May 03 22:15:00 107 PA - The Alibi - Place of Ill Omens
From Chronicles
"I've got nowhere else to be, but it's hard for me to try and impress her if she's not there." Bridget explains that little detail to Mikjel and grins more to Erica. "Wouldn't be right if we both tried to shoot or spar tipsy, either." She's on a stool at the bar, without a drink for the moment and talking with Erica and Mikjel.
Heading in Ash pulls his two pistols out of their holsters, spinning them and then depositing them into the armored barrel where he gets his key. That done the quick-flex makes his way into the club, seemingly dressed for dancing and a night out on the town. He's already moving with the music as he makes his way towards the bar and then beams a smile when he spots Erica and Bridget, "Ladies!" He calls out loud enough to be overheard over the music and volume of the club. "You look as ravishing as ever." Seems he's in a very good mood.
Mikjel laughs, tossing back the last of his drink and setting the glass on the bar. "Then I reckon I'll let the two of you work out the details yourselves." He gives them a grin and raises his hands in mock-surrender. "Seeing as I ain't liable to see women in clubwear shooting big guns tonight, I reckon as I'll retire to my bunk and maybe spend some time thinking about it." He gives both of them a bow, then steps back, preparing to leave.
Erica gives Mikjel a warm smile as she reaches out to give him a quick but affectionate pat on the shoulder. "Thank you for the dance Mikjel. I hope to see you again soon." She says before turning back to the bar and her drink. Taking a sip of her drink before she raises her glass in a gesture of greeting to Ash. "Hello Ash." She says with a smile and then turns to Bridget. "I'm sure we can schedule some time at the range at some point. The next Op isn't for a little while yet."
Bridget gives Mikjel another smile. "Maybe next time? Another dance sometime wouldn't be bad, either." A hand waves to her glass for a refill, since no job-related work means she can get tipsy, or dance, or both. "I'm sure we can meet up when we're better dressed..." She's stopped a little short with Ash calling out, and swivels around on her stool to face him. "As always? I dressed up, this time..." There's some pout there.
Mikjel gives Bridget a smile on his way past, saying, "I'd love another dance, another day." And with that, he's slipped out the door, on his way home.
"Ahh but your beauty transcends that Bridget, you could be wearing rags and still have the bearing of a goddess queen." Ash says with a grin and then he gestures towards the bartender holding up two fingers. Apparently he comes here enough for the bartender to know what he normally orders. Relaxing against the bar he smiles at Erica, "Do you have a line on the next job by the way?" He asks her curiously before he looks back to Bridget, then glances at Mikjel before he looks back towards Erica and Bridget. When Mikjel is well out of the range of hearing he leans over towards the closest of the two ladies, "Watch that one, he got in trouble here a little while back... apparently he is quite a 'player' when it comes to women's hearts."
Nemain stops to lock up her pistol as she enters. He belt wrapping around the holster as she trades the gun for a voucher chit to be pocketed. Hard ot miss her if anyone is looking for her as there are how many heads of hair like that?
Erica turns around in her stool slightly as she takes a long sip of her mixed drink while regarding Ash. "Well I have a line on a next job sure. Always have to look for the next piece of work when you are done with the last one." She gives her shoulders a quick shrug before raising an eyebrow at Ash's comment. Laughing softly to herself she looks at her drink and takes another quick sip from her drink. As Nemain walks in she spots that white hair and she gives her a quick wave in greeting.
One brow quirks at Ash's counter, then the other, and Bridget's pout dissolves to a grin. "It doesn't sound like he's the I should watch out for." She prods a finger at his purple self. "You're the flattering one, and you're setting up jobs, and... Do you dance, too?"
Nemain offers a small grin as she catches the wave. One hand lifting in return, before she turns to look out over the dance floor almost yerningly. A couple other people get waves as well, before she starts towards the bar. Mostly she ignores the stares she gets.
"I most certainly do." Ash says with a flash of a grin at Bridget, "Not that I claim to be the best thing since sliced bread when it comes to dancing... but I have the unique ability to not really care if others thing I am a good dancer or not." He then pays for his drinks before he takes one and sips from the dark liquid in the glass then offers the woman his other hand, "Shall we go for a whirl on the dance floor?" He waggles his eyebrows playfully. If he's noticed Nemain, he's not made any indication of such a thing.
Erica finishes up her mixed drink with one final long drink. She sets the empty glass on the bar and retrieves her purse. Climbing down from the stool she gives Ash and Bridget a little wave. "Well I think that is it for me for the evening. It was nice to meet you Bridget." She says as she starts heading outside to catch the shuttle. Raising her hand she gives Nemain another wave this one a wave goodbye.
Bridget lifts a hand to wave to Erica. "You, too." Before her hand drops, her glass is filled, so she can snatch it up for sip as she looks back to Ash with a cheshire grin. "Well, if I'd do better with sliced bread, that's easier to pick up then men. Probably listens better, too..."
Nemain chuckles softly as she watches Erica head for the door. She finally makes her way to the bar and leans across to talk to the 'keep. What she gets is something fizzing in her glass. Though it's bright green in shade. She settles in against the bar and turns her attention towards the dancers and other patrons.
"Sliced bread is hard to beat, I admit." Ash says with a laugh, "But, I can promise not to step on your toes. Surely that's worth -something- in the grand scheme of things." He then reaches a little closer, "Come on. What could a dance hurt, and no, I'm not one you have to worry about playing with women's hearts." He says simply, "I find mine gets played with more than the other way around. Such is the curse of those who have no nose." He says playfully with a teasing and light tone.
"Well, since you put it that way..." Bridget winks and sets her drink on the bar and holds out a hand to Ash. "Would be easier if you had no heart, instead? I just hope you're not as soft and squishy as bread..."
Nemain's lips quirk slightly as she catches parts and pieces of the conversations around her. Her glass lifting for a slow sip as she studies the room as she plays the whole 'Going stag' game tonight. Well, tonight and every other night of late.
Ash reaches out to take Bridget's hand in his own with a gentle touch and he grins, "Not even remotely, of that, I can assure you." He says to the woman before he takes a final drink of his own glass and sets it down then starts to draw away from the bar to guide Bridget towards the dance floor. "You may be taller than me but that does not mean I am soft at all." He flashes her a grin. "As for heartless..." He shrugs, "Maybe sometimes. But what good is life without passion and emotions? Without that fire what is the point in living?" Ash smiles.
Bridget stands up off her stool, with Ash's support. "I'll try not to crush you, anyways, since you promised not to step on my toes." Of course, that says nothing about -his- toes, and she has heels. Her smile says she probably won't try on purpose. "Fair's fair, right?"
Nemain waves after hte couple headed for the dance floor. The one part of the place she's actively banned from going. She turns to the 'keep and flags him over. "Who's the tall one with Ash? There might be a bit of a brawl if he spins her too fast."
Ash doesn't seem to have any problem supporting Bridget at all, for how slender he is Ash is -quite- strong. Almost stronger than humanly possible without augmentation or magic. He laughs at her words and then draws her further onto the dance floor so that they can begin dancing with the music but he stays right up close to the slightly taller woman. "I think you'd be hard pressed to crush me, even for a warrior goddess such as yourself." His wide dark eyes flashing with mischief and amusement. "It's good to see you in places I normally frequent though Bridget, I was hoping it wasn't just a one time chance encounater." And as they dance, he is even naturally graceful enough to not step on her toes.
"Warrior-goddess? I think I like the sound of that." Bridget laughs as he leads her to the dancefloor and she slips into the rhythm of the music. A sway here and a swing there. No hops, skips or kicks, since she'd lose a heel and someone might lose an eye. "One time chance? The coffee shop? I have to get my wake-up call somewhere..."
Nemain blinks as one of the regulars comes over to ask her to dance. A soft laugh escapes as she shakes her head, "Afraid I can't. They told me I'm too dangerous out there to be safe dancing. Public safety hazard, I think was hte term aplied to my last attempt." Her glass rises in a silent toast. "You're welcome to drink with me though."
"Well I don't usually end up there so early in the morning." Ash admits as he dances with Bridget, careful to not swing her so fast or spin her that she loses her balance or the like. "So it really was random chance... I mostly spend my time in the park, or the museum, or the garden in the museum library when I am in the more spendy side of Kingsdale." He chuckles softly, "I really didn't expect to see you in the Dregs, I figured you'd be more one for the Nightingale."
Bridget may be tall, but she seems sure enough on her feet, even with the heels. "I don't usually talk to people before my second cup, so maybe it was just dumb luck." That might be a wink as they're moving, but could just be a flashing of the lights, too. "The Nightingale's nice, but you never know what might find when you go slumming." Now there's a wide grin, and a lot of exagerration.
Ash mmms, "Then I shall just have to hope that I didn't use up all my luck for the years just in getting a polite word out of you before the second cup." He smiles up at Bridget and then grins, "Always can find something when 'slumming' it, and if you have a good guide... you can find practically everything you could desire." He murmurs into the woman's ear before he turns with the music again, and, seems to have enough sense to not run into anybody else on the dance floor even if he's not some immensely skilled dancer.
Nemain glances to the gent as he leans in closer to her, her lips forming an almost predatory smirk as one snowy brow arches upwards. "You might want to think that over, sir. That hand at my back is drifting awefully low and I'd rahter not get smucked for shocking oyu into next week."
"Ooh... you're good!" She doesn't say whether that's the dancing, the poetry, or the guiding, but Bridget looks to be having a good time, regardless. There's some bump added to the sway and swing. "How long can you keep all that up without stepping on my toes or tripping on your tongue, though?"
"With you to inspire me I'm sure I could last all night and then some." The quick-flex says with a smile towards the woman he dances with, still moving with her to the music as the dancing grows a little more bump and grindy but he doesn't even try to take advantage of that by trying to cop a feel either, instead just meeting her movements and he still doesn't step on her toes, he's far to graceful for that! "Maybe I should stop though... wouldn't want to wear out my welcome..." He notes with a small playful smile towards Bridget.
Nemain seems to have gotten her point across to the overly friendly gent as she smiles to his drawing back a bit. She then returns to her drink, sipping the green fizzy whatever the blazes it was. Her back settlign once more to the edge of hte bar as she watches the dancing. If she'd been bore in the days, she would have been a prime canidate for WATCHING Dancing with the Stars.
Bridget is graceful and nice enough to spare Ash's toes, or crush him, or any of the other worries anyone might have. Those were mostly innocent bumps, too, just part of dancing. "You're not going to leave me wanting bread already, are you? I think your feet are going to wear out before your welcome. Now, if you're getting thirsty..." one swaying arm jabs back towards the bar, "I can understand that."
Ash laughs and then moves to spin Bridget... uh oh, dangerous spin! Well no not really, because Ash draws up close to her afterwards after pulling her in so she doesn't run into anyone though it is a dance floor, there is the small amount of bumping into people every now and again as the music and tempo shifts, dancers come on or head off. "Far be it from me to leave you wanting anything warrior goddess." He moves with the music, showing no signs of slowing or fading, at all. Maybe that boundless energy never runs out...
Round and round she goes! Where she stops... Bridget doesn't spin that far, and pivots on her toe when she can. A bump into another, maybe, but she's not wanting to knock anyone down, either. "Careful... Too much and I might get dizzy... and how did you get so good? You didn't dance in a blizzard to keep warm, did you?" If she's tired, she doesn't show it, and she even starts up another little spin on her own.
"Oh, you learn a lot of tricks and special techniques growing up on the streets." Ash says to Bridget as she spins out and he catches her fingers so she doesn't go spinning away before he draws her back towards him. "I also have a thing for old old movies." He admits to her as he keeps moving with the music and dancing with the taller woman. "But the last thing I want, is for you to be dizzy." He says as he reaches up to ever so lightly brush the backs of his knuckles along her cheek unless she pulls away or the like before they go back to moving in time with the music. Just to prove a point the alien actually springs up in the air, jumping over her in a flip then lands on his feet behind Bridget and places his hands lightly on her hips as he tells her from behind. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to take it easy on you either." Yes, he just jumped clear over her head and landed behind her... nimble thing that he is.
Bridget is caught on her spin and winds herself back up to him. There's a little flicker in her smile at Ash's extra bit of touch, but she doesn't avoid it. It's gone and quickly past as she gets right back into the beat, and then he... jumps? She blinks and comes to a surprised halt, turning towards him and blinking again. "Wow... don't think I can keep up with that..." Bridget does get her mouth closed and her eyes back in theor sockets pretty quick, though. A new grin, too. "Heels."
Ash chuckles and then moves to draw Bridget away from the dance floor and over towards the bar again, "Come on." He says with a smile, "I've only had one swallow of my drink tonight so far." He keeps hold of her hand though, unless she retrieves it from him at least until they get to the bar and he lets go once they've recovered their drinks.
Bridget doesn't object, and following him back to the bar seems safer than trying to flip over people's heads in a little black dress. For her and the people, probably. Ash's leading her by the hand is just fine, even at the bar, since she still has the other to snatch up her glass. "That was fun. You always dance like that, or are you just showing off?" Her eyes roll up and over, like his flip.
Ash's grin widens, "Well... a bit of both..." He admits, "Like I said Bridget, you seem to inspire me to new heights." He doesn't release her hand if she's content with him holding it still, since he also has one free one to acquire his drink, taking a swallow of the dark liquid within the glass before he steps a little closer to her so they can converse more freely. "I don't really get a lot of opportunities to cut loose... if I go all out while at the rec center people stop playing... tell me to go play murderball or the like with the juicers."
Nemain settles in to watch the show of a friend and his newest girl. A grin showing as people clear off from around her.
"So why don't you?" Bridget gives a little shrug as she sips her drink. "Cut loose, I mean. Go round around with the juicers, give you a challenge. Or maybe they'd squish you like bread..."
"Not my scene." Ash says with a shrug, "I don't like the whole atmosphere. They give up their lives for power... I can't really understand it. Sometimes I go down to Moe's to hang out and the like... but it's not the same thing. While I can hang with the juicers, doesn't make me one. I plan to live a lot longer than five years." He takes another drink from his glass, "That and they keep trying to get me to juice up. It works on my species... but burns us out even faster."
Bridget shakes her head. "Yeah, they're... well, it must be weird making a trade like that. If it was that and a few years or drop dead tomorrow, I could see it, but... and people think the other ones are crazy."
Nemain finishes off the soda and unfolds from her seat. A wicked grin showing as she steps in close to another of the gents who was pestering her and slips into a sudo-Tango step with him.
Ash grins, "I don't know about that. They're both nuts in very different ways. Those big silver pipes sticking out of their heads." He glances over towards Nemain briefly then shakes his head with a wry smile before he looks back towards Bridget, "Neither of them seem exactly stable... but then again I guess I can look at it differently. I can already dodge bullets." He smiles wryly, "What of yourself warrior goddess?" He asks taking a drink before asking further, "Why did you jump into such a dangerous life of being a mercenary? Can you dodge bullets too?"
"I try to," Bridget now laughs, "but I'll wear armor, anyway. Just in case." She follows his glance towards Nemain for a second, but by the time she catches it, the track is gone and she shrugs. "It pays the bills?"
Nemain tangos for a few minutes, hen bounces away from the guy with a laugh. Then turns to start towards the doors and the weapons lockers as well. She waves towards the other couple and winks.
"Well I wear armor too. Just seems foolish not to. It's already saved my life more times than I can count." Ash says with a grin, "Can't dodge explosions, and can't dodge everything." He rolls a shoulder in a shrug, taking another drink from his glass. "Well, hopefully it will pay the bills even better shortly." He looks over towards Nemain at the laugh and blinks as she's leaving, lifting a hand in a wave to her as well, "Leaving so soon Nemain?" He calls out to her, "When did you get here anyways?" He must not have noticed her, being as he was dancing and talking with Bridget. Speaking of, he looks towards the taller woman, "That's Nemain, she's a techno-wizard. Works at Draconic Secrets."
Bridget can follow Ash's attention, this time, and lifts her glass towards the woman. A waggle and slosh make a wave before she sips at it again and nods. "I hope so, too, since the bills aren't nice enough to just go away. Draconic Secrets? I think I might've walked by there once. Magic wands and that sort of thing?"
Nemain pauses as she buckles on that wicked looking pistol and grins, "I need to go pump more power into the fix-it machine so that Tir will stop moping about her armor."
That probably got plenty of attention in the bar as it's called back.
"I guess, don't think I've ever actually been in the shop." Ash answers Bridget, "Some of my friends are all into the magic thing but... I never saw much for it. Technology is more reliable to me." He then looks over towards Nemain and huhs, "Well, that's a shame. Sorry I didn't see you before." He says apologetically and gives the departing woman a wave good bye since she seems intent on leaving. He looks back towards Bridget, "Sorry if you're a spell flinger type yourself, I've never heard of any of my kind learning magic is all."
"I might be able to pull a chit out of your ear," Bridget waggles a few fingers menacingy, along with a grin that isn't, "so you better apologize!" After stopping the waggle for a big swallow to finish off her drink, she's smirking. "Don't know anything about any of that stuff. Easier when I only need to wiggle one finger." She curls her index finger to demonstrate.
Nemain gives the bouncer a kiss full on the lips as she leaves. She doesn't even glance back at the staggering bouncer. A playful hitch in her step as she vanishes out the door.
"Well I hope not. I need all the meager amount of chits I have between my ears." Ash says with a laugh. "So what's this I walked in on earlier anyways, you were going to go shooting with Erica?" He asks curiously. "How did that conversation get started?"
Bridget sets her empty glass on the bar a shrugs a little shrug. "Just a little girls' day out? It sounded like she's the one catching all the good work, so I thought I'd get to know her. Maybe she can get a good word in somewhere for me."
"Well, make sure it's paying before you go." Ash says simply with a bit of a shrug, "Went out on a little 'job' for her before, no pay involved and we ended up going to New Town, ran into skelebots and a psi-stalker, then this nasty officer guy who seemed to know her by name." He shrugs a bit, "I'll make sure that any job she offers in the future is a paying one." He smiles a little wryly and shakes his head, "Besides, knowing her, she just wants to get to 'know' you. She's got this little indian thing wrapped around her fingers too." He shrugs and takes a drink from his glass, draining it and then reaching for his second after setting the empty down to be taken away.
"I heard a little bit about that. She wanted to teach her to dance, but she doesn't like the clubs." Bridget's smile flares up again. "It's sweet... but I think I'll stick with bread, or men, if I really have to."
Ash chuckles, "Well you'll certainly have your pick of them I'm sure. Seems like ninety percent of the women in this town are more into women than men." He looks away for a moment and shrugs before he picks up his second drink for another sip. "It's refreshing to hear that there's at least warrior goddesses remember breads good for something." He says with a smile back towards her and a light squeeze of her hand that he still holds.
Bridget gives the hand a firm squeeze back. "Yeah, I can make lots of sand..." Her head tilts at something and the smile falls off her face. For a moment, she's distracted by something, and then she's scowling. Standing, too, and sliding her hand from his . "Sorry, I gotta go... I'll see you around, I hope." Bridget's turning for the door before that little bit is even out.
And Ash's smile is falling off his face like a wax figurine melting when after that squeeze she is disappearing and heading for the door. "Right." He says somewhat numbly, "See you around." He says somewhat robotically before he turns his attention back to his drink. Well, stares into it really.
