"We have two injured; one is unconscious. Can you provide transport?" Sal winks at the professional driver.
"Let's load them in and get out of here. Kenneth, I, uh, can ride with you to give more room in the car. Might be a squeeze, but they'll manage." Sal glances back at the milling scientists and guards and continues speaking softly to the group. "The sooner we get going, the better. Meet at Trip's? We can all stay there while Morien takes Danny to whatever meeting he has."
Morien smiles with her eyes, but her voice is serious. "Can do. The injured ones, are they stable?"
There's the sound of automatic doors unlocking, and Morien gives Sal a thumbs-up.
"Yes, Thank you Lieutenant. Let's get these transported straight away. They need immediate medical attention. We can't afford to wait. No telling WHAT kind of chemicals they had in there." Danny announces in a loud, clear voice as Morien opens the doors.
In a softer voice he explains briefly as they start to load the 'injured' into the car.
"These three were either undergoing vamp experiments, or providing a lot testing supplies. THIS guy is a class A jerk, and probably knew exactly what he was doing. And I think Tangris and Ken have plans to ask him to give us a few details." He says, indicating the unconscious 'boss' riding on Tangris' shoulder.
"Come on, the quicker we get these to treatment the better! The others can get the blaze under control and figure out What the bloody #@!! is going on around here!" Danny calls out loudly once again for the benefit of his 'audience'.
Everyone prepares to leave just as the emergency services come on the scene. "Hop in." Bunny adds.
Bunny is perfectly welcome to sit on Tangris' lap...
Bunny is perfectly welcome to sit on Tangris' lap...
Man after Danny's heart,... :)
Bunny is perfectly welcome to sit on Tangris' lap...Man after Danny's heart,... :)
The group travel back towards Trips manor, speeding through the night Moriens' driving is fluid and smooth with a deceptive fastness. She seems to be bonding with the car as it responds to her every motion. Whilst squeezed in the back Bunny sits on Tangris' lap, a familiar warmth and an light earthy smell as she rocks with the motion of the vehicle.
The trip north with the lack of traffic is amazingly rapid.
Slipping off the motorway, the straight wide roads being left behind for a winding darked streets. Through the darkness they approach the small village and Trips manor-house.
The group travels back towards Trips manor, speeding through the night Moriens' driving is fluid and smooth with a deceptive fastness. She seems to be bonding with the car as it responds to her every motion. Whilst squeezed in the back Bunny sits on Tangris' lap, a familiar warmth and an light earthy smell as she rocks with the motion of the vehicle.
The trip north with the lack of traffic is amazingly rapid.
Somewhere out on the motorway, Morien tinkers with the stereo and it comes to life with Runnin' Down A Dream. The remainder of the trip is accompanied by classic rock.
Slipping off the motorway, the straight wide roads being left behind for winding darkened streets. Through the darkness they approach the small village and Trips' manor-house.
Morien looks almost disappointed to pull into the driveway at Trips' house. She helps to unload the extra passengers jammed into the back, who can hopefully stand on their own feet, then keeps to one side while opening the trunk. Just in case the guy Tangris had shoved in there is conscious again.
The passengers shiver as they exit the car, who's temperature was well regulated to prove comfort. Eyes go wide at the large manor-house, with the lady asking; "You live here?"
Bunny extricates herself from the car too, she winks at Tangris. "♥ You're quite comfy." Then stretches out her muscles from the cramped conditions.
Danny silently approves of Morien's choice of music stations, bouncing his head in time to the beats of the songs while trying not to jostle anyone cramped next to him.
He Also stretches, and helps out the former prisoners. He smiles at the Lady's question and stare.
"I wish. Someday perhaps. This is a friend's house. A lot more comfortable, and safer than your previous accommodations." He says with a genuine smile. "Come on. Let's get you lot sorted out proper, shall we?" He says with a local lilt to his accent.
An older man comes to the door just as the group approaches it, perfectly coiffured and with immaculately ironed suit. He bows to the group and bids them to enter, leading them to the Drawing Room. "Welcome back, Miss Sal. If you would care to partake of a beverage, the cabinet is full stocked. I'll put a pot of tea on and some sandwiches." the butler excuses himself.
Bunny's eyes light up and she moves quickly around the room, touching the shelves to see if they are all real."♥ Man, this is so fancy! It's like one of them Harry Potter buildings. ♥" she bubbles enthusiastically.
The former prisoners move to the couches and sit down, there legs barely able to hold them. All except the Scandinavian sounding one, he leans on the back of the couch protectively. One leg twitching violently under the strain of holding himself up.
Sal helps pack the refugees into the car along with the prisoner and her friends, then swings the duffle to her shoulder. "Don't worry; this stuff is mostly inert. Even if we wreck, it won't explode. 'Least that's what they told us in demolitions classes. I'd rather have it with us than in the car," she tells Kenneth, perhaps not as reassuringly as she intends.
She swings onto the seat behind Kenneth, bag over her shoulder, and takes a light hold of the man's waist. A few minutes in the cold has her practically wrapped around his back, her fists balled in a futile attempt to keep her fingers warm while she hides her face against the leather of his jacket. From time to time, she peers down at the pavement racing a few inches beneath her feet, and smiles. Conversation is impossible as the wind rips away whatever she might want to say. Before long, her belly muscles clench with the cold, but she tries to ignore it. Estupido! It was much colder... there. Suck it up, soldier!
Sal stirs as the sound of the bike's engine changes and they turn off the main motorway and onto back roads. The familiar walls and towers of Trip's place bring a surprising sense of relief, and not just from the cold. Once Kenneth brings the bike to a stop, Sal pries herself from the seat, leaning a bit on Kenneth's shoulder as she tries to loosen the knots in her legs and shaking her head with a smile as the butler opens the door. "Thank you, Fothergill, I'm sure we could all use something to warm up." She takes a moment to hobble into the cellar and secure the duffle bag there before returning to the guests. "Welcome to Trip's place. I'm sure he wouldn't mind you being here for the moment, so make yourselves at home. Danny, Morien - do you have time for breakfast, or do you need to beat feet?"
Kenneth shakes his head and smiles, "Aye, so long as ye keep the electronic detonators away from the blocks and my temper, all should be well. Dinnae fret, I'm not so much worried about being blown up as wanting tae make sure we get out ay here a'fore anyone... untoward... might see us."
Making sure everyone's settled, he kicks the Commando to life and heads for the open road, hoping that Danny's clever enough to obscure their departure, and peeking over his shoulder a few times to ensure that they're not being followed. After the first half-hour, he begins to relax and allows himself to enjoy the feel of the classic bike... and the comely passenger. I used tae think the nicest part about having a classic is that noone ever questions why I drive a vehicle that was built in the early '70s... but now I'm beginning tae think 'tis more about the bonnie lasses as passengers.. 'twixt Bunny and Sal, a body could enjoy this sort ay thing...
He chuckles to himself until he finds himself wondering what it would be like to offer Letitia a nice moonlight ride and then sighs, Aye, Cait, I'm sure you're laughing at what I've gotten myself intae.... He uses that wry amusement and the image of Caitlin to clear his mind of thoughts of Detectives and Wardens and any other potential troubles, once again returning to an almost trancelike state of unity with the Norton Commando and the road, following Morien's taillights to Trip's... as he gains sight of the manor in the early light of dawn he chuckles again, ...at least something good came ay hunting vampires... though I think that Trip's servants spoil me...
He enters the house and is looking forward to a cup of breakfast tea and a spot of breakfast, only to have Sal's statement shake him out of it. He turns to Danny and asks, seriously, "And d'ye need any support at or near your meeting?"
(At the fire,...) As they struggle to get everyone into the usually roomy vehicle, Danny uses the cover of the arriving emergency vehicles to mask their own exit.
'Just a little shift of attention, look anywhere but over here,...' He thinks as he starts humming. He tries to make sure that the building, and the arrival of the new emergency services, are simply MUCH more interesting than then the huddled, weary group trying to leave nonchalantly.
In a flash of inspiration, Danny recalls the theme of an old 80's disaster film, and hums it happily as he glances out the rear window as they pull smoothly away from the curb.
--------------
Danny loses his eternal grin, just for a moment, at the reminder of the 'meeting'. But it back in place so swiftly that if one blinked they would have missed it.
"Oh, I hope not. I REALLY hope not." He says cheerfully enough.
"Although I think Morien knows a lot more about this get-together than I do. I get the feeling that the last-minute courtesy call I got was just that. Last minute. Which in Fae-speak means 'another bleedin' test'." He says wryly.
"Time or not, I'm eating something. Might not have time for a 'Big Breakfast' as my dad used to call it, but I'll be darned if I'm going through a Fae-meet and greet on an empty stomach! Fae triple-speak turns my head around enough without being famished on top of it all."
Danny smiles at the man leaning on the back of the couch and walks over to him.
"Here you go sir." Danny says cheerfully, offering the man an obviously antique straight-backed chair (with an expensive looking cushion) he liberated from a side table as he walked across the room. He places it behind the couch for the man, offering him an obvious resting place while still allowing him the feeling of watching over his former fellow prisoners.
Sal nods. "Don't worry; Morien will take good care of Danny. In the meantime, we can get to know our new friends a little better. Does, uh, anybody know a doc nearby? Maybe they should have a checkup." She scrutinizes the rescued trio a little anxiously.
Morien scrutinizes the still-unconscious Ogilvy and decides that someone else can deal with him. She hoists him into a fireman's carry and follows the group indoors.
In the drawing room, she leaves him on an out-of-the-way couch. He might almost have fallen asleep there.
Morien grabs a half-sandwich for herself and merely raises an eyebrow at Danny when he tries to deflect questions to her. She finishes wolfing down the sandwich before responding. "I'm your keeper, not your political consultant. But." She counts items off on her fingers. "You're to be the Summer Courts' oversight of a meeting between Laverna of Winter, the Ambassador of the Poppy Court, and an unnamed third party. The vampire's security is supposed to be arranged by Laurence of the Red Court." The selkie pauses to watch Danny's reaction. "Winter's security," she gives a wry grin, "is us."
Sal stares hard at Danny. "Wait... you're meeting with an 'Ambassador' of the Poppy Court? How could you?" She unconsciously squashes her half-sandwich into a dense wad of bread and meat before turning to stare at Morien. "And you, too? What's to meet about? Kill it! We'll come along and help."
Morien's grin turns from sardonic to outright bitter. "Leaving aside the fact that the Winter Court would suddenly have a fashion craze for trinkets made from our bones?"
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"What's this Winter Court, and why would they want a meeting with animals?" Sal spits, "We'd be doing them - and the rest of the world - a favor. This is insane, Morien."
"Danke." says the man as Danny offers up the chair. He moves it slightly so it's in a protective position before the pair of sleeping ex-prisoners.
As Sal asks about some medical attention Bunny leans into Tangris; "♥ Well I've a nurses outfit." she adds enthusiastically as if it's relevant. The mumbles quietly as the room erupts with Moriens' announcement; "♥ Well there is the packs' healer? "
Silently gliding into the room the butler brings a couple of plates of dry toast, some bacon sandwiches and a plate of sausages. Along with a big jug of milk and other foodstuffs. After placing the tray on the table, he drifts away.
Morien sits backwards in one of the fancy chairs and starts in on another sandwich. "It's fey politics, of course it's insane." This time, she doesn't bother not to reply around a mouthful of food. "Some people call them the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, but they call themselves Summer and Winter - made of mutually opposing natural forces as much as they are of people. Because Danny is the nearest Ambassador of Summer, he's obligated to go along and make sure that Winter isn't arranging any funny business against them."
She quirks an eyebrow at Sal. "As for what Winter hopes to gain from this all, that's a very interesting question. By attending, we just might find out. We also stand to learn whether the Poppies are aware of the loss they've just suffered, and what they think they have to offer that the fey - any fey - might actually care about."
Morien grins a predators' grin, "Guards are invisible. They're not really people, to the powerful. So from seven-thirty onwards, I'm just dumb muscle. And when it ends, I expect to walk out with a head full of our enemies' secrets."
"No," Sal moans, shaking her head and dropping heavily into the nearest chair, "I know you think that's a good plan. Anybody else, I would agree. But these aren't people, Morien. I insulted animals before by calling them that. They aren't. Animals are like us. We can understand each other. Vamps are monsters, pure and simple. You can't treat with them as if they were a rational party. Morien, you know what they call us. Cattle. " Her voice rises to a yell and she subsides after a brief, guilty glance at the two sleepers, and continues more quietly. "It's exactly how they think of us. You wouldn't hesitate to break your word to a piece of beef. They can't be trusted, not at all. They don't think right. They're... alien."
Unfolding her hand, Sal stares unseeing at what remains of the sandwich, then drops it and runs her fingers through her hair, tousling the brown curls and leaving a few crumbs in them. "Danny, Morien... please don't go. We're food to them, that's all. Well, everything else - all the misery they cause - it's just entertainment to those monsters. The tribes of the Afghan hills through it was a good idea to treat with them. They don't anymore. They're worse than... than... than lawyers!" Sal shakes her head in dismay, looking pleadingly at Morien and Danny.
Danny finishes his last bite of the toast and sausage he was chewing on. And nods in agreement.
"Now there's an insult I'd never thought I'd hear." He quips lightly.
"And while the only worse insult is to think of me as a bodyguard, I reeeeeely don't have a lot of say in this. Really. I mean, I COULD say no. Or worse say nothing and not bother to show. But all of those options are just varying degrees of insults to the fae."
Danny shudders. Not one of his feigned, entertaining shudders. This one is a genuine shiver of fear.
"And believe me. There are few things I'd do to deliberately insult one of the Fae. That's a capital 'F'. Unless they really deserved it. You think the Vamps are alien. But at least they can relate. They used to be human. At least some of them used to be. They need the same things we do. Food and shelter. But the Fae? THEY are aliens. Their minds do loops that would make Spock and ET dizzy. All the politics from ancient and modern history? And Game of Thrones? All stuff the Fae came up with before they could walk. You know how some cultures make a big deal out of honor? Or insulting someone? The Summer and Winter Courts spent lifetimes just inventing ways to insult and be offended. And then they went and made a game of it."
"And if you decide not to play? Yep. It's an insult." He adds wryly.
"So. Yeah. I'm going. I'll be honest though. My decision was based more on self-preservation than anything. But Morien has the right of it. For a change my 'position' in the courts has put me in a spot to be in front of all the voodoo for a change. I hate playing catch-up whenever some thing from spooky-town comes and calls. This time I'll be in the front row. This is good. Yeah."
Danny has stopped looking at the others. He sounds like a person trying to convince himself.
"So how did you...?" Sal's question trails off as she scrutinizes Danny. She frowns and shrugs off her jacket to unstrap the shoulder holster beneath. "Surely one of you knows how to fire a pistol. Take mine with you, would you? Just in case. I'd feel better." She holds the holstered weapon out towards Morien and Danny.
They're precisely rational actors, Morien thinks. 'I've got mine and the hell with everyone else.' It's why economics is the dismal science. She restrains herself from arguing the point - now was not the time.
Morien shakes her head, "Firing is the easy part; hitting what you want is harder." She turns to Danny with a questioning look.
Kenneth sighs, "They're right. 'Tis the thing with the Supernatural world... there is this strange sense of civility betwixt the groups ay monters, thanks tae the Unseelie Accords... if we were tae kill their ambassador, in addition tae drawing the ire ay the Poppy Court, and likely the whole lot ay the Reds.... we'd have the Winter and Summer courts coming after us as well, for violating their hospitality. They'd have tae dae it, tae not lose face -- the automatic assumption being that if they dinnae hunt us down and capture us, then they sanctioned the attack."
...and, ay course, the poxy Wizards ay the Council are part ay that, and I've even heard there's a pure mortal signatory now...
He pauses to calm himself, You're supposed tae be making Sal feel better, lad, nae worse..., and then continues.
"Danny's right, the Fae are alien, whether we mean the bound of the Courts, the Wildfae, or the demons ay the Nevernever.... The Queens and Knights may hae been human once, but they're now bound by their natures.... which is the advantage we have o'er them. For instance, the Fae cannae lie. A'course, that means that e'en the least ay them can avoid questions and dance around issues, armed with half-truths better than anyone that's e'er lived in 10 Downing. But that means that, tae them, 'tis the letter of the agreement, and nae the spirit ay it that binds them.... and breaking such agreements tends not tae be healthy -- e'en tae vampires. So having people there tae hear the letter ay the deals being made is rather helpful tae us... in fact, it is so helpful, I would think 'tisn't an accident that Danny's been asked to step in... especially when, no offense lad, there isn't a body that would e'er mistake him for a bodyguard.... Not when ye can line the walls with Trolls, Ogres and Gruffs, especially.."
"Gruffs?" Sal asks, slightly bemused, "As in Billy Goats Gruff? Maybe Tangris can go with you two. He may not look like much, but you've seen he can handle himself in a fight. For that matter, why can't we all go?" Her eyes search their faces for an answer.
Tangris perks up at his name, "Gruffs? I think I've heard of them. Will they be there?"
The room is filled with the aroma of hot tea and bacon, to one side the fires last embers crackle providing a warm glow amongst the 'snow-capped' rock. Bunny has found a blanket covering the pair upon the couch, then snags a sandwich for the foreign gent before talking to him in hushed tones whilst the main group converses.
Danny's face scruntches up into an "O" of 'bad idea'.
"Yeah,... showing up without an invitation? Means that your not protected by the laws of hospitality. And,... you guessed it,.. It's an insult." He says with a smirk.
Then his face turns serious. Or at least as serious as you've ever seen Danny's face to be.
"I appreciate it Sal. Really. But I'm really only good at hitting targets that don't move. Much. And iron is like poison, acid and fire to the Fae. Even showing up with that in my pocket would light me up like a Christmas tree, and make me a target in more ways than I care to count."
"Besides", He adds thoughtfully. "I think Ken's on to something. The timing of my 'invite' to this get-together is almost too good to be true. I'm pretty sure I'm in no danger from the Fae at this meeting. At least, no more than usual. While there's always 15 layers you don't see for every plan you DO see, I'm fairly certain that they want to help me. Huh. Maybe someone wants me to owe them a favor."
Danny stops. He blinks.
"Ok. That's scary. Come on Morien, let's go before I talk myself OUT of it!"
"Gruffs? Yeah, I've seen them in passing. They aren't big on the parties. They do tend come in various sizes, just like the story. I call them 'Big, bigger, biggest' and 'Holy $#*$!'." Danny grins.
"You'd like them I think." He says to Tangris.
Kenneth smiles, "Nae, dinnae fret -- it cannae be thus -- 'tis only a favour if it is something offered tae ye and accepted willingly... e'en if ye didnae ken the cost. This is, at best, a gift, which I'm sure may be intended tae make you friendlier, but there shouldnae be any obligation."
"Oh I hope your right. I REEEEELY hope your right. Some of the Fae have different ideas about the definitions of 'offered' and 'accepted'. Especially with that 'never-lie double-speak' thing they have going. That should really be classified as a different language."
"In the meanwhile, I better go brush up on my polite insults. I haven't been to a Fae party in over a month. I'm WAY rusty!" He grins.
Morien finishes the second sandwich, tops off her thermos of coffee, and shrugs her messenger-bag back over her shoulder. "Ready when you are," she says to Danny.
Sal lowers the offered weapon as Danny explains why he can't take it, then slips the harness back on while she listens closely to the rest of the discussion. She shrugs her jacket on over it and zips it up, then surveys Morien and Danny critically for a moment, her face unreadable.
"It's PT time. I'm gonna go run the lanes around here, make sure there's nothing strange in the neighborhood. You two..." She hesitates a moment, then gives Danny a quick hug. "Don't do anything stupid." She moves to Morien and does the same. "Vayan con Dios, mis amigos."
She trots to the front door and heads out, jog-trotting to the gate and turning left onto the lane.
Danny is surprised by Sal's quick hug. (Not usually a problem for him you would think.)
"Yeah. No problem. At least, no more stupid than usual!" He winks at Sal.
Morien finishes the second sandwich, tops off her thermos of coffee, and shrugs her messenger-bag back over her shoulder. "Ready when you are," she says to Danny.
** spoiler omitted **
"Cool." Danny says, popping another corner of tiny sandwich into his mouth as he moves to the door.
In the hallway he nods in response to Morien's whisper.
"Those are nice to have. And even better if you have one and DON'T need it! Speaking of. I need to swing by my apartment real quick. There are one or two party favors I need to grab. And it would be best if I didn't show up to this get together looking like I just helped rescue a group of people from a vampire lab?" He smiles wryly.
"How far out of the way will it take us?" The words could sound cross, but she's looking forwards to driving the Frost enough that they don't.
Morien takes the mechanics' tools out of her pack and leaves them in the trunk, this time. Iron is iron. After that, she's quick to settle herself. "Ready?" she asks of Danny.
"How far out of the way will it take us?" The words could sound cross, but she's looking forwards to driving the Frost enough that they don't.
Morien takes the mechanics' tools out of her pack and leaves them in the trunk, this time. Iron is iron. After that, she's quick to settle herself. "Ready?" she asks of Danny.
Bunny pats Sal on the shoulder as she goes out for her jog, "Is it alright if I have a nap in a bed later?" she asks
"How far out of the way will it take us?" The words could sound cross, but she's looking forwards to driving the Frost enough that they don't.
Morien takes the mechanics' tools out of her pack and leaves them in the trunk, this time. Iron is iron. After that, she's quick to settle herself. "Ready?" she asks of Danny.
"Not too far. I think." Danny replies straight faced.
"What? I don't get to drive much. And everyone drives on the wrong side of the street here!"
Danny gives Morien the address, and it turns out it is on the way, more or less, to where they are supposed to meet the Scion's of Winter's arrival.
Sal flinches at Bunny's unexpected touch, but stops a moment to speak with the bubbly woman. "Sure, Bunny. I'll be back inside of an hour. If you need to nap before then, Fothergill can show you to a room. And, Bunny... thanks for all the help tonight. You were amazing. Good show," she finishes self-consciously with what she hopes is a compliment in British, "It was kind fun at times, wasn't it?" She suddenly recalls the few minutes she and the comely werewolf were tangled up with the handsome bard as they sought entrance to the drug dealer's place, and feels her face grow hot. "I mean, parts of it. Almost." Sal hurries out the door without looking at anyone else and hits the road, trying to let the rhythmic pounding of her boots on the dirt clear her head. For God's sake, girl, you're out of high school. Stop being an idiot!
Sal
The mornings' sun blossoms across the fields, a curtain of golden gently rolling across the landscape as the veil of night is lifted. The horrors and strange occurrences of the city drift away in comparison to the idyllic countryside. The winters' over and spring is bursting into life, as the ex-soldier pounds around the estate and through the surrounding village.
Emerald fields line the road and lambs gamble away from their mothers in the early morning light. The gentle twitter of chaffinches are interrupted in their chorus by the sporadic bleat of ewe's. Despite the chilled touch to the air and dew upon the ground, Sal soon warms up with metronomic pace she sets herself.
Through the still muddy bridleways that line the field and bring to magnificent landscape to the eye, the splendid undulating meadows of Yorkshire.
Placid, the village appears and despite narrow roads a milk van trundles down them accompanied by the gentle clinking of the bottles. But, no-one yet stirs from their nocturnal slumber.
Inside (Tangris & Kenneth)
Bunny finishes talking to the foreign chap, who stretches and leans back in his chair as exhaustion finally overcomes him.
She rises and brushes the crumbs from her top into her cupped hand and throws it into the fireplace. Then languidly turns to the pair of fellows that remain. "So shall I call my friend? She works at a clinic and could help the injured people. ♥" the dancer adds with the sinuous shrug of askance of one not used to making decisions of her own.
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"Awesome." Danny says as Morien smoothly pulls the Snow into the drive of the apartment complex.
"You wanna come in and wait? I won't be long, but I figure it's best not to show up at a meeting with oriental vamps with evidence of having already visited their property on me." He says wryly, indicating his artfully mussed hair and slightly smudged face.
"And party favors. One should never attend a Fae shindig without party favors." He says cheerfully as he gets out of the car. A little too cheerfully.
:)
Danny puts the key in the lock, and with a wink at Morien throws open the door with a flourish.
"Welcome to Casa De Danny! Make your self comfortable. There's,... something, in the fridge. I think. I won't be long!" He calls back over his shoulder, from already down the small hallway.
The apartment is more of a tiny condo, from a US point of view. And actually much nicer than it would appear from the outside. Obviously the owners take better care of the insides than the outside. Probably one of the reasons that Danny chose this place originally.
At first glance, Morien sees the expected single-male castle of clutter. But a second look reveals that while the place is cluttered, it is clean. There are no dirty dishes in sight except in the sink, and none of the 'clutter' is trash.
A longer look reveals a madness to the method. An Artist's vision mixed with a bachelor's filing system. Random piles of papers turn out to be music notes, bills, and letters in their own stacks. Apparently halfhazard placement of CD cases are arranged so their covers make an inspirational collage. The parts and innards of 2,... or is that 3 guitars, and tools, along with parts of what might be a tuner and a disassembled small stereo system remain tightly within the boundary of the small side table designated as a workshop. Two small shelves of paperbacks and DVD's, both primarily Sci-Fi and Fantasy, are arranged by subject matter. A slip of paper used as a bookmark in one book ('Fairie Tale' by Raymond E Fiest) bears the scribbled words 'Research' and 'I wish'. A lovingly-used original Xbox system sits under the TV, next to a RockBand setup.
In one corner, free from encroachment by any other clutter sits the obvious prides of Danny's collection. 2 Lightsabers of different designs. (The ones you can actually hit another one with, not the toys) a classical guitar in a soft case, and an armored case for Danny's 'Battle Axe'. A sticky note on the hard case reads, 'Tweeter screech, Bass in & out, Ask Max fix or replace?'
A peek in the fridge reveals there is indeed 'something' there. And most of it looks edible. Another surprise for a bachelor pad.
,...
Shortly, Danny returns, hair still damp and dressed in casual but nice clothes presumably worthy to wear to a Fae 'meeting'. He is just finishing wiping down his leather jacket with leather cleaner wipes. As he dons it, Morien catches a glimpse of something tucked into the back of his belt.
"Hey. You find anything?" He nods at the fridge.
"Almost ready. Ah hah. I hoped I had some left!" He says as he pulls out a bottle of amber liquid from under a counter.
"Mead. They love this stuff. Although they make better in my opinion. Something about getting it from the forbidden side of the street I guess. I just have to be careful to only buy from the local microbrewers and not a major manufacturer. With some of the big companies the stuff actually ends up touching steel I guess. I accidentally almost poisoned one guy once. Fortunately he was a friend,... sort of, and took it as a joke. Thought I showed real promise. Congratulated me on joining the game properly. Now I have to be careful of what I drink around him. So far he hasn't tried anything worse than X-lax,..." Danny grins wryly.
"Your right. TMI. Let's go!" he says as he snags a nice cane from behind the lightsabers. A highly polished wooden stick, almost a club, with a large brass sphere on top that could pass as a bedknob.
"Never go without a gift. Or a distraction!" He says brightly, holding up his two items. He casts one longing glance at the armored guitar case, and opens the door for Morien.
In the Car (Morien & Danny)
The pale car glides out of the driveway, as the monochrome blooms into colour. With a low purr of the engine it fluidly slides down the narrow roads producing an exhilarating ride.
Since there's but two in the car it seems more stately, whilst also more sporty - capable of reacting to the slightest twitch like an animal being ridden, cavorting down the lanes towards York.
All to soon the ride is over and the vehicle approaches the city centre, pulling into Danny's destination.