21:09 <Crion> It's Halloween. 21:12 <Crion> It's a shitty night in Baltimore, really. Rainy and dreary and cold, finally, down around 45 degrees. Should cut down on mortal revelers, which is either good or bad, depending on your appetites. The Sidereal is throwing a "modern monster" party, the crowning event of the Autumn calendar and something Kingsley has been negotiating and preparing for, for weeks. The previous night, he, the 21:12 <Crion> Count of St. Sebastian, and Everafter did their traditional walk-through of the site to clear it and sanctify it in their various ways, and tonight they'll party until near-dawn. 21:15 <Crion> The doors opened at 5 PM for Friends of the Club -- changelings, mages, werewolves, and technically vampires though they usually don't start rolling in until 8 PM or so at earliest -- and limited public seating is engaged around 9 PM. Even then, most of those tickets are taken up by various mortal or half-mortal lovers, flunkies, groupies, gadflies, and so on. Most everyone in the club knows 21:15 <Crion> the score, and for the few peppy, completely unsuspecting mortals who do filter in, it's considered quite poor form indeed to take advantage of them past a scare or two (it is Halloween, after all). Morality aside, no one needs a body-count during one of the two yearly city-wide summits. 21:15 <Crion> Amelia Banthem will be watching. 21:18 <trenchfoot> There are worse gatherings to attend. This one is at least -- safe. So Nels Foulke will be there, or be square. (She learned that recently; it's catchy.) 21:18 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's got a lot on his mind during the day before the party. How's Lauren's mood, after what happened last night? 21:21 <Crion> She is, understandably, terrified. Things moved quickly after that, with the phone calls. She's actually been at The Sidereal since the once-over, since it's arguably the safest place in the city right now; Gerald, Nissa of Fives, Canterbury, and the Liaison of Winter himself have been there overnight, joined by others throughout the day. 21:21 <Crion> Stewart can have stayed as well, but at some point he'd be gently encouraged to go home, shower, and sleep; there's not much bunking in the club. 21:22 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart stayed with her until someone made the suggestion. Does Lauren need anything, though? Stewart can stop by her place and pick stuff up, or go shopping, or or or... 21:22 <VoxPVoxD> He feels so helpless. 21:23 <Crion> Her specific instruction on that count was to go to her apartment, and then the law office, and take all of her computers physically offline -- powered down, unplugged, network cables disconnected -- just in case. 21:24 <Crion> The Kitchen appears to actually live here himself, and has the food handled. 21:24 <Crion> Other than that, she just wants him. 21:24 <VoxPVoxD> Then they'll have to drag him out of there. But the Gardener has a way of doing just that with words and looks alone. 21:24 <VoxPVoxD> He doesn't go straight home, however. 21:26 <Crion> Melanie, meanwhile, has received an e-mail from Langford List in acknowledgment, tersely informing her that they'll talk at The Sidereal tonight with the rest of the Summer Court. 21:26 <trenchfoot> ...how is the Kitchen, for that matter? That's likely Nels's first stop, unless accosted beforehand. 21:26 <banana> How long has it been since Melanie Lucas went to an actual party? 21:27 <Crion> He's grumpy, but he's always grumpy. When does Nels arrive at The Sidereal? 21:28 <trenchfoot> Doors at 5, so... fashionably late but still before the rush at 6, 6:30. She'll be able to leave early while still having been Around if it gets to be too much. 21:28 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart arrives at the Belvedere - parking his own fucking car - to find Fireman coming out to meet him halfway between the door to the Owl Bar and the elevator. 21:28 <banana> A real proper get-together, people from different groups and cohorts, music and drinks and singles, the stuff of life.. it always felt like the attendees were magical creatures. 21:29 <Crion> Fireman: "Stewart. Heard about last night from Everafter. Suspected you might be coming. The artifact?" 21:29 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah." 21:29 <trenchfoot> She walked, by the by. Unless she was offered a car to pick her up. Still: driving, not exactly something she can handle just yet. 21:30 <banana> Is she anxious about not knowing anyone or how to act anymore? Extremely. Was it traumatic to dress up nice in something that fits plausibly on her real jagged, wooden limbs? Mildly. But it's a party. 21:30 <Crion> He nods. "This way." He buttons his coat and leads Stewart to the private elevator, swiping a hand over the security card pad; it dings in recognition and opens. He hits a button for the 13th floor. It's the only floor this elevator goes to. 21:31 <Crion> In that case both the lunch and dinner menu is open for Nels (before the rush gets going and it becomes large orders or appetizers only, no custom entrees). The fare is mostly bar food, but if The Kitchen isn't doing anything at the moment he should be able to cook up just about anything he has the ingredients for. 21:33 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's silent the whole ride up. 21:34 <trenchfoot> ...has she been given a name other than The Kitchen? Titles-as-names are okay, but it feels rude still. Anyway: "Hey, hey. Hamburger for one, with an egg?" If he is busy, she's not gonna get in his way. 21:36 <Crion> As the elevator ascends: "Everafter and Sommelier are very protective of their space; please don't touch anything but your computer." The elevator dings as it arrives, but the doors do not open. Instead, Fireman says, "Library." There's a SsshhhhTUMP, and an oddly weightless feeling, and then the elevator door opens on...a library. 21:38 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart doesn't respond, but he does keep his hands folded in plain sight in front of him until he gets to his machine. 21:38 <Crion> The ceiling feels a bit too high; the windows are tall and beautiful but they're oddly frosted over, even though it's not quite cold enough for that, and it's hard to see what's outside. There are shelves and shelves of books, each one with a locking display case in front of it, and public tables for reading. On one side of the room, there are larger, odder objects, also in cases, though 21:38 <Crion> these seem just as much to protect you from them as them from you: an old M1 Garand rifle, a strange puzzle box (no apparent similarities with anything in popular culture), a CD collection... 21:39 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart could see himself losing a lot of hours in a place like this. 21:39 <VoxPVoxD> He doesn't exactly mean that as a compliment. 21:39 <Crion> The Kitchen is, in fact, his name now. He doesn't like giving out his real one (understandable) and finds inventing a new one frivilous and silly. "Comin' right up," he says gruffly. 21:41 <banana> The Freehold bar is close enough that Melanie considers walking - she can walk pretty much forever, but not quickly. She's impatient enough to ride, instead, the bus; the MTA's night rider program is pretty great when it's early enough that the crowds aren't drunk yet. 21:41 <Crion> Along the back walls of the Library, a number of private rooms. Fireman walks over to the librarian's desk in the center and raps on the desk twice, then does something with his hands underneath it, and the door to the second open thunks open. 21:42 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's second word since coming inside the building is "Thanks." 21:42 <banana> Bus service.. wasn't something that figured in Melanie's previous life, so when she relearned about them she'd forgotten the stigma. Now she doesn't give a heck. 21:42 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Thanks." Sweetheart, really, even if he is rough around the edges. "Anything I can do to distract your adoring fans? Keep 'em away from your workspace?" 21:42 <Crion> Fireman will show him back to where The Book of Things Strange and Wonderful has been set up. The PC it's on, anyway. Fireman nods. "I'll wait here for you." 21:43 <banana> Last time she was at this place she went in from the carpark and it was mostly a blur of being shown past security cordons to the ~kings and queens~. Is there an actual street entrance? 21:43 <Crion> The Kitchen grimaces, which is what happens when he tries to smile. "Not unless you can cook yerself. Dancing's gonna make them hungrier and thirstier." 21:44 <Crion> There is, Melanie; a pair of fae-touched bouncers -- a man and a woman both of whom she's seen in previous visits to the place, employees of Banthem's -- nod at her when she walks up and will let her in without paying cover. Some rando in a sexy banana tries to follow in Melanie's wake and is sternly stopped. 21:44 <Crion> Costume, that is. 21:44 <Crion> An actual sexy banana with a person inside is far more likely to be on the list. 21:45 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I could. Not like you, but I could help." And it'd keep her away from the ruckus. 21:46 <Crion> The Kitchen's brows shoot up. "Well come on back, and roll up yer sleeves." 21:47 <trenchfoot> She rolls up her sleeves first, then heads on in. Sweetheart indeed. 21:47 <VoxPVoxD> He put a lot of mental energy into formulating a search string that dives at terms he wants but isn't so elaborate it shaves off usable results. He doesn't know how many times the software will hold up before the box kicks itself again. <arcadia* +factory artificial LED huntsman pelican> 21:49 <banana> Of course Melanie's allowed into the club. She's got the new kind of In, which is to be Out, which is currently In. "Keep it in your metaphor pants" she shoots back at banana guy... merrily? Doesn't know or care where that came from. 21:50 <banana> It's time to get drinks and be introduced to people she doesn't know more or less automatically by virtue of standing out.. which, she's starting to remember, can be a good thing. 21:51 <banana> Who's the first random monster she comes across that isn't mid-mingle? 21:53 <Crion> There aren't many people here yet -- the guards on Lauren duty mentioned above aren't out on the main floor. There are a couple Winter courtiers here already though; Jordan Kit, the mousey little catboy, and Spring, Winter's trigger-woman. They're argue-gushing about a band called My Chemical Romance getting back together over by the bar. And the Davids, Smitten and Smote, are deep in 21:53 <Crion> conversation by the stage with the mage Union, while Harlan Jape runs through some sound tests. 21:53 <Crion> So that would mean it falls to...Gemma Franklin. 21:54 <Crion> Recently of Arcadia, and now of the Winter Court, who has excused herself from the arguing MCR teens and is sort of wandering around aimlessly. 21:54 <Crion> Her eyes light up, relatively speaking, when she sees the paperbark. "Melanie!" 21:56 <banana> She's alive! The one the Mistress.. didn't care about? "It's Gemma! Have one of these, if you drink these. And like, welcome to everything!" 21:57 <Crion> Stewart gets a long, relatively meaty entry. Maybe 'meaty' isn't the best word, since it's all about robots. There is one True Fae who dispatches robotic huntsmen with pelican heralds -- pelican is a known form, but it can be any bird EXCEPT one of the standard, known witchy birds; so pigeons, perhaps, but not ravens or crows. The birds are usually all-white. That True Fae has the Title of 21:57 <Crion> Sky Mother, and if "robots" and "sky" and "glowing red eyes" is beginning to set something off for Stewart, yes: 21:57 <Crion> It appears this thing is...some form...of Skynet. From the Terminator movies. But not quite. 21:58 <Crion> Instead of satellites, the Sky Mother manifests as a great robotic spider encircling the sky, crawling up over the horizon; its legs never step or crush, per se, but they're vast space-borne superstructures that support the great monster that is always watching. 21:58 <Crion> And when it sends a Huntsman after a victim who has escaped via strange, science-magic portal back to "the past," it sends an unstoppable, unkillable bodybuilder. 21:59 <Crion> Relatively speaking, of course. 21:59 <trenchfoot> Not Nels' first time working in a restaurant, though it is her first time working beside The Kitchen. Whatever he needs done, she'll assist without complaint. "This is - standard?" she says, at some point during downtime. He's a busy guy. 21:59 <Crion> If it is based off the Terminator, well...the T-100s die all the time. 21:59 <Crion> But they always come back. 21:59 <VoxPVoxD> The mouse cursor trembles on the screen in time with the shaking of Stewart's hand as he scrolls to the bottom. 22:00 <Crion> The Kitchen: "This is the busy season. I get off three, sometimes four days a week during Summer and Winter. Spring and Autumn, though, we do a lot of work in here." 22:00 <Crion> "I don't mind it. Like to keep busy. Feeding people, that's honest work." 22:01 <Crion> Gemma will tentatively hug Melanie, if Melanie doesn't recoil. "It's so good to see you! Thank you again!" Then she takes the drink. "Oh, and thank you." 22:02 <VoxPVoxD> Okay. Okay. This isn't enough. It's not nearly enough. It won't bring the end of this. But it's a start. 22:02 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I wasn't one for honest work before, but -- " chopping up some vegetable -- "I can see how this is... fulfilling." 22:02 <trenchfoot> "You do this alone?" 22:02 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's mental quest log filters down. Disconnect Lauren's hardware and research the Huntsman are both struck through. All that remains is, Unaccountably try to go to a party. 22:03 <VoxPVoxD> This time yesterday his biggest worry about the party was dressing up the wrong amount. 22:03 <Crion> The Kitchen snorts. "No, I have a few assistants. They don't start today until a half hour before the doors open." 22:04 <banana> Melanie: "You're totally in the deep end here. There's going to be some really cool people around and also like.. things I don't even know the name of? Friendly things." 22:04 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Well, good. I'd feel awful if I just left you to this all the time." 22:05 <Crion> Gemma: "Yeah." She lowers her voice. "Someone told me vampires are real?" 22:05 <trenchfoot> "...so who's better, them or me?" 22:05 <trenchfoot> She's not serious. Or is she? (No.) 22:05 <Crion> The Kitchen laughs: "You beat them on skill, but two pairs of hands beats one." 22:11 <banana> Melanie: "Yeah, 'real' in the sense that they're actually out there, or in here pretty soon. In the Lacanian sense.. no. We're from a different algebra of signifiers, a complete metaphysical worldview - theirs doesn't account for us and vice versa." 22:12 <banana> She'll steer them across the room toward what was probably 'David Smote' and his... partner? Time to find out about that ellipsis. 22:12 <trenchfoot> "When're they showing up? I'd like to meet them." And avoid the main party. She might play a few songs anyway, but hiding out in the kitchen? Pretty solid. 22:12 <Crion> Gemma blinks. "Whoa." 22:12 <Crion> "So what happens when the uh algebrae come into conflict--oh, here we go." 22:13 <banana> Melanie: "It's good actually. You can treat someone from one of these cross-halloween disciplines as, like, just a person, because the weird things we care about don't matter at all to them." 22:13 <VoxPVoxD> ...Stewart *is* a little bit dressed up, though, when he returns to the Sidereal after completing his errands, getting home, cleaning inside the oven, and napping for an hour and a half. Deep indigo shirt and black slacks that fit very well, and nice new leather shoes. 22:13 <Crion> David Smote sees them first and raises his beer. "Ah, the new girls. Well. Two of them." 22:13 <Crion> The bouncers will nod to him as they let him past. 22:15 <banana> Melanie: "This is Gemma! As you may know, you're David and... David?" 22:15 <VoxPVoxD> Does anyone try to grab his attention between when he walks in and when he gets up to Lauren? 22:16 <Crion> Not particularly, though Nels and Melanie are probably in position to see him walk in. Gerald will be on the door, openly carrying his Canadian FAL, and he'll nod Stewart through. 22:17 <Crion> Smitten laughs. "Smitten, and Smote. And before you ask, we're twins, not clones or fetches or anything like that." 22:17 <Crion> Union: "So sadly, no threesomes." 22:17 <Crion> Smote: "And the horny mage here is Union." 22:18 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart will make eye contact with Melanie or Nels if he sees them, and give a small but sincere smile. 22:19 <VoxPVoxD> But he doesn't change course for anything. 22:19 <Crion> He grins. "More relevantly, I'm also the largest wholesale pot dealer in Baltimore. If you need a connect." 22:19 <Crion> Smitten: "Always hustling, man." 22:19 <banana> On some level, Melanie is having effortless fun; she's also a bundle of nerves (not literally; twigs). She's riding revived instincts while trying to also be authentic to whoever the heck she is now. Liquor helps; hanging out with Tony's been instructive in that regard. 22:20 <banana> She bows slightly to Union. "Melanie Lucas. I'm pretty green, too!" 22:20 <Crion> Gemma looks like she's a bit uncertain what, precisely, is a joke here and what is serious, among the gay/weed dealer/mage triumverate surrounding Union, and seems to settle on 'all three are true,' which is correct. 22:21 <Crion> He nods reverently. "If I make reference to 'smoking trees,' please know it's entirely an expression." 22:22 <trenchfoot> Nels is still focused on the Kitchen, but she'll give a nod and a smile to Stewart when she sees him. He's probably been the most helpful person since she - came back. 22:22 <Crion> Smote, to Melanie: "Heard you've been getting into some shit out in the Hedge. Getting your first blood. Loyalists and Pigs, huh?" 22:23 <banana> One which is more literally hurtful than he knows- but Melanie's managed to keep that secret from everyone, so far. She should probably warn List. "Does your stuff work at all for, um, alternative biologies?" 22:24 <banana> To David: "Yeah man. It really didn't go according to plan at all, which has got to be like.. normal?" 22:24 <banana> "Do we have any kind of library on this stuff? Small group tactics in the context of hedgespun battlefields..." 22:25 <Crion> Upstairs, Lauren is sitting a booth with the Liaison of Winter, currently still in his 'Colin' guise. Sitting propped up next to the booth is one of those drum-fed combat shotguns you usually only see in video games. 22:26 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart will slide in next to Lauren unless a guard or something waves him off. What's the mood in the booth? 22:27 <Crion> Smote laughs and shakes his head. "Not really how Summer works, kid. There's the dojo, and you can train with the old-heads whenever they get some time, but you've met the Street." 22:27 <Crion> "Man doesn't really...maintain a library." 22:28 <VoxPVoxD> Maybe he could start now that he's not melting his CAT5s anymore. 22:31 <banana> Melanie: "Well, we all lived." In different circumstances she'd like to talk about this.. but Gemma's right there. It'd be best to move things along. "Hey, I should be the one calling you kid.." 22:31 <Crion> 'Colin' is in good spirits, not even forced, apparently, while Lauren seems to be enjoying herself despite herself; she's got a three-fourths eaten meal from the Kitchen in front of her and is drinking water. He's speaking: "--but yes, Mission: Impossible was a huge influence on what I guess we're calling my 'personal brand' these days -- ah, Stewart!" 22:32 <Crion> Stewart is welcomed at the table. 22:32 <Crion> Smote grins: "Not on this side of the Hedge wall. I got six years seniority on you." 22:32 <banana> Hopefully that's a hook which changes the subject and comes off as odd, interesting rather than aggressive? She doesn't knowwww. How do people react to things. They're endlessly fascinating, people, they're the point, but how do they work. Melanie can't believe she used to think this was obvious. 22:32 <VoxPVoxD> "Hey." He gives Lauren as big a kiss as he judges won't be awkward with the coming Winter king sitting two feet away. It's pretty big. 22:33 <Crion> More seriously: "Nah, but that's good shit. It's not that like...we didn't trust you, or trust List's judgment, or anything. But everyone's gotta get their first kills, you know? Good to see you can carry it." 22:33 <banana> "Oh yeah, you've got lived experience and like, actually knowing how to do stuff.. muscles.. I'm just saying, technically I'm like the oldest person in this room." 22:34 <Crion> Lauren will kiss Stewart back. 'Colin's Mask averts his eyes; his Mien, of course, doesn't have any. 22:35 <Crion> Smitten: "That's true. How are you settling in, Gemma?" 22:37 <banana> Melanie shakes her head. "I haven't quite-" No, don't ruin it! She'll turn that into a mumble rather than interrupt Gemma. 22:37 <banana> Melanie shakes her head. "I haven't quite-" No, don't ruin it! She'll turn that into a mumble rather than interrupt Gemma. 22:40 <Crion> Gemma: "It's been...you know. Shitty and scary. I'm actually from Cleveland. I kinda don't want to go back there now, though. Mostly I just want to crawl into bed and stay there until I need to eat." 22:40 <Crion> Smitten smiles warmly. "You are Winter Court all the way. But that'll pass." 22:42 <banana> Melanie: "And nobody's going to mind if you actually stay there for a while. Come out at some point, we'll doorknock you to make sure of it, but like.. it's incredibly okay and normal to set things aside a bit. Depersonalise the noumenon until its shadow retreats from the coming ecliptic." 22:44 <Crion> Nels has until around 8:30 for the other cooks to arrive. 22:44 <Crion> Union, deadpan: "Oh, definitely." 22:45 <Crion> 'Colin,' to Stewart: "How'd it go?" 22:46 <Crion> It's up to Stewart whether he told the Liaison of Winter where he was going or why, but the man seems to know anyway. He is the Freehold spymaster, after all. 22:46 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I'll be back, but - mind if I fulfill some social obligations? Say hi to some people and prove that I was here before I swing back and work the kitchen some more." 22:46 <banana> Melanie's keeping an interested eye on Union. Stewart's mentioned the wizards of Baltimore.. users of a kind of magic that claims to be deeper than Wyrd, engaged in existential/cosmic struggles against some real fucking douchebags. She's not sure what their philosophical implications are; they kind of make a mockery of the whole discipline. 22:47 <trenchfoot> She very carefully does not waggle her eyebrows at The Kitchen. 22:47 <banana> There's one obvious question, though- "Do you guys manage to avoid being as changed?" 22:48 <Crion> The Kitchen nods gruffly -- he seems to be able to do that a lot for an Elemental of steam and cookfire, instead of a Wizened -- and shoos her off with a ladle if she lingers. 22:49 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart just being here with Lauren in what feels like the safest part of the safest place in Baltimore tonight is doing more for his energy level than the nap did. It's so cozy he almost forgets to answer the question. "Pretty well. I think I got about as much as I could've expected." He didn't tell Colin, but he did tell Gerald and well, he's spent a lot of time being watched very 22:49 <VoxPVoxD> closely. It doesn't occur to him to feel intruded-upon. 22:50 <Crion> 'Colin' nods. "You get a sense of what's coming? If it'll be power, or finesse?" 22:50 <Crion> Union: "Huh?" 22:50 <Crion> "Oh!" 22:50 <Crion> The mage hesitates. "Yes and no." 22:50 <Crion> "Mostly no." 22:51 <Crion> Union: "We go through a lot less shit on the front end, for sure. We kinda pay for it on the back end." 22:51 <trenchfoot> Nels slides out then, and into the crowd. Let's try and have a conversation so it's not obvious what she's doing. 22:52 <trenchfoot> Who's available? Most of the people she knows are otherwise occupied... 22:53 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "I think we're looking at more of a sledgehammer than a butterfly knife." 22:53 <trenchfoot> Melanie and Stewart certainly are, at least. 22:54 <Crion> 'Colin' nods. "Well then the current strategy is sound. If it was an infiltrator, we'd have to move her. Maybe to Swordhome. 22:54 <Crion> " 22:54 <banana> Melanie: "What does that mean, though. Weird and interesting threats? Something claiming your, like, eternal soul?" 22:54 <Crion> Gemma sees someone and waves across the bar. "Nels!! Over here!" 22:55 <banana> "It's the night for spooktales." 22:55 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "What's our, like, clearance, here? Should we be staying up here, can we move around the club? You know, like... stay away from windows obviously." 22:55 <trenchfoot> Oh, thank God. An excuse to not hover around the Kitchen like a weirdo. "Hey! Hi!" 22:55 <banana> Oh shit! Nels! Melanie is going to smile and gesture in a way which might or might not be possible to interpret as 'could you bring another round over with you'. 22:57 <Crion> Union puzzles that one for a second. "So, it's like...you ever see that Disney movie, Aladdin? And at the end, Jafar wishes to become an all-powerful genie -- and he does! And then he gets sucked into the lamp. 'Phenomenal cosmic power...itttttty bitty living space.'" 22:57 <Crion> "That's what it's like being a mage in the Fallen World." 22:57 <Crion> Belatedly he waves a hand around. "Y'know. Here." 22:58 <banana> Melanie was holding a glass of Blue Rev, until recently. Glass isn't ideal, she worries about scratching the cup, but bars are used to wastage... 22:59 <Crion> 'Colin': "Thanks to the wards and such we had laid down last night, we'll know immediately if someone breaches any door or wall with hostile intent -- or opens a portal into the Sidereal with the same. Lauren, it's probably best for you to have someone with you at all times, but there's no need to bunker down." 22:59 <banana> Melanie: "Yeah I know, normal people call it that too. The smash mouth timeline, etc." 23:00 <VoxPVoxD> Good thing girls only go to the bathroom in groups already anyway. 23:01 <Crion> Union: "Our deal might seem a little better than yours because our Awakenings aren't, you know. Hell prison. But the world punishes us for existing, for even using our magic at all in any flashy or substantive way, you know? And we got shit chasing us, too." 23:01 <Crion> "Little safer to bargain with than your True Fae, but not by much." 23:02 <trenchfoot> She swings over to the bar first to get herself another Chatanooga Dew and a refill for Melanie - she gave the sign. Only fair. "Melanie! And Gemma!" where does she know her from it's gotta be recent probably "Been a minute, hasn't it?" 23:02 <banana> 'Fae', capital F is a term Melanie has heard precisely once before. A formal term for Keepers, faeries.. the way the wizard uses it sounds taxonomic. She nods. "The terms of another algebra." 23:03 <banana> "Nelssss" 23:03 <trenchfoot> it'd frankly be weird if it wasn't recent on account of oh no don't think about that "That's me!" 23:03 <Crion> Gemma will give Nels a hug too, carefully though, given the drinks. 23:03 <Crion> Smitten: "Nels!" Smote nods. Union says, "Yo." 23:04 <banana> Melanie: "We miss you Nels. Come around a bit more? Tony's going for the GED too, he calls it a Ged.." 23:04 <banana> "Anyway, I bet we could do like.. study sessions." 23:05 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Hello! And. We could, definitely, but -- Tony's going for a GED too? He didn't say anything to me!" 23:06 <Crion> 'Colin:' "Only thing I ask is not to leave the premises without clearing it with someone. Also..." 23:06 <Crion> "The Young Street might drop by tonight." 23:06 <Crion> "Talk of a Huntsman has roused his pouty lordship." 23:06 <banana> Melanie: "Well, you didn't say anything to him. We're kind of like hermit crabs." 23:08 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Damn. Well that's... good...?" 23:09 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I'm not a crab! I'm more like, an intensely private songbird." 23:09 <Crion> 'Colin' shrugs. "It's not bad." 23:09 <VoxPVoxD> If only someone knew why the caged bird sings. 23:09 <banana> To Smitten-or-Smote: "Is it better to poke one claw out of the shell at a time or like, bust out? There's the problem of the wrong kind of attention." 23:10 <Crion> 'Colin': "Anyway, you kids should go mingle. The werewolves should be showing up soon. Those guys are always a riot. Sometimes literally." 23:10 <VoxPVoxD> "Cuth and Kolsch back in from the county?" 23:10 <VoxPVoxD> He's looking at Lauren when he asks but it's an open question. He just likes looking at Lauren. 23:11 <Crion> He sort of waggles his hand. "They're not REALLY county. But they're basically county. Anyway they don't murder college kids on the UMBC campus for sport, so they're fine by us. They might be bringing the kid, too." 23:12 <Crion> 'Colin' shakes his head: "Weird enough for the vampires to have a boy-king, but at least he's 300 years old and just kind of lazy. But a tee--...a werewolf teen? I guess we're not one to talk with some of the kids we have hanging around." 23:13 <Crion> "Not you guys." 23:13 <banana> Melanie's congratulating herself a little for ending up with a mixed group of guys and girls, although it isn't really... relevant. Habit. 23:13 <VoxPVoxD> Involuntarily Stewart's mind conjures images of a Sidereal kid's table with a teen werewolf and Lister stuck at it. 23:13 <Crion> "But Jordan's completely not allowed to be here by law." 23:14 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "I'm sure technically a lot of us aren't. At the very least, like, the number of people in this room tonight who are undocumented." 23:14 <VoxPVoxD> "But yeah." 23:14 <VoxPVoxD> "Has he been in before?" 23:15 <Crion> 'Colin' stands up. "Yeah. It's the safest place for him, sometimes. Jordan doesn't have the best survival instincts, from time to time." 23:15 <VoxPVoxD> "More teen than wolf, then." 23:17 <Crion> "Oh, you mean Liam Two-Tone. No, this will be our first time hosting the once and future king of, I don't know. Disappeared campers. Cuth said he has an 'old soul,' which is hopefully code for 'not as much of a party animal as Kolsch Cameron.'" 23:17 <trenchfoot> Nels, sidling over to Melanie: "You think you could help me with the Kitchen? I want to kiss the cook." She waggles her eyebrows, if Melanie looks. 23:18 <banana> !!! "Omg. Who's that, there's a guy called that, right? Where is he? What's he like?" 23:18 <Crion> Smitten, to Melanie: "Slow and steady is how we do it in Spring. Courses, job assistance, that kind of stuff. Community work, for our community." 23:19 <Crion> Smote, to Melanie: "We're a bit more direct in Summer...but there's value in what they do over at the community center." 23:19 <trenchfoot> What is "oh em gee." Other people are speaking to Melanie, though... 23:20 <banana> Don't worry, she's ignoring them. This is more important. 23:20 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah... I'm looking forward to meeting them." 23:20 <VoxPVoxD> To Lauren: "Want to stretch your legs?" 23:21 <banana> Not totally ignoring, actually - Melanie's lit up in a way Nels won't have seen before, fizzing as much as her drink; she's hopping back and forth between conversations but is definitely extremely interested in Nels' request. 23:23 <trenchfoot> She thumbs over to the Kitchen, not as subtlely as she thinks she does. "He's sweet. Great cook, obviously. Kind of closed off but we were hanging out for a while -- I'm waiting for his assistants to get here so we can spend some more time!" 23:24 <Crion> Lauren: "I'd love that." 23:24 <Crion> She'll stick close to him, perhaps a bit uncharacteristically quiet. 23:25 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's got his arm around her probably 90% of the time. 23:25 <VoxPVoxD> Hey, there's a big knot of people with Nels and Melanie in it! 23:26 <VoxPVoxD> "Hey guys!" 23:26 <trenchfoot> Nelanie. Melsanie. 23:26 <trenchfoot> Next one should be water. "Hi!" 23:26 <banana> Melanie: "Well, you don't need a wingman, what you need is.. has he like, Seen you?" 23:27 <banana> She's going to smile an apology at David Smitten, though. "I've got to get some info on your community services later!" 23:27 <trenchfoot> Nels: "We were cooking together and he accepted my help. I don't know what that means but I'm pretty sure I did a good job?" 23:28 <Crion> Smitten raises his glass in acknowledgment and turns back to Union and his brother. 23:28 <banana> "Stewart, can you confirm that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach? My mom used to-" Melanie falls silent for a moment. 23:30 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Well, I think of a man's heart as a Deus Ex level. There's a lot of different approaches. You know, room for some personality." 23:30 <Crion> Lauren giggles at that. 23:30 <trenchfoot> Nels: "God from the level?" 23:31 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "It's a video game, named 'Deus Ex'. It imagines the future is bad in a comparable but more stylish way." 23:31 <trenchfoot> Nels: "This is plenty stylish..." 23:31 <VoxPVoxD> "Remind me to show you vaporwave." 23:34 <banana> Wouldn't it be God of Level? Melanie's heard of God of War at some point, but- this is irrelevant. "What do we know about Kitchen apart from his hobby? Obviously he didn't have a ring." 23:34 <trenchfoot> Nels: "...I guess I'll take your word for it." She's eyeing the Kitchen again. 23:35 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart follows Nels's gaze. "Why are - oh man. No way." 23:36 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Hmm?" 23:36 <VoxPVoxD> He seems surprised but not displeased. Lowered voice: "You have a thing for the Kitchen?" 23:37 <trenchfoot> Nels, suddenly alarmed: "Shhh!" 23:37 <trenchfoot> Quietly: "Yes! And I'm trying to find a good time to go back there again!" 23:38 <Crion> The Kitchen is in his element right now, juggling two or three dishes at once -- sometimes literally. It's really quite something, especially the part where he lights a burner from across the room by snapping his fingers. Hard to tell if that's the Elemental in him, or the artist. 23:38 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart presses his lips together, which squishes his smile into a weird little smirk. 23:38 <trenchfoot> "I need some water. And also I need to know what his preferred drink is." 23:38 <VoxPVoxD> "Well he's gotta take breaks, right? At least for a couple minutes." 23:40 <banana> Melanie: "They bring out more dishes when a group comes in the door. We've had a brief lull, so when the next trick or treaters get here it'll be abundance. The Covey mindset." 23:42 <banana> "Maybe.. a good time to offer some help? The trouble is you gotta be Seen but without being in the way. Kitchens are busy." 23:43 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Oh, I was helping him earlier. I wanted to spend some time on the floor before the rush hits in earnest..." 23:43 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's watching Melanie as he chats with Nels. She's nervous, energized. He sees a heart in motion and a mind at work. He likes her. He hopes she doesn't think he's a coward. "You could go up on the pretext of taking a group of people's orders up." 23:43 <banana> Melanie: "What kind of magical being... is the hungriest." 23:44 <banana> "Like it's not going to be vampires. But when the werewolves get here?" 23:44 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Do you think 'kiss the cook' is too awful. Because I'm thinking about it." 23:45 <banana> "Question:" 23:45 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Anyway, like, I dunno. It's possible to overthink this. Something you can forget is that if you're a pretty girl and you walk up to a guy and are like 'I want to kiss you', that's going to work like, 75% of the time." 23:45 <banana> "How attached are you to your shirt?" 23:45 <VoxPVoxD> "It only took Lauren three, four tries." 23:45 <trenchfoot> Nels: "It... is... on my body?" 23:45 <banana> To Stewart: "Yes! You're right. He's right." 23:46 <banana> "Here's what could also be on your shirt, and therefore your body: an amusing slogan with a double meaning." 23:46 <Crion> Lauren rolls her eyes. "Thanks, Stewart." 23:46 <Crion> Lauren: "I'll point out that in this situation, HE'S the cook." 23:46 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Absolutely." 23:46 <banana> Melanie: "Well, it would be a statement of intent." 23:48 <banana> "We could absolutely find someone with a marker, or some glitter - you go back there to help again, and last time you weren't wearing a KISS THE COOK shirt, and now you are. It's subtle." 23:48 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I don't think that's subtle, actually." She's smiling, though. 23:48 <Crion> Lauren: "It's Halloween. Make it part of a costume or something." 23:49 <Crion> "That's like, the only plausible deniability you have, girl." 23:52 <banana> Melanie: "And it's the absolute most you need." 23:53 <banana> "Seriously, let's go to the bathroom and fix this. I can do art direction, if it involves directing people to draw art." 23:53 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I'm going to go work the Kitchen." 23:54 <Crion> Lauren rolls her eyes. "I'd better go too." 23:54 <Crion> She seems to be enjoying herself, though. 23:56 <VoxPVoxD> So that leaves Stewart... standing by himself. 23:56 <VoxPVoxD> He looks around. Anyone else roving around looking for someone to talk to? 23:56 <Crion> No...but someone is coming in the front door. 23:56 <Crion> Don't worry. It's not a Terminator. 23:57 <trenchfoot> What's a - nope, more important things. 00:00 <Crion> It appears to be a group of three: a punk-rock skateboarder looking dude with half his face painted like a skull, an older guy who looks both absolutely jacked but slightly-going-to-seed -- just a tank-like dad bod on him -- and a very handsome but very young man who does not look like he should have passed a card check. The skateboarder dude lets off a mocking wolf's howl and cackles. 00:00 <Crion> The werewolves have arrived. 00:00 <VoxPVoxD> Oh shit. 00:01 <trenchfoot> Nels sashays - holy shit, she can literally sashay that's new - over to the Kitchen. Propelled by the power of a few drinks and a desire to not be around whatever is happening behind her right now, she says to the Kitchen: "Hey, handsome. Placing an order. You think I could kiss the cook?" 00:05 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart makes eye contact with each of the new entrants in turn, and each of them feels their Essence thrumming. 00:07 <banana> Melanie and Lauren watch in horror(?) as the decorated Foulke approaches her target. "We've abandoned Stewart. I feel guilt." 00:07 <banana> "But like, a skerrick or sub-skerrick. He didn't wanna see this." 00:07 <Crion> Cameron Kolsch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I34zOUZCXM -- Champagne, cocaine, gasoline, and most things in between; I roam the city in a shopping cart, a pack of Camels and a smoke alarm. 00:07 <Crion> Cuth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaD7Hk-C8XQ -- Why should I worry? Why should I care? I may not have a dime, but I got street savoir-faire. 00:07 <Crion> Liam Two-Tone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOz2cvHDDJc -- I'm gonna be the main event, like no king was before; I'm brushing up on looking down -- I'm working on my roar! 00:08 <Crion> Lauren: "Yeah. Especially since I think it's working--" 00:09 <Crion> The Kitchen takes one look at Nels, then takes another, much longer look -- his face going bright, bright red. "Ah. Ahhh. Sacre bleu. I. Ah." 00:09 <Crion> "The Kitchen...is open?" 00:11 <banana> Melanie's looking Lauren up and down speculatively. Last time they met it was.. a much more comfortable setting, but paradoxically awkward as a result. The club is neutral territory. 00:13 <Crion> The sleazy uncle grins at Stewart and winks in return, while the guy with the facepaint has literally lifted Union off of his feet and is playfully windmilling him around on his shoulders before putting him back down. 00:13 <Crion> The kid looks...less overwhelmed than he should. 00:14 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I certainly hope so." She pulls him away from prying eyes. 00:14 <Crion> And far more polite than the other two. 00:14 <Crion> There are, in the time that the Kitchen and Nels aren't front of house, a few odd bursts of steam from the back. 00:14 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart'll go up and offer the older man a hand. "You must be Cuth. Lauren's told me about you guys. Stewart Reader." 00:15 <VoxPVoxD> To the kid: "Which makes you Liam." 00:15 <Crion> The older man will instead fist bump him. "Hey man. Yeah, yeah. Lauren good? No one showed up yet?" 00:15 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah, no trouble so far. She just stepped away." 00:16 <VoxPVoxD> He returns the fist bump after the inevitable split-second awkward pause. 00:16 <Crion> Liam smiles pleasantly. "That it does." Liam will fist bump too, but he seems just about as awkward at it as Stewart. 00:17 <VoxPVoxD> Liam's song does not sound right at all. Does Stewart remember the Lion King wrong? 00:17 <VoxPVoxD> No shadow crosses his face as he considers this. 00:18 <VoxPVoxD> To the both of them: "Which means that'll be Kolsch." 00:18 <banana> Melanie: "She did it. I don't know why she did it, but she deserves it." 00:18 <Crion> Cuth grins and Liam sighs. In unison: "That'll be Kolsch." 00:19 <Crion> Cuth: "Cam! Don't break the weed hookup! Without his consent!" 00:19 <Crion> Union, while spinning: "Thanks, Cuth," 00:20 <Crion> Lauren: "The Kitchen's been a workaholic since he came back anyway. I just hope it doesn't make things weird." 00:21 <VoxPVoxD> Kolsch is... a little much for Stewart, even now, about as outgoing as he's ever been. 00:22 <VoxPVoxD> To the three of them collectively: "So how are you guys doing tonight?" 00:22 <banana> Melanie gives Lauren an incredulous look. When she smiles, her face crinkles a bit, white bark flaking, but the expression tends to come through. "I mean.. did it?" 00:22 <banana> "You know about workaholics who end up finding someone, right?" 00:22 <Crion> Lauren grins. "Between me and Stewart? Nah. But I also know I want to stay with him." 00:23 <Crion> "And he wants to stay with me." 00:23 <Crion> "Nels, well, just ambushed a guy in the laziest slutty cook outfit in the world." 00:23 <Crion> "Hopefully the poor guy doesn't take it hard when she's not interested in something long term." 00:23 <Crion> She pointedly ignores the "they become your job" crack. 00:24 <Crion> Kolsch, meanwhile, like, almost punches Stewart during the fistbump, such that he has to raise his fist almost in self-defense. Stings a little, but only for a second or two. 00:26 <VoxPVoxD> Haha. Yeah. Okay. Stewart does not like this guy. It's a weird thing to observe about himself, from the remove he's put between his mind and his emotions. You never see that sort of impression forming in real time. It's also completely unfair, and unreasonable, Stewart reminds himself, probably not for the last time tonight. 00:26 <Crion> "Hey man, what's up. So you're like, Lauren's boyfriend? That's chill." 00:27 <banana> Melanie: "Yeah, you'd better. Um, look, I know this is discourteous:" 00:27 <banana> "Stewart is my first friend. In about three hundred years. He's actually nice, which is more than most of us can say, and he gets things..." 00:27 <banana> "You.. are making him very happy. So you are very good. Provisionally." 00:27 <Crion> That gets a pretty pointed blink from Lauren. "Oh?" 00:27 <Crion> "Is that so." 00:27 <Crion> When her eyes flare this time, it's not a blush. 00:28 <banana> Melanie: "It is! I wanted to note your contribution." 00:28 <Crion> "Contribution noted, bitch," Lauren says, walking away. 00:29 <banana> wait hang on wait 00:30 <banana> Is this even not what Melanie wanted? She doesn't know. 00:30 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah! That's me. How, uh, how's... all the horrible shit in the woods." 00:30 <Crion> Kolsch grins freezes on his face, then fades. Quieter: "It's horrible shit in the woods, man. I don't wanna think about it tonight." 00:31 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's hands-up, concilatory. "My bad." 00:32 <banana> ..sometimes moving slowly is a choice. Melanie doesn't freeze up; she follows, putting her empty glass on.. something or someone. "Lauren, please wait a sec." 00:32 <Crion> He grimaces. "It's fine, man. Bad shit all over." His grin comes back while he's still looking at Stewart; seems meant to be reassuring, but it's slightly predatory, too. Werewolves. To the other two: "Whatcha want from the bar?" 00:33 <banana> Melanie: "I'm really bad at this. I'm really specifically bad at talking to people and I don't want to upset you or to be rude." 00:33 <Crion> Cuth: "Natty Bo." 00:33 <Crion> Liam: "Ginger ale, for now." 00:33 <Crion> Lauren stops after a couple steps of Melanie's second line. "Well, you're not wrong." 00:34 <banana> "Could we please take it that I'm overconfident and drunk and said.. something wrong." 00:34 <VoxPVoxD> That reminds Stewart he has to decide if he's drinking tonight. Provisionally... 00:34 <VoxPVoxD> No. 00:34 <banana> This would be easier if Melanie knew what she said, though. 00:35 <Crion> Lauren crosses her arms, but her eyes have stopped glowing anger-red. In a more mollified tone: "Okay. Yeah. Apology accepted, even though that wasn't...actually much of an apology. Whatever. We can work on that. For next time? Don't open something you mean as a compliment with 'yeah, you better.'" 00:36 <banana> Well, she knows what she said, but not why Lauren reacted. Or how she wanted her to react.. her speech patterns, habits, they come from a time that's not very far away but a totally different social status. This is excruciating! She can't even remember how to sweat. 00:36 <Crion> Kolsch moves away to the bar. Samaritan is riding on his shoulders with her own beer in hand when he returns. "WOOOOO! Hey Stewart." 00:37 <banana> "I'm sorry Lauren. I intended to evoke.. the friend or family member who was jokingly giving their blessing to a relationship. Like, a speech pieced together out of movie cliches and memories where I.. probably was a bitch, who I used to bed." 00:37 <banana> *to be 00:37 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Happy Halloween, Samaritan." 00:38 <Crion> "Happy Halloweeeeeeeen!" she says as Kolsch passes out drinks. Then she tugs gently(??) on his hair and points at the stage. "This way!!!" 00:38 <banana> There's usually a bit of Summer around Melanie, a smoky ripple that's present but not particularly intense. It's faded into actual nothing. 00:38 <Crion> Kolsch just grins and shrugs at Cuth and ambles over towards the stage, where Harlan has finished setting everything up. 00:39 <Crion> Cuth: "Man I do not understand that boy's energy. And it ain't just because I'm getting old." 00:39 <VoxPVoxD> Oh hey! Stewart's just noticed the guy setting up. 00:40 <Crion> Harlan Jape -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKL-BYhRJu8 And we've been burned by all our fears, just from growin' up around here; our father's factories marked our cards, While Eden burned against the stars 00:41 <Crion> Lauren softens a bit. "That's fine. And I'm sorry, too. I probably overreacted. It's been...a long two days." 00:42 <banana> Melanie: "Okay. I really want you to do well, both you guys." 00:43 <Crion> Lauren smiles. "So do I. Let's get another drink." 00:43 <Crion> The Kitchen is still, ah, busy, but the goat boy from Summer, Capra, is behind the bar now. 00:45 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart'll join Melanie and Lauren at the bar. Whatever bad energy passed between them has dissipated so that Stewart can't notice it by the time he arrives. "Nels really got after it, huh?" 00:45 <Crion> Lauren: "I didn't take her for the partying type." 00:45 <trenchfoot> It's been a minute. 00:46 <banana> Melanie was just about to retreat into the corner and watch things for a while; she's got a lot more to learn. 00:46 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "She's had a lot of re-orienting to do. I kind of expect her to, I don't know... change kind of a lot, as she gets a surer foot in the world she got dropped in." 00:46 <banana> She'll take Lauren's offer up instead, but... what if she says the wrong thing again? What if she means the wrong thing again? There was something in there earlier- the condescension of an assumed superior. Queen of the party granting praise and making threats. Is that who she used to be? Is it who she wants to be on some level? Most people aren't as understanding as Stewart and Maggie 00:46 <banana> but that's a problem too because they might understand more than she does, about herself. Damn it. Lacan had nothing to say about this reality. 00:46 <VoxPVoxD> Like Melanie, he thinks but doesn't say. 00:47 <trenchfoot> ...Several minutes. Something like, uh, 50 million minutes. And change. 00:48 <banana> Well, Melanie might be looking a lot more familiar to Stewart right now... "Yeah, we encouraged her and I think it's good for her but I'm not sure that's who she is yet, just some kind of.. necessary step? To get connections back?" 00:48 <banana> "Lauren pointed out that it's a bit unfair to the Kitchen, but when the heck is he going to pull better than this?" 00:51 <Crion> Lauren: "I wasn't THAT brutally honest." 00:52 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "It's hard to know what kind of place he's in just from the outside. Like I was definitely not, uh, 'on the market' when I met Lauren. We just... kinda clicked." 00:52 <banana> Melanie: "My editorialising. Sorry again!" 00:54 <VoxPVoxD> Wait, again? 00:55 <Crion> It looks like things are getting started at the stage in the front. Some mortals and hangers-on -- all pre-cleared, all dressed for dancing -- are milling about the floor. David Smote is talking to Harlan Jape, who is laughing and shaking his head, but in a way that communicates "sure kid," not "no." 00:55 <VoxPVoxD> Oh, well. Melanie must have stepped in it somehow when they were alone together. By no means inevitable with Melanie but not... unheard of, either. 00:56 <banana> Melanie: "That particular market's got to be fraught for us. It's not just a matter of efficient preference expression.. people are going to come back anywhere from obsessed to pathologically disinterested, or the most common thing has to be that you just have some of yourself... dormant. Like indefinitely." 00:57 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah, I've been thinking about that, lately." 00:58 <VoxPVoxD> "Especially about like, problems that are sort of us-specific. Like, man, if Lauren was even in a different court my life would suck a lot more. Nevermind if one of us'd never been through the Thorns." 01:00 <banana> Melanie: "Are you not interested in spending a whole relationship lying about fundamental aspects of yourself?" 01:00 <banana> "It's a joke, but- some people would do that. Even prefer it." 01:01 <VoxPVoxD> Lauren might not have a lot of experience of Stewart speaking closely with other people, but by now she's probably observed his tendency to mirror whoever he's talking to. Conversations with Melanie are very abstract and cerebral and more shockingly frank than he'd ever be with Lauren. And then there was the way he acted around Society... 01:01 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah, no I couldn't. I actually had a conversation about this the other night with, uh, my fetch." 01:01 <Crion> On stage, Smote does Outkast's best song serviceably well. This is a song that's really easy to fuck up, and he doesn't, but he's obviously not a pro. The crowd still gets into it, though. <+trenchfoot> <VoxPVoxD> I'll start proccing the loophole | https://www.youtube.co 01:01 <Crion> lol 01:01 <banana> Melanie: "Oh, wow." 01:01 <Crion> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaFygeknae8 01:03 <VoxPVoxD> But he quiets down when the music begins. 01:03 <Crion> David Smote -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gJ3HzBbdxI Nobody speak, nobody get choked. 01:03 <banana> "It's in Maryland? Did you meet it?" 01:03 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart judges that both of these are good, but the soul-song is much better than the voice-song. 01:04 <Crion> Lauren: "Yeah, how is that guy?" 01:04 <Crion> Referring to the fetch. 01:07 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "He's a great guy. He goes by Stu. Married," little catch in his voice "real nice house out in the county. Beautiful yellow lab named Beau. He works as a firefighter. He works out." 01:08 <VoxPVoxD> "Lauren helped me hook him up with Gerald so he can get a better grip on stuff." 01:08 <Crion> Lauren: "Damn." She pauses to drink, then looks over at Stewart. "Yeah, I can't see you as a firefighter." 01:08 <Crion> "No offense." 01:08 <Crion> She sort of squints teasingly. "Like maybe...five hours in the gym a day..." 01:09 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah, no, none taken. I didn't even like sliding down the pole as a kid." 01:09 <banana> Melanie listens intently. 01:09 <banana> "He's.. different to you?" 01:10 <banana> "On his own terms, rather than as a reflection?" 01:10 <VoxPVoxD> "It turns out that our, uh, return, is really psychically fraught for them. He was having nightmares of me, like, coming and destroying his life. He started having dreams where he could like, see me, sort of through my computer screen somehow? Bits of my life that you could only see if you were watching me through a machine." Another little catch. 01:10 <Crion> Meanwhile, Amelia Bantham slips out from offices in the back and behind the bar, touching Capra on the shoulder to let him know she's there. Business is picking up, so she starts cleaning glasses while he takes orders. She hums while she does it... 01:11 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah. He put in a lot of work to make it his life and not somebody else's that he got dropped in. He's very chill, kinda... kind of a broey vibe, almost? But in a really sweet way. He reminds me of Tony a fair bit." 01:11 <VoxPVoxD> Oh shit, it's the Gardener. What's she rockin? 01:12 <Crion> Amelia Banthem -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVws52PPvEA It gets all right to dream at night, believe in solid skies and slate blue earth below; but when you see him, you'll know. 01:12 <Crion> The moment he hits her with the Hedge-busker's Tip, her eyes shoot up...and she returns the favor. 01:13 <Crion> Smiles indulgantly and nods, then continues washing glasses. 01:13 <banana> "Through a machine. Is that.. how he'd get a warning?" 01:13 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart Reader -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adrjxbVOtXk That's the terror of knowing what this world's all about... 01:14 <VoxPVoxD> That's the first time someone's used it on him since Lauren. Feels nice. 01:14 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "I think we have a kind of sympathetic connection. Like between the two machines in the server setup that gives us our internet." 01:15 <VoxPVoxD> "He can sort of... feel my presence." 01:15 <banana> Melanie: "Yes." 01:15 <banana> It's a flat confirmation, not a 'tell me more'. 01:15 <VoxPVoxD> "But I get nothing from him. It seems to be totally one-way." 01:16 <VoxPVoxD> His face lights up at Amelia's song, though. That's Lauren's band! 01:17 <Crion> Lauren: "Gerald and Kingsley are the same way. I think it's a defense mechanism?" 01:17 <VoxPVoxD> He instantly likes Amelia, who's never spoken to him, more. 01:17 <VoxPVoxD> Almost never, rather. He remembers she was the one who shooed him out earlier. 01:17 <Crion> She doesn't see it because she's happily saying, "Hey, Amelia!" to Amelia. 01:17 <Crion> The Gardener smiles. "Hello, dear." 01:17 <banana> "Is it?" 01:25 <Crion> Up on stage, Smote is sort of like, baiting Nissa of Fives up, saying he'll sing along with her. She seems embarrassed. 01:26 <banana> Melanie: "Dinner with her girl and a friend, steak. Bitching about the coach. They're all pretty immersed in the world of the game; I would have been, too. Why think about anything else? She's.. it's a good restaurant, I see nice red leather seats. I don't know who's paying. This might not last but it's good right now." 01:26 <Crion> She's also in slacks and a sleeveless vest showing off some powerful arms, instead of her suit from the last time. 01:26 <Crion> Lauren: "...what the--" 01:27 <banana> "Allie's got a lot to say about the old coach too. She's like a mentor, I guess. I don't follow it well enough to understand who's right. That's not me anymore." 01:27 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart completely misses the powerful arms, looking at Melanie. Though Melanie's also got-- anyway. "...wow." 01:27 <banana> "Little bits of it never would have been but they're... little. Well, one's pretty.. tall." 01:28 <Crion> Up on stage, they kick it off: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwWVC8kLqjg 01:28 <banana> Melanie hasn't noticed the Queen at all; she's nearly knocked over a glass, so it's pretty clear she's looking Elsewhere. 01:29 <Crion> It takes awhile for Nissa to get into it -- Smote is singing lead -- but by the end the screaming is fantastic. 01:30 <VoxPVoxD> Booya. 01:30 <banana> Melanie blinks- "What's that noise? Niice." 01:31 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "I just read something about an MCR reunion show, actually." 01:31 <VoxPVoxD> "It's out in LA though..." 01:31 <Crion> Nissa of Fives -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XKlRZ9Kq4w I'm not laughing, you're not joking; I'm not dead, I only dress that way. 01:31 <VoxPVoxD> A ha ha ha hell yes. 01:32 <banana> "That song can't possibly be My Chemical Romance." 01:33 <banana> Melanie: "Or.. they got good while we were away." 01:33 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "They were always good." 01:33 <banana> Melanie: "Lol." 01:33 <VoxPVoxD> "Unbelievable." 01:34 <banana> He's serious isn't he. This... is forgivable. 01:36 <Crion> Amelia: "So how are you kids enjoying everything? Under the circumstances." 01:37 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart looks appreciative, but instead of answering verbally he gives Lauren a squeeze. 01:38 <Crion> Lauren smiles. "It's the best it can be. Under the circumstances. Thanks." She squeezes back. 01:38 <banana> Oh! "Good evening, spring queen. This is.. a good party." 01:39 <Crion> Amelia: "Hello dear, and thank you for saying so." She smiles, and her eyes catch the light. 01:39 <banana> Literally? 01:39 <Crion> A little bit literally. 01:46 <banana> Melanie didn't want to be defined by the song, but after Stewart told her, she had to know. She's looked it up and if they get involved the Karaoke, it might even be what she sings. 01:46 <banana> Melanie Lucas -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MJh2jSkqqA Now I've got that slow, sinking feeling- like a bird without a wing... 01:47 <Crion> Amelia's smile widens. "Feel free to sing, if the mood takes you." 01:47 <Crion> "And if not--" 01:47 <Crion> There's some commotion near the door. 01:47 <Crion> Still not a Terminator. 01:47 <Crion> Amelia straightens. "Well, look who it is." 01:48 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart doesn't chastise himself for looking up sharply. Cause then the one time he finally relaxes, BOOM. Terminator. 01:48 <banana> Melanie can't tell whether Amelia Bantham is judging her, but she wouldn't be able to do anything about it if she was. 01:48 <Crion> The Vigilant of Summer has arrived, flanked by Langford List. Melanie does recall from Langford's email that he said "the rest of the Summer Court would be there." 01:50 <banana> Hell yeah. Who needs a Terminator? ..and why are we talking about those, anyway? 01:50 <Crion> The Young Street is in timbs, jeans, and a white tank-top. He shoulder bumps and hugs a few people in the crowd, greets a few others, then jumps up on the stage and daps Harlan before embracing Smote and Nissa in succession. "That's right!" His voice carries. "That's right!" 01:51 <Crion> Langford List -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPqK3DkAD6A And you packing your gun, but what you really gonna do when the motherfucking law wanna fuck around with you? 01:53 <Crion> "Yeah, alright," says the Street. "We'll do something old school. Mobb Deep. Back in the day. Harlan, gimme the beat." 01:53 <Crion> His song is the same as, well, his song. 01:54 <Crion> The Young Street -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoYZf-lBF_U Son, they shook, cause ain't no such thing as halfway crooks. 01:55 <Crion> His performance doesn't actually set the room on fire, but it comes close. 01:56 <VoxPVoxD> Damn. 01:56 <VoxPVoxD> Yeah, he can buy this guy putting Stu through a window. 01:57 <banana> he is so cool 01:57 <Crion> When he's done, thunderously, he drops off the stage and straight-up chestbumps the werewolf Cuth at full strength for both men, before they embrace. 01:58 <VoxPVoxD> To Lauren: "So what are you going to sing?" 01:58 <Crion> Lauren's eyes go red again, but she's back to blushing. "That--I--ah--" 01:58 <Crion> "Surely that'd be...a security risk!!" 01:59 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's eyes widen. Oh my god. 01:59 <Crion> Langford List makes his way upstairs, but not before nodding at Melanie in acknowledgment. They can talk when she has a minute. 01:00 <VoxPVoxD> It illuminates his whole face - literally, his pearlescent skin catches ambient light like the surface of the moon. He's glowing gently, both literally and figuratively. "Why Lauren Ipsum." 01:00 <VoxPVoxD> "Is that nerves I detect?" 01:01 <Crion> She like, half-punches his shoulder. "Yes!!" 01:01 <banana> Ahaha. Melanie is going to excuse herself, but- "It's a dignity risk if you don't do it." 01:01 <Crion> The Young Street is, meanwhile, making his way slowly back their direction. He's also holding court, though, something he clearly enjoys doing and which is heightened by him so rarely appearing. 01:02 <Crion> Lauren: "Not you too!!" 01:02 <banana> She's.. briefly terrified as she gets up. How did Lauren take that? But you can't just- whatever, whatever. 01:03 <banana> Oh, is the Street passing by here? Then before she goes upstairs, Melanie will execute something like an actual courtly bough. Bow. Whatever. 01:04 <VoxPVoxD> "This conversation isn't over," Stewart will murmur against Lauren's neck before he sits at attention as the entourage rolls up to check on her. 01:04 <Crion> The Street will do that reverse chin-nod acknowledgment and stop to face her. "What up, girl. Heard you did us proud in the Hedge. Like to see it. I owe you an apology." 01:05 <banana> Melanie: "Street, I'll keep working." 01:06 <Crion> He nods. "That's what I like to hear. Keep the focus. Langford's upstairs. I'm gonna see your boy and his girl, but I'll be up." 01:07 <banana> Melanie raises her eyeridges at Stewart and Melanie, then leaves. Good luck to them? 01:07 <Crion> Leaves, does she? 01:08 <Crion> One assumes she also walks away, 01:08 <banana> Upstairs, yes. 01:09 <banana> There probably are leaves left behind given how long and inattentively she was at the bar. She can't help it!! 01:14 <Crion> The Street swaggers over, flanked by Smote and Nissa now...and someone new. Slightly older man, Latino, close-cropped hair, Wizened, wearing dark slacks, nice shoes, and a button-up shirt open two down. He's got black-out John Lennon glasses on, and he's idly whistling. Around his neck is...a Baltimore Police Department detective badge. His mantle is furious Summer, but his manner seems almost 01:14 <Crion> mild. 01:15 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's eyes widen slightly, not at the fire giant bearing down on him, but on the badge. 01:20 <Crion> Detective Serrato Colt -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dy3pJZNJJ4 Just waiting to see some sun, never knowing if that day will ever come; left alone standing out on the street, 'til you become the hand that turns the key. 01:20 <Crion> The detective notices him staring. "I'm Detective Colt. Don't worry." He leans forward, right by Stewart's ear. "I'm the one that gave those three up." 01:21 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's shoulders relax, but his facial expression settles into a slightly harder position than it began in. He nods once. 01:21 <Crion> He's got something holstered at his waist; it's a revolver, and it looks like an older gun. Non-standard. 01:22 <Crion> The Street laughs. "Well, the vampires had something to do it with." 01:22 <VoxPVoxD> Immediately Stewart wonders if there's a huntsman out there with Big Iron as their song. 01:23 <Crion> Colt, mildly: "The vampires hemmed and hawed and insisted they didn't know who they might have had on the force." 01:23 <Crion> The Street shrugs. "It's good to have diverse friends." To Lauren: "How you doing, kid?" 01:23 <Crion> Lauren: "I'm fine, sir. Thank you." 01:24 <VoxPVoxD> Sir, huh? 01:24 <Crion> He snorts. "I'm only sir when I'm the king. That, or I'm getting old." 01:25 <Crion> To Stewart: "So you're Kingsley's new prodigy? And Santander's." 01:25 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Well, I'm the new guy anyway. Stewart Reader. It's nice to meet you. You were, King-in-Court when I came over but I wasn't really doing a lot of freehold stuff at the time." 01:28 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart doesn't offer a handshake if Street doesn't first. He seems more likely than most to dislike the ritual. 01:29 <Crion> He laughs. "All good!" Instead of a handshake, he'll slap Stewart on the shoulder. "Heard you did good in that shit with the Pigs, and whatever happened with Proctor. That's good enough for me. Enjoy the party." 01:29 <Crion> The Vigilant of Summer will then retreat to a private but prominent booth with his retinue, and oversee the party. 01:31 <VoxPVoxD> Now it's just Lauren and Stewart by themselves. "How are you doing?" he asks. 01:32 <Crion> Lauren: "I'm..." 01:32 <Crion> "This sucks, man. This isn't how I wanted to spend time together." 01:33 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah." 01:33 <VoxPVoxD> "It's almost like it was on purpose. You know, like... timed to fuck with you." 01:33 <Crion> "It's even worse because now I've got like, the Street going out of his way to be here and the Liaison trying to cheer me up -- that dude! -- and it's like, I don't want to be this important." 01:34 <Crion> She frowns. "What do you mean?" 01:36 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "I don't know, like... when the Herald showed up. Why not a week before? Why not two days later? I just... like if you had to pick a moment to drop that on someone where it would be most disruptive, and most, like... damaging to a hard-earned feeling of happiness and safety." 01:36 <VoxPVoxD> It doesn't occur to Stewart that he's thinking out loud from the perspective of a Keeper. 01:37 <Crion> Lauren kinda shivers. "Yeah. Yeah." 01:37 <Crion> "And it fucked up the party for everyone else too." 01:38 <Crion> "Well, not the Street, I guess." 01:42 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah, it's bullshit. I guess it could be worse, though, on that front. Like the bosses are pretty much always worrying about something, right? I doubt this kills the buzz for them. And a lot of people just... don't know anything's up yet." 01:42 <Crion> Lauren: "Yeah...but like. What if this is just my life now." 01:42 <Crion> "AUGH!" 01:42 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "It won't come to that. We'll figure something out." 01:43 <Crion> "I can't believe I kind of want this fucking thing to show up, to get it over with!!" 01:43 <Crion> "Not, you know -- not like that." 01:43 <Crion> "But they can take it, right? The Freehold?" 01:44 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah. I think we'll need to think sideways at it to deal with it on a longer-term basis though. But we will." 01:44 <VoxPVoxD> "And like... if it had to be that way. If we had to crush this thing once a month every month for the rest of our lives, we would do it. We'd do it gladly. Because we need you, and we love you." 01:44 <Crion> She leans her head against his neck. "And I love you." 01:45 <Crion> And that seems like a good place to leave it, until the party really kicks off. 08:50 <banana> https://66.media.tumblr.com/593e44b22eb2b065277ef8b60640e11f/affcd457b4899185-d8/s640x960/8e9df87dfff24c69aeca4a869c9c068efa506338.png