"I got the problem fixed."
Apr. 21st, 2014 05:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
renferretA newly returned Mouse gets mildly mobbed by people and disasters. And feelings.
Edgewood House: Downstairs(#2007RJh)
The front door leads into a small mudroom; coats are hanging on hooks. It opens into the spacious, well lit living room, with several battered old couches arranged into a sort of conversation pit facing the fireplace, a table in the center of them. There are a few chairs, some straight-backed, some plush and comfortable, arranged to make secondary conversation areas, with little end tables placed in strategic locations. There's a notable absence of either breakable objects, or elaborate electrical equipment such as televisions. The walls, painted an increasingly dingy white, have some sweeping dark fabric prints on them, but no paintings or posters. A steep, uncarpeted staircase leads up to the second floor. There are several doors that lead out to other sections of the house, as well. (+view for details)
Contents:
Information Board
Obvious exits:
Front Door Upstairs
Rhys has arrived.
Pathfinder has arrived.
Emma has arrived.
Nicodemus has arrived.
The smell of burnt eggs permeates Edgewood's interior, the remaining evidence of Riley's less-than-stellar cooking, as the dishes have all been washed and the counters scrubbed. Mouse is sacked out on the couch wearing clothes that are far too big for her skinny frame, but which are at least dry, with one arm over her face and her eyes closed. Her shoes are by the door, still drying, but she snagged a pair of mismatched socks from Edgewood's cub supplies. Her coat is nowhere to be seen, presumably that's drying as well.
Emma is in the kitchen, sitting at the table and going through some things on her phone. She's got a glass of water set beside her, half full, and a notebook handy.
Rhys lets himself in through the front door, distracted as he pours over the miniature, glowing display of his smart phone. It's obviously not Flappy Bird, since he's slowly thumbing the scroll which leaves his other hand free to pull the door closed. He lingers there, in the mud room, while he kicks off his shoes and meanders toward the living area.
Something must've been in the air that drew all the garou (probably, it's not the burned eggs). Regardless, Keir hasn't around too often lately - but lord knows what it is Stargazers go off and do - and has just sort've ... turned up again like nothing ever happened. "Holy shit," he announces as he wanders downstairs, a silly grin quirking across his features. "''Someone'' burned the eggs."
Nicodemus enters through the back door of the farmhouse, coming in to the kitchen where Emma's at. "Psst," he says in her direction. "Hey," he says, accompanying that word with a half-smile as he comes over to join her.
Mouse makes a low 'mng' noise, though whether it's Rhys or Keir that wakes her, it's unclear. She lifts her arm off of her eyes just long enough to squint at the ceiling, frowning, and then lets it flop over her eyes again. "Mng."
Emma looks oup at the back door and smiles, "Hey yourself," she returns in a soft voice. "Mouse is still sleeping. And the house still smells terrible. I swear Riley is even worse at cooking than I am."
Rhys's eyes lift off the screen when Keir speaks, gaze pausing on the form on the couch then shifting to the Stargazer. He stops in the doorway separating living space from entryway, a crease beginning to form between his eyebrows.
Keir, ignorant to the glances Rhys gives him, looks nonetheless a little chastened at Emma's words. "Oops. Sorry," he says, stifling a yawn into his hand as his shoulder brushes against the wall on the way into the room, a hand coming out to grip the edge of it to mark where it is.
Mouse offers Keir a lazy middle finger that he can't see, before she proceeds to rub slowly at her face. As she turns her head, Rhys might catch a glimpse of something metallic just inside the collar of her shirt, right at the base of her neck.
Nicodemus says "Did anyone eat whatever Riley immolated? Still hungry? I could maybe whip something up from scratch." Keeping his voice pitched low, he opens the freezer. "Like a frozen pizza."
Rhys' gaze is caught by Mouse's movements, and Keir is relieved of any further nervous glances from the cliath. The mental glint draws a slight narrowing of his eyes and an opening of his mouth as if he might say something. Whatever thought struck him it goes unspoken, mouth closing again.
Emma looks from living room to kin at the freezer, "Looks like the sleeper has awakened. And has guests." She nods out toward the other room. "I think we're okay on food for now. Unless she's hungry again. Do other realms really not have food or something?"
Keir indeed misses it, and the ahroun sort've stops where he stands while he gets some kind've idea of where everyone's oriented in the room, shoving hands in the pockets of his hoodie - hood's up, as always. "Other realms?"
Mouse yawns, an action that's interrupted by an even wider yawn as she sits up. Still that metallic glint at the base of her neck, and through the far, far too large t-shirt, there's a noticeably unnatural bulge between her shoulder blades. She doesn't seem particularly into joining the conversation just yet.
Rhys glances toward the kitchen, the crease between his eyebrows deepening a little more. He looks floor-ward a second later and carefully eases his phone back into his pocket. Yup, not speaking yet himself.
"You're totally asking the wrong person here, Emma," Nick claims, even though he might have some knowledge or ideas he's not sharing with the rest of the class. "Anything of note happen with her after I left earlier?" As Rhys comes into the kitchen, Nick offers him a silent nod of acknowledgement.
Quoz has connected.
Well. Keir just sort've goes, "Hum," to himself, and /he/ starts wandering kitchenwards, humming something nonsensical under his breath. He's still listenin', though.
Emma shakes her head first to Nick's question. "Shower, clean clothes, wash the other clothes, food, food, nap." Her eyes linger on the front room as the others hover about in there, and at the continued bit of awkwardness she leans over the table and gives a call out, "Talk or quit gawking. She's not a damn ghost ya know!" The Get stands up then and makes her way toward the living room to check on the Walker. "Hey you still hungry-" she asks the Walker elder though it's a bit cut off as her gaze suddenly and subtly narrows. Whatever's caught her attention is tucked quietly away for the moment.
"Starving," Mouse replies, without looking back. She's still rubbing at her eyes with one hand. "What's on the menu?" When she does straighten up and half turn, there are subtle differences that are noticeable outside of the excitement of her arrival. Her hair's about an inch longer, for one. Her face is a little thinner, a little gaunt, and her skin's pale enough to suggest she's had less than ideal amounts of sun the past few months. But other than that, it's clearly Mouse.
Rhys startles visibly when Emma calls suddenly louder. His gaze lifts to show naught but guilt and uneasiness and still no words to offer. He sidles a step or two away from the mudroom but no further, gaze drifting from the Get to the elder Walker again.
Quoz descends the stairs into the living room quietly and somewhat clumsily, then looks around at the gathered garou, listening to the conversation. He notices the new faces, studying them from the shadows of his hood. As he sees Mouse, he pulls back his hood, revealing an ugly, misshapen head with grotesque lumps of flesh on the left side. He stares at the Walker elder, approaching closer. "Mouse-rhya? Is that you?"
"Kier. Long time, no see," Nick says to the young Stargazer. He pokes his head out to the main room where Mouse is--or rather was--sleeping. "Sorry for accidentally throwing you in the pond. It's good to have you back."
"I," calls Keir from the kitchen, "am not gawking." He says with some self-reflected humor, though, and he rattles about in the fridge until he finds something. "Hi, Nick. How are you?"
"No, it's a doppleganger of her, who is currently, telepathically, whispering evil thoughts into Rhys's head and thus has him stuck in his tracks. Clearly." She looks at the others and then turns back toward the kitchen, "Frozen pizza. Which Nick has promised not to burn."
Quoz: Er, who said that?
Rhys: Pretty sure it was Emma.
Mouse finally seems to notice just how /many/ people are looking at her. "...What?" To Quoz, she blinks once. "It's me, yeah." To Nick, "Well, I think I deserved it. If it means anything, I wasn't actually aiming for your phone. Or a phone." She rubs her right hand hard against her cheek, and then abruptly stands up. Notably, she stands up in a single smooth motion, without any visible difficulty, sluggishness, or pain. That bulge between her shoulders moves with her--it doesn't stick out too much, but it's still quite noticeable--and the glint of metal is briefly more visible before the too-large shirt settles again. "Pizza. Right. I'm game."
Emma: Yeah, my bad. That's what I get for watching NHL playoffs and mushing.
Rhys' mouth pulls open again, but the words are still pretty well locked inside. Instead, he lets out a breath, a tight whistly thing that probably had the beginnings of a response to it. Again his mouth shuts after his breath is spent, eyes skipping past Quoz to look at those in the kitchen.
"It's okay. They're practically disposable these days," Nick says to Mouse about his phone as he slides back into the kitchen to do the prepwork for creating a frozen pizza.
Keir's busily finding himself something to drink in the kitchen, humming lightly and under his breath to himself.
Quoz grins as if meeting a movie star. "Yes, it is! I remembered you when you were younger. I was at the Green, but you probably don't remember me. Quasimodo Dives-in-Dumpsters, or Quoz, metis galliard of the Bone Gnawers." He dips his head in a respectful bow. "I was just another cub when you left. I'd heard others telling your tales, but I didn't know you were here! I'm honored to meet you."
"Of course I remember you," Mouse starts, as that hand rubbing her face goes to the back of her neck. "Cripes, tales? I can only imagine. Half of it's made up, I promise."
Nicodemus selects a likely prospect from the freezer--supreme bacon cheeseburger--and dials the stove up to the appropriate temperature. He strips the frozen pizza of its cardboard and plastic packaging exoskeletons, then places it in the oven. He stays quiet for the time being, just listening in on others' conversations and keeping an eye on things.
Emma smiles a bit at the interaction between old acquaintenances and excuses herself into the kitchen to help the kin with the pizza. "What can I help with Nick?"
Quoz's eyes widen in surprise as Mouse says she remembers him. "Really?" He's temporarily distracted by the sight of the frozen pizza, then shakes his head to recover. "Er, I'm astonished, really. Thought I was just another rat in the nest. Remember, I was the one who always used to sneak into the back of the theaters on Broadway so I could listen under the floorboards? Heh, good old times."
Keir finds what he's looking for eventually - a bottle of beer - and then somehow avoids turning right into Nick, though he does stop for a second to let people get settled once Emma's in the kitchen, too. The blind ahroun rocks back on his heels a bit. "Need any help?" That's with a cheeky grin.
Rhys musters enough to take a step nearer the others, a step further from the mudroom. As he moves, he looks at Mouse again, eyebrows pushing upward a little while they remain knitted.
Mouse taps the side of her head. "Good memory." She starts to angle for the kitchen, with steps that are neither shuffling nor limping, but perfectly normal. She says over her shoulder, "It wasn't 120 miles per hour, it was 90, and it wasn't down Broadway."
"College degrees in computer science and mathematics," Nick says to Emma and Keir with ana mused note in his voice and a wry grin on his face. "I think I can handle a frozen pizza. Although," he muses out loud. "Emma? If Keir wants to shoot my pistol out on the back porch again, maybe you'd be willing to help him out?" Because letting a blind ahroun shoot a pistol is a sane idea.
Emma grins at Nick's first comment then gets a curious look, "Wait. Are you serious?" She eyes Keir then and with a shake of her head, moves to take a seat at the table. As Mouse makes her way in, she follows the Athro Walker's movement. "So you've had some food and a nap. When do we get our story time?"
"Have before," Keir says without missing a beat; he works his way out of the kitchen, though, or at least getting less rage centered around the lone kinfolk fixing the pizza. "I was a damn good shot, too."
Quoz nods. "I'll say." He chuckles. "I'm surprised you could do 90 anywhere in Manhattan, even at 4 AM. So anway, I was there until about 6 months ago, then I hopped a train and came out here. I did some dumpster-diving and found lots of shredded documents, which I handed over to your tribe for processing. I hope to present anything I find as chiminage."
Rhys shakes his head slowly. A quizzical look is directed at Quoz, then one goes to Emma, Nick, and Keir, and finally it settles on Mouse. He tries twice to work out some kind of statement, some kind of polite interruption. When none of that rolls off easily he blurts out, accent thick in his haste to speak clashing with his desire to remain silent, "How is it that you're up and walking?"
Mouse nods a few times at Quoz, but it's about when she moves to investigate the pizza making that she draws up short at Emma's question. "Story time?" A grunt. "Not a Galliard. But I need to talk to whoever's the Fang elder now. If there is one." She looks sidelong toward Rhys, and there's a moment's hesitation before she says, "I got the problem fixed."
"I imagine eldership of the Fang tribe is either Dirk or the new guy in town, Elias," Nick offers to Mouse. He shrugs. "Sorry, I'm not up to date on a lot of stuff myself, and I get the impression that that tribe, locally, may be in a state of flux."
Rhys swallows back anything further he might say and unknowingly backs up a step under Mouse's look. There's no mistaking the 'oh shit' expression, the quick assumption he'd just stuck his hand in a bees' nest.
Quoz furrows his brows quizzically at Rhys's comment and Mouse's reply, but shrugs and ignores it, more interested in any possible story of Mouse's exploits since he last saw her. And the pizza, of course.
Keir just sort've props himself up against the frame of the kitchen door, mostly out of the way. Mostly! And, thus, the metis listens.
Emma looks a little disappointed at that, a frown creasing her lips before she moves to fetch a beer for herself out of the fridge. Rhys's question and subsequent answer of it gets a little grunt of her own. "Well, Jacinta and Salem have standing orders for us to lay low and avoid town. Especially any of us that might not appear as wholly mundane humans going about our daily life. Just as a heads up. If and when you want the updates on everything, well we do have a Galliard here, and Nick's been kept in the loop so far as Walker specific rules about the coming and going. Salem is aware you're back. Probably damn thankful too." The beer gets half doused after this, and then she pulls it away mostly to catch a breath.
"Sewall isn't coming back," Mouse sighs, before adding quickly, "He's alive. But he chose to stay there, at least for the foreseeable future." She doesn't sound terribly happy about this decision, but her tone seems resigned rather than upset or angry. "If there's anyone in his tribe around to care, they should know about it." Emma gets a small nod, almost more of a tick than real head movement, as she settles against the dishwasher with her back to the wall.
Nicodemus checks on the pizza by using the oven light. He peers in, decides it's not done yet, and straightens up again. "I'll have to catch you up with Naomi's situation," he says to Mouse. There's an added, "Later on." As if to indicate that might be a private conversation. For later on. "Salem is going to be thrilled you're back."
Quoz nods at Emma, then informs Mouse, "Oh yes, there are a strange group of warpers active in the city, several of my tribe have been abducted and interrogated, even chased into the sewers. They're apparently using clones and are hunting for supernatural beings such as ourselves. Normally I'd be out in town, but I'm following orders like a good boy and staying out here. We're trying not to antagonize them in hopes that they'll move on."
Rhys sidles toward the kitchen again, getting close enough to stand just outside the doorway and look in, listen in.
Keir tilts his head a little; he doesn't butt in, though. Just proppin' the wall up. Yep.
Benedict enters the house through the front door.
Benedict has arrived.
"I've not met the new Fang yet. Dunno what we'll expect of him. Not that we've had a solid Fang presence here far as I can remember." Emma nods to Quoz's quick update. "Toystore selling modded roaches has been dealt with. Pretty sure there are a half dozen sick roach spirits that are in the Walker's care, somewhere, until they can get rehabbed. Think that's pretty much it. Jacinta's alpha, Silvertip's back after being in the Flux realm?" she tests her memory on that. "Suits are our big concern. Lots of info on that for you to digest over the next couple days. Oh, and Salem's acting sept Beta, per Jacinta, until /your/ return. So, uh. Grats on the promotion."
"I'm not sure what's more ominous about that," Mouse says to Nick, "an unknown situation, or the implications of Salem being thrilled that I'm back in town to deal with it." Quoz gets her attention next, as well as a frown and a wrinkled forehead. "Mages? ...Clones?" And then it's Emma who gets a stare. "...Wait. Run that by me again? Beta what?"
Nicodemus shakes his head slightly at all the confusion, then checks on the frozen pizza again. This time, it's done. He uses the cardboard carton as a improvised tray to slide the hot food disc onto. Placing it on the counter, he finds a pizza cutter in a drawer to quickly section it up. He stays quiet so the garou can talk business.
"There's more," Rhys quietly tacks on to Emma's summary. "But not as immediate." His feet shuffle a bit, bringing him closer, into the kitchen doorway. "Jacinta-rhya claimed leadership of the sept and named Salem her second, until you returned."
The front door opens and in comes Benedict, carrying an SCPD duffle in his right hand and holding the strap of a backpack slung over his shoulders with the other hand. He walks over to the kitchen, sees all the folk inside, and his ever-present grin that was there when he stepped in fades to about half strength. He doesn't speak up just yet, setting the duffle and bag just outside the kitchen. He currently is wearing Adidas workout clothing and has the scent of someone just finished with a long and arduous workout.
Quoz gasps as Benedict enters the house with police logo equipment in tow. He shrinks away and raises the hood of his enormous hooded sweatshirt to cover his head.
Emma nods toward Rhys, "Yeah. That." She pulls from the beer bottle again and then finishes it off, turning to deposit empty glass into the recycle bin. As the pizza comes out, the Get gives it scarcely a look. "Not to dump and bail, but I gotta check on a few things. I imagine Salem will be looking to meet up with you as soon as he can. I'll check back in a bit later maybe, once the crowds die down. You got people to get with that are more important than a curious Get." A glance goes toward Nick, brief and accompanied by just a bit of a nod suggesting that she's a bit on eggshells just now. "See you guys later."
Keir cocks his head again as he hears someone else enter; the blind ahroun takes a swallow of his drink, readjusts his weight against the wall, and then eventually straightens. "Good you're back, Mouse," he says, and then, called by some urge or business that only he's aware of, heads out as well.
"Not tonight," Mouse says firmly, as if coming to a sudden decision. She lifts a finger. "Unless someone is about to be swallowed by a Thunderwyrm or we're being attacked by Dancers, I'm calling tonight a night off. No crisis dumps until I'm at least wearing matching socks." She gives Emma a nod, and then becomes imminently distracted by the arrival of a guy with a police bag. There's something just a little metallic peeping from under the oversized shirt she's wearing, at the base of her neck, and an unnatural bulge of some kind between her shoulder blades.
Rhys twists around to look at the new arrival, still staying, mostly, in the doorway to the kitchen. "Evening," he says to Benedict with casual wariness.
Nicodemus catches the nod from Emma and moves to slip out the back with her. "Later, all," he says to the room as he departs with the Get.
Mouse is distracted again by Nick and Emma's mutual departure. She watches them go with an expression that's hard to read.
Benedict nods to Rhys with, "Hey." He looks around at the gathered, Quoz easily gets a good amount of scrutiny though that is followed by Benedict giving a light sardonic laugh and shaking his head. He heads into the kitchen, casually yet careful not to meet any eyes or bump anyone, just going to the cabinet then the sink to fill a glass of water.
Rhys begins to say something more, then aborts the idea with a glance toward Mouse. He settles for watching Benedict instead, with eyebrows knitting and nervous chewing on the inside of his cheek.
Mouse eventually shifts her gaze from the door to the unfamiliar man in the kitchen with her. "...Okay, we haven't met." She sounds a little resigned, which doesn't really make much sense given her words or the subject of them.
Quoz keeps his head down for the moment, displaying a mistrust for authority figures. He waits for introductions or clearance from one othe other garou he trusts.
Benedict clears his throat after he turns around and indulges in the fact that he has noticed the scrutiny he has gained. "Hi." He starts with, pauses for a moment then adds, "Benedict Jackson. The illustrious Alicia's brother, so kinfolk to the Children of Gaia. Also, friendly neighborhood SCPD Detective at the Hidden Walk's service."
Mouse doesn't show any recognition at mention of someone named Alicia. "Mouse," she says, offering one scarred hand. "Glass Walker elder, unless you want the full, ridiculous introduction. Who's Alicia?"
Rhys casts a look in Quoz's direction after Benedict gives an introduction. He follows it up with a brief explanation for Mouse. "New Child of Gaia, Galliard and Adren. She's been here a week or so."
Quoz relaxes a bit and lifts his head somewhat higher. "Sorry for the skittishness, been hassled by the man quite a bit in my time. Alicia was a sept member who left about eight years ago, but she's returned now." His attention returns to the pizza cooling on the counter.
Benedict cocks his head to the side at Rhys' and then Quoz's definition of who Alicia is and adds politely, "No offense, but that doesn't do her justice. She had left years ago yet, but there was a time she was the leader of the Children here, and now is the Voice of the Goddess once again. Actually, she was the leader of the Sept for a moment."
Benedict: Yes, not yet. Oy.
Mouse gingerly picks up a slice of pizza, choosing to take a small bite from it rather than remark directly on the conversation. She nods, however, to show she's listening.
Rhys shakes his head a little and tucks his hands into his pockets. He doesn't have anything to say to that.
Quoz nods at Benedict. "Indeed." Seeing that the elder has had the first slice, as is her right, he grabs a slice for himself, folding it in half length-wise like a true New Yorker. He wrinkles his nose at the first bite, though. "'Tis a far cry from Sal and Carmine's, eh, Mouse?"
Benedict then looks at the three others in turn, from Quoz to Mouse to Rhys while taking a long drink of water. Benedict has a seeming moment of recognition when it comes to Mouse as Quoz speaks the name, then a quick second look at the other two shows a clear lack of familiarity, and another gulp of water. "Didn't mean to intrude. Just needed a shower before I headed back to the city. Seriously though," he takes his wallet from a rather tight back pocket of sweats he is wearing and pulls out his SCPD business card, placing it on the counter, "Anything you need, I am at the service of the Hidden Walk. I am not your typical sideline-waiting Kin."
"Frozen pizza," Mouse says to Quoz, giving a little half shrug. "I try to pretend that the word pizza isn't included in the name. Most of the people here have probably never had real pizza." She looks back to Benedict, and gives him a nod, while noting the business card with a glance. "Was nice meeting you, Benedict."
Rhys actually eases close enough to the counter to pick up the business card and give it a thorough look over. He looks at Benedict again, while pulling out his cell phone. A second later, the man and business card both are captured in smart phone imagery, with the latter being returned to the counter in case Quoz or Mouse wishes to see it.
Quoz nods to Benedict, still not entirely trusting, then turns to Mouse. "Truer words were never spoken. 'Course, I'm used to eating from garbage cans. But, food is food!" He takes a huge bite of the slice and chews happily.
Benedict nods to Mouse with, "You too, thanks," and then gives a full smile which is rather entirely charming, for the photo. The kinfolk rinses out the glass and places it aside to dry before walking over to get his stuff. Before heading upstairs he glances back into the kitchen once more, then heads up and it isn't long before there are signs of the shower running.
Mouse eyes Rhys with a quizzical look, with one eyebrow higher than the other.
Rhys briefly meets Mouse's look and offers a shrug in reply. "I'll explain later," he tells her apologetically. "Since you're taking the night off."
Mouse shrugs in return. "Fair's fair." She takes another few bites of her pizza slice, slow and thoughtful.
Quoz chomps his way through the rest of the pizza and politely wipes his hands on a paper towel. "Well, that was entirely disgusting" (airquotes) "'pizza', but it was nourishing. Somewhat. Mouse, it was such a pleasure to see you again, we must catch up soon. I have to be going now, goodnight!"
Rhys looks at Quoz, after watching Benedict leave, then casts a look over to the pizza in question. He shakes his head again, whether at the pizza itself or at something else entirely is hard to say, but he turns away from the food. "Goodbye, Quoz."
Mouse nods after Quoz, then finishes her own slice and straightens up. Rather than head upstairs, she moves in the direction of the laundry room.
After a while, the shower upstairs has shut off. A bit after that, Benedict returns on down the stairs wearing much less of a casual outfit as he was before. He is now clearly a detective, and one that means business. Somehow, his impressive physical stature stands out more in this get up than it did in the sweats before.
----
Edgewood House: Downstairs(#2007RJh)
The front door leads into a small mudroom; coats are hanging on hooks. It opens into the spacious, well lit living room, with several battered old couches arranged into a sort of conversation pit facing the fireplace, a table in the center of them. There are a few chairs, some straight-backed, some plush and comfortable, arranged to make secondary conversation areas, with little end tables placed in strategic locations. There's a notable absence of either breakable objects, or elaborate electrical equipment such as televisions. The walls, painted an increasingly dingy white, have some sweeping dark fabric prints on them, but no paintings or posters. A steep, uncarpeted staircase leads up to the second floor. There are several doors that lead out to other sections of the house, as well. (+view for details)
Contents:
Information Board
Obvious exits:
Front Door Upstairs
Emma has arrived.
It's a sunny, if chilly day. Not a bad one to be out on a run, for St. Claire spring. Mouse, however, is not out enjoying the day; rather, she's in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches to a very thorough scrubbing, which apparently included mopping the floor. For once, the place practically shines. That'll last a few hours, at least.
The perceptive might have noticed the wolf that stopped at the far edge of the meadow, still near the line of trees that lead to the bawn. That wolf becomes woman a moment later and the rest of the distance toward the house is covered in an easy jog. Once at the backdoor, she steps inside and stops just shy of setting her foot down. "Whoa." That foot comes back to the mat and she slides her shoes off. "You do this?" she asks with some surprise.
Mouse rolls her shoulders back in a casual shrug as she straightens, but she's not wearing her coat right now, even if she's reclaimed her clothing. That strange something between her shoulders, and the bit of metal at the base of her neck, are quite visible before she turns around. "Yeah. It's good for thinking. Besides, it's been a while since I was able to give anything a decent scrub."
The Get can't help the lingering as her eyes lock on to that new eccentricity of the Walker's appearance. When the woman turns, Emma's gaze lifts up and she offers a faint grin, "That almost sounds dirty." A beat, "You get a break from the onslaught of eyewitnesses coming back to verify your existence?"
Mouse rolls her eyes ceilingward, if only for a moment. "Yeah, thank God. That was a little intense last night." She tosses the rag she was using into the sink, and studies Emma for a moment in return. "I uh...sorry if I came off rude. It's been a long trip."
There's a shake of her head, "It's alright. I didn't want to dump all the plates on you, but at the same time, needed to make sure you knew the concerns with traveling cityside. Most of the metis in general have been delegated out to the woods for now on account of these Suits being able to spot the extraordinary. You sort of give them an extra reason to double-take now..." she offers quietly.
Mouse makes a face. "I could try using a lot of foundation to hide the scars, but yeah, I get your point. I need to talk to Jacinta anyway, it sounds like. See if any of the Silver Fangs give a fuck about Sewall..." She shakes her head very slightly. "And see if I can't get someone I know to drive the batmobile back up here. Otherwise, I'll need to take a day trip down to Portland."
The Get raises her brows slightly at the Walker's initial reply, and then gestures a thumb over her own shoulder to point at the back of her neck. "Meant the hardware more than the scars. Dunno about the others last night, but the clothes you've been wearing aren't doing much to keep it under wraps. If it's even something you're concerned about keeping quiet."
Another face from the Walker elder. "It's not something that's going to be kept quiet, but given the level of gawking last night, I wasn't exactly leaping to mention it. It's just another reason to wear coats at all seasons, which is something I do anyway, but a regular shirt without a collar?" She hesitates, then gives Emma a considering look. "You noticed, but didn't explode. That's a good sign. I can show you, if you want to see it."
"I've come across Cheese Doodle in the umbra," she explains. There's a bit of hesitation about the Get as the offer is made, but she ends up giving a nod. "If you want, yeah. Sure. I mean that's why you went right? To find a fix?"
Mouse gives a restrained nod. "And I got it, but you know. Most Garou aren't exactly thrilled by this sort of thing. And I have to admit, when it came time, I was a little hesitant myself. Of course, if I'd known--" she laughs. "I'd have taken it anyway, but I'd have hesitated more." She turns and hikes up the back of her shirt, so that Emma can get a good luck at what's only been hinted so far. Starting at the base of her neck, shiny metal appears to grow out of the skin itself, expanding into a smooth, sharp wedge between her shoulder blades which looks like something out of a scifi movie--all shiny metal with small blue lights along the sides. From there, the alien thing gets smaller again, if no less disturbing, as it continues down her back; small metal vertebrae shapes broken only by her actual skin. Like above, the entire thing seems grafted in, as much a part of her body as her actual body parts, and it continues past where her pants block further study.
There is a slow, weighty intake of breath as Emma watches the Walker lift her shirt, and then just a heavy silence that follows. After several moments pass, the Get shakes her head, "I'm apparantly biased as fuck." A hand rakes through her hair as her eyes harden with internal debate.
"Get of Fenris," Mouse points out, as if giving a gentle reminder. She lets her shirt fall back down. "It's more obvious in other forms, which is why I said it's not like I'm going to be able to hide it, even if I wanted to." She turns back, studying Emma's face.
Emma shakes her head, "I mean biased with you." A huff follows, "There's something about it that unsettles me. Yeah." Pause, "But, then there's this side of me that says /fuck that/, this is giving us back one of Gaia's best. And giving her back in a capacity that makes her an even stronger force than she was before it." At this she looks up to catch Mouse's own gaze. "How does it work? I mean, I just. It's so over my head I don't even..."
Mouse was clearly not expecting that, and Emma manages to catch a glimpse of surprise from her before she schools her expression again. "...Oh," she says, a little lamely. And then, just as lamely, "...Thanks." She clears her throat, and puts a hand to the back of her neck, feeling the metal. "It's a fetish. Has to be, to be able to shift with me. Mostly, it just works like you'd expect any spine to work. It...certainly works better than mine ever did. I can turn it off, if I have to, which means I'm back to where I was. It also seems to make one of my tribe's gifts work...ah. /Very/ well." She holds up both hands, palms toward the other woman. "There's a trade-off though."
Emma tucks a stray strand of hair behind an ear and nods, still watching the other with piqued curiosity. "Trade-off?" This news brings a second wave of uncertainty through the Get and she asks simply, "What?"
Mouse grunts. "I've lost most of the feeling in my fingertips. I can tell if I'm touching something, and in general how hard, but that's about it." She lets her hands drop. "It comes back if I turn the fetish off."
Emma gives a little frown at this. "So, hot stove, sharp knife... no gauge?" she asks to clarify. "Sounds like gloves might be the way to go. Heh, like Nick." And it's that unintended segway that brings a sudden glance up toward the Walker elder, eyes perhaps a little uncertain at first. "Speaking of." A glance is given to the front room to make sure no one is there, and even then her voice lowers. "I know about Nick."
"Ehh." Mouse looks uncertain. "I haven't tested it, but I imagine stimulate the nerves enough and I'll still f--sorry, what?"
And in continued odd role-reversal, Emma steps forward with the conversation much like a teenage boy asking one's dad if he can take a girl to prom. "He and I..." an awkward pause stalls her, "Got to know each other more. And. He told me. And things are, well, we're still on good terms. Ok, ridiculously great terms to be honest." She clears her throat. "So I know."
"Ah," Mouse says eventually. Her expression is very, very hard to read, even more than usual. "He mentioned before I left you two were a thing." She tugs at her shirt collar, so that it covers the metallic bit at the base of her neck, at least for the moment.
"It was a potential thing at that point really. A sort of testing to see if it could work. And it seems to be, so it's more serious and official now." There's a heavy pause there, "We actually just spoke about this last week, he and I. And about the usual protocols that exist and what might come up in the future. Sort of matters that you give us a go ahead nod on this now that we're not just trying things out." Emma's posture braces a bit as she finishes explaining.
Mouse's expression doesn't change at all, though she does blink once. "Nick's a grown man," she says. "I didn't bring about the kinfolk thing with him to turn around and start telling who he can and can't have feelings for."
A nod follows, and the Get grows quiet for a time. "Alright." Emma follows that up with another nod- apparently a little lost on where to go from there. "On my side of things, I don't expect it to cause any issues unless some traditionally bull-headed Elder Get shows up and plants roots here. But, the cards are out on both sides so we all have the same view."
Mouse nods as well. Her gaze flicks from Emma to the side, and stays there for a little. "And the odds of that happening are pretty damn low."
"I hope so. I've got an agenda here after all, and the last thing I need are more bull headed Get fighting against it." She offers just a faint little smile at that and then lets out a breath. "Anyway. It's good to have you back. Really good."
Mouse returns the smile with a thin one of her own that doesn't really seem to meet her eyes, or have much pleasure in it. "Good to be back. Although I could've done without the crises."
Emma grunts and nods. "Things have been busy. There really are several shit storms seeming to line up the horizon. Hopefully we start catching a break."
Mouse snorts, amused and cynical. "We never catch a break."
"You're back. I'd count that as one." Emma returns without missing a beat and with genuine sincerity behind it. "Listen," she offers as a chance of subject, "I was headed into town since I've got the car today. You want a lift or anything?"
Mouse rubs at her cheek for a moment. "Yeah," she decides. "I can pick up my car and see if Salem's around, at the very least."
Emma nods to this, "Alright. Lemme grab my bag from upstairs and we can go whenever you're ready. Stop for that cheeseburger if you still need one."
"One?" Mouse says. "I need three at least now."
Emma gives a little grin at that, "I think we can manage that." As the Get heads toward the stairs, she casts a thoughtful glance back at the Walker elder below, brow furrowing with thought. A moment later she's out of sight, only to return with the bag as promised. "Ok. All set."
Edgewood House: Downstairs(#2007RJh)
The front door leads into a small mudroom; coats are hanging on hooks. It opens into the spacious, well lit living room, with several battered old couches arranged into a sort of conversation pit facing the fireplace, a table in the center of them. There are a few chairs, some straight-backed, some plush and comfortable, arranged to make secondary conversation areas, with little end tables placed in strategic locations. There's a notable absence of either breakable objects, or elaborate electrical equipment such as televisions. The walls, painted an increasingly dingy white, have some sweeping dark fabric prints on them, but no paintings or posters. A steep, uncarpeted staircase leads up to the second floor. There are several doors that lead out to other sections of the house, as well. (+view for details)
Contents:
Information Board
Obvious exits:
Front Door Upstairs
Rhys has arrived.
Pathfinder has arrived.
Emma has arrived.
Nicodemus has arrived.
The smell of burnt eggs permeates Edgewood's interior, the remaining evidence of Riley's less-than-stellar cooking, as the dishes have all been washed and the counters scrubbed. Mouse is sacked out on the couch wearing clothes that are far too big for her skinny frame, but which are at least dry, with one arm over her face and her eyes closed. Her shoes are by the door, still drying, but she snagged a pair of mismatched socks from Edgewood's cub supplies. Her coat is nowhere to be seen, presumably that's drying as well.
Emma is in the kitchen, sitting at the table and going through some things on her phone. She's got a glass of water set beside her, half full, and a notebook handy.
Rhys lets himself in through the front door, distracted as he pours over the miniature, glowing display of his smart phone. It's obviously not Flappy Bird, since he's slowly thumbing the scroll which leaves his other hand free to pull the door closed. He lingers there, in the mud room, while he kicks off his shoes and meanders toward the living area.
Something must've been in the air that drew all the garou (probably, it's not the burned eggs). Regardless, Keir hasn't around too often lately - but lord knows what it is Stargazers go off and do - and has just sort've ... turned up again like nothing ever happened. "Holy shit," he announces as he wanders downstairs, a silly grin quirking across his features. "''Someone'' burned the eggs."
Nicodemus enters through the back door of the farmhouse, coming in to the kitchen where Emma's at. "Psst," he says in her direction. "Hey," he says, accompanying that word with a half-smile as he comes over to join her.
Mouse makes a low 'mng' noise, though whether it's Rhys or Keir that wakes her, it's unclear. She lifts her arm off of her eyes just long enough to squint at the ceiling, frowning, and then lets it flop over her eyes again. "Mng."
Emma looks oup at the back door and smiles, "Hey yourself," she returns in a soft voice. "Mouse is still sleeping. And the house still smells terrible. I swear Riley is even worse at cooking than I am."
Rhys's eyes lift off the screen when Keir speaks, gaze pausing on the form on the couch then shifting to the Stargazer. He stops in the doorway separating living space from entryway, a crease beginning to form between his eyebrows.
Keir, ignorant to the glances Rhys gives him, looks nonetheless a little chastened at Emma's words. "Oops. Sorry," he says, stifling a yawn into his hand as his shoulder brushes against the wall on the way into the room, a hand coming out to grip the edge of it to mark where it is.
Mouse offers Keir a lazy middle finger that he can't see, before she proceeds to rub slowly at her face. As she turns her head, Rhys might catch a glimpse of something metallic just inside the collar of her shirt, right at the base of her neck.
Nicodemus says "Did anyone eat whatever Riley immolated? Still hungry? I could maybe whip something up from scratch." Keeping his voice pitched low, he opens the freezer. "Like a frozen pizza."
Rhys' gaze is caught by Mouse's movements, and Keir is relieved of any further nervous glances from the cliath. The mental glint draws a slight narrowing of his eyes and an opening of his mouth as if he might say something. Whatever thought struck him it goes unspoken, mouth closing again.
Emma looks from living room to kin at the freezer, "Looks like the sleeper has awakened. And has guests." She nods out toward the other room. "I think we're okay on food for now. Unless she's hungry again. Do other realms really not have food or something?"
Keir indeed misses it, and the ahroun sort've stops where he stands while he gets some kind've idea of where everyone's oriented in the room, shoving hands in the pockets of his hoodie - hood's up, as always. "Other realms?"
Mouse yawns, an action that's interrupted by an even wider yawn as she sits up. Still that metallic glint at the base of her neck, and through the far, far too large t-shirt, there's a noticeably unnatural bulge between her shoulder blades. She doesn't seem particularly into joining the conversation just yet.
Rhys glances toward the kitchen, the crease between his eyebrows deepening a little more. He looks floor-ward a second later and carefully eases his phone back into his pocket. Yup, not speaking yet himself.
"You're totally asking the wrong person here, Emma," Nick claims, even though he might have some knowledge or ideas he's not sharing with the rest of the class. "Anything of note happen with her after I left earlier?" As Rhys comes into the kitchen, Nick offers him a silent nod of acknowledgement.
Quoz has connected.
Well. Keir just sort've goes, "Hum," to himself, and /he/ starts wandering kitchenwards, humming something nonsensical under his breath. He's still listenin', though.
Emma shakes her head first to Nick's question. "Shower, clean clothes, wash the other clothes, food, food, nap." Her eyes linger on the front room as the others hover about in there, and at the continued bit of awkwardness she leans over the table and gives a call out, "Talk or quit gawking. She's not a damn ghost ya know!" The Get stands up then and makes her way toward the living room to check on the Walker. "Hey you still hungry-" she asks the Walker elder though it's a bit cut off as her gaze suddenly and subtly narrows. Whatever's caught her attention is tucked quietly away for the moment.
"Starving," Mouse replies, without looking back. She's still rubbing at her eyes with one hand. "What's on the menu?" When she does straighten up and half turn, there are subtle differences that are noticeable outside of the excitement of her arrival. Her hair's about an inch longer, for one. Her face is a little thinner, a little gaunt, and her skin's pale enough to suggest she's had less than ideal amounts of sun the past few months. But other than that, it's clearly Mouse.
Rhys startles visibly when Emma calls suddenly louder. His gaze lifts to show naught but guilt and uneasiness and still no words to offer. He sidles a step or two away from the mudroom but no further, gaze drifting from the Get to the elder Walker again.
Quoz descends the stairs into the living room quietly and somewhat clumsily, then looks around at the gathered garou, listening to the conversation. He notices the new faces, studying them from the shadows of his hood. As he sees Mouse, he pulls back his hood, revealing an ugly, misshapen head with grotesque lumps of flesh on the left side. He stares at the Walker elder, approaching closer. "Mouse-rhya? Is that you?"
"Kier. Long time, no see," Nick says to the young Stargazer. He pokes his head out to the main room where Mouse is--or rather was--sleeping. "Sorry for accidentally throwing you in the pond. It's good to have you back."
"I," calls Keir from the kitchen, "am not gawking." He says with some self-reflected humor, though, and he rattles about in the fridge until he finds something. "Hi, Nick. How are you?"
"No, it's a doppleganger of her, who is currently, telepathically, whispering evil thoughts into Rhys's head and thus has him stuck in his tracks. Clearly." She looks at the others and then turns back toward the kitchen, "Frozen pizza. Which Nick has promised not to burn."
Mouse finally seems to notice just how /many/ people are looking at her. "...What?" To Quoz, she blinks once. "It's me, yeah." To Nick, "Well, I think I deserved it. If it means anything, I wasn't actually aiming for your phone. Or a phone." She rubs her right hand hard against her cheek, and then abruptly stands up. Notably, she stands up in a single smooth motion, without any visible difficulty, sluggishness, or pain. That bulge between her shoulders moves with her--it doesn't stick out too much, but it's still quite noticeable--and the glint of metal is briefly more visible before the too-large shirt settles again. "Pizza. Right. I'm game."
Rhys' mouth pulls open again, but the words are still pretty well locked inside. Instead, he lets out a breath, a tight whistly thing that probably had the beginnings of a response to it. Again his mouth shuts after his breath is spent, eyes skipping past Quoz to look at those in the kitchen.
"It's okay. They're practically disposable these days," Nick says to Mouse about his phone as he slides back into the kitchen to do the prepwork for creating a frozen pizza.
Keir's busily finding himself something to drink in the kitchen, humming lightly and under his breath to himself.
Quoz grins as if meeting a movie star. "Yes, it is! I remembered you when you were younger. I was at the Green, but you probably don't remember me. Quasimodo Dives-in-Dumpsters, or Quoz, metis galliard of the Bone Gnawers." He dips his head in a respectful bow. "I was just another cub when you left. I'd heard others telling your tales, but I didn't know you were here! I'm honored to meet you."
"Of course I remember you," Mouse starts, as that hand rubbing her face goes to the back of her neck. "Cripes, tales? I can only imagine. Half of it's made up, I promise."
Nicodemus selects a likely prospect from the freezer--supreme bacon cheeseburger--and dials the stove up to the appropriate temperature. He strips the frozen pizza of its cardboard and plastic packaging exoskeletons, then places it in the oven. He stays quiet for the time being, just listening in on others' conversations and keeping an eye on things.
Emma smiles a bit at the interaction between old acquaintenances and excuses herself into the kitchen to help the kin with the pizza. "What can I help with Nick?"
Quoz's eyes widen in surprise as Mouse says she remembers him. "Really?" He's temporarily distracted by the sight of the frozen pizza, then shakes his head to recover. "Er, I'm astonished, really. Thought I was just another rat in the nest. Remember, I was the one who always used to sneak into the back of the theaters on Broadway so I could listen under the floorboards? Heh, good old times."
Keir finds what he's looking for eventually - a bottle of beer - and then somehow avoids turning right into Nick, though he does stop for a second to let people get settled once Emma's in the kitchen, too. The blind ahroun rocks back on his heels a bit. "Need any help?" That's with a cheeky grin.
Rhys musters enough to take a step nearer the others, a step further from the mudroom. As he moves, he looks at Mouse again, eyebrows pushing upward a little while they remain knitted.
Mouse taps the side of her head. "Good memory." She starts to angle for the kitchen, with steps that are neither shuffling nor limping, but perfectly normal. She says over her shoulder, "It wasn't 120 miles per hour, it was 90, and it wasn't down Broadway."
"College degrees in computer science and mathematics," Nick says to Emma and Keir with ana mused note in his voice and a wry grin on his face. "I think I can handle a frozen pizza. Although," he muses out loud. "Emma? If Keir wants to shoot my pistol out on the back porch again, maybe you'd be willing to help him out?" Because letting a blind ahroun shoot a pistol is a sane idea.
Emma grins at Nick's first comment then gets a curious look, "Wait. Are you serious?" She eyes Keir then and with a shake of her head, moves to take a seat at the table. As Mouse makes her way in, she follows the Athro Walker's movement. "So you've had some food and a nap. When do we get our story time?"
"Have before," Keir says without missing a beat; he works his way out of the kitchen, though, or at least getting less rage centered around the lone kinfolk fixing the pizza. "I was a damn good shot, too."
Quoz nods. "I'll say." He chuckles. "I'm surprised you could do 90 anywhere in Manhattan, even at 4 AM. So anway, I was there until about 6 months ago, then I hopped a train and came out here. I did some dumpster-diving and found lots of shredded documents, which I handed over to your tribe for processing. I hope to present anything I find as chiminage."
Rhys shakes his head slowly. A quizzical look is directed at Quoz, then one goes to Emma, Nick, and Keir, and finally it settles on Mouse. He tries twice to work out some kind of statement, some kind of polite interruption. When none of that rolls off easily he blurts out, accent thick in his haste to speak clashing with his desire to remain silent, "How is it that you're up and walking?"
Mouse nods a few times at Quoz, but it's about when she moves to investigate the pizza making that she draws up short at Emma's question. "Story time?" A grunt. "Not a Galliard. But I need to talk to whoever's the Fang elder now. If there is one." She looks sidelong toward Rhys, and there's a moment's hesitation before she says, "I got the problem fixed."
"I imagine eldership of the Fang tribe is either Dirk or the new guy in town, Elias," Nick offers to Mouse. He shrugs. "Sorry, I'm not up to date on a lot of stuff myself, and I get the impression that that tribe, locally, may be in a state of flux."
Rhys swallows back anything further he might say and unknowingly backs up a step under Mouse's look. There's no mistaking the 'oh shit' expression, the quick assumption he'd just stuck his hand in a bees' nest.
Quoz furrows his brows quizzically at Rhys's comment and Mouse's reply, but shrugs and ignores it, more interested in any possible story of Mouse's exploits since he last saw her. And the pizza, of course.
Keir just sort've props himself up against the frame of the kitchen door, mostly out of the way. Mostly! And, thus, the metis listens.
Emma looks a little disappointed at that, a frown creasing her lips before she moves to fetch a beer for herself out of the fridge. Rhys's question and subsequent answer of it gets a little grunt of her own. "Well, Jacinta and Salem have standing orders for us to lay low and avoid town. Especially any of us that might not appear as wholly mundane humans going about our daily life. Just as a heads up. If and when you want the updates on everything, well we do have a Galliard here, and Nick's been kept in the loop so far as Walker specific rules about the coming and going. Salem is aware you're back. Probably damn thankful too." The beer gets half doused after this, and then she pulls it away mostly to catch a breath.
"Sewall isn't coming back," Mouse sighs, before adding quickly, "He's alive. But he chose to stay there, at least for the foreseeable future." She doesn't sound terribly happy about this decision, but her tone seems resigned rather than upset or angry. "If there's anyone in his tribe around to care, they should know about it." Emma gets a small nod, almost more of a tick than real head movement, as she settles against the dishwasher with her back to the wall.
Nicodemus checks on the pizza by using the oven light. He peers in, decides it's not done yet, and straightens up again. "I'll have to catch you up with Naomi's situation," he says to Mouse. There's an added, "Later on." As if to indicate that might be a private conversation. For later on. "Salem is going to be thrilled you're back."
Quoz nods at Emma, then informs Mouse, "Oh yes, there are a strange group of warpers active in the city, several of my tribe have been abducted and interrogated, even chased into the sewers. They're apparently using clones and are hunting for supernatural beings such as ourselves. Normally I'd be out in town, but I'm following orders like a good boy and staying out here. We're trying not to antagonize them in hopes that they'll move on."
Rhys sidles toward the kitchen again, getting close enough to stand just outside the doorway and look in, listen in.
Keir tilts his head a little; he doesn't butt in, though. Just proppin' the wall up. Yep.
Benedict enters the house through the front door.
Benedict has arrived.
"I've not met the new Fang yet. Dunno what we'll expect of him. Not that we've had a solid Fang presence here far as I can remember." Emma nods to Quoz's quick update. "Toystore selling modded roaches has been dealt with. Pretty sure there are a half dozen sick roach spirits that are in the Walker's care, somewhere, until they can get rehabbed. Think that's pretty much it. Jacinta's alpha, Silvertip's back after being in the Flux realm?" she tests her memory on that. "Suits are our big concern. Lots of info on that for you to digest over the next couple days. Oh, and Salem's acting sept Beta, per Jacinta, until /your/ return. So, uh. Grats on the promotion."
"I'm not sure what's more ominous about that," Mouse says to Nick, "an unknown situation, or the implications of Salem being thrilled that I'm back in town to deal with it." Quoz gets her attention next, as well as a frown and a wrinkled forehead. "Mages? ...Clones?" And then it's Emma who gets a stare. "...Wait. Run that by me again? Beta what?"
Nicodemus shakes his head slightly at all the confusion, then checks on the frozen pizza again. This time, it's done. He uses the cardboard carton as a improvised tray to slide the hot food disc onto. Placing it on the counter, he finds a pizza cutter in a drawer to quickly section it up. He stays quiet so the garou can talk business.
"There's more," Rhys quietly tacks on to Emma's summary. "But not as immediate." His feet shuffle a bit, bringing him closer, into the kitchen doorway. "Jacinta-rhya claimed leadership of the sept and named Salem her second, until you returned."
The front door opens and in comes Benedict, carrying an SCPD duffle in his right hand and holding the strap of a backpack slung over his shoulders with the other hand. He walks over to the kitchen, sees all the folk inside, and his ever-present grin that was there when he stepped in fades to about half strength. He doesn't speak up just yet, setting the duffle and bag just outside the kitchen. He currently is wearing Adidas workout clothing and has the scent of someone just finished with a long and arduous workout.
Quoz gasps as Benedict enters the house with police logo equipment in tow. He shrinks away and raises the hood of his enormous hooded sweatshirt to cover his head.
Emma nods toward Rhys, "Yeah. That." She pulls from the beer bottle again and then finishes it off, turning to deposit empty glass into the recycle bin. As the pizza comes out, the Get gives it scarcely a look. "Not to dump and bail, but I gotta check on a few things. I imagine Salem will be looking to meet up with you as soon as he can. I'll check back in a bit later maybe, once the crowds die down. You got people to get with that are more important than a curious Get." A glance goes toward Nick, brief and accompanied by just a bit of a nod suggesting that she's a bit on eggshells just now. "See you guys later."
Keir cocks his head again as he hears someone else enter; the blind ahroun takes a swallow of his drink, readjusts his weight against the wall, and then eventually straightens. "Good you're back, Mouse," he says, and then, called by some urge or business that only he's aware of, heads out as well.
"Not tonight," Mouse says firmly, as if coming to a sudden decision. She lifts a finger. "Unless someone is about to be swallowed by a Thunderwyrm or we're being attacked by Dancers, I'm calling tonight a night off. No crisis dumps until I'm at least wearing matching socks." She gives Emma a nod, and then becomes imminently distracted by the arrival of a guy with a police bag. There's something just a little metallic peeping from under the oversized shirt she's wearing, at the base of her neck, and an unnatural bulge of some kind between her shoulder blades.
Rhys twists around to look at the new arrival, still staying, mostly, in the doorway to the kitchen. "Evening," he says to Benedict with casual wariness.
Nicodemus catches the nod from Emma and moves to slip out the back with her. "Later, all," he says to the room as he departs with the Get.
Mouse is distracted again by Nick and Emma's mutual departure. She watches them go with an expression that's hard to read.
Benedict nods to Rhys with, "Hey." He looks around at the gathered, Quoz easily gets a good amount of scrutiny though that is followed by Benedict giving a light sardonic laugh and shaking his head. He heads into the kitchen, casually yet careful not to meet any eyes or bump anyone, just going to the cabinet then the sink to fill a glass of water.
Rhys begins to say something more, then aborts the idea with a glance toward Mouse. He settles for watching Benedict instead, with eyebrows knitting and nervous chewing on the inside of his cheek.
Mouse eventually shifts her gaze from the door to the unfamiliar man in the kitchen with her. "...Okay, we haven't met." She sounds a little resigned, which doesn't really make much sense given her words or the subject of them.
Quoz keeps his head down for the moment, displaying a mistrust for authority figures. He waits for introductions or clearance from one othe other garou he trusts.
Benedict clears his throat after he turns around and indulges in the fact that he has noticed the scrutiny he has gained. "Hi." He starts with, pauses for a moment then adds, "Benedict Jackson. The illustrious Alicia's brother, so kinfolk to the Children of Gaia. Also, friendly neighborhood SCPD Detective at the Hidden Walk's service."
Mouse doesn't show any recognition at mention of someone named Alicia. "Mouse," she says, offering one scarred hand. "Glass Walker elder, unless you want the full, ridiculous introduction. Who's Alicia?"
Rhys casts a look in Quoz's direction after Benedict gives an introduction. He follows it up with a brief explanation for Mouse. "New Child of Gaia, Galliard and Adren. She's been here a week or so."
Quoz relaxes a bit and lifts his head somewhat higher. "Sorry for the skittishness, been hassled by the man quite a bit in my time. Alicia was a sept member who left about eight years ago, but she's returned now." His attention returns to the pizza cooling on the counter.
Benedict cocks his head to the side at Rhys' and then Quoz's definition of who Alicia is and adds politely, "No offense, but that doesn't do her justice. She had left years ago yet, but there was a time she was the leader of the Children here, and now is the Voice of the Goddess once again. Actually, she was the leader of the Sept for a moment."
Mouse gingerly picks up a slice of pizza, choosing to take a small bite from it rather than remark directly on the conversation. She nods, however, to show she's listening.
Rhys shakes his head a little and tucks his hands into his pockets. He doesn't have anything to say to that.
Quoz nods at Benedict. "Indeed." Seeing that the elder has had the first slice, as is her right, he grabs a slice for himself, folding it in half length-wise like a true New Yorker. He wrinkles his nose at the first bite, though. "'Tis a far cry from Sal and Carmine's, eh, Mouse?"
Benedict then looks at the three others in turn, from Quoz to Mouse to Rhys while taking a long drink of water. Benedict has a seeming moment of recognition when it comes to Mouse as Quoz speaks the name, then a quick second look at the other two shows a clear lack of familiarity, and another gulp of water. "Didn't mean to intrude. Just needed a shower before I headed back to the city. Seriously though," he takes his wallet from a rather tight back pocket of sweats he is wearing and pulls out his SCPD business card, placing it on the counter, "Anything you need, I am at the service of the Hidden Walk. I am not your typical sideline-waiting Kin."
"Frozen pizza," Mouse says to Quoz, giving a little half shrug. "I try to pretend that the word pizza isn't included in the name. Most of the people here have probably never had real pizza." She looks back to Benedict, and gives him a nod, while noting the business card with a glance. "Was nice meeting you, Benedict."
Rhys actually eases close enough to the counter to pick up the business card and give it a thorough look over. He looks at Benedict again, while pulling out his cell phone. A second later, the man and business card both are captured in smart phone imagery, with the latter being returned to the counter in case Quoz or Mouse wishes to see it.
Quoz nods to Benedict, still not entirely trusting, then turns to Mouse. "Truer words were never spoken. 'Course, I'm used to eating from garbage cans. But, food is food!" He takes a huge bite of the slice and chews happily.
Benedict nods to Mouse with, "You too, thanks," and then gives a full smile which is rather entirely charming, for the photo. The kinfolk rinses out the glass and places it aside to dry before walking over to get his stuff. Before heading upstairs he glances back into the kitchen once more, then heads up and it isn't long before there are signs of the shower running.
Mouse eyes Rhys with a quizzical look, with one eyebrow higher than the other.
Rhys briefly meets Mouse's look and offers a shrug in reply. "I'll explain later," he tells her apologetically. "Since you're taking the night off."
Mouse shrugs in return. "Fair's fair." She takes another few bites of her pizza slice, slow and thoughtful.
Quoz chomps his way through the rest of the pizza and politely wipes his hands on a paper towel. "Well, that was entirely disgusting" (airquotes) "'pizza', but it was nourishing. Somewhat. Mouse, it was such a pleasure to see you again, we must catch up soon. I have to be going now, goodnight!"
Rhys looks at Quoz, after watching Benedict leave, then casts a look over to the pizza in question. He shakes his head again, whether at the pizza itself or at something else entirely is hard to say, but he turns away from the food. "Goodbye, Quoz."
Mouse nods after Quoz, then finishes her own slice and straightens up. Rather than head upstairs, she moves in the direction of the laundry room.
After a while, the shower upstairs has shut off. A bit after that, Benedict returns on down the stairs wearing much less of a casual outfit as he was before. He is now clearly a detective, and one that means business. Somehow, his impressive physical stature stands out more in this get up than it did in the sweats before.
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Edgewood House: Downstairs(#2007RJh)
The front door leads into a small mudroom; coats are hanging on hooks. It opens into the spacious, well lit living room, with several battered old couches arranged into a sort of conversation pit facing the fireplace, a table in the center of them. There are a few chairs, some straight-backed, some plush and comfortable, arranged to make secondary conversation areas, with little end tables placed in strategic locations. There's a notable absence of either breakable objects, or elaborate electrical equipment such as televisions. The walls, painted an increasingly dingy white, have some sweeping dark fabric prints on them, but no paintings or posters. A steep, uncarpeted staircase leads up to the second floor. There are several doors that lead out to other sections of the house, as well. (+view for details)
Contents:
Information Board
Obvious exits:
Front Door Upstairs
Emma has arrived.
It's a sunny, if chilly day. Not a bad one to be out on a run, for St. Claire spring. Mouse, however, is not out enjoying the day; rather, she's in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches to a very thorough scrubbing, which apparently included mopping the floor. For once, the place practically shines. That'll last a few hours, at least.
The perceptive might have noticed the wolf that stopped at the far edge of the meadow, still near the line of trees that lead to the bawn. That wolf becomes woman a moment later and the rest of the distance toward the house is covered in an easy jog. Once at the backdoor, she steps inside and stops just shy of setting her foot down. "Whoa." That foot comes back to the mat and she slides her shoes off. "You do this?" she asks with some surprise.
Mouse rolls her shoulders back in a casual shrug as she straightens, but she's not wearing her coat right now, even if she's reclaimed her clothing. That strange something between her shoulders, and the bit of metal at the base of her neck, are quite visible before she turns around. "Yeah. It's good for thinking. Besides, it's been a while since I was able to give anything a decent scrub."
The Get can't help the lingering as her eyes lock on to that new eccentricity of the Walker's appearance. When the woman turns, Emma's gaze lifts up and she offers a faint grin, "That almost sounds dirty." A beat, "You get a break from the onslaught of eyewitnesses coming back to verify your existence?"
Mouse rolls her eyes ceilingward, if only for a moment. "Yeah, thank God. That was a little intense last night." She tosses the rag she was using into the sink, and studies Emma for a moment in return. "I uh...sorry if I came off rude. It's been a long trip."
There's a shake of her head, "It's alright. I didn't want to dump all the plates on you, but at the same time, needed to make sure you knew the concerns with traveling cityside. Most of the metis in general have been delegated out to the woods for now on account of these Suits being able to spot the extraordinary. You sort of give them an extra reason to double-take now..." she offers quietly.
Mouse makes a face. "I could try using a lot of foundation to hide the scars, but yeah, I get your point. I need to talk to Jacinta anyway, it sounds like. See if any of the Silver Fangs give a fuck about Sewall..." She shakes her head very slightly. "And see if I can't get someone I know to drive the batmobile back up here. Otherwise, I'll need to take a day trip down to Portland."
The Get raises her brows slightly at the Walker's initial reply, and then gestures a thumb over her own shoulder to point at the back of her neck. "Meant the hardware more than the scars. Dunno about the others last night, but the clothes you've been wearing aren't doing much to keep it under wraps. If it's even something you're concerned about keeping quiet."
Another face from the Walker elder. "It's not something that's going to be kept quiet, but given the level of gawking last night, I wasn't exactly leaping to mention it. It's just another reason to wear coats at all seasons, which is something I do anyway, but a regular shirt without a collar?" She hesitates, then gives Emma a considering look. "You noticed, but didn't explode. That's a good sign. I can show you, if you want to see it."
"I've come across Cheese Doodle in the umbra," she explains. There's a bit of hesitation about the Get as the offer is made, but she ends up giving a nod. "If you want, yeah. Sure. I mean that's why you went right? To find a fix?"
Mouse gives a restrained nod. "And I got it, but you know. Most Garou aren't exactly thrilled by this sort of thing. And I have to admit, when it came time, I was a little hesitant myself. Of course, if I'd known--" she laughs. "I'd have taken it anyway, but I'd have hesitated more." She turns and hikes up the back of her shirt, so that Emma can get a good luck at what's only been hinted so far. Starting at the base of her neck, shiny metal appears to grow out of the skin itself, expanding into a smooth, sharp wedge between her shoulder blades which looks like something out of a scifi movie--all shiny metal with small blue lights along the sides. From there, the alien thing gets smaller again, if no less disturbing, as it continues down her back; small metal vertebrae shapes broken only by her actual skin. Like above, the entire thing seems grafted in, as much a part of her body as her actual body parts, and it continues past where her pants block further study.
There is a slow, weighty intake of breath as Emma watches the Walker lift her shirt, and then just a heavy silence that follows. After several moments pass, the Get shakes her head, "I'm apparantly biased as fuck." A hand rakes through her hair as her eyes harden with internal debate.
"Get of Fenris," Mouse points out, as if giving a gentle reminder. She lets her shirt fall back down. "It's more obvious in other forms, which is why I said it's not like I'm going to be able to hide it, even if I wanted to." She turns back, studying Emma's face.
Emma shakes her head, "I mean biased with you." A huff follows, "There's something about it that unsettles me. Yeah." Pause, "But, then there's this side of me that says /fuck that/, this is giving us back one of Gaia's best. And giving her back in a capacity that makes her an even stronger force than she was before it." At this she looks up to catch Mouse's own gaze. "How does it work? I mean, I just. It's so over my head I don't even..."
Mouse was clearly not expecting that, and Emma manages to catch a glimpse of surprise from her before she schools her expression again. "...Oh," she says, a little lamely. And then, just as lamely, "...Thanks." She clears her throat, and puts a hand to the back of her neck, feeling the metal. "It's a fetish. Has to be, to be able to shift with me. Mostly, it just works like you'd expect any spine to work. It...certainly works better than mine ever did. I can turn it off, if I have to, which means I'm back to where I was. It also seems to make one of my tribe's gifts work...ah. /Very/ well." She holds up both hands, palms toward the other woman. "There's a trade-off though."
Emma tucks a stray strand of hair behind an ear and nods, still watching the other with piqued curiosity. "Trade-off?" This news brings a second wave of uncertainty through the Get and she asks simply, "What?"
Mouse grunts. "I've lost most of the feeling in my fingertips. I can tell if I'm touching something, and in general how hard, but that's about it." She lets her hands drop. "It comes back if I turn the fetish off."
Emma gives a little frown at this. "So, hot stove, sharp knife... no gauge?" she asks to clarify. "Sounds like gloves might be the way to go. Heh, like Nick." And it's that unintended segway that brings a sudden glance up toward the Walker elder, eyes perhaps a little uncertain at first. "Speaking of." A glance is given to the front room to make sure no one is there, and even then her voice lowers. "I know about Nick."
"Ehh." Mouse looks uncertain. "I haven't tested it, but I imagine stimulate the nerves enough and I'll still f--sorry, what?"
And in continued odd role-reversal, Emma steps forward with the conversation much like a teenage boy asking one's dad if he can take a girl to prom. "He and I..." an awkward pause stalls her, "Got to know each other more. And. He told me. And things are, well, we're still on good terms. Ok, ridiculously great terms to be honest." She clears her throat. "So I know."
"Ah," Mouse says eventually. Her expression is very, very hard to read, even more than usual. "He mentioned before I left you two were a thing." She tugs at her shirt collar, so that it covers the metallic bit at the base of her neck, at least for the moment.
"It was a potential thing at that point really. A sort of testing to see if it could work. And it seems to be, so it's more serious and official now." There's a heavy pause there, "We actually just spoke about this last week, he and I. And about the usual protocols that exist and what might come up in the future. Sort of matters that you give us a go ahead nod on this now that we're not just trying things out." Emma's posture braces a bit as she finishes explaining.
Mouse's expression doesn't change at all, though she does blink once. "Nick's a grown man," she says. "I didn't bring about the kinfolk thing with him to turn around and start telling who he can and can't have feelings for."
A nod follows, and the Get grows quiet for a time. "Alright." Emma follows that up with another nod- apparently a little lost on where to go from there. "On my side of things, I don't expect it to cause any issues unless some traditionally bull-headed Elder Get shows up and plants roots here. But, the cards are out on both sides so we all have the same view."
Mouse nods as well. Her gaze flicks from Emma to the side, and stays there for a little. "And the odds of that happening are pretty damn low."
"I hope so. I've got an agenda here after all, and the last thing I need are more bull headed Get fighting against it." She offers just a faint little smile at that and then lets out a breath. "Anyway. It's good to have you back. Really good."
Mouse returns the smile with a thin one of her own that doesn't really seem to meet her eyes, or have much pleasure in it. "Good to be back. Although I could've done without the crises."
Emma grunts and nods. "Things have been busy. There really are several shit storms seeming to line up the horizon. Hopefully we start catching a break."
Mouse snorts, amused and cynical. "We never catch a break."
"You're back. I'd count that as one." Emma returns without missing a beat and with genuine sincerity behind it. "Listen," she offers as a chance of subject, "I was headed into town since I've got the car today. You want a lift or anything?"
Mouse rubs at her cheek for a moment. "Yeah," she decides. "I can pick up my car and see if Salem's around, at the very least."
Emma nods to this, "Alright. Lemme grab my bag from upstairs and we can go whenever you're ready. Stop for that cheeseburger if you still need one."
"One?" Mouse says. "I need three at least now."
Emma gives a little grin at that, "I think we can manage that." As the Get heads toward the stairs, she casts a thoughtful glance back at the Walker elder below, brow furrowing with thought. A moment later she's out of sight, only to return with the bag as promised. "Ok. All set."
