Contents:
Clever-for-Food
Obvious exits:
Stairs
Piddles trots in from the sewer entrance, snuffling around on the ground.
Sprawled across one old, battered lounge chair is Clever. She lays with her head resting on its arm, and one front leg dangling, sleeping like the dead.
Piddles raises his head from his inspection of the resident scents and perks his ears forward at the sight of Clever. His tail upright and wagging fiercely, he trots forward to inspect the cub.
One of the cub's rear legs twitches, but other than that Clever sleeps on. As the other lupe nears, the pup's face picks up her leg's tiny movements, her forehead scrunching up and one ear shaking.
Piddles sits at the foot of the chair, watching the cub dream with amusement, his head cocked to one side.
As if the movements were some form of communicable disease, the twitching passes from one muscle group to the next down her face. First her eyelids twitter as if about to open, then they still as her muzzle wrinkles and then her nose twitches. Small growly groans accompany the movements.
Piddles peers closer, craning his neck to see her face more clearly, then sitting back to watch for a few moments more, tongue lolling and a glint of terrier mischief in his eye.
The small noises the cub is making build, yet still she sleeps on. Her paws take up the jerking once more, first one, then three, then all four moving an inch or two against the chair's seat.
Piddles watches just a moment more before taking a deep breath and letting out a loud, "GROWF!!!"
The cub bursts into motion even before her eyes are open. Paws scramble, trying to gain purchase and get her standing, her tail flags, aiding the fight for balance. Her eyes snap open and her ears flatten, muzzle lifting to flash white teeth at her 'attacker'.
Piddles sits, calmly, grinning a doggy grin. Good morning, little one. Excellent reaction time.
Clever-for-Food half-falls, half-jumps off her chair. Her hackles are still raised even once she sees who it is. A shake of her coat resettles them and she huffs a hello, then bounds forward, good as new.
Piddles performs the regulation turning and snuffling and sniffing and bumping that dogs always seem to do, and does it with a modicum of affection.
Clever-for-Food bounces and wiggles her way through her end of the canine greeting, appearing to be expending four or five times the needed energy. Now that she's fully awake, her tail is in its usual speed-blurred wag.
Pack> Bailey says "Hey Hank, this kid asked me and Elan before if us city Garou actually /did/ anything. Since he'll be here for a while, I say take him on patrol and show him what we do."
Pack> Elan says "If he's tainted, he ain't coming anywhere."
Pack> Hank hrms. "After whatever is going to cleaned up, maybe..."
Pack> Piddles says "Aroo!"
Piddles bumps his head against her shoulder. What have you learned lately?
Pack> Bailey woof woof! Pidza! How's it going?
Pack> Piddles is meeting up with Clever!
Pack> Bailey ahs. That's the new Cubbie at the Rialto, right? Say, what moon is she?
Clever-for-Food takes advantage of Piddles' lowered head to make a grab for his ear. Learned? Her answer comes spilling out in a burst of many ideas all tumbled into one: NoFoodAskAskAskFirst!NoTakingOff-KeepOn!SayLikeHeSays!
Pack> Piddles says "Crescent. Maybe crescent going on none. *sheesh*"
Piddles flops over onto his back, thus neatly dodging the ear grab, and clashes his teeth at Clever gleefully. You are learning to say things in your no-fur shape?
The energetic cub gathers herself to leap at the larger dog, bared teeth be damned. Yesyesyes!
Piddles sidesteps and makes a grab at Clever's tail. You like talk-talk?
Instead of moving to save her own tail, Clever uses Pids' distraction to make a grab for his scruff. Her muzzle scrunches up as if she bit into a lemon, Silly!
Pack> Bailey says "So Hank, what're you up to tonight?"
Pack> Hank says "I'm gonna talk to Sepdet...."
Pack> Bailey gasps! "Is this about what you told me a few weeks back?"
Piddles is fond of no-fur speech, actually. Seems silly at first, but can be pretty to hear. He releases Clever's tail to make a grab at her hock.
Pack> Hank says "Probably, yeah."
Pack> Bailey beams. "God, bro, good luck!"
Again the cub lets herself be bitten, so long as she can land play-bites in return. Silly, silly, The cub scolds, then growls as she gives her jawfull a little shake.
Pack> Piddles peers. Whuzzup?
Piddles haROOFs good-naturedly. What else have you learned? he asks as he shakes himself ferociously.
Clever-for-Food hangs tight. No going outoutout?
Pack> Bailey says "Well, I think it's Hank's to tell."
Pack> Hank says "Gonna challenge Sepdet...."
Piddles can't take you out. I'd have to ask someone for permission. I'm just here to teach, if you'll settle down and learn a little! He WOOFs again resoundingly as he wrestles with Clever, trying to pin her.
Pack> Piddles WOOOWOOO!
Pack> Elan says "Woohoo??"
For all of Clever's raw strength and energy, she lacks training and soon enough is pinned. Finally she stills. Mostly.
Pack> Hank says "Yeah...gonna try t' challenge Sepdet for fostern."
ack> Elan says "WOW!!"
Pack> Piddles dances around Hank. Good luckgoodluckgoodluck!
Piddles lies down, still pinning her. Have you learned about something called the Litany yet?
Clever-for-Food wiggles happily under the larger Gnawer. No! She licks her muzzle hopefully, It's good?
Piddles wuffs. It is not to eat, but it is almost as important as eating. Will you listen and try to remember?
Clever-for-Food's esrs flick forward at Piddle's rating of the Litany. Okayokay!
Piddles settles down and perks his ears forward. You know you are Garou, right? We all who can be dogs or humans or in between, we're Garou. You know this?
Clever-for-Food remains down on the floor, but rolls to her belly. her tail wags, agreeing to the statement. Both, yes!
Piddles licks Clever's ear. Well, we are not to have puppies with other Garou. You understand that? No nookie with others like us.
Clever-for-Food tilt her head questioningly even as she starts to wiggle under the licking. Behind her the pup's tail continues its wagging, and her muscles bunch as if she was about to jump up or pounce forward.
Piddles tightens his paws on her. Now, do you know what the Wyrm is? Has anyone told you?
Clever-for-Food remains down, more from the reminder of the pressure than anything else. Nope!
Piddles thinks for a moment. Have you ever smelled air without smelling what the big metal boxes shit out?
Clever-for-Food answers quickly and as if Piddles is being silly by asking, Metal boxes are everywhere!
Piddles nuzzles. No, not everywhere. Some places the air doesn't stink. That stink of metal boxes is Wyrm. Have you smelled a place full of human shit? Where they run water with shit through and send it out other side as 'fresh' water? That's Wyrm. They put all sorts of stinky things in it to make it 'fresh'. That's Wyrm. What makes the trees and grass and flowers all brown and wilt and die when it's not the season for it, that's Wyrm. I will get permission to take you out and show you things, so you understand better.
Clever-for-Food grows still, as if her energy was being channeled towards thinking. Smelly-bad-dead is Wyrm?
Piddles thumps his tail. Smelly-bad-dead that makes your skin crawl and hackles go up, yes, that's Wyrm.
Bad, bad, bad, Clever agrees. She leans in for a darting lick to Piddles' muzzle. Will remember!
Piddles thumps his tail more. We are supposed to fight the Wyrm. You will learn to see it better. There are no-furs who are full of Wyrm. There are dogs full of Wyrm. There are Garou full of Wyrm. There are wispy things that aren't quite here -- you can't bite them yet, you've seen them -- that are parts of the Wyrm. We are supposed to fight that. We will show you.
Clever-for-Food tilts her head. Here and not here? Can't bite-bite? The cub tries to jump up. Show!
Piddles lets Clever jump up. Like... like a shadow. It is there, but not there. You cannot bite it, but you can see it. Like a wind, you can feel it, but not bite it. But we are also a little like that, and we can go to a different place that is where the shadows are solid and we can bite them, but the things here, like this chair, are like shadows.
Clever-for-Food spins around, spotting her own. Like a shadow! she agrees as she jumps for it. And as quickly as that she's off, running and bouncing her way across the room. Shadow, shadow, bite-bite-bite!
Piddles sighs, tongue lolling.
Pack> Piddles is trying to explain to Clever about the Wyrm, and about spirits. Help! I have tried to explain the Umbra, a little, but I know that it is hard to explain to people like us without showing. I want to show her Wyrm, without endangering her. I want to show her Umbra, the same way. Suggestions?
Clever-for-Food makes a wide turn as she reaches the far wall, jumping and lunging from one patch of darkness to the next. She alternates between yips and play-bites at the nothingness.
Piddles runs over and bumps against her again. Not all shadows are bad. Some are good. Some are just shadows. You will learn the difference.
Clever-for-Food changes directions, away from Piddles. Okay! The pup is working herself up, now running full out and ignoring the shadows.
Piddles sits down and patiently watches her run for a few minutes, composing his thoughts.
Back and forth the pup races across the basement, dodging and jumping, bouncing and leaping. Clever's muzzle parts and her tongue flops out the side as she burns off some of her vast store of energy.
Pack> Elan says "Hmmm. Just leash her up and take her, maybe?"
Pack> Piddles says "LEASH?"
Piddles waits for her to exhaust herself temporarily before attempting to talk to her again.
Pack> Elan thinks it's the only way to keep her from running away scared. Just...take her. Get a couple people to be guards, then.
Pack> Piddles hms and thinks about guards.
It takes some time, but eventually Clever does slow. After one more lap she flops down, panting, smiling her wide doggy grin.
Piddles flops next to her. What was the first rule of the Litany?
Clever-for-Food's tongue hands out of the side of her muzzle, wet with drool. Bad shadows! Bite-can't-bite! Some bad, some not.
Piddles bites Clever's paw gently. First law. First law. What I said before we talked of shadows.
Clever-for-Food pulls her paw back, forehead furrowing as she thinks. She comes up with: We're Garou! Fast paws and smart paws, both!
Piddles lickes her nose. Try again. Closer.
Clever-for-Food's panting slows and she looks down. Oh! No puppies! None-none! The cub gets excited again as she answers, but this time doesn't try to get up.
Piddles thumps his tail. No puppies with other Garou. You can have puppies with dogs... or humans, if you decide to. But not with Garou. First Law. Veryvery important. If you break it, people might kill you.
Clever-for-Food's ears cant back. No puppies, She repeats. First Law. Second-second bad shadows?
Piddles wuffs. Bad bad shadows and smelly-dead-rotten things -- the Wyrm. Fight the Wyrm wherever it is. He thumps his tail.
Clever-for-Food's head slowly sinks down to rest on a paw. Fight the bad-smelly things. Wyrm, fight and bite.
Piddles wuffs. Yes! Goodgood. Third Law now. You know how territories are marked, yes yes?
Clever-for-Food's ears splay. My smell, your smell, yes!
Piddles bumps his head against Clever and flops his head over on his paws. You don't piss in other's territories, right? Because that would be notright.
Clever-for-Food crawls closer to the other Garou. Right, she agrees as she leans against him.
Piddles leans against Clever familiarly. That is called Respecting someone's territory. That is the Third Law. Be good in someone else's territory. Always announce yourself when you go into it. Howling's not so good in the city, but you have to do howls out in forest-mountain places.
Clever-for-Food cocks her head questioningly at something near the end, but otherwise agrees. First no puppies, second fight bad-smelly-death Wyrm, third be good!
Piddles woofs. That's good! Fourth Law. When someone offers you their throat, or goes belly up, you stop fighting. You win, and you don't hurt them any more. I think that law is more for the human-born than us. They're the ones that have to learn that. For us, it's normal, yes?
Silly, silly, Clever scolds gently, then rolls over herself and waggles her paws in the air. Of course!
Piddles presses his cold nose against the inside of Clever's ear mischievously. Fifth law is another for teaching human-born the right way. Submit to 'higher rank'. Submit to bigger, stronger, older, faster, yes?
Clever-for-Food huffs at the cold touch on her sensitive inner ear. Without rolling off her back, she reaches up to puppy-lick at the corner of Piddle's muzzle. Right!
Piddles lays his chin on Clever's chest. Sixth law... this is getting boring, you know? All these laws for human-born. First of kill to biggest, strongest, oldest, fastest. But you have to know all of them. If you didn't know all of them, and you broke one of the laws, the people that taught you could get in big trouble. So. Best food goes first to biggest, strongest, fastest. Right?
Clever-for-Food relaxes under the other Gnawer and starts blinking slowly, looking sleepy. 'Course. Biggest gets most, then next biggest. Gotta be big-big smart fast to eat. Like me! From her upside down position, she wags her tail.
Piddles thumps his tail and doggy-grins. Yes, but now you are with bigger, faster types. Like me! He mocks growls and sets his jaws gently on her throat, then licks her nose.
Pack> Elan wonders how things are going, Hank? Piddles?
Pack> Piddles is doing well. Up to the Sixth Law of the Litany. I may stop here for now. She's tired herself out some.
Now with bigger, Clever agrees, lifting her chin as he mouths her throat. She wiggles a little at the lick, but like the puppy she still appears to be, her energy is fading as quickly as it built up; she yawns.
Pack> Hank says "Sepdet's HERE!"
Pack> Elan knows, man. How's it going? Did you Challenge yet?
Piddles licks Clever's nose again. Tell me the six laws you learned tonight before you go to sleep. I will come back another night and teach you more, but I want to make sure you have learned these.
Pack> Hank says "yeah, I told her I wanted t' challenge her. She said yes!"
Pack> Elan YEESS!
Clever-for-Food's eyes close, then reopen before she starts to answer. No puppies, fight-bite bad smelling Wyrm, be good when you aren't in your place. She sounds quite sure about those first three, but pauses to think after naming them.
Piddles wags his tail. Good, good.
Pack> Piddles says "Woo!"
Clever-for-Food seems to have trouble putting the others into words, not with the ideas behind them. Big dog eats first. Big dog is big dog. And... don't fight after fight's over?
Piddles wuffs happily. Good! Very good! Right! He slurps her energetically. I teach you more another night, yes? The rest of the Litany, and maybe I show you the place where shadows can be bitten.
Clever-for-Food yawns again before saying that she does want to see. Want to bite shadows! She rolls off her back and flops down onto her side. Sleepy, tired.
Piddles nuzzles. You sleep then. You've been good. Learned a lot tonight, yes.
Clever-for-Food's eyes close. Eat-eat lots of food later? she asks as she starts to drift off.
Piddles lays his head down on his paws and closes his eyes. Yes. Food later.
Good, Clever says as she drifts off.
Pack> Elan wonders if she has set terms?
Pack> Piddles gets Clever to repeat back the first six laws and lets her go to sleep. Whew!
Pack> Elan yay!
Pack> Hank says "Not yet. Alexandra showed up, with one of their kin. They're looknig for another of their kin that's inthe city somewhere, by herself. They can't give much t' go on, though."
Pack> Elan thinks I know. Tell them to go take a look at Xandra. I think it's her.
Pack> Hank says "Xandra, Elan? You sure?"
Pack> Elan is pretty sure, yep. I know she's Kin.
Pack> Hank says "Elan? Remind me of Xandra? I think maybe I met her, but it's been ages if so...."
You climb the seven stairs, noting the huge bannisters, and push on the splintered double doors. They creak open a little, and you step into the echoing draftiness of the old church.
Forgotten Church(#1801RAJLM)
The old church is dark, dimly lit by outside light coming in through scum-encrusted windows during the day, and tomblike during the night. There is a coatroom in the back of the nave, with separate doors leading off to mens' and womens' restrooms, and two staircases, one going up to the balcony and bell-tower, and the other leading down to the basement. The double doors leading out to the street are at the back of the coatroom.
The hard wooden pews in the sanctuary are, for the most part, still intact. There are even Bibles and hymnals left in the shelves along the back of each row, although many of them look rather chewed on. The altar on a dais at the front of the church is empty, and the lectern that once stood next to it has been knocked over. Rotting red cloth hangs at the very front of the church; there might once have been a design on it, but it has long since faded or been eaten away.
Contents:
Fortune
Sirocco
Alexandra
Sashi
Hank
Gargoyle
Errol
Obvious exits:
Street Basement
You quietly close the doors behind you.
Pack> Elan says "Piddles knows her."
Pack> Hank says "He does? GOod...."
Alexandra glances at the doors and waves.
Hank looks back to Sepdet. "Elan says Piddles knows her...."
*Alexandra is looking at you.*
Piddles noses a door open, first the shiny black nose appearing, then the tan muzzle, then beady black eyes, then the rest of him. His stubby tail vibrates with glee.
Pack> Piddles says "She lives at the project, yes!"
Pack> Bailey met her once. Elan said she was Kin...
Alexandra chuckles and murmurs teasingly, "If that tail keeps vibrating like that, he's going to lift off like a helicopter."
Fortune bounds upstairs and bursts through the door, barely pausing much when she see strangers. She smiles broadly, waving a beat-up comic book. "Lookit what I found, Hank!"
Sirocco notes simply, to Alexandra. "Rudder control."
look alexandra
Alexandra stands all of 5'4", with deep red (nearly black) hair that's caught back in a single long braid that hangs to her knees. Her features are fine and sharp, but with the fineness of damascus steel, rather than that of china. Her skin is dusky, and if she weren't alive and breathing, she could easily be mistaken for a statue of Isis. Her deep green eyes blaze with a passionate fire. She's wearing a tight black leather motorcyle racing jumpsuit, zipped up the front as far as needed for what she's doing at the moment. Above the left breast is a cloisonne pin, interlaced pink and blue triangles producing a purple triangle in the center, all overlaid by a large red Germanic 'Z'. High boots come nearly to her knees, strapped down tight around her calves like a racer's boots.
Carrying:
shard(#2832IJ$)
Staff
Alexandra returns your gaze with a regal, unwavering gaze of her own.
Her voice is low and husky, almost caressing each word as she says it.
look sirocco
Eyes of amber-gold, flecked with bits of autumn rust, peer curiously out onto the world. Everything seems to catch her interest, from the simple melody of a songbird to the intricate threads of conversations around her. Often, she seems lost in contemplation, dark hair draping gently across her narrow features. Her lean 5'7" form moves with an unconscious grace, not the affectations of most teenagers, but a genuine familiarity with herself and who she is, body and soul. Her skin is a soft coffee color, her cheeks tanned a bit russet-brown by wind and sun. She wears a black turtleneck, covered slightly by a unbuttoned blue chambray long-sleeve shirt. Tight black jeans cling to her hips and thighs, flaring only enough to be a 'bootcut', so that they fall nicely over a pair of slightly scuffed black engineer boots.
Alexandra grins at Sirocco. "Good point."
look eridani
This girl could be mistaken for a young Janet Jackson. Her pretty features are obviously African American, and her bouncy accent pegs her as a not-so-recent immigrant from the Caribbean. She keeps her eyes hidden by dark shades, even indoors. Her hair is braided in long tiny braids all over, tied back into a loose pony-tail at the nape of her neck, while at the front there are three rows each of yellow, red and green dyed braids, which are loose and dangle in her face. She appears to be in her early teens, dressed typically in scruffy fly-gear: an oversized pair of overalls, a tight woven and striped mock-t, and a somewhat shapeless brimmed cap. A long, baggy brown canvas jacket completes the ensemble, doing its best to hide the girl's newly developing feminine shape. Slim and athletic, she moves either with the languid fluidity of a trained dancer or gymnast. She most often affects the distant manner of a street gang member, but seems eager to greet people with a friendly, winning smile when she wants something. If you are particularly perceptive, you might notice something odd about her eyes (/if/ you manage to glimpse them behind the glasses) and about the way she carries herself.
Carrying:
Two of Pentacles(#4126C)
Tarot Deck
look sashi
You see a lithe, 4'9 brownskinned waif who tends to keep to out-of-the-way places, corners, shadows, as one who is accustomed to being ignored or unnoticed. Her nondescript earthy clothes are well-suited to this; she wears a gray ripped tank top, black leggings, battered suede moccasin boots. A mop of tangled kinky dark hair is mostly wrestled into tight cornrows and one thick braid falling behind her left ear. Unremarkable Black features-- a broad nose, full lips, oval child's face now beginning to fill out to that of a bony young woman--would attract little attention were it not for the odd way she tends to watch everyone and everything around her with the same curious intensity. Her mahogany complexion and thin delicate brown hands bear a few scars, and right now the more severe ones on her back and shoulders are painfully visible.
Her accent is a bit irregular; mostly she is softspoken, preternaturally solemn, with a faint coarseness to her voice that's deep and growly like a gruff five-year-old's. It would be funny, if she weren't so damned serious. Every now and then she reverts, or rather, remembers, the thick street accent and slang that was hers during younger days.
The most observant will note her odd habit of avoiding mirrors.
Carrying:
TarotDeck(#2414IJVe$)
Hank grins at Fortune. "Cool...." He looks back at Sepdet. "Bailey says he met her once, too. And Piddles says she does live at the Project."
Piddles wuffs.
Hank glances over at teh whuff, and grins. "Just the one t' ask. Hiya, Pid...."
Alexandra chuckles and finds a spot to drape herself.
Pack> Bailey says "How's it going, Hank?"
Sashi looks between the door and the newcomers and Hank, face growing animated and excited. "Well--it may not be her--mustn't get hopes up--but I'd like to meet her!" Thn she checks herself. "No. Alex or Sirocco should. If she's afraid of us, she'd certainly be afraid of me." She stops in mid-thought to nod a friendly, if silent, smile at the latest arrivals.
Sirocco inclines her head in a slight nod to the Strider Elder. "I was just going to offer to help 'breaking the news' if she is indeed the person in question."
Pack> Hank says "So far, so good...Sepdet's excited about the news about Xandra, if she's the one."
Pack> Bailey huhs? "The one what?"
Hank smiles. "Well....she's living in the project. Right Pid?"
Pack> Hank says "The Striders' kin....apparently they have a lost kin somewhere in town."
Piddles woofs an affirmative, his whole back end starting to get into the tail-wagging.
Alexandra nods. "Best idea. After all, I've noticed I have a double strike against me. Gaje are uncomfortable around me, on top of everything else."
After flipping through a few pages, Dani stuffs her new-found treasure into her back pocket, and bounces on over, curiously examining the others, and crouching to look at Piddles, "Heya. New mutt. Shake a paw?" She winks, and holds her hand out to the dog.
Hank glances at Alexandra. "Ga..gaje?"
Piddles thumps down goodnaturedly and offers his big paw for a shake.
Sashi's dry rustling chuckle leaks out again at Piddles' wagging, relief coloring her face. "Well, cousin, looks like you picked a good time to come to us." She sits back down on the bench with a thump, watching Dani with some interest too, discreetly studying the girl.
Sirocco quirks a brow quietly, and shrugs to Alexandra. "/I'm/ not uncomfortable around you, but I'm not really 'anything' in particular." She smiles faintly.
Alexandra grins and nudges Sirocco gently. "Yeah, but you're family."
Hank glances at Sashi, and smiles, giving a slight nod towards Fortune. "New cub, one of ours."
Eridani shakes the paw with a great deal of ceremony, offering a realistic growl to Piddles as well.
Alexandra grins at Hank. "Gaje. You know, flatlanders, chagua, gaijin, goyim, barbarians...them folks who ain't part of the family."
Hank ahhs at Alexandra. "Um...OK."
You sense Eridani talks to you in Beast Speech. You one of us? I'm new. C'n call me Fortune.
Piddles shakes solemnly, and then thumps his tail noisily against the ground. I have just come from teaching the other cub. It is frightening to think I was once like that!
Sashi nods to Hank. "We've met a time or two, your cub. She told a story at moot that very much baffled some elders, and amused many others."
Alexandra grins. "Good story. Real good story."
You whisper "Yes! I am called Piddles-Into-The-Wind, Cliath Full Moon!" to Eridani.
Hank hmms at Sashi. "Ok..." He grins. "She uses cards...."
Eridani looks up as people talk about her, and grins cheekily. "Y'all was seeming t'need /sumthin'/ ta cheer youse up." She double-takes, looking down at Piddles, and laughing, "Dat's some name, bro."
Pack> Hank says "Elan? It was Sepdet you wanted told about the cards, right?"
Pack> Bailey says "Speaking of which, when do you think we can talk to Mama Rat about Fortune's Moon?"
Sashi pulls her knees up to her chest, propping her chin on her bare arms with a smile. "So I noticed," she observes quietly, growing more subdued. She doesn't seem to be so much shy, as curious, watching every interaction and gesture between people like a kayaker reading the currents of a river.
Pack> Elan yeah, Hank. Um, I'll try to do the Summoning, soon.
Piddles makes his way over to Sashi and thumps over on his back, offering his chest for a skritching?
Hank grins at Sashi. "Elan thought you'd be interested in 'em."
Alexandra chuckles and stagewhispers to Sirocco, "Is he not the most shameless at begging for attention you've encountered yet?"
Piddles pages all: Piddles, skritch-slut!
Hank snickers.
Eridani obliges Piddles happily enough, seeming to know all the right places that dogs like to be scritched. She tilts her head to Sashi, "Din't getcher name, ma'am. I was a bit askairt, when all those people headed at me, after."
Sirocco smiles faintly, and in a similar fashion, leans towards Alex. "At begging, yes... at demanding, no." She winks, and pokes the Strider in the side.
Alexandra grins and pulls Sirocco into her lap. "Demanding? Who's demanding?"
Sirocco shakes her head in amusement. "Oh, hmm. Let me think. Oh, sorry, the name escapes me for the moment." Then she full-out laughs, batting Alex in the shoulder.
Alexandra laughs cheerfully.
Hank grins.
Piddles rrrrrrrs and mrrrrrrs and waggles his whole body back and forth with exquisite pleasure.
Alexandra chuckles and watches Piddles try to vibrate his way through the floor.
Sashi starts working around Piddle's tummy and the itchy places under the neck. "Sepdet Swims-through-Silver, Strider Seer and Elder and...stuff." She grins lopsidedly, although she is dead serious through most of the introduction, running through the formality with an almost musical rhythm.
Alexandra gently nips Sirocco and murmurs, "I don't know about you, love, but I'm going to have to head home before I need landing lights to see the road. My head's still hurting from wandering past that damned power plant."
Eridani gives Piddles a final pat-pat, and makes at face down at him, "Yuh getting all dirty, man. Not dat it seem t'matter t'y'all..." Giving Sashi an intent look, she asks, "Swims-through-silver? Dat sounding lik a story, y'know?" The hinting tone of her voice is not very subtle.
Alexandra glances at Sashi apologetically.
Sashi smiles up at Alexandra. "Thanks for telling me 'bout your friend," she teases with a wink. "You go easy, okay?" At Eridani's question, she ducks her eyes with a trace of the old cub-shyness.
Sirocco smiles quietly at Alex, shaking her head gently. She winks. "Want me to drive home?"
Eridani smiles a farewell at Alexandra and Sirocco, but is obviously much more interested in Sashi. She offers, "Well, could tell yuh why Elan'n'Bailey figgered t'call me Fortune, if'n yuh like, first? 'S'not a big story..."
Sashi clears her throat, masking a certain raw wistfulness as she watches the pair out of the corner of her eye. "Yes, well, as for stories--it is one I am proud of, and yet one I am ashamed of. But I would rather hear yours, cub."
Alexandra cocks her head thoughtfully. She teases, "Think you can handle a big bike like that?"
Sashi hunches down a little and suddenly _stops_ looking at them, although she mostly seems relaxed. She focusses her attention more on Dani, still giving Pids a casual working-over with one hand.
Alexandra smiles warmly at Sashi and nudges Sirocco to her feet. "C'mon, you. Let's go while I'm still awake enough to not fall off the back of the bike."
Piddles rolls to his feet to watch the departure and rises to his feet, yawning, chuffing affectionately at those who were skritching him. Back in a sec. He trots downstairs to the basement.
Eridani flops onto the floor next to Sashi, and settles (after a bit) into a comfortable position. She offers a distracted, "Yo, laters, sistahs," to the departing pair then pauses before beginning her story.
Piddles trots back up the stairs after a moment, straightening his trenchcoat. "Izza timefer Pids ta git home, yah. Izza goodtameetcha," he says to the cub. "Izza goodta seeya, sistah."
Sirocco snorts at Alex. "Oh, please." She turns and bows slightly again to Sashi in farewell, but saying nothing so as not to interupt. Then she simply breaks into a grin at the exhuberance and inquisitive nature of the young Gnawer girl. "Reminds me of me, at that age..." She sighs, and waves something off dismissively. She turns to look back at Alex. "Hmm... oh, right. Bike.... home." The easy-going facade settles back over her like a well-worn favourite shirt, and she waves casually to the others.
Hank grins at Pid. "Heading out?"
Alexandra chuckles and heads for the door.
Alexandra opens one of the double doors at the back of the church, leaving for the streets.
Alexandra has left.
Sirocco opens one of the double doors at the back of the church, leaving for the streets.
Sirocco has left.
Eridani tilts her head at Piddles, "Sure, bro. Drop by anytime. Gits a bit lonely here wit' only m'self fo' comp'ny, y'know?"
Piddles nods at Hank. "Yupyup, gotta gittin backta de project, yah." He hugs Hank hard, thumping him soundly on the back, and grins about. "Yah, yah, Pids'll comeby, yah."
Sashi grins and ducks her eyes at Piddles. "Go well, Mr. Shaky-Spear."
Eridani looks confused at that.
Piddles grins at Sashi, and bows to her, kissing her hand. "Ah, but 'tis sweet sorrow to leave your fair company, my lady," he says in his resounding basso. There is a flash of a wildly winning smile, and he departs.
You pull open one of the two doors and walk down the stone steps to the street.
Back to home.