HOME FIRES MISTS LIFEBLOOD SPOKES

Logs

All's Not Quiet on New Year's Eve...

This log is from two points of view: Maya's, and Liz's. They switch back and forth.

Magick Bus(#3628DJOe)
This is a big bus, set us as a residence. A table (which appears to be a 
foldout) and chairs sit along the walls, with the wide center area big 
enough to sprawl out in. There are cabinets, a small electric store, and 
a refrigerator, all RV-style. Curtains, of tie-dyed cloth, are tied back 
from the windows, and the place is carpeted. Very comfy, and homy.

Maya

     Laughing blue eyes look out of a softly pale heart-shaped face at 
the world. She seems to have a slightly wondering look, as if the world 
had remade itself in her eyes overnight. Maya's hair is long, past her 
waist in fact, and a lovely reddish-brown. Something about her draws eyes 
in a crowd, and her beauty makes them stay on her once there. She wears a 
denim baseball cap and a matching denim jacket and jeans, all well-worn. 
Under the jacket she has a bright red and purple tie-dye which covers 
strategic areas, but only barely. She wears sandals as a sop to propriety 
and health laws. For jewelry, she wears only her gold wedding ring and a 
locket around her neck. The locket, if you get close enough to see, bears 
the tiny image of a drum.

Richard
        

        In every man's day (or life for that matter) there comes a time 
to set aside the weight of the world and relax. Sometimes that means an 
extended vacation, and sometimes, like today obviously, it simply means 
putting on your blues and going with the flow or letting the flow go to 
you.
        This man has got his blues on. Maybe he's back from a vacation, 
maybe he's still on one but in any case, blue it is. Blue, thin cut jeans 
stretch up from white tennis shoes of some popular brand or another. 
Across his chest is a mostly white t-shirt with a blue screened face shot 
of the Statue of David - the ends of the shirt hanging out. Still, it's 
cold up in the mountains so over the t-shirt he wears another blue denim 
long-sleeved shirt - left unbuttoned and draping from his arms.
        Shoulder-length sun-tipped hair is pulled back in a ponytail at 
the nape of his neck, a denim doo-rag covers his head and draps down 
across his forehead so that the wind doesn't blow hair in his cloudy blue 
storm-filled eyes.

Maya sits behind the wheel, driving almost manically. The South Carolina 
border hasn't even been crossed yet, it's well over two hours to go.

Richard sits in the passenger seat with his staff between his legs. He 
whittles away at it with a pocket knife, inscribing vaious designs. 
Nervous energy probably but better than frenzying.

Maya says abruptly "Do you feel what I feel?"

Richard says, "Don't I usually...?"
Richard smiles thinly and glances up.

Maya says, "I mean around me. Around here."

Richard says, "Hon, you're speaking in tongues again, stop being so 
cryptic, it messing up your driving."

Maya slows down from 95 MPH. "Sorry.."

Richard says, "That's ok. I don't mind speed, Carolina patrolmen probably 
do though."

Maya says, "I know, I know. The DL is probably in the back somewhere. But 
I beleive the lupines are riled up. Feel?""

Richard touches his forehead and ooommmms. "Mmm...no, I'm afraid 
something is blocking me from the force Obi-Wan."

Maya reaches over the steering wheel, grabs a napkin, and wads it up. She 
throws it at you without looking. Naturally, it misses.

Richard looks over his shoulder and then at the radio. "Did you hear 
something?" He checks the radio to make sure it's off, then cuts it on.
AS Richard leans down to play with the radio, the napkin flies over his 
head. "zzzzxxxxzyysdjhg..... Lord I was born a rambling man....!" He 
smiles and leans back. "That's fitting."

Maya nods, smiling. "Ooooh yeah, I can deal with that." She starts 
singing along. The speedometer needle creeps up again.

Richard sings, "And when it's time for leaving, I hope you understand...
that I was born a rambling man..."

80......83.....85.....

Richard looks over at the speedometer. "So...are we in such a big hurry 
that your're willing to do more strip clubs to pay for the ticket?"

Maya sighs and takes her foot off the gas. "I can't explain it.."

Richard says, "Why don't you stick to Who, what when where and how?"

Maya says, "All right. I feel like these mountains are looming over the 
road and want to fall in on us. How's that?"

Richard says, "And...why do you think you feel that way?"

Maya says, "Remember the bit about the lupines?"

Richard says, "Yeah...do you really think they're on the warpath? I mean, 
not that I've ever liked Garou, but...""

Maya says, "I think...something has stirred up these mountains."

Richard says, "Could Murphy really be to blame though? I mean, I stopped 
by the library and went looking out on the web for anything I could find. 
I saw the news article about the dead indian girl and from the way they 
describe it...that was definately a Murphy looking sigil."

Maya says, "I don't think so. I think he's in over his floppy head."

Richard says, "Mmmm...make much more sense. Do you feel guilty?"

Maya says, "No. I thought he could handle things."

Richard says, "Good, because a part of me isn't looking forward to going 
back."

Maya says, "Why not?"

Richard says, "I don't know, I guess like the song, I was born a rambling 
man. I kinda liked being free of it all, you know, although, I think there 
are things we have to do there, to face up to."

Maya nods. "And then we have our responsibilities..." She looks out the 
side window. "I wish...Izzie was here."

Richard says, "I don't..."

Maya says, "Why?"

Richard says, "I don't know. Maybe because I know she's keeping the 
Tremere off our tail long enough for us to do this? Maybe because it 
feels like cheating. She isn't a part of our 'Asheville' lives."

Maya says, "I think I just got too used to her being around. Her and 
Frank."

Richard says, "Don't get me wrong, I miss her, although it IS giving me 
time to actually get rid of those bruises."
Richard says, "I just...I think this is something we need to do on our 
own."

Maya nods. "Yeah. We do. Whatever...this is."

Richard says, "Ayup."

75....80....

Richard says, "You know, the Delirium will be having their New Year's 
Eve party tonight?"

Maya says, "I know. It's going to be really crowded."

Richard says, "So do you think we should just head home and sneak in, or 
do we go try and get the gossip?"

Maya says, "I have no idea. What does Connor's training say?"

Richard says, "Well, I don't know that I would go by Connor's training, 
Izzie's says scale the walls, sneak down from the catwalk and be ready 
for a sneak attack."

Maya says, "Thaaaaaat's Izzie."

Richard says, "I'll know I've really lost it when I start finding it 
reasonable."

Maya says, "Or something. So it's not reasonable now?"

Richard says, "Hmmm...I'll tell you when we get there."
Richard reaches down and turns off the radio, then turns ON the newly 
installed top o the line CB system and police scanner. "Don't ask me 
where I got these, just know that I love you and I'm paranoid."

Maya says, "Fine with me." She eases off on the pedal. "They'll be out in 
force tonight, too, I'm stupid to speed."

Richard says, "Well, I mainly want to see if I can pick up any police 
reports, I just have this...feeling."

Maya nods. "Yeah. Me too."

Richard says, "You're contagious."

Maya says, "No, I'm not. I brush my teeth."

Richard says, "And what very nice big teeth you have grandma."

Maya says, "Yeah yeah yeah. Anything on the radio?"

Richard says, "This is South Carolina hon, do you REALLY want more 
country music?"

Maya says, "I meant the cops."

Richard says, "Oh...keep your foot down, stay in the lines, hopefully 
they won't notice us? Where are we anyways?"

Maya says, "South of Greenville. About and hour and a half away."

Richard sighs. "Is this the most boring drive or has time simply stopped 
moving." He chuckles at his own use of irony.

Maya says, "I don't know."

The ride passes in silence for what seems like forever...

Meanwhile, back at the Delirium, the party kicks off...

Marianne appears from the main room.
Marianne walks in, looking for someone and spots Fransisco and Liz. 
Calmly, she steps over to them.

Fransisco sits back in his chair, Liz nearby.
Fransisco says, "here for the festifities this evening?"

Liz sips her drink and looks up. "Hey, boss!"

Marianne shakes her head. "No, not really. I've other things to do 
tonight. But I hope you will enjoy the party. Actually I wanted to talk 
to you." Liz gets a relative cool nod and a smile which is cool as well.

Liz says, "Do you want me to scoot?"

Fransisco waits for Marianne to answer Liz.
Fransisco taps his fingers on the table, gauntlets thudding loudly.

Marianne shakes her head. "I don't see the need any longer." She turns to 
Fransisco. "I wanted to tell you about the...problem. I'm doing 
everything to eradicate the trouble."

Fransisco nods, smiles, "I appreciate the cooperation."

Marianne smiles. "I knew you would. And I'm offering a close cooperation, 
really. No one would want to create any trouble. What is it you would 
like me to do now? The situation is somewhat unusual."

Fransisco says, "just handle the situation, Marianne. Nothing more is 
particularly needed. As long as the Grove Park maintains a flawless 
reputation, and deserves it, I see no need to raise questions."

Marianne slowly nods. "Well, with your Liz around, the GPI is the best 
run and most efficient place we could have, isn't it?" She smiles at her 
words.

Liz blushes. She's keeping her mouth shut...good little ghoul.

Fransisco chuckles. "I haven't taken any more interest in Liz's position 
at the Grove Park than necessary."

Marianne watches curiously. "And how much is necessary?"

Fransisco smiles, "depends purely on the situation."

Marianne moves her hands to encourage Fransisco to tell her more. "Can 
you elaborate on that?"

Liz is starting to look more and more uncomfortable.

Fransisco says, "Can I? yes.. do I feel like it, not at this time, no. I 
don't think it needs explanation at the moment. You know full well where 
I got the information for my investigation. Such matters should have been 
brought to my attention by you. Matters that impact the whole domain, 
such as someone trying to start a war with the garou, are matters that 
all kindred of Asheville should immediately try to get to the bottom of. 
I shouldn't have .had. to search your records for the information I found. 
I trust that in the future, the resources of the Grove Park will much 
more easily brought to bear in matters that concern the livelyhood of all 
people here. Unless, of course, the Grove Park is, in fact, the source of 
such problems."

Marianne frowns. "First, we are /not/. And then you have ensured to have 
matters tightly under control and the tradition-abiding Kindred I am I do 
not protest."

Fransisco says, "I do not doubt that you, yourself, had nothing to do 
with the incident in question. However, your establishment most certainly 
does. The .least. you could have done, knowing the nature of your 
business, would have been to search your records for any link that could 
have tied you to the situation and brought it to my attention at your 
earliest convience. Making me search for something as I have had to do 
only implicated you personally in the matters at hand."

Liz slides a little lower. It does nice things for her cleavage, but no 
one's watching.

Marianne almost appears humbled now. "You are correct. It won't happen 
again. All records have been checked."

Fransisco speaks with a note of sincerety and might even be impressed at 
the humbled stance, fake as it probably is. "Thank you, Marianne. In 
matters that bring all of us to danger, the cooperation of all kindred is 
required, less we all fall to the wolves' teeth. As we surely will, one 
by one, if we stand apart."

Marianne puts her hand to her chest. "I would never consider that. As you 
know, I'm very bound to the traditions. I will ensure that you get all 
power I'm able to access from my side. There's much I could do for you 
and Kindred here in general, if given the chance."

Fransisco nods.

Liz quickly finishes her drink.

Marianne smiles humbly again. "I'm glad to be of service, really."

Fransisco nods. "feel free to stay and enjoy the party"

Liz nods. "It's your first new year's in the states, please.."

Marianne rubs her hands. "I don't know. There's so much to do, and I 
have no appropriate dress for the occasion."

Liz says, "I'm overdressed, really...but he got it for me..."

Fransisco grins.

Marianne smiles at Liz, somewhat warmly. "You look lovely tonight. Oh no, 
I would feel so shabby and low at your side, really."

Liz blushes again.
Liz says, "Thanks. I really think you have SOMETHING that coul match me, 
though."

Marianne shrugs. "Somewhere at the GPI maybe. I haven't dressed up for a 
while."

Liz says, "You should.."

Marianne taps her chin. "I will call Ethan first. I can't go without a 
partner, you see." She chuckles.

Fransisco chuckles.

Liz mms. "I hear he's not a bad dancer." It's grudging.

Fransisco says, "could always go with Dave.. I hear he's a .real. ladies 
man."

Marianne arches one brow then chuckles. "Oh. So I've heard. But I'd 
rather have Ethan."

Liz looks down. She is NOT going to say anything.

Marianne turns to Fransisco. "But I will ask Dave to come too. I think 
he will be rather delighted seeing .you. and Liz."

Liz is now trying not to laugh. She mutters "Washy washy.."

Marianne bows her head. "But to achieve that, I first have to return to 
the GPI. Will you excuse me now? I'll see you later."

Fransisco smiles.

Liz says, "Just as long as you come back."

Marianne smiles and bows her head. "But of course, if that's your wish." 
With that she turns and leaves.
Marianne leaves for the club.

Liz watches Marianne leave thoughtfully.
Liz says, "I don't get it."

Fransisco says, "pardon?"
Liz says, "I don't look THAT good."

Fransisco smiles. "She was looking for an excuse to not show up. She 
doesn't support murphy, and there is little less than hatred for me."

Liz says, "Why doesn't she support him?"

Fransisco says, "she wants the power for herself. She was sent by a 
league of other city princes to gain control of this city for them."

Liz blinks. "How do you know?"

Fransisco says, "she told me who sent her. which was, by all accounts, a 
mistake."

Liz says, "Jeez. I wouldn't admit something like that."

Fransisco nods. "I think she was trying to get my support."
Fransisco shrugs, smiles. "not my problem at the moment."

Liz offers "Maybe you can teach her a thing or two about loyalty."

Fransisco shrugs, "I cannot fault her for being loyal to those she 
pledges it to. Perhaps though, I can teach her to be slightly more 
astute when making the choice."

Liz says, "Isn't she supposed to swear to the new Prince?"

Fransisco :shrugs, "we don't do such things. We merely announce our 
presence to the prince and they acknowledge that you may or may not make 
your home here. Generally, it's in the blood of her kind to seek power 
over others, and sometimes they do, in fact, require oaths of fealty. To 
be in charge. Such things should be beyond our kind... Murphy feels such 
politics are below us, but... his heart is weak, he... cannot be hard 
enough on those that break the laws.. when the time is right. Though.. 
the recent actions have perhaps seen to harden him a little."

Liz absorbs this. "So you come in,say hi, I'm here, and that's it?"

Fransisco says, "depends on the realm, but here, generally, yes."
Fransisco says, "some cities are more formalized."

Liz shakes her head. "Amazing. It's a wonder we aren't up to our necks 
in dead guys."

Fransisco says, "princes have the right of destruction as their 
providence, with which to cull troublemakers."

Liz says, "Yeah, but still."

Fransisco says, "The right of progeny is that of the princes. You must 
gain his permission to create child."
Fransisco says, "violators will be removed."

Liz says, "Well, that's good at least. Keeps the whackos from 
reproducing."

Fransisco chuckles, "within reason. The truly insane do what they will 
and someone has to try to find out and track them down."
Fransisco says, "if nobody ever knows, nobody ever does anything about 
it."

Liz says, "Is it...easy....to become what you are?"

Fransisco says, "easy to become? yes, easy to stay.. no"

Liz listens, sitting up in the chair slightly.

Fransisco doesn't appear to be elaborating.

Liz sits back again. "Well...what does it take?"

Fransisco smiles. "some things are better kept unsaid."

Liz says, "Oooooookay. Not feeling talkative."

Fransisco says, "dealing with ventrue always irritates me."
Fransisco sighs.

Liz smiles a little. "Can I help you feel better?"

Fransisco chuckles, "just enjoy yourself, be happy."

Liz says, "I'm debating seeing if gloves make it harder to play Space 
Invaders. Want to play?"

Fransisco chuckles, "I'll watch."

Liz says, "They need to get some better games in here."

Fransisco says, "i'll bring it up with murphy."
Fransisco leaves for the club.

You leave for the club.
Delirium - Main Room(#8700RJM56)

     Odd. 
        That would be a good description of this room. 
To enter, one had to pass through a black fire door, and one is instantly 
thrust into a strange new environment. The room is pentagonal, one 'point' 
being cut out to be the exit.. the room seems made of concrete painted a 
deep midnight blue. Above you, is blackness.. no, wait, it's just a steel 
catwalk, painted black.. and you may hear the sounds of boots there, if 
you listen. At the far end of the room is a long bar of oak and chrome.. 
the wall behind a bank of televisions, all showing something different, 
but no sound. What sound there is, is the sound of having fun.
        Off to one side is an open space, leading to a room from which all 
sorts of video games and billards crashing together can be heard. There 
are other exits, most parked: 'Private', and there are, of course, the 
requisite restrooms. Most everywhere you look, there are friendly and 
helpful white t-shirted 'Delirium' crew members, to help you out.

        - There are important things in +view, please read it all. -
Contents:
Fransisco
Man in a brown suit

Fransisco wanders over to watch Liz play games.

Liz makes her way over to the game, then realizes she's got to dig in the 
belt pouch for quarters.
Liz manages to come up with a coin and feeds it into the slot. The 
familiar music starts up, and she focuses on the screen.

Fransisco watches quietly.

The familiar little blobs of light that must be the targets appear and 
begin a slow left to right dance across the screen. Little lines of light 
appear from the bottoms of some and move toward the bottom of the screen. 
Liz starts hitting buttons frantically.

Fransisco watches.
Fransisco watches what buttons you press, and the result on the screen, 
how the score climbs, and why.

Liz taptaptaps "AH SHIT! that was close!" taptaphammerhammer BOOM 
"SHIT!"

Fransisco watches, "may I?

Liz nods, stepping back. "Give it a whirl."

Fransisco steps up, looks over the faded instructions on the machine, the 
instructions on the screen. Then he drops a coin in the slot and becomes 
one with the game.

Liz leans on the side, watching your technique, ready to give pointers 
after the first blowup.


Fransisco hrms as he blows up. "unfortunate."

Liz says, "Try ducking under the shelter real briefly."

Fransisco nods, continues.
Fransisco begins shooting down the invaders.

Liz grins. Low, so as not to distract you, she says "Left a bit."

Fransisco winces, fingers flicking back and forth over the controls, the 
gaunlets are off by this time.

Adrius appears from the foyer.

Liz shuts up and lets you do your best, bouncing slightly.

Adrius steps through the vault doors as he tugs off his gloves, looking 
about.

Liz is standing beside an ancient Space Invaders game, watching a guy in
...chain mail??...play.

Fransisco has his gauntlets off at least, and is flickering his hands 
over the controls with a light touch.

Adrius's attention gets drawn over toward the arcade. Rather, it's the 
chain mail that catches his attention.

Fransisco blinks, blows up. "hmph" agitation grows.

Liz says, "It takes practice. Keep trying."

Fransisco says, "mmmhmmm"
Fransisco resumes playing, fingers not quite so light on the controls.

Adrius shakes his head and rubs his eyes, softly murmuring to himself, 
"It's going to be one of *those* New Year's Eve nights...." He heads 
toward the bar, weaving through the tables slowly.

Liz realizes they're drawing eyes and grins around the room 
unrepentantly.

Fransisco hrms, lasts a little longer this time.
Fransisco takes off the helmet and visor, pops another quarter in.

Liz wasn't about to suggest that little aspect, no. She simply holds the 
equipment.

Fransisco resumes play, fingers jabbing at the controls now.

Adrius orders something softly, with a rum and Coke handed to him a 
moment later. With a sip of the drink, his eyes meander over toward the 
arcade again.

A laughing couple passes between Adrius and the Arcade, blocking his view 
for a moment. The video screens are all showing the various parties 
around the country.

Adrius turns his head toward one of those screens for a few moments, 
allowing time for those between him and the arcade to pass. Curiosity 
gets the better of him quickly, though, as he looks back. You'd think 
he's never seen someone in full medieval armor or something.

Fransisco continues to play, silently.

Liz brushes impatiently at a hair on her dress, returning her eyes to the 
tall Spaniard trying desperately to Save the World from Evil Aliens.

Fransisco blows up.

Liz winces at the BOOM and looks up at Sisco's face.

Fransisco taps the controls, impatiently.

Adrius regards silently, too far away to hear anything more than the 
sound of people talking all around him, but knowing all too well what 
frustration looks like when he sees it. He sips his drink, slowly.

Liz says reassuringly "You're doing a lot better than I did.

Fransisco grins, that seems to calm him down a bit.
Fransisco scowls. "Oh, really?"
Fransisco has one more life on this quarter.

Liz says, "Umm...yeah. I didn't know how to use the shelters, you're at 
least doing that."

Fransisco resumes his play, face a mask of concentration and 
determination. Fingers flicking over the controls with speed borne of 
desperation, the fate of the world .. is on his shoulders.

Liz chants to herself "Go...go....go..."

Fransisco rises to the occasion, a great battle won, a mighty foe 
defeated, or at least staved off for 10 levels. The world, once again, 
is saved from destruction.
Fransisco considers, "You always die at the end, don't you?"

Liz nods. "Yeah, but it's how you go!"

Adrius turns away once he sees the look of impatience fade, though 
curiosity keeps him glancing over time and again. Those glances are 
interspersed with scanning the faces of people around, looking for 
anyone familiar.

Fransisco says, "curious that people insist on fighting a battle you 
can't win."
Fransisco says, "does not sound... entertaining."

Liz says, "Yeah, well...it is. Seeing how far you can go, how fast.."

Adrius frowns quietly to himself, starting to swirl the remains of his 
drink in his glass as he leans against the bar.

Fransisco says, "seeing how much you can accomplish before being 
mercilessly slain.. sounds like reality to me."
Fransisco grins, obviously the man has a dry sense of humor.

Liz grins back. "Yeah, I want my second ship, dammit."

Fransisco chuckles, saunters away from the games.

Liz says, "I'm gonna play a few more, all right?"

Fransisco smiles, "feel free"
Fransisco wanders over to the bar, greeting a few of the female regulars 
with smiles and hellos.

One or two of the regulars eye him up and down, and try to sidle up. 
Luckily for them, Liz is already absorbed in the game.

Adrius glances toward the armored man just as he's getting to the bar. He 
nods to him once, with a faint smile at the attention that Fransisco is 
getting from the ... regulars.

Fransisco smiles, chatting amiably with the girls, nothing unusual for 
him. He nods to Adrius.

Taptaptaptap SLAM "Son of a BITCH!" taptaptaptaptap...

Fransisco watches Liz play the games.

Adrius's eyes keep on Fransisco, but he's no longer looking at him - at 
least, not for a few seconds, as his eyes go thoughtfully out of focus. 
The expletive, heard even over the conversation, snaps him out of his 
reverie, glancing to the girl there, then back to her companion at the 
bar. He looks away politely, draining the last of his (first) drink.

Liz's language is definitely out of synch with her dress. Most of the 
crowd watching Fransisco have drifted away from the game, giving her a 
bit of elbow room.

Adrius suddenly whirls his head behind him, a less-than-happy frown on 
his face, empty glass held forgotten in his left hand.

The guy on the other side jerks back and looks guilty.

Fransisco continues to chat quietly, buying the girls with him each a 
drink.

BOOM! Liz swears and waits for the next ship to appear.

Adrius stares at the 'gentleman' he just whirled on with eyes of ice for 
a few moments. He says nothing, merely setting his glass down and rising 
from the barstool.

The guy backs away, hands held up. "Hey, watch it.."

Adrius shrugs slightly, his face having already gone calm. Without a 
word, he turns, walking away from the bar.

The guy calls after Adrius "Wha? You want to start something? Huh?"

Adrius sighs softly, not even turning back to the guy shouting at him. 
The expression on his face is more wistful than anything else. Stopping 
at the other end of the bar, furthest from where he was previously, he 
sits back down.

One of the other regulars slides up beside Adrius. "Happy New Year. Buy 
me a drink?"

Adrius offers a smile to the young woman, as if he's been perfectly calm 
all along. "Ah, why not? What's your pleasure?" He waves one of the 
bartenders down.

Fransisco isn't even being approached by blondes at this point, they've 
determined that he simply doesn't like them. It's a bruntette and a 
redhead at the moment.

She smiles and leans over closer. She's not unattractive, especially in 
the dim light. "I don't care. What you're having."

Liz yells "Woooooo!" as she clears the eighth level and settles in for 
some serious Bug Hunting.

Adrius smiles a bit wider, then says to the bartender, "Two more rum and 
Cokes, please." Once the drinks are set in front of him, he hands one 
over. "Happy New Year," he says, lifting his glass to her.

Fransisco chuckles at Liz.

One of the other girls, a redhead, shoots a jealous glance at the Space 
Invader buster. After all, Fransisco didn't buy the redhead a dress...

She smiles. "Happy New year!" Clink. Sip. "I'm Lydia."

Adrius grins, then takes a sip of his own drink. "Adrius," he replies. 
The Super Space Defender over in the arcade is off his mind, as are the 
guy he stared down, as well as the armored gentleman.

Fransisco relaxes, chatting quietly, nothing serious, just plesant 
holiday chatter. Answering questions about the armor and the horse 
outside.

"Adrius? Where'd that name come from?" Lydia inquires curiously.

Adrius chuckles softly. "Here, actually."

Lydia blinks. "You're from here? And you're not named Bob or Billy Joe?" 
She grins.

Liz clears another level! She is the Space Invaders Que... BOOM! OK, 
maybe not.

Adrius chuckles again, grining. "Sure am, and nope. I'm not quite from 
the right stock for a name like that."

Lydia looks Adrius up and down. "Yeah? Did you go to Reynolds?"

Adrius shakes his head. "I didn't spend much time growing up here." Sip. 
"Moved to New York well before high school."

Lydia looks disappointed, why is unclear. After all, she just got done 
being surprised Adrius was from here at all. "Oh..."

The redhead leans over to whisper something in Fransisco's ear. Probably 
something naughty.

Fransisco chuckles quietly.

Adrius smiles and shrugs. "How about you?" he asks, trying not to give 
his company much time to be disappointed.

Lydia smiles. "Lived here all my life...well. Here and Enka."

Fransisco chuckles to the young lady, "Tonight is a night to be seen, not 
to disappear."

Liz is eying the bar. Hands off my man, you brazen hussy..she might as 
well be shouting it.

Adrius misses the all-too-obvious body language going on outside his 
conversation, as he nods to Lydia. "Ahh." He grins. "I've got to say I'm 
glad to be back 'home' here, though."

The redhead pouts...until she sees Liz's expression. Hastily, she looks 
away.

Lydia nods. "But New York...! What's it really like there?"

Fransisco grins to the girls and gets them each another drink.

Liz hmphs and turns back and pumps another quarter into the game. She 
slams the buttons awfully hard, though.

Adrius chuckles and grins. "Busy. Very busy. More people you'd think 
could fit in a small space, with less manners among them than any one 
sane person." He grins wider. "Well, sometimes it was, anyway."

Lydia asks "And the rest of the time?"

The redhead sneaks a peek back at Liz. Squaw bitch. She thanks Fransisco 
nicely, though.

Adrius says, "Well, the rest of the time it was only busy, rather than 
insane." He shrugs. "Sometimes I liked it. Most of the time it was too 
much hustle and bustle."

Lydia nods. "And so you came back here?"

Liz is (luckily for the interloper) oblivious to the look.

Adrius nods. "Basically, yeah." Sip. "It's a little more than that, but 
that's the basic picture."

Lydia grins. "So what do you do? I'm a manicurist."

Fransisco continues to chat, something about swordplay and various 
fencing moves, something about the angle impacting the effectiveness of 
the thrust.

Adrius chuckles and grins, waiting for the shock, or at least surprise, 
he's sure that is to come. "I'm a psychiatrist." Sip.

The redhead nods like she has the faintest idea of what he's talking 
about. Let the cute guy ramble.

Lydia oohs! "You are? Oh, my cousin had to see one of you! Is it hard? I 
mean, seeing a lot of nuts?"

Loryn Hayes appears from the foyer.
Loryn Hayes steps in, her nose red from the cold outside.

Fransisco chats quietly at the bar with a few young girls, his gauntlets 
are back on, though his helmet is sitting on the bar.

Liz is playing Space Invaders. Frantically. She's at level 12 now.

Adrius laughs softly at the woman by his side, Lydia. "I don't see a lot 
of nuts, to be honest. Most of what I do is helping people who just need 
some help, usually rather stable people."

Loryn Hayes slides out of her jacket, looking around. She hrms softly and 
steps a little further into the tavern.

Lydia sips at her drink. "That's not what my cousin said...she said 
everyone in that place was nutty as a bowl of granola."

Adrius nods slowly to Lydia. "She didn't go to someone with a private 
practice, most likely then."
Adrius says, "At least, I don't think so."

The redhead hitting on Fransisco says "But where did you get that design 
for your...your...that thing over the mail."

Lydia shrugs. "I don't remember. It was a while ago."

Fransisco says, "it's a tabard, and it is a traditional heraldric crest. 
This one was once used by the commander of the armies of Leon and Castile 
in the battles against the Saracens in the middle ages."

The redhead blinks. "Whowhere?"

Fransisco grins, "the general of spain, about 1085"

Adrius smiles to Lydia, sipping his drink. "I deal more with helping to 
make people's lives easier. There's plenty others who work on those who 
have seriously obvious problems."

Aimee tosses back a dyed-crimson lock. "Really? You know all that?"

Lydia smiles. "I like that idea. So you're sort of a nicks-and-bumps 
doctor."

Fransisco grins, "he is an ancestor, many years removed."

Adrius grins. "You could say that. I help with more major things too, but 
I haven't had to deal with any serious 'nutcases' yet."

Liz gives Aimee another dire look. This one is missed, though.

Lydia nods, leaning in closer again. "I kinda do the same thing. You'd be 
AMAZED what people talk about over nail polish."

Adrius smiles and nods. "Oh, I know. Sometimes people just need someone 
they can talk to - whether that's a psychiatrist, manicurist, or just 
someone on the street, it helps."

Lydia seems satisfied that she and Adrius have something in common. "I 
bet your office smells better, though."

Adrius chuckles. "It doesn't smell like nail polish, no."

BOOM. Liz has let the game go completely. She starts to stalk over to the 
bar.

Adrius may be engrossed in his conversation, but there's no way he'd miss 
someone stalking nearby during an occasion that's normally more cheerful.

Lydia follows your gaze. "Uhoh. Catfight."

Fransisco looks over to Liz, giving his usually cheery smile, "Hey 
Princess, finally give up?"

Liz says, "On the game."

Fransisco holds an arm out for her.

Liz looks daggers at Aimee. "I don't think I've met your friend, MY 
LOVE." Subtle? As a heart attack. She takes Sisco's arm.

Fransisco chuckles, pulling Liz up next to him, giving her a peck on the 
cheek. "Liz, Aimee, Aimee, Liz."

Adrius mms very softly to Lydia, and sips his drink, hiding a frown.

The Brunette, boxed out by Liz, wanders off.

Aimee murmurs "Charmed" in that tone that means she's obviously not.

Adrius says softly to Lydia, "I'd rather not be anywhere near here when 
this blast goes off, though I doubt any human can run fast enough."

Lydia shakes her head. "Oh, it happens here all the time. The bouncers'll 
stop 'em." She sips her drink again.

Fransisco stays comfortably between the two girls.

Adrius nods slowly, and replies, "At least some things haven't 
changed...." It's more an idle comment than a reply.

Liz says, "Aimee. So nice to meet you."

Fransisco whispers 'Aimee is what I like to call an occasional dinner 
guest. Please be kind to her.'

Liz looks at Fransisco at the whisper, and looks startled. Then she 
relaxes noticably. She gives Aimee a searching look.

Adrius arches an eyebrow, seeing a reaction he didn't expect, before 
deciding to look somewhere else for the time being.

Lydia gets between Adrius and the scene. "Sooo..you don't come here 
often, then."

Fransisco smiles to the girls, "can I get you a drink, Liz?"

Liz nods. "Please. My usual?"

Fransisco nods, gets a drink from the bar, sliding it over to Liz.

Aimee looks nonplussed. She was all geared up for a fight, and where'd 
it go? She decides to press the advantage, getting closer to the tall 
man.

Adrius turns his attention back to Lydia, just as happy for the 
distraction. "Not for a couple years, no." He smiles. "It's been a 
while."

Lydia asks "What made you stop?"

Adrius says, "A couple friends of mine moved out of town..." He shrugs, 
sipping at his glass but getting only ice. "I buried myself in work for a 
while, and I'm only digging out now."

Lydia nudges Adrius's arm. "You need a refill."

Adrius smiles faintly. "Yeah, I noticed... I'll give this some time to 
settle, first." He sets the glass down, then looking to see how far 
Lydia's gotten on her own.

Lydia is drinking more slowly, but she looks like she has a happy glow 
on.

Fransisco is, perhaps fortunately, wearing chain, only can get so close 
without it getting uncomfortable.

Adrius continues smiling quietly for a few moments, before softly 
asking, "I take it you've been here a bit more often recently?"

Aimee purrs at Liz "Did you win?"

Lydia nods. "It's right down the street from Red to Clear, so..."

Adrius nods, smiling. "Nice and easy, then." He looks about briefly, 
then comments, "I really should get out of the office more often."

Lydia nods. "You should! We might have met sooner!" She giggles. Yep, 
she's happy.

Liz smiles at Aimee. "Not the game, I didn't."

Adrius grins at Lydia. "That's reason enough, yep." He's at least feeling 
much more relaxed even than when he came in.

Fransisco chuckles quietly at the two girls he's chatting with.

Several very tipsy blondes stroll up to a man in a brown suit and smile. 
One plays with his hair, one all but sits in his lap.

Irene appears from the foyer.

Fransisco chats quietly at the bar with Liz and a random redhead.

Lydia leans closer to Adrius. She's almost off her own stool. "Doctor 
Adrius. I like the sound of that."

Fransisco looks completely out of place in his medevial garb, but it 
seems to look pretty good on him.

Up on the stage, the band is just starting to get warmed up and the 
classic 'club tunes' get turned up a notch as the guitars start 
wailing.

Irene looks around, stifling a yawn.

Aimee smiles at Liz. Even if Liz has backed off, she shows no sign of 
doing so herself. "Well, isn't that a shame."

Adrius also sits at the bar, next to Lydia. He grins, just shy of 
foolishly (depending on who you ask), at the woman. "I rather like it 
myself."

Lydia giggles and finishes her drink. She eyes Adrius rather 
transparently.

Irene meanders over to a chair and sits. "Another year older. Gaaah. 
Gonna need a cane and dentures before too much longer."

Up on the video screens, all of the various new year's celebrations are 
shown from various places around the country. On one there is the giant 
ball resting atop its perch in New York. MTV is on another, the latest 
VJ blessedly muted by the music in the club.

Adrius regards Lydia quietly for a few moments, still smiling. "How's 
about a couple steps on the dance floor? While we can still stand?" He 
winks.

Irene sits at Table 1.

Liz shrugs. "Depends who you ask." She squeezes Sisco's arm a little and 
lets go. "I prefer to think of it as acknowledging the inevitable."

Fransisco whispers 'I'm feeling a little peckish at the moment, I need to 
feed. This shouldn't take long and will calm her down a little, she'll 
be.. a little tired. Just remember who I'm going home with tonight.'
Fransisco smiles, gives Liz a peck on the cheek.

Irene quirks a wry smile. "Getting old may be inevitable, but that 
doesn't mean I'm not gonna go down swinging."

Liz nods to Sisco as he whispers to her and kisses his cheek back.

You whisper 'Just remember who'll be waiting for you.' to Fransisco.

Fransisco winks at Liz.

At the bar the bartending staff is working doubletime as they pour as 
much alcohol on the bar as they do in the glasses as they move bottle 
from glass to glass.

Liz backs off from the pair and sits on her own stool, back vaguely 
stiff.

Fransisco smiles to the young redhead, "I think we should talk, in 
private." he leads her to the back room.
Fransisco unlocks the lounge door, and moves inside.

Liz knocks back her drink and orders another. She tries not to get booze 
on the pretty dress.

Lydia grins at Adrius. "Sure...we can dance!" She's off her stool and 
over to the floor, dragging her partner with her.

Adrius chuckles as he's nearly dragged - at least not unwillingly - to 
the dance floor. "Fair warning - it's been longer since I've last dance 
than when I was last here."

Irene stretches and relaxes, letting the party pulse and hammer around 
her.

Dawn appears from the foyer.

Security looms over the gathering of people from their perches on the 
catwalk and the exits. A pair of half-naked people bumble up the catwalk 
stairs and try to get by the guards who politely, if sternly, turn them 
away. "Sorry, you're not on the list, take it someplace else."

Lydia giggles and starts to dance. She's not that great herself.

Their efforts having failed, the couple lean over the bar of the catwalk 
and continue their 'celebration' there. Who needs privacy right? It's a 
holiday.

Gregory appears from the foyer.

Liz looks around the room, her eyes sparkling.

Dawn walks in, sidestepping a pair by the doorway, and calls out to the 
bouncer, "Hope you're up to it tonight, m'lord..." ending it with a 
symapthetic grin, before starting to make her way inward.

Adrius laughs softly as he tries to keep up with the dancing, at least 
not being outshone by his partner Lydia.

Tam'a comes in from the Private Lounge.

A man in the brown suit, swarmed with drunk blonde sorority girls, starts 
to become blind to the happenings around him, perhaps lost in the moment, 
hormones or a second childhood.

Lydia looks like she's never been on a dance floor before, and she keeps 
banging into people. Since a lot of other people are as intoxicated, 
though, it doesn't seem to matter much.

Tam'a is seen near the arcade, if seen at all.

Gregory seemingly wanders in, his dark gaze sweeping over the room's 
rather odd styling. Stretching slowly, he shakes his head, droll, and 
comments something under his breath, skirting around the dancefloor 
rather cautiously on his way towards an empty table.

Irene leans back in her chair, people-watching as the crowd ebbs and 
flows around her.

Liz gets up and asks a man to dance.

Adrius seems hardly bothered by all the bumping around going on at the 
dance floor, though it's all he can do to keep people from crashing 
between him and Lydia. Still, the look of exhilaration is etched quite 
clearly on his face.

Lowering himself into a seat over near the side, Gregory's gaze sweeps 
over the patrons: he looks curious, more than anything else, his gaze 
occasionally flickering down to the odd design etched upon its surface 
in its myriad colors.

Gregory sits at Table 4.

Dawn gives a laughing ack, as one of the more tipsy patrons grabs her by 
the waist to dance. After a moment or three, laughing too much to do 
anything else, she manages to get free, and continues her way to the bar 
area.

Lydia tries to get hold of Adrius, maybe with rather non-innocent 
intentions, but misses.

Adrius grins broadly at Lydia - moving only a little closer, but not 
giving any sign at all that he disapproves.

Celina appears from the foyer.

Liz slows dances with this guy to a fast song, what the heck.

Celina wanders in and goes to the bar.

Gregory's gaze flickers to Lydia and Adrius a moment, before sliding 
around again, wandering idly over the other patrons safely from his seat.

Tam'a seems an island of calm in the sea of chaos, she stands against a 
wall near the arcade, but where is she looking? Not to the games, but not 
really at the party either.

Back at the Bus....

Maya hits the gas again. "Richard...." Hillsborough passes by. 
"Something's WRONG."

Richard takes a breath and he grabs his staff. Maybe he's just picking up 
on you but he seems as if he can feel it too.

Maya hits the gas.
Maya mutters anxiously "Shit..Shit...Shit.."

Richard tosses his knife into the floorboard and grips his staff. "The 
Delirium."

Maya says, "Yes. Now." She sighs as you cross 40, on I-26. "About 10 
minutes...""

In the Delirium...

Celina takes a seat at the bar and start to survey all assembled.

Dawn manages to catch the 'tenders attention, and orders, of all things, 
a cup of coffee it seems. That done, she finds a spot out of the way.

Irene looks up and waves lazily to Celina from her seat.

Liz splits up with her partner and surveys the crowd. Her eyes fall on a 
raven-haired, gaunt man and she smiles slowly...predatorily.

Celina smiles and nods to Irene.

Irene says, "Happy new year. Another year older, and hopefully, another 
year wiser, hmm?"

Celina smiles. "atleast."

Lydia gets hold of Adrius this time, and without ceremony or preable 
pulls his lips to hers.

Irene chuckles and pats her slightly-swelling belly. "Another year 
fatter, for me. I think it's triplets, at least."

The bartender looks at Dawn, two bottles of vodka filling his hands. 
"Coffee? Tonight? Ummm..." He looks around for a place to sit his bottles 
down where they won't be stolen by drunken patrons. "For you Dawn...ok...
but I want you to know, this is a very special favor."

Liz says to Gregory "Wanna dance?"

Adrius's eyes widen, but only a little bit, and only for a brief moment, 
before he has his arms firmly around Lydia. Wiser? Wisdom's the last 
thing on his mind right now.

Gregory's gaze flickers over towards Celina as she wanders in, before 
stretching in place and turning his gaze to the task of people-watching 
again. He leans back slightly within his chair, a wry expression 
occasionally flickering over his features before he blinks up at Liz, 
"Hmmm? 'fraid not, I don't dance. Sorry." He says it politely, with a 
smile, as he shakes his head.

Liz says, "Sure you do. It's NEw Year's Eve. Everyone dances."

Celina eyes Irene's expanse and says, "You better hope so. Or you are in 
trouble at delivery."

Dawn laughs, "Thanks, m'lord.. Here, I'll take those, and then we'll 
trade?" the singer offers, with a grin. Then adds, "Everyone else is 
drunk enough I think, if you know what I mean. "

Lydia stops even moving, except to hold onto Adrius. Someone jostles the 
pair. "Hey! Get a room, y'all!"

Irene says, "Oh, I think I am already. Apparently, martial arts knowledge 
is hereditary. 'Least, it sure FEELS like he-or-she knows how to throw a 
crescent kick."

The 'tender laughs, "Yeah but whose car are you going to drive them all 
home in? I doubt somehow you are the designated. Heck, for all of these 
people you're going to need a bus."

Celina laughs, "Where is the father?"

Gregory's lips twitch, and he responds, shaking his head, "Not me, I'm 
afraid. I'd invariably step on /someone's/ feet, maybe even my own." He 
proffers another smile, shrugging lightly, and grins, "I'm not the 
quickest on my feet."

Somewhere off the catwalks a bra falls.....

Dawn laughs, "Me? Drive... No... but there are more chances of me getting 
home . The right home.

Adrius ignores everyone else around until he and Lydia get jostled. His 
only reply is to laugh out loud, kiss Lydia firmly again, and then twirl 
her back into dancing.

Irene says, "Haven't the foggiest." She smiles. "Artificial 
insemination."

The 'tender grins and makes up some coffee after handing Dawn the bottles 
of vodka. I don't know, I could set one of those aside for us and I could 
give you a lift home..."

Liz leans over the table. In that dress, it's a good cleavage view, and a 
few people..male and female..behind Gregory are trying not to be too 
obviously appreciative. "Oh, come on. I'll buy you a drink?"

Lydia doesn't pout, she's giggling too hard.

Celina laughs again and gestures to the chair across from her. "May I?"

Dawn grins, "That's okay, after all, I'm sure you already have someone to 
spend the Eve with..." She pulls the bottle away from someone, before they 
can actually take it.

Irene says, "Please...it'll save us having to shout across the bar."

Gregory blinks just a moment, rather surprised at Liz's forthrightness: 
he considers, and bows to the inevitable, nodding, "Sure, a drink's fine." 
He motions to the chair across from him, "Sit."

Liz sits at Table 4.
At your table, Liz says "Whatcha want?"

The tender winks, "Maybe, but I'm sure we wouldn't mind some company. 
I've been wandering what my New Year's Resolution is going to be, I could 
try somethng new and get it done early."

Adrius laughs for a while longer as he keeps dancing, now grinning like 
an idiot, no if's, and's, or but's about it. Yep, he's enjoying himself, 
all right.

At your table, Gregory shrugs, "You'll think it rather boring of me, but 
simply water. I don't drink often-- New Years or not."

Lydia woos and dodges a thrown napkin that wasn't originally aimed at 
her.

Dawn laughs, "Maybe some other time, m'lord.." Well, not really, but she 
grins anyway, not offended.

Celina pulls up a chair accross from Irene.

Liz yells to a waiter "HEY! Water Jo for this guy!"

Celina sits at Table 1.

The 'tender laughs and pushes Dawn her coffee. "It'll be another year 
before I have the balls to ask again."

Bodhi appears from the foyer.

Celina surveys the room again.

Bodhi steps in and looks about.

Adrius ducks just in time to avoid the same napkin after seeing Lydia 
move. It's obviously not his first New Year's party if he knew to duck. 
Grinning, he returns his attention to dancing.

Gregory's lips twitch, and he shakes his head at Liz's explamation. 
Shrugging, he idly makes a mental note to himself, and continues to 
glance about the room, glancing towards his table companion from time to 
time.

From the catwalk, one of the security men turn a guy's arm around his 
back as the guy's one-nighter jumps on the bouncer's back.
Everything looks under control however.

Dawn grins, teasing, "Then maybe next year I'll have another answer for 
you. Thanks for the coffee, you're a love."

The 'tender blushes and takes one of the bottles back. "Here, you keep 
the other, on the house, just in case you change your mind."

Lydia has lost most inhibitions she ever had. She's attempting to grind, 
and it looks...well, silly.

Bodhi nods and grins to Celina.

Dawn chuckles, then nods, "If you insist.." She glances up at the 
catwalk. "Ouch..." Then at the folks waiting for the 'tender's attention. 
She grins. "You're fans await."

Celina smiles at Bodhi.

Adrius laughs, wrapping his arms around Lydia and lifting her up for a 
quick twirl before setting her back down.

A waiter brings over a glass with a clear, non-carbonated liquid to 
Gregory.

Tam'a seems left out, but a part of everything anyway, like a piece of 
furniture.

At your table, Liz says "So....you're new here!"

As the bouncer's lift the girl off their companion's back it becomes 
apparent WHOSE bra fell from the catwalk as her *ahem* filling flies out. 
Both natural and unnatural.

Bodhi smiles at Celina, "Lets see if I can make it through tonight with 
out getting pounded, eh?"

Irene lounges comfortably across from Celina, chatting with her and 
largely ignoring the chaos.

Lydia gets a wad of kleenex on the head as she's lifted, but shakes it 
off assuming it's confetti.

At your table, Gregory inclines his head, a wry smile curving his lips, 
"Indeed. It is..." He glances up at the catwalk a moment at the clamour, 
before continuing, "An...interesting place. Not my normal place to 
gather, however."

Fransisco comes in from the Private Lounge.

At your table, Liz says "Yeah, well..."

Celina smiles at Bodhi again. "Not likely."

Fransisco wanders out, a young redhead, looking a bit... tired.. on his 
arm.
Fransisco smiles, helps the girl to a seat, pats her on the back and 
heads over to Liz.

Liz is sitting with a tall, thin man.

From the stage the band roars, "HOUSEQUAKE! There's a brand new groove 
goin 'round! In your city, in your town! HOUSEQUAKE!"

Adrius grins at Lydia, brushing the kleenex to the floor and leaning 
toward her to kiss her. Obviously, his own inhibitions have gone out the 
window as well.

Lydia liplocks with Adrius without hesitation.

Bodhi grins and moves toward the bar.

At your table, Gregory tilts a brow, and looks over the drink, before 
taking a slow sip, "Well...called Gregory, by the by, madame."

Dawn takes her coffee, as well as the bottle of vodka, and finds a spot 
to crowd watch. Of course, it's near a pair of bouncers, and a door, but 
it's about the quietest she's going to find. Now she can do one of her 
favorite things. People-watch.

A guitar squeels and blares and the crowd up at the stage threatens to 
pull equipment down.

Fransisco steps up behind liz and wraps his arms around her from behind, 
whispering in her ear, "hello"

Liz looks up at the chain-mail (!) clad man and smiles slowly. "Hey, 
baby."

Adrius is likely going to need a nudge - at the *very* least - to 
distract him from this kiss, once again ignoring everyone around. My, 
he's enthusiastic.

Celina Smiles as she notices Bodhi and Fransisco in the same room again.

Gregory inclines his head at Fransisco, looking rather relieved, all 
things considered, as he takes another sip from his drink.

The redhead finds a chair and fans herself. Whew.

Lydia is just as involved..until someone dumps a drink on the pair, 
laughing.

Bodhi orders from the bar tender.

Celina nods.

Adrius acks! loudly as the drink spills over him and Lydia, muffled 
because he didn't pull his face away first. Sputtering, he shakes his 
head quickly, then laughs again.

Fransisco leans on Liz's table, as there don't appear to be any free 
seats there.

Liz says, "This is Gregory, he's new in town."

Fransisco smiles, nods to Gregory.

Gregory's lips twitch, droll. He inclines his head once more, speaking in 
that deep voice rather in contrast to his thin features, "Hullo there."

Fransisco speaks, a deep bass voice .. a cross between Inigo Montoya and 
Darth Vader "welcome to Asheville." Obviously, he's not a native.

Celina winks at Irene.
Lydia tug at Adrius, trying to get him to a table or something.

Celina gives Irene a quick hug then departs.

Bodhi looks at Irene and his head tilts slightly, as if something just 
isn't right, but he can't figure what.

Gregory nods, "Thanks..." He trails off, and stretches, glancing 'tween 
the pair, a smile curving his lips, "I was just wandering, really, 
decided to come in here." He drains his drink, adding a nod at Liz, and 
turns his gaze to the crowd briefly once more.

Roosevelt appears from the foyer.

Adrius gladly follows, wiping at his face with one hand - as if it'd help. 
He keeps chuckling softly, and leans toward Lydia to whisper to her.

Sam appears from the foyer.

Danielle appears from the foyer.

Adrius whispers to Lydia, "Boy, it's been way too long since I've done 
that."

Fransisco nods to Roosevelt.

Lydia giggles at Adrius and nods.

Danielle wanders in on her own

Dawn takes a sip of her coffee, then leans to one side, as someone looses 
their balance, and bounces off the wall near her. Once he stands back up, 
mubling something, she goes back toher position, and takes another drink 
of her coffee.

Roosevelt walks into the club amidst all of the noise with several people 
trailing behind him. Sam and Lucy closest at his heels.

Tam'a seems to coil suddenly, but she doesn't move. Odd. SHe is about as 
far from the entrance as possible.

Bodhi gets his Ice Tea from the bar tender and hands him a single bill, 
"Keep it."

Celina wanders off towards Bodhi.

Lucy appears from the foyer.

Fransisco eyes Roosevelt, Sam, Lucy, and the others trailing along behind 
him.

Sam wanders toward a fire door.

Bodhi waves to Daniel.
Bodhi watches as Celina approaches

Danielle smiles a bit as she barely spots Bodhi through the crowd of 
people

Liz grins at Gregory. "Well...happy new year, man. Welcome to Ashe 
Vegas."

Roosevelt doesn't hesitate in his steps. He begins a quick, fast pace 
towards the stage as Lucy and Sam move out through the crowd.

Celina smiles at Bodhi. "Hiya"

Irene waves to Celina, then stretches, catlike, watching people come and 
go.

Fransisco watches Roosevelt, hrms, what's .he. up to.

Sam edges in next to Dawn, giving her a smile.

Bodhi smiles to Celina, "Hello."

Dawn notices some folks, that look faintly odd, even for here, and 
glances around.

Gregory is sitting at a table, near Liz and Fransisco: he inclines his 
head at Liz with a grin, commenting, "My thanks. Didn't quite expect the 
welcome as exhuberant as it is." His enunciation is very precise, as he 
chuckles, "What do you do here?"

Dawn nods to Sam, "Hey..." before taking another sip of her drink.

Adrius spots a table that some people just vacated to start dancing, and 
leads Lydia there. He grabs a few napkins, handing her a couple, then 
wiping his face with the rest.

Roosevelt moves through the crowd, almost pushing a few drunk standbyers 
over as he makes his way through the throng of people. He seems intent 
towards a single destination, however obscured that destinatation, and 
he is, by all of the people.

Liz says, "Oh, I work at a hotel. One of the big ones."

Danielle sighs softly and tries to weave through the crowd

Fransisco keeps a hand on Liz's shoulder as she chats, watching the 
crowd.

Lucy wanders in the opposite direction from Sam. She wipes her dirty 
face with her sleeve.

Celina nudges Bodhi. "Watch out for her." Celina nods over towards Irene.

Sam just grins at Dawn, not saying anything. He's not too close, but he 
just leans against the fire door frame.

Bodhi grins at Celina, "Why?"

Celina notices Roosevelt being rather rude and decides to follow him.

Roosevelt takes a few running steps and literally LEAPS up onto the 
stage, grabbing the lead singer and pulling him into the crowd. The crowd, 
for their part, goes wild.

Someone yells, "Stage dive!"

Liz catches the cheer and looks over at the stage.

Celina looks back. "let's just sday she can take care of herself

Danielle blinks at the motion as she passes and gives a pained glance.

Irene's eyes flicker up at the sudden commotion. The rest of her remains 
quite still.

Lydia applauds the show on the stage. "Whooo! Go!"

Adrius looks over toward the stage, and shakes his head, chuckling.

Tam'a cocks her head, seeming to listen... but the room now has her 
attention.

Dawn starts to say something, then glances up at the stage, frowning 
slightly, as she recognizes Roosevelt, and the missing singer.

Fransisco looks impassive.

Roosevelt grabs the microphone as several of the band members look at 
him questioningly. He leans forward and GLARES at them and they pull 
back, their eyes opening wide. The music starts to die...

Gregory chuckles at Liz's words, "Hotel, hmm? That's interesting..." He 
turns to watch the diving, and shakes his head before commenting towards 
Liz, "That's interesting." His expression, more than aught else, is 
droll.

Adrius raises his eyebrows, smile slowly fading. "What the hell...?" he 
murmurs softly.

Lydia presses closer to Adrius suddenly.

Celina pulls up short of the stage.

The sound system WHIIIINES as Roosevelt grabs the microphone. A loud 
shriek echoes through the room.

Liz claps hands to her ears. "Jesus!"

Irene winces. "THANK you. Didn't nead those eardrums."

Adrius winces tightly at the feedback.

Bodhi watches unimpressed. He sips his drink

Dawn drops her coffee cup, as she raises both hands to her ears, face 
pained. Owowowowowow.

Danielle puts her hands to her ears

Fransisco doesn't seem to care

Sam doesn't seem fazed.

Bodhi shakes his head.

Tam'a's face doesn't change, save for her eyes narrowing slightly.

Celina shows no outward signals.

Gregory's brow rises, as he turns towards the stage, lifting his hands 
to cover his ears. A wry expression comes to his lips as he spots 
Danielle do the same thing, and chuckles, turning towards Fransisco, 
"And you, sir? What do you do?"

Bodhi sits at Table 6.

Fransisco doesn't look at Gregory, just answers, "I'm a blacksmith."

Roosevelt leans into the mic and says, "Please excuse the interuption to 
your festivities. We'll let you go back to them in just a moment. There 
has been a slight change of plans in the entertainment however, but first 
a word from our sponsors...." He looks up and waves an arm at Sam and 
then at Lucy.

Danielle frowns gently as she stops about halfway across the room as 
groupies pile around her

Adrius frowns once the feedback fades, keeping his attention on 
Roosevelt.

Celina turns to look at the two people indicated.

Sam grins and forces the fire door. Alarms start to go off, then cut as 
he jumps up and cuts a wire...with his nails?

Lucy reaches out and slams herseld into a firedoor, knocking it open and 
sending a blaring yell out into the night.

Dawn lowers her hands, as soon as the squeal is over, then says something 
under her breath, as she realizes the cup broke upon landing, and now 
has coffee on her shoes. As Sam rips into the firedoor, and wire. She 
moves back.. what the hell?

Bodhi gets up from Table 6.

Lucy isn't as subtle as Sam as she jumps up and bashes at the alarm. In 
the meantime, people begin to pour in through the exits as the security 
forces inevitably start pourting down from the catwalks.

Adrius's eyebrows raise, frozen in his seat.

Bodhi stands and moves to the side of the bar, ready to jump behind it 
if needed.

Fransisco instinctively reaches for his sword, which is of course in the 
security booth, curses.

Mirranda appears from the foyer.

Lydia gasps and pushes into Adrius. "Let's go!" she yells unheard in the 
din.

Danielle ooof and gets knocked over by lfeeing people... trampled

Mirranda blinks as she walks in to...a fight?

Bodhi looks at Mirranda and yells, 'Get out!"

Irene uncurls herself from her chair, stretching slowly as she stands.

Roosevelt looks over and out at the chaos and says into the mic, loudly, 
"Partytime!"

Bodhi sees Danielle knocked down and curses. He moves toward her to 
help.

Gregory rises slowly to his feet blinking at the security folks, and 
pushes himself over to the wall and begins to make his way towards an 
exit.

Adrius doesn't argue, leaping to his feet and taking a firm hold of 
Lydia's hand, softly saying, "Fucking stampede impending...." He starts 
toward the main doors.

Gregory gets up from Table 4.

Dawn looks up as people start coming in the door she just backed away 
from, her hands above the broken cup, and next to it, the bottle of 
vodka.

Sam turns and casually punches a bouncer.

Celina heads straight for Roosevelt.

Liz jumps up and grabs a chair, ready to defend herself and anyone close 
to her from the hillbilly assault.

The people, if you can call them that, pouring in immediately begin 
punching pushing, kicking and maybe even clawing their way through the 
club, knocking over chair, tables, people,

Bodhi grabs Danielle by the hand and pulls her up.

Gregory heads out towards the foyer, through the great vault door.

Mirranda blinks and expertly tosses someone over her shoulder as they try 
to assualt her. She starts to looking around, quickly gauging her 
surroundings, and then swears loudy in Japanese.

Adrius heads out towards the foyer, through the great vault door.

Danielle is of course all dirty and slightly bruised as people trampled 
all over her.

Roosevelt hunches down and grabs a guitar. Lifting it up he slams it into 
the drum set.

Irene drops into a guard, feet at shoulder-width, arms held in tight at 
her sides.

Fransisco looks unimpressed.

Someone in the crowd yells, "Yo dude! PLay me some Skynard!"

Bodhi slings Danielle over his shoulder fireman carry style and heads for 
the door.

Fransisco sighs, shakes his head and pummels anyone stupid enough to toss 
a punch at him.

Dawn, unable to leave the way closest, somthing about the flood of folks 
coming /in/ that way, ducks behind a table. A fighter, is not she, nor 
wanting to be. She takes the bottle with her. If all else fails.. she can 
get drunk?

Roosevelt tosses a skinny guitarist off the stage by his too long hair 
and heads to do more destruction.

Celina leaps up on the stage. "What the hell do you think you are 
doing?"

Mirranda almost breaks the arm of some poor good old boy who tried to 
pull Mirranda into a dance. Good lord, that was mean....

More yells: "Hey, Blade.. play me some Skynrd, man.. gettin' ready for 
the weekend!"

Roosevelt grabs the mic pole and swings it around toward Celina. "At the 
moment, anything we want."

Fransisco sighs, picks up a bottle, takes aim at Roo, and let's fly.

Mirranda starts to make her way through the crowd, making her way to the 
stage.

Sam swings and punches out a few more security guards, the smile never 
leaving his pleasant face.

Celina ducks the swing and sweep kicks roosevelt.

One of the brawlers grabs for Irene. She snaps a short-arm strike at him, 
sending him sprawling.

Roosevelt moves out of the way of Celina as the bottle smashes against 
his back. Obvioulsy his adrenile has him pumped up for this.

Danielle kicks a bit in Bodhi's grasp "Will you put me down, please?"

Mirranda manages to hop onto stage and frowns as she approaches Celina 
and Roosevelt.

Tam'a somehow seems untouched by the insanity.. maybe people have an 
instinctual feeling not to go over there?

Celina rolls off the stage and heads for the lounge wher she can better 
defend herself.

Liz brains a hillbilly chick, who luckily enough goes down for the count.

Irene weaves her way through the crowd with the reflexes of a trained 
bouncer.

Fransisco hrms, lets Celina deal with it for now, he's keeping people 
away from Liz.

Dawn stays out of the way, behind the nice broken table. Oh hell... not 
the party she was thinking of.

Roosevelt holds the pole out warily, his nails on his hand growing 
out....

Bodhi chuckles softly (yes, chuckles) and puts her down, 'I thought you 
should at least have the chance to jump in when you were ready."

Liz growls, eyes wild.

Danielle says, "I'll be...." She then glances at the stage and her eyes 
goes wide "Auntie?"

Mirranda walks over and narrows her eyes, looking at Roosevelt calmly 
"Pardon me, are you responsible for...." she pauses as she notices the 
nail spontaneously growing, and frowns deeply, once again swearing in 
Japanese and adopting a defensive battle posture before Roo.

Fransisco yells "ROOOSEVELT!"

Meanwhile, outside...

Cherry and I-240

     The main attraction here is a club called the Delirium, which draws 
large crowds every night. The liquor store that sat next to the old 45 
Cherry is a memory.. in fact, all the lots around the relatively new club 
have been cleared of buildings and paved over, to make a wide and clear 
space around the building. The large homes of the Montford Villages rise 
somewhere behind the squat shadow that seems to dominate this block. 
        South of here, Cherry turns into Haywood.
It is bitterly cold (-5 degrees Celcius), and clear skies. There is a 
light wind blowing from the north-east.
Contents:
Magick Bus(#3628JOe)
Adrius
Gregory
Alphonse


Maya jumps out of the bus and starts heading for the door, face white. 
She ignores everything but her objective.

Adrius moves just away from the door as well, keeping Lydia close. "Jesus 
fucking Christ," he murmurs, breathing heavily. That's when he notices 
the bus, with a startled blink. "Maya?"

Gregory's gaze flickers towards Maya: He speaks then, glancing at Adrius 
as he identifies the stranger, "Wouldn't go in there, ma'am, it's rather 
like a riot." His voice is polite, a deep voice, though not too deep. 
Baritone.

Maya says, "No kidding...Adrius! I love you."

Adrius smiles, weakly, then looks perfectly serious. "He's right - it's 
hell in there. I don't know what just happened, but someone's got some 
really rough thugs attacking the place."

Maya darts into the building with that.

Richard steps out of the bus, carrying a long object wrapped in a 
blanket.

You open the heavy steel firedoors that proclaim "Delirium", and enter.
Foyer

     This largish room seems to be decorated in what one might call 
"Early Bank Vault", if one were sufficently odd. 
        This description, strangely enough, is mostly accurate: the room 
is a squat cube, the walls made of concrete painted a dull black. One-
half or so of the room is empty space, the rear half cordoned off by very 
strong-looking steel bars set into concrete at both ceiling and floor... 
this barrier pierced only by a heavy gate and a concrete security booth 
in the exact center, a tinted viewport keeping watch over the room. 
Behind this, black t-shirted security works, checking people through into 
the club beyond.
        Evidently how this setup works is thus: one enters the gate, and 
is sent into a cordoned-off path that allows Security to take a good look 
at each patron for a bit. Next, each patron is searched by metal detector, 
both wand and large machine.. the final stop is to pass through an MRI 
machine, before being allowed through the large metal vault doors to the 
club beyond.

Richard appears from outside.

After you're throughly checked out, you are allowed through the Vault 
door leading into the club proper.

Delirium - Main Room(#8700RJM56)

     Odd. 
        That would be a good description of this room. 
To enter, one had to pass through a black fire door, and one is instantly 
thrust into a strange new environment. The room is pentagonal, one 'point' 
being cut out to be the exit.. the room seems made of concrete painted a 
deep midnight blue. Above you, is blackness.. no, wait, it's just a steel 
catwalk, painted black.. and you may hear the sounds of boots there, if 
you listen. At the far end of the room is a long bar of oak and chrome.. 
the wall behind a bank of televisions, all showing something different, 
but no sound. What sound there is, is the sound of having fun.
        Off to one side is an open space, leading to a room from which 
all sorts of video games and billards crashing together can be heard. 
There are other exits, most parked: 'Private', and there are, of course, 
the requisite restrooms. Most everywhere you look, there are friendly and 
helpful white t-shirted 'Delirium' crew members, to help you out.

        - There are important things in +view, please read it all. -
Contents:
Mirranda
Lucy
Danielle
Sam
Roosevelt
Fransisco
Bodhi
Celina
Tam'a
Dawn
Irene
Liz

Richard appears from the foyer.

Celina lunges for the Lounge door.

Sam grabs a girl and kisses her. Why not? He's having fun!

Irene swears under her breath. All pretense of nonchalance gone now, she 
pulls out her cellphone and rapidly begins punching buttons.

Maya stops short in the door as she fights her way through the crowd.

Bodhi moves back to the side of the bar and continues to drink.

Richard steps into the room in front of Maya, dropping the blanket around 
his quarterstaff and saying. "Excuse me! But if there was going to be a 
remodeling, shouldn't someone have consulted me?!

Danielle winces and breaks from Bodhi... trying to get through people 
once again towards the stage

Liz ignores any newcomers, growling louder.

Roosevelt looks at Mirranda. "Go home girl, this has nothing to do with 
you."

Maya takes a long slow breath, then fights her way to the center of the 
room.

Dawn looks up over the table for a moment, for a brief look, and doesn't 
see.. it was just her imagination. She ducks back down, as two folks go 
flying past.

Mirranda narrows her eyes at you "I don't believe the owners would 
appreciate you "fucking with" their establishment, yes? Perhaps you 
should take your friends and be off?"

Celina turns in the doorway and starts to defend herself without actually 
killing anyone.

Richard leads in front of Maya, pushing people out of her way. With a 
turn of his wrist, he thumps an attacker squarely on the nose with the 
brunt of his staff.

Danielle finally reaches the stage after some more people busting her 
around and watches those up there.

Irene speaks into her cellphone in low, urgent tones.

Fransisco grabs two punks by their heads and conks them together.

Liz stops trying to distinguish friend or foe. Only Fransisco is immune 
to that broken chair leg.

Roosevelt says, "If the owners care to stop me, they would have come home 
by now..."

Tam'a moves then as well, towards the center of the room. People seem to 
get out of her way. Some luck, that.

Maya calls out "HEY! You mean us?"

Mirranda nods and then calmly reaches into her beaded purse. She pulls 
out a large looking zippo, and an atomizer of Obession. Lighting the 
flame up, she steps back a bit, and makes a little "Flamethrower action" 
near Roo....

Irene mutters 'Get your asses down here...I'm at the Delirium and all 
HELL has broken loose...' to Irene.

Celina screams as she remembers the lounge door is locked and starts to 
fight her way to the foyer.

Danielle blinks and reaches upwards "Mirranda, no!"

Maya suddenly seems to draw all eyes, something MAKING people look at her. 
She's lovely. She's gorgeous. And SHE IS IN CHARGE.

Roosevelt smiles at Mirranda and pokes the pole at her, stepping a little 
closer. "I danced the flames long before you were born little girl."

Dawn freezes behind her table. First that sounded.. and now... Brow eyes 
peek over the table, and start to scan what is left of the club.

Liz fights on for a moment, then blinks and stares at the woman in the 
middle of the dance floor.

Richard clenches his teeth, at least he was expecting this...

Dawn pales, and her eyes find Her. Also, him. She mouths something to 
herself. Maybe, 'oh shit'. Or something equally suprised.

Bodhi blinks and then stares, 'Damn she's fine." he mumbles

Maya just stands there, calmly. Waiting.

Celina turns to Maya and trys to defend against the effects.

Roosevelt watches Mirranda warrily but his hands seem to droop a little...
his eyes, drawn away...too many distractions.

Sam stops and watches, then ducks his head. He looks...ashamed?

Mirranda is also keeping a wary eye on Roosevelt, but like him, she also 
becomes too..distracted...to continue the fight at the moment.

The swarm of attackers slowly begin to abate, those who DONT, well, 
Tam'a and Richard don't take kindly to people getting to fresh with them.

Irene blinks and shakes her head, vigorously, tearing her eyes away from 
Maya. She retreats into a corner, dialing yet another number on her 
cellphone.

Fransisco continues to stand there, nods politely to Maya.

Tam'a has finally made it to the eye of the storm. She stands there for 
a moment, and when the chaos has faded, she lowers herself to one knee 
before the lady.

Maya says, when relative calm descends, "Hey, look. It's New year's eve, 
huh? Look at this place. Why don't we call the fight a halt and get on 
with the fun? We'll have to do it somewhere else now, but...it seems a 
hell of a shame to bust up a place." She makes sense. Lots of sense.

Danielle glances over to Maya and simply nods as the crowd luckily dies 
down

Richard holds up his staff warily, he stands with a swordsmans posture, 
the pure image of a knight defending his lady.

Celina looks at Maya and nods her head slowly.

Maya smiles around slowly. "I'm sure whatever caused this hassle, it can 
be worked out."

Bodhi nods slightly, then shrugs, 'Where to? he asks softly.

Irene swears softly under her breath and closes the phone.

Roosevelt slowly lowers the pole and looks distraughtly out at Maya. "You 
were supposed to be dead....they told me you were dead...."

Maya says, "Well..I don't know who they is, but I'm not, OK?"

Danielle does make the effort to get up on stage and walks towards 
Mirranda

Mirranda backs away from Roosevelt slightly, putting her things back into 
her little purse.

Tam'a rises again, she held it only for a moment.

Richard says, "In other words, the rumors of our deaths have been greatly 
exaggerated."

Maya gives you all another smile. "I hope some of you regulars missed me..
I missed you."

Celina walks a little closer to Maya and says, "Your cause is there." 
Celina points towards Roosevelt.

Irene glances at Maya, and can't help but stare for several seconds. She 
shakes her head again, struggling to clear her mind.

Liz drops slowly to the ground by Fransisco's feet.

Roosevelt drops the pole and it clangs to the ground. His companions look 
away from Maya, ashamed.

Mirranda looks at Maya, with an odd, knowing look on her features, still 
stealing glances at Roo now and again

Bodhi tilts his head, not understanding.

Danielle steps in front of Mirranda "Auntie?"

Fransisco simply watches.

Maya says, "We can work it out, OK? Everyone...go somewhere you can 
celebrate with people you care about, OK?"

The whole room seems to hang on Maya's words. The rabblerousers begin to 
file towards the door as sirens can be heard in the night.

Bodhi blinks at this suggestion and frowns. He sits and sips his drink

Celina stands pat waiting until the room clears some.

Sam slips out the door and disappears.

Mirranda buh-links and looks over at Danielle. Too many weird things 
happening at once....she pauses, and then looks back at the young girl 
"Yes? Do I know you?"

Sam heads out towards the foyer, through the great vault door.

Lucy goes home.

Fransisco steps forwards towards Maya, taking his helmet off as he does.

Maya looks around. "Those of you who know me..come on and let Security 
get this in hand. Come have a drink with me in the lounge, huh?"

Danielle says, "Mirra? It's..." She then pauses and looks again towards 
Maya "I'll tell you later."

Celina steps to defend and realizes it is an unwise action.

Liz looks at the floor, shaking.

Irene heads for the door, an odd expression on her face.

Dawn stands up, from behind the table, eyes on the center group. Too 
confused with what is going on, and so, even though she knows Maya, and 
Richard, she starts to pick her way across the clubfloor, towards the 
regular exit.

Bodhi sighs looking at the floor. He takes another sip....and begins to 
cry.

Maya heads for the private lounge, pausing to give everyone another 
reassuring smile. It's OK. Mommy won't spank you all..this time.

Richard slowly lowers his guard and motions for security. For their part 
they seem rejuviated by the return of the boss and get to work filing 
people safely out.

Celina follows Maya at a safe distance.

Fransisco heads over to Liz, picking her up into a chair and brushing her 
off.

Roosevelt lowers himself to the stage and almost collapses there a moment 
on his knees.

Danielle watches selected folks head towards the lounge and sighs gently

Mirranda just looks at Danielle again curiously, and nods.

Tam'a is just not there after a moment.

Liz buries herself in Fransisco's arms.

Tam'a unlocks the lounge door, and moves inside.

You overhear Fransisco whisper 'stay here, security will look after you 
until I come back. I love you.'.

Liz's Point of View:

Maya unlocks the lounge door, and moves inside.

Irene glances back over her shoulder once, a long, lingering gaze at 
those by the private lounge. Then, she departs.

The security men come over to Fransisco and offer to help him with Liz.

Fransisco nods, "just keep her calm, I'll be out when we're done."

Irene heads out towards the foyer, through the great vault door.

Liz leans into whoever's arms are available.

Fransisco says, "get her something to drink."

Celina unlocks the lounge door, and moves inside.

Fransisco walks over to Roosevelt, "Planning on walking or do I drag your 
sorry ass in there?"

A couple of the security people come over to Mirranda and Danielle and 
begin to gently usher them towards the doors.

Danielle sighs again and glances back to Mirranda

Dawn pauses to help one of the shakier ladies, and the two start to walk 
towards the door, having to make small detours around broken furniture.

Danielle frowns to the guards "I'm no enemy... you don't need to lead me 
like a child."

Roosevelt looks up at Fransisco and almost opens his throat to him. He 
raises an arm weakly towards the man, his nails quite normal, as if they 
were ever anything else.

The security men nod to Danielle, "Just doing our jobs ladies, the police 
will be alot less gentle.

Fransisco grabs Roosevelt by the back of the neck like a rag doll, hauls 
him to his feel and pushes him towards the private lounge, perhaps at 
velocity.

Danielle then looks back to Mirranda for a moment and says "Let's get out 
of here and talk, ok?"

Richard stumbles towards the door like a limp scarecrow.

Bodhi wipes his eyes.

Richard sighs...."It's been a long two years."

Danielle steps off the stage and heads for the door

Roosevelt falls down on his knees and catches himself on his hands. 
"Thank you for being so gentle, my spanish friend."

Dawn gets the lady to the door, and glances back, finding Richard she 
opens her mouth to say something, then closes it. Someone is going to get 
nice and sloshed next.
Dawn heads out towards the foyer, through the great vault door.

Fransisco picks Roosevelt up, then, and just carries him to the door like 
he mentioned. Open door, insert Roo.

Mirranda nods and shrugs to Danielle.

Bodhi sets his drink down, stands, smoothes his clothes and walks to the 
door

The security force helps Bodhi out the door since he looks like he needs 
it.

Richard unlocks the lounge door, and moves inside.

Roosevelt unlocks the lounge door, and moves inside.

Mirranda heads out towards the foyer, through the great vault door.

Fransisco unlocks the lounge door, and moves inside.

Danielle heads out towards the foyer, through the great vault door.

Bodhi smiles to the bouncer, 'Thanks, but I'm good."

The security men nod to Bodhi. "Can we call you a cab sir?"

Bodhi smiles, "No thanks. I think I need to walk."
Bodhi heads out towards the foyer, through the great vault door.

Liz falls asleep after a while, exhausted.

Maya's Point Of View


You unlock the lounge door, and move inside.
Delirium - Private Lounge

     This is a breathtaking room, quite simply. Oak panelling, trim that 
may or may not be silver, carving here and there of leaves or oak 
clusters. There's a long table in the center of the room, with thirteen 
chairs, one of them raised slightly on a dias. In one corner, there's a 
short, but well-stocked bar with a mirror behind it. Carpeting of crimson 
below, sprinklers above.. there's a sturdy one-way fire exit built into 
one wall.
Contents:
Tam'a

Celina appears from the main room.

Maya sits down at the table and breathes a long, heavy sigh.

Celina meakly walks in the Lounge and takes up a position near the back 
wall.
Celina looks over at Tam'a and says, "You knew didn't you?"

Maya waits for full assembly of the local people.

Tam'a looks to the Cherokee. "I know everything."

Celina hangs her head and waits for Maya to speak.

Richard appears from the main room.

Roosevelt appears from the main room.

Fransisco appears from the main room.

Roosevelt slides into the room face first, Fransisco behind.

Fransisco comes in shortly behind Roosevelt.

Celina blinks as she sees Roosevelt slide across the floor.

Richard strides over to Maya and places a hand on her arm. He taps his 
staff to his shoulder. He looks down at Tam'a and smiles. "Elder..."

Roosevelt pushes himself onto his hands and elbows.



Celina waits patiently.

Maya sighs, the Presence fading. "Forgive me for forcing you, all of 
you, but it was the only way I could calm things down." She stands, 
still lovely. "I am Maya Smith. Where is Murphy?"

Fransisco says, "Vacation."

Tam'a nods her head to the one with the staff. "Warrior."

Richard looks down at Tam'a and quirks an eyebrow. "Squire."

Roosevelt doesn't move. He doesn't seem to have the energy anymore. He 
barely holds himself up.

Maya nods. "Are you all there are here now?"

Celina says, "We are missing a couple but they were not here tonight."

Richard stagewhispers to Tam'a. "If I new you were going to throw a 
party, I would have brought ice cream."

Maya says, "Can I have your names, please?"

Celina kneels to Maya. "Celina Firedance of the Clan Brujah."

Fransisco nods to the one who .still. hasn't been identified. "Fransisco 
de Leon, elder of the Clan Brujah

Tam'a looks to Richard. "Speaking of 'parties'...

Maya nods to Celina, looking around expectantly...then her eyes widen at 
Fransisco's name. She looks at him for a LOOOOOONG moment.
Maya says softly, as if trying out the name for herself, "Fransisco...de 
Leon. Brujah elder." Then she gives him a soft smile. "Oh, yes, I know 
of you, warrior."

Roosevelt doesn't say anything until he is prompted. Probably a good 
idea.

Celina indicates Roosevelt on the floor. "And this is Roosevelt of the 
Gangrel Clan."

Maya looks down at Roosevelt after a moment of studying the mail-clad 
Spaniard. "Roosevelt?"

Fransisco hrms, fransisco surprised? his eyebrows inch up fractionally.

Roosevelt says, "Jason Patrick Roosevelt...."

Maya says, "And you did this? You led the others here?"

Roosevelt looks up at Maya and then glances at Tam'a. "The eldest 
relinquished the Rite of Destruction and Clan Gangrel claimed it."

Maya says, "I...see." She looks over at Richard. "You know what I have to 
do."

Richard says, "If I must I will do it for you."

Celina waits patiently. "Prince Maya I would be honored to accept that 
task."

Maya half-smiles. "No need, love." She looks around and takes a deep 
breath. "I, Maya Smith of Clan Brujah, Childe of Michael Danjou, Sire of 
Richard Smith, do now here reclaim the Praxis of The Domain of Asheville. 
Are there any here who challenge me?"

Fransisco raises an eyebrow at the one finally identified.

Richard pulls down his staff and thumps it in his hands.

Celina quietly waits for any word from Fransisco.

Fransisco says, "yes."

Richard looks over at Fransisco and tenses. He doesn't move, he just 
stiffens slightly.

Maya looks at Fransisco and smiles faintly. "On what grounds?"

Celina smiles and inches to a more open posture.

Roosevelt doesn't say anything. Any cards he had have already been swept 
from the table.

Fransisco says, "What gives you the right to come walking back here after 
abandoning your city, abandoning your people. Leaving a weak regent in 
charge. You have no place ruling this city when these are the decisions 
you make."

Richard frowns and narrows his eyes though from anger, guilt or sheer 
Brujahness it isn't clear.

Maya says, "What good would it have done to lead the Tremere out for my 
Blood back here, to a defenseless place? Would that have been better? I 
will admit I made a mistake in judging Murphy's fitness to rule in my 
stead."

Celina says, "The regent was only weak to your prodding he seemed to 
deal with me pretty effectively."

Maya silences Celina with a gesture..or at least attempts to.

Celina nods and waits patiently ready for an attack.

If not, Richard has something to stick there. He looks over at Celina 
coldly.

Fransisco says, "had you bothered to maintain contact, perhaps you would 
have learned that this was not so weak a place as you had deemed. And 
what Brujah worth their blood runs from a fight?"

Roosevelt chuckles on the floor. "Go ahead and kill her Spaniard, it's 
what I was going to do if I could bring her back."

Fransisco steps on Roo's back.

Roosevelt oofs and grits his teeth. Heavy armored potenced spaniard. 
Ouchie.

Maya looks evenly up at Fransisco. "Then do you claim the Praxis? Can you 
make peace with the Lupines? Can you see the Restless? Can you keep those 
who watch the Sunrise from using their magics on us?"

Richard can't keep his mouth shut anymore (evidently 2 years away hasn't 
taught him when NOT to speak) "And when you spend two years of your 
unlife fighting Tremere at every turn, let someone call YOU a coward!"

Maya says, "Richard?"

Richard grits his teeth and shuts his mouth. He swallows, hard and lets 
the shackles lessen. He doesn't have his blade anyways, or his gun.

Maya nods and keeps watching the Elder Brujah.

Roosevelt chuckles on the floor, however hard that may be with Sisco 
pushing the air from his lungs.

Fransisco says, "I do not claim praxis, I question your worthiness. If I 
am what it takes to bring strength to this realm, then I shall take that 
command upon me. If you can prove your worth. If you can show me why I 
should support you in your bid, I shall do so. You have shown me 
nothing.." he turns to Richard, "I spent ten, child. I spent ten years in 
the mountains of Hungary fighting their gargoyles and their minions. I 
spent ten years trying to avenge the death of my sire. I spent eight 
HUNDRED years at the bottom of a mud filled ravine after being stabbed in 
the back by a stake. And where were YOU.. a Dream of some warrior born a 
thousand years ago."

Maya nods to herself at his words, as if only half hearing them. "Yes..." 
she whispers softly.

Celina shakes her head slowly.
Celina is looking at the floor.

Maya refocuses on Fransisco. "One of us, at least, has earned our 
reputation. I expected no less of you."

Richard takes a few steps towards Fransisco and looooks up into his eyes. 
Softly he says, "They tell me there rests a warrior still dreaming of me 
too. When he wakes, you and I may have much to do."

Fransisco blinks at Richard. "what?"

Maya says, "Richard..he doesn't understand. Let be."

Fransisco's confusion at least abates what could have been a growing 
rage...

Richard simply smiiiiles. "He will. When you dream Fransisco de Leon of 
Clan Brujah, let your blood sing you songs of the early wars. Then you 
might understand."

Maya says, "RICHARD. Let be. He hasn't earned that."

Fransisco glares at Richard, "I dream of Hellas, and Carthage, where does 
your heart lay?"

Maya's tone is reproving. "He's only doing what his honor demands."

Richard backs away. "You're right as always Maya. But we haven't earned 
what he has charged us with either. If his strength could not support 
Murphy he could not support the city on his own shoulders. He doesn't 
understand yet that those old battles are only staging grounds for the 
one we've been trying to outpace."
Richard moves behind Maya and looks back over at the others, his face is 
serene.

Celina can't stay quiet any longer. "If he talks you out of taking Praxis 
I will challenge him. He could not even find out which of us killed a 
mortal to start the war with the Lupines. Isn't that correct Roosevelt?"

Roosevelt chuckles again. "What would *I* know of that Celina? It was 
William wasn't it? Or was it you, or Murphy? Or Kyla? How about 
Marianne?"

Maya shakes her head. "We don't have time for this now." She looks back 
at Fransisco. "I will hold the Praxis, and you will swear me fealty and 
stand behind me, and give me your wisdom as was always the way of the 
Learned Clan."

Celina again falls silent growling at Roosevelt.

Fransisco steps on Roo again, then looks at Maya, "you speak to me as if 
we aren't of the same blood."

Maya smiles. "As old as you are? The old ways are being lost, Elder. 
Teach me. I'm hungry to learn. But this burden of Praxis is mine."

Fransisco says, "The guilty one lies under my foot, nothing more needs 
be said concerning that. My support of murphy "He glares at Celina and 
Richard in turn, "and the investigation were hampered by the fact that 
the sheriff was the culprit."

Tam'a has stood apart, and she continues to be still.. but at Maya's 
last few words, several motes of color seem to erupt from her person.. 
They seem to drone.. wait, they seem to be tiny birds.

Celina spins and crouches facing Tam'a.

Maya says, "Do you then withdraw your challenge, that I may pass 
judgement?"

Richard blinks and backs away from Tam'a.

Fransisco stares at Maya a long moment, sizing the girl up.

Maya stands calmly, watching him with an almost eerily knowing look.

Celina stands up straight again and turns to keep Fransisco in view.

Fransisco says, "I gave an oath to the one that claimed praxis to support 
him and give him my blade in time of battle and need. I will not betray 
an oath to my prince."
Fransisco says, "You will have to prove your worth or Murphy's 
ineptitude before I will declare Murphy unfit."

Maya nods. "Then I will ask only that you do not interfere until we two 
have spoken, for it is his to defend his Praxis or resign it."

Fransisco says, "I am his second, and his Seneschal."

Roosevelt hmphs and squeaks. "ANd I'm his sheriff, I'm sure they find 
that impressive Don Quixote."

Maya nods again. "Then this one will go unpunished, for none here have 
the right to exercise judgement."

Fransisco scowls, at odds with himself.

Roosevelt says, "I suppose I'll just have to be sent to my room."

Fransisco says, "speak again and I shall call forth a Nemesine Hunt."

Richard pulls off his shirt and hands it to Fransisco. "Here, why don't 
you just gag him with this. I'll buy a new one."

Celina smiles and mumbles to herself. "Not much of a hunt while he is 
under your foot."

Maya says softly "I can tell you, but you will not believe me, that 
Murphy has other things he wishes to do..that were interrupted by the 
Praxis. I can tell you, but your honor does not care nor should it, that 
were he here he would resign in my favor." She pulls off her hat and runs 
her hand through her hair. "And I admire you for your strength." She 
half-grins. "But, dammit, it's a bad time for it."

Fransisco moves his foot to Roo's neck to keep him quiet, much simpler.
Fransisco says, "Honor knows no good time, lady.."

Roosevelt hrks. "Sallridt."

Fransisco says, "nor bad, for it is at all times a thing."
Fransisco presses down.

Roosevelt stops breathing, which of course shuts himself up. Wise thing 
to do if he wishes ANY chance of living.

Maya murmurs "I'm really looking forward to having this straightened 
out." She sighs.

Richard says, "Lock him in a room with Trish for a few days, I can't 
think of a worse punishment than that."

Fransisco says, "Murphy's second and yours shall fight with honor to 
first feed, the winner shall retain the praxis."

Maya grins. "This is your suggestion?"

Fransisco says, "yes."

Maya says, "Then I choose you as my second."

Fransisco says, "I am already another's."

Maya says, "Not if Murphy has not said so before those assembled."

Tam'a inhales, and offers suddenly. "This seems a strange way of taking 
Domain, but it is not my place to interfere in matters of succession. 
Traditionally, both she and the Monk are _both_ Prince, until one 
relinquishes the title... usually done for them posthumously."

Celina says, "He has not they have told me there titles."

Maya glances over at Tam'a...who has forgotten more about the Laws than 
most Kindred will ever know.

Fransisco says, "then I'm afraid, I must do as honor requires."

Maya says, "What will you do, Seneschal?"

Richard stands ready, on guard.

Celina seems to coil where she stands.

Fransisco says, "attempt to convince you that it is really in the best 
interest of everyone for you to renounce your claim until such time as 
Murphy returns. If such diplomatic means fail, I will have to be more 
vigorous in my defense, as honor dictates."

Richard leans down and whispers to Maya.

Tam'a offers again. "Though it is frowned uponfor me to interfere, it may 
be allowable for myself to be placed as some sort of advocate in a trial 
by conflict. I would be gentle."

Richard whispers 'Make him swear to stand as Regent until Murphy and 
Maya can meet to discuss this, we have to rebuild anyways and it will 
give us some time.'

Fransisco nods to Tam'a. "As I've said, it is only a matter of Honor."

Maya looks at Fransisco thoughtfully. Then she looks at Richard. Then 
she looks back at Fransisco. "If a trial by combat occurs, will you 
stand by the results?"

Fransisco says, "yes."

Celina smiles a genuine smile.
Celina says, "Prince Maya, may I fight for your honor?"

Maya says, "Here are the terms of the combat, then: This combat is to 
determine Praxis until such time as Murphy and myself can resolve it for 
ourselves. Should my champion win, I will take the Praxis until that 
time. Should you as Murphy's champion win, Murphy will remain Prince 
until we may meet, and this one" she indicates Roosevelt "will be 
remitted to the Archon's care until he may be sentenced. Are these 
acceptable?"

Fransisco says, "And the terms of the combat?"

Maya says, "No weapons, first drain of blood ONLY, to be judged and 
enforced by the Archon."

Fransisco says, "drain of blood?"
Fransisco chuckles holding up rather well-cut nails, "I'm afraid I have 
not the tools to draw blood well, of myself. Save teeth, and I feel it 
not in my best interest to be bound to the loser."

Maya laughs. "And who here have you tasted twice, hmm?" She seems to 
think that's funny, herself.

Celina smiles and waits patiently for her answer.

Fransisco doesn't laugh, "Barathron is fought to death or surrender."

Celina's smile broadens.

Tam'a says, "There was once a time that I utilized a sword.. I wonder 
who else would dare challenge a master of the sword?"

Maya's smile fades and she blinks. She glances at Richard, then back at 
Fransisco. For the first time she shows a hint of the Brujah temper. 
"That would be an uter fucking waste!"

Fransisco says, "fine, first blood, no weapons."
Fransisco says, "if that is all you will agree to."

Maya looks around the room, measuring with her eyes.

Richard reaches down and squeezes Maya's shoulder.

Maya looks over Celina carefully.

Celina stands half facing Fransisco and half facing Maya.

Roosevelt lies on the floor.

Fransisco is facing Maya only, she being the only one he deems worth of 
his full attention.

Maya then, slowly, shakes her head. "I...can't choose you, Celina 
Firedance. There is anger between you and the Elder, clearly. I won't..
no. There is no dishonor to you. I have no doubt you are worthy and 
capable. But...I have to choose the one who has been my champion since 
before his Embrace." She looks up at Richard. "You know I have faith in 
you."

Richard doesn't breath. It would certainly be more human of him, 
something he would do to settle the butterflies in his stomach but in 
this of all times, it just doesn't seem right. He doesn't speak, he just 
nods and sets his staff down.

Fransisco nods, unbuckles his belt. He takes off the helmet, and 
gauntlets, then the tunic. He starts on the straps of the chain 
cuirass.

Richard takes off his shirt and says, "Can we please take this upstairs? 
I paid alot for this carpet."

Fransisco slowly removes the chain mail, and is left in breeches and a 
white cotton tunic. He nods. "wherever suits you best."

Roosevelt takes a moment to regain SOME measure of composure though he 
doesn't even think about moving.

Richard says, "I think the garden would be best."
Richard sighs and the tenseness in his body seems to drain.

Fransisco looks at Tam'a and motions vaguely at Roo, "I trust you will 
deal with that."
Fransisco nods.

Tam'a says, "He will get what he deserves."

Richard mumbles. "Poor guy." He looks at Fransisco, "Would you like to 
lead or follow?"

Fransisco turns and strides out of the room.
Fransisco leaves for the club.

Richard leaves for the club.

You leave for the club.
Delirium - Main Room(#8700RJM56)

     Odd. 
        That would be a good description of this room. 
To enter, one had to pass through a black fire door, and one is instantly 
thrust into a strange new environment. The room is pentagonal, one 'point' 
being cut out to be the exit.. the room seems made of concrete painted a 
deep midnight blue. Above you, is blackness.. no, wait, it's just a steel 
catwalk, painted black.. and you may hear the sounds of boots there, if 
you listen. At the far end of the room is a long bar of oak and chrome.. 
the wall behind a bank of televisions, all showing something different, 
but no sound. What sound there is, is the sound of having fun.
        Off to one side is an open space, leading to a room from which 
all sorts of video games and billards crashing together can be heard. 
There are other exits, most parked: 'Private', and there are, of course, 
the requisite restrooms. Most everywhere you look, there are friendly and 
helpful white t-shirted 'Delirium' crew members, to help you out.

        - There are important things in +view, please read it all. -
Contents:
Richard
Fransisco
Liz

Richard dares to enter the domain of the bouncers, on the catwalk over 
head. They soon disappear.

Fransisco walks over to liz, kneels, and places a soft kiss on her 
forehead, careful not to disturb her.
Fransisco stands and walks upstairs.

Maya's eyes soften slightly.

A short flight of steps leads you onto the catwalk, which is attached at 
a few feet above head-level. Once there, which is the domain of the 
bouncers, you travel around to one of the stairs that lead beyond, 
upstairs.

Hallway, 2nd Story - Delirium

     A mostly-circular hall, the floor is of a crimson and creme tile, 
with enough texture to make it safe to walk on. The paneling is of what 
seems to be oak, from mid-wall to the ceiling.. below that is a crimson 
carpeting to the floor. The walls, should you care to check, are 
concrete.. and the doors, well, they are of a fire-treated wood. 
Sprinkler heads seems to be everywhere.. someone's looking out for you. 
Diffuse panel lighting gives you just the right amount of light, without 
being harsh.
        Eight rooms open onto the outside of tthe hall, not to mention 
the one-way fire exits on the north and south walls or the two rooms that 
the hall seems to wrap around, or the door marked with the legend 'Roof 
Access'. A pair of short stairs lead to the catwalk in the room below.
Contents:
Richard
Fransisco

Richard unlocks the door, and heads up the stairs beyond.

Fransisco unlocks the door, and heads up the stairs beyond.

Maya looks around slowly, then follows.

You unlock the door, and head up the stairs beyond.
Garden, Roof - Delirium(#5557RJMU56)

     The roof of this building had been transformed into a garden, of 
sorts. The central area is a more mundane English-style garden, with 
roses and tulips.. there's a fountain and a marble bench all the way 
around that. Arrayed around the outside, in a ring, are greenhouses 
containing various types of miniature gardens: a Japanese Tea Garden, 
fruit trees, berry bushes, an American vegetable garden. 
        Perhaps the strangest thing about this area is the pole rising 
from the central area, from which netting hangs, to the tops of the 
greenhouses, the impression is of being set-up to catch things thrown 
from the ground, far below. An enclosed set of stairs, behind a door, 
lead down into the building.

        
Contents:
Fransisco
Richard

Celina appears from downstairs.

Richard strolls into the Garden and sits down crosslegged by the 
fountain. He closes his eyes for a moment.

Maya looks around her overgrown garden and sighs. "Man...I have to get 
this place back in shape.." She looks mournfully at a fallow bed which 
used to hold annual herbs.

Fransisco shakes his head, and bounces on his feet a few times, looks 
like a boxer warming up.
Fransisco moves on his toes, he's a boxer, not a brawler, it would 
appear.

Richard takes a few deep breaths like Maya has shown him so many times 
although he's never gotten the hang of mediatation, if there is any time 
to begin, it would be now.
Richard stands and opens his eyes. He looks over at Fransisco and says 
softly. "We do not have to do this."

Fransisco tilts his head back, arms wide and a red flush surges through 
his skin.
Fransisco says, "we do not, I do."

Celina tenses and gets ready for the entertainment.

Maya mutters 'Oh...you never change...' to Maya.

Richard looks over at Maya, then at Celina. He clenches his eyes shut for 
a moment and when he opens them they look wet. Whatever he is about to 
do seems to be costing him, in some way.

Maya sinks crosslegged to the ground.

Celina looks at Richard and seems confused.

Richard reaches his left hand up and extends his fangs. He takes his 
fang and draws it across skin, opening a wound in the hand. He brings the 
hand down and wipes blood across his bare chest. "Strike me for your 
honor and let us be done with this."

Tam'a appears, then. She used the stairs. Really. She came from the 
stairwell, yeah, that's it.

Fransisco snarls, "How .dare. you call yourself Brujah!" He swings, 
hard.

Celina looks down at Maya and shakes her head. "Why?"

Maya closes her eyes and bites her own lip.

Richard closes his eyes and takes the blow.
Richard falls, a noise coming from his chest as he flies back and rolls 
across the ground.

Maya says softly to Celina "Because it was needed. No other reason."

Fransisco says, "You stupid bastard."

Celina nods her head. "You are still my Prince."

Tam'a offers, then. "There were Brujah before Troile, before the 
betrayal. Perhaps this is the sacrifice to atone for the Blood-debt?"

Maya shakes her head. "Murphy's champion has won. Judgement will wait on 
our meeting." She looks pale, as if she feels the same pain her childe 
does. Knowing the bond between some Sires and Childer, maybe she does.

Richard pulls himself onto his hands and looks up at Fransisco. Wheezing 
he says, "I have a code of honor too. Mine says that no blood is spilled 
in waste. What did you accomplish besides your honor? Murphy will remain 
Prince until he and Maya work things out. I KNOW how that will turn out. 
Brujah do not spill the blood of their own wastefully.
Richard says, "I did not wish to defile your honor. You should thank 
me."
Richard raises his hand up, bloodied from his chest. "Blood has been 
spilt. This challenge is over."

Fransisco turns on Maya, "your champion betrayed you and us both. Did 
you not .hear. me speak of Murphy's imcompetance, did you not .hear. me 
damn near ask you to show me of his ineptitude? Damn your ignorance!

Celina steps between Fransisco and Maya.

Richard says, "If Murphy was competant he would not have needed you to 
fight for him. We saw that, you were the one who demanded blood for your 
honor."

Tam'a says, "As for judgement, it is hardly needed.. the prisoner has 
overpowerd me and escaped. He is long gone from this place. He would not 
dare to return."

Richard looks over at Tam'a. He was going to say something but...
overpowered?

Fransisco turns to Tam'a "Is EVERYONE around here an IDIOT???"

Tam'a shrugs. "We have our moments."

Celina looks at Tam'a and just smiles.

Maya starts to speak and then stops...and stares at the Archon. Then she 
looks up at the Seneschal. "Seneschal...since the Prince is not here..I 
present myself to you. And...ask for your teaching." Later. Deal with 
Tam'a later.

Richard wheezes again but begins the slow process of healing himself. At 
least a little, until he can get more blood.

Fransisco is on the edge of breaking.

Richard pulls himself to his feet and hobbles over towards Fransisco.

Celina turns her full attention back to Fransisco.

Fransisco looks at Celina now, in front of him, "What?!"

Richard hobbles over and pushes Celina back gently with his hand.

Fransisco still looks pretty irate.

Richard says softly. "Do not goad him... I hurt enough."

Celina shrugs. "Just making sure she is protected until Richard is ok 
again." Celina gives way to Richard and just steps to the side.

Fransisco says, "You all .deserve. to be ripped to shreds by the 
wolves."

Celina simply smiles.

Fransisco calms, for now.

Richard looks up at Fransisco. "Peace Fransisco. Peace. That is the art 
of war that they seldom teach us. We came back for peace, peace amoung 
kindred, peace amoung kine, peace with the lupines. It is what Carthage 
was built for yes? Accept my blood for your honor and let your honor 
give mine...if there is war to be fought tomorrow, I will gladly let you 
lead me and command me, but for tonight at least, let there be peace.
Richard says, "There has been enough war tonight."

Maya says softly "And...there are more fitting enemies on the way." Very 
softly, but still audibly.

Richard says softly. "Like the Tremere."

Fransisco growls.

Tam'a says, "Indeed. THere will be enough war to satisfy every liver."

Maya rises and holds out her hand, palm up, to Fransisco.

Richard closes his eyes a moment, healing a little more.

Fransisco's hand flashes up with to match maya's with a dexterity beyond 
humanity.

Tam'a says, "What was it I was told once.. 'caution and scream-and-leap 
are in equal measure during the hunt.' Something about a 'One-Fanged 
God'."

Fransisco says, "If you are worthy, you will again have your praxis when 
the time is right."

Maya says to Fransisco "Someone told me of you. And told me that you were 
honorable once... I find it still true." She smiles. "She said...that 
there are very few like you left in this world." She glances at Celina 
then. "And I think that is what fuels your Beast now. But tell me..would 
you rather teach or destroy?" It's not clear who she's speaking to.

Fransisco says, "There is nothing to be gained by destruction." He turns 
to Richard, "may our next battle be over a chessboard."

Richard smiles slightly. "I'm better at checkers."

Fransisco says, "Backgammon, a compromise."
Fransisco looks around at the greenery, much worse the wear for his 
presence, "I think I shall depart before I kill what little remains of 
your garden."

Richard says, "You'll win, but I'll go down trying."

Maya says "Someone..who once loved a dear enemy of yours, I think." in 
Spanish.

Fransisco stops to look at Maya.

Maya shakes herself and takes back her hand. "I have to take care of the 
garden. She doesn't seem to be aware that she said anything.

Fransisco nods, and looks at the plants as they wilt around him, at least 
that's .one. way to get rid of weeds.

Richard says, "The Elysium will be closed for awhile, until I can get 
the police taken care of and remodeling done. When it's finished, and 
the whole praxis issue is settled, I plan on throwing a party. For now, 
all of you are invited."

Fransisco nods, "Thank you."

Celina nods. "Thank You Richard."

Fransisco blinks, "I suddenly find myself.. extremely.. hungry."

Richard says, "I do as well, and we still have to move the bus before we 
get a parking ticket."

Fransisco nods.

Celina smiles. "I wonder why and don'tlook at me."

Fransisco smirks at Celina, "you're not worth the bother."
Fransisco heads out..

Richard says, "Be at peace for tonight everyone... if you wish to visit 
us, send a messanger and we will send an invitation."
Richard says, "Noone will be let in without one."

Maya looks around. The browned and getting browner vegetation all needs 
to be cleared, anyway...she looks back and says "Fransisco?"

Fransisco stops on his way, turning, "yes?"

Celina nods. "Back to the reservation."

Maya says, "Nice horse, if that's yours by the door."

Fransisco smiles suddenly, nods, "He is a servant, yes, thank you. I'll 
pass along your compliments." If anyone looks out into the street the 
horse is standing guard near the bus, actually.

Tam'a perks up. "Horse?" She makes a noise. No, it couldn't be 'Mmmn..'. 
Not her.

Richard walks stiffly over to Tam'a and looks down at her. "I have 
learned some things. For what it is worth, I am sorry for the disrespect 
I have given you in the past. I will... attempt to be bettered manner.

Maya nods to Fransisco and lets him go take care of his hunger.

Celina kneels to Maya and bows to Fransisco. "Elders I shall go now."

Tam'a says, "It was not disrespect, only ignorance. You have learned your 
lesson."

Maya says, "Celina Firedance....be careful."

Fransisco nods to Celina.

Celina nods. "Since I am not recogized by the city I am very careful 
everywhere I go." Celina departs.

Richard nods to Tam'a. "I like to think so>'

Celina opens the door, and heads down the stairs beyond.

Fransisco watches as Celina leaves. "She is building a Casino on the 
indian reservation to use as a haven and feeding ground. Murphy disowned 
her and her land from the asheville domain.. You should be informed."

Maya nods. "I suppose that doesn't make the lupines very happy."

Richard says, "Nothing makes the lupines happy."

Fransisco says, "no, she was sent by the triad to discredit murphy in 
your name and have him removed from praxis, by claiming it for herself, 
not realizing that I was the elder brujah here already. I have reason to 
believe she is truly ventrue or perhaps.."
Fransisco spits the word. "tremere"

Richard looks over at that, and then at the door.

Fransisco says, "she claims to have been embraced in the 1200's, here, 
in America."

Maya nods, taking Fransisco's attitude in stride as if she expected it. 
"We will be wary, then."

Richard says, "We've become accustomed to wariness."
Richard sighs. "The night grows late and soon the dawn of a new day will 
be here. We all need rest and food. Let us leave one another's company so 
we can do so in peace?

Fransisco nods, looking into the sky.

Maya says, "Do you need a ride home, Fransisco? Or will your horse get you 
there in time?"

Fransisco smiles, "speed is not an issue."
Fransisco nods to everyone with a note of respect.
Fransisco opens the door, and heads down the stairs beyond.




HOME
FIRES
MISTS
LIFEBLOOD
SPOKES

Logs