May 26 16:07:34 107 PA - Smiles, Shadows, and Shocks
From Chronicles
May 26 16:07:34 107 PA - Smiles, Shadows, and Shocks
Kingsdale - Main Street S
Hot and steamy would have been exactly what the doctor ordered if a sauna was required - but alas, the day seems to fit that description all on its own, and so Jack has taken it upon himself to at least not wear the jacket today. He makes his way up the street casually, carrying a smal briefcase; there aren't a whole lot people about thanks to this heat, most looking to escape into air conditioned buildings where possible.
At least it's warm and not raining, right? Well, not really. Bridget walks along the street towards the Happy Days tower, blazer on her arm. She's almost smiling, and might be if it weren't so humid.
Classy as always, Celaeno is seated in an entryway just withdrawn from the main sidewalk, her skirt gathered around her and what appears to be a large bottle of malt liquor in one hand. She appears to be simply enjoying the heat and humidity, her eyes trailing after the few who find themselves milling about.
The three people run into each other, causing a singularity that collapses the universe. Or not. Jack lifts a hand to greet the two women, recognizing both. "Good day lasses" he smiles at Bridget and Cel, then eyes the booze with a questioning look for a moment.
Bridget gets a smile going, now. "Hey there, hotshot." She waves a hand to Jack, then waves it a little more to Celaeno. "I guess you don't really need to get out of the rain, now, hmm?"
Celaeno's eyes lift to the sudden cluttering of her field of vision, giving the bottle a nice amber wave of grain. Greeting. "Hallo," she says brightly, her free hand sliding to her utility belt, shortly producing a cigar, and then a moment later a lighter, "I miss it, really. The mist doesn't really compare to it. You know."
Jack gives Bridget a mock-salute and pauses nearby for a moment, "You never came back" he comments to Cel, though he isn't even teasing much. He looks from one woman to the other, sticking around (if the weather was any worse, it would be literally too) for a moment longer.
"The rain, or the bar?" Bridget can guess which Celaeno meant, but asks teasingly anyway. She walks in closer to clutter the view more and returns Jack's salute. "Did you break your toy, yet? Or run out of bags?"
After a moment's squinting, Celaeno gives a sheepish smile to Jack, "Sorry, sorry. Jobs have been a little slow, and I haven't really needed too much in the way of repairs." She appears to be getting him confused with somebody else, but presses on regardless, "Life, life, it gets in the way." She waggles her eyebrows at Bridget while she takes the moment of side conversation to set her cigar aflame, the smoke drifting up and toward the street.
"Oh, now - just pullin' your leg lass, I don't think I could fix anything you need rapairin', unless it flies. Or drives, probably" Jack chuckles, turning his gaze back to Bridet, brows hiking up with amusement. "You will find that anyone who flies something that doesn't go through four computers voting on his every action is rather smooth and precice with his hands" he lifts a hand to wiggle its fingers, "After all, one's life depends on it" he grins at her. "The bags, ah, it happens. Not the sort of wild ride I was expecting right then."
Bridget grins right back at Jack. "Glad I gave you a wild ride. It was alot of fun, and we didn't crash." Because those two things are usually mutually exclusive. She then quirks a brow at Celaeno's waggling brows, but is still grinning. "You look way happier than last time. What are you drinking, this time?" She eyes the bottle, since the other woman seems pretty good and finding a good mood from a drink. Maybe Bridget can learn a secret or two, besides coffee.
The cigar continues to burn away one puff at a time as Celaeno listens, smiling merrily to the world. A small shrug and acquiescing grin is given as Jack makes his intentions known, though Bridget's inquiry into her drink returns a very disdainful look to the glass. "It's horrible, and I would never in any way suggest anybody drink it," the statement is firm and said with conviction, though it is chased quite quickly by an extended drink - the cigar shifting briefly out of the way. "And moods rise and fall regardless of the stimuli, sometimes."
"I wouldn't let us crash, that would be embarrasin'" Jack replies, cocking his brows up slightly, and then looking to Celaeno. "Why do you drink it then, lass? And in this weather? Mind if I ask what it is you have in there?"
Bridget takes a guess, and giggles. "She's got something in there she doesn't want to share, I'd guess. So horrible she has to keep it all for herself. You're right about the moods, too, but I'd rather have a reason to be in a good one than in a good one for no reason." And she's right back to Jack, shaking her head. "It wouldn't be embarassing... You just have to make sure you crash on top of all the witnesses."
Finding herself suddenly caught in a crossfire of inquiring minds, Celaeno's eyes shift back and forth between the two looming figures, "It's horrible, and there aren't any redeeming qualities - and if you don't believe me, you can go to any 'store' in the dregs and demand a bottle of their very best Viper." She winds up and throws the half-full bottle toward the thankfully-empty street, smiling brightly as it goes. "And being happy is being happy - everything else is just masochism without the payoff."
"Hmmm ... " Jack seems to agree with the original assessment, then adds, "I wouldn't tell if you wouldn't, but I'd probably still die of embarassment" he grins, and looks back towards Celaeno. "I - well, lass, are you actually happy or is something the matter?" the question is curious and innocent enough at least on the surface.
Bridget lets out a laugh. "It's still better to not cra....sh." She hangs up as she watches the bottle fly. "Ok, that must've really been terrible, and you -are- really happy." She almost adds more to the list of questions, but decides to let Jack's get answered first.
Her eyes flitting back and forth between the two, Celaeno gives another exaggerated shrug, finding refuge behind the cigar smoke. "Just to be clear, here - you're asking a woman you just found drinking just outside the dregs whether or not her drinking's the symptom of some deeper ..." she flags for a minute before rallying, "disease." Puff. Puff. Puff. "Just so we're all on the same page, hey?"
"Woah, hey" Jack exhales briefly, "Right, I mean you're right, you don't have to say anything if you don't want, just I think company usually helps with things. At least if you say you're down though we know to treat you to a good drink, right?"
Bridget helps out Celaeno by pointing to Jack. "I think he was saying that, maybe. I was just going to ask about what had you in such a good mood. Then I can congradulate you, or cheer, or whatever. But, if you're just in a ...mood..." She shrugs, and points again to Jack, just to make sure.
Celaeno's attention shifts to Bridget in search of a rational understanding of the situation, a look of distress coming just briefly to her face as it all comes down. "I'm. Uhh," she glances between the two, "I'm doing fine. I'm not..." She apparently recovers from the shock all at once, and with force. "Look, I don't know what you're accusing me of, here, but there's nothing wrong with me."
Jack seems just a touch lost - in that something's up but I don't know what way, his eyes darting from one person to the next, brows hiking up slowly as he's pointed at, then a look of confusion takes over his expression at Celaeno's behavior. "There's no accusing lass" he clarifies.
Bridget frowns and takes a half-step back from Cel, now. "Don't think anyone was saying... yeah." She agrees with Jack about the accusing. In fact, she agrees so much that another step takes her a little behind him and she drapes an arm around him. "Well... since she's just fine, where are you headed? Up for some more dancing?" There's less frown with that, but it's not much of a smile.
With the situation taking a more understood departure, Celaeno gives a sharp nod, going back to puffing merrily on her cigar. "No reason to be thinking anything's wrong," she says to herself, "Just enjoying a drink on the town."
"Oh, I'm free" Jack nods, the reply slow as he watches Cel for a few moments a touch curiously. He turns his head towards Bridget, a bit of a smile for her, one hand coming up to touch her arm, and then he wraps one around her waist. "I don't think I could ask for a better dance partner. I'm up for it."
"Good. I just need to get cleaned up, and I'm good to go." Bridget gives him a half squeeze and pat, then lets go so she can head that way. Celaeno gets a wary look as she walks past, but she doesn't say anything else.
Celaeno shifts slightly so she's more directly leaning against the wall of the building. Her gaze moves back to Jack and Bridget, apparently more comfortable now than with the expressions of concern, "Try not to get mugged along the way, hey? And you can rest your little head about smaller old me."
"Alright - I'll get back quick, I just need to grab a change" Jack replies to Bridget with a quick nod and a smile - he misses the opportunity for another touch on his part for now. Looking back at Celaeno he smiles and shrugs his shoulders slightly, "Alright lass, you know best right?"
"Nobody that knows better," Celaeno says sincerely, her cigar shifting out of her mouth to be content with putting up a small but constant wisp of smoke. Seated against the recessed entranceway of a shuttered building, she can be seen smoking - Bridget hanging on Jack just before her on the stiflingly hot and humid evening. "So long as you two lovebirds have fun, all's right, all's right." The cigar shifts back to its home.
And in comes Tirzah, pulling a good sized wagon. A bit unusual for the redhead to say the least but there it is, canvas cover and all. One could only wonder what she's carting around in the late afternoon. Or ask, that might work too. She enters from the south, perhaps a very good shopping trip?
Bridget was hanging on Jack, but had to de-hang to run herself inside the Happy Days tower. Now, she's coming back out, after a quick freshen up and a change of clothes. Much more appropriate for dancing... except for the heels, maybe, and she's wearing a smile again, too.
Jack has ran off off to do about the same, after nodding to Celaeno and offering a wave; he returns wearing a simple but sharpish getup of black slacks and a white shirt, pressed to perfection. He grins at Bridget when he sees her and offers his arm to her. "Looking good" he compliments.
Her own position changing little with the passage of time, Celaeno notes the slow passing of a wagon on the city street. With a sharp, whooping laugh, she calls, "I meant a little red one! Like the kids play with!" before settling down somewhat to look over the dressiness of the two. "Looking good, looking good," is all she adds, a slight smirk across her face.
Tirzah peers at Cel, gradually slowing to a halt as she tries to figure out what the smoking girl is talking about. "Little red wagon?" She asks, still not following. "How would i haul a few hundred pounds for scrap in that?"
Bridget is stuck for a brief moment with just herself and the happy Celaeno. She's quiet until Jack returns and she takes his arm. She's even nice about it and doesn't take it anywhere without him. "Not bad, yourself." Bridget is avoiding or ignoring Celaeno, mostly, but can't ignore the wagon or talk about them. Or Tirzah, either, who she wave her non-Jack-ed hand to.
Jack glances at Cel for a moment, then back at Bridget - he smiles, "Thanks" and looks towards the wagon as well now. "That's interesting - oh, you know the lass?" he asks curiously, his expression once more curious as he looks the thing over.
"By stacking it very, very carefully!" Celaeno calls again, though she turns away from Tirzah. "So, where's the night looking to be taking you?" she asks, benignly.
Tirzah shrugs. "I dont think that's stack up well for me Cel. Limited resources remember." Tirzah replies to Cel as she starts pulling again. She nods to Bridget, not having the free hand to return the wave. "How are you doing? You beat down Ash for me after?"
A chill runs through the balmy May night. Gooseflesh drawn by ... not a breeze, exactly. "Little Sister." A voice from nowhere, and Ahriman's standing nearby, as if he'd always been there. "This Ash has wronged you?" Celaeno might feel his dark gaze, and Bridget afterwards, followed by Jack as Ahriman straightens his charcoal suit.
Bridget nods to answer Jack but it's still Tirzah she speaks to. Or laughs to, really. "I let him heal a little, but then I did. Maybe I didn't let him heal enough, because he was done pretty fast... It was fun, though." She adds the last before beating up on Ash's ego any more, then answers Ahriman for Tirzah, firmly. "It was just practice."
Jack looks from one woman to the other, but he doesn't make any comment on the matter at hand - except for the hair on the back of his neck rising all the sudden, and looks to Ahriman next, then to Bridget, and back to Ahriman.
Celaeno's head cocks to the side, some smoke lifting - forming a veil as she herself moves to her feet. A small clicking of her teeth is all that greets Ahriman's appearance, though it promptly sets her back on her cigar.
Tirzah smirks at Ahriman with a slight shake of her head. "You know of anyone I feel slighted by that still draws breath from their lips big brother?" She asks, her fiery eyes flickering. "Well admittedly most people have more sense than that, Ash included. No he is the deebee who rough me up in the spar the other day."
"A 'spar,'" Ahriman muses, as if tasting the word. "Is this some form of training? Tirzah, to what absurd rules did you agree that allowed some alien to win? You're better than that." The black being smirks at her, a vaguely human-looking gesture.
Bridget relaxes some and pats Jack's arm that holds hers. Maybe it's for her own benefit, but she notices his looking back and forth. "Yeah, he's dark and creepy." She shrugs a little to him before looking back to Tirzah and the creepy one. "He's quick, Tirzah, I thought you new that since you were in a hurry to pick him."
Jack nods his head in agreement, "Yeah" he murmurs, seeming at least a touch amused by the subject at hand. He does take note of Celaeno's reaction as well, but as everything appears to be alright he decides not to make much of it all right now. "So was that a pileup on Ash or what?" he jests.
Celaeno's eyebrows lift at the apparent talk of picking one somebody, a smirk coming to her mouth in bemusement at the talk of sparring. Slipping to the side she moves out of the entranceway, to come to the edge of the street itself, peering at the wagon as well as the impromptu gathering. Puff. Puff.
"Well it was a hand to hand match without armor. I simply took steps so that he would survive it. It was actually his strength that surprised me, not his speed. He hit really hard. He knew if I wanted i would have been untouched. But there wouldnt have been much sport in that now would there?" Tirzah asks the darkling, looking to realise he probably wont understand. "Its a human thing. We like to test ourselves, in unusual situations."
Ahriman's eyes seem to darken, and he raises a hand dismissively. "There is no value in such a contest. You must crush your enemies, make examples of them lest others gather the impression that they might succeed where others have failed. Take this human," Ahriman waves a hand at Jack, without really looking at him. "Without the use of magic, he might best me in a physical contest. Unlikely, but possible. Does this not engender others' desire to find ways to separate me from my mystic abilities? Better to crucify him and plant him at an intersection, a scarecrow to keep the scavengers from my field."
"Oh, yeah, there's that, too." Bridget grins at Tirzah, then turns to shake her head at Jack. "Just one at a time. Ash would've liked a pileup too much.." Now her head swivels back around to Ahriman. "You know, the tall, dark, and creepy thing might be charming, but the asshole part you keep adding on sort of ruins it."
"That is a good point there" Jack chuckles, nodding his head. He looks at Ahriman then, and says nothing for a few moments, then, "Wow, sheesh, dude. While I agree with the general attitude towards doing battle, that was really unnecessary. Besides, the fact that training for different situation is highly beneficial is well documented ... in some parts of the world, at any reate, so I'm afraid you're plain wrong. It's a great posturing move, but without training you'll run out of posturing eventually. And what Bridget said" he adds in agreement said woman.
"What if they take it to mean that they should all team up and kill you?" Celaeno calls brightly, "With their bright and shiny and woefully effective pitchforks? Sure, you could probably take down twenty, thirty, three hundred of them before they got to stick you. But if there's only one of you, it just takes one shiny shiny shiny pitchfork to drop you, hey?" She circles in a quick three-quarter circle around Bridget and Jack, her right thumb hooking idly around her sole sword-hilt. She cocks her head briefly at Jack, her grin spreading to nearly crack off the top of her head.
Tirzah takes a moment to consider Ahrimans words, another to listen to the others reply, and one last to figure out her own. But she only really needed twenty seconds and a few steps to keep her distance from Celaeno. Almost simultaneously three strikes of lightning flash down about Ahriman, just missing him by inches each. "Yeah, enemies need good solid examples of what a Warlock can do. Comrades though, who may be fighting at my side one day. They can use the advice, to know what to prepare for. Thats why I'm offering combat training, to all levels of my capabilities."
"Asshole," Ahriman speaks, and blinks slowly. "An interesting colloquialism. With training I'll run out of posturing eventually. Without training I am a fearsome being. None know exactly what it is I can do. If you ever want to find out, my dear boy, you're welcome." His black lips broaden then, flashing perfect white teeth at Jack. His eyes are silvering as he rounds towards Celaeno, tilting his head to the left and ducking his chin to flare his mane of ebony hair behind his black head. "Whomever said I stand alone, my dear girl? Many times I've stood with you. Am I so poor a partner to be lauded under the cover of darkness and shunned in the ..." his head peers up at the dying twilight, "light of day?" As he steps closer, that flash of lightning before him stops Ahriman dead in his tracks. Without looking aside, Ahriman wonders, "Are they yours then, Little Sister?"
Bridget blinks and flinches at the sudden flash, then blinks some more. Now she looks between Tirzah and Ahriman a few times, a little confused. Well, maybe more than a little. "Hers? His? If you're talking about us, we don't belong to you. I belong to me." Her confusion falls away to a glare.
"Sure" says Jack, cocking his brows up, wincing a bit at the lightning strikes. He actually steps in front of Bridget a bit, though she's certainly taller enough than he is. "Right - how about some dancing maybe?" he suggests to her, "Unless the mood's ruined for you."
At the thundercracks, Celaeno's grin continues to grow - as impossible as it might seem - a soft chuckle drowned out in the sudden noise. "No, no, of course not," she says brightly, doubling back to pop up just beside Jack, "Pay no mind to him, he's a softie," before ducking back forward, "But such antisocial behaviour as crucifying somebody tends to polarize, regardless." Smiles - smiles and smoke.
"They are my comrades. They accept me without judgement on my way of life. The respect me for what I do right and advise me on what I can do better. Such is a friend, as are you Ahriman, as much as you are loathe to accept my advice for what you can do better. You do hold my respect for the many things you do well though." Tirzah explains with a content smile. "Let the mortals be blind to what they do not wish to see, yes?"
The black being peers first at Celaeno, and then at Tirzah, silvered eyes catching the remaining light of day and seeming to glow in it. He stands alone, quite still, for several moments as he listens. "This conversation has certainly taken an odd twist," he remarks in that impossibly deep voice, before turning and taking a step and ... It's not a portal. He simply walks into an alley sheltered from the street lights, and eyes cease to track him. Maddeningly, as if one focused hard enough they might still see him. Yet he's gone.
"Yeah..." Bridget actually agrees with Ahriman on that, but now he's leaving. She quirks a brow as he walks into the alley, watching after him a bit before she shakes her head. "Ok..." Jack gets a grin and nod. "Yep, it's time to go dancing. Where to?"
Jack glances at Cel for a moment, and makes a bit of a face, "Oh come now" he mutters, frowning a touch, but then letting it go - the conversation certain has gone strange, and now Ahriman is gone. "Huh ... " he turns to Bridget then with a grin, "How about over here? It's close, unless you had some place you fance."
As Tirzah continues to apply the spurs to Ahriman, Celaeno takes a step back - both figuratively and literally - her grin sliding away somewhere else - though a second glance is given once he's disappeared. "Tch," she says, moving to smooth out her skirt, apparently the only one not to have found the conversation strange in the slightest. With a furrowed eyebrow she watches the two shift to their plans, "Have a nice night!" she calls before bounding bodily over toward Tirzah and her little wagon.
Tirzah shrugs at Ahriman's exit as she makes to take her wagon and do the same less ominously. She looks to Cel, who still is in good spirits bounding after her. "And how are you Cel? I've arranged everything with everyone affected, we're all going to go see Slither together. Will provide the best picture that way. Also, Ahriman said he also mysteriously lost his magical ability. An interesting coincidence no?"
Bridget nods and starts to tug Jack towards the tower and the Nightingale. "Works for me! C'mon." She probably could have met him inside earlier, if she'd thought of it then. "We should get a couple drinks first, though. It might make your dancing better."
"Sure, first round's on me?" Jack follows as he's tugged, and he keeps up easily after, obviously enthused about going off clubbing with the tall woman. "Those heels make things extra interesting" he teases her slightly as they head in.
The offer of buying a round tickles Celaeno's hearing, despite taking place rather far away. A brief glance is all she gives the others as she focuses on Tirzah, "Gasp, you mean the guy who ran in to grab the offending artifact of mass destruction and limitless power was somehow affected?" She seems shocked. "I'm shocked. But it's probably best that you all present your symptoms to him. Just don't let him examine you too thoroughly, hm? That could get pretty awkward pretty quickly."
"Not Ahriman, Slither lost his magical abilities some how." Tirzah corrects with a slight shake of her head at herself for mispeaking.
