alderwitch
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"I don't know all the words...?" Robin said, her brow briefly creasing. She knew the melody well enough as it was a fairly catchy song. She turned slightly on the couch to borrow the first phone that was offered to her, squinting a little at the text. She muttered it a few times, her gaze skipping over the words as she read them quickly and then nodded her head once. Bouncing up to her feet with easy athletic grace, she cleared her throat as she handed back the phone having committed the lyrics to memory. All it ever took Robin was a single read through to commit something to memory, a fact that some of her teachers at Claremont had started to recognize. Robin, herself, didn't find anything particularly unusual about that particular knack. She cleared her throat once more, running her hands over her leather pants before launching into the words with gusto. Because, hey, if you were going to do something, better to commit. "She's into superstition, black cats and voodoo dolls," Robin started, surprisingly on pitch for a song she hadn't heard in years. The tempo was probably a little fast as she had nothing to match it too and nerves made it easy to speed up but she bounced in time with the music like she was singing along to it in the car rather than in front of her friends. For once, though, Robin's force of personality was put to something other than scaring the pee out of criminals in the Fens. With her eyes scrunched shut, she finished the song without missing a word and doing a not-half-bad job for singing acapella. Her voice wasn't bad at all but the song was certainly carried more by raw talent and force of personality than any training to speak of. After finishing the last line, she paused to catch her breath and open her eyes before gesturing with her hands slightly and once more her low-key self, "Uh. Tah dah?"
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Renegade's Notice Check: 1d20+5=24
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Bombshell's smile never faltered as she turned to refill her own mug even as the goddess's emphatic speech rang in her ears, every other word ringing with emphasis. She arched one brow behind her mask at Frost, who seemed to be taking this as a challenge to thicken his own accent. It was clearly going to be the English language under assault today which, at least, was less likely to result in bloodstains. "To your health then," she replied to Thrude in undertone, from all appearances largely uninterested in the discussion of Kantor or the Thule. Taking a much smaller sip than the goddess had, she cocked her head at Frost then and his question, "I think you'd certainly be trouble if you worked together. Just not for each other as much," the ex-spy suggested.
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"Are we the first ones here, then?" Talya asked, chuckling briefly as Eden bolted off in search of her grandmother. Her warm smile turned back to Erik, briefly appreciative of the forewarning as well as the opportunity to hand off their dish without having to step foot in the kitchen. Although her lipstick was bright red, none of it would smudge off as she returned his brief kiss. It was her 'work lipstick', afterall. She held the pies out for him to take before shrugging out of her overcoat and pulling off her sunglasses as she pivoted to put both away. Unlike Min, Talya very much felt the cold weather so unless she wanted to shiver for the entire walk, a coat had been necessary. Underneath, the fitted, tailored dress was the unrelieved black she tended towards when in her public persona. "I can take her into the living room if you'd like," she offered to Min once she'd shed her outer layers, offering elegant hands. Her words were utterly innocent, helpful even and the indulgent smile she favored the baby with was unfeigned. That Talya knew the childproofed area was in the opposite direction from the kitchen might have come from a small amount of reconnaissance in preparation for the holiday. Some habits did die hard, really.
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"Thule sorcerers were very keen on human sacrifice during the war," Talya said, the words dry. Her steps were casual as she crossed towards the circle but the very observant might notice that she'd kept her distance until Frost had taken care of the arcane lines. Flipping one baton end over end in her off hand, the movement absent minded, Talya headed for the mead to pour it. Internally, she relaxed marginally as the feigned accent came back. That made it less likely there was going to be god-on-avatar combat which was a good thing. This costume was brand new after all. Once she reached the mead, she pressed her baton against her hip, collapsing it down before she hooked it onto the leather belt. "Not that that's changed," she added as she poured mead into a cup for the goddess even though she'd not yet agreed to a glass. Her tone was mild, conversational. "People go missing all over the globe, every day." Talya held out the full goblet in one black gloved hand to Thrude, her blue eyes glittering behind her mask and her tone friendly, "Would you like a drink?"
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"I'm not sure any of us can really understand what his world is like," Robin said, the words as careful and measured as the movements of her hands cleaning the spud she'd been given. She wasn't surprised that Peyton hadn't been to the Fens, but brief resignation flickered across her features. Really, no one who lived like this would probably ever have reason to drive through. She gave a shrug of her shoulders, shifting the thin t-shirt she wore with the gesture. The fabric had been washed too many times, the colors well faded from their original brightness and the fit was poor, too baggy on Robin's muscular frame. She was diplomatic enough to neither point out that Riley wasn't actually her son, nor that most people in Peyton's socioeconomic strata didn't visit the Fens. "But I think Riley's more honest'n most folks." Once she'd scrubbed one potato clean she set it aside and picked up the next. Robin's hands were not pretty, per say. Her knuckles were flattened from multiple microfractures and as her skin blanched under the water, the network of scar tissue was more obvious. But they were strong and she didn't seem to flinch from the hot water as she set to meticulously scrubbing the next potato. "S'alright." Was Robin's laconic and arguably untrue statement on her home tone. Her gray gaze remained on her hands as she worked, "I'm used to it. S'what I know, really. Less confusing than Claremont is at least." That was true. As dangerous as her life in the Fens was, there wasn't much time for more than survival and her own personal quest to keep the streets safe. At Claremont, though, there was all sorts of social interactions, to say nothing of the expectations of school and a regimented schedule again.
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Oh, that wasn't good. Talya was well aware that Dimitri spoke English as well as she did when he wanted to. Those whims, however, were few and far between. And usually bloody. Between one eyeblink and the next, Bombshell appeared on her other side of the circle. Sure, sucker punching the woman was a good plan but it was a lot less possible when she was floating and secondly, and more importantly, appearing now didn't mean she wouldn't have the element of surprise if it did come down to the fight. The woman that appeared was dressed in blacks and silver from her thick boots to the jacket she wore. Though the costume was new, the woman who wore it was a well enough known figure. With the baton still balanced idly against one shoulder and her expression a faint smile that never reached her eyes, Bombshell offered in a voice as sweet as Frost's was cold, "The mead really isn't half bad, truth be told."
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The folds of Phantom's cloak settled around her, giving the vague sense of a feminine form somewhere under the layers but not much more than that. Her perch on the throne looked much less 'pet' and much more 'lurking, malevolent apparition. With the dramatic shadows in the room, only the bottom half of the woman's face was even remotely visible under her deep hood. Unseen, her brows arched up, "Hrmmm," was her comment about the woman's previous ecclesiastical status. That was a rough tradition. There were precious few orders remotely compatible with a life of un-death. "Who were you hoping for?" Phantom asked with some roused curiosity, her voice more human now that she'd taken solid enough form to sit.
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Talya's expressions generally gave little away but she had been indulging Frost's offer of libations for a good portion of the evening and while it didn't erode years of training entirely, her control was lest iron clad than it might otherwise have been. As talk turned to Leningrad, there were shadows in her blue eyes, turning them dark. Just as subtle was the way her expression warmed when she turned to Dimitri with affection but no passion. The touch of her fingertips on Frost's parka covered arm was downright filial. "Ace is younger than us, though. He was a boy when the war started. I can't believe anyone believed his lie when he enlisted," Talya added to Frost's commentary with easy interjection. The smile she turned back to Min, though, was not likely to give Dimitri any more reassurance. As the alcohol took the edge off her inhibitions, the light in her eyes was brighter and she wound her free arm around the other woman's waist once more, "I think I have heard the theory that Erik attracts the un-aging to him. It is possible he's like immortal catnip. What do you think, dearest?" Her gaze slanted over to Erik then, clearly submerging any unpleasant memories of the past in favor of the very pleasant now. There was a teasing amusement there as he started to count up the immortals, "Immortals generally enjoy excitement, you see."
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Talya glanced up from her glass as Thrude began her threats. She appreciated the Asgardian tendency to monologue. It gave her time to put down her glass and straighten, popping her back once before she scooped up her batons. Spinning one in her hand, she rested the weight against her shoulder as she took up a position opposite Frost, enough to give him a look that he couldn't see. His relationship with that particular pantheon was strained enough.
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Bombshell was very glad her new costume had a jacket but less so about the bare midriff. Not for the first time, she lamented the fact that whatever fell power that regenerated any damage from the cold did not extend to an immunity from feeling it. Since she was effectively hidden from most perception of her existence, Bombshell felt no need to join in on the posturing and was seated on a sandy rock not far from the summoning circle, a blanket over her shoulders and some of Frost's 'Mead' cupped between her gloved hands. Oh, good. There she is. Bombshell noted with some relief. She, understandably, was always a touch leery of ritual magic. I was halfway afraid we'd end up having to stuff a frostwyrm back into Hel today. Discerning if Thrude was going to be a problem should have less collateral damage. Probably.
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Robin watched Riley - her Riley - go. Her mute dismay showed only in the flat line of her lips and the slight tensing of her shoulders under the battered leather jacket she wore like armor. Her grey eyed gaze met Peyton's, wary. "Yes, ma'am." She agreed despite her clear desire to do anything else. She followed Riley's guardian on quiet feet, her sneakers making no real sound on the kitchen floor. Once inside, Robin hesitated before taking her back pack off and after that her jacket which she hung over the back of one chair with careful hands. The thin t-shirt she wore under was worn and faded, too light for the weather outside certainly. Without it, the hard lines of Robin's too lean arms were much more apparent and she turned towards the bowl of potatoes, clearly ready to work. At the question, Robin bit back a sigh, her movements even as she went to first wash her hands before reaching for the first potato. "I met Riley at Claremont. I just started this year too." Robin offered, her tone even. Her gaze didn't lift up from the steady movement of her hands as she found words to describe her home life without divulging more than she wanted to, "But yeah, I was born in the Fens. S'where I sleep when not at school."
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"Dare," Robin replied promptly with a small smile. No surprise there from the girl who was more than willing to jump on muggers but uncomfortable with personal questions. She joined Riley on the couch, dropping with lazy grace into the corner. She left her drink behind on the table, her arms flung over the couch back and her legs loosely crossed in front of her. It was the same sort of casual pose she'd have struck in her usual attire and it looked a little strange in the club wear she was dressed in. "Whatcha want me to do?"
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Ray was well used to the expression of vague dismay at his prices, reasonable though they were. It was on the tip of his tongue to suggest saving up, and starting in on his spiel of 'cheap tattoos are never good tattoos' but the revelation that it was a recovering drug user stopped him before he could start. Ray sighed. "I'm sure we can work something out," he said instead. It could easily have sounded sleazy but there was no accompanying innuendo that made it sound anything more than what it was, a vague dismissal of his price. Hooking one foot under his stool, he drug it over to the side of the counter to perch on it once more. The new fellow gained only the briefest of glances before his attention turned back to the women. They certainly got their share of window shoppers. "Well, a good tattoo shouldn't do anything to veins unless some hack is digging for gold. Veins are deeper than they look. If its from multiple injections, the bigger concern is topical scars. You can tattoo a scar but it takes the ink differently so you want to design for that. Personally, I like to work damaged skin in multiple sessions to better let the tissue heal and not overwork the skin." Ray paused and then added, the words surprisingly gentle, "Is it from a medical condition or is he using? I'd suggest against tattooing skin that's going to be regularly punctured with any sort of needles."
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"You don't have dealers?" Robin was surprised. It was hard to imagine a world where there weren't people trading illicit substances in back alleys. She nodded along with Fred's explanation, almost as surprised at her deft understanding of the nuances of the situation. Once the scientist had finished, she added, "Yeah, I mean, the whole drug dealer trying to make sure people get meds that the system won't give 'em is mostly the stuff of television. Some times good people get mixed up in it though as its a good way to make money. There aren't a whole lot of options to make ends meet. Some of 'em aren't any older'n us." Robin paused to accept the small bag of food from the server with a smile of thanks and a brief promise to swing by later. Plastic bag in one hand, Robin took a few steps away and gestured with her chin, "I got a bolt hole, not too far from here. We can eat up there." She paused and then picked up the thread of conversation, "Meth's the worst though. The stuff is toxic as hell and sometimes the labs themselves just blow up, taking chunks of the area around it with 'em. S'bad enough people get addicted to this crap but then you got the dealers cutting things with pure poison to make a better profit. Bad drugs kill. We had a string of that going on two years ago when I first started. It was awful."
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"More mortal than not, I need both water and rest. Though it might be a bit more beer and napping on the couch," Ray added with a small smile. He looked between Fleur and Ellis and their interactions but this time, he confined his commentary to a single eye roll. "I can see my presence is no longer needed." Ray added with amusement and he reached out for his discharge paperwork. "Nice to meet you both. Enjoy your... evening." Ray amended his words to something much less teasing although the amusement remained in his eyes before he vanished in a bright flash of light. After all, if everyone knew what he was, there was no reason to walk and Ray was nothing if not willing to utilize his powers when he could get away with it.
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It was more than a little disconcerting to meet this world's version of Riley for Robin. It was strange to think that her boyfriend and she would have so little in common if she'd met this world's version instead. She couldn't even come up with a scenario where their lives would intersect. She offered her hand, her grip firm but not inhumanly so. Robin's strength, even if it reached into unnatural levels, came entirely naturally to her. "Yup, Robin. Nice to meetcha," she agreed as she shook his hand and wondered briefly if Riley's Prime counterpart found the meeting strange. Her attention, however, was quickly diverted by Riley's not-Mom. Robin was keenly aware that she was out of place in this house and twisted her hands together in front of her tightly. "Oh. Good?" Her voice turned what should probably have been a statement into a question. She forced her hands to her side and her posture to relax. Making a stab for manners rather rusty, she offered, "It's very nice to meet you, Ms. Smith. Thank you for having me over for Thanksgiving."
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It had likely grown pretty obvious rather quickly that Talya was avoiding Gina Espadas. Oh, it was never obvious per say, but it wasn't like Talya was above putting decades of spy training and her knack for hiding to use in her personal life so when the Espadas matriarch was around, Talya was simply elsewhere. Once or twice could have been chalked up to chance but as Gina was certainly a presence in the lives of her family, chance could only be pushed so far. Unfortunately, while Talya could probably have continued in such a vein indefinitely, it was clear that any excuse of missing Thanksgiving would have been downright hurtful and that was a line she wasn't willing to cross. Certainly not out of cowardice. Perfecting pies, at least, had kept her mind busy even if no student had left the school for this week without baked goods in tow. Raina alone had been sent home with pies to share with her Claremont friends. Hiding behind pies would have been a stellar plan if she hadn't been an absolute sucker for, "Up! Tal'a, I wanna go up!" Talya had hesitated only a moment before switching the pies to one hand and offering the other to Eden to dangle from. "Little monkey. We'll have you down in the dojo swinging on ropes before your fourth birthday at this rate," Talya said with affection as she carefully swung Eden, more concerned for the little girl than the pies balancing on her other palm. If the pies fell, well, there were worse things than ruined pastries. Her boots clicked on the pavement as she lifted Eden up onto the top of the stoop with a "Wheeee!" Talya had dressed in full armor for the event. At least, her sort of armor. From the stiletto boots to the curls in her hair, she'd vanished behind the elegant facade of the super-spy. Still, thesmile she slanted Min, from under her black glasses and behind blood-red lipstick was still the Talya that she had come to know as they reached the door. "It's not to late to run for it. I'm sure there's a super villain attacking somewhere." She was mostly teasing. Mostly.
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Phantom didn't gasp, but there was a small pause in her movements and a small motion under the hood like she looked towards Nicola and stopped the gesture, "And you got the 'sexy' routine instead of the 'scary' one. That one is much less pleasant," Phantom commented, almost in a conversational aside. Floating forward to Jack's throne, she tucked the bag of blood a little irreverently between two of the 'fingers' of the throne, "I brought you a hungry vampire. I think..." She paused, turning her hooded head, as she hadn't actually double-checked that first. There was a flash of light from beneath the dark shadows as she cast the spell and then shrugged, "Yeahp, Vampire." Her cloak rippled as she moved past, to perch on the other arm of the throne largely buried under the voluminous folds of her cloak. As she solidified to sit, her voice dropped into much more human cadences, "I'm against shirts, personally. This is a good look. Oh, I like the torches. Are those new?" There was a reason when they'd worked together that Phantom's job was mostly to stay silent and let her other half do the intimidating.
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"No wonder your home held up so well during everything. It looks kinda like a fortress," Robin commented as she went to slip off the back of the bike. The words were a little muffled as she pulled her helmet off as well before setting it carefully on the back end of the bike. She reached up to smooth out her hair once it was free, making sure the twists weren't all tangled. It was a nervous sort of gesture before she reached out to slip her hand into Riley's. His off-hand as Robin had less issue with tying up her dominant hand than her boyfriend generally did. Shifting her worn backpack a little higher on her shoulder, it had thankfully not occurred yet to Robin that Thanksgiving might be a thing people dressed up for. The house was imposing enough. "It's not so much about a harvest festival as about a bunch of the white folks that came over here from Europe almost starved to death and then the people who already lived here shared their food and so its about being thankful for friends and family and stuff more than the harvest. I guess its being thankful that someone else knew how to get food so everyone didn't starve. But I haven't had a proper history class in like four years so I imagine there's stuff I've missed."
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Phantom took the blood bag gingerly with her other gloved fingertips. Oh, Taylor didn't have an aversion to blood - she really couldn't with her family - but there was no place to put it in her costume unless she wanted to chuck it into the Void and that was just asking for spoiled blood to end up floating in there for weeks. Her gloved hand was cool as she closed it around Nicola's, her grip really rather gentle although it was firm. The folds of her cloak billowed up to surround them both and Nicola was pulled through the sucking cold of the Void and its endless black sky broken only by bright flashes not unlike lightning against the expense of endless nothing. It lasted for less than a heartbeat before they landed neatly on the stone floor.
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"Pretty much. I have a few apprentices but they're responsible for their own clients. The stuff on the walls is mine, since its my shop. They've got books if you're interested in looking them over, especially if you're looking for the Japanese style or American classic tattoos. I don't do those, too many rules," he said as he came around the corner of the desk. He leaned one lean hip against it, folding his arms over his chest as he relaxed his stance. A small smile kicked up one corner of his mouth in genuine appreciation for the compliment, "Thanks. I like what I do. Not many people get to say that." He gave a small lift of his chin in answer to Asli's question, "We can set something up. Do you know what size piece he's interested in getting and where he might want it? I don't do flash pieces, my work is custom so its per hour for design and then the work. My hourly is a hundred and thirty but I'm worth it."
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"You have my word. I'll take you to the man in charge directly," Phantom said with a relieved sigh as the young woman stepped out. She was pleased it wasn't going to devolve to having to wrestle a young vampire into her pocket. Although Taylor was reasonably certain that she'd be able to take most vampires at this point, her track record with their kind... wasn't actually all that stellar. There were certainly arguments to be made that her one weakness wasn't fire but actually the undead. Her glowing gaze dropped to the choker and she paused before adding, "Though, you'll need to cover up that necklace." Phantom's cloak parted enough that she offered out one gloved hand. Beneath the billowing folds, it was clear she was floating well above the ground. Phantom was compact and fit, and the hand she extended out was clad in black leather up to her bicep. "If you take my hand, I can take us there right now."
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"I really can't. I'd never hear the end of it," Phantom's amusement almost came across in her sepulchral tones. Oh, it wasn't that she'd be in trouble but the teasing for losing track of a young vampire would be endless. She gave a shake of her head under the shadows of her cowl, the fabric rustling softly with her gesture. Briefly, she considered just nabbing the vampire but she really didn't want this to turn into a thing. "Look, if you need blood, we'll see that you get it. But you really need to come with me and I really don't want to have to wrestle you." She sighed and added, "I'll bring you to the guy who owns these places. He'll see that you get fed." Phantom probably should have used the proper terms but she always felt a little ridiculous invoking Jack's vampiric title and most vampires seemed to take it amiss when she couldn't say 'king' with a straight face.
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There were only a few patrons still eating as the Golden Dragon was closing for the night. The odd trio only drew a few looks and those quickly turned back down to hurriedly finishing their meal. People in costumes in the Fens generally meant that conflict was imminent. Under her mask, Robin's mouth curved in a small smile, "I'm sure its not, Fred. That's about a block and a half over." Robin didn't sound like she was kidding as she led the way to the woman cleaning tables. Robin pitched her voice a little lower, "Everything going okay, May? No trouble?" The woman - May - turned as she was addressed. She was young, probably not that much older than the trio of teenagers, but she looked tired and worn around at the edges. Still, she only glanced at the trio briefly before she gave Robin a brilliant smile. "Nighthawk! Haven't seen you around in days! I thought... Well, no matter." Now her compatriots drew a more curious look, "Starting a team or something?" "Something like that," Robin agreed with another half smile, rocking on her sneakered heels, "Got any leftovers I can take off your hands?" "For you? Of course!" As the server bustled off to get some of the surplus from the evenings cooking, Robin turned back to her friends and tucked her hands into her pockets. "We can go beat up some drug dealers later if y'want."
