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Synopsis: A Bone Gnawer Theurge goes dumpster diving in Trenton, New Jersey, and finds herself unexpectedly on the other side of the continent. Fortunately, she quickly meets friendly locals.
Date/Time: August 7th, 2012 / Evening
Moon: Unknown
Weather: Unknown
Wharf, Pier Two
The creak and sway of the rotting boards are in sync with the gentle slap of water against the pylons. Only the sections of the Pier jutting far into the river have fallen into disrepair. The sections nearest the bank are still is fair condition as some commerce still occurs by way of the river. However, many goods that were once shipped via the waterway are now shipped overland which is cheaper and faster. The wharf stands as testament to an older time, when the River was a lifeline for the city.
Beyond the warehouses lining the banks to the west, the black asphalt strip of First Street can be seen.
Aaron is sitting out at the end of one of the piers. The smell of marine life is all around him but that does not stop him from putting his fishing pole into the water. The fishing pole looks like it has seem much better days but it is still functional. The pole is functional enough to catch a fish or two. So far, the Ahroun hasn't had any luck.
Aaron
This man has a roguish "life on the streets" but handsome figure. Almond-shaped dark eyes stare intensely with inner-sovereignty between a masculine nose. Curly raven hair is cut short and styled and from his chin is a clean-shaven goatee. His fair skin shows the physical pains he has had to endure. He has a variety of small scars from childhood scrimmages and a few from adulthood. The worst scar is the one that begins just at the bottom of his ear and runs down to his shoulder. While he doesn't have a bodybuilder's body-type, his figure is completely muscle and athletically built. The lingering smell of spicy, cheap aftershave rises off from his body. He is often found wearing a pair of durable blue-jeans and a tee-shirt that fits snuggly over his to show the forming abdominals and pectorals of his muscular body. On cooler days he wears a hooded sweatshirt. Also he has on a pair of worn tennis shoes that almost seem too big for his feet.
An old rusty green dumpster sits at the opposite end of the pier, a common site for people dumping trash given the current state of the place. From within said dumpster, there's a sudden gasping for breath, like someone coming up to the surface of the water after having been under for a little too long. This might be a little less strange if it weren't for the fact that Aaron hasn't seen anyone approach the dumpster in the entire time he's been sitting out here fishing.
Aaron has pretty good perception and it’s not uncommon for dead bodies to be dumped here to end up somewhere down stream. The man scratches his head as she looks over his shoulder. For the fact that the man is a semi-mute, he cannot exactly yell or call out to whatever it is that he is hearing. He does the next best thing, he pinches his fingers and places them against his lips to emit a loud pitched whistle.
There's a sudden thump against the lid of the dumpster -- fortunately for whoever thumped against it, it's one of the plastic covers, not a metal one, otherwise instead of just lifting up and making noise, it likely would have hurt. Another push, and this time the lid opens, swinging back to bang against the metal. It's rather difficult to tell the gender of the person who becomes visible from about the shoulders, given the wide-brimmed hat and the baggy clothing. "Wrong dumpster," Maddie mutters aloud. Nostrils flaring, she sniffs at the air. "Wrong river, too."
The Ahroun almost leans completely to one side as he watches the lid to the dumpster sling open and the ambiguous figure that rises from it. He continues scratching his head as the woman begins speaking. He carefully lifts his fishing pole from the water and gets up onto his feet.
Maddie clambers out of the dumpster in a well-practiced, if not precisely graceful, manner, using the side of the dumpster itself to keep her balance as she lands. She leans in close, licks the side of the dumpster, then shakes her head after considering a moment. "Not a dumpster in any place that Maddie has ever been." She looks around immediately surrounding the dumpster, and apparently not finding what she's looking for, lets out a sigh. Only a moment later, though, she notices a couple of things among the trash that fell out as she was climbing out -- something smallish, white, and plastic...and an old teddy bear. The former is looked upon with relief, but tucked into one of her pockets quickly. The latter is given a big hug, worthy of an old friend. Only then does she start to turn her attention to Aaron.
When he can manage his rage, Aaron is always helping the homeless so Maddie's behavior is not a big surprise. He looks towards her in thought as he pulls out a half-eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a plastic sandwich bag and silently offers it out to her. His kinfolk friend packed it for him in the morning when he promised to bring home fish for dinner.
Maddie accepts the sandwich quite readily, though she does pause to sniff at it before flashing him a gap toothed grin. "Maddie thanks him." She looks at the teddy bear, then back at Aaron. "Mr. Patch says thanks, too. Peanut butter is Mr. Patch's favorite." Reaching into her own pocket, she rummages around for a bit before producing a scratched up CD that she offers to him in return.
Aaron might internally think of Maddie's behavior as juvenile but he doesn't show it. He forces a smile upon his lips. The Ahroun bows his head briefly and then looks towards the teddy bear she addresses it. "Is Mr. Patch your friend?" he asks in a quiet whisper. He politely takes and pockets the CD while watching her.
"Maddie's oldest friend," she agrees with a nod, finishing off the sandwich in short order. "Or oldest one Maddie remembers. Where is this? Tastes wrong, smells wrong, not Trenton. Not New York. Not Pittsburgh."
Aaron raises his eyebrows at Maddie. "Saint Claire, Washington." he replies without raising his voice above a whisper. "How did you get here?" he asks as he crosses his arms.
Maddie frowns, considering that a moment. "Washington...Washington...Laura Palmer!" She nods, then, having placed it sufficiently for her purposes, then shrugs. "Maddie isn't sure. Must have been sent." She doesn't seem overly distraught by this, mind you.
Aaron blinks. He looks confused at 'Laura Palmer' although he takes it to be some sort of exclamation. The Ahroun doesn't need to say it; there is a clearly emitted 'huh?' plastered across his face. "What sent you?" he asks, still whispering.
Given his obvious confusion, Maddie offers, by way of explanation, "Murdered girl." Yeah, because _that's_ going to be helpful if he's never heard of Twin Peaks. Then, turning her attention to the question that he actually _asked_, she says, "Maddie may know, but will have to ask. She can do that later, though. Right now, she should ask him what he likes to be called."
"Oh," Aaron replies with a look of further confusion. He'll have to make a trip to the public library now to find out who Laura Palmer, the murdered girl, is now. Then, he smiles and offers out his hand to the woman. "Aaron," he introduces, never letting his voice rise above a whisper or maybe it is that he can't.
Maddie clasps his hand, shaking it, head dipping slightly and not quite meeting his eyes -- the sort of instinctive respectful posturing that even a metis who has lived among humans for years doesn't quite manage to shake off. After the handshake is released, she asks softly, "Maddie wonders about Aaron's voice...does talking to her hurt?"
Sometimes that is an automatic response towards Aaron's rage too, although he takes note of Maddie's behavior. He then shakes his head. "Not really," he whispers. "It sometimes gets a little tiring to talk too much though." Then he pauses as he looks at Maddie, suddenly noticing the way that she talks but he politely doesn't say anything.
Maddie offers, "Maddie can teach him to talk with his hands, if he'd like to know? It might make him less tired?"
Aaron grins. "I already know how," he whispers, beginning to speak with his hands. "Generally other people don't know hand language."
Maddie appears to be skilled enough to communicate, although when she responds, there's the telltale pauses to think of a word that suggest someone who has some practice, but doesn't use it every day. Interestingly, her odd style of speech doesn't carry over to her signing, with 'I' and 'you' used normally: 'I had a friend back home who liked to tell stories, but he couldn't speak at all, so I had to learn it so that he could tell me.'
Aaron smiles and nods his head. 'He taught you how to use hand language?' he asks. The Ahroun can communicate this way fluently. He leans over to pick up his fishing pole. Aaron and Maddie are standing near the pier and are talking in sign language. It appears that Aaron might have met a new friend.
Maddie, for her part, is still leaning against the dumpster that she climbed out of earlier. Given the state of her feet, it's probably much easier than standing normally would be. She's got a well-worn stuffed teddy bear tucked under one arm. The Theurge is proficient enough to communicate in sign language, though she doesn't have the practiced ease of someone who uses it regularly. 'He did. It's been very useful to know.'
It's sort of a coincidence that Lefty's in the area. The Ragabash is walking along the top of a stack of cargo crates not far from where the two are 'talking'. It's lucky chance that she spies Aaron out of the corner of her eye and moves along the crates to get a better look at who he's signing with. "Hey!" she yells, interrupting the relative quiet and alerting him to her presence. She waves her good arm and hops down off the crates to walk towards them.
Lefty
She stands at roughly five-seven, lean and fit, even for a woman well into middle-aged. Her ginger-red hair is streaked with strawberry blonde highlights and falls just past her shoulders in a simple, uncomplicated wave. Bright hazel-green and copper-brown eyes produce a rather piercing gaze, full of ingenuity and acumen, while her bearing can be at times almost facetious. The one sober and glaring feature about the woman is a scarred right-arm, completely missing below the elbow joint.
She wears a pair of faded Levi button-fly jeans, a black long-sleeved shirt, and a pair of scuffed, old sneakers. The shirt is tucked into the jeans, and a finely crafted leather belt is looped through the Levis. The carving in the fine leather depicts a forested scene with a wolf, rat and Pegasus running through it. Overall, a black canvas duster that has seen better years is worn to protect against the weather.
Aaron look over as he hears the 'Hey!' from Lefty. He waves back at her before his eyes glance back towards Maddie. 'If you need a place to stay, there are some homeless shelters in the area.' he signs to Maddie. He waits for Lefty to join them before saying, "This is Maddie and her teddy is Mr. Patch."
Maddie shakes her head. "Maddie will be fine. Not too hot, not too cold. Just right. If Aaron wanted to help her find a nice box, though, she would appreciate it. All she needs." Apparently with Lefty present, she's chosen to go back to speaking aloud. Raising the arm that said teddy isn't tucked under in order to wave, she also offers a "Hello!" in greeting.
Lefty's eyes go to the teddy, and the Ragabash responds with a wide grin. "Hey, I have one too." with her good hand, she points to the side pocket of her backpack, out of which is peaking a roughed up, tiny stuffed rat with a yellow t-shirt and a US Marines pin pinned to its small chest. "Well, not a bear. Obviously." She looks at it. "And not named Patch. But still!"
Aaron smiles at both of the woman and remains silent for a moment. Then, he says to Maddie, "This is my friend... Well, I call her Lefty... I cannot remember what her real-name is." He looks across at Lefty and offers a silent apology for not remembering.
And now Lefty gets a big gap-toothed smile aimed her way. "Maddie has a friend that's a rat, back at home. Not stuffed, though. We call him Cheez-It, because that's his favorite food." Indicating Lefty's rat, she asks, "What is Lefty's rat's name?"
Lefty offers that grin to Aaron and says, "I doubt I ever offered it. I think I've told all of three people in the last twenty years. Lefty is more my name than anything else I own. So, it'll do." She offers her good hand, the left, to Maddie. Her question elicits a small laugh. "I never really...Mini me?" this brings a brighter laugh and a small shrug. "Cheez-It. I love that. Excellent."
Aaron arcs his eyebrow and then smiles. "Where did you come from?" he asks Maddie curiously. Then, he explains to Lefty. "She told me she is not sure how she got here or why."
As she did with Aaron, Maddie does that little head dip and eye drop during the handshake, though it doesn't seem to be anything she does consciously. "Maddie is from Trenton. She just got here," she agrees, though she doesn't add any further detail to Aaron's explanation, instead asking, "A soldier rat as Lefty's Mini-Me? Maddie thinks her friends would like Lefty."
Lefty continues to grin, and the mention of Trenton especially brightens her eyes. "I'm from Jersey myself! And later, New York. Nice having you here."
Aaron continues smiling for a moment, then says to both. "I need to get going." He picks up his fishing pole and turns towards Maddie. "I hang around what is called the Harbor Park frequently if you'd like to find me again." Without much further ado, he waves and heads off.
Maddie looks a little surprised, then pats the side of the dumpster affectionately for some reason. "Maddie wonders if you know Uncle Willie?" She scrunches up her brows for a moment, thinking up the other part of the name that she doesn't use so often. "Willie Mitchell." Willie Mitchell is the owner of the Broken Nails Used Car Lot from which the sept gets its name -- though the caern itself is in the storage buildings behind it -- and Uncle Willie is usually what cubs raised at the sept end up calling the kinsman.
Recognition comes to the Ragabash's eyes immediately, and she begins to look Maddie over in a whole new light. "I do," she says, grinning again. "You might say we're cousins. Distant cousins, but yeah."
Maddie leans over and plants a kiss on the side of the dumpster. "Maddie knew she wasn't sent here at random. She wouldn't have found help so quickly if she were." Clearly talking more to the dumpster than to Lefty at first, though that changes quickly enough. "Maddie is Maddie Broken-Toes, also Dives Deep to Find the Best Stuff. But Dives-Deep dove too deep, and the Trash Heap brought her here."
Lefty watches Maddie, intrigued when she kisses the dumpster and thanks it for bringing her here. The introduction is met with yet another wide grin, and she returns in kind. "Lefty Ferrets-Out-The-Wyrm, Adren Ragabash and current alpha of the Gnawers here in St. Claire. Gaia help us all. Welcome."
Maddie says, "Maddie appreciates the welcome. She is Fostern and shaman. Metis." A gesture down to her feet at that. "She will need to cross over and ask why she was brought here, and for how long, but she will find offerings first, since St. Claire's trash spirits do not know her yet." A short pause. "How far is St. Claire from Twin Peaks?"
Lefty's curious, intrigued look resurfaces--especially in her eyes. "Couple hours or so due west of here. Why?" The Ragabash gestures towards the main road, away from the wharves, and invites Maddie to walk with her.
Maddie seems to be able to keep her balance so long as she shuffles along slowly, and accompanies Lefty as they move toward the main road. "Maddie has never been this far west, and since she's in Washington anyway..."
Lefty offers the Theurge her left side to lean on, if she wants, and she walks at a slow enough pace as not to worry Maddie. "Yeah, we could take a trip out there. Why not? Hey, you ever watch Northern Exposure?"
Maddie does her best to walk unassisted, although it's clear that she's used to having _something_ to lean on when she covers much ground on two legs, so she does end up leaning on her part of the time. "Maddie only saw the second and fourth seasons. She always thought Holling was very handsome, though. What about Lefty?"
Lefty pulls her phone out of a pocket and flips through the various apps. It's a rather hi-tech phone for a Gnawer to have, but Lefty uses it as if she's had it for a while. And in fact, it looks beat up enough to suggest she's had it at least a year or two. When she finds what she wants, she shows it to Maddie, grinning the whole time. It's a photo of a very familiar old cafe mural.
It's all the Theurge can do not to emit a loud squee as Lefty shows her the picture. "Lefty is Maddie's new hero," she offers after she's recovered from the initial excitement enough to speak again.
Lefty laughs, the gleeful noise infecting the Ragabash, too. "It's in Rosyln, not far from here, either. That's where they filmed the show. We can go there, too, if you want. Maybe have some lunch."
Maddie says, "Maddie would like that very much." She gestures around her. "She should also start getting to know what St. Claire is like, to meet the people and the spirits that call the city home."
Lefty explains, "We have another Gnawer Theruge. We call her Wrong Way. Lupus. You should hook up with her. She can help you out a lot, no doubt. She lives at the library, with me. Figured I'd take you there. It's sort of...our home base. You're welcome to stay there with us while you're in town."
Maddie says, "Lupus? Rare in the city tribes. Maddie will look forward to meeting her. She will be happy to stay near the Library, but she has to be outside when she sleeps. Chiminage. Gave her word. It lets her help to guard the place where others sleep, so Maddie is happy enough with it, and she can make herself comfortable if she gets a good box."
It's not a long walk, but for the metis it might be a little tiring. The two eventually make it to Regan Avenue, and the library's edifice can be seen looming at the end of corner. "Ah. That's cool. We can scare you up a box, sure. Probably several in the basement. Do you use the rite on them?"
Old Condemned Library: Ground Floor
The library's ground level is one large room punctuated by even rows of pier columns that confidently hold the weight of the upper floors. The building is old but solid, its lath and plaster walls dark with age. Here and there some of the plaster has worn off to reveal the wooden slats beneath. Heavy, dark grained and decorated mahogany wainscoting runs the length of the walls, complimented by thick, ornate crown molding along the ceiling and each of the columns. It's clear from the dilapidated condition that the building's been abandoned for decades. There is a somber, sepulchral quietness to the place, even when alive with people, that is perhaps a ghostly echo of the rigid, required silence that its wardens demanded when the library was in its heyday.
Maddie nods her head. "Maddie does, yes. It is one of the rites she can teach, if there are people here who wish to learn it." As she enters the library with Lefty and they come to a resting place, she's clearly grateful to have a wall to lean against again as she takes the opportunity to catch her breath.
Lefty invites Maddie to sit on the couch. "I'll get us something to drink. What's your poison? Water, milk, tea? Or beer?" The gnawer moves towards the makeshift kitchen, which is outfitted with an old but functioning Frigidaire.
Once the offer is made, Maddie virtually collapses onto the couch, just making sure that she doesn't land solidly enough to do any damage to the furniture. "Maddie likes milk best, if she can get it while it's still cold." She takes in the room without moving from the couch, even as she's slipping her shoes off so she can massage her feet and calves more easily.
Lefty grabs a quart carton of milk from the fridge and a glass from the open cupboard. Both are brought over and set down in front of the Theurge. "You're welcome to it anytime. I try and keep some for everyone. As much as I can, anyway." the Ragabash sits on the floor, facing her. Her legs are casually folded beneath her.
Maddie pauses in her massaging to pour herself a glass, taking a swallow and then licking away the milk mustache it leaves behind. She lets out a contented sigh, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opens them again, she asks, "Maddie wonders what would be most useful to the tribe as chiminage for her time here? She can offer talens, she can heal, she can teach rites."
Lefty leans up to the table in front of the couch. She grabs the spare notebook there and a crayon form the box on the bookshelf behind her, then the Ragabash starts writing a note. Her answer to Maddie comes without looking up from the notebook. "That all sounds good to me, actually. Have a talk with Wrong Way, and we'll go from there? And after you speak with the spirits and have a better idea of why you wound up here, and how long you'll be here. Personally, I hope you stay a while." She finally looks up, smiling. The piece of paper is torn from the notebook, and the Ragabash hops up to slip it under a magnet on the fridge.
Maddie accepts that readily enough. "Then Maddie wonders if you would be willing to tell her a little bit about the place where she's ended up? She can explore the city on her own, but perhaps Lefty could tell her about the sept?"
Lefty takes a deep breath, chuckling softly at the question. "It...would take a while. Right now, our caern is asleep. We've been invaded by super Wyld spirits. It's...it's all nuts. We could use some Theurgely advice, actually."
Maddie's eyes widen with surprise at that news. "Maddie...thinks that does sound nuts. But she will help as much as she can, and now she has even more things to talk about with Wrong Way. She wonders how the sept keeps something like that from being noticed, though?"
Lefty shakes her head. "Actually, I'm not sure. I'm not much for the woods part of things. You'll have to ask the rangers." The Ragabash takes another deep breath and lets it out slowly, rubbing her eyes. "A lot of it's umbral. I /do/ know that if you go out there, you should avoid eating the Wyld fruit that's growing there. It's bad shit."
Maddie says, "Maddie is less familiar with the way of things outside the city as well, but she will learn if she needs to, and she will be careful if she encounters this strange fruit." Changing the subject again, she asks, "Maddie also sees the glyphs here, and wonders if there is specific chiminage that the spirits that watch over this place ask of Rat's children?"
Lefty points to the Theurge. "Hey, you know what? That's something you could do. Maybe with Wrong Way. I did the glyphs. And I try and redo them every few weeks. But...spiritual protection for this place, across the gauntlet? We could always use that. If you can arrange it with local spirits?"
The Gnawer Theurge chuckles a bit. "Maddie's talk with Wrong Way gets longer and longer. She could arrange something like that, certainly, particularly with a Theurge who also knows the local spirits well, though she is likely to need more of the tribe to take part in some portions, and all who stayed here would need to take part in honoring any agreements that were made."
Lefty nods. "Well, other than me and Aaron, and Wrong Way? there's not a lot of us around right now. Let's see. There's Stars. But he hangs more with Walkers than us, really. I don't see him much. And there's Masao. But she's been sort of in and out. Often keeps to herself. There's a guy. Winter. Another metis. Came in a few months back. And, um. ..Couple others. But, really, we're not all that tight, tribal wise." the Ragabash's expression openly shows her disappointment in this.
Maddie says, "No shared packs, to bind the tribe together? No tribal moots, to share stories and spend time together as family? Maddie thinks this is sad. She will try to meet as many of them as she can, and find a part for them to take in working with the spirits to protect this place. At least bring them together for a short time."
Lefty expresses her appreciation for that, nodding and answering, "Sao and I are packed. But, like I said. Not always spending lots of time together. It's my fault. I've been kinda all over the place lately. Away a lot form my whole pack. But. Yeah. I think that's a good idea. I'll help, if I can. I held a Super Bowl Rite, few months back. That was the last time, I guess, we had a real shindig up here."
Maddie nods her head. "Maddie thinks it would be very hard for a sept to hold together well without a caern...perhaps the same is true of tribes as well. Maddie does not know. What spirit does Lefty's pack serve, and does her pack claim territory near here?"
Lefty nods, but the Ragabash's demeanor shifts a little when speaking about the spirit that guides her pack. There's a level of reverence and seriousness--and perhaps even unease--that's clearly present now, and not normally in the free-spirited Ragabash, otherwise. Her voice is softer, quieter, and more deliberate. "Her name's Skokiaan. And she's a Sphinx. The pack's called Fidelity." She gestures to the little stuffed rat in her backpack. "That's why he has the pin. Semper Fidelis. Get it?"
Maddie rubs at her chin, nodding. "A symbol of allegiance. Maddie understands. Some of the B-Rat Pack wear tokens as well, and all carry snacks." From the far-off look in her eyes, she appears to be considering a myriad of possibilities. "Sphinx is a powerful and wise guardian, and this is a building of learning." She shakes her head. "Time to think on that later, later. After Maddie talks with Wrong Way and meets the local spirits, since they are already here and easier to make agreements with."
"Thank you," the Ragabash says, smiling again. "So what about Maddie? You got a pack? Who are the B-Rats?"
Maddie says, "Maddie does, back home -- she has been with them for..." A short pause while she does the math in her head, "over four years now. She was the youngest of them when the pack formed, not long past her Rite, but even the oldest two had only just become Fostern. Young, the second pack under Rat at Broken Nails, and all liked old movies, so B-Rats."
Lefty finds that endearing it seems. Her smiles softens. "You want to watch a movie now?" the Ragabash asks, suddenly excited. "We got lots. The Walkers hooked us up with a TV and stuff." She's on her feet, searching through the bookcases for something good. "I can make some popcorn, too."
Maddie slips her shoes back on before getting up and moving over to look through the movies with Lefty. "Maddie would like that very much. She has been wanting to watch Big again, if Lefty has that one? She likes surprises, too, though!"
Lefty continues rummaging. "We might. I'm not sure. Let's see. Oh hey. Here's one. Ever seen Ladyhawke? You'll like it. It's got wolves and hawks. And a curse. And Michelle Pfeifer...who is smoking hot." there's a pause, "and Rutger Hauer too, of course."
Maddie shakes her head. "Broken Nails didn't have that one, so Maddie will be glad to watch it. New city, new movie! She can rewind it or fast forward to the beginning of the movie while Lefty makes the popcorn?"
Lefty pulls the disk out, grinning again. "DVD. No need. But you can queue it up." She hands it to Maddie while heading back to the kitchen. Something stops her, halfway. "Oh, shit. You know what? You should probably call home or something. Anyone in your pack, or anything, that has a cell? So you can let them know where you are?"
Living large! A DVD player instead of a VCR! Maddie starts loading the disc, but frowns a bit at the question. "Pia has a phone. Uncle Willie has one too, but Maddie doesn't know the number, since she doesn't have a phone to call them with."
Lefty stands there, thoughtful, for a half minute or so. "Ok. I tell you what. Tomorrow I'll call people I know at the Green? Try to, anyway. And they can get a message to Trenton. What is it you want me to tell them? Other than, you know, you're here, and safe, and will talk to them when you get a chance?"
Maddie thinks on her own answer. "Tell them that Maddie was sent here by Trash Heap, but doesn't know why yet. She'll be back when she gets back, but don't keep dinner waiting on her." She nods, seeming to be satisfied with that.
Lefty seems once again amused. "Got it," she says, finally continuing on her way to make the popcorn. "You want more milk with the popcorn, or something else?"
"Maddie thinks popcorn and soda go best together, if there is any," comes the Theurge's reply. "She'll take milk, though, if not." While she might be getting the movie queued up, she also seems to be keeping herself entertained by playing with the menu options.
Lefty is in the fridge again. "Always got some Coke around. In case Kaz reappears." The popcorn is made in the old fashioned way. Big steal pot, some oil, kernels, and a heavy lid to keep things in. Once done, the Gnawer pours it into a big Tupperware bowl and drops a pinch of salt and some melted butter to finish it off.
Maddie says, "Kaz...Kaz...Maddie thinks she has heard the Galliards mention that name." Once the popcorn starts popping, though, the Theurge's focus very quickly shifts to enjoying the aroma wafting up from the popper, and she shuffles over toward Lefty to help with carrying things back over to the couch.
Lefty is appreciative, even though she's become quite adept at carrying things, despite the loss of her right hand and lower arm. "Yeah. Kaz is awesome. I really respect her. Galliard. Used to be the sept alpha here, for a while. She had some business in Oregon, though. I think it was Oregon, anyway." The Ragabash shrugs. "She'll probably swing back this way, eventually. She's done it a few times now." The Ragabash settles in for the movie, getting comfortable on the couch.
END
Date/Time: August 7th, 2012 / Evening
Moon: Unknown
Weather: Unknown
Wharf, Pier Two
The creak and sway of the rotting boards are in sync with the gentle slap of water against the pylons. Only the sections of the Pier jutting far into the river have fallen into disrepair. The sections nearest the bank are still is fair condition as some commerce still occurs by way of the river. However, many goods that were once shipped via the waterway are now shipped overland which is cheaper and faster. The wharf stands as testament to an older time, when the River was a lifeline for the city.
Beyond the warehouses lining the banks to the west, the black asphalt strip of First Street can be seen.
Aaron is sitting out at the end of one of the piers. The smell of marine life is all around him but that does not stop him from putting his fishing pole into the water. The fishing pole looks like it has seem much better days but it is still functional. The pole is functional enough to catch a fish or two. So far, the Ahroun hasn't had any luck.
Aaron
This man has a roguish "life on the streets" but handsome figure. Almond-shaped dark eyes stare intensely with inner-sovereignty between a masculine nose. Curly raven hair is cut short and styled and from his chin is a clean-shaven goatee. His fair skin shows the physical pains he has had to endure. He has a variety of small scars from childhood scrimmages and a few from adulthood. The worst scar is the one that begins just at the bottom of his ear and runs down to his shoulder. While he doesn't have a bodybuilder's body-type, his figure is completely muscle and athletically built. The lingering smell of spicy, cheap aftershave rises off from his body. He is often found wearing a pair of durable blue-jeans and a tee-shirt that fits snuggly over his to show the forming abdominals and pectorals of his muscular body. On cooler days he wears a hooded sweatshirt. Also he has on a pair of worn tennis shoes that almost seem too big for his feet.
An old rusty green dumpster sits at the opposite end of the pier, a common site for people dumping trash given the current state of the place. From within said dumpster, there's a sudden gasping for breath, like someone coming up to the surface of the water after having been under for a little too long. This might be a little less strange if it weren't for the fact that Aaron hasn't seen anyone approach the dumpster in the entire time he's been sitting out here fishing.
Aaron has pretty good perception and it’s not uncommon for dead bodies to be dumped here to end up somewhere down stream. The man scratches his head as she looks over his shoulder. For the fact that the man is a semi-mute, he cannot exactly yell or call out to whatever it is that he is hearing. He does the next best thing, he pinches his fingers and places them against his lips to emit a loud pitched whistle.
There's a sudden thump against the lid of the dumpster -- fortunately for whoever thumped against it, it's one of the plastic covers, not a metal one, otherwise instead of just lifting up and making noise, it likely would have hurt. Another push, and this time the lid opens, swinging back to bang against the metal. It's rather difficult to tell the gender of the person who becomes visible from about the shoulders, given the wide-brimmed hat and the baggy clothing. "Wrong dumpster," Maddie mutters aloud. Nostrils flaring, she sniffs at the air. "Wrong river, too."
The Ahroun almost leans completely to one side as he watches the lid to the dumpster sling open and the ambiguous figure that rises from it. He continues scratching his head as the woman begins speaking. He carefully lifts his fishing pole from the water and gets up onto his feet.
Maddie clambers out of the dumpster in a well-practiced, if not precisely graceful, manner, using the side of the dumpster itself to keep her balance as she lands. She leans in close, licks the side of the dumpster, then shakes her head after considering a moment. "Not a dumpster in any place that Maddie has ever been." She looks around immediately surrounding the dumpster, and apparently not finding what she's looking for, lets out a sigh. Only a moment later, though, she notices a couple of things among the trash that fell out as she was climbing out -- something smallish, white, and plastic...and an old teddy bear. The former is looked upon with relief, but tucked into one of her pockets quickly. The latter is given a big hug, worthy of an old friend. Only then does she start to turn her attention to Aaron.
When he can manage his rage, Aaron is always helping the homeless so Maddie's behavior is not a big surprise. He looks towards her in thought as he pulls out a half-eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a plastic sandwich bag and silently offers it out to her. His kinfolk friend packed it for him in the morning when he promised to bring home fish for dinner.
Maddie accepts the sandwich quite readily, though she does pause to sniff at it before flashing him a gap toothed grin. "Maddie thanks him." She looks at the teddy bear, then back at Aaron. "Mr. Patch says thanks, too. Peanut butter is Mr. Patch's favorite." Reaching into her own pocket, she rummages around for a bit before producing a scratched up CD that she offers to him in return.
Aaron might internally think of Maddie's behavior as juvenile but he doesn't show it. He forces a smile upon his lips. The Ahroun bows his head briefly and then looks towards the teddy bear she addresses it. "Is Mr. Patch your friend?" he asks in a quiet whisper. He politely takes and pockets the CD while watching her.
"Maddie's oldest friend," she agrees with a nod, finishing off the sandwich in short order. "Or oldest one Maddie remembers. Where is this? Tastes wrong, smells wrong, not Trenton. Not New York. Not Pittsburgh."
Aaron raises his eyebrows at Maddie. "Saint Claire, Washington." he replies without raising his voice above a whisper. "How did you get here?" he asks as he crosses his arms.
Maddie frowns, considering that a moment. "Washington...Washington...Laura Palmer!" She nods, then, having placed it sufficiently for her purposes, then shrugs. "Maddie isn't sure. Must have been sent." She doesn't seem overly distraught by this, mind you.
Aaron blinks. He looks confused at 'Laura Palmer' although he takes it to be some sort of exclamation. The Ahroun doesn't need to say it; there is a clearly emitted 'huh?' plastered across his face. "What sent you?" he asks, still whispering.
Given his obvious confusion, Maddie offers, by way of explanation, "Murdered girl." Yeah, because _that's_ going to be helpful if he's never heard of Twin Peaks. Then, turning her attention to the question that he actually _asked_, she says, "Maddie may know, but will have to ask. She can do that later, though. Right now, she should ask him what he likes to be called."
"Oh," Aaron replies with a look of further confusion. He'll have to make a trip to the public library now to find out who Laura Palmer, the murdered girl, is now. Then, he smiles and offers out his hand to the woman. "Aaron," he introduces, never letting his voice rise above a whisper or maybe it is that he can't.
Maddie clasps his hand, shaking it, head dipping slightly and not quite meeting his eyes -- the sort of instinctive respectful posturing that even a metis who has lived among humans for years doesn't quite manage to shake off. After the handshake is released, she asks softly, "Maddie wonders about Aaron's voice...does talking to her hurt?"
Sometimes that is an automatic response towards Aaron's rage too, although he takes note of Maddie's behavior. He then shakes his head. "Not really," he whispers. "It sometimes gets a little tiring to talk too much though." Then he pauses as he looks at Maddie, suddenly noticing the way that she talks but he politely doesn't say anything.
Maddie offers, "Maddie can teach him to talk with his hands, if he'd like to know? It might make him less tired?"
Aaron grins. "I already know how," he whispers, beginning to speak with his hands. "Generally other people don't know hand language."
Maddie appears to be skilled enough to communicate, although when she responds, there's the telltale pauses to think of a word that suggest someone who has some practice, but doesn't use it every day. Interestingly, her odd style of speech doesn't carry over to her signing, with 'I' and 'you' used normally: 'I had a friend back home who liked to tell stories, but he couldn't speak at all, so I had to learn it so that he could tell me.'
Aaron smiles and nods his head. 'He taught you how to use hand language?' he asks. The Ahroun can communicate this way fluently. He leans over to pick up his fishing pole. Aaron and Maddie are standing near the pier and are talking in sign language. It appears that Aaron might have met a new friend.
Maddie, for her part, is still leaning against the dumpster that she climbed out of earlier. Given the state of her feet, it's probably much easier than standing normally would be. She's got a well-worn stuffed teddy bear tucked under one arm. The Theurge is proficient enough to communicate in sign language, though she doesn't have the practiced ease of someone who uses it regularly. 'He did. It's been very useful to know.'
It's sort of a coincidence that Lefty's in the area. The Ragabash is walking along the top of a stack of cargo crates not far from where the two are 'talking'. It's lucky chance that she spies Aaron out of the corner of her eye and moves along the crates to get a better look at who he's signing with. "Hey!" she yells, interrupting the relative quiet and alerting him to her presence. She waves her good arm and hops down off the crates to walk towards them.
Lefty
She stands at roughly five-seven, lean and fit, even for a woman well into middle-aged. Her ginger-red hair is streaked with strawberry blonde highlights and falls just past her shoulders in a simple, uncomplicated wave. Bright hazel-green and copper-brown eyes produce a rather piercing gaze, full of ingenuity and acumen, while her bearing can be at times almost facetious. The one sober and glaring feature about the woman is a scarred right-arm, completely missing below the elbow joint.
She wears a pair of faded Levi button-fly jeans, a black long-sleeved shirt, and a pair of scuffed, old sneakers. The shirt is tucked into the jeans, and a finely crafted leather belt is looped through the Levis. The carving in the fine leather depicts a forested scene with a wolf, rat and Pegasus running through it. Overall, a black canvas duster that has seen better years is worn to protect against the weather.
Aaron look over as he hears the 'Hey!' from Lefty. He waves back at her before his eyes glance back towards Maddie. 'If you need a place to stay, there are some homeless shelters in the area.' he signs to Maddie. He waits for Lefty to join them before saying, "This is Maddie and her teddy is Mr. Patch."
Maddie shakes her head. "Maddie will be fine. Not too hot, not too cold. Just right. If Aaron wanted to help her find a nice box, though, she would appreciate it. All she needs." Apparently with Lefty present, she's chosen to go back to speaking aloud. Raising the arm that said teddy isn't tucked under in order to wave, she also offers a "Hello!" in greeting.
Lefty's eyes go to the teddy, and the Ragabash responds with a wide grin. "Hey, I have one too." with her good hand, she points to the side pocket of her backpack, out of which is peaking a roughed up, tiny stuffed rat with a yellow t-shirt and a US Marines pin pinned to its small chest. "Well, not a bear. Obviously." She looks at it. "And not named Patch. But still!"
Aaron smiles at both of the woman and remains silent for a moment. Then, he says to Maddie, "This is my friend... Well, I call her Lefty... I cannot remember what her real-name is." He looks across at Lefty and offers a silent apology for not remembering.
And now Lefty gets a big gap-toothed smile aimed her way. "Maddie has a friend that's a rat, back at home. Not stuffed, though. We call him Cheez-It, because that's his favorite food." Indicating Lefty's rat, she asks, "What is Lefty's rat's name?"
Lefty offers that grin to Aaron and says, "I doubt I ever offered it. I think I've told all of three people in the last twenty years. Lefty is more my name than anything else I own. So, it'll do." She offers her good hand, the left, to Maddie. Her question elicits a small laugh. "I never really...Mini me?" this brings a brighter laugh and a small shrug. "Cheez-It. I love that. Excellent."
Aaron arcs his eyebrow and then smiles. "Where did you come from?" he asks Maddie curiously. Then, he explains to Lefty. "She told me she is not sure how she got here or why."
As she did with Aaron, Maddie does that little head dip and eye drop during the handshake, though it doesn't seem to be anything she does consciously. "Maddie is from Trenton. She just got here," she agrees, though she doesn't add any further detail to Aaron's explanation, instead asking, "A soldier rat as Lefty's Mini-Me? Maddie thinks her friends would like Lefty."
Lefty continues to grin, and the mention of Trenton especially brightens her eyes. "I'm from Jersey myself! And later, New York. Nice having you here."
Aaron continues smiling for a moment, then says to both. "I need to get going." He picks up his fishing pole and turns towards Maddie. "I hang around what is called the Harbor Park frequently if you'd like to find me again." Without much further ado, he waves and heads off.
Maddie looks a little surprised, then pats the side of the dumpster affectionately for some reason. "Maddie wonders if you know Uncle Willie?" She scrunches up her brows for a moment, thinking up the other part of the name that she doesn't use so often. "Willie Mitchell." Willie Mitchell is the owner of the Broken Nails Used Car Lot from which the sept gets its name -- though the caern itself is in the storage buildings behind it -- and Uncle Willie is usually what cubs raised at the sept end up calling the kinsman.
Recognition comes to the Ragabash's eyes immediately, and she begins to look Maddie over in a whole new light. "I do," she says, grinning again. "You might say we're cousins. Distant cousins, but yeah."
Maddie leans over and plants a kiss on the side of the dumpster. "Maddie knew she wasn't sent here at random. She wouldn't have found help so quickly if she were." Clearly talking more to the dumpster than to Lefty at first, though that changes quickly enough. "Maddie is Maddie Broken-Toes, also Dives Deep to Find the Best Stuff. But Dives-Deep dove too deep, and the Trash Heap brought her here."
Lefty watches Maddie, intrigued when she kisses the dumpster and thanks it for bringing her here. The introduction is met with yet another wide grin, and she returns in kind. "Lefty Ferrets-Out-The-Wyrm, Adren Ragabash and current alpha of the Gnawers here in St. Claire. Gaia help us all. Welcome."
Maddie says, "Maddie appreciates the welcome. She is Fostern and shaman. Metis." A gesture down to her feet at that. "She will need to cross over and ask why she was brought here, and for how long, but she will find offerings first, since St. Claire's trash spirits do not know her yet." A short pause. "How far is St. Claire from Twin Peaks?"
Lefty's curious, intrigued look resurfaces--especially in her eyes. "Couple hours or so due west of here. Why?" The Ragabash gestures towards the main road, away from the wharves, and invites Maddie to walk with her.
Maddie seems to be able to keep her balance so long as she shuffles along slowly, and accompanies Lefty as they move toward the main road. "Maddie has never been this far west, and since she's in Washington anyway..."
Lefty offers the Theurge her left side to lean on, if she wants, and she walks at a slow enough pace as not to worry Maddie. "Yeah, we could take a trip out there. Why not? Hey, you ever watch Northern Exposure?"
Maddie does her best to walk unassisted, although it's clear that she's used to having _something_ to lean on when she covers much ground on two legs, so she does end up leaning on her part of the time. "Maddie only saw the second and fourth seasons. She always thought Holling was very handsome, though. What about Lefty?"
Lefty pulls her phone out of a pocket and flips through the various apps. It's a rather hi-tech phone for a Gnawer to have, but Lefty uses it as if she's had it for a while. And in fact, it looks beat up enough to suggest she's had it at least a year or two. When she finds what she wants, she shows it to Maddie, grinning the whole time. It's a photo of a very familiar old cafe mural.
It's all the Theurge can do not to emit a loud squee as Lefty shows her the picture. "Lefty is Maddie's new hero," she offers after she's recovered from the initial excitement enough to speak again.
Lefty laughs, the gleeful noise infecting the Ragabash, too. "It's in Rosyln, not far from here, either. That's where they filmed the show. We can go there, too, if you want. Maybe have some lunch."
Maddie says, "Maddie would like that very much." She gestures around her. "She should also start getting to know what St. Claire is like, to meet the people and the spirits that call the city home."
Lefty explains, "We have another Gnawer Theruge. We call her Wrong Way. Lupus. You should hook up with her. She can help you out a lot, no doubt. She lives at the library, with me. Figured I'd take you there. It's sort of...our home base. You're welcome to stay there with us while you're in town."
Maddie says, "Lupus? Rare in the city tribes. Maddie will look forward to meeting her. She will be happy to stay near the Library, but she has to be outside when she sleeps. Chiminage. Gave her word. It lets her help to guard the place where others sleep, so Maddie is happy enough with it, and she can make herself comfortable if she gets a good box."
It's not a long walk, but for the metis it might be a little tiring. The two eventually make it to Regan Avenue, and the library's edifice can be seen looming at the end of corner. "Ah. That's cool. We can scare you up a box, sure. Probably several in the basement. Do you use the rite on them?"
Old Condemned Library: Ground Floor
The library's ground level is one large room punctuated by even rows of pier columns that confidently hold the weight of the upper floors. The building is old but solid, its lath and plaster walls dark with age. Here and there some of the plaster has worn off to reveal the wooden slats beneath. Heavy, dark grained and decorated mahogany wainscoting runs the length of the walls, complimented by thick, ornate crown molding along the ceiling and each of the columns. It's clear from the dilapidated condition that the building's been abandoned for decades. There is a somber, sepulchral quietness to the place, even when alive with people, that is perhaps a ghostly echo of the rigid, required silence that its wardens demanded when the library was in its heyday.
Maddie nods her head. "Maddie does, yes. It is one of the rites she can teach, if there are people here who wish to learn it." As she enters the library with Lefty and they come to a resting place, she's clearly grateful to have a wall to lean against again as she takes the opportunity to catch her breath.
Lefty invites Maddie to sit on the couch. "I'll get us something to drink. What's your poison? Water, milk, tea? Or beer?" The gnawer moves towards the makeshift kitchen, which is outfitted with an old but functioning Frigidaire.
Once the offer is made, Maddie virtually collapses onto the couch, just making sure that she doesn't land solidly enough to do any damage to the furniture. "Maddie likes milk best, if she can get it while it's still cold." She takes in the room without moving from the couch, even as she's slipping her shoes off so she can massage her feet and calves more easily.
Lefty grabs a quart carton of milk from the fridge and a glass from the open cupboard. Both are brought over and set down in front of the Theurge. "You're welcome to it anytime. I try and keep some for everyone. As much as I can, anyway." the Ragabash sits on the floor, facing her. Her legs are casually folded beneath her.
Maddie pauses in her massaging to pour herself a glass, taking a swallow and then licking away the milk mustache it leaves behind. She lets out a contented sigh, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opens them again, she asks, "Maddie wonders what would be most useful to the tribe as chiminage for her time here? She can offer talens, she can heal, she can teach rites."
Lefty leans up to the table in front of the couch. She grabs the spare notebook there and a crayon form the box on the bookshelf behind her, then the Ragabash starts writing a note. Her answer to Maddie comes without looking up from the notebook. "That all sounds good to me, actually. Have a talk with Wrong Way, and we'll go from there? And after you speak with the spirits and have a better idea of why you wound up here, and how long you'll be here. Personally, I hope you stay a while." She finally looks up, smiling. The piece of paper is torn from the notebook, and the Ragabash hops up to slip it under a magnet on the fridge.
Maddie accepts that readily enough. "Then Maddie wonders if you would be willing to tell her a little bit about the place where she's ended up? She can explore the city on her own, but perhaps Lefty could tell her about the sept?"
Lefty takes a deep breath, chuckling softly at the question. "It...would take a while. Right now, our caern is asleep. We've been invaded by super Wyld spirits. It's...it's all nuts. We could use some Theurgely advice, actually."
Maddie's eyes widen with surprise at that news. "Maddie...thinks that does sound nuts. But she will help as much as she can, and now she has even more things to talk about with Wrong Way. She wonders how the sept keeps something like that from being noticed, though?"
Lefty shakes her head. "Actually, I'm not sure. I'm not much for the woods part of things. You'll have to ask the rangers." The Ragabash takes another deep breath and lets it out slowly, rubbing her eyes. "A lot of it's umbral. I /do/ know that if you go out there, you should avoid eating the Wyld fruit that's growing there. It's bad shit."
Maddie says, "Maddie is less familiar with the way of things outside the city as well, but she will learn if she needs to, and she will be careful if she encounters this strange fruit." Changing the subject again, she asks, "Maddie also sees the glyphs here, and wonders if there is specific chiminage that the spirits that watch over this place ask of Rat's children?"
Lefty points to the Theurge. "Hey, you know what? That's something you could do. Maybe with Wrong Way. I did the glyphs. And I try and redo them every few weeks. But...spiritual protection for this place, across the gauntlet? We could always use that. If you can arrange it with local spirits?"
The Gnawer Theurge chuckles a bit. "Maddie's talk with Wrong Way gets longer and longer. She could arrange something like that, certainly, particularly with a Theurge who also knows the local spirits well, though she is likely to need more of the tribe to take part in some portions, and all who stayed here would need to take part in honoring any agreements that were made."
Lefty nods. "Well, other than me and Aaron, and Wrong Way? there's not a lot of us around right now. Let's see. There's Stars. But he hangs more with Walkers than us, really. I don't see him much. And there's Masao. But she's been sort of in and out. Often keeps to herself. There's a guy. Winter. Another metis. Came in a few months back. And, um. ..Couple others. But, really, we're not all that tight, tribal wise." the Ragabash's expression openly shows her disappointment in this.
Maddie says, "No shared packs, to bind the tribe together? No tribal moots, to share stories and spend time together as family? Maddie thinks this is sad. She will try to meet as many of them as she can, and find a part for them to take in working with the spirits to protect this place. At least bring them together for a short time."
Lefty expresses her appreciation for that, nodding and answering, "Sao and I are packed. But, like I said. Not always spending lots of time together. It's my fault. I've been kinda all over the place lately. Away a lot form my whole pack. But. Yeah. I think that's a good idea. I'll help, if I can. I held a Super Bowl Rite, few months back. That was the last time, I guess, we had a real shindig up here."
Maddie nods her head. "Maddie thinks it would be very hard for a sept to hold together well without a caern...perhaps the same is true of tribes as well. Maddie does not know. What spirit does Lefty's pack serve, and does her pack claim territory near here?"
Lefty nods, but the Ragabash's demeanor shifts a little when speaking about the spirit that guides her pack. There's a level of reverence and seriousness--and perhaps even unease--that's clearly present now, and not normally in the free-spirited Ragabash, otherwise. Her voice is softer, quieter, and more deliberate. "Her name's Skokiaan. And she's a Sphinx. The pack's called Fidelity." She gestures to the little stuffed rat in her backpack. "That's why he has the pin. Semper Fidelis. Get it?"
Maddie rubs at her chin, nodding. "A symbol of allegiance. Maddie understands. Some of the B-Rat Pack wear tokens as well, and all carry snacks." From the far-off look in her eyes, she appears to be considering a myriad of possibilities. "Sphinx is a powerful and wise guardian, and this is a building of learning." She shakes her head. "Time to think on that later, later. After Maddie talks with Wrong Way and meets the local spirits, since they are already here and easier to make agreements with."
"Thank you," the Ragabash says, smiling again. "So what about Maddie? You got a pack? Who are the B-Rats?"
Maddie says, "Maddie does, back home -- she has been with them for..." A short pause while she does the math in her head, "over four years now. She was the youngest of them when the pack formed, not long past her Rite, but even the oldest two had only just become Fostern. Young, the second pack under Rat at Broken Nails, and all liked old movies, so B-Rats."
Lefty finds that endearing it seems. Her smiles softens. "You want to watch a movie now?" the Ragabash asks, suddenly excited. "We got lots. The Walkers hooked us up with a TV and stuff." She's on her feet, searching through the bookcases for something good. "I can make some popcorn, too."
Maddie slips her shoes back on before getting up and moving over to look through the movies with Lefty. "Maddie would like that very much. She has been wanting to watch Big again, if Lefty has that one? She likes surprises, too, though!"
Lefty continues rummaging. "We might. I'm not sure. Let's see. Oh hey. Here's one. Ever seen Ladyhawke? You'll like it. It's got wolves and hawks. And a curse. And Michelle Pfeifer...who is smoking hot." there's a pause, "and Rutger Hauer too, of course."
Maddie shakes her head. "Broken Nails didn't have that one, so Maddie will be glad to watch it. New city, new movie! She can rewind it or fast forward to the beginning of the movie while Lefty makes the popcorn?"
Lefty pulls the disk out, grinning again. "DVD. No need. But you can queue it up." She hands it to Maddie while heading back to the kitchen. Something stops her, halfway. "Oh, shit. You know what? You should probably call home or something. Anyone in your pack, or anything, that has a cell? So you can let them know where you are?"
Living large! A DVD player instead of a VCR! Maddie starts loading the disc, but frowns a bit at the question. "Pia has a phone. Uncle Willie has one too, but Maddie doesn't know the number, since she doesn't have a phone to call them with."
Lefty stands there, thoughtful, for a half minute or so. "Ok. I tell you what. Tomorrow I'll call people I know at the Green? Try to, anyway. And they can get a message to Trenton. What is it you want me to tell them? Other than, you know, you're here, and safe, and will talk to them when you get a chance?"
Maddie thinks on her own answer. "Tell them that Maddie was sent here by Trash Heap, but doesn't know why yet. She'll be back when she gets back, but don't keep dinner waiting on her." She nods, seeming to be satisfied with that.
Lefty seems once again amused. "Got it," she says, finally continuing on her way to make the popcorn. "You want more milk with the popcorn, or something else?"
"Maddie thinks popcorn and soda go best together, if there is any," comes the Theurge's reply. "She'll take milk, though, if not." While she might be getting the movie queued up, she also seems to be keeping herself entertained by playing with the menu options.
Lefty is in the fridge again. "Always got some Coke around. In case Kaz reappears." The popcorn is made in the old fashioned way. Big steal pot, some oil, kernels, and a heavy lid to keep things in. Once done, the Gnawer pours it into a big Tupperware bowl and drops a pinch of salt and some melted butter to finish it off.
Maddie says, "Kaz...Kaz...Maddie thinks she has heard the Galliards mention that name." Once the popcorn starts popping, though, the Theurge's focus very quickly shifts to enjoying the aroma wafting up from the popper, and she shuffles over toward Lefty to help with carrying things back over to the couch.
Lefty is appreciative, even though she's become quite adept at carrying things, despite the loss of her right hand and lower arm. "Yeah. Kaz is awesome. I really respect her. Galliard. Used to be the sept alpha here, for a while. She had some business in Oregon, though. I think it was Oregon, anyway." The Ragabash shrugs. "She'll probably swing back this way, eventually. She's done it a few times now." The Ragabash settles in for the movie, getting comfortable on the couch.
END
