[Fury] Full House (Dog 2.5, Gates 2.3, Valentine 2.4)

Rich

Valentine,

After checking in with the travelers, making arrangements for HM's new place, you head back with Needle to the Yacht Club. It is busy, as you'd expect during a storm. Without you and Needle, things are askew. You have this pulse for the club, right? You see in people's eyes that they've been waiting for food too long, you see a few people standing waiting to have a table when there are three empty ones that haven't been busted down and cleaned. The piped in music is staticy, like someone bumped a speaker again.

Ivar's ever-present smile is waning and he's broken a serious sweat. You don't see Cigarette Girl anywhere. Uni is serving drinks, but he looks like he's about to fall down tired.

Admiral is sitting at your booth, with Hope at his side. She's looking right at you, but it's like she doesn't see you. Youdub and Costco are throwing dice with the new stuff you sent for, so that's happening. You see a cube of things in plastic, all Lucky 38 branded, chips, cards, dice.

What do you do?

Mischa

The dice make me superstitiously nervous, but I push it away, glancing at the still-intact windows and crossing my small fingers. It's time to work. Everyone's in the weeds.

"Needle," I say out of one side of my mouth, "Run to Gates' people. Three meals and coffees for three sets of cleandry hands, this night only. Run back soonest, my dear." I then turn my full attention to Pine, rest my right hand on his upper left arm and blink fetchingly kind without being trashy. "Dear one, do see to those empty tables, just bring the dishware to the back and get a rag. Oh, and my hat." My orders are calm, direct, no wasted words. Perhaps he won't protest overmuch and I hope he'll step up to task.

Who's waiting to be seated? They get dazzling smile two, and some words of reassurance and apology.

I move through the crowd like the place is empty. "Uni, where's Cigarette Girl? You need to take fifteen. I'm here." I make eye contact with Ivar, saying hold on, sugar, with my eyes.

Rich

Valentine,

Needle takes off at a run to find Gates. Pine doesn't object to helping, despite his earlier mood. He gets to busing tables. You think it was the calm mixed with the touch of his arm in a gentle manner.


"Cig's in the back, trying to make the soup out of leftovers. We ran out of stock." Uni says as he heads back to fetch her.

Admiral has noticed you, does a two finger "come here" gesture.

What do you do?

Mischa

That takes me aback Out of stock? Well, it's a high-class problem for a high-class joint, having too many customers. It's hard to get good help. I start running down the list in my head of who wants to work here and considering who I'd want to take on.

I can't ignore the Admiral nor my guests. There's a spare tray, and on my way to see him I start picking up used mugs and glasses and such, keeping one hand free, holding the tray high like the green lady with the torch. I spread many a hello and welcome in my wake.

"Admiral, sir, what's your poison this night?" A soft version of smile number six. My feet haven't started to complain (though they will at the end of the night, let me tell you the odds) and I must remember to get Ivar a new pair of footgear as a thank you. "Miss Hope, you're looking lovely." What's Admiral's vibe like?

Rich

Valentine,

Hope looks at you, Valentine, when you say her name. She nods slightly, but she still seems a little lost.


"My poison?" Admiral asks, a little surprised. "No, no, Valentine. I wanted to hear if HM and his people got in safe. Was the move successful? Where is he?"

Mischa

I'm curious about Hope, but I'd never pry in the front of the house.

"All hands off deck, as far as I know. I've had he and his people settle into section 34, near enough but far enough." I look over my shoulder theatrically. "The Harbor was in bad shape, truth be told." I grow more serious and take on an unusually somber tone. "Some soaking thing attacked and destroyed the boats. If we had delayed even one scant hour, nobody would have made it to SafeCo. One daren't even think salvage or scavenge lest the whole flooded site goes dry."

Rich

Valentine,


"Some... thing?" Admiral asks, dubious. "What did it look like?"

Hope mouths the word "thing", a vacant smile touching her lips. You see Cigarette Girl and Uni come out of the back, they start working to get soup to people. Cigarette Girl meets your eyes, gives a half-smile kind of apology.

Mischa

"Dark." I stop short, wanting the right words. "It came from the water before the storm." I raise my empty hand slowly, hunting, seeking. "It was fast, and big." I suddenly grasp an imaginary nothing, pulling it down. "The boat exploded, then collapsed in fire."

Oh, sweet August, your honeyed words would do more justice to this tale.

I smile understandingly to Cigarette Girl. Uni, you need a break, I know. The Club needs a hand on the rudder and more hands on deck.

Rich

"That's... the boat exploded?" Even Hope is drawn from her haze when Admiral repeats your description of the events at the harbor. "Did it come onshore? Is it a threat to us?"

Cig and Uni are working at catching up. Pine has the tables cleared, Needle should be back soon.

Rich

Valentine,

From the front doors, there's a gasp, followed by a scream. The four at the hightop near the doorget up and move to the bar, looking back over their shoulders. Admiral looks over there, straining to see what the what.

You don't see any threat, Valentine. Just Mackerel the guard looking back at you, his mouth agape.

What do you do?

Mischa

My attention leaves the Admiral. There are things afoot in the club I must attend to. I move through the crowd, tray held high, marching onward to the front, prepared for the worst- though I doubt the leviathan is here, given Mackerel's dumb look.

Let's see what is happening on my doorjamb.

Rich

Valentine,

Admiral is watching you leave, curious about the ruckus, but he leaves you to take care of your own place, trusting that you'll report a real problem, or one of his men will.
Mackerel refuses to come inside, but when you're close enough, he calls through, "Don't use the door! That brain witch did something to it!"

You see Dog and one of her Arrows standing just outside. The other one, dark-haired growly deaf one or whatever, she looks super pissed.

What do you do?

Rich

Dog,

Valentine is in there, as are lots of people, looking confused. Cujo is probably going to push her way in.

What do you do?

Mischa

Smile number five and a smoothing gesture with my hand. I'd set the tray down on a table if we were less crowded. "Now, now, what's going on? Mackerel? Dog?" I suspect I'd command a tad more respect and attention with my hat, but I do work with what I've got.

halcy

Just as I reach for the door whether or not Mackerel says it's cool, Valentine opens it. Where's zir hat? Well, my hair's down so who am I to talk? I give Mackerel a slow look that's sunshine wrapped around a brick.

I block Cujo for a sec.

::Valentine might get true words out of muckhead here. I'll catch up, no killing till I say so.:: Valentine's shorthand name in sign is Smile-Smile, by the way. Then I ease up.

"We're looking for Vignette. Not stories about magic doors."

Rich

Dog and Valentine,

Mackerel answers you, Valentine, "That brain witch, we let her through, 'cause Admiral always says so. She stepped in one side," he points to the doorway, "But she didn't come out the other! Just... just winked away. It's a curse or somesuch, we need to shut it again."

What do you do?

Mischa

I laugh brightly, not at anyone. "We're not closing the door to the Yacht Club! People would break it down in ten seconds to get their coffees!" I'll step through the doorway to assuage his fears. "That's not even the strangest thing I've heard this afternoon. Have you seen what YouDub put up for collateral in that nutty dice game?" I make eye contact with Dog, wondering why she wants to know about Vignette. Is she looking for more Arrows?

halcy

It should be clear that this is serious for me. I'm sure I look tired and like I think some soaker here is up to no good.

Mackerel will even tell his boss this kind of flood-headed talk? Maybe he only thinks he's seen Vignette and now he's thinkin' up reasons why she's not here when he thought so.

"Valentine, Vignette's a friend, if someone's taken her I'ma catch mad, you know? Your guy here, he dose on the job?"

Rich

Dog and Valentine,

Mackerel narrows his eyes, "I don't give a splash if she's your kissing cousin, she did something, and I'm not letting anyone through. Val, ask those folk at the bar, they saw!" He looks over at you, Dog, "Sorry you're mad, girl, but this is my post. It's my job. Like you run outside, and I watch inside. It's how it goes."

Valentine,

Now, you know Mackerel isn't "your guy", he reports to Admiral. You can try and Manipulate him to let Dog past, or maybe threaten him, but either way, this will get back to Admiral. Whether that's good or bad, you can guess.

Rich

Dog and Valentine,

Admiral walks up behind you, Valentine. He seems annoyed, on the border of angry.


"Mackerel, what's this I hear about Vignette?" Admiral says in a sharp tone, one that cuts through the light music playing in the Yacht Club.

"Well, boss," Mackerel stammers, "She started to, uh, come through that door," he points to the door which is stuck open for some odd reason. "Then, all the sudden, she disappears! She cast some spell! And I'm telling everyone to go out the back because..."


"Shut the flood up, Mack." He looks at you, Valentine, "This is your place, you think the door is soaked?" Then he looks through the open portal to you, Dog. "Go find Vignette. Something's up."


To you, Dog, Cujo signs quick, ::I agree with the rotter. Let's go find her.::

Riding or running in the storm is dangerous. Even if you're prepared for it.
(see Custom Moves in the NPC List and Stuff thread)

What do you do?

Mischa

I step across the doorjamb once, twice, thrice, then cock a delicate eyebrow. "No, sir, the door is fine."

...unless it isn't?

Rich

Dog and Valentine,

As Valentine heads for the drive, there's a collective intake of air, but Valentine crosses the threshold without any incident.

halcy

::Yes, first thing, though..:: I slide into the doorway, sharing it with Valentine easy-like. Not touching zir nor bumping zir tray. People, they expect me to be clumsy, I don't get why. "If Vignette comes back here, give her safety here."

Then I step the rest of the way in, point at one of the soakers at the bar, whoever's been lookin' at me the most.

"What did you see?" If someone grabbed Vignette and bought Mackerel's so-called 'help', they couldn't buy the people inside, too and get away as clean as they needed.

Mischa

It's comfortable to share the narrow passage with Dog. She has a feral grace to her motion that I appreciate. I note the handjive from the other Arrow- it's different than mine, but I catch the universal sign for "rotter." She best not mean yours truly. Looking at Dog, making sure that Admiral and Mackerel can hear it. "Vignette is always welcome in my house." I don't shout it, but I want the guests to know that there's nothing to be unsettled about. I expect that table might need a round of cheap housemade wine to help them forget whatever they saw.

"Thank you for your service, Mackerel. Please allow folk to continue to enjoy all that the Yacht Club offers." I deliver it with eyebrows up and a light grin to help defuse his paranoia.

But this story adds to those I've heard about Vignette.

As soon as Needle gets back, hopefully with some hands, I want to hook up the music machine. I feel there's only so much the night's crowd will endure. And we can't have guests being turned away by Mackerel!

I make eye contact with Admiral, "Would you care to continue our conversation, sir?" I subtly rebalance the tray. I must attend to everyone, but some personages get attention first and foremost.

Rich

Dog,

A meek grower lady answer you, "I don't know. I thought I saw her, the woman in white with the crawly thing. But then she wasn't there anymore. Didn't see anyone take her or nothing."

halcy

I frown, but not at the grower lady, not exactly. "Hm." I walk away without anything else to her, motion to Cujo. ::Let's try her place first.::

I exit the door, look down, up, around. Whatever's there is just what I thought I'd see and I'm not thankful for it.

The world's a weird place, but in my brief messy life I've seen it's easier to pretend to do something like this than for it to be done. I scratch my head and let Cujo lead the way to Vignette's place.

Rich

Dog,

Cujo takes off at a jog. You're both tired, but she seems a bit frantic now, scowling at the few people moving around, ones who can't sleep, the inside gangers who stare at both of you while smoking hand-rolled cig and drinking.

When you reach the area with the small squares that look out onto the motor duel arena, nobody answers Cujo's knocking.


Cujo looks around, upper lip curled as she signs, ::She is not here. She is not in the pile, or at the club. This is not like her. Do you think Admiral lied? Has her out doing something ugly?::

halcy

I'm still pressing an ear against the door listening for movement inside while I sign back. ::If he lied to us and sent us to look for her both, that's an insult Admiral can't afford, and he would not gain from it that I see.:: I peel my head off the door and shake it - no sound.

I explain why I think Admiral had nothing to gain by sending us off. ::He could just tell us she was out doing ugly things - we know where all the Arrows are. Who else would we get mad about if Admiral made Vignette do things to them?:: Basically nobody. Bon? I haven't seen her since we got here but I don't think he'd ever touch her, or risk her brain. It would look more serious than this.

Rich

Dog,


Cujo signs with frustration, ::I do not know. Politics. This is stupid, running around like some lovesick idiot. I am going to Swill's. I am going to get drunk and hurt someone. You want to come or go back to the pile?::

Rich

Valentine,

After Dog leaves, you return to handling your customers, Admiral leaves, with Hope in tow. After a bit, Gates and his large flock show up, you see them all filing in, lookins like Gates is looking for you.

Gates,

You arrive at the posh yacht Club. Standing room only tonight, the storm has filled the place up. Lots of people drinking and eating, you see dice games and cards happening. Valentine is here, working the place as ze normally does. The music coming through the tinny speakers is some weird electro style something, it's swallowed up by the sound of the rain above and the chatter of the folks in here.

What do you do?

Mischa

We're still in the weeds, but I'm fresh and the others aren't. Uni's still catching his breath and I need to get to the bar so Ivar can chillax and Needle can hop in for Cigarette Girl and I still have dishes to wash and people to charm and the music machine is dancing in my brain. I'm glad there's not a duel coming up, but I have eyes on YouDub and Costco. Why can't they just play cards? Oh, those lovely cards. I can't wait to do some shuffling and dealing.

Gates! "Friend Gates, my knight in shining armor, I didn't expect to see you so soon, but I am on the opposite side of complaining! Can you send someone to the kitchen to take over for Cigarette Girl Needle? can show them what needs doing. Another to take care of the dirty tables and yet another to assist with the needs of the many guests? I'm paying in a meal and delightful company. Honest labor." I do hope he agrees- some of his family may be overworked from the move.

"I've got to take over for Ivar at the brew bar, if you'd like to join me?" I'm flipping through various brews and mixes, considering who still needs to get what drinks.

toddnicholas

I smile when I see Valentine.

"Of course, friend. We'd be happy to help out." Turning to the assembled family I say "Go on back in and see what kind o' help Needle needs from all y'all. I know some o' you can cook and some o' you can clean, so we should have all the bases nicely covered."

Turning back to Valetine I say "And yes, of course, I'll head over to the bar with ya. Who wouldn't want to stand there and smell those beans, eh?"

halcy

::She's probably caught between places and keeping out of the rain, whatever else happened. Let's go.:: I scratch my head again. Politics. Yeah, I guess I have my own education in it. Who can do what to who and not suffer for it, mostly. Cujo is lucky she can just say 'Politics' and go have beers.

If I leave Cujo by herself, no guarantee she'll be up to muster tomorrow when we need to ride.

Mischa

Do I really look like a peacock, leading Gates to the hallowed brew bar? Ask someone else. I make sure to drop off drinks, brews, mugs, and paper-wrapped bits of fish and chips as needed to my hungry clients. And yes, I'm still eyeing Youdub and Costco and those dice. I hope everyone has good luck.

"Ivar, take twenty, hon." I swat his butt when he goes. "And actually take twenty!" I call with a laugh.

"Now, friend Mister Gates," my hands are here, there, moving this cup, taking that water, pulling the sachets of teas and lining them up, "One day I can show you the complexi-teas and subtle-teas involved," I eye his with a smoky sly grin to see if he shares my wit. "But for now, please for to put those teas in those cups and flip the timers." The sandtimers I picked up at Pikes. I hear Union made them.

One we have ten seconds, I drop the upbeat face for a moment, my voice concealed from the bar patrons by the hiss and steam of cleanwater. "Admiral is concerned about what happened at the Harbor. What's your take on that sitch?" I'm still breathing evenly. I think only August could tell that I'm out-of-sorts, but you never know with Gates. He sees clearly.

Rich

Dog,

Please go here.

Rich

Gates and Valentine,

Ivar heads off the the back, chuckles when you playfully pat him, Valentine. It looks like Youdub's making a recovery, he's throwing well. Costco is talking up his opponents, they're trying to get people around, playing and losing to him.

A few of HM's people come up to the Yacht Club and start working, peeling men and women off for private time. Things are settling down a bit.

toddnicholas

I smile at Val's wordplay. "Complexi-teas." That's a clever one. Zir mind always seems t' be workin' overtime. One step ahead. Wavin' as everyone else drowns. I don't always like what goes on in zir place, but it's hard not to like zir.

"The harbor, eh? Well, that one was a bit of a head-scratcher. Somethin' happened with HM and Vignette, but to be honest, I ain't 100% sure what it was. She was in his livin' area, a little out o' it. And I think he's got someone spyin' on me, which is fine. Spy seems like a nice kid, if a lil' unconvinced of his own human worth, but it's another thing to think about in my day when I already got a brain full o' stuff."

I conspiratorially look around to make sure it's just us in this here convo. "And somethin' is... in the water. Folks seemed afraid of it." I sip a drink and whisper "I know you ain't one to share my religiosi-TEA, but just between you an' me, the Lord done tol' me to keep an eye out that way cause somethin' dangerous might be comin'."

I pause, thinking about it all. "I hope we can figure out a way to keep everyone safe from whatever is goin' on. Not sure I trust folks like HM and the Admiral to worry about anyone but themselves and those they own."

Mischa

The patterns in the tea infusion are particularly hypnotic when I listen to Gates. "Who's your shadow from hizzoner the former master of the Harbor? Perhaps I know a little something something to aid your counterspy actions."

My eyes get like cold river stones when Gates confirms my fears of the leviathan, Harbor-dweller. I match his tone while I hand him six mugs on a tray. "Clearly, sir, there is something dangerous in the water, beyond just the red. And hizzoner knows more than he's letting on. I can't hardly fathom (pardon the pun) what sort of beast or machine could devour that boat so completely."

I arrange the mugs just so. "The red one is for Toyota over there; the rest have their handles pointing to whom they belong." I smile kindly, not a numbered one. "An old serving trick."

A deep breath, and I lean back against the back bar so I can still see the house, elbows akimbo and resting on the cool surface. "I selfishly wanted the Harbormaster here to draw in more of a crowd for the duels and drinks. Hopefully some more classier types for the finer boys and girls and others. A body has to make a living, n'est-ce pas?" I meet his smoldering eyes. He's so intense. Small wonder people flock to his side, to stand by him. There's a different kind of fire in the Admiral's eyes, in Harbormaster's eyes. People have told me my fire doesn't show in my eyes. "But this... leviathan... is a bigger threat. We all have to watch out for each other, don't you think?"

toddnicholas

Hmmm. Handles pointing at the right folks. That's clever.

I nod as Val finishes up. "Indeed, we do, my friend. This thing yer callin' Leviathan seems like a problem for all of us."

I pause as I pick up the tray.

"On the topic o' feelin' selfish, though. Without the harbor, what's a Harbormaster the master of, exactly? Be right back, let me pass out these here beverages."

Rich

Gates,

The rain is still coming down hard. Outside the window by Youdub and Costco, you see the arena, the rain leaks in through holes in the roof over it, and small bloody ponds are growing. People are trying hard to ignore the miserable outside. As you deliver mugs of coffee and whatnot, you get nods, a couple smiles, even. Valentine's place isn't the real Heaven, but it might be the closest whiff most of these people will ever get, here, or in the hereafter.

toddnicholas

I meander back over to Val.

"Kid's name is Boeing. The one I think might be keepin' an eye on me. Not too worried about it. Don't have much to hide. Wouldn't mind helpin' him out while he keeps an eye on me, though. Some folks you turn the other cheek with."

I take a sip of my drink and look around the room. Happy folks everywhere. I ponder a few thoughts out loud.

"You know, Val. You n' me? We got the same job. We're in the hope business. We deliver it in diff'rent forms and in diff'rent ways, but ultimately, we're both just givin' folks a little bit to hold on to, a little bit to get 'em through."

I take another sip of my drink and think about it for a second.

"Think that's why I always liked ya, even though there's stuff that goes on in yer place that ain't my cup o' tea. Cause we both look at folks and think 'How can I put somethin' in yer life that'll fix even just a little bit o' what broke ya?' I like folks like that. Bon too. Even Vignette, a little bit, though she's got some hooks in her. There's good folks around here, among the wicked, eh?"

Mischa

I'm doing sidework, the minutia that keeps the Yacht Club humming. I want to hook up the music machine as soon as possible. But, as my father often said, "If you got time to lean, you got time to clean."

Gates give me something particular to think about- what's the angle for Harbormaster to leave the Harbor? Did he know his name would needs must change? There's one and only one Admiral, and also one and only one Yacht Club runner. He is still a flesh peddler, with the best flesh. And speaking of flesh, I keep a wandering eye on Gates as he serves. But I don't leer.

"'The hope business,' I like it. My mother would tell me that hope is a buoy, whereas other feelings will sink you down to drown. But hope uplifts, it floats." I blow some steam away from my brew, watching the swirl of the liquid before I take a good pull. "It's harder to build a thing, to keep it afloat and running true than to tear it down to wrack and ruin." I nod at those watching the autoduels. "Better that they watch the gladiators here than be at each other's throats." I hold up my mug to tap Gates'.

"I like you too, friend Gates." Nary a blush not a stutter here. "There is still some good in this world, even if you have to keep it by the fire to dry it out."

Boeing, he says? I mull over my mug, what do I know about this kid?

Mischa

[OOC: Everyone eats, roll+hot. Marking XP.]

(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 2, 2. Total: 6)

Mischa

[OOC: On a miss, ask 1 anyway, but they hear about your interest in them.]

How could I get to them, physically or emotionally?

Rich

Valentine,

Boeing is on HM's bad list right now. He's been lax in his duties, you heard HM complaining about him during your recent time together. Boeing is desperate to get from Gates whatever HM wants to know. If he thinks Gates is playing him, he'll work his way down the list of Gates people until he can get a foothold.

toddnicholas

"This Boeing kid... he's desperate, Val. At first I was a little put off but, I'll tell ya what, it's mostly just sad is what is it. I feel bad for him. Not sure what the deal is, but he's scared and desperate. Hopin' things work out for him.

toddnicholas

Helping Val with Everyone Eats.

(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 2, 1. Total: 6)

Rich

Gates and Valentine,

As you're both chatting, looking over at Boeing, at other people moving around, you see something over at the dice table. Some scav from out of Safeco is up in Youdub's face, shoving a finger at his nose, yelling about cheating. Luckily, Admiral's people still check weapons even though he's left for the night, but Costco takes exception to this scav's attitude, and a fight breaks out between the three of them.

People cooped up here, it might break out into something worse. Gates, you've got a few of your people near, they're already trying to move in, to try and break it up. Why are they going to fail at breaking up that fight, Gates?

What do you do, Valentine?

Mischa

An uncharacteristic scowl clouds my features. I can't abide the nonsense that goes with dice gamers. I should have known better, but the fresh red cubes were very lovely, in their own way. But they are still red.

I head into the brawl to break things up, calling deep from my diaphragm, "Stop fighting this instant or no coffee for a week!"" I'm not joking. They can fight outside, or in the cage, or elsewhere off my grounds.

Rich

Valentine,

That sounds like a Manipulate to me. Let's see some dice.

toddnicholas

When I see the commotion, and some of the folks move in, my eyes widen. That scav makin' trouble? I've met him before. His name is Ferndale and he don't much care for spiritual type folks. Don't think any of my family seem to remember him, don't think any were around when I ran afoul of him. It was a number of years ago now. But he'll recognize me n' know who they are. I start making my way over to help out, try and calm things down.

Mischa

[OOC: Manipulate. Roll+hot. Marking XP.]

(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 5, 6. Total: 13)

Rich

Gates and Valentine,

Gates, you move up, and Ferndale is about to shove Stumptown to the floor. It's like you expected, he sees you in them, and he does not like that at all.

But Valentine's voice picks up over the din and the music. Zir threat is clear, and while it takes a couple repeats for the ones on the ground fighting to hear it, Costco extricates himself from the scav, and Youdub steps back. People move out of the circle, and the rain continues to beat down above.

It simmers, Valentine. You stopped it from boiling over this time. This time.

As things clear up, what are you doing? Gates, are you pulling your people away from Ferndale and his friends?

toddnicholas

Yes, absolutely. I'm quietly telling them to pull back and disengage. Let's leave things alone, for now.

Mischa

No, I confiscate the dice. Wretched things.

I give YouDub, Costco, and this Ferndale a look.

Rich

YouDub throws up his hands, while Costco just looks guilty. Ferndale seems to "get it", but he's surly.

Things calm down after that.

--End Scene--