Boh pages: I've actually been avoiding possessing PCs
except for informational purposes just because it is a hassle, and because
nobody really likes having their actions dictated pose after pose.

To (Boh, Zach), Harriet pages: I think he means that if the White Hats
were going to stage a trap, they'd want to use a 'willing' victim, rather
than just kidnap whatever poor soul Boh's riding at the time."

Zach sniffs the air happily as they enter the roadhouse. He lead Harriet
over to a table and looks around to catch the attention of a waiter. "Mmm!
Now I'm hungry too. It's been a long time since I was here last."

To (Zach, Harriet), Boh pages: It largely depends on what one considers
the appropriate level of Shedim influence, of course. I know with Roger
I've gotten into this thing where he keeps posing not doing what I say, or
doing it very reluctantly. Meanwhile I was saying, hey, I won the Contest
of Wills, you get to do what I'm saying without three poses of not doing
it. :)

Harriet nods cheerfully, and sits down at the bench. "Me, too, actually. A
couple of weeks...since the last time we were here, you know?" As the
waiter arrives, she smiles and says, "I already know what I want. An order
of ribs, extra hot, a salad, and a coke, please."

Julia enters from the lot.

<OOC> Julia waves and is, of course, Bo. :)

<OOC> Harriet waves!

<OOC> Julia says, "I presume you guys have set a scene already?"

Harriet and Zach are at a table, giving their orders to a waiter.

<OOC> Zach nods. Just sat down. :)

<OOC> Julia says, "How full is it? Is there any chance for an adjacent
table?"

You paged (Julia, Harriet) with 'No I don't think it's wrong and
inappropriate. How else were you to be able to move around the grid and
interact? And yes, it does go quicker without the extra relay time. :) But
as Harriet says, it's (at least to me;) preferable to kidnap a 'willing'
victim, rather than J. Random Person. It also allows for involving more
PCs in the plot. (Not that more's /always/ good, but you hopefully get my
drift.) And another thing that is my continual concern and frustration
with this game is that I'm still very uncertain of the level of realism
IG. How much can celestials get away with? Are we superpeople or just
people? Are the police as good as they are in American TV series or not?
:)'.

<OOC> Harriet says, "It's early afternoon...the place is probably only
half full. I'd say sure."

<OOC> Zach grrs at the MUSHthingie who refuses to recognice Boh when it's
riding someone else!! :P

To (Julia, Zach), Harriet pages: Judging by the whole Sweet Delights
thing, I'd say the police Aren't That Good.

<OOC> Julia says, "Really? Have you tried going by the Alias? I never
change my @alias from Bo."

<OOC> Zach says, "Ah! No, I never tried using the alias. Not when your
name is only three letters.:) I'l remember that from now!"

Julia takes off her heavy coat and drapes it over her arm. When a waiter
comes to seat her, she requests a particular table that happens to be
right next to Harriet and Zach's table. Having no special reason not to do
so, the waiter seats her there.

<OOC> Julia says, "I keep the alias for people's paging convenience when I
have different names. :)"

Zach grins to the waiter. "And I'll have a big ol' t-bone with, jacket
potatoes, salad and a beer." The waiter scoots off to shout to the cooks
and get their drinks. Zach smiles at Harriet and takes her hand, giving it
an affectionate squeeze.

Harriet chuckles at the squeeze, and smiles back at Zach. "I want you to
see the project I'm working on, when I've got it a little bit more done,
you know?" She grins. "It's a tactile painting...I think it'll be very
fun. I've actually made pretty decent headway on it in the past couple of
days."

Long distance to (Harriet, Julia): Zach nods to Harriet. "Yes, but the SD
thing was Staff Plot, so that doesn't really count. Sorta. Er. Bottom
line: Sometims I wonder what the heck I was smoking when I made the
application for a blackwing! :P

Zach looks intrigued. "A tactile painting? That sounds really neat, when
can I see it?"

To (Zach, Harriet), Julia pages: I've wondered that too. ;) I keep wanting
to open relations with moderate angels and have one of those "friends on
opposite sides" things, but everyone I run into is a blackwing or working
for a blackwing. :)

Long distance to (Harriet, Julia): Zach nods. "I've been skirting
dissonance all the way. I really hate the idea of killing other PCs, so
I've sorta stretched the planning stages as far as I could. Even tried to
get Lucian interested in redemtion. Boy did that fail miserably!" :)

From afar, to (Julia, Zach): Harriet The Character sniffles and sets her
jaw stubbornly. "mutter mutter hasn't given up mutter mutter"

Julia orders herself a large platter of ribs, mashed potatoes, and a Diet
Coke. She settles back and listens to the music, and other things.

Harriet gestures widely as she speaks. "Well, you probably saw the column,
right? I'm going to put this scene on it...dancers in a garden, I believe,
and use different textures of cloth to fill it in, you know?" She beams.
"The thing is, I'm not going for color realism, but rather...emotional
connection, you know? I think I'm going to do the sky in all these pieces
of silk."

Zach beams back at her and rests his chin on his hand. "Oh, but I like the
sound of that. I'm looking forward to seeing it." He looks around the
place idly, noting the guests and the waiters and the cooks. 'S all good.
"I am glad you're able to work your art, what with all the craziness
that's been going on. I can't even imagine how weird your life must feel
like these days.."

Julia gets her Diet Coke. She sips it and keeps an eye on the crowd,
though she doesn't look at Zach or Harriet as they talk.

Harriet rolls her eyes, and chuckles. "Well, art never fails to make
sense. I thought, originally, that taking a vacation was a good idea, you
know?" She waves a hand, "So that I could get a handle on all this. I
think I've changed my mind. Besides, there wasn't much else to do in the
apartment. Although Warren did come by a couple of times to keep me
company."

You see a medium height, muscular young woman. Her hair is sandy and long,
and her skin is tanned. Her striking deep brown eyes search the world.
She's wearing a oversized red polo shirt, along with a loose green pants
and white tennis shoes. In general, she seems relaxed.

Zach raises his eyebrows looking interested. "He did? So how did that go?
Did you manage to find each other's wavelengths?"

Harriet is a woman in her early twenties. She's below average in height,
and thin and pale, as if she doesn't get out much. She has short-cropped,
unruly, dark brown hair, and green eyes. Her round, open face seems as if
it's used to doing a lot of smiling. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses
perch--slightly askew--on her nose.

 Harriet is wearing a sweater, jeans, and her bright yellow hightops. The
sweater is mostly green, with a red and gold Christmas ornament print. Her
jeans are faded, and patched with several different colors and textures of
fabric. Harriet is also wearing a large, thick denim jacket, which has
been patched, whether it needed it or not, with numerous squares of
rainbow and tye-dyed cloth.

Harriet spreads her hands wide, looking both amused and mildly frustrated.
"I'm really not sure. We manage to get along pretty well, most of the
time, you know? And," she grins, "he brought me chocolate! But sometimes I
get the feeling that we spend a lot of the time just talking past one
another. And he's one of the touchiest people..." she shakes her head. "He
seemed hurt that I hadn't told him about my birthday, but truth to tell,
I'd forgotten about it in all the craziness, myself."

Zach blinks takes on a mock miffed expression. "I understand him quite
well! Not telling people about your birthday is akin to depriving people
of an excuse to party. And that's bad. When was it? Oh, and a belatedly
happy birthday my dear!" He picks up her hand and kisses it lightly, a
smile breaking through the faux miffedness.

Julia's food arrives. She digs into it slowly, taking her time to enjoy
each rib in turn as she continues to eavesdrop on the nearby table.

Harriet shrugs. "I haven't really been in all that much a partying mood,
you know?" She squeezes his hand, and takes her own back to prop up her
chin. "It was November 30th...I hardly ever celebrate it, since it's so
close to Thanksgiving. This time, I really had forgotten all about it."

Zach pouts a bit, but brightens up as food arrives at their table. "Well,
I guess it just means that I'm gonna have to double my efforts on your
Christmas present to make up for not getting you a birthday present." He
beams his thanks to the waiter and starts working on his t-bone. "Ehm..."
Biting his lip as a sudden thought strikes him, he lowers his voice
considerably. "Er.. Have you heard or seen anything of Lucian since..?"

Well, there went what was left of Harriet's hard won good mood. She slumps
a little in her seat, and shakes her head. Her gaze drops to the surface
of the table, then to her food. "No," she replies, equally quietly. "I
haven't seen or heard anything from him. If it can be believed, neither
has the...well, you know. He might still be...away." She picks up her
fork, and starts spearing pieces of lettuce.

Julia grumbles to herself as she eats, now that they've lowered their
voices. She thinks about things for a little while, takes a final sip of
her Diet Coke, and gets up from her table. She picks up her large plate
and steps over to Zach and Harriet's table. "Hi, mind if I join you?" she
asks sweetly. "I'm not really used to eating alone, and it's pretty dull,
I've found."

Zach breaths a quiet breath of relief. There's just too much craziness
going on, and one less black piece on the board is a good thing. "Good.
That's one less to worry about. I'm sorry to bring that up hon, but I
needed to..." He looks up with a slight start as Julia approaches them,
then smiles warmly to her. "Sure you can, miss. Make yourself comfy. I'm
Zach and this is Harriet, how d'you do?"

Harriet smiles up at Julia, perhaps a little relieved. "Hey there," she
says, and slides down to make room, if she shows inclination to sit on
Harriet's side. "Company is always fun, you know?"

Julia smiles charmingly and settles into the seat, putting the food in
front of her. "Nice to meet you both. I'm Julia, and I'm doing just fine,
thank you." She arranges herself in the seat and takes another rib off the
plate. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything," she adds.

Zach beams at her. "Of course not, Julia. Like Harriet said, it's always
fun with company." He spears a piece of potato.

Harriet smiles, and shakes her head along with Zach's comment. She nibbles
on one of her ribs, in a rather indifferent sort of way, then says with a
smile, to Julia, "See, you and I are the true 'cue lovers. /He/ wussed out
and got a steak, you know?" She winks at Zach.

Julia grins. "Well, that depends on the company you keep, I suppose," she
replies. "I know I've had dinner with people that I couldn't wait to get
away from. On the last blind date I had, I was starting to consider poking
myself with the fish fork just to have an excuse to leave."

Julia chuckles softly at Harriet's comment. "Well, meat is meat, to a
certain extent, but there is something special about barbeque," she
agrees.

Zach sticks his tounge out to Harriet, then chuckles at Julia's comment.
"Oh dear, that must have been some horrific date. It's a long time since
I've been on one of them, he muses. "Maybe I should try it again some
time... It's kinda neat to meet total strangers and trying to figger 'em
out. Even if the result is that you need to stab yourself with the fish
knife because your date gives you abuse about the course of meat you
choose to eat." He grins teasingly and winks at Harriet.

Julia chuckles again and shakes her head. "I find it hard to imagine you
don't go on more dates," she tells Zach. "Are you attached or something,
or are you just strangely averse to dating? You must have plenty of
opportunities, looking like that."

Harriet chuckles. "Luckily, there's no fish served here." She sighs in
mock sadness, "I suppose you'll just have to make do with that heretical
steak knife, you know?" She glances over at Julia's comment, and her smile
widens just a fraction.

Julia grins. "I doubt that the knife itself is heretical. I mean, it's not
out preaching against barbeque or anything. It's more of a tool of evil,
like the idol to the idolater, you know? Is that the term? Idolater? I
always get confused on the more obscure sins."

Julia is sitting at a table with Zach and Harriet. Julia and Harriet have
barbeque, while Zach has steak. The women appear to be giving Zach some
hassle about having steak at a barbeque joint.

Zach hehs and tilts his head, considering Julia's quip. He twinkles a
smile at her. "Well, eh... I don't plan much, I just go with the groove as
it were." He blinks as the conversation turns to heretical cutlery, and
scrutinizes the knife. "I think....it's just a knife. It's no idol or
anything, just resting peacefully in its general knifeness."

Harriet laughs. "It's probably perfectly happy just being a knife," she
agrees with a smile. "And I suppose that steak is under the umbrella of
acceptable variation, you know?" She pick up her own, perfectly orthodox,
rib, and starts nibbling away at it.

Julia chuckles again and holds up a rib. "Or I suppose you might assume
that ribs are evil. Decadent, messy, that kind of thing. Steak might be on
the side of good, especially when it's prepared correctly. Not too raw,
not too well done, right? Maybe the legions of steak eaters can barely
restrain themselves from smiting down the foul rib eaters."

Zach snorts in amusement. "I don't think so. I'd have to smite myself
then, since I enjoy both steak and rib. There's not very much I won't eat,
as amatter of fact. Food is cool. Or it ca be if properly done.."

Harriet nods, and quickly licks a bit of sauce off her finger as she
finishes the rib. The rest of the sauce is removed by the polite way, the
napkin. "Steak's good...especially with hot sauce," she grins.

Zach tucks in some more steak and potato, all the while looking real happy
to be surrounded by friends and the lovely aroma of 'cue.

Julia gestures to Zach's steak. "Then why would the most noble one here be
eating steak?" she points out. "Though he does admit to the periodic
barbeque, it seems that he's strangely not indulging in it, given this
excellent opportunity. No, I think barbeque has to be on the evil side.
It's messier, more indulgent, and definitely tastier. I think that sweet
tang would have to be the mark of sin. Steak, especially when well done,
is clearly more like goodness. It's adequate, and satisfying, but not all
that exciting."

Harriet raises an eyebrow. "Most noble?" She wrinkles her nose in delight
at Zach. "I like that, you know? Perhaps I should make you a little knight
for Christmas!" She glances over at Julia, then, looking momentarily
puzzled about something. Then she takes a sip of her coke.

Zach laughs and prods what's left of his steak. "Hey, your're making my
steak upset. I think it's going to cry if you keep calling it boring. No,
the steak they do here is quite up to speed with the ribs. It's just more
subtle in taste and aroma." He seems oblivious about the hints being
thrown around. As usual... He chuckles at Harriet though. "Well... Knights
are a bit eight hundred years ago, you know."

Julia nods in agreement. "Knights are kind of out of place in modern
times. Even back in the day, they weren't really all that noble. Look at
all the atrocities that happened in the Crusades. They were never really
all that."

Harriet rolls her eyes at both of them. "Fine, fine. I'm an artist, I
think in iconography, you know? No knights then," she says, and smiles,
"it'd get in the way of what I was /really/ planning, anyway."

Zach grins. "I'm sorry Harriet, shutting up now. Not. Knightliness is a
good thing, knights on the other hand are a different matter."

Julia grins too. "You're not just going to paint black wings on an angel
ornament, are you?" she asks Harriet with a wink. "Sort of a dark angel
motif?"

<OOC> Harriet says, "Did Julia end up sitting next to Harriet?"

<OOC> Julia probably would have chosen that over sitting next to Zach.

<OOC> Harriet nods. Thought so.

Harriet freezes, a forkful of salad halfway up to her mouth. She just
stops moving, blinking, and, yup, breathing. After a couple of seconds of
that, her eyes do flicker over to Zach and she drags the salad slowly to
her mouth, and chews.

Zach raises his eyebrows a bit. "That'd look cool. I saw something like
that in a comic once. Think it was one of the 'Preacher' books. There was
the Devil and the angel of Death playing cards and lots of crazy stuff
happening. Bit of a weird story that, I could never figger out whether I
liked it or not. You okay, honey?" he asks Harriet when seeing her freeze
up. He slides up his bench to sit facing Julia, and making room for
Harriet next to him.

Harriet pages: Oh, the problems of having no Emote skill... She envies
Zach. :)

Julia looks with concern at Harriet. "Are you OK? I didn't realize you'd
be so disturbed by angel images. I guess it's probably some kind of
religion thing, right? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything," she
says soothingly.

Long distance to Harriet: Zach has no such skill, but is used to stuff
that normal people find uh...strange. :)

Harriet chews her salad carefully, then swallows and smiles at Julia,
although it might be a little wobbly around the edges. "Ah, well. You know
how it is. I'm not really the religious type, though." She turns back to
her plate, and starts eating again, smiling a bit at Zach, but not moving.
This isn't at all because she doesn't think she could stand up, nope.

From afar, Harriet is feeling paranoid. At least she isn't still in the
twitching-at-random stage.

Julia smiles reassuringly. "Well, I'm sorry for anything I said to touch a
nerve," she says. "You're clearly really jumpy about something, and I'm
sorry to set you off."

Zach smiles warmly to Harriet and reaches out to pat her hand. "You gonna
be okay hon? I can give you a lift home if you're not feeling well, you
know."

Harriet smiles at the pat. "I might just end up taking you up on that, you
know?" She glances over at Julia, and shrugs. "Oh, I'm usually a bit
hyper. Possibly a juvenile overdose of chocolate that has yet to work it's
way out of my system."

Julia grins. "Well, I know how that can be," she says. "Whatever's making
you so jumpy, I hope you work it out soon. I hate to see you such a
wreck."

Zach finishes his food and pushes his plate away. He keeps the fork
though, idly fiddling with it. Nodding in agreement with Julia, he gives
Harriet's hand a final squeeze. "Yeah, I should probably get you a small
trampoline for Christmas so you have something to do whenever you overdose
on the chocolate."

"How kind of you to say so," Harriet murmurs to Julia, and smiles. "I'm
sure I'll be fine, although," a quick grin and squeeze back on Zach's
hand, "a trampoline would certainly be /fun/, you know? The neighbors
would probably complain, though."

Julia winks. "Depending on the size, it could be good for sex, too. At
least, so I hear. I have some friends who are a little wilder than I am,
and they've told me about fun with trampolines."

Harriet blushes, stammers a bit incoherently, and fixes her gaze firmly on
her plate. "Oh?" she says, faintly.

Zach chuckles and shakes his head. "I wouldn't recommend it unless all
participants are extremely fit and have excellent or better balance. It's
pretty dangerous, especially for men. But let's not get into that bit..."

Julia gets an embarrassed look. "Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry. I
just assumed you two were lovers."

Zach smiles softly. Kindly he says, "We do love each other dearly, but
we're not lovers."

Harriet proves yet again that it's not possible for someone to physically
die from embarassement, although she does go a couple more shades brighter
on the red scale. She gropes for her glass and takes a deep drink of Coke,
and nods at Zach's comment.

Julia smiles softly. She pushes her plate away and wipes her hands on her
napkin. "Well, I'm sorry to disturb you. It was nice meeting both of you.
Maybe I'll see you around, and maybe that time I won't put my foot in my
mouth quite so much."

Zach looks at her with a small smile, not at all unfriendly. "No worries,
hon. Are you leaving already?"

Julia nods. "It's been good," she says as she gets up. "Take care, you
two."

Harriet recovers, a little, although she's still a little red. "Take
care," she echoes, and smiles a little at Julia.

<OOC> Julia says, "It's been fun. :)"

Zach sighs softly and lifts a hand in farewell. "You too, hope we see you
again some day."

<OOC> Harriet says, "Much fun! :)"

<OOC> Zach says, "It's been extremely disturbing. You've been NICE!"

<OOC> Zach :)

<OOC> Harriet told you! Well, actually, she hasn't yet. But, hey..

<OOC> Julia says, "All part of the plan to convince Harriet I'm not all
bad. :)"

<OOC> Zach says, "Brilliant! :)"

<OOC> Harriet sniffs and hasn't forgotten the threats!

<OOC> Julia says, "Bah. :)"

<OOC> Zach says, "And a Bah Humbug to you too! :P"

Julia steps outside.

Harriet can't help shivering with relief as Julia steps outside. She looks
over at Zach, worried. "Was I just being paranoid, or...?" She wiggles
uncomfortably on the seat.

Zach follows Julia with his eyes, then turns back to Harriet. He breathes
out. "Well I'd love to say yes, but that would have been too much of a
coincidence." He gets up and around to Harriet's side of the table and sit
down, hugging her.

Harriet shudders and tries not to go into a complete wreck in public.
"Yeah...that's what I was thinking, too. That was...disturbing, you know?
Really quite disturbing. Er. Would I know? I mean, if...she's...do we know
she's gone?" She can't quite bring herself to ask the question she wants
to.

Zach shakes his head. "No we don't. But it's not in you, if that's what
you're wondering. She didn't touch you, so it can't have jumped over. Well
actually it could, but that I would have seen."

Harriet sighs with relief, and leans against him. "Oh. That's good. Well,
that it's not in me, anyway." She stares blankly across the resturant and
just can't stop trembling.

Zach gives Harriet a comforting squeeze and kisses her lightly on her
cheekbone. "Let's pay up and go home, eh?"

Harriet nods. "Sounds good to me, you know?" She pulls her wallet out of
her jacket pocket, and places the appropriate bills on the table, tipping
even more heavily than usual. She smiles at him. "I'll be okay, Zach. I'm
good. Really."

You paged Boh with 'I just thought of something re the kidnapping thing.
I'll ask Fidelity if and how the concept of mop-up crews work in this
game. Because if they do then it'll be easier to grab a Boh-host and run,
than if doing so is going to cost me a ton of staff xp for my role and
maybe even my vessel. :) And it'll make the scene run smoother, since you
won't have to instruct other players and stuff.'.

You paged Boh with 'See, Zach isn't exactly a world class psychiatrist who
can deal well with the aftermath of shedite posession. (If the host
survives, that is.) That'd be better handeled by mercurians or elohites.
:)'.

Zach places money on the table for his own food plus tips, then rises and
leads HArriet outside toward his car. "Your place or mine?"

Harriet looks around and suddenly just stops. She frowns. "Let's not go
back to my place, you know?" Her jaw is set stubbornly. "I am sick and
/tired/ of hiding out in people's houses! Let's go to the Bluebird and
dance or something." She looks at him, hopefully.

Zach smiles lovingly down to her. Oh, but he is in love! "Sure, sweetie.
Let's do that. Being among other people is healthy." A wry, ironic smile
slips over his features. "Mostly," he adds.

Boh pages: Ahh, but it's just that kind of cost that I'm hoping to make
Zach suffer. If you weasel out of it with some kind of clean-up crew,
that's a good plan, of course. It does seem to involve a lot of NPC
angels, though.

Boh pages: My dream is to exchange one Dissonance for Zach's Role. :)

Harriet nods, firmly. "Damn right," she says, a martial glitter in her
eyes. She brightens. "And maybe we'll run into friends, you know? Oh, I
should tell you, Warren thinks I'm being stalked. Which is true as far as
it goes." She looks embarrassed. "He came by a little after I found out,
and I was pretty shaken. I had to tell him something."

You paged Boh with 'It could. It really depends on how the whole thing
goes over. :) I guess it also depends on how much or what a victim of
posession remembers. I've never really read much about kyrios and
sheddies, I just don't understand those things. :)'.

Boh pages: I believe the general theory is that they remember, but it all
seemed perfectly reasonable at the time. More like a series of bad ideas
than an extra voice in the head.

You paged Boh with 'I was actually planning to keep you for a few days to
give you /several/ dissonance. Either that or invite another kite along,
force you out of the host and do celestial battle. :)'.

You paged Boh with 'Ah, okay. So they basically think it was them. Poor
bastards. :)'.

Zach nods and takes her hand. "The Bluebird is a good place to meet
friends. Let's go."


Boh pages: How fair and honorable is two on one? :)

You paged Boh with 'I'm Creation and Wind. Not the flippin' Sword! :)'.

You step down into Club Bluebird.

Club Bluebird
	Though the current interior is all modernized neon and Nouveau Art
Deco, with minimalist chrome skeleton furniture -- chairs and tables that
look flimsy but are actually quite sturdy -- and frosted glass trim, there
is clearly an ancient legacy of music here, as the displays of old
photographs, ticket stubs, sheet music, and similar papers behind a pane
of glass near the door might indicate. The neon, though bright, does not
cast light very far, and there is plenty of shadow, and places to sit and
watch and listen unmolested save for the occasional waitress asking to
refill a drink order.
	The sound of jazz is constant, though the source and volume vary
from soft recordings played during off-peak hours to the live and raucous
stuff that plays from around 5pm until about 2 in the morning. During the
high peaks, from 10pm to 2am, the place is packed with jazz fans, and
wanna-be musicians, of all kinds, and it reeks of sweat and cigarettes and
whiskey.

Boh pages: And Wind needs to make things change! And you are one of the
most honorable, and all. :)

Harriet steps into the club with a happy smile, as the sound of lots of
people having fun washes over her. She looks over at Zach. "Sounds like a
normal Saturday night on the town, you know?" and winks.

Long distance to Boh: Zach grins. "I need to change the fact that there's
a sheddie bothering my friends! And being a creationer I naturally like to
invite other friends to the party!" :)

Zach snugs her and beams around the room. "Sounds great! So whatcha wanna
do? Drink or dance or both?"

Boh pages: Bothering, but not actually pulling any triggers, I'll have you
note. :)

Harriet is snugged, and seems happy about it. She grins, and does a quick
little dance. "Oh, I think I want to cut a bit of rug, you know? I haven't
danced," her expression falters, then she soldiers gamely on, "in weeks.
It'll be much fun!"

You paged Boh with 'Oi! You've been bloody posessing two of 'em!! That'.

You paged Boh with 'That's triggering that is!! :) :)'.

Zach arranges for their jackets to get hung up in the warderobe, then
turns to Harriet and bows lightly, smiling. "Would you do me the honor of
doing this dance with me, my lady?"

Boh pages: But not in the sense of really making them do anything terribly
bad. I've been very gentle with them, partly because they're PCs, I admit.

Boh pages: But then you guys go and kill Lucian, and start recruiting
heavily...

Boh pages: We had a nice little detente, but alas. :)

Harriet chuckles, and curtseys back, something which never looks right in
jeans. "It would be my pleasure, good sir," she says softly, and offers
him her hand.

Boh pages: My hope is that I can make a getaway when captured, so that we
can have that tension without anyone actually losing a PC. :)

Long distance to Boh: Zach nods. Now the town seems run over by
blackwings. When I started, the town seemed run over by demons. I guess
you get that when there are so few players around any given time.
Fluctuations get rather heavy. Hopefully staff gave Lucian a new vessel
and role without charging him xp for it. I felt bad enough killing him.
<:)

Boh pages: You're everywhere, seriously. :) (Well, three is more than
enough for ME.)

Long distance to Boh: Zach nods! I hope we can do it without celestial
combat, and Runnig Away is a good thing. Heck, I even have an oath telling
me to. ;P

Boh pages: Except that your plan consists of forcing me into celestial
form and gangbanging me with another Malakite.

Long distance to Boh: Zach nods. But I was here FIRST! :) I want to see
ofanim and cherubim ere. Oh, and that's one of my plans. Player prefers
inducing dissonance - maybe it'll bring some Light into your...er...blob.
:)

Boh pages: We shall see. :)

Zach takes her hand and leads her out on the dancefloor, just as the band
starts up a good old swing tune. He leads her throught those first few
steps, keeping it easy to familiarize them with the floor and the rythm.

Harriet cheerfully follows Zach's lead, trying to relax and get into the
rhythm of the dance. It's easier than one might think; Harriets were never
built for paranoia. She smiles at him. "Do I even /want/ to know how long
you've been doing this?" she teases gently.

You paged Boh with 'Indeed. Ideally we'd play this soon, but seriously - I
think this might be my last night online this side of xmas. My parents
don't have internet connection, so I can't get online during the holidays.
*sigh* So January is my best bet. <:)'.

Boh pages: Then it shall be January. :)

Zach looks innocently at her and smiles sweetly. "Doing what?"

"Dancing," Harriet supplies, and chuckles. "Because you're very good at
it, you know?"

Warren enters from the street.

You paged Boh with 'One thing - would you prefer if it's a one-on-one
scene? Just you and me? Because then I'll /not/ drag others along, you
know. :)'.

Boh pages: Depends on who else you want to have there. I think I'd have
more fun one on one, without people posing over each other. I generally
prefer one on one RP online, so that people don't get all out of order and
into weird leapfrogging conversations.

Zach laughs softly and takes the opportunity to send her out on a twirly
trip, then pulling her back toward him. "Oh, all my life. I've not
trained, if that's what you mean - but I've always loved dancing. And the
human body is perfectly built for it."

Boh pages: I'm torn on the NPC angels thing. I'm generally opposed to it,
since that would get us into an NPC arms race.

Boh pages: PCs could be fine, though of course they'd all be on your side,
so I'd prefer more balanced odds. :)

Boh pages: But I don't want to cripple your planning, either.

Harriet twirls with enthusiasm, if not with overlarge amounts of grace.
She nods as she returns to regular dancing mode. "I can see that. Hey,"
her grin widens, "have you ever just gone out in a field and spun around
until you fell over? It's more fun than it sounds like," she informs him
with mock solemnity.

You paged Boh with 'i know what you mean. But see, if I'm going to lose my
role every time I have to thump you, then I'll end up getting a non-kite
PC so I don't /have to/. Staff xp are extremely hard to come by, and going
to jail is not an option. And the NPC thing I was thinking about was more
a way of getting your NPC 'stabeled' up after the scene. If it was an
actual alt PC, I would be happy to play out the follow-up, but... <:)'.

<OOC> Warren says, "What's the scene?"

Harriet and Zach are on the dance floor, bopping to an old-fashioned swing
jazz tune. The club is filling up with people, and they are by no means
alone on the floor.

Boh pages: I won't object to you getting another PC. The cost of killing
demons is risking your Role. Even if I live, it takes a week to work off
each Dissonance. That's the cost of messing with Soldiers as if I were in
a War, rather than keeping my head down and letting all the shiny happy
angel types sit around bored. :)

Boh pages: The Role thing is the only thing keeping Malakim from just
laying waste to every person they suspect is a demon, isn't it?

You paged Boh with 'I was NOT going to drag along an army of invisible NPC
angel to the actual scene, if that's what you thought. That'd just be
silly. :) Anyway, I think we'll keep the NPC thing down to me reporting to
one of the Tethers and let them handle whatever from there. Because I
can't ICly not make some sort of sure that your host NPC gets some sort of
follow-up offscreen. :)'.

Long distance to Boh: Zach nods. It's certainly keeping /this/ kite trying
to be subtle. :)

Boh pages: Assuming you don't end up having to kill them anyway. I have
more hit points than they do, so if I get beaten unconscious and fall out
of the body, they'll likely just die.

Warren enters the club, and removes his overcoat. His eyes dart casually
about, taking in the atmosphere her. A faint smile trickles on his lips,
and he shakes his head ever so slightly as though some notion of irony had
just struck him. Releasing an exhalation, he moves over to the bar and
orders a drink. Watching the little tv by the bar he gives a soft little
cheer and seems to be in a pleased mood.

Long distance to Boh: Zach sighs and just gives up on the typing thing.
Bleh. Oh yes, that's definitely the most probable outcome, sadly. The host
dies. How is that covered in canon, btw? As long as the host is a host it
has the posesser's hit points, but will it die automatically if knocked
uncontious and then un-posessed?

Boh pages: I believe it's that they're still down the same number of hits
when they get unpossessed, but if they don't have enough hits to handle
it, too bad for them.

Zach laughs and nods. "Yes I have! But it's been a very long time since I
tried it."

Boh pages: In tabletop I usually use a house rule that Shedim and Kyrios
only have their host's normal hits, but canon is not that way.

Warren turns around after receiving his drink and looks about at the
festive people. He takes a sip from his glass and moves his focus on the
band, his foot tapping slightly and his head bobbing somewhat in perfect
rhythm with the music.

Harriet grins delightedly. "Wonderful! It's been at least two years for
me." Her expression turns thoughtful as they dance, then she shakes her
head. "Too cold to try it right now, you know? And I think the other
dancers would object."

Boh pages: I actually have Corporeal Healing to avoid leaving strings of
bodies after me, but if pressed, I won't have that luxury. :)

Long distance to Boh: Zach has a Boss that doesen't much approve of
killing humans, so he tries to avoid it. But if it happens it happens.
C'est le morte, or however that goes. :)

Boh pages: Bah. It's all a form of change one way or the other. :)

Boh pages: Though not so creative. :)

Boh pages: I just want to see you kick my ass with linguini or something.

Zach dips Harriet and dances her skillfully in between other dancing
couples, weaving and swingin'. "They probably would. But we could go twirl
in a park if you want to."

Long distance to Boh: Zach chuckles. I came close to beaning Lucian with a
cigarette once. But I thought it'd be too silly so I didn't. I'm a wee bit
leery of the kite of Eli attunement, because it can easily get extremely
silly. :) Of course, it is also extremely cool. I bet Michael does a lot
of poaching trying to gather Eli's kites.. :)

Boh pages: Random side question: how many pounds would I guess Zach
weighs, from looking at him?

Harriet laughs at the thought, and shakes her head. "I think not. I'd end
up with frostbite on all my fingers and toes, you know?" Her nose
scrunches, "it's an interesting idea, though." As the playful, energetic
beat drives the dance on, she starts to tire out, although she's still
grinning.

Warren leans against the bar for a while, and then as though a
recollection suddenly hit him he goes over to a woman at the end of the
bar and appears to be asking her for the time. Although it all seems a
natural enough act, if one thought about it it would appear he went out of
his way to select her in particular to ask.

You paged Boh with 'Er... Now you're making me /think/. That hurts. Hold
on...'.

You paged Boh with 'Hm. Zach is 6'3'' and I'm guessing a man like that
would weigh in somewhere between 75 and 90 kilos?
http://www.pvv.org/~solas/innomine/zach.html (pic)'.

Zach smiles fondly to Harriet and leads her throught the last few moves in
the dance, as the band ends the tune. "Want to get something to drink,
Harriet? Take a breather?"

Harriet nods, and waves as she breaths hard. "Sure...that was...fun,
Zach." She takes another deep breath. "Just give me something cool to
drink, and a place to sit down for a little while, and I'll be ready
again, you know?" When the dance ends, she starts to head towards the bar,
darting ahead of Zach, then returning, before darting away again.

Zach looks a tad confused and amused by all the darting. He drags her
along to a table that just got vacated. "Sit here, and I'll get us the
drinks okay?"

<OOC> Harriet nods. It's not the player's fault Harriet's insane. It's
not!

Boh pages: A little under 200 pounds at most, then? Sounds reasonable, if
a bit thin. Since physique doesn't have to match stats, it's within
reason. :)

Boh pages: Though it may end up mattering to me whether it's over 190 or
not. :)

You paged Boh with 'Well he's slim. The walking tanks would be the
cherubim, see. :) Let's say he's 190 lbs. :)'.

Boh pages: Sorry for the pounds thing. It's how the American books compute
it. :)

Long distance to Boh: Zach knows! :) Feet and pounds have been my torment
since I started rping 10 years ago! :)

From afar, Boh grins. "Whereas I learned meters and kilos from RPing, so
it's not ALL our system."

You paged Boh with 'One should think I'd have managed to learn it by
now... *sigh* Huh? Are there rp systems with proper measurements in them?
In English? 8)'.

Boh pages: I'm in a tabletop Mechwarrior game. All metric.

Boh pages: I think Paranoia used metric, too. That was the second RPG I
ever played.

Zach pads over to the bar and manages to get the attention of the
barkeeper. One big Screwdriver and a malt whiskey later, he returns to the
table with said drinks. Harriet gets the 'driver. "What was all that
darting about then? You're so hyper I thought I saw double for a few
seconds!" He grins at her.

You paged Boh with 'Ah, well I've never played any of them, alas.'.

Harriet peers at the Screwdriver, grinning and bouncing in her seat.
"Well," she says, "look! Outside. With people. And a friend, you know?
It's fun!" She grins at him, then turns to look at all the wonderful,
happy people. Including one...in a tux? Hmmm. She stares intently in that
direction.


	There is an ethereal air about this attractive man, the sort that
can turn heads. A captivating face, framed by neatly groomed raven black
hair, tapers gently to the smoothly shaved chin. Alluringly impish
mischief sparkles from just below the surface of his dark almond shaped
eyes. He is shorter than average in height, and his frame hinters just on
the slender side of average for it. Combined with a rakish charm and
boyish good looks, he appears to be younger than he probably is.

	He has on a tuxedo, perhaps second hand as the styling seems to be
vintage early 1960's although the fabric and stitching appears to be new
and the fit appears to have been tailored, with a black jacket. A neatly
folded white silk hankerchief is tucked into the breast pocket, and the
white tuxedo dress shirt he's wearing is accompanied with the appropriate
black silk bowtie and cumberbund. On his feet are a pair of polished
Ferragamo dress shoes. Finally, he has with him a dark grey overcoat,
which looks to be heavy and warm.

Boh pages: Alas.

Boh pages: Anyway, gotta run. See you in January.

Zach follows Harriet's stare and raises his eyebrows. Suits aren't
uncommon in here, but a tux? Wow!

Long distance to Boh: Zach hugs Merry xmas!

Boh pages: Thanks, you too.

Zach brightens up in recognition. "Hey, isn't that Warren? What do you
think, Harriet? Doesn't that guy in the tux look verry much like him?"

Harriet still bouncing in her seat, Harriet nods. "Indeed it may be, you
know?" She smiles in that direction, then she notices his conversation
with the lady, and grins. "Perhaps we shouldn't disturb him."

Warren is just sitting there. It seems during the time others were
dancing, Warren has managed to engage the woman with the wristwatch into a
conversation. Why her? There were more than a few more obvious choices,
open and attractive, he passed along the way. No, something about this
woman must have piqued his notice. She isn't unattractive, at worst she
seems like she would be ordinary and rather plain on most nights. This
night however it seems she has made a noble attempt at dressing up and
trying to appear nice, but somehow the look seems pathetic in
juxtaposition to her depressed demeanor and heartaching air of insecurity.
Well, misery loves company so Warren seems willing to fill that role.

Zach regards Harriet with blatant admiration and deep affection. She is so
very full of life and zest and, and... "I love you," he says softly. Then
he too notices Warren's company and nods slowly. "Maybe we should. He did
get a bit annoyed with me last time I met him, for scaring off the girl hw
was photographing. Didn't say it but I saw it in his eyes.."

Harriet grins at Zach. "I love you too, you know?" she says, and then
pauses, looking slightly wary. "Er...I mean, um...that is..." she looks
nervous, and decides to take a drink. Yes. Good drink. Ignore the blush.

Long distance to Harriet: Zach grins! Poor Harriet. :)

From afar, Harriet giggles. "Indeed. She's just so damn loyal. And she
never really got to have out, once and for all, with Lucian. So... ;P"

You paged Harriet with 'Fortunately Zach is all about free love. No
strings, no catches and no expectations. :)'.

From afar, Harriet cuddles him. Zach is so cute!

Warren's conversation has become something more of a one sided thing,
where the woman who initially appeared horribly introverted starts to
become gradually more and more loquacious. Warren seems to be happy just
listening to her open up, interjecting only on occasion here or there.

Zach bites his lip and takes Harriet's hand gently. "Hey... I'm sorry if I
made you uncomfortable. You don't have anything to worry about - it's love
freely given. No strings, no expectations. Just simple, pure and free." He
smiles to her and gives har hand a sqeeze before letting go and taking a
sip of his drink.

Harriet blushes deeply, but smiles at him. "I know, Zach. But I just...I
mean..." she lapses into rather confused silence. "I just keep
expecting..." she trails off and shrugs. "There's no closure, you know?"

Zach tilts his head and looks at her. "If you mean what I think you mean,
then you are the only one who can make that closure. That's something
that's gotta happen in your heart."

Harriet waves a hand in a desultory manner. "I know," she says softly, not
able to look at him. Or anything else except the table. "But...I still do
love him, you know? I just don't know what to do about that." She shrugs.

Zach scoots a bit closer and takes her hand again. "You need to work
through that for yourself. I can't help you much with that, except from
being there for you when you need me. It's only been a few weeks, and
these things take time. Maybe you'll find your closure in a work of art
you haven't done yet."

From afar, Harriet imagines a sculpture of Harriet thwacking a
Lucian-snake with a really big stick. ;P

Long distance to Harriet: Zach snickers. :P Or tying him up in knots!

From afar, Harriet giggles. And notes that there's at least on sketch of
Lucian in celestial form in one of her sketchbooks. That's how she found
out about Brynn. :) It was a CD 6 picture, too...

Long distance to Harriet: Zach grins. I'm guessing Brynn wasn't too happy
about finding that? :)

From afar, Harriet nods! Harriet had never had a Malakite be intense at
/her/ before...she spilled cocoa on herself.

You paged Harriet with 'Oh dear! Had Zach been there he'd have drop-kicked
Brynn out the door! :)'.

Harriet pages: Had Zach been there, Harriet wouldn't have deliberately
picked that shetchbook to allow Brynn to look through.

Warren continues his conversation with his now positively maudlin
companion. As time passes he begins to whisper suggestive little whispers
to her and her mood seems to brighten slightly.

Zach glances up and notes Warren's success. "Seems Warren is getting lucky
tonight," he murmurs smilingly.

Harriet shrugs, still looking at the table. One might almost think that
she wasn't all that eager to work through it. She looks up at Zach's
murmur, though, and watches Warren with a smile. She rolls her eyes at the
phrase, but does nod. "He does seem to be doing well. Nice to know someone
is, you know?" She smiles, a little wryly, at Zach.

Hachilah pages: Just a note. Hachilah's grown a bit since you last saw
her, so she's probably looking a bit older etc.

Nothing much is changing with Warren and watchwoman for the time being,
aside her expression looking more cheerful in gradual increments. Every so
often, Warren must be asking her for the time because she keeps looking at
her watch upon his promptings.

Hachilah enters from the street.

Zach sighs a bit and rubs Harriet's back a bit. "It'll be okay honey.
Given time, it'll be allright." He hugs her.

You paged Hachilah with 'Allright. More angst for Zach then. :)'.

Harriet smiles at Zach. "I'm sure it will be," she says cheerfully, and
takes a sip of her drink. She and Zach are sitting at a table, while
Warren is talking to a woman up at the bar.

From afar, Hachilah ;)

The club is fairly packed as per usual on a Saturday night. The band is
playing swing jazz, and the dancefloor is full of happy people.


	Hachilah is a slight teenaged girl, about 16 or 17. She stands at
~5'4", although it probably seems like less because of her willowy frame.
Sky blue eyes peer out from pale skin, contrasted by a tiny strawberry
mouth. Hachilah's hair is arranged in an explosion of medium-length
bleached dreads. She has a kind of sleepy romantic look, maybe because of
the way her eyes turn down at the outer edges. She smells like Irish
Spring soap and, in general, looks very clean. She seems young.
	Hachilah is wearing a somewhat faded sky blue hooded sweat shirt.
It's definitely retro... it even has the thick red and yellow racing
stripes on the sleeves. The sweater is baggy and partially zipped up over
a vibrant green cotton t-shirt. Her pants are, as always, comfortable
denim. She has knotted some brightly-coloured beads into her hair today,
and they make her dreads swing around a bit when she moves her head. Her
sneakers are bright blue, with yellow and orange threaded laces.

Hachilah wanders into the club, her body moving with the rhythm of the
jazz as she takes a look around. Ever perceptive, her eyes scan the
room... coming to a dead stop as they fix on Zach. Perhaps it's his good
looks, but... nah, there's more to it than that. She regards him with a
quiet intensity for a moment... just watching him.

Zach kisses Harriet lightly on the cheek, and when she puts her glass down
on the table he gives her a small tickle.

Harriet jumps and squirms, laughing at Zach. "That's not fair," she yelps,
"and I bet /you/ don't have the decency to be properly ticklish either,
you know?" She mock glares at him.

Hachilah's expression changes. It starts out quiet neutral, thoughtful...
but as she watches Zach and Harriet, her lips curve into a smile and her
eyes soften. She studies them warmly through the dancing crowd for the
moment, watching them interact through the flickering movements of people
dancing on the dance-floor.

Zach smiles widely and tickles the tip of her nose. "I'm ticklish, but I'm
not gonna tell you where. Would you like another round on the dancefloor?"

Warren must have hit some nerve now, because the watchwoman's posture and
gestures turns absolutely maudlin again. Warren, for his part, looks
comforting and consoling in turn towards the woman.

Harriet hmphs with amusement. "If you did, I'd probably blush again," she
mutters, and looks out towards the dancefloor. A smile lights up her eyes.
"Sounds like fun, you know?" She bounces out of her seat, and gives Zach a
little half-bow. "Shall we?"

Zach hops up and curtseys enthusiastically. "Sure, babe! D'you wanna lead
this time?" He winks and grins at her as they make their way to the floor.

Hachilah continues watching Harriet and Zach warmly from the other side of
the dance-floor. She has a bucket in her hands which she swings absently
to the rhythm of the music.

Harriet chuckles, and looks thoughtful for a moment. Finally, she shakes
her head. "Nah, I'll let you do that. Leave it to the professionals, you
know?" She winks at him. "You curtsey charmingly, however."

"Why thank you ma'am. I will indeed lead, then." Zach lines himself and
Harriet up and strikes a pose. Then the dance starts. It's a slightly
slower tune this time, so Harriet might not get as winded as with the last
one.

<OOC> Zach says, "Roll to spot Hachilah."

AutoJudge:  Zach rolls: 4 + 4 = 8 . Check die: 6

Hachilah starts to move around the dance-floor, following the dancing
couple with her eyes as she does so.

<OOC> Zach says, "Ouch! I'm not gonna see her, even if she paints herself
yellow and does the cha-cha on my table... 8)"

<OOC> Hachilah says, "Hehe :)"

<OOC> Harriet says, "Hachilah blends in! :)"

<OOC> Hachilah says, "But that always works! :)"

<OOC> Hachilah says, "I think you should get a modifier for the brightness
of Hachie's clothing. And the bucket."

<OOC> Hachilah says, "Buckets are rare! ;)"

<OOC> Zach only has eyes for Harriet this night! :)

<OOC> Hachilah awww. ;)

<OOC> Zach . o O ( Not that she even notices I exist... *sniffle* )

Harriet beams at Zach's pose, and shakes her head a bit as she's lead into
the dance, letting the rhythm move her feet, although perhaps more
perkiness than the music calls for.

<OOC> Harriet awws and patpats!

<OOC> Harriet thinks Hachilah should jump on stage and play bucket with
the band. :)

AutoJudge:  Zach rolls: 3 + 6 = 9 . Check die: 5

<OOC> Zach says, "At least the dancing is a success..."

<OOC> Hachilah says, "Nice one :D"

<OOC> Harriet wonders what a Dancing II would look like?

<OOC> Hachilah hrms. "Could join the band, I suppose. That would be cool.
;D"

Zach leads Harriet with great flare and confidence around the dancefloor.
This time he really makes her shine, just like a good male dancing partner
should. It's that subtle way he makes it seem like she's a much better
dancer than she really is, and the cunning way he just lifts her up a bit
whenever he senses her treading wrong. His smile is a mile wide and he's
radiating enjoyment and happiness out there. Dancing with Harriets will do
this!

<OOC> Zach says, "Dancing II ?"

<OOC> Harriet doesn't tread wrong! She just follows her own...er, never
mind! ;P Dancing Infernal Intervention.

<OOC> Zach says, "I don't even want to think about it! 8) Total distaster
followed by plaster!"

<OOC> Harriet has plaster!

Hachilah's eyebrows ascend approvingly as Zach and Harriet dazzle the
dance-floor, earning applause from surrounding on-lookers and dancers at
appropriate intervals. During their dance, she makes it over toward the
band, where she is greeted with warm smiles and nods. She beams as she
converses briefly with a fellow by the stage.

Harriet is thoroughly enjoying herself, so much so that she doesn't even
notice Zach's subtle corrections of her techninque. She grins up at him
and says, "You know, you should give lessons. You're wonderful at this."
She throws in a couple of highly unorthodox steps as they go into the next
turn, simply because she is hyper, as Harriets often are.

Zach chuckles and deftly follows Harriet's new and exciting steps in stead
of correcting them. Why should he? They follow the rythm, and won't
confuse either of them. New steps are a Good Thing to his way of thinking.
"Thank you, sweetie. I might do that if the opportunity or need comes
along. Some day. But I'm not really good enough to be teaching yet. I'm
just having fun... Get ready for a throw-twirl finale."

Hachilah continues conversing by the stage. She rolls her eyes at some
point, but continues grinning as she talks and talks.

You paged Hachilah with 'Unless Harriet manages to spot you, you're going
to have to poke me if I'm to notice you. :) Failiure/6 sucks!'.

"Throw?" Harriet asks, wide-eyed, as she prepares for the finale. She eyes
Zach with wary glee. "Did you say...throw?"

Hachilah pages: I'm enjoying this :D

Hachilah grins and nods, as the fellow looks over to the band-leader and
inclines his head toward Hachilah with a casual grin.

Zach did indeed say throw. He smiles confidently to Harriet and leads them
into the last sequence of steps, counting down to make sure she's
prepared.. "Four, three, two, one!" He has both his hands on her waist,
lifts her up and in one swift movement trows her up in the air spinning
her at the same time. She manages one full turn before he catches her
again. He dips her backwards and slips down onto one knee, leading her to
sit on his other knee as the music ends. "Voila!"

The band-leader quirks an eyebrow and grins. He tosses Hachilah a wink and
nods at her, before going finishing up the song with a flourish! But not
half as much flourish as the star dancers on the dance-floor! Wow. The
crowd goes wild with applause.

On Zach's knee, Harriet throws her head back and laughs in sheer delight,
then applauds Zach herself. She gives him a deeply impressed look before
she rises to stand up again. While he's down on her level, she hugs him.
"That was just great fun, you know?" she proclaims, still chuckling.

Warren continues his talk with the weeping watchwoman at the bar. At some
point the pair continue their talk while looking over to see what the
hullabaloo is about on the floor. He leans in to her and whispers
something, while pointing towards the dancing couple. She nods with a
faint smile and then the pair return their attention to the bar, the half
filled glasses in front of them, and their talk.

"And a round of applause for the swingin' stylies of our mystery dancers."
The band-leader says over the microphone. "Let the goodtimes roll, people.
Let the good times roll." His voice is mellow, and groovalicious, oh yeah.
He nods briefly at the bassist, and the bassline starts up again, as the
band-leader continues. "Now, I'm going to take five, while you get a
treat. A friend of mine is back in town, and she's offered to sing a tune
for us. Please, welcome... our friend to the stage... the voice of an
angel... Hachilah!"

Zach laughs with Harriet and beams all around. He doesn't seem at all
embarrased about the applause. He hugs his lady back and plants a kiss in
the corner of her mouth for good measure. "Yes this is such good fun! Can
I have the next dance too, ma'am?" he asks. Then his head snap around to
look at the stage! What in God's name?! Did the man say Hachilah?

Harriet is about to nod, when the name also turns her head towards the
stage. Not with a snap, but with interest and pleasure. She glances over
at Zach, "Hey, do you think that's your sister?" she asks, a grins as she
takes in his expression. She turns back to the stage, an eyebrow raised.

Warren also turns his attention towards the stage. Perhaps there was
something about the introduction that piqued his interest. He interest is
short lived as the weeping watchwoman seems unwilling to surrender her
hold upon somebody willing to listen to her.

<OOC> Hachilah says, "Singing test :)"

AutoJudge:  Hachilah rolls: 3 + 4 = 7 . Check die: 6

<OOC> Hachilah says, "Woot. :)"

Zach stands up and stares at the stage and at the young girl entering it.
Hachilah. His expression is hard to describe. Several emotions battle it
out across his features; happiness, surprise, shock, relief, and....pain?

Cristobal enters from the street.

Hachilah climbs up onto the stage and into plain view. Her eyes go
immediately to Zach and Harriet, grinning as she meets Zach's eyes evenly.
Her grin fades, markedly, as she registers his reactions... lingering
perhaps on the negative ones... before addressing the crowd. She tilts her
head at the band. "This is a little number I picked up during my recent
travels. It's called, 'What Can You Lose'." The music turns slow, sort of
melancholic. Heavy on the piano... When Hachilah begins to sing however,
people can't help but feel the music, and couples begin to dance around.
She starts off softly... "What can you lose? Only the blues."

Well, if the weeping watchwoman at the bar with Warren was feeling all
maudlin to begin with, she's positively made a crying wreck as Hachilah's
song progresses.

Harriet grins, and glances at Zach. Her expression turns more solemn, and
she slips an arm around him. "Are you okay, you know?" she asks, very
quietly.

Cristobal slides into the bar quietly, making his way towards the bar.
Midway across the room, he looks towards the stage, and his eyebrows shoot
up in surprise. Blinking several times, he hurries towards the bar and
orders... well, whatever he orders, the emphasis on it being here NOW is
not lost on any observers.

Warren motions to the bartender after he's taken care of Cristobal, and
orders a drink for his crying companion. After asking her for the time
once again, he returns to listening to her get off her chest whatever it
is she needs to get off her chest.

Zach barely controls a wince as Hachilah starts singing. The voice of an
angel indeed.. So beautiful. The love in his eyes as he regards her is
unmistakable, but so is the sadness. Harriet's touch snaps him out of it
mostly, and he smiles softly down at her. "Yeah, I'm okay. I was just
surprised... Come, let's dance." He pulls her close him and leads her on
in this slow dance, floating on Hachilah's heartaching song.

Harriet nods, and moves slowly to the lovely song, but the look she gives
Zach suggests that she suspects he's not exactly telling the whole truth.
Ah, well. She smiles gently up at him, and lets herself sway to the tune,
so sweet and sad.

Cristobal:

An olive-skinned man of middling height. Deep-set sparkling blue eyes
watch the world around him intently, beneath a heavy mop of coal-black
hair that is ever-so-slightly beginning to retreat from his forehead. A
thick black moustache, neatly trimmed, accentuates his face. His frame is
muscular, but not overly so - it is best described, perhaps, as wiry. His
voice is deep and warm, if a touch nasal, and he speaks with a remarkable
lack of any accent whatsoever.
 
 The man is dressed casually, in a basic blue button-down shirt and black
denim jeans, with a pair of hiking boots completing the outfit. His
clothes are well-fitting, if slightly worn - the knees of his jeans are
starting to show wear, and the shirt is missing one of the buttons on his
left cuff, leaving it hanging a bit looser.
 
 Over his shirt he wears a well-worn, but well-maintained, black leather
jacket. The jacket clearly has seen better days, but it seems well-kept
nonetheless.

Hachilah continues singing, her voice bitter-sweet... a touch of
melancholy, mingled with, perhaps, the optimism of her apparent youth...
"Why... keep concealing what you are feeling? Say it to her. What can you
lose?" There is a musical interlude here, a pause in which Hachilah
regards Zach intensely, her previous good cheer having dissipated as the
song goes on. "Maybe it shows, She's had clues... which she chose to
ignore. Maybe though she knows, she just wants to go on as before... As a
friend, nothing more. So. She closes the door."

Harriet pages: Now /Harriet/ gets to squirm. ;P

You paged Harriet with 'Oh, but this is just too perfect! :)'.

You paged Hachilah with 'Have you any idea how spot on that song is for
this scene?! :) :) Yay angst!'.

From afar, Hachilah winks. ;)

Cristobal gazes down into a tumbler of whiskey. A double. He regards the
stage again, shaking his head to himself, and then tosses it back in a
single swallow. The people next to him on the barstools can hear him
mutter, "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world..." He
smiles, blandly, at the stage, and nods.

You paged Cristobal with 'ROTFL!!!'.

From afar, Cristobal grins. "And the dirty secret comes out: Lu is a huge
fan of Bogart." :p

Zach pulls Harriet even closer, alsmost reflexivly. One might think he was
as much holding on to her as leading her in a dance. It's still elegant
and smooth, but he's keeping his eyes closed. Only allowing for one short
glance up at the stage and Hachilah.

You paged Hachilah with 'There is moisture in his eyes...'.

Warren steals an occasional glance towards the stage, finding the singing
compelling, but each time he does his crying companion draws his attention
back to her. It appears that in spite of his efforts, her mood hasn't
brightened any, as the sad song in the background serves fittingly as the
score for her life.

Harriet sighs as she dances, and stares fixedly at Zach's chest. Her
expression is shading towards the melancholic itself, perhaps the music is
getting to her.

Cristobal smiles, and nods to himself, watching the stage intently. Blue
eyes glitter beneath the dark hair, and he leans forward ever so slightly
on the barstool.

Hachilah continues the song, glancing at the crowd in general as she does
so, looking away from Zach and Harriet, but as the song goes on, her
attention shifts undeniably back to Zach. "Well, if she does, those are
the dues. Once... Once the words are spoken, something may be broken." She
pauses. "Still, you love her. What can you lose?"

From afar, Harriet . o O (When did my life /become/ a musical?)

Long distance to Harriet: Zach awws and cuddles.

From afar, Harriet is just waiting for the fight scene with the dancing
Calabim.

Zach moves with the music, slowly stroking his lady friend's back as they
dance their way through the blues. He bows his head a bit and seems to be
sniffing Harriet's hair, lifting a hand to gently caress her cheek. Then
he drops it to her waist again.

Harriet looks up at Zach's caress, and gives him a lopsided smile, but her
eyes are still rather grave. She studies his face for a few moments, then
drops her gaze back down to his chest, blushing slightly.

Duke has connected.

Hachilah closes her eyes, swaying with the music as she sings, her
expression changing as the song continues, reflecting the meaning in the
words, the bitter turning point of the song resonating in the drawn out
piano chords... the stalled drums. "But what if she goes? At least now,
you have part of her. What if she had to choose?"

Duke makes his way gingerly through the crowd to his usual table,
unhooking one of the velvet ropes placed around it by the bouncers on
weekend nights, and flipping down the 'reserved for Mr. Escher' sign.

<OOC> Cristobal passes Duke a drink and explains the scene. "The jailbait
is up on stage singin' the blues, tall blond and burly is dancing with
short bespectacled and Freudian, and Warren's over there with a poor
cryin' dame. And me? I've got a bad case of Film Noir and a double
whiskey."

<OOC> Harriet frames that explanation.

Cristobal puts down the glass on the counter and chuckles. He slides off
his barstool, making his way towards the dance floor. Somewhere along the
way, he spots Tall Blond and Burly and Short Bespectacled and Freudian,
and raises an eyebrow. Folding his arms, he turns his head, trying to keep
track of both the dancing couple and Hachilah on stage at the same time,
and ends up bumping a table. With nary an apology, he shuffles off to one
side and frowns into the dim light of the club.

Duke sits down at Table 3.

Long distance to Cristobal: Zach isn't blond! You've been listening too
much to the balprop again! Oh wait... :)

Cristobal just looked at you.

Cristobal pages: Hrm. *frowns* Did your desc change at some point? I'd've
SWORN Zach was blond.

Warren finds himself in the awkward position of nearly having his tux
cried upon now, after Hachilah's sad sad song. With amazing finesse he
manages to redirect the weeping watchwomen's wet eyes away while still
managing to comfort her. He even manages to steal a subtle glimpse of her
watch too, so as not to pester her again for the time.

You paged Cristobal with 'He was /dark/ blond (i.e. brunette) up until
Halloween when he colored his har:)'.

Cristobal pages: Ah! That must've been it. :)

Duke simply motions to a waitress. And soon he has a glass of club soda,
with a twist. Almost like magic, only, you know, not. He leans back in his
seat, letting his age seep from him into the music, simply ... listening.

Hachilah waits a moment... because the music demands it. She opens her
eyes before continuing, regarding Zach intensely as she closes out the
song with with sad finality. "Leave it alone. Hold it all in. Better a
bone, don't even begin. With so much to win?" She pauses, lingering on the
silence, letting it seep into the crowd, then letting it end. "There's....
too much... to lose."

Zach is completely oblivious to any onlookers. In the here and now only
Hachilah's song and Harriet exist. He does retain enough of his senses to
avoid bumping into other couples though. As the songs trails to it's end,
he casts a final glance toward Hachilah. He's eyes are still filled with
the moisture of powerful emotions, but also with great admiration and
appreciation. The last few steps bring him and Harriet over to the side of
the floor, quite close to the stage.

Harriet relaxes just a little as the song comes to it's end. She smiles up
at Zach, and gives him a firm hug. "Go talk to your sister," she says
quietly, "I need to sit down, you know?" She pats him on his arms, then
gently disengages from him and moves around the dancefloor back to her
seat. One couldn't /really/ call it fleeing. Not really.

Hachilah's eyes follow Zach and Harriet to the stage as the music comes to
a stop. She doesn't move much, as the crowd applauds, until the
band-leader returns to the stage. She then nods her thanks, smiling to the
crowd as she climbs down from the stage and walks over to Zach.

Duke gives some light 'applause' -- the tapping of his fingers against the
tabletop, so quiet as to not disturb the continuing music, but visibly
applause naetheless -- and sips at his club soda, eyes closed.

The wolf knows to chase the sick, injured, and alone. Cristobal, with a
small smile to himself, begins walking around the edge of the dance floor
towards Harriet. His face adjusts slightly as he approaches her seat,
eyebrows raised in something approaching surprise.

Zach smiles warmly to Harriet as he lets her walk away, there's a twinkle
in his eyes. "Thanks for the dance, hon." Then he turns to face Hachilah,
and lifts his hand in quiet applause as she approaches. "That was just
plain awesome," he murmurs softly to her.

Warren steals some glances towards the stage as the song draws to an end.
He then whispers something to the weeping woman, which seems to have
cheered her enough that she no longer needs a shoulder to cry on. The pair
continue their talk, moving over to the booth Warren regularly inhabits
with his friends.

Harriet swallows a cool, refreshing draught of her screwdriver, and rests
the glass against her forehead for a moment. Thus, she can only see a
blurry shape approaching her, and instinctively flinches away and quickly
lowers the glass. When the shape comes into focus as Cristobal, she
blinks, and smiles. "Well, hello. How are you, you know?"

Cristobal smiles back. "Good evening, Harriet. I thought I saw you, out on
the dance floor," he says pleasantly enough. "It is a lovely night, no?"

Hachilah's eyes light up at Zach's praise. She approaches him about as
slowly as possible, before stopping in front of him. "Thank-you." She
regards him with a gentle smile, and intense blue eyes. "Long time... no
see. As they say."

Zach smiles back at her, but in his eyes there lurk hints of pain.
"Indeed." He reaches put to hug her tightly.

"Er, yes? Yes, I suppose it is," Harriet murmurs, with more strength. She
looks at him, a touch warily. "Would you like to join us, you know?" she
asks, and indicates the empty chair across from her. Her tone is
welcoming, although distracted. "How are you doing, Cris?"

Cristobal nods in reply. "I would be glad to," he says, sliding into the
empty chair. "I am doing passably well. What of yourself? I see you have
found a dance partner - unsurprising, really," he says with a smile.

Hachilah falls into the hug rather easily. She rests her head solidly on
Zach's chest while her arms wrap nicely around his waist, squeezing
tightly. Hachilah whispers "I can infer what happened. Was it you?"

Duke continues to listen to the new groove of the house's Saturday night
regular band, whose tempo has shifted from the influence of Hachilah's
performance. He continues to sit in his ethereal meditation, sipping
occasionally at the fizzy liquid with the lime-twist.

Hachilah senses "Zach squeezes her tightly. "What do you mean?" he
whispers back."

Warren takes a more active position in the conversation with the weeping
watchwoman. She sniffs a bit and bats her eyes dry as she listens to what
he has to say to her, and her mood seems to be gradually getting cheerier.

Harriet blushes, again. "Oh, um, yes. That's Zach. I'll introduce you two
when he gets back, you know?" She takes another sip of her drink. "Have
you had any luck finding a place to stay?"

Cristobal nods his head. "There has been some headway, yes," he says with
a small smile. "I expect I should have the papers finalized within a week
or so - there is some issue concerning documenting our income, you see."
He rolls his eyes.

Hachilah whispers "Lucian's suicide. The news struck my very heart with
it's fallaciousness." Hachilah tilts her head up to look Zach in the eyes,
regarding him with plaintive sorrow. She stares at him for a moment before
saying something softly to him.

Hachilah senses "Zach sighs. "Oh that. Yes that was me and a
choir-brother. Now I have a quiestion for /you/. Do you know what a
telephone is?""

Zach murmurs something back to Hachilah. He hasn't let go of her yet, and
doesn't seem inclined to either, even if his expression turns slightly
stern.

Harriet gives Cristobal a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry to hear it's not
going smoothly. And the troupe dumped it on you?" She smiles at him. "No
wonder you felt the need to seek out music and fun, you know?" She drains
the last of the screwdriver, and pushes the glass away, giving her room to
prop her chin up on one fist.

Cristobal spreads his hands. "I am the leader of the troupe, of course,"
he says with a small smile. "It is the price of leadership, as they say."
He smiles at her, and gestures towards her glass. "Would you like
another?"

Hachilah whispers "Of course I know what a telephone is."

Hachilah's mouth actually curves upward into a warm grin as Zach's
expression turns stern. Her eyes take on a sauciness fully known to any
parent/older sibling who has had to deal with teenaged girls. She says
something quietly in return, smiling all the way.

<OOC> Hachilah has to be going for bed rsn.

Duke drains his glass, opening his eyes.

Harriet chuckles. "Well, yes, but still...paperwork is no fun, you know?
Although," she grins, "you being a writer, you may have a different
opinion." She glances at her drink, and shakes her head. "No thanks. What
about you? Would you like something?"

Zach manages to keep his stern demeanour even if he's Being Grinned At by
Hachilah. He quietly grumbles to her.

You whisper to Hachilah, "And do you know how to operate said object? And
if yes, why didn't you call me and leave the odd message telling me you
were okay? I've been worried sick about you!" He hugs her again. Sternly.

Hachilah whispers "I did try! But. The female voice on the other end of
the line said that the call could not be completed as dialled. I checked
the number. I dialed again. The same woman answered the call, and repeated
her message. It was quite frustrating." She pauses, then adds, "There's no
cause for worry, I am more than capable of taking care of myself. As you
are.""

Hachilah oofs as the hug intensifies, raising an eyebrow as she responds,
her grin fading somewhat.

Cristobal nods his head. "I think I would," he says with a small smile.
"Nothing from the bar, though." He chuckles. "I have had enough whiskey
for one night."

Hachilah pages: No... area code... ;)

Duke looks around the room now, as the smoke rises from cigarettes and the
conversation rises from young men and women socializing and the music ...
well, it just rises from everything. He fumbles into his jacket pocket for
a pipe.

Zach grits his teeth, sighs heavily in exasperation and releases the girl.
He gently caresses her jawline. "In other words, you do /not/ know how to
work it properly." He shakes his head in almost-but-not-quite amusement.
"Let's go sit down, eh?"

Harriet chuckles, and raises her eyebrows. "Now, something non-alchoholic,
I might just join you for, you know?" She looks around, and waves down a
passing waiter with a smile. "A coke, please," she orders, and then looks
over at Cristobal in inquiry.

Cristobal nods. "You can bring me a cup of coffee," he says to the waiter
with a small smile. "Caffeine is the stuff of art, I was once told," he
says with a smile.

Hachilah quirks an eyebrow indignantly. She opens her mouth to respond,
but gets cut short by Zach's second statement. She pulls away, reluctanly.
"I can't, Zach. Not now. I hadn't plan on delaying here... I just heard
the music as I was passing by, and you were here... I'm supposed to meet
someone."

Zach ahs somewhat disappointedly and smiles softly at her. "Oh, well I'll
just be grateful you dropped by. It was good seeing you again."

Hachilah smiles and nods. She takes Zach's hands, squeezes and lets go.
"And you. Farewell, brother. Walk in peace." She smiles one last time and
heads for the exit.

Hachilah senses "Zach 's eyes get that pained glint again for a second,
but then it's gone."

From afar, Hachilah aww. Angst. <:)

Zach smiles after her. "See ya 'round, sis!"

You paged Hachilah with 'Yep! :)'.

<OOC> Hachilah says, "Night everyone :)"

Harriet snickers. "All-nighters are the stuff of art. Caffeine just helps
one preserve sanity during them, you know?" The waiter leaves, and she
leans back in her chair. "Have you written anythifor the troupe yet? I
have to admit I'm terribly curious." She grins cheerfully at him.

Hachilah has left.

Cristobal chuckles. "I am working on a piece, I think," he replies with a
smile. "Something about murders and coverups and the like - it always goes
over well. Shakespeare made Hamlet that way, after all, no?" He grins. "I
am just seeking the proper inspiration..."

Zach stands in silence, watching Hachilah make her way outside. He briefly
closes his eyes, then visibly shakes himself a bit and makes his way
toward Harriet and her new friend. He passes Duke's table on the way, and
smiles happily and warmly at seeing the old man. He stops briefly to say
hi. "Evenin' Duke, good to see you again. How's life?"

Harriet tilts her head to the side and smiles. "A murder-mystery? Won't
that be a little awkward to perform out on the street, you know?" She
grimaces. "Not to mention being a tad...grim for the holiday season.
Still, if you don't mind, I'd like to take a peek at it when you get it
written?" she asks, hopefully.

Cristobal nods his head with a smile. "I would certainly welcome your
reading it," he says with a smile. "As for the holiday season... no, I
think we will not perform new material for that. There is always a wealth
of old holiday favorites. The 'Angry Christmas Shopper' routine goes well,
the 'Incorrect Caroling Singers' routine is always a laugh..." He smiles.

Warren pats his pockets, in search of something apparently. The formerly
weeping watchwoman also searches her purse and produces a scrap of paper
and a pen, which she hands over to Warren. He begins to write somethings
down, while the pair continue to talk. After a while, it seems he's aske
for the time again and after seeing her watch he says something to her.
The woman nods and gives him a peck on the cheek. He rises and puts his
overcoat on, and looks to be saying words of parting. She smiles a little
hopeful smile and waves as he turns and starts to head for the door.

Warren steps outside.

<OOC> Zach prods Duke?

<OOC> Cristobal says, "He's old, he falls asleep easy... ;)"

<OOC> Zach sniggers. :)

<OOC> Harriet thwaps Cris. ;P

<OOC> Cristobal blinks big blue eyes. "Thank You May I Have Another?"

Duke looks up towards Zach, slowly breaking away from the rhythm of the
Saturday night. "Hmmmm?"

Zach smiles warmly to Duke. "I was just sayin' 'hi', I'm sorry if I
disturbed you. 'S good to see you." He nods and seems about to walk on.

Harriet chuckles. "I'd like to see that caroler one. I'm rather fond of
carols, you know?" She smiles eagerly. "Have you ever gone out...not
working, I mean, and gone around with a carol group? It's great fun, and
some people give you cookies!" She says this last with great delight, and
bounces in her seat.

<OOC> Duke sorries. Got 2am phone call. :P

<OOC> Duke is still dealing with it. Consider him tranced and not-here.

Cristobal raises an eyebrow. "They give you cookies for caroling, eh?" He
ponders this. "Well, I suppose it is better than thrown bricks..."

Zach continues on his way back to their table and beams at Harriet as he
returns. "Well, seems little sister had a date so she had to run." He then
smiles to Cristobal and offers a handshake. "Hey there, I'm Zach. You a
friend of Harriet's?"

Harriet just /stares/ at Cristobal for a moment. "Yes, cookies are
generally better than thrown bricks," she murmurs faintly. As Zach
approaches, she blinks and smiles at him. "Hey, Zach! This is Cristobal.
He's a director and writer for an acting troupe, you know? Just arrived in
Kaycee." She beams at them.

Cristobal smiles and shakes Zach's hand. "Good evening... Zach, is it?" He
shifts his chair slightly to ensure there's room.

Zach perks up at hearing this. "You're a playwright?" he enthusiastically
asks as he plops down on his chair and grabs his drink. "That's way cool!
Where are you guys performing?"

Speaking of drinks, the waiter returns about this time with coffee and a
coke for the other two people seated at the table. Harriet takes her soda
with a murmured thank you, and sips it, her eyes flickering back and forth
between Zach and Cris as they talk.

Cristobal takes a sip of his coffee, and then puts it back down on the
table. "We perform in the open, as it were. Transcending the constraints
of conventional playhouses, we take the art to the people where they work
and play," he says, sounding like he's quoting something. He grins at it.

Zach chuckles and relaxes back on his chair. "So you're the Che Guevarras
of the theatre world, surprising people with guerrilla performances?"

Harriet chuckles and grins at Zach. "Isn't it interesting?" she says, with
a grin. She sips her coke and continues to Cris, "I hope to see one of
y'all's performances, someday, you know?"

Cristobal snaps his fingers and smiles. "My dear sir, you have seized upon
the heart of the matter with cutting perception," he says. With a nod to
Harriet, he says, "I would be deeply pleased to see you in the audience
some day."

Zach takes another sip of his drink, half closing his eyes and listening
to the music.

Harriet gives Zach an 'isn't he just /neat/' kind of grin at Cris's
exclamation, then turns her attention back to the writer. She nods. "I'd
like that very much, you know? I do hope that you'll give me a bit of
advance warning, though." Her eyes sparkle cheerfully. "I'd hate to mess
up a performance."

Cristobal nods again to Harriet. "Of course I would, my dear. I could not,
depending on the performance, alert you to too much - for then, the
surprises would be foiled... and who does not like surprises?" He smiles
at both Harriet and Zach, perhaps challenging someone to disagree.

Zach twinkles a friendly smile at Cristobal. "I love surprises, they keep
life interesting." He then regards Harriet with a fond expression. But
there is just a wee, tiny hint of subduedness or maybe melancholy about
him. Something very rarely encountered in the Zach. Especially a Zach in
such hoppin', musical environment.

Harriet chuckles at Cristobal. "Depends entirely on the surprise, you
know?" she says, and glances over at Zach. One eyebrow rises, and she
looks at him more closely. She doesn't say anything, just reaches out and
rubs his back in a comforting motion.

A frown flickers momentarily across Cris's face as he watches Harriet
comfort Zach. "I imagine so, Harriet," he says, the smile returning.
"There are various sorts of surprises."

You paged Cristobal with 'I wonder how many bottles of whiskey a Str/9
celestial has to down before getting well and truly marinated? :)'.

Cristobal pages: Hmmm. A _lot_.

Zach flashes a greateful smile to Harriet, then manages to get the
attention of a wandering waiter. He orders a double whiskey, no make that
two. "True I suppose," he says nodding. "There is the odd nasty surprise,
but one just has to take 'em in stride."

You paged Cristobal with 'I feared as much.'.

Cristobal nods his head. "I could not agree more, Zach," he says with a
smile. "One must roll with the punches, as they say."

Harriet looks a bit surprised at Zach's order, but smiles, and keeps
rubbing her back. She looks at the two men with a rueful expression, and
says, "There is, however, a limit to the amount of unpleasant surprises
one can handle in any given time period, you know? I greatly prefer the
pleasant ones."

<OOC> Harriet says, "/his/ back, not hers. Sheesh."

Zach grins to Harriet. "Oh well /that/ goes without saying. Pleasant
surprises are the best, closely followed by surprising surprises and
annoying surprises that forces you to bend your brain a bit."

Cristobal pages: I'd offer to help enhance your marination, but all I can
do is make you more likely to become an alcoholic. ;p

Cristobal smiles at Zach. "You are, perhaps, not incorrect, Zach," he
says. "Certainly, brain-bending is a useful experience."

Long distance to Cristobal: Zach grins. How? By making me Dissonant and
then getting Fid to slap me with an Addiction Discord? :)

Cristobal pages: Hmmm. Could do that, sure. ;) Sadly, Lu doesn't know
enough about your oaths to force ya down that route. *mutters* Damn
Creationers.

Harriet snickers. "Is there a surprise scale somewhere that I missed the
memo on, you know?" She smiles at them, and then looks thoughtful.
"Wouldn't it be nice if the surprise were that there were no surprises for
a while? Interesting times, and all that." She sounds just the tiniest bit
wistful.

Cristobal chuckles. "Somehow, Harriet, I doubt that surprise will come
along for quite a long while." He shakes his head, and takes another
swallow of coffee.

Duke has disconnected.

Zach reaches out and strokes Harriet's arm, takes her hand an kisses it
gently. "I know what you mean - and maybe it will. But that's the kind of
surprise you only recognise in hindsight, though." He smiles a thanks to
the waiter as two double whiskeys are delivered.

Cristobal looks at Zach, the whiskeys, and his shameless public display of
affection, and purses his lips momentarily in displeasure. "Much is only
visible in hindsight, they say," he says.

Harriet smile warmly at Zach, then nods to both of them. "This is true.
Well, we live in hope, you know?" She grins. "And maybe we'll at least
manage a Merry Christmas!"

Zach lifts his new drink in a toast. "I'll drink to that! A Merry
Christmas to us all!" He hasn't let go of Harriet's hand.

Harriet lifts her glass in her free hand. "To a Merry Christmas to all,"
she says, sincerely.

Cristobal lifts his coffee cup, though perhaps with less enthusiasm than
Zach.

<OOC> Cristobal sighs. It's nearly 4 am here. I'm gonna crash... :(

<OOC> Harriet awws and hugs. Thanks for the RP!

Zach takes a solid gulp of his whiskey, letting burn its way through his
mouth and down his throat. Mmmm. Whiskey.

<OOC> Zach huggles. Sleep well! And thanks for the rp! :)

Harriet gently retrieves her hand from Zach, and smiles as she takes a sip
of her own soda.

Cristobal tosses back the last of his coffee, and smiles. "I fear the hour
grows late, and I think the club may be closing soon, no?" He smiles and
glances towards the emptying stage. "If you do not mind, I shall excuse
myself. As always, Harriet my dear, it was a pleasure. Perhaps sometime
during the week I can pay you a visit once more?" He smiles at her.

Harriet blinks at Cris, once, and then smiles. "Sure. Sounds like fun, you
know? I'll be working at some stuff at home, so feel free to drop by or
call." She offers him her hand. "It was good to see you again, Cris."

Zach nods to Cristobal and offers a parting handshake after Harriet offers
hers. "It was nice meeting you Cris, I'm looking forward to seeing your
troupe perform one day."

Cristobal nods to Zach. "I trust you will sometime get the opportunity,
and that you find it as fascinating as I do in the performance of it," he
says with a smile. Rising from the table, he inclines his head. "Until we
meet again," he says in parting, and then heads off to the exit.

Harriet smiles as she watches him go, then turns back to Zach. "Are you
okay?" she asks, looking worried.

Cristobal has left.

Zach smiles and props his chin up with a hand. "Yeah, I am. Just feeling a
bit funny 's all." He lowers his eyes a bit, studying the amber liquid in
his glass.

Harriet ohs, and slips an arm around him in a firm hug. She rests her head
on his shoulder, but doesn't press.

Zach leans his head over, resting it on top of Harriet's. "Just a bit...
Oh nevermind." He takes another drink, emptying his glass.

Okay, so she does press. Harriet snuggles a bit closer, and asks gently,
"Just a bit what?"

Harriet pages: The Harriet method of Interogation= Agressive Cuddling.

You paged Harriet with 'Successfully tried and tested by Zach on Harriet,
I might add! :D'.

Zach sighs and lets his shoulders slump a bit. He diesn't have to pretend
with Harriet. Shouldn't have to anyway... "I'm blue, plain and simple."

Harriet frowns with concern, and raises her hand to massage at his neck.
She nods. "You've every right to be. A lot's been going on, you know? Is
there anything I can do?"

Zach shakes his head slowly and turns his head a little to brush a kiss
against her brow. "No, I don't think there is. This is mostly past stuff.
Old stuff that..." He trails off and looks away again, fidgeting with his
empty glass.

Harriet sighs softly at the touch of his lips against her brow, and nods.
"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. If you /do/ want to,
though, you know I'll always listen, right?" She continues to massage the
back of his neck.

Zach falls silent in thought for a while. Then, "Did I ever tell you about
Neah?"

Harriet stills. "I don't believe the name was ever mentioned," she says
gently, "no. Was she the love of your life that you mentioned before?" She
keeps her tone soothing, and the massage going.

Zach nods without looking up. "Yeah, she was. We were inseparable for
something like forty years. She was an angel, a seraph of the Wind.
Beautiful like nothing or noone else in the entire universe. And sharp as
a razor - she could think and talk her way through a corcscrew in a
hurricane."

Harriet smiles fondly, even though he can't see it, and just radiates
comfort and attention. Her hand moves to massage his shoulders as well as
his neck.

Zach grabs his second drink and gulps down a hearty mouthful before
continuing in a low voice, "Then, like a blink of lightning, she was gone.
Twenty-five years ago we ran into some really tough demons, and they
managed to utterly destry her before I could do a thing to protect her."
He almost chokes. "Tore her to nothingness right there in front of my
eyes... I just....went insane. I spent the next twelve years in Heaven,
wearing my disgrace for all to see." He shakes his head.

Harriet swallows convulsively and, public mores be damned, wraps both arms
around him, holding on tightly. "Oh, Zach," she murmurs, kissing his
shoulder and just trying to provide all the comfort she can.

Zach pets a Harrietarm distractedly, giving it a smalls queeze. He moves
his other arm around Harriet, holding her as she holds him. "I learned
humility then," he whispers. "And then I came here, after having moved
around north America for more than ten years. Eventually I met Hachilah,
and I thought I was going to have a heart attack. You see... Her vessel is
a dead ringer for Neah's vessel, only it looks ten years younger. Seeing
her so suddently tonight just hit me like a brick wall. Hachi's aged a bit
since I last saw her, and..." He shakes his head and swallows.

Harriet ohs, in a barely audible voice. "That must be incredibly
difficult," she says, holding on to him. She winces, knowing the words to
be inadequate, but hopefully the sincerity of the concern and love behind
them gets through the awkward speech.

Zach snugs a bit and look down into Harriet's eyes with a small smile
forming on his lips. His eyes reflect the pain though, and they have an
extra sheen to them. "They are really very different personalities, but I
spent forty years living with Neah on Earth. I was kinda used to that
vessel. And she could sing as beautifully as my little sister did this
evening. The seraphim do have the most amazing voices...." He pauses. "I
love Hachilah dearly, but it's filial love."

Harriet nods, and raises a hand to stroke through Zach's hair. "Whatever
you feel for her, it still must have been a terrible shock..." she smiles
softly up at him, and lets her hand slide down to caress his cheek.

Zach indulges himself by leaning into her caress. His cheek is a bit rough
from the stubble that's beginning to make an appearance. "It was a bit of
a surprise, yes. A very surprising one. I've missed her, next time she
goes off a-wandering I hope she drops by to say so long." He sighs and
smiles lopsidedly. "Go I'm such a mom..."

Harriet chuckles. "A little bit, perhaps. But it's sweet, and certainly
needed, you know?" She slips the hand around his neck, and smiles. "You
care, Zach. I think you care more than anyone I've ever known, and I think
that entitles you to be a little fussy."

Zach smiles lovingly to her and then plants a firm kiss on her temple.
"Thank you," he mumbles muffledly and hugs her to him.

"Hey, it's the truth," Harriet mumbles into his clothes as she's hugged
and hugs back. She squeezes him with all her might...luckily, this is
Harriet, so that's not enough to even cause Zach to be short of breath.

Zach blinks as the lights are turned on in the club. "Oh! I think we're
about to be thrown out..."

Harriet giggles and nods. "I think you're right, you know? Would you like
to go somewhere else, or back to one of our respective domiciles?" She
gives him a lopsided smile. "I think you drove, so it's your choice, you
know?"

You say, "Would you like to come over to my place then? I'll cook you
breakfast tomorrow."

Zach he smiles and twirls one of her curls around his finger.

Harriet grins. "Sure. My place is filled with cloth, anyway. It's a pain
to walk around in at the moment, you know?" She fishes out the money for
her drink and places it on the table.

Zach pais for his whiskeys and gets up. As Harriet follows, he slips an
arm around her and leads her out and to his truck.

<OOC> Zach says, "I suggest we end the scene here - it must be way past
your betime too.. :)"

<OOC> Harriet says, "It is, it is! It's almost six am. :)"

<OOC> Harriet says, "*HUG* And since I might not see you until after the
holidays, *SUPERHUG!*"

<OOC> Zach SUPERHUGS right back!! "Have a Merry Christmas, hon! In case I
don't see you until next year." :)

<OOC> Harriet says, "You too! And thanks for the great scene. Now I'm
going to crash!"

<OOC> Zach says, "Ditto! :) Good night! :)"

Harriet goes home. Harriet has left.