Patience’s The Lodge of the Mistwalkers Grand Opening

Date: 2025-06-28 22:02

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(Patience’s The Lodge of the Mistwalkers Grand Opening)

[Sat Jun 28 2025]

The Lodge of the Mistwalkers/span>/spanGrand Parlor/span>/spanVintage Victorian, the octagonally-shaped Grand Parlor is an open,
expansive chamber with cream brocade wallpapering and plenty of
darkly-stained hardwoods. Light is provided by three main sources:
the massive antique brass candle-style chandelier hanging from the
high ceilings, the numerous electric faux-candle sconces that line
the walls, and of course from the crackling stone hearth in the
southwest corner.

Switchback stairs hug the entryway, leading up to the balcony that
overlooks this high room, while numerous other nooks and crannies
branch off to elsewhere from the furniture-littered social space.

/span>/span55fake mist creeps in wisps and eddies along the floor.

It is about 60F(15C) degrees. The mist is heaviest At King and Woodcrest/span>/spanWith her treasured tome in her arms, Patience moves into the parlor, though she turns to face the door, offering a wave to Adelaide as she enters. “Ms. Carrow! I’m so glad you could come. Did you grab a ticket and one of the door gifts?” she asks of her.

Patience says “Shiloah, Eloa, grab tickets and the list from the door basket!“

Adelaide walks in just in time instead of being fashionably late, glancing around here and there until she catches sight of both Patience and Ambrose, a small smile offered their way. The question does have her pausing, even before she’s grabbed a seat. “… Ah.”

Esme smiles to Eloa and Shiloh, motioning to the baskets. “One each. Good t’ meet ya Shiloh. Esme.”

Shiloh smiles Esme “Esme, good to finally meet ya. We share a society too.” He says with a grin.

“The numbers may not be exact, and the markets fluctuate,” Ambrose calls toward the door, neutral and gentle and easily lost in the wash as he usually is. And then his attention returns to Adelaide, a ghost of a smile bowing his lips. “Madame Carrow. So glad you could make it, too.”

“Ola and thanks!” Eloa calls out to the other room once they wonder back into the entryway. She gives Esme a small wave and dips her head into the basket. Moving it back and forth in the basket Eloa seems like she’s trying to go for the deepest ticket before pulling one out.

“Yep, great minds think alike an’ all that.” Esme winks to Shiloh and laughs before telling Avalon, “That’s what I said. Handy fuckin’ list.” She smiles to Eloa, “Good luck in tha raffle.”

Patience chuckles softly. “Maybe we should bring everything in here?” she supposes to Ambrose. “I did just assume people would gather at the door for a bit, but… maybe it’s more practical.” She looks over at the food items on display, fussing to arrange plates just so while she waits and admits, “I did mark on them that they were a work in progress, but there’s quiet a bit of intel gathered so…”

Shiloh grins at Esme before waving as he moves on into the other room, “Exactly. See you at the event!”

Patience says “Come to our party. It’s all about the mist!“

Wandering around with a dumb, vacant expression, Miles shrugs thoughtlessly and finds his gaze continuously attracted towards some of the tasting plates at the bar; one in particular seems to have caught his attention, and step by step, as though gradually, inexorably pulled by magnetism, Miles finds his way to his destiny. He stares down at a plate of the fried thunderbird, then takes it, glances from side to side, and eagerly devours a sampling.

Pulling the list out, Eloa smiles at it, “Eloa no good at killing monster but might be useful if can recognise.” She waves back at Esme calling out, “Thanks!” Before following Shiloh into the rest of the room. “Ola everyone.” She calls out shyly, following after the man.

Shiloh gasps as he steps into the room and immediately heads for the (very alcoholic) mixed drinks.

As he chews, Miles looks surprised; shocked, one may say. Every few bites, every few movements of his jaw, he freezes and stares, as if poprocks were exploding in his mouth.

With that said, however, Patience gives a weary little sigh and slips over to wrap her arms around Miles’s waist, to steal herself a much-needed hug. “I think I would have lost my damn mind if it hadn’t been for all the help you guys have been, though.” There’s a pause and then the Mercer is asked, “What do you think of it? Diego’s recipe.”

She ponders a moment longer, then calls back out, “Yeah probably makes sense to!” over to Esme.

Adelaide returns, now finally moving to take a seat. “I could not get Diego out of bed, unfortunately,” she tells Patience with much regret, settling her ticket marked ’13’ – picked out deliberately instead of choosing at random, if anyone was watching the process – and the catalogue upon the bar near her. “The place is looking gorgeous,” she tells Ambrose more properly now, “Even if the mist makes me feel as though I may be stabbed in the back by a kobold any moment. Shall there be a tour offered?”

Stopping as Shiloh heads for the alcohol, Eloa turns around to study Avalon who had just walked in. Her eyebrows knit together for a moment in thought and then she calls out softly, “Avalon?” She asks as she turns to stand infront of the man.

“It’sh,” Miles replies sto Patience after giving her a tight squeeze, voice slurred and tongue moving sluggishly. He pauses, flicking his tongue from side to side in his mouth as if to loosen it, then clears his throat and grins to Patience. “Electrifying.”

There’s a brief pause, and then a look of realization crashes onto him, and he just voices aloud: “OH! Mistery meat. I get it.”

Esme says “Probably. But please don’t“

Shiloh grins a bit to himself as he looks over the drinks before plucking one off the platter, turning around before roaming back over to Eloa, taking a sip.

“Avalon” He confirms with a nod of his head to Eloa, glancing around to the dishes exposed before telling the girl “Thanks for letting me know this was opening- Would have missed it otherwise, and seems like my kind of shop” Avalon concludes with a nod, patting the pocket that now houses the list “If anything, the visit is worth it just for that guide they hand”

“You have nothing to apologize for or fret about,” Ambrose assures Patience, one hand placidly rising and falling off the bartop. “It is all good.” The hand’s transitioned to flutter a wave in general to the rest of those filtering in. Back to Adelaide, though, with a spare nod and barely-there smile. “Thank you. It’s been a labor of love, and Patience has done a tremendous amount of work for the party, because if she hadn’t, I never would’ve gotten around to it and would’ve kept fussing with specimens, never quite done.” A beat, looking to Miles’s revelation. “A tour wouldn’t be amiss.”

Sofia mulls about, drifting her way towards the table of food and hovering her fingers over the platter of grilled torment leech, tilting her head over at Adelaide before she plucks one up. “That’s a shame, I heard a little bit about his recipes to the run-up to this party and was curious to ask him about some of the ingredients. I’ll just have to let my tongue do the guesswork for me.” She grins over to to Miles and his numbed state takes the plunge, giving the psychoactive leech a try.

Esme waves to people as they come in, helping rearrange a couple baskets before she wanders over to the drinks to claim one for herself. “Hey everyone! Esme for tha people I don’t know.”

Smiling at Shiloh when he walks back towards her, Eloa seems a little bit torn between giving Avalon a hug or not but ultimately seems to decide not to. “Is okay Eloa wanted to see Avalon again. Been too long. Is been years right? This is Shiloh. Is Eloa Friend. And he order. This place is run by order.” She adds softly.

“Ooooh,” Alice coos, entering in Stelle’s wake. She waves to Patience first, then to Ambrose, before trotting over to the baskets, looking in each one. “Baskets!” She declares helpfully.

Patience laughs aloud at Miles’ realization. “I know. I love it. A bit concerned about it as a whole restaurant but if anyone can make that work, it’s Diego,” she declares. With Ambrose’s repeated praises, she leans over to peck a kiss on her sire’s cheek and says, “Thank you.” Smiling brightly she blwos a kiss to Charlotte, and then temporarily perches on a bar stool as she greets, “Hi everyone!

strolling in almost on time, Charlotte attends to the most important issues first – she hits up the gift table, the raffle bucket, and the drink assortment. Once she has what she needs, she wanders over to the bar, greeting Patience first with a hug and a friendly kiss on the cheek. “Darling, what a lovely party. It’s a thrill to see you twice in one evening.”

Toward Avalon, Ambrose commentates evenly and neutrally, “There is a pamphlet on hunting in the mist in the bookshop that may interest you, in that case. It may also be all things you already know, but it never hurts to make sure. And there are plenty of displays to help know what you’re fighting before it’s nipping your ankles.”

Fashionably late as always, Stelle strolls in and is immediately upon the food, steps a little lighter than they have any right to be as she takes a small plate of Kentucky Fried thunderbird and gives the piece a chomp before she even bothers to mingle into the crowd with a wave towards Ambrose and Patience.

Patience tips her cheek for that kiss from Charlotte, and returns it with a peck of her own lips. “Always a pleasure, beauty,” she tells the woman with a sparkling smile. “I’m so glad everyone’s here. Get all the things!” she declares, then warns with a giggle, “Miles says the thunderbird is shockingly delicious.” That’s what he said, right?

After she takes her bite of leech, Sofia is stopped in her tracks, before succumbing to a wash of mixed, conflicting emotions, simultaneously looking on the verge of tears and letting out a laugh. Rather than let the odd reaction stop her, she just plucks one more bite up and munches on it, then wanders off towards the bar in a fit of teary-eyed giggles.

“Probably years, yes, but I lose track” Avalon replies to Eloa with another nod of his head, scooting a bit closer towards the bar and grabbing something to eat, before adding “Good to know though, Order didn’t like me last I knew, but that was also years ago…” Though Ambrose’s comment distracts him for a brief moment and he adds with a chuckle “Oh, I will make sure to get one, can never get cocky when hunting”

Esme grins to Obadiah when he comes in, “Glad ya made it.” She moves closer to give him a one-armed hug while she takes a sip of her drink.

“It made my teeth,” Miles clarifies on his critical culinary feedback on the thunderbird once prompted by Patience, and directing his thoughts towards Stelle while he watches to see what she thinks. “Feel like they were about to explode like popcorn. You?” he asks with a grin. Then he extends his hand expectantly.

Jenny grabs one of the tickets moving over to the bar and giving a friendly wave over to Patience “Hey, seen you around. But don’t think I actually got your name until earlier.”

Stelle pats at her body and then frowns a bit, shooting Miles a comically saddened look before she comments, “It is like my teeth are about to explode, yes. And before I get too drunk to ride my horse and forget again… I will be right back.”

Obadiah walks in, after rummaging the racks and buying some stuff, before sitting down near Esme, or standing with her rather. “Looks like I know everyone here,” he says giving Esme a tight side hug before giving nods to… well everyone. “Hey gang!”

“Diego has been taking cooking lessons and all,” Adelaide nods to Patience’s words, watching people sample of the dishes with an amused smile on her face. “I’m sure he’ll be glad to hear it,” she tells Miles, as though that was a compliment.

Esme mms, taking one more sip, “This is fuckin’ great. I love coconut.” She decides and then tells Obadiah, “‘Course you do, Mister Popular.” She teases him as she lets him go to explore the food offerings.

“Obie’s guy made the drinks again. We’ve got the Mistwalker, the Haze Drifter, a Cloudveil, and Morning Fog,” Patience offers cheerily. “All of them very mist related, of course, because duh.” She waves delightedly over at Obadiah, then returns that wave from Jenny before her arm settles back on the bar. “I’m Pax Vasquez,” she greets her. “Nice to formally meet you and thanks for coming!” The commentary on the food has her laughing in pure amusement as she asks of Sofia, “Want to tell us about the leech?

Alice joins Stelle in perusing the food, looking with awe at the options. Eventually, she selects the spicy soup, grabbing a little tasting bowl and taking a very hesitant little test. Very quickly, her eyes widen, her pupils dilate, and she claps a hand over her mouth lest she spray soup all over the place. She’s turning red. She’s sweating. She’s tearing up. She’s regretting a great many choices which led her to this moment.

Turning to smile at Shiloh, Eloa looks at the drinks in his hands and then shakes her head, “Lets find something to eat?” She asks the man, gesturing towards the bar that Avalon had made his way towards.

“Hello, Obadiah,” Adelaide smiles at Obadiah, a brief, barely-there thing before she’s turning her attention to the food as well, as though considering whether she ought to ruin her diet for a taste. “Who is Obie’s guy?” comes the question for Patience.

“Oh, this is lovely.” Charlotte declares after taking a sip of her silvery cocktail. “What a treat.” She turns from Patience, moving on to greet others next. No one gets quite as warm a greeting, but Ambrose is given a “This place is awesome, LOVE the taxidermy” before moving on to Obadiah and Miles, both of whom are greeted with a cheery hello. Adelaide, Sofia, and Esme all get waves, and then she takes a seat on a barstool, getting comfortable. “I’ll introduce myself to those I don’t know later.”

Shiloh tilts his head a bit, following Eloa’s gaze, “Oh, sure.” He says as he looks over the content on the bar before moving a bowl over towards himself.

Straightening a bit more, Ambrose twists a wave toward those arriving, a faint smile toward Alice and Charlotte in turn. There are glances amidst faces and the spaces in between, before the hand drops to gesture, palm upturned toward the stairs. “I can give a guided tour in a bit, and do not wish steal everyone away from food or socializing or Patience’s games, but — upstairs is the balcony, and a small sitting room with a view; downstairs…”

Ambrose’s hand drops, northward. “… there is a bookstore, which also has some riddle clues that Pax has drafted up,” someone pivots westward. “… a gallery with specimens, though there are some throughout…”
Southwest. “… an abattoir for dissection…”
South. “… and a small supply shop. Please, peruse at your leisure.”

Obadiah tilts his head politely to Adelaide, “Madam Carrow. As always, it is good to see you outside of the mists.” He lets Esme just wander, watching her briefly before asking Patience, “Does Ambrose sell dry bags?”

Straightening a bit more, Ambrose twists a wave toward those arriving, a faint smile toward Alice and Charlotte in turn. There are glances amidst faces and the spaces in between, before the hand drops to gesture, palm upturned toward the stairs. “I can give a guided tour in a bit, and do not wish steal everyone away from food or socializing or Patience’s games, but — upstairs is the balcony, and a small sitting room with a view; downstairs…”

Ambrose’s hand drops, northward. “… there is a bookstore, which also has some riddle clues that Pax has drafted up,”
It pivots westward. “… a gallery with specimens, though there are some throughout…”
Southwest. “… an abattoir for dissection…”
South. “… and a small supply shop. Please, peruse at your leisure.”

Sofia seems to have calmed down from her teary fit of giggles and wipes away under her eye, grinning over at Patience. “Oh god, the leech is like… a sensation and emotion explosion. It makes you feel… all kinds of stuff when you bite into it… good bad, everything all at once… and as far as the texture? Well, it pops in your mouth and is all creamy on the inside.” She makes an OK sign and declares, “Definitely recommend trying the leech.”

Eating the thunderbird pops, Eloa puts her hand to her mouth as the static electricity pops. “Oh my..” She gasps at the pain, coughing a little as she bends over.

Shiloh widens his eyes which begin to tear up behind his messy auburn hair as he’s sent into a coughing fit after the first bite of his bisque, “Ah! Spicy!” He cries out as he takes a drink of his cocktail, trying to quench the flames.

Esme peers at the steak sliver as she lifts up a serving and then takes a bite.

Alice finally manages to talk, her throat still on fire. She moves her hand, squeaking out, “Do NOT try the hell soup. I’m serious,” and she’s fanning herself, trying to get the burning heat off her tongue. “Oeurgh.”

“Really?” Miles echoes after Sofia in apparent disbelief. He looks skeptical, then turns to Obadiah as though looking for support, somebody to convince him not to do the stupid thing that he proceeds to do anyhow. His arm extends, grabbing a sample of the grilled leech and he stares at it skeptically. Then he pops it in his mouth and starts to chew.

Patience cannot help it. As more people try the incredibly unusual foods, she starts to laugh again. It’s good-natured, really, but the expressions that come and go have her pressing fingers over her mouth to muffle them. “I was going to have milk,” she admits over to Alice. “But I was afraid people would think it came from like minotaurs or something…” And then there’s more laughter. “Hell soup!” Sofia’s response though? That gets a snicker, a shake of the head and a bright, “Girl, I adore you.”

Shiloh stares at Alice in disbelief “The warning could have come sooner.” He croaks out.

Jenny takes a leech, chomping into it and making a face at the texture. Before she starts shivering, staring wide-eyed as she swallows. A thousand emotions warring on her face as she jerks slightly.

Obadiah pats Miles on the back. “Do it. Yolo, fam.”

As Miles chews the meat down, he occasionally twitches and shakes. “Oooh,” comes with one spastic jerk, though the next is followed with an “Ow!” Each psychically-induced sensation leaves him feeling more and more uncomfortable until he’s turning back at Obadiah and giving him a haunted, long-suffering look. As though it were all, somehow, Obadiah’s fault and not entirely his own decision.

“Obie! I dare you to eeney meeney miney mo all the food and eat whatever you land on,” Patience gleefully calls over to Obadiah.

“This thunderbird is very painful!” Eloa calls out as she waves her hand at her mouth, looking around from a drink. She snatches whatever Shiloh’s holding and starts drinking it but coughs as the electricity well.. water is conductive.

“It was more painful when it was alive,” Miles promises Eloa.

Ambrose nods grimly in agreement with Miles at that.

“I’m certain this counts as being in the mists, still,” Adelaide muses to Obadiah with a gesture through the fake mist that crowds around her, and her eyebrows tick up with intrigue at the dare. There’s an expectant look at the man – surely, he cannot back out now that he’s been dared to eeney meeney miney mo.

Patience notes you will have to 97USE the slivers of steak.

Picking up a drink at random, Eloa tosses it back sighing as the ice helps her mouth, “You bite thunderbird when alive?” Eloa asks Miles with a squint.

Alice still pants from her soup, and starts to look over the drinks, sorting through them with her eyes. She grimaces, though, and glances at Patience with big, wet eyes. “Are these all alcoholic?” she pleads.

Shiloh gasps as someone snags his cocktail, hands reaching out desperately as his throat remains on fire.

“Minotaur milk!” Sofia declares excitedly at Patience, beaming at her little compliment. “Now I’m sad we didn’t get minotaur milk. But, don’t worry, I’ll just kill my tastebuds with the other exotica and then wash it down with whatever that steaming booze is.” She leans over to pluck up a piece of the fried thunderbird, telling no one in particular, “Time to get all numb…”

“Yes,” Patience says to Alice. “Do you not drink? I can get the tender to make you something?”

Shiloh gasps as Eloa snags his cocktail, hands reaching out desperately as his throat remains on fire.

Ambrose reaches under the counter for Alice and holds out a bottle.

Patience says “Ambrose to the rescue!“

“Well, it was more of a headbutt than a bite, but yeah,” Miles agrees to Eloa with a blank look and a confident nod. Then his head turns, looking around for Stelle. And his towel.

Esme eats the sliver with a mildly squinted expression, like she’s trying to decide if she likes it. “Ooh…this is pretty fuckin’ good.” She declares. “And not spicy!” She laughs, taking another sip of her drink to wash it down.

Jenny groans leaning against the bar and gripping her head like she is nursing a hangover

“Wow, I’m not hungry, what a shame.” Charlotte declares as she takes another sip, crossing one leg over the other as she gets comfortable on her barstool. “The food does seem…..amazing, at least.” What kind of amazement she sees being inspired is perhaps left up to the imaginations of those present. Leaning back, one elbow is placed against the bar and her free leg swings back and forth. “Do Minotaurs make milk? I guess since they’re all male, maybe their system of feeding young is….” she trails off, wandering down some sort of internal rabbit hole.

“It’s not so bad… It just shocks, there’s lots of things that fight back harder when eaten” Avalon comments on the chicken, continuing to eat his piece, relatively calm despite the occassional stiffening of his mouth, he motions his hand towards the rest of the table and tells Eloa “The other things are probably more bothersome…”

Alice waves Patience off, and is about to get something else – but Ambrose saves the day. She looks at him with pure gratitude in her eyes, unscrews the bottlecap, and downs about half of it. When she’s done, she curses, “Hell soup!” with a laugh.

A hopefully unnoticed re-entry and Stelle makes her way to Miles with pace, baby blue towel deposited onto his shoulder. “Towel,” she states, one word with unknowable power.

“So zap head?” Eloa asks as she takes a big gulp of cocktail and then hands it back to Shiloh, wincing a bit at the strong taste of alcohol. “Is like they describe eating like octopus sting you down throat.” She tells Miles and Avalon as she wipes her mouth on the back of her hand.

“Thanks, you’re a real one, Stelle,” Miles gives Stelle a thumbs-up, gratefully accepting the return of his towel, which gets thrown over his shoulder and then very carefully adjusted so that it drapes just right over the open blazer he’s wearing. “What, you don’t have one?” he asks Charlotte seriously.

Shiloh downs the rest of the cocktail before setting it down, hissing a bit as he wipes his forehead “Torture…” He declares.

“They aren’t all male! Miles and I definitely took down a female one the other day,” Patience argues with Charlotte, though the sheer chaos of the food is tickling even her not-really-Fae senses far too much for the argument to have heat… unlike the soup!

“Yes, Madam, however give as neither of us are tied up and blind folded it is a rather different situation,” Obadiah says with a wry grin. He knows what he said.”

Esme snags another piece of steak before she circles back toward the drinks, maybe a hint more distracted.

“Oh, right,” Alice remembers, reaching into her bag to find a little go-box with the Puff Puff Parlour’s logo on it. The logo looks drawn on with sharpie, though, and it’s otherwise just a generic styrofoam to-go box. She sets it down by the food, remarking, “I brought a few of my lemon bars for the party, but I think I underestimated how many people would be here.”

Ambrose gives a gracious dip of his head toward both Alice and Patience at the commentary, hand pressed to his clavicle, before he resumes his comfortable lean against the bartop to people-watch.

Jenny grumbles squinting over to Patience “That leech is… intense.”

“Is there any good that not spicy? Oh good.” Spying Alice putting down some perfectly normal looking lemon bars, Eloa grabs one to help with the pain.

Patience says, in a sing-song, “Oooooobie, I dared you!“

“They are pretty fantastic,” Ambrose commentates of the lemon bars, earnestly enough.

Eloa says “Is taste good. The butter help with the mouth burn..“

“I have one or two, but they’re really for post-shower or swim use rather than fashion.” Charlotte replies to Miles with equal seriousness. “I myself have not committed my life to worshipping at the altar of Jimmy Buffet, and so I feel that wearing his priestly robes would be disrespectful.” Her expression remains utterly placid and she takes another sip, looking for all the world like she truly believes in what she’s saying. Patience gets an incline of her head, but she doesn’t break.

Eloa can’t seem to figure out how to eat the steak once she’s grabbed one though and she just holds the steak for a moment.

Patience nods to Jenny. “I can’t really tell,” she confesses openly to the ginger-haired girl. “But I’m sure Diego is going to regret missing this grand revelation of his culinary delights. When Mistery Meat opens, everyone really needs to eat there,” she declares. Then, with a wink to Charlotte, she says to Obadiah, “I dared you to eeney meeney miney moe the food and eat what you land on!”

A thumbs up is returned to Miles before Stelle wiggles and wobbles her way through the crowd and positions herself next to Alice a bit stiffly again, slipping a drink from the platter on her way. She doesn’t comment on the lemon bars, instead picking one up and stuffing it into her mouth immediately.

Patience notes you will have to 97USE the slivers of steak.

opens up her mouth with a grin, a few barely visible crackles and pops between her teeth after she swallows. “Thith ith pretty darn good too,” Sofia lisps out, as she gives some time for the crackle to subside and then peruses the drink plates. She reaches down to the platter and says, “I think maybe thomething with a lemon with thooth my tongue,” and plucks up one of the lavender drinks from the tray.

Sofia opens up her mouth with a grin, a few barely visible crackles and pops between her teeth after she swallows. “Thith ith pretty darn good too,” Sofia lisps out, as she gives some time for the crackle to subside and then peruses the drink plates. She reaches down to the platter and says, “I think maybe thomething with a lemon with thooth my tongue,” and plucks up one of the lavender drinks from the tray. (fix)

“Oh my.” Eloa blinks a bit as she eats the stake and she starts to sway a little. Reaching out, she holds onto Shiloh as she starts to sway back and forth like listening to some music only she can hear. “Um….”

Slowly reaching out, Miles plucks a sliver of the myconid steak from a tray. He squints down at it, then makes a face. “I don’t know. The fun guys are like… kind of humanoid. It almost feels like… cannibalism, you know?” he announces uncertainly. Then he sticks the sliver in his mouth anyhow.

“I’ll eat the leech. You know me and games,” Obadiah says with a wink before going to the slivers and getting a bite. Leech will wait until later.

Shiloh looks up at Eloa as she grabs hold of him, his forehead laden with sweat as he pants softly, recovering from the bisque.

Esme knocks back the rest of her cocktail with her steak and peruses the cocktails with another giggle before turning toward Ambrose and very seriously asking, “Can I get ah glass of whiskey?” But a moment later she’s laughing again.

“Know I can beat your ass at Jenga,” Sofia asserts over to Obadiah, the stinging on her tongue apparently having toned down already after her drink.

“Perhaps, if they have been properly blessed,” Ambrose deadpans to Sofia about the lemon bars in question, placidly panning his gaze over to Alice. But it isn’t pressed, and he instead slants his gaze over to Esme, whereupon it slivers, and then evens back out neutrally. “You can.”

Adelaide has to concede the point to Obadiah, even if it comes layered through innuendo. “Fair enough,” she remarks, pondering the gathered group as they eat and drink and cry in some cases, and nodding to Patience’s words when Diego is brought up. “Mushroom aren’t people any more than boar-heads are, surely.” Would Miles eat a boar-person?

“They look like people but I promise, they’re entirely made of spores and fungal tissue,” Patience tells Miles seriously. “So like, they’re no more people than the frog men are!” Then she’s looking at the tray and musing, “I should have put some out earlier…”

Patience says “Whiskey, I mean.“

Jenny grins taking the steak “But if theres anything I love. Its mushrooms.” she takes a sliver of it nodding to Patience “Huh.. I guess that makes sense.” she says before biting into the steak “Oooh.” she mmns out as she eats. Her eyes going abit wide as she leans more heavily against the bar, giving a giggle “Damn.. I am gonna need to buy more of this stuff..”

Already swaying from the steak’s effect a little, Eloa picks up her icy drink she had grabbed when she had the thunderbird and starts drinking it. Her cheeks get more red and she looks around for a bar stool to collapse into.

“Oooh,” Miles really does seem to like this, both in taste and in the results the myconid steak effectuates upon him. “Oh,” he repeats, doubling down on his approval. “I like that,” his eyes close, and he contentedly vibes for a few minutes, before peeking his eyes open to consider Adelaide’s question with due seriousness. “I would say less, probably. But I wouldn’t eat a boar-dude. I’ve got to say though. Those fun guys taste good.”

Esme giggles at Ambrose’s expression, turning toward the actual bartender and procuring the glass. “Thank youuu.” She tells them both once it’s in her hands.

Alice does her best not to meet Ambrose’s gaze at the mention of blessing the lemon bars, instead pretending she’s very, very interested in the myconid steak slivers. She doubles down on her gambit, too, taking one and trying it out. Almost instantly, her eyes widen, and she lets out a giggle.

Sofia puzzles over at Ambrose, swirling her drink with a little bit of a clink. “What’s the proper blessing for lemons, anyways?” she asks, moseying closer to the bar and leaning in across from the man with an idle smile, taking another sip.

Nemi walks in with a smile, giving a soft wave as she looks over to Patience, walking over and smiling. “It’s surely an amazing gathering…”

Robert attempts to find somewhere to sit at the bar with the rest of the crowd. He fails. So instead he picks out somewhere that doesn’t have too many people, raising his arm in easy wave. “Hey, Pax! Good crowd!” And picks up to Tamar with, “Well, just have to make sure to get regular exercise.”

Avalon glances at the steaks and comments “Don’t knock it ’til you try it” after the boar comment, turning his head towards the new arrivals and lifting his hand in greeting

“Hi Robert. Hi Tamar!” Patience greets with a wave from where she’s lounging. “Help yourselves to drinks and food – the food is Mistery Meat by Diego, just in warning. Don’t forget raffle tickets and your door gift – the Mist List,” she rattles off, but beams in pleasure at the two’s arrival.

Patience waves to Nemi too!

Jenny gives a grin over to Nemi as she eats some more of the steak, swaying slightly, saying abit slowler than usual “Heeey Nemi!”

Leaning forward, Charlotte peers over at the steak, looking almost like she might try it, but then she leans back again, content to continue on her quest of getting a little zooted.

Nemi looks over to pax and smiles warmly.

Tamar follows Robert inside, almost seeming like one of the bodyguards. Except when they fall back she stays at his side and tries to find a seat beside him. “Good evening, Pax,” she offers, dipping her head politely to Patience then looking around at all the unfamiliar faces.

“I will tell you the incantation later,” Ambrose threatens(?) Sofia quietly, before he looks to the newer arrivals with a lift of his hand. “Please, help yourselves to lists and tickets, feel free to have a look around.”

Esme circles back toward where Obadiah is, lifting her hand to wave to Robert and Tamar as they’re greeted by Patience. “Hi Nemi!” She looks up at Obadiah, “The steak’s too good. I don’t know if I wanna try anything else.”

Obadiah takes a bite and points to Sofia. “Prove it. Any game, any time. Feats of strength excepted. I can beat anyone here.” When he hears Tamar’s name though he looks around, briefly, then back to the steak, chewing, “Mmm Peppery.”

Obadiah nods to Esme, “Of course.”

Kurt raises a hand in a wave towards those he recognizes as he enters. “Evening, everyone.”

Jenny gives a nod to Esme “Yess! Its awesome!”

Robert is perfectly willing to take the freebies, rummaging in the basket and passing out half of the loot to Tamar. “Mist-ery meat, huh? Is it vegetarian or just ethically sourced?” He jokes back easily to Patience, a smile on his features as he opts to just lean against a surface, American-style, in order to help keep the building from falling over. He’s so considerate.

“Burden’s on you, Orbie,” Sofia teases Obadiah right on back with a waggle of her eyebrows. “You’re supposed to secure the jenga set so we can square off. After all, I’m just as undefeated as you are.”

Nemi smiles as she decides to give the hostess, Patience, a quick hug. “Party seems lively.”

Tamar doesn’t help herself to any freebies until Robert starts handing her stuff, drawing her gaze away from Obadiah and seeing what she has been given. “Mist-ery meat… like you stews,” she quips, starting to page through the catalogue.

“Hey Kurt!” Patience cheerfully calls from across the bar, leaning over to flash a bright smile toward the fellow. Then, she grins to Obadiah and says, “My riddle game in… twenty minutes. Win it!” There’s a pause, then a nod, and as Nemi whispers, the diva pecks a small, friendly kiss on her cheek. “I’m great. So far it’s been… hilarious. Try the soup – well. Ask Alice if you should try the soup,” she amends.

“Ola Kurt. Try steak.” Eloa giggles a little, her cheeks flushed and it seems like her usual shyness is not quite there as she sits on a bar stool, fanning herself a little.

Esme sighs and nods, slinking over toward the chicken to try it. She waves to Kurt, having no idea who he is but she’s sort of a greeter! “Oohh I forgot there was riddles.”

Nemi nods softly, taking a breath in and whispering again from her side simply.

“Mister Steiner,” Adelaide greets Kurt, and nods to Nemi, Robert, and Tamar at their arrivals as well. “The vest takes away from the suit, but I suppose it does fit the mist… ‘vibe’,” she tells the former, perking up just a little at the mention of the riddle game. “I look forward to winning,” she tells Patience, the proverbial gauntlet thrown to Obadiah.

“The fungal steaks are definitely vegan in everything but appearance,” Patience quips back to Robert. “The rest, not so much.”

Ambrose corroborates, “It is sourced.”

“Do NOT,” Alice says immediately, “try the SOUP.” She takes in a breath, but even that makes her laugh, and she plops down onto a stool, giggling away at the very idea of someone trying the soup. “I mean, unless you want to know what it feels like to drink lava.” She eyes Sofia and Ambrose out of the corner of her eye, making sure that blessing talk dies down, although the smile on her lips does not fade.

“Hey, -my- stews are made from beef. Mostly.” Robert corrects. “I have been thinking of adding manticore meat or dinosaur. Though, to be fair, dinosaur is kind of boring. Tastes like bland chicken.” There’s a vague disappointment to his words and a faint smirk at Patience’s response, clearly amused, rummaging through the catalogue first. “Evening, Adelaide,” He greets back easily.

Nemi smiles warmly, looking about as she hums softly. She waves to Obadiah happily.

Robert reaches over to grasp one of the skewers. He’s an experimenter.

“Is honey vegan?” Miles asks with an extremely confused expression on his face, still vibing on his perch at the bar after having chewed down the last of his myconid steak. “Man, if I’d known those fun guys tasted like that,” he mentions aside to Adelaide. “I’d have started eating them sooner.”

Esme picks up the not-chicken and takes a bite. She starts to chew and then her face screws up. “Ow?” She mumbles to herself,and seems very confused.

“The Bunnyknight is actually kind of a genius,” Miles realizes.

Ambrose tips a placid nod to Miles at that.

Stelle grins a bit, take a sip of her drink and pats her hand against Alice’s back. “How was the euh… mushroom steak? I do not know if I could bring myself to eat one of those things, it is a little… Euh… They are too humanoid for me,” Stelle asks of Alice, eyebrows raised.

Kurt lets out a snort of laughter at the apparent disagreement on the nature of the soup, but shakes his head regardless. “No, no, I’m here for the company, not the food. That said, quite the place we seem to have here.”

“Mhmm,” Tamar offers back Robert’s way, not sounding entirely convinced. She’s quite intrigued by the catalogue though, working a fingertip down the list and nodding a few times. After a few minutes she tucks it away into her sling bag and attempts to be more social.

Alice’s words do make Adelaide seem a little ponderous. “I have wanted to try drinking lava,” she tells Alice, as though she’s been encouraged rather than the opposite, and there’s a whole new look of consideration offered to the lava-soup, even if it would mess with her delicate vampire sensibilities. Maybe it’s worth the risk…

“Honey should be considered vegan.” Charlotte comments, potentially throwing water on a grease fire. “While it is an animal byproduct, it isn’t causing harm to harvest it if a beekeeper handles it correctly.” She gives in to curiosity and picks up a skewer, taking a cautious bite.

Nemi turns to Miles and nods. “That’d vary on the vegan I think as it does require farming animals but its not produced like eggs and farming it does not harm the animals… at all and anyone who does is stupid and a bad vegan. But Generally yes honey is vegan.” She states with a smile and a chuckle.

Jenny grins over to Stelle “They are awesome!!” she says over to the woman. Pretty excited seemingly about the steak

“Shi.. what else tasty?” Eloa asks the man next to her as she gets more and more pink from downing her cocktail.

Alice turns her head to Stelle when she’s addressed, sticking her tongue out in a silly expression. “The steaks are good! They’re sooooo good, actually, it’s like, almost funny.” When Adelaide speaks to her, though, she nearly jumps out of her skin, whipping to look at the woman, her smile changing from loopy to loopy and awkward. She manages, “That sounds like fun! You should try it, miss.. I mean.. Madame Carrow!”

“Honestly you are just making the soup sound that much more appealing,” Sofia replies on back to Alice, eying the food table with a wide grin. “Honestly can I really say I was successful at this party if I don’t burn off my tastebuds a little and kill an equal amount of braincells with drinking? I think not.” And so, defying the woman’s advice, she strides off to pour herself a bowl of soup and give it a try, no hesitation.

“Alright,” Obadiah says to Sofia with a grin. “If Dovie hadn’t gone to sleep I would have brought the thing and caused a scene.” He looks around then and says, “I am going to try this soup. Stelle said not to, that is the reason to do it.” He grins at Nemi then makes a life choice.

Shiloh looks to Eloa, tilting his head “Well, I don’t think I’m going to try anymore of the food…” He decides, though he does grab another drink.

Charlotte laughs delightedly at the taste of the steak, announcing cheerily “This is delicious. I don’t regret this choice at all!” as she raises her glass to Patience. “This is SUCH a fun party, thank you for putting it together, darling.” She sways oh-so-slightly on her stool, her good cheer clearly at least somewhat caused by outside factors.

Nemi nods softly to Obadiah as she hears that, chuckling a bit. “If you do need me to drive you home as you’re assistant boss I certainly can.”

Nemi says “Your- bleh. Hair….“

Esme finishes her piece of chicken, “You should try the steak!!” She insists to Shiloh, wandering over to the couches to flop down on to one contently with her whiskey.

Obadiah says “Where is the soup?“

Robert chews his way through the jellyfish, putting the skewer down with the rest of the dirty dishes and chews through it, making a – complicated expression as he eats. A mixture of pleased surprise, then revulsion, his mouth curling up into a slow frown before he swallows. Eventually, he states, “Kind of spicy. Wouldn’t recommend it.”

“I think Shiloh had it last,” Miles answers Obadiah.

Nemi humps, she moves her hair a bit making sure to tuck the loose strand behind her shoulders as she smiles warmly.

Obadiah says “Shiloh! Soup me, bitch!“

Shiloh looks back to Esme, shaking his head “I uh, think I’m full. Maybe next time!” He declares with a smile.

Rolling her glass between fingers Stelle casts a worried look towards Obadiah and asks, “If you dehydrate can you still turn into an octopus?”

Nemi humphs,a grunt of sort as she retrieves the word messing up loose strand, she moves her hair a bit making sure to tuck the loose strand behind her shoulders as she smiles warmly(fix).

“I am genuinely so glad everyone’s having fun,” Patience admits to Charlotte and the group as a whole. She definitely is not doing a good job at hiding either her amusement or her pleasure, and there’s another snort of laughter at Obadiah’s demand. “Badass Mercer, Mercerize that soup!” she calls over to him, and then slides off her stool to wander over where she can lean against Miles and watch Obadiah sweat up close.

Shiloh says “Soup? “

“Soup,” Adelaide tells Shiloh affirmatively.

Nemi follows Patience over to watch Obadiah as she chuckles a small bit.

“Shiloh stole the soup!” Alice calls out, laughing immediately afterward. “Soup thief!”

Esme shakes her head to Shiloh, “It’s not spicy though! You’re missing out.” She laughs and then looks toward Obadiah as he makes to try the soup.

Kurt inclines his head toward Shiloh, evidently amused by all of this. “Soup.”

Shiloh says “Soup. “

Sofia says “SOUP THIEF!“

“The lava person one” Avalon tells Shiloh distractedly as he looks over the dishes around and just decides to repeat on chicken, before approaching one of the workers and ordering himself a whiskey

“You must really like the soup.” Eloa tells Shiloh with a giggle, “You must have another drink.”

“Gimme a little cup of it when you’re done and we can toast each other with it,” Miles decides to take on the challenge alongside Obadiah, turning his attention expectantly to Shiloh. Grinning, one hand wraps around Patience’s waist. “See, it’s so good he was trying to keep it all to himself,” he claims of Shiloh, rather than considering the obvious possibility that Shiloh was, in fact, trying to save them.

Jenny asks over to Patience “Are you selling the steak already? Or the uh.. more concentrated stuff?” she looks over to Nemi “Love your outfit by the way!”

Shiloh snickers aside at Eloa “I was in such a daze I forgot I had it still.” He says with a chuckle, “I think I was actually hallucinating a little bit.”

“I really do not think lava crawlers count as people, even more so than mushroom folk do,” Adelaide says after a moment of deliberation. “They’re somewhat like… the rats of hell.” If rats were on fire and killed people. But, still, she reaches out as well to sample the bisque and taste the lava, as the case may be.

Tamar lets her gaze shift from one person to the next as the talking and yelling goes on around her, almost through her. There’s a lingering study of Jenny for a little bit before something else distracts her.

Nemi says, smiling warmly with a soft chuckle.

Obadiah blinks a moment and finds a cloth to dab at his eyes, “Damn Pax. You didn’t have to tell me that sad story right as I was enjoying this nice bowl of soup.”

“Maybe you should ask keep soup. Eloa bet good distraction eh?” Eloa tells Shiloh with another spurt of giggling before drinking her cocktail again. “What should Ela try next Shi?”

Sofia begins shoveling the lava crawler bisque into her mouth with a stern expression, the red on her face growing shade after shade until getting almost purple. But she doesn’t stop until the bowl is emptied. Then, huffing and puffing, she tries to cure herself by chugging back the rest of her mixed drink and crunching on ice cubes.

“Haven’t had the pleasure of hunting one down yet” Avalon replies to Adelaide with a shake of his head, before asking on the side “How dangerous are they?”

Likewise people-watching for a time, Ambrose is well pleased — especially by his normally expressionless standards — to simply linger and observe, nigh motionless. There’s a moment of looking to Tamar in turn, before his attention’s stolen by Sofia’s ice-chomping after, dully amused.

“Mmmmh,” Miles smacks his laps after eating the bisque, face turning red and sweat starting to bead on his face. All the same, despite the obvious heat that has him slowly turning redder and redder, he seems to be enjoying the shellfish. “That is fire,” he decides, entirely ambiguous on whether that’s a good thing or the literal state of his mouth right now.

Shiloh snorts at Eloa “Uh, try the soup.”

Desmond sniffs as he joins the bar and leans over it, looking about.

Alice watches Sofia with great amusement, her grin growing wider and wider. When the woman turns purple, Alice breaks out into full-blown laughter, failing to suppress it behind a hand. Four or five staccato, inelegant noises escape her throat, then a snort. “Sofia! You’re turning purple! You ate WAY too much! Ahaha!”

“Sorry, Obie. There’s just so many sad stories to tell. Don’t melt,” Patience says worriedly as the two Mercers mercerize the soup.” She snickers, kisses Miles on the cheek, and then turns to peer over at Ambrose. “Tour first, or after the riddles?” she wonders of him. Then, raising her voice she adds, “Please make sure you get a raffle ticket! We’ll be raffling off the best Bestiary in all of the not-destroyed Cities Between in a little while!

Nemi looks between them. “I’ve been up for so long I can barely feel a thing but I can’t sleep. If I join in I’ll only worsen my health and win.” She states with a nod and a smile to Obadiah and Sofia.

“Never!” Eloa tells Shiloh give another giggle, “You try leech. Eloa cannot eat. Is look so… leech.” She gives a shudder and reaches over to pick up a leech before depositting into Shiloh’s hands. “Try that.

Robert reaches over to lean over, picking up one of the platters of thunderbird and sliding it on over to Tamar, giving her a nudge and a smile as he does. “Busy place.” He pauses. “The leech’s texture is alright. It’s the flavor that seems to be – well, it’s a bit like veal. Only moreso.”

Shiloh makes a face at Eloa before looking down into his hands, “Why do you do this to me?” He asks, though he tries it anyways.

Adelaide takes one single bite of the bisque, and then straightens in her seat, blinking once, slowly. A pause. Her throat works in a swallow, slow and thoughtful, and then she lifts a hand to her mouth, murmuring out, “That is, indeed… quite hot.”

“Riddles should be fine,” Ambrose supposes over to Patience placidly, his hand dawdling about. “I’m fine with either, but perhaps keeping everyone together will be easier than rallying them back together.”

It is only when Robert slides a platter under her nose and nudges her that Tamar glances down at the thunderbird KFC. She offers Robert a faint smile, picking one up and starting to nibble on it before leaning in to listen to his whisper.

Shiloh puckers immediately, the texture almost enough to make the man gag, before his head tilts backwards a bit, a flash of emotions running through him as he starts to laugh “Oh- Oh what’s happening?”

Obadiah finally picks out a drink from the tray and swirls it, the heat dying down, before he says to Sofia, “Did you see that stripper was talking shit about chicken wings on Chat earlier? Claimed she had the best wings in town. So I did the only natural thing and challenged her to a wing-dome against you and I.”

Sofia crunches at her ice repeatedly and grits her teeth after it’s all gone, panting softly and shooting a look the way of Alice. “Too much? Or just enough? No pain no… hah hah… gain, that’s what they say! I’m just…” There’s a few more heavy breaths as she tries to cool herself down, “exercising my taste buds!” She looks between Obadiah and Nemi with a wink, telling the former, “I can definitely eat more lava soup than you.”

“The one that got yeeted off the roof of the apartments?” Patience sasses at Obadiah, her eyebrows lifting in faux-shock. “You should give her a Thunderbird wing and see if hers can compare.”

Robert leans down, starting to gesture at people inbetween whispering to Tamar at his side.

“Do we even have a strip club in town?” Charlotte asks Obadiah, deliberately missing the point of his commentary. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen one.” I mean, this snob looks like she’s probably never set foot inside of one, but okay.

“The Lodge of the Mistwalkers and Mistery Meat are under no obligation to cover doctor or hospital bills in the event of over-indulging tonight,” Patience declares in her loudest and most pompous tone. “But please, do enjoy!

Nemi nods again and again.

“The House of Luck or something like that. She isn’t even fae,” Obadiah says to Charlotte thoroughly annoyed by the whole chicken win situation.

Robert straightens up after the whisper, ambling on over towards Obadiah, “Hey, Obie! How’s the bar doing? And did a bar brawl get out of hand?” He says, lifting up his sunglasses briefly to look at a bloodsplatter still on him, his tone amused. And then he adds, filling in for Charlotte, “We do, I think, but it’s behind closed doors.”

Tamar’s eyes dart between Jenny and Miles while Robert whispers to her, the girl nodding her head slowly.

Esme hums happily as she lets her gaze flit from space to space, relaxing a beat longer before starting to rise up off the couch, making a thoughtful sound.

“I mean, it’s not a strip club, but there’s the Puff Puff Parlour,” Alice says as an aside, kicking her legs back and forth from atop her stool, content to people-watch aside from her little interjections. “Where really cute maids bring you food and draw hearts on it. I’ve heard it’s really cool.”

“There’s an idea for a business.” Charlotte comments idly, making a note in her phone, then she raises her eyebrows at Obadiah. “Well, then I’m sure your wings will win. Remind me to give you a little boost beforehand.” Peering at the drinks tray, she ponders out loud “Do I dare another drink?”

Charlotte says “Maid cafes are tacky.“

Stelle straightens up a bit, her brow furrowing for a moment as she drifts a glance behind her but shrugs it off and reaches for one of Alice’s hands while offering in support, “It has the best lemon bars as well, no? There’s a sample here.”

Nemi whistles softly as she hums, and then tilts her head and chuckles warmly. “I’m keeping that to myself.” She states with a nod.

Really late, Adelaide tells Avalon about the lava crawlers, unbisqued, “They’re quite dangerous, but dealt with reasonably easily, should you keep them at a distance.”

Jenny nods over to Nemi giving a strained grin deflating abit “Yeah… i’d rather just forget currently.”

One of Ambrose’s hands peels off the bartop to gesture toward Stelle, a nod of agreement her way.

Nemi moves over, right towards Jenny and giving her a soft hug.

Eloa waves over at Jenny and Nemi enthusiatically, her cheeks flushed from the alcohol and food. “Ola jenny Nemi!” She calls out.

“Maid cafes are NOT tacky,” Alice firmly defends, though the grin on her face doesn’t fade. “They’re fun and cute! You just gotta leave your cringe at the door.”

Stelle’s gaze is cast Ambrose’s way and for some reason there’s an undeniable look of amusement on Stelle’s face.

Into the basket goes Marina’s hand as she crosses the threshold, whistling to herself. Then she’s poking around in other baskets, like it’s Christmas or something and presents have been laid out for her.

Matthew pokes his head in, making a quiet entrance as he goes to make for the bar.

“Ah, I’m better at closer distances” Avalon replies to Kurt, suddenly brought back to the topic and shrugging his shoulders “Do they not through anything at you?”

Avalon says “Throw even“

Seated at the bar with face glowing red and sweat sheening on his skin, Miles has one hand at Patience’s waist and is peering over towards Obadiah when he catches sight of someone’ entrance. “RINA!” he yells in greeting. “Come try this bisque!”

Seated at the bar with face glowing red and sweat sheening on his skin, Miles has one hand at Patience’s waist and is peering over towards Obadiah when he catches sight of Marina’s entrance. “RINA!” he yells in greeting. “Come try this bisque!”

“Hi everyone just coming in!” Patience calls as she slides off her stool to offer a proper wave to Marina and Matthew, and maybe Desmond as well, as she notes him with a smile. “Please get a raffle ticket and a Mist List out of the ribboned basket, especially if you’re the type to adventure into the mists. The food recipes were provided by our darling BunnyKnight Diego Rose, and the drinks are… pretty normal. Help yourselves, get comfy. We’ll get the riddles going in a few minutes.”

“I will never leave my sense of cringe at any door.” Charlotte says to Alice in a similarly firm tone. “They are tacky, and that cannot be changed.” Her attention turns to the Bachelor of the night, and Charlotte greets Matthew with a grin. “Chien! Did you find true love, my friend?”

Kurt blinks once, raising a brow towards Avalon, “Come again? Granted, same here, but I think you were talking with someone else, hm?” He chuckles, “Kurt Steiner. The pleasure’s mine.”

Esme finally claims a ticket from the basket on her way back to the bar

Jenny returns the hug to Nemi “Thanks…”

“Kai!” Eloa calls out towards the man, “Come try steak. And chicken.” Eloa giggles a little.

Avalon was indeed talking to someone else, had a slip

Kai wanders in and over to the bar, his face, neck and hair spattered with blood and his clothes absolutely drenched in it, he peers around as he approaches the bar with a little grin to Eloa, “Steak sounds good, chicken too, but I heard there was free drinks?” he asks.

“Make sure you got a ticket, make sure you got a free list,” Ambrose rattles off to the new arrivals, stoic and even. Gradually, he peels more upright out of his lean. “And feel free to wander and peruse at your leisure. I may do the same, shortly.”

“Who’s Rina?” Patience asks when Miles yells right next to her ear. Of course, she’s leaning in to whisper whisper to Nemi, and the others, but then she straightens as even more people arrive. “The Lodge is not responsible for burned tongues or stomach aches,” she repeats again with a sly grin over at Ambrose.

Matthew collects a drink off the bar, offering Patience a smile when he’s waved down. He’s B-lining that way but Charlotte – as ever- does earn a look and a grin when she calls out that question. “The path to love is never easy,” he reasons through the crowd at her, “but there were three hotties that I couldn’t pass up!”

Shiloh grins over at Kai “Kai! Hey man, you gotta try the bisque.”

Sofia seems to have finally cooled down, and leans back against the bar with a little breath exhaled. She glances up once she notices Kai enter and gives a drink recommendation herself: “Best drink out there is the BISQUE!”

Nemi walks out, and then back in quite fast as she smiles warmly, heading straight for Patience as she offers them something from her hands.

The raffle ticket is waved in Miles’ direction while Marina looks around at the other things available near the door, ultimately pulling out one of the catalogues too. She’s reading it as she makes her way toward the bar, rocking heel to toe with each step and dodging around others. “I know Ransoms who’d be so insulted that we’re killing thunderbirds,” she comments, getting into Miles’s space. She props her head against his arm, the one not around Patience. “You hunt this stuff, My? For real for real?”

“One of the best,” Ambrose confirms about Miles readily to Marina, or perhaps sells him out. The tone’s even and placid as it usually is from the guy, almost deadpan, but sincere enough. If it’s even parsed through the din.

“Yoink,” Kai declares as he pulls a ticket from the basket and gives a little half-moon wave fo Shiloh, Sofia and Nemi, then reconizes others and just gives a large wave to everyone at the bar, “You guys need more stools,” he tells Ambrose with a little waggle of his brows and rubs his hands together as he starts to load up on food.

Robert tilts his head at the calling out. “How are Thunderbirds to fight, anyway? I don’t believe I’ve fought them – but the moths are bad enough. And the medusas…” He grimaces, reaching up to rub his own shoulder in thuoght.

“We are not a bar,” Ambrose commentates back to Kai, equally deadpan. Despite standing at one.

“Three?” Charlotte calls to Matthew with an amused expression. “I suppose once a man-whore, always a man-whore.” There’s no bite in her tone, despite her harsh words, and she laughs. “I’m glad you have a variety to choose from.”

“Is make sure get drink. Before try bisque.” Eloa tells Kai, seeming uncharacteristically enthusiatic and happy. “Is ice drink quite good. The coconut one.” Eloa glances over at Shiloh after smiling a little. “How was slug?”

Shiloh tells Eloa “Strange, you should try it.”

“Pax, this is my sister, Rina,” Miles introduces Patience to Marina, hand gesturing vaguely in introduction. “Rina, you know Obie,” he tilts his head over to Obadiah, though he qualifies: “Or Orbie, as he’s known now.” He doesn’t explain, that; instead, he goes on to answer her question about hunting: “But yeah. Fuck those taserchickens. If you’d ever been hit by one, you wouldn’t be giving me that look. They deserve what’s coming,” he swears.

“Is too slug like for Eloa.” Eloa shakes her head at Shiloh, braving another piece of steak instead as she watches Kai chase his leech down with some super spicy bisque. Infact she pauses her eating to watch Kai.

“Well we barely know more than one another’s names. True Love needs a garden to bloom and it’s hard to know which plot to settle into. Just ask my dad!” Matthew calls out his punchline and then he’s ducking his head, focus all for Patience.

This news has the blonde blinking not once, not twice, but three whole times as she absorbs what Ambrose tells her. “You’re one of the best, My?!” Marina demands to know, “Wao. Miles Mercer, one of the best hunters.” She leans forward when she’s introduced to Patience, beaming a smile at her. “Hey, I’m Marina,” she seconds the introduction. It seems talk of the ‘taserchickens’ has lost its charm.

Nemi walks over to Miles, looking over someone and turns to Obadiah, smiling as she moves to stand next to him clearly waiting to be introduced.

Kurt raise a brow, nodding over towards Patience as he overhears the introductions made, “Kurt Steiner. Good to put a face to a name.”

Nemi walks over to Miles, looking over Marina and turns to Obadiah, smiling as she moves to stand next to him clearly waiting to be introduced.

Alice looks around at the gathered crowd, eyes taking a moment to focus, unfocus, and refocus a few times. She turns to Stelle after she’s completed her scan and, in a voice that’s significantly louder than she meant it to be, asks, “Did you see anyone sneak off to make out yet?”

Kai turns and puts his clean back against the bar and gives a nod to Ambrose, “Nice place you got here,” he tells the man and pops some food into his mouth, chomping down, he gobbles up the food and takes a sip of his cocktail, asking Eloa, “You already are pretty drunk huh?” as he absolutely houses the free food he’s taken and washes it down with some of the free drink as well.

“Hey Rina,” Patience greets with a smile to Marina. When Miles gives her name, she offers the full-on formal version of, “Patience Vasquez, but I prefer Pax by a mile. Really good to meet you!” Then, as Miles rats out Obadiah for his new nickname, she turns to say to Kurt, “Definitely lovely! Good to see you, Kurt,” before her gaze is again swept up by Matthew’s approach.

Sofia squints over at someone and then back to Miles, complaining, “Oh god, the Mercers are Multiplying.” She pauses politely and then says, “I’m Sofia Delvecchio. And your name is hilarious for a nautical family. I bet when your relatives were gonna go boating they were like, on man, we gotta take Marina to the Marina so we can yacht on our yacht.”

Sofia squints over at Marina and then back to Miles, complaining, “Oh god, the Mercers are Multiplying.” She pauses politely and then says, “I’m Sofia Delvecchio. And your name is hilarious for a nautical family. I bet when your relatives were gonna go boating they were like, on man, we gotta take Marina to the Marina so we can yacht on our yacht.”

Kai heads back for seconds of the slug, which he tosses into his mouth, he wanders over to Patience and Eloa as he chews, “I don’t care if it’s rhinoceros taint, it’s tasty,” he says through a mouthful of food, a little grin on his face.

Eloa looks over at Kai who seems to have a mouth of iron then back at Patience, then back at Kai, then back at Patience, “I not sure… He no seem to be tasting food.. just shoving down throat…” She tells the other woman, frowning in slight concern. “Think he one of those delayed reaction types?”

Obadiah takes a minute to snap back to reality then looks at Marina, “Rina!” he says and wraps her up in a big hug, squeezing her tightly and lifting up slightly. “Miles threatened me with a good time!”

“Hey, I wasn’t giving a look, Miles. I mostly haven’t -fought- any of the stuff. I do a lot of driving and organizing when people are kidnapped, not so much the actual fighting end…” Robert slides his gaze on over to Tamar. “What sort of things have you fought, yourself, Tamar? I know we tackle the mushroom men often enough.”

Mid sip Stelle widens her eyes and coughs a few times, the lingering burn of unswallowed alcohol drawing a pained expression from the blonde as she looks down at Alice. “I-… No, I haven’t euh…. noticed anybody walking out yet to begin with,” Stelle replies in a quieter tone still loud enough to be gleaned by anyone listening in, “Why?”

“I fought a thunderbird once, but it was a big hunt with many people,” Tamar says to Robert. “I think boarmen have been the deepest that I have actually tackled on my own.”

Esme waves to Marina, definitely tipsy but probably recognizable as Esme, Obie’s long-standing roommate.

Seated nearby and people-watching, Adelaide’s eyes do flick over to Alice and Stelle’s conversation with some curiosity, and maybe a little more than mild amusement.

Kai opens his mouth as he chews so he can see the little pops of electricity in his mouth, despite how gross it may be to her, he wears a shit eating grin, “This stuff is amazing.”

“Okay everyone. Game time,” Patience/span>/spanOff the floor come Marina’s feet thanks to Obadiah’s hug, her arm going to loop around his shoulders. “Orbs! Why are you Orbie now?” she asks, before refocusing on Sofia, “It could be worse. They coulda named me something like Dolphin or something stupid, right?” Then she’s giving a horrified gasp. “Oh no. Dolphina Mercer — hey, Esme. Who’s the hot old guy?” Indeed. She has just labeled Matthew as a ‘hot old guy’.

“Matty!” Miles attention wanders, arcing from person to person like electricity – perhaps like the electricity still arcing between his teeth after having a taste of that dead thunderbird – until it briefly finds Matthew. “Sup, bro. Sorry I missed the show. I heard you got attacked by a dinosaur.” And then just like that his gaze is bouncing over to Robert. Whatever he’s saying, whatever context frames it, seems to be lost upon Miles because he doesn’t seem to comprehend it. He just kind of vacantly says, “Huh?” Then flashes a friendly grin for Robert’s benefit and peers back over to Ambrose and Sofia. “Ambrose, Sofia, this is my sister Marina,” he makes some more introductions for Marina.

Alice shrugs, giggling behind a hand. “I dunno, that’s just what people do at parties, and the Lodge is huge. Like, a million places to hide.” She does her best Ambrose impression now, saying flatly, “Please, not on the stuffed frogman.” Her attention is pulled to Patience, though, eyes wide, barely stifling another laugh, and she reaches over to join in on the riddle games.

Obadiah pats, Marina on the shoulder and introduces her to Nemi, “This is Nemi Ivorstead, my assistant. Sofia is the Pizza Queen, my arch rival, You know Esme of course, Uh…” He rattles off names and faces the Other Other Other Other Mercer should know. “Blame Miles. Of course. Esme’s with King. You probably knew that. Um… Neve is Matt’s assistant.” He motions to Matthew. “Why do I know all this shit?”

Adelaide goes to nab a page from the riddles sheet right away. She’s got a game to win.

Peeling up more out of his lean against the bar, Ambrose straightens — first at Patience’s announcement, and then at the introductions. Hand to clavicle, chin dipping, he rattles back to Marina, “Marina Mercer? Ambrose Vasquez. Pleasure.” The game’s afoot, and his attention wanes off to it.

Kai wanders over to the envelope and grabs another taste of the bisque on his way, he takes out a page from the envelope and peers down at it thoughtfully.

Matthew appears to be in conversation with Patience, but Miles calling out his name does see the Montrose pulling up to his full height, peeking over the heads of shorter guests until his eyes land on Miles. “Mercer, I thought you’d be there,” he hollers, all mock-disappointment, “I’ll let it slide if you hook me up with some tacos for one of my dates.” Obadiah’s question earns a small shrug, he doesn’t know, and then head’s dipping back down, listening to whatever Patience may have to say.

Robert nods at Tamar. “I think the biggest thing I ever fought was the giant hound or the giant ant – and the most dangerous was all those things made out of bones and a bunch of pain leeches when rescuing Miles and Pax. That was an adventure.” He leans over to snag a pair of riddles.

“Oh, Nemi is your assistant? You’re the one who hit on Malin?” Charlotte butts in to Obadiah’s coversation with some amusement. “I wondered who that was.” She swings over to the envelope on her way to the bar, taking a look at the riddles as she does, in fact, grab another drink.

“Oh, his name’s Matt?” Marina winks at Matthew and gives him a little upnod. “Hey, I’m Marina.” Then she’s looking aside to Ambrose, offering a flash of smile before she, too, joins in the look of this riddle sheet. “I dunno what Esme sees in King. She’s too hot for him.”

Nemi turns to Obadiah. “Because you care for friends and family?” She asks with a smile. “OH! I also work as a waitress at his bar more than I ever do as his assistant.” She adds with a cheeky smile. “You really need to take me to do stuff with you more man…. Or at least figure out a way to get me more involved in… any way.” She states and chuckles, she turns and raises an eyebrow to Marina. “If you mean me- No I did not hit on Malin.” She states and nods softly.

“If you were named Dolphina,” Sofia supposes to Marina thoughtfully, “You’d need to learn how to do the squeaky clicky dolphin talk, and just like, pretend you can’t speak English, you can only speak dolphin.” She nods sagely back to the mercer, then watches as Ambrose departs with a faint smile, and listening to Patience as she starts recounting the rules.

Esme grins to Marina, “Good t’ see ya.” She chuckles and grins, “He’s a smooth talker and he’s good in bed.” She laughs out again. “Speaking of. I gotta get a lil air and sober tha fuck up so i can ride over t’ his place.”

Stelle thins her lips and casts a look at Ambrose but given there’s no reaction to Alice’s words she instead just leans down and tells Alice, “Beneath the Weeping Willow would be much more romantic,” before she straightens and finishes her drink. Explanation completed, she takes a riddle list though she doesn’t seem particularly invested yet.

“I swear to god I told him not to do that cheesy ass Elvis line and my sister of the sea,” Obadiah winces as he twitches slightly, “The mother fucker said it. That was the one fucking rule and the mother fucker said it.” Family love.

“But he’s so cool,” Miles protests in response to Marina’s claim, shaking his head. “I mean. His name’s King. That alone puts you miles ahead on the cool meter.” He tosses a thumbs-up over at Esme. “Take it easy, Esme!”

“Stone golem, frog men, giant rats,” Adelaide rattles off 1-3 immediate, pausing and skipping over the fourth, “minotaur, flaming centipede, those trees that hurt…” There’s a pause – she doesn’t seem very familiar with quotes. Eight is skipped as well. “Paper warrior.” There. Seven out of ten isn’t that bad, surely. She leaves some of the fun for others, skimming over the rest of the list and then glancing at Patience questioningly.

“…that’s information that is so gross,” Marina declares to Esme, before pointing at something on the page. “Look! ROUS! Giant rats! Christ, are there giant rats…?”

Esme sticks her tongue out giggles before slipping out with a wave to the others.

“Which tree that hurts,” Miles asks Adelaide seriously. “There are so many. And then the psychopathic chia pets,” he tacks on.

Kurt says “Those are, certainly, rodents of unusual size…“

Making a beeline for Matthew at the bar, Mab promptly invades his personal space, draping an arm around his shoulder to kiss him on the cheek and aggressively ruffle his hair. Then she simply unravels herself from him and leaves him to resume whatever it is he was doing, whomever it is he was talking to, having done her public service of mildly bullying a younger relative for the day. “Oh my god I love this place,” she tells anyone and everyone, “I had no idea the grand opening was now. I didn’t even have time to eat after the show!”

Matthew shoots off some texts, spying through the crowd like each person were a tree in a jungle until at last his eyes find Charlotte where she sits. He’s smirking in her direction, looking faintly amused before attention is drawn twoards Marina. Nods are returned, his hand lifted and waving her way, “Marina, hey, good to meet you.”

“They are labeled as such in the specimen gallery,” Ambrose assures, an arm lifting westward.

Nemi smiles happily. With a nod too.

“Oh,” Alice says, “Twenty seven is Manticore!” She whips her head over to Patience, eyes bright and wide. “Right? Manticore? Did I win?”

Obadiah looks to Miles, “You know what this means though? I am not this smart one any more. She’s the smart one.” He motions to Marina, “I mean I am still the pretty one, no one will take that away from me.” He bats his eyes suggestively towards, someone, probably.

To Adelaide, Patience shakes her head at the first one and offers, “tiny hands.” But then she says, “Yes to two and three, and five, and six, and which trees do you mean?” There’s a soft laugh, then a nod again at number nine. “Nice,” she says with a grin.

Kai sets his page on the bar and grabs a pen from his backpack, ignoring or unable to pay attention to those around him until he’s done, he folds it and slides it to Patience, “Nice!”

For being the tallest Montrose in New Haven, Matthew has a terrible habit of stooping just a little too low to return his cousin’s hugs – his poor hair the victim in every hair ruffling he fails to avoid. Today is no different with Mab and it leaves hims scowling, good-natured for his cousin’s greeting.

Sofia happened to be leaning on the bar when Mab arrives, and glances aside to her. “Oh, hey Mab. I ran into a possible employee of yours at my shop last night, apparently a Coretech transfer from another division. Did he ever make his way to you?”

Desmond quips at Sofia, “Just now, yes, apparently.”

Robert glances down at the page, and then rattles off, “1. The musician formerly known as Prince. 2. The other Prince. 3. Inconceivable! 4. An energetic dog with a feather duster taped to their tail. 5. My pet mouse. 6. Whomever I’m dating at the time. 7. Why did -anyone- listen to Sauron?” The man rattles off about the first couple, clearly not taking -any- of it seriously.

Kurt flashes a faint grin, nodding towards Sofia, before pointing towards Desmond. “No time like the present.”

“There are multiple tree,” Adelaide says slowly to Patience. “It is certainly one of them.” She doesn’t remember the different types of trees, dammit.

“Hey, Rina, what are your digies?” Miles asks Marina, evidently on the same project as Obadiah – and too dumb to realize it – though he is distracted suddenly by the riddle game.

Tamar glances over as Mab walks in, at least one other face she is vaguely familiar with. She offers a polite nod the woman’s way then is distracted again by the conversations.

Sofia blinks and double-takes at Desmond, apparently not having picked him up out of the crowd. She looks back to Mab and says, “Well, that’s convenient.”

Eloa grabs a page of riddles but doesn’t seem to make much of it, giggling a little to herself as she sips her drink. She looks over at Kai. “You done already? So fast.” She tells him wide eyed.

Lifting a bit out of his slouch again, Ambrose’s attention lands on Mab, and he both lifts a hand and then cocks it toward the raffle tickets. “Miss Montrose, always a pleasure. Make sure you get a ticket. It is a pretty fabulous prize.” Attention once more stolen by the game, it drifts between guessers and Patience and other partygoers.

“There are the big ass ents, and the whomping willows, and, uh…” Miles trails off, trying to think of something to assist Adelaide, but his brain seems to have stalled out because he just freezes.

“710-0361,” Marina answers, her tongue coming out as she takes a closer look at the riddle sheet. “Why are there so many that sound like giant trees…”

Kai nods to Eloa, “I’m super smart. Also just put question marks where I wasn’t sure,” he tells her and wanders by her and over to Charlotte, “Hey who are you? I’m Kai,” he greets the woman with a little grin.

Robert fires back to Marina, “Because they won’t leaf us alone.”

Charlotte visibly cringes at the word ‘digies’, though for once she doesn’t make an unpleasant comment. Maybe the drink has removed some of the bitch from her system.

says to kai “Oookay. One and two are right, so is five, six, seven, and nine. Thirteen,” Patience says still reading off Kai’s paper. “Fifteen needs a name, sixteen’s right, eighteen’s right, twenty-two through twenty-five are fine. Twenty nine is right. Gah,” she complains with a laugh. It’s hard this way!. “Thirty’s good.”

Shiloh waves “I gotta run, love the place though, was good to be here for the opening!”

Matthew continues making rounds, collecting a drink, pausing near to Sofia to upnod the woman, “You got an issue with the Hawks?” he wonders, but doesn’t linger long for the answer. Shiloh’s gets a pat on the back, a passing hello while the Montrose makes his way over to where Charlotte’s sitting, busying herself with documents. Who even does that at a party?

Kai waves at Shiloh, “Later!” he calls to Shiloh.

Nemi turns to Marina and chuckles softly. “No idea but its a common trend amongst monsters it seems.”

Sofia snerks back at Matthew and says, “Naw, Hawks are fine,” and ushers him on with a grin.

Marina casts a look at Robert a smile dimpling her cheeks. “You’re funny,” she decides, before giving Nemi a big sigh. “Needs more sea monsters.”

Marina says “Oh man! Kelp monsters! That’d be awful.“

Patience laughs quietly at Robert’s jesting, but when she sees Mab she beams and offers a wave. Then, seriously, she offers, “I am sorry if I’m missing anyone saying something…” It’s Matthew she looks to, briefly, to check in on that.

It takes her a moment to realize she’s been spoken to, and Charlotte ignores him for a little too long. Rude. She catches up, though, and replies to Kai with “I’m Charlotte. Charmed, I’m sure” before she turns to Matthew, giving him a hug before replying “If you ever call them that again, I will block you in my phone” with a shudder.

Jenny looks over to Patience “How does this work? I just stepped back in…”

“You’re pretty and you’re a literally a white knight,” Mab confirms Obadiah’s words, finding a new conversation to butt into, somewhat literally, as she hip-checks him. Then she looks back at him, uncertainly, and offers, “Well maybe kinda brown night?”

But then Mab hears her name, and she pears about at the sea of faces clustered by the bar before finally landing on Sofia, and Ambrose, who each receive a wave from her in turn. “Hey you’re … the Pizza Queen, right?” she asks the green-eyed woman. “He probably did, what was his name? Start with a K?” She indulges Ambrose with a smile too, clasping her hands demurely in front of her. “Ambrose, I couldn’t possibly miss this! Even if I am unfashionably late. This is one of my favourite local spots to go book-shopping. Even if your displays do always work up my appetite.”

Nemi says “Not big game? okay, stay safe and hunt well.“

Kai blinks a few times at Charlotte and turns to walk away from her after he gets her name, wandering back over to Eloa, “So do you like the crackle chicken or what?” he asks ehr takes another long drink of his drink, “Hey Nemi, how’s it going?” he asks Nemi upon seeing her again in the crowd.

“Twenty-six is the decaying creature, I suppose.” Adelaide tells Patience, then remarks, “Or a vampire. Twenty-five is something I have seen, and do not recall the exact name of. Twenty-four is boar-people, twenty-three is mushroom people. Or Obadiah.” She’s tired of speaking the numbers now, so the listener can presume she’s going up the list. “Snake creature, Jack…? Mud lurker.” 19 gets skipped over. “Ice sprite. Draugr. Marionette.” A squint. She’s not going to try to figure out the quotes. There’s a look up at Patience now, anticipatory.

Robert waves at Mab, flashes a grin back over towards Patience and Marina, and then leaning down towards Tamar. “You want to head to somewhere a bit quieter in the room? I’m starting to get overwhelmed.”

Nemi turns, walking over to Kai and smiling. “Going good! Except for my chronic insomnia.” She states with a nod. “Running on pure coffee and caffine. But I’m fine.”

Eloa shakes her head, “Is Kai mouth no full of pain when eating chicken?” The latina asks him as if trying to assess if Kai’s pain receptors are broken. “Open mouth?” She asks him, “Go ahh?”

“The balcony is quieter, and the sitting room off of it quieter still,” Ambrose asides to Robert gently, gesturing toward the stairs.

Kai steps away from Eloa and Nemi without responding to either to head Marina’s way, “Hey I’m Kai, who’re you?” he asks, setting his empty glass on the bar as he peers at the man with a lift of his eyebrows and a little grin.

Kurt chuckles as he fires off a quick text, before turning to Jenny, “Jenny, right? I think we met in passing at the concern the other morning?”

Kai meant to address Avalon not Marina.

Looking down at her phone, Mab then lifts her gaze once more, scanning the room to land on Kurt. “Oh, Special K is already right here,” she clarifies for someone.

Matthew returns that hug with a few pat-pat-pats before he pulls up a chair, inserting himself at Charlotte’s table, beside her. “You would never,” he banters back, “who else would you be dogging if you did?”

Looking down at her phone, Mab then lifts her gaze once more, scanning the room to land on Kurt. “Oh, Special K is already right here,” she clarifies for Sofia.

Desmond inclines his head across the bar to Mab. “Nay, Miss Montrose. A D. Desmond Rawlins, I was seeking you out a request to onboard, as it were. I am sure you are busy how-ever. It can wait for as long as you please.” He offers with a small, momentary smile.

When Mab hip checks him Obadiah looks up, offended, until he realizes who it is. Since she has since turned away he walks up behind her and puts his hands on her shoulders and starts to massage. “Mab Montrose! My messy bitch drama queen!” he says cheefully, “You have been making eyes at me at every event all weak and yet you don’t come talk to me. I am beginning to feel unloved.”

Tamar blinks at Robert, completely caught up and also overwhelmed with the swell and crash over conversations all around. “Alright,” she agrees, looking vaguely stunned bunny as she slides off her stool.

Marina elbows Miles in the side, demanding, “Where’s your couch so I can sleep on it tonight?” Then she’s belting out, “Jenny, I got your number,” before reading her riddles anew.

Nemi says “Oh if I knew that I would have ran over- Sorry…“

Nemi says “got out of the mists easily enough I assume after?“

“You’ve gotten a lot of them!” Patience tells Adelaide with a laugh. “I’ll give the answers when everyone’s had a chance to try and puzzle through them, and then we can do the raffle. I want to show off this book,” she confesses. As Robert and Tamar slip off, she calls to them, “Thanks!” but she too seems a bit stunned by all that’s going on. She’s not a good center of attention.

Avalon lifts his hand in greeting of Kai addressing him, replying simply “Avalon. You’re Kai, right? Amelia did mention you, a pleasure” He says nodding his way and finishing with a sip his drink

Charlotte looks a little surprised a she repels yet another person with her somewhat unpleasant manner. Didn’t this girl go to cotillion? She seems to have missed any real lessons in charm school. Luckily, here is Matthew, who has a nice thick skin and lets this lady’s abrasive commentary roll off of him. “Good point, chien.” Her tone IS friendlier now that she’s talking to someone she knows. “I need to be able to text you to roast you.”

Sofia waves a hand in front of Mab to direct her attention to Desmond, saying, “This guy here, Desmond, yeah.” She grins over at the man after he makes his timid introduction, giving the woman a little wink. “Looks you got a fine new bootlicker to add to the collection,” she jokes, seeming content to have made the introduction and starting to wander off for more free booze.

Robert gently reaches over to grasp Tamar’s arm, nodding at Ambrose’s words. “Thank you, Ambrose.” He answers quietly before he guides the other woman over towards the nearby couches to lounge in those. “We’re not going anywhere far!” He calls back to Patience.

turns his attention back up to Mab, though, with that hint of a smile pulled back. “Thank you. It’s been a labor of love, and it’s been Pax’s work that’s got the opening going. Otherwise, I’d’ve been fussing with specimens indefinitely, never finished. There are a few new ones since you’ve last been, and a new pamphlet, and the prize…”

Ambrose looks back to Marina at her comment. “Close, actually.” His eyes drift to Miles. “We have rooms.”

“Ow!” Miles expels when Marina elbows him, then he lifts his hand to point over at Ambrose. “I’ve been staying at the villa de Vasquez. Ambrose probably has a spare room you can crash in,” he suggests to Marina. “If not, I think King has a few rooms for family, but I don’t think he’s conscious this late. Dude’s getting his beauty sleep or he and Esme are,” he smacks his hands together.

Nemi says “Good good, Glad you’re safe.“

“You don’t know if it’s a pleasure or not yet, I’m an asshole,” Kai grins at someone and gives the man a wave and wanders off and over to Desmond, “Hey, who’re you?” he asks and adds, “I’m Kai by the way, he peers at the man curiously.

“You don’t know if it’s a pleasure or not yet, I’m an asshole,” Kai grins at Avalon and gives the man a wave and wanders off and over to Desmond, “Hey, who’re you?” he asks and adds, “I’m Kai by the way, he peers at the man curiously.

Jenny stares blankly at Kurt her pupils dilated giving a nod before looking to Marina “Why do you have my number…?”

“Excellent,” Adelaide tells Patience, pleased with herself, and settles the list aside, crossing one leg over the other while she sits and gets back to people-watching. “I shall let someone else handle the rest. A few too many quotes I am unfamiliar with.”

Mab tilts her head back against Obadiah and smiles up at him when he starts to massage her shoulders. “I have been very busy. Very stressed,” she complains with a little pout. “Oh thank goodness you are here to take care of that. There is just so much drama, all the time, I have no idea how it constantly finds me.” The melodrama in her voice definitely has nothing to do with it, surely. When Sofia points out someone, she turns to squint at him. “Well hello there Desmond. You are … a transfer? Your name hasn’t come up.”

Mab tilts her head back against Obadiah and smiles up at him when he starts to massage her shoulders. “I have been very busy. Very stressed,” she complains with a little pout. “Oh thank goodness you are here to take care of that. There is just so much drama, all the time, I have no idea how it constantly finds me.” The melodrama in her voice definitely has nothing to do with it, surely. When Sofia points out Desmond, she turns to squint at him. “Well hello there Desmond. You are … a transfer? Your name hasn’t come up.”

Setting her elbow on the bar side, Eloa looks into her drink, looking like she’s drunk a little too much with her cheeks pink. She hums softly to herself, tilting her head back and forth.

“I can’t sleep at King’s place, I’ll have to hear him and Esme fucking all night long,” Marina complains. When it becomes evident that Ambrose is the one she must ask about couches from, the beachy Mercer pivots to him and flashes her teeth as she smiles brightly. “Hey. Hi. Babe,” she coos, “You like food? I cook. I’m a great cook. You want a massage or something? I don’t take up much space. Just a couch.”

Then she’s looking aside at Jenny blinking once. “…do I have your number? I don’t think I do.”

“Well, so am I” Avalon says more to himself than Kai, as the man seems to be ready to move on, and instead he approaches another of the server to get himself a second drink, and walk back closer to the bar, seemingly happy to keep eating while the rest talk around him

Mab ends up looking not so much at Desmond’s face, but rather squinting very intently at his watch.

“It’s just a guessing game,” Patience tells Jenny. “You read the riddles off the list, and try to figure out the monster they refer to.” But then she’s distracted, and her jaw drops as she just settles in to watch Ambrose being hit on by Miles’s sister. Looking between the two men and Marina, she starts to laugh again.

Obadiah releases Mab’s shoulders. “Mercer’s are poor,” he reminds her before turning back his attention to Nemi having glanced at his phone. “Come here,” he says with a smile.

Alice looks up from her phone, scanning again, before returning to the food. Bisque, mushroom steak… time to try something new. She peruses, being incredibly picky after being quite literally burned on an earlier choice, before selecting a serving of the torment leech. She looks at it with a grimace, but then intones the age-old adage, “Slimy, yet satisfying,” before popping it into her mouth. She HATES it, it’s evident on her face, but then she laughs, then she frowns again, then she just looks grumpy.

Desmond makes a sneer at Sofia as she wanders off, though he stops himself from following her with some castigation with an instant smilr as he’s addressed by Mab. “Hello. Indeed, Miss Montrose. The particulars are unique, which is why I needed to speak with you. Better I found you first than not.”

Rich kid shit. Charlotte would have fit right in on Mean Girls no doubt. Matthew only laughs at it, “That’s true,” he says, braving the unthinkable in one night, “you need these diggies so you can–” he stalls out on this, thinking way too long. In fact he thinsk so long on it that the moment for fast wit passes and instead it’s just grasping straws for that guy. “Still get jiggy.” That doesn’t even rhyme, but the Montrose doesn’t seem to know, or care.

Sofia slides up beside Ambrose as Marina makes her pitch, and she lets out a laugh, bumping up sidelong against the man to give him a hug and joking, “He’s on a fairly strict diet.”

Nemi chuckles softly, giving Obadiah a reassuring hug. “Wish I could fill all of your guys’s wishes, But I can’t control other people needing to sleep….” She states and chuckles after the fact.

Jenny stares to Marina “You literally said ‘Jenny, I gor your number.'” she says before looking over to Patience “Oh.. What do I use to guess?”

Stelle grins a bit and bumps Alice with a shoulder, “Not so tasty? Should have tried the thunder lizard, no?”

The shmoozing from Marina earns the ghost of a smile on Ambrose’s expressive lips, about as good as most people get, and he assures placidly, “If Miles vouches for you, we have a suite with your name on it. If you are needing to crash now, I can show you over and get you set up.” An arm reflexively lifts to drift around Sofia at her arrival, nodding aside. “… and yes. Very strict diet.”

Eloa reaches over and offer Jenny a pen. “Use pen.”

“If I ever see a leech again it’ll be too soon,” Alice says with a dour look.

Patience just snickers again as Sofia steps in and says aside to her, “I wanted to see him handle that…” But there’s no pouting. She’s too amused.

“Did you run out of batteries there, darling?” Charlotte asks Matthew, raising an eyebrow as he visibly goes offline for a second. “Need to plug yourself in to recharge?” She takes another sip of her drink, looking a bit like she needs to plug herself in to recharge, if we’re being honest.

“There is one in the specimen room,” Ambrose reminds Alice without looking, equally even-toned in a sotto. How helpful.

“Hey, guy,” Kai pesters Desmond when the man’s attention goes to Mab, “Name? El Nombre?” he wonders he peers over at the free food longingly but glances back to Desmond with his brows raised a bit.

“It is so unfair how all the meanest men end up with the most money,” Mab easily agrees with Obadiah, as if she, the VP of Coretech Consulting, would have nothing whatsoever to do with that. She refocuses on Desmond after her banter, but her expression reads as very plainly suspicious. All the same, she indicates the nearby collection of cozy couches. “Well let’s go sit over there, the bar is packed and they’re selling absolutely nothing here I’d like to drink.”

“Ambrose has an awesome cat, though. You’ll have to fight Snorrington for a couch,” Miles yells at Marina’s back while she assails Ambrose. “Yeah, she’s alright,” he reluctantly assures Ambrose, vouching for his younger sister and giving a thumbs-up. “I’m holding a Purrs in the Park fest tomorrow, trying to help the animal shelter adopt out some of their cats,” he tells Marina. “Around midnight tomorrow. You should come.”

Sofia snerks back to Patience and gives a shrug, teasing, “I only answer for him when I’m repeating one of his many mantras.”

“Don’t need it imminently,” Marina promises Ambrose, making a victorious fist-pump gesture. Her hand drags through her hair to toss it out of her face, making it look even more windswept than it was before. She seems confused for a minute as she stares at Jenny Then she laughs sweetly. “It’s just a song, babes.”

Alice reaches for the thunderbird this time, tearing into it with a serious case of the munchies. She twitches and jolts with every bite, though, eliciting little “ow, ow, ow, ow, ow” noises with each shock. “Ow.”

Marina says, only hearing the word cat on the tail end of Miles’ voice, “I love cats, I’ll be there.“

Finally, Miles manages to pull his focus enough together to look for one of the riddle sheets.

Mab settles herself neatly onto the couch all by herself, and straightens out her skirt, looking expectantly to Desmond.

Obadiah finishes his hug with Nemi. “You aren’t a genie, dear. Not your problem,” Obadiah says though he does glance over to Sofia and Ambrose for just a moment before looking back to Miles, Patience and Marina before looking to Nemi. “It’s fine.”

Matthew is sputtering, but either he’s deeply seeded in rebellion, or just down right obstinate when it comes to Charlotte because he leans to insist, “Naw, I’m good.” He laughs, head shaking and then taps a finger to my temple, “Okay, maybe I’m like…” before he’s pantomiming a slow fall towards E.

“Okay guys! Answers to the first ten, in order!” Patience calls out. “Kobolds, frogmen, enormous rats, griffon, minotaur,” she pauses, then stresses, “lava crawler,” as if all these food eaters should’ve easily guessed that one. “Wooden women, Paper warriors, and velociraptors.”

Nemi nods softly, smiling and nodding at Obadiah as she chuckles a bit and sighs.

Desmond looks up at Kai, gives him the up-and-down, and rises from his seat, pressing hands down his longcoat as he introduces himself. “Desmond. I must go,”, he bids the man, before nodding to Mab with a flat expression and heading over to where he was directed.

Showing the first bit of genuine cheerfulness in a hot minute, Charlotte calls over to Miles “I’ll be attending that. My sweet little tabby needs a buddy to help her more effectively ruin my couch.” She does not look upset about the state of her furniture. Attention turning back to Matthew, she nods. “I must confess, I’m leaning towards an irish goodbye soon myself.”

Matthew wonders of Charlotte, “You know a good spot to plug in?”

Ambrose pans his gaze back over as the answers start going out, unblinking eyes settling on Patience placidly.

Desmond remains standing as he awaits.

But Mab simply says nothing and stares up at Desmond expectantly, waiting for him to go first.

Patience says to Nemi, “Maybe not but your moon pies sound good.” As she overhears Charlotte, the diva puts on her prettiest pout and flutters her lashes, though really she can hardly complain. “Don’t leave yet!” she calls out. “We’re going to do the raffle in a moment. Do you all have your tickets?

Kai nods a couple of times at someone after he introduces himself and turns around to head back to the bar, he glances sidelong at Alice as he pops some thunderbird meat into his mouth, chomping down, his cheeks glowing a bit from the electric shocks happening in his mouth with each bite, “You’re crazy, this is tasty. It needs like… hot sauce or buffalo sauce or something though.”

Kai nods a couple of times at Desmond after he introduces himself and turns around to head back to the bar, he glances sidelong at Alice as he pops some thunderbird meat into his mouth, chomping down, his cheeks glowing a bit from the electric shocks happening in his mouth with each bite, “You’re crazy, this is tasty. It needs like… hot sauce or buffalo sauce or something though.”

Matthew is first stand from the table, offering Charlotte a hand to assist her up. She has’nt even said anything.

Stelle squeezes Alice’s hands with each pained emission but her attention quickly draws towards her riddle sheet and she raises her eyebrows. “Hate wooden woman even more now,” she comments, but she’s otherwise silent ears open.

Marina holds up her iPhone to get a selfie with Obadiah and Miles in the background, taking some time to angle it properly. A single-hand heart is given to the camera with her thumb and forefinger folded just right.

Obadiah makes a face at the selfie but is perfectly relaxed with the Mercer clan.

Again Stelle’s comment earns a lift of Ambrose’s finger crooked her way and a grim nod, but his attention returns to Patience.

“Hahaha,” Miles just breaks into giggles at the first quote on the page. He nods at the second. Check. Check. At the third, he just stares blankly. Expression growing befuddled as he occasionally stumbles on his descent through the riddles. The answers presented by Patience draw out a protracted “Oooooooh,” of realization. Looking up, he peers around to try to identify who was calling back to him, but eventually spots Charlotte and grins. “Oh, we’ve got you covered. I’m ambitious, so I told them I’d try to get thirty adopted out. I figure if I fall short of my goal, Ambrose can take the rest in.” He certainly hasn’t told Ambrose about this part of the plan. Leaning in, he flashes a grin for the selfie, framing his face with Marina’s and Obadiah’s.

Desmond looks to Mab with a squint, before taking his seat, legs crossing prim and conservatively. A hand is offered to take the opposite couch.

Few people can keep this woman at a party she doesn’t want to be at anymore, and fewer still get genuine softness, but something about Patience gets both. A genuine smile is directed at the woman as Charlotte says “All right, darling, I can give you a few more minutes” before she turns to Matthew and says “No plugging in yet, I’m afraid. Pax forbids it – we MUST raffle.”

Charlotte calls over to Miles “I’ll only adopt one” in the tone of a person who absolutely could be talked into adopting two.

As Mab is already seated, she just keeps staring at Desmond and waiting for him to break the silence.

Adelaide settles in to listen to the answers, a hand propping up her chin as she leans just lightly against the bar. “I shall be leaving soon, I’m afraid,” she tells Patience, sticking around to raffle as the others do. “This was lovely, though. Excellent work all around.”

Perhaps Ambrose remains blissfully unaware of his impending houseguests, or perhaps he takes the news placidly.

Taking out her raffle ticket, Eloa turns to pay attention to Patience. The latina’s doe like eyes are blinking a bittt too hard, showing that all the alcohol and drug effects in the food are affecting just a bit.

Kurt glances over towards Eloa, taking note of her delayed reactions. A soft chuckle escapes him as he shakes his head.

Matthew perks up at the mention of a raffle and then his hand is lifting high in the air, waving it above the heads of all nearby, attempting to flag down Patience. Speaking up he calls, “Hey, where’s my raffle ticket?!”

“The next ten are: satyr, sand statues, golden hounds, shambling corpses, the enchanted marionettes, and the pale warriors,” Patience says but that’s only five. She pauses, nodding and giving Charlotte a thumbs up. “Right after this I promise!” she swears, beforee rattling off five more. “Frost sprites, bone vultures, mud lurker, pumpkin horror, and stone serpents.

Desmond didn’t actually offer a hand as he took his seat given Mab was already seated, and instead looked around conspiratorially before he started on a murmur.

Kai gives a little two fingered salute to Adelaide upon noticing her and then he wanders out of the room, giving everyone the old Irish goodbye as he heads for the street.

Patience then twists around behind the bar to get out a ticket tumbler, which she sets down on the bar. “Amby, you want to do the honors?” she calls, waving to Ambrose and pointing. “Just pull a ticket and we can see who won!”

“Pull my ticket!” Marina encourages Ambrose.

Leaning forward dramatically, or perhaps just naturally slow, Ambrose fishes into the tumbler.

Ambrose uses a white ticket tumbler: The ticket pulled reads: 11/span>Alice says “Noooooo! “

Ambrose turns it over between two fingers. “Eleven.”

laughs. “The only one not picked,” Patience says to Ambrose. “Once more – but if it’s over twenty, we’ll have to redraw.

Avalon says “Damn, short one“

Matthew bobs and weaves his way, nearly bowling over Alice when he pulls that ticket from the basket. “WHAT THAT WAS IN THE BASKET I GRABBED THE WRONG ONE!”

She laughs. “The only one not picked,” Patience says to Ambrose. “Once more – but if it’s over twenty, we’ll have to redraw.

“Very few coincidences,” Ambrose supposes of that, going in for round two.

Ambrose uses a white ticket tumbler: The ticket pulled reads: 22/span>Nemi chuckles softly.

Alice grabs onto Stelle for stability, eyes wide as she nearly hits the floor. “Hwoah!” she calls out, but then she punctuates with a giggle.

Matthew cries, “I WAS ROBBED BY FATE!” and then he’s looking to see who has lucky number twenty-two.

Ambrose slants a look to Obadiah, potentially accusatory.

Stelle squeezes her hand and holds Alice upright, eyebrows raised but the blonde was ever ready.

Nemi turns to Obadiah with a grin.

Charlotte grumbles loudly “I should have tipped the scales” as she realizes her ticket does not hold the winning number. “Not that I would ever turn luck in my favor, of course.” Okay, sis.

“There’s no tickets over twenty,” Patience admits to the crowd as another bad draw goes up. “I didn’t know how many would show up so there’s like forty in the tumbler but…” She reaches over to give the machine a little nudge. “Third time’s the charm?

“Under twenty?” Ambrose confirms of Patience, gently wafting the 22 ticket between fingers.

Patience nods to Ambrose.

“Mab’s probably hexed you,” Miles blames Ambrose’s misfortunes entirely upon Mab, and probably mostly entirely unjustly.

Third time’s a charm, Ambrose goes again.

“Third time is the charm…” Adelaide muses.

Ambrose uses a white ticket tumbler: The ticket pulled reads: 27/span>Boooo! “

Patience laughs.

Third time was not the charm. Adelaide takes it back.

Ambrose uses a white ticket tumbler: The ticket pulled reads: 21/span>Charlotte says “I think the machine is broken.“

Alice says “BOOOOO! “

Avalon says “Well, maybe four times the- Five“

Fate tempts Ambrose.

Something that should have been emitted by a squeaky toy escapes Stelle’s lips as the fourth draw escapes the tumbler.

Ambrose uses a white ticket tumbler: The ticket pulled reads: 19/span>Lorelei bursts in unannounced, striding into the middle of hte room and planting her hands on her hips, tossing her wild coppery curls back as she strikes a pose as if expecting a red carpet treatment despite her late arrival. “Hello Everyone.” She says, to no one in particular, moving through a few standard vogues as lights flash around her as if she were in fact being photographed, but from where?

“Just under the wire,” Ambrose announces, five tickets deep. “Nineteen.”

“That’s me!” Miles jumps up when Ambrose pulls the ticket number 19. He holds his ticket up in display.

“Wait, no, trade with me,” Marina demands of Miles.

“Who has nineteen?” Patience calls, picking up a very strange looking book and giving it a hug. “This was a labor of love, I hope you lov-…” Her eyes widen. “For real?” she says, and laughs as she holds the book out to Miles. “Well congratulations!”

“Nineteen,” Ambrose confirms of Miles, though he offers no dog in Marina’s fight.

“I didn’t cheat this time!” Obadiah defends himself. “I didn’t play at all!”

“Rigged,” Adelaide declares in good humour, flashing Lorelei a brief smile at her entrance. “Miss Linden – hello. I am just about to leave, but do try the food – it is excellent, I hear.”

When it’s a Mercer called, and Miles no less, Matthew calls out, “Oh, so it’s a charity thing, got it.” He nods, looking to find Mab like she might be able to confirm.

“At least show it off,” Ambrose goads of Miles about the book Patience passes over.

Mab casts Desmond a flat look. “My dear,” she tells him, though they hardly know each other, “I run a very, very tight schedule at all hours of every day, and I very rarely have the time for social calls.” Fishing out her phone, she taps at her screen. “Speak quickly, speak now, or text me. I’m afraid that, as I have no idea who you are, and you’re wearing a cheap knockoff Rolex, I will be unlikely to take your word for anything you say, so bring proof and expect to have your brain invaded.”

“No,” Miles rejects Marina’s idea out of hand, pushing his ticket out to Ambrose to verify as though he might have, seriously, in fact misread it. “You can borrow it,” he retorts to Marina. “But only if you ask nicely,” he insists, heading over to go collect the book from Patience and show it off to the crowd.

Lorelei pouts to see Adelaide go, crossing her palms over her heart and heaving a dramatic chest-inflating sigh of desolation. “So early! It’s just getting to full dark!” She says.

“Do show it off,” Patience urges Miles, leaning up to kiss his cheek when she hands over the book. Then, as Matthew calls out, she laughs again and says to him and Charlotte, “I’m sorry to keep you waiting. But it was terribly lovely of you to come out!”

Marina’s brown eyes get bigger as she puts on her pouty face, staring at Miles. “Miiiiiiles,” she whines, “Miles, trade with me, since you don’t need a prize, you’re already a great hunter.” Until Matthew comments on ‘charity’. She pivots, losing her naive charm. “Excuse? You with your fucking Atlanta Hawks hat wanna talk charity like the Mercers ain’t got shit?”

“Hold my stuff, Obie, I’m gonna kick his ass,” Marina comments, already piling her things together.

Alice claps happily for Miles, putting her own ticket down now that it no longer matters. “Yaaay, Miles! It’s a cool book! I got to look at it earlier!”

“We might make more, or similar, as special orders. But they are an investment of time and effort, individually,” Ambrose confirms of Patience’s work, looking to that book. The accusations of rigging don’t seem to flap him too much; if anything, he might be mildly amused.

Nemi holds her arms out for Marina to prevent her boss being used like a coat rack.

Obadiah holds out his hand ready to catch gear. “Common occurance,” He says, assuming the good cousin position.

Kurt turns to face Lorelei as she makes her bombastic entrance, extending a hand towards her with a faint smile. “Kurt Steiner. Pleasure’s mine.”

Oh. Oh there’s going to be drama. Patience settles in at the bar and reaches for a drink, eyes entirely on Marina, now. “I think that’s a great idea!” she says to Ambrose. “Like definitely.” But she’s watching.

Obadiah also drinks while watching family brawls. Gotta show those Montroses how to have a good time.

“I didn’t cheat and look where it got me” Charlotte grouses. She turns to Matthew, then cracks up at his commentary. “True, we should let our poorer friends be blessed from time to time.” Sighing, she slides off of her stool. “Matthew, dear, I’m going home and to sleep. I promise we’ll chat again soon.” Patience is given a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. “It was a lovely party, dear, and I had a great time.” And with that, and no further goodbyes, off Charlotte fucks into the night.

Eloa claps her hands as Miles seem to win the book and she sways a little on her bar stool, swinging her feet a little as she moves to the music either in the room or in her head.

“I told you, Mercers aren’t poor,” Obadiah says to Matthew with a shrug.

“I’m poor. She can fight in defense of my honor,” Patience supposes impishly.

Nemi says “I’m poor, she can fight in defense of my wallet. And winning a bet to get me not poor.“

“No need for apologies, Pax – you make an excellent host,” Adelaide tells Patience, rising from her seat and moving over to plant a quick kiss to the shorter woman’s cheek. Lorelei gets a wry little smile. “I’m afraid work calls, even if the night is young. Do excuse me.” Ambrose gets a nod as well, as the hostier host. “I shall be back for a tour, another time.”

Nemi states and nods with no smile, just solemnly.

Lorelei offers Kurt a sort of fey imitation of a handshake, light and ghostly, smiling at Kurt for a moment as she continues to soak in the atmosphere of the get together. “Looks like this went well, though I am as always fashionably late.” She says, her slight German accent tinged with amusement. “I’ve heard of you, or just seen your name on some lists or something.” She says to Kurt.

Miles uses a book entitled ‘A Monster book of Monsters’: The books four golden eyes shift and follow movement, locking onto anyone who stares too long./span>/spanUtterly indifferent to the conversation about wealth, Miles brandishes his prize in front of the crowd, holding it up while its four golden eyes flick wildly around the crowd, as if staring back at them. “It’s so cool!” he brags.

Matthew thrwos both hands up like he’s just been hit with a full-court shot, grinning wide enough to show teeth. “Damn, not the hat!” He laughs, reaching to adjust the offending Atlanta Hawks cap with mock offense for Marina. “Listen, I was just here for the company and didn’t know–” and let’s face it, the hats are the least offensive thing about this outfit, it’s the tropical shirt, “you guys would hear that!” To Obadiah he’s dipping his head, “Right, sorry!”

Patience leans in to accept that kiss from the departing lady, looking entirely bedazzled by it. She goes so far as to brush a return kiss on the woman’s cheek, then waves cheerfully to Lorelei, before she nods to Obadiah. “They’re not poor. I am. I borrowed money from a Mercer,” she reminds him with a giggle.

Lorelei takes her hair out of the ridiculous ponytail and gives it a few fluffs with the tips of her fingernails, setting it to chaotic right.

“It depends,” Ambrose placidly comments about Vasquez worth to Obadiah, offering little in the way of clarity. “Many of us are young, yet.”

Desmond manages a small smile at this, before looking around once again with a squint.

Putting her hands to her mouth, Eloa yawns as she sits back in her barstool, shifting her legs so they’re pressed togethe while smoothing her miniskirt over her thighs. “Think Kurt too busy flirting.” Eloa calls out to Kurt from across the bar.

Matthew once more begins to bob and weave his way, making for the door, taking an Irish goodbye.

“You better fucking say sorry,” Marina scoffs out, having already begun shedding her bracelets. Then she’s getting a better look at Matthew Ultimately, she sniffs once, sliding her sunglasses back onto her face. “You’re lucky you’re cute, or you’d need a real good dentist…”

Kurt shifts his gaze towards Eloa, raising a bemused brow, “Hardly flirting, Eloa, just enjoying the crowd.”

Matthew walks out with his hands up, but not without looking back to shoot Marina a prize winning Montrose smoke and wink.

“That’s Matthew Montrose. He knows he’s cute,” Patience says dryly, but with full humor, to Marina. “He just got a whole episode of The Bachelor filmed about finding him love in New Haven.

Rising from her seat, Mab taps at her screen again. “I’m leaving this for someone else to handle, I’d like to socialise right now.” Stepping away from the couches, she moves to rejoin the bar with a dismissive little wave of her pretty nails through the air, looking vaguely towards Matthew and Kurt. “Kurt, Matthew … one of you … deal with this, figure out this man’s story, I don’t have time for this.”

“Look I don’t feel comfortable comparing Amex cards without at least a Rothwell, a Pierce, and A Ransom. Mostly so that we can all laugh at the Ransom,” Obadiah is in a mood tonight apparently, but when it comes to Family drama. “Anyway, down in front Rina. Time and place, time and place.” He glances over to Ambrose with a shrug, “You aren’t exactly old compared to… Madam Carrow even.”

Tossing back her drink, Eloa looks down at her phone then over at Kurt, blinking those thick lashes a few times like they’re too heavy to lift up. “Kurt want another drink?” She asks, hiccuping slightly as she leans acrosss the bar to reach for another drink.

Avalon huhs upon seeing the man leave “So no fight? That’s a let down”

Desmond looks back towards Kurt with a dramatic shrug, though he remains seated where he is.

“Pfft.” Marina tells Patience that, “Men like that are more likely to find love with six chicks at once and let them fight over him.” She’s still watching as the Montrose ventures off. “Nice ass, though,” she decides, turning back to get a look at Miles’s prize. “What is it?”

Remaining leant against the bar gently, Ambrose pans his attention back to Obadiah and shutters a singular blink. “… I did not say that I was.”

Kurt lets out a quiet sigh, shaking his head towards Eloa, “No, Eloa… Kurt thinks you’ve had enough drinks, for the time being.”

Nemi oh’s, turning and approaching Avalon as she smiles softly. “Avalon was it? I’m Nemi ivorstead. it’s nice to meet you.” She says with a smile.

Alice looks up from the food table as new people join the bar, peering over at Mab, raising an eyebrow in some surprise before she averts her gaze, trying to find somewhere else for her eyes to rest. Eventually, she decides that place should be Miles, admiring his fancy new book. She calls out, “Miles, see if you can get it to bite you!”

Putting her fingers infront of her mouth, Eloa presses her lips against her knuckles and then looks over at Kurt, “Eloa not drink that much. Is try steak? Steak make feel good..” She tells the other man.

“Avalon it was, and for now it is” Avalon replies to Nemi, taking another sip of his drink before telling “Overhead the name earlier, a pleasure”

“Well, he’s not wholly wrong,” Miles announces aloud to Patience, grinning after checking his phone. “I should probably talk Marina out of starting a blood feud, though,” he sighs, continuing to show off his prize proudly for a bit longer before telling his sister Marina that: “Let him talk his shit, it’s cool. His cousin’s been hit by a bus twice in the past week. The family’s going through a lot. I don’t know why they think we’re all broke, though.”

Miles uses a book entitled ‘A Monster book of Monsters’: Its flared nostrils twitch when they approach, as if scenting prey./span>/spanPatience says to Mab when the dramatic lady swans back over to join the crowd around the bar. “And you look absolutely to-die-for as always. I love that skirt. I’d never look as glamorous in it as you do but damn!” she compliments, and then she looks down the bar to Kurt and Eloa. The later gets a playful waggle of her eyebrows – in encouragement?” She pauses, blinks, and her full attention is once more stolen by Miles. “Who got hit by a bus twice?!”

Marina leans in close to Miles, looking to rest her chin on his arm as she looks at his fancy new book. “I didn’t get a whole degree to work with Auntie Coraline just to get told I don’t have money,” she mumbles, sulking visibly. Then she’s also wondering, “Who got hit by a bus?”

“It really wants to,” Miles confirms, holding his hand out in front of the book and watching as it sniffs, eyes tracking his hand as if seconds from chomping. Turning to peer back at Patience, he says: “Spider Lady. I hope she’s alright. Maybe it was a car. I was thinking about bringing her a pizza, but she’s probably all good by now.”

Obadiah smirks at Ambrose and then wags his brows before looking at his watch, “Alright fam, I need to go get changed and do some final prep for the thing in an hour.” He scans some of the ladies in the room and then chugs his drink, “Someone has to be a good swimmer.”

Mab points over at the couches while holding Kurt’s gaze. “Doesn’t have to be now, but figure out who this man is, what his story is, why I’ve never heard of him before, why I should care, et cetera.” She waves a hand vaguely, then fixes Miles with a steely stare and a cold smile when he references her accident-prone cousin, but her expression soon brightens at someone. She moves to join her, leaning against the bar. “You are so nice,” she tells her. “I never get to just hang out places and talk to people. It’s so sad. I’ve decided today I will refuse not to do that.”

Mab points over at the couches while holding Kurt’s gaze. “Doesn’t have to be now, but figure out who this man is, what his story is, why I’ve never heard of him before, why I should care, et cetera.” She waves a hand vaguely, then fixes Miles with a steely stare and a cold smile when he references her accident-prone cousin, but her expression soon brightens at Patience. She moves to join her, leaning against the bar. “You are so nice,” she tells her. “I never get to just hang out places and talk to people. It’s so sad. I’ve decided today I will refuse not to do that.”

Hopping down at Patience’s encouraging nod, Eloa makes her way over to Avalon and Nemi, “Nemi Avalon is old friend. He nice.” The slightly drunk girl mentions as she holds onto her cocktail with some heavy blinks.

Nemi smiles and nods to Eloa as she chuckles softly.

Lorelei keeps reaching for one of the coral drinks but seems to be unable to decide which one looks best.

Ambrose straightens a bit more at Obadiah’s words and dips a gracious nod, chin toward chest. “I should likely get ready soon, myself. But please,” he looks back to the crowd as a whole, gaze drifting along. “– please do have a wander, check out the exhibits. Enjoy what’s left of the food and drink.”

Avalon places one hand horizontally and tilts it slightly to the sides for a couple seconds “Well, nice is not usually what I’m called… But close enough… I’m old alright” He comments between Eloa and Nemi

Obadiah turns to leave and adds, “See you all soon, lovelies. Rina! Don’t be a stranger. Drop by the lounge.”

Patience says “Ooooobie! “

“Did you know that my family made our name through our supernatural ability to make or break a person’s luck?” Mab idly mentions to Miles after some thought, “I don’t know what just made me think of that. Wouldn’t it be a shame if you were also so unlucky as to suddenly get hit by two buses this week?”

“Can I sing at the lounge?” Marina wonders, getting a cocktail for herself.

Obadiah says “Sure! “

Lorelei reaches for the pale coral sparkler in its slender flute, fingertips brushing condensation from the glass as she lifts it with a faintly amused curl of her lips. The soft glow of the drink reflects off her violet nails as she takes a delicate sip, eyes flicking across the room through her lashes while the tiny piece of orange peel presses into her cheek.

“Avalon nice when injured and have to read Eloa story and teach english.” Eloa tells Avalon with a tipsy grin, flopping into a seat near Nemi and hims.

Obadiah blows a kiss at Patience as he leves

That seems to make Marina feel better. Why was she down? No one knows. She’s up again now.

Patience holds out her arms in demand of a hug from someone, all while saying to Mab, “I have been doing too much of the same, not enough just having fun with people. Next week is all about just having fun,” she declares to the other woman and then adds, “But you looked so good on stage. Did you have a blast? Who’d he pick? He refused to tell!”

Patience holds out her arms in demand of a hug from Obie – just to be ignored. Hmmph. All while saying to Mab, “I have been doing too much of the same, not enough just having fun with people. Next week is all about just having fun,” she declares to the other woman and then adds, “But you looked so good on stage. Did you have a blast? Who’d he pick? He refused to tell!”

Alice taps away at her phone, then turns to look at Stelle, reaching out to poke the other woman in the arm. She’s starting to come down from the mushroom steaks, it seems. “Are you going on Obie’s thing? The water thing?”

“This book is so cool,” Miles effuses, then looks up to peer at Mab seriously. “Yeah, that’d really blow. Is Arachne still in the hospital, or is she doing better? Maybe we can send her some snacks from the opening, if she’s still stuck there.”

“I have to what now?” Avalon asks, attention taken from his drink and back towards Eloa, letting out a sigh and saying “I can’t really teach kids, don’t have the patience…” He pauses for a couple seconds before poiting the index finger with which he’s holding the glass “But I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it soon enough”

Desmond rises from the couch and holds up his phone at Kurt, wagging it around, before walking off and away.

Eloa giggles a little as she looks at her phone and then looks up at Nemi and Avalon, her cheeks rather flushed as she takes another sip of her cocktail. “Is steak make happy. Is try steak?” She advertises?

“Is that related to why Arachne can’t talk? I… it’s the second time this week that happened too,” Patience says, looking genuinely worried though she says, “She was fine at the show – I think? Damn… I hope it’s not because I keep forgetting to give her her bauble back…”

Lorelei mixes her drink up with a fingertip as she considers. “I thought she could talk again…” She says, half-way commenting on conversations she does not quite move to join.

Ambrose does stick around to listen, though, attention drifting from person to person to land on Mab. A glance askance at someone’ comment and a small nod to accompany.

Ambrose does stick around to listen, though, attention drifting from person to person to land on Mab. A glance askance at Lorelei’s comment and a small nod to accompany.

Mab gives Patience an aghast look of exaggerated innocence. “Please, I would never drive a bus,” she assures her, and then breaks into what at least seems like a sincerely warm smile for the other woman. “Yes. After elections, a break. A week of just nonsense. What is the first nonsensical thing you plan to do?”

Mab does admit, however, “I had a blast. I’m exhausted, but it was a blast. That was a labour of love by Malin and a long time in the planning. It was really nice of you to stop by even for a bit.” At Miles’ question, she checks her phone for a moment, where there’s a notification from the injured woman in question. “She says she just needs time,” she shares.

Stelle shrugs faintly and comments to Alice, “Maybe. I am trying to determine whether I am awake enough or not. I euh… suppose I should get home to look over my wardrobe though.”

Jenny carefully grabs the cocktail. Making sure not to touch the silver platter taking a sip of the drink

“Someone in hospital?” Eloa lifts her head towards Patience at the words, “Oh Eloa not know. They no invite eloa so Eloa no go.” She calls out, giggling a little to herself.

Kurt stretches, rising up from his seat at the bar. “Well, everyone, it’s been a pleasure, but I’ll be stepping off as well.” With a raised hand, he steps off.

“I’m gonna look around.” Marina relays this to Miles and Patience, apparently including the woman in the list of Those To Relay Location To. Then she’s off, venturing away.

After listening to Mab speak, Ambrose gives a small nod her way, shallow an easy, before he looks to Stelle. “Appropriate gear in Victorious Secret,” he commentates, hand lifting to gesture southward.

“She was mute on the raid earlier today” Avalon comments on the side at the conversation about Arachne, eyes drifting once more towards Eloa as she keeps on drinking, maybe a thought about recommending to stop, but words don’t come, and instead does a shrug, and talking back to the group he adds “Let’s try to avoid buses hitting people, at least as much as possible”

“We can try to pop down there and see her,” Miles promises Mab. “And maybe get her that bauble?” he glances aside to Patience, uncertain on this matter as he gives his sister a thumbs-up. “We just got out yesterday ourselves, so it’s kinda like hospital ships passing in the night. Speaking of which, do you still have that fish my grandpa carved me? The one I dropped?” he asks Mab hopefully.

Alice furrows her brow, nodding slowly at Stelle. “Do you need to get going? I’ve had enough to eat,” she says. “You don’t have to stay on my account.”

“Seduce Miles properly,” is Patience’s answer to Mab, which of course all of Miles’s family members wanted to know. She smirks at her own claim, then shakes her head and sighs. “I guess it’s wrapping up for now but… what’s the first nonsensical thing you plan to do?” As everyone starts offering their farewells, she stands to give hugs to some, and waves to others, and confesses, “I’m exhausted. And this wasn’t even TV. And yeah, of course. She needs that,” she adds on for Miles.

Stelle leans down next to Alice, whispering something briefly before she smirks towards Ambrose and says, “I am afraid I’ve spent most of my shopping budget for the week. Girlfriends are expensive, no?”

Nemi gives Patience a hug. “The party was really great- Do stay safe boss lady! See you in a bit.”

Matias makes his way into the bustling establishment and looks around for a few moments over a sea of unfamiliar faces before spying Ambrose who gets a nod and Eloa whom he approaches, “Hola.”

Marina comes back with a noisy, “There’s a frog person over there! Is that a thing you hunt, Miles?!”

“I can spot,” Ambrose offers Stelle, placid and neutral, unstressed. There is a brief curl of smile at the corners, up to Patience. “Thank you. Labor of love, and all that.”

“Yes,” Miles cranes and calls back to answer Marina simply. “But I wouldn’t eat those.”

“Oh is Matias.” Eloa hops off of her stool and takes a few stumbling steps towards the man. She’s clearly tipsy at least, her cheeks pink as she wraps her arms around Matias, spilling her drink a little as she just kindof… presses her face into his chest. If he were a girl that would be a bit of a problem but luckily he’s not.

Ambrose reciprocates the nod toward Matias, easily.

“Not even the legs?” Marina asks Miles.

Sofia grins between Miles and Marina, saying, “You’d have to be French for that.”

Sofia glances over her shoulder at Stelle at the ‘french’ comment, squinting.

“Not even the legs,” Miles confirms to Marina, which is when Patience’s answer to Mab finally sinks home and settles its way into Miles’s dense brain. “Oh, I’m looking forward to that,” he tells Patience.

Matias looks down as Eloa stumbles into him with a sudden blink, “Woah, have been having good time I see. Are you alright?” he asks Eloa in a brazilian accented english as he tries to pry the tipsy college girl back to arm length to give her a once over with slate-grey eyes.

Stelle lifts her eyes to Sofia but there’s seemingly no reaction, just a raised eyebrow and a shrug.

Another lift of Ambrose’s spindly fingers to crook toward Marina, and Ambrose placidly peanut-galleries to Miles and Sofia, “Same thought.” Toward the Mercer herself, though his gaze drifts toward the specimen gallery beyond, “They are obnoxious little things. The legs are not great.” Even-toned as always, with the voice of experience.

“I gave it to Prince Zoltan to play with, he loves it,” Mab tells Miles brightly. “It’s got some teeth marks in it now but I think it’s still good! I’ll introduce you two tomorrow at the charity, right?” Tilting her head thoughtfully at Patience, she shares, “I’m going to sit down and have some one-on-one social time for not business with some people I enjoy. I don’t get to do that enough. But maybe I should find someone to seduce, too.”

She pans her gaze slowly back to Miles, and then tells Patience earnestly, “It’s really generous of you to make a fisherman feel special like that, as a Vasquez. Personally I try to give a percent of my income to charity each year so I don’t feel obligated to have too much personal contact with the peasants.”

Straigthening up a little after kindof being flopped over against Matias’s chest, Eloa sways a little on her feet as if there’s some music or something terribly wrong with her sense of balance. One or the other. Her cheeks are flushed bright pink. “No.. Is feel… strange… Steak make happy… Matias try steak?” She asks, turning to blink heavily at Kurt with those thick lashes. “Is kurt try steak? Steak make walk walk..”

Marina seems disappointed that the frog legs of Frogmen are not as edible as normal-sized frog legs. “I always feel bad eating frogs, so I figured maybe I’d feel better if it was just a normal fucking weird person frog,” she admits to Ambrose in explanation.

Kurt lets out a rumbling laugh as he re-enters the room, pacing over to take a seat near Eloa. “I’ll take your word for the steak being excellent.”

Alice seem a bit cowed, lowering her head and looking down at her phone. She does slip off her barstool, though, falling in line behind Stelle. “We can go look, if you want,” she says in a low voice.

“Stelle, are you French or like, Canadian?” Patience asks of Stelle. Then, a moment later, Patience says to Mab, “That -was- your cat! I took a picture of him and sent it to Miles and I think we decided that he needs a nice fur coat for Christmas,” she opines, but adds, “He’s beautiful,” in a tone that may or may not hint toward a bit of stretching of the truth. But as Mab goes on, her eyes widen and she dares a cautious look to Marina, before exhaling a slow breath when nobody starts taking off jewelry again. “Miles is hot,” she says, then, to the drama queen herself. “I mean, for real. Like, have you seen him in swim trunks?

A knowing nod from Ambrose to Marina, and Ambrose gestures with an open palm toward the decidedly odd spread upon the bar. “Some of the other kinda are edible,” he offers in turn.

Matias looks from Eloa towards Kurt and then offers out a hand in greeting to the man. “Kurt, is it. I am Professor Matias, is good to finally put a face to a name. Miss Fernandez has spoken off you often.”

Holding up both index fingers Stelle explains to Patience and the room, bringing both together, “I am euh… French by blood and birthplace. I am Canadian by citizenship by now. I suppose this would euh… make me French-Canadian? Though I would prefer not to think about what they have done to my language, no?”

“Miles is super good-looking,” Marina agrees with Patience, giving a thumbs up to show she approves of this declaration. She doesn’t get into how her brother looks in swim trunks, though. Instead, she’s refocused on Ambrose. “Are those leeches? I’ve never considered eating leech.”

Kurt raises his brows slightly, turning to Matias and taking the offered hand. “Ah, likewise! I’ve heard the name from more than a few of your students, all of them good things. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” With a firm, if cool to the touch, shake, he continues, “Kurt Steiner. The pleasure’s mine, Professor.”

Alice speaks up, offering, “There’s like, a council of French people who run the French language,” helpfully adding to Stelle’s torturous existence in Canada. “You’re not allowed to change any French words without the approval of the council.”

Smiling happily and swaying a bit to some imaginary music, Eloa looks from Kurt to Matias. “Eloa say much about Kurt? Eloa no remember. What say about Kurt?” She hiccups and starts to lift her cocktail to her lips for another sip.

“Well, at least you aren’t calling me a fishman anymore,” Miles seems to have decided to make the most out of what Mab has to say and take it for progress. He flashes her an earnest smile and says, “I’m really looking forward to meeting Prince Zoltan. He really does look like a little Disney villain.” Then he’s pulling up next to Patience to plant a smooch on her cheek. “Anyhow, I have to go and see about a fish,” he states ambiguously, raising his hand to wiggle fingers at the rest of the crowd. He only deviates out of his way on exiting long enough to shoulder-bump Ambrose and Sofia, obnoxiously show off his prize book of beasts to Alice and Stelle, then elbow Marina before escaping. He must not have heard her compliment.

Mab gives Marina a bit of a squint, like she’s trying to place her, but can’t quite yet. It’ll come to her eventually. But for now, someone just told her she has a nice cat, so she’s distracted beaming at Patience. “Oh thank you, he’s the only man I could ever love. It’s such a shame they die so quickly. I have to keep buying new ones every ten years or so.”

She gives Miles a fair look. “He’s hot,” Mab admits to Patience, bluntly objectifying him, “but like can he buy you pretty things, take you someplace nice?” She pulls out her phone and opens X. “I’ve been posting thirst traps to twitter and agreeing with everything at-elonmusk says for the past month. See that’s the kind of guy I want, someone who’ll throw a bunch of money out of me and expect nothing but a test-tube of my DNA. I think I don’t even need to reactivate for what he’s after.”

Even Ambrose offers a dip of agreement about Miles, though he does not vocalize his argument. Instead, to Marina, he nods gently and twists his fingertips back toward the gallery. “They are. Slivers of the torment leech, which we have one of in a jar — they have emotional residue in the meat.” The jostle from Miles earns a fleeting half-grin aside, which smothers back down to bare smile. “… the food is courtesy Diego Rose, the Bunnyknight. He is one of the Lodge’s frequent donors, and mist rescuers.”

“Oh you’re actually both.” Patience looks surprised, then impressed, and grins at Stelle. “That’s awesome! Am I keeping you guys?” she asks, looking around at the others for a moment, before slumping down a bit to rest herself against Miles’s side. “Have fun fishing,” she says to him, as he prepares to leave, though she admits, “I might just go to bed…”

“I suppose there’s something to be said for all that, but… test tubes of DNA is creepy,” she retorts with a wrinkle of her nose. “Miles bought me a nice jacket and took me on a cruise to see jellyfish…” She’s elaborating a bit.

The elbow from someone is received with a grunt, and Marina kicks out a foot during his escape. It does nothing to him, it just hits air near his leg, but it’s the thought that counts. “That sounds so weird, ‘brose.”

The elbow from the other Mercer is received with a grunt, and Marina kicks out a foot during his escape. It does nothing to him, it just hits air near his leg, but it’s the thought that counts. “That sounds so weird, ‘brose.”

Sofia rolls her eyes good-naturedly and gives a wiggle of her fingers to the departing Mercer, before leaning into Ambrose casually, looking as if she’s flagging a bit in terms of energy. She loks up to Marina and assures, “The leeches are great. They gush in your mouth and make you feel things.”

Patience says aside to Marina, “Everything about the mists is super weird and kind of horrifying, really.”

Wrapping an arm around Alice’s waist, Stelle begins to lead her southward. “I would not call it keeping, Pax, but we wanted to take a look at the euh… Victorious Secret a moment. Take care if we don’t catch you on the way out, no?”

“Just that he is a compelling man and good company.” Matias informs both Kurt and Eloa after the handshake. “So I missed the big announcement and grand opening. This is a… bar?” he looks around thoughtfully.

Ambrose drifts an arm around Sofia in turn, he himself looking like he’s starting to wane a little. “None of you are incorrect,” he agrees. “The mists are exceptionally weird.” A beat. “They’re good.”

“I am going to be indirectly responsible for at least one death, or fashion crime at minimum, if I did,” Ambrose laments evenly back to Patience.

Patience says “Obie, go pantsless. I dare you. Since my dares have gone really well today.“

Alice gives a little wave over her shoulder to Patience, saying, “This was great! Thanks so much for having us!”

Sofia’s words draw Mab’s attention towards the leeches. “They’re psychedelic?” she asks, approaching the platter with growing curiosity. But she doesn’t yet touch them. “I mean it’s kind of creepy but it’s a very straightforward arrangement, you know?” the Montrose suggests to Patience. Then she asks her sire, pointing at the leeches, “Ambrose, if I try one, will they make me throw up?”

“Sort of like when you get to the bathypelagic zone,” Marina decides, narrowing her eyes a little bit. She nods in indication that this is accurate, confirming her own words like she’s two people and not one. “…I’m getting kinda tired. Where’s this room I can crash in with the cat?”

“Eloa want go lie down and be bad catholic.” Eloa seemed to be expecting to hear something scandalous from Matias and when he mentions only boring stuff, Eloa takes another sip before responding to hear earpiece.

Eloa says “Orbie wear white skirt“

Sofia glances over to Patience and wonders, “Know of any armorsmith I can buy a breastplate from that actually has breasts?” But then over to Mab comes a quick confirmation. “They’re mildly psychedelic, yeah, they won’t leave you tripping balls for hours or anything. Microdosing, right?”

“They have tons of food in them” Avalon adds to Ambrose’s comments on the mist, glancing to see what’s left on display, grabbing some more food

Patience giggles at Ambrose’s reply and waves to the departing women. Then, to Mab she says, “I didn’t dare to try it. Yes, it’s a straight-forward arrangement. I mean, you definitely can’t fault it for that.” Two very different conversations mashed into one thought. “But like. I like feelings. They’re messy but they’re good.

“Does anyone want to try one, and then let me try them?” Mab suggests to the room at large, still lingering curiously by the psychedelic leeches.

Patience’s words distract the Montrose again, and she turns to look at her, smiling gently. “In your first century, maybe,” she suggests to her mildly, giving her a half shrug that seems nonetheless endeared by her comment.

Ambrose tilts his attention to Mab easily enough, his attention drifting one way and then the other. “It is… possible, depending on your level of activation and how much of a shock it is to your system,” he evenly and openly considers of the woman, unblinking eyes wandering her. One hand lifts off the counter, and he brushes his thumb on his signet ring. “It shouldn’t, but I can always fix it anything happens.”

Patience leans in to give Mab an impulsive hug and confesses, “I’m getting called away. But I’d love to be one of those people you just casually talk to! Keep me in mind,” she urges, before she blows a kiss over to Sofia and Ambrose. “Love love,” she declares, as she turns to meander out, offering the rest of everyone, “Thank you so very much for coming.

Sofia blows a smooch back at Patience and beams a smile. “You kicked so much ass. Seeya soon!”

Ambrose lifts fingers to his mouth for a belatedly-blown kiss Patience’s way. “Soon,” he agrees.

“You are definitely someone I had in mind,” Mab tells Patience, and blows er a kiss as she turns to leave. Then, she tilts her head over at Ambrose’s ring. It takes her a moment before … “Oh, I see what you’re saying. Well that’s a bit of a threat though, isn’t it?”

Matias looks aside at Eloa after her declaration and suggests, “You might need to head home if you are saying those sorts of things. Did you try some of the fungus?” those slate-grey eyes drifting over the various options for food and drink and then back to Eloa

Kurt chuckles, pushing himself to his feet. “In any case, I need to grab a few things from the office. You all, be well.”

“Commodore Snorrington,” Marina breathes out, staring at the screen fo her phone.

Nemi sighs, stretching… well someones wearing a custom tailored outfit for a fight.

Nemi says “Light cloth- all of it, Should be fine in water-“

Nemi says “And! The block heels are steel toed.“

Nemi nods firmly.

Obadiah exits in full beach time attire, including a bright red speedo and a whaling harpoon. “Order fam. How we swimming tonight?”

Nemi says “As said I did’nt bring the pyramid because… it’d mask my face and possibly hurt my ability to not get stabbed.“

“I’m probably going to be slogging,” Miles isn’t dressed for the job, surprisingly enough. “But I think we’ll still have a pretty huge advantage,” he seems to think, giving Obadiah’s preparations a thumbs-up of approval. “You’re gonna be our point man, Obie. We’ll probably need you to be the guy who gets the goods out. You’ll be moving way faster than the rest of us. Tonight, you’re the fast as fuck Mercer.”

Obadiah puts a hand on his chest to say something, but then shakes his head with a chuckle. “So we got the four of us for sure? Well ok then. I’ll just swim to the goods when they are free and start bringing them back. You’re the shot caller, just tell me where to go when.” He glances, to Nemi, “Trunks stay on until I hit the water.”

Nemi looks to Obadiah. “And why would I care? Could be impressive and afront several gods. I’ve got gail.” She states and smiles happily.

“Someone might literally have to hit me,” Patience warns the crew as she lingers against Miles, not really dressed for the moment either. “So that I can keep wards on Obie-won but… well I’m not sure if that’ll work either, but it’s worth a try, right?” she supposes of them all.

Patience says “Does she?“

“She is very excited about cat,” Miles confirms to Patience with a firm nod in answer. “But yeah, we’ll be good. Especially with Alice and Stelle coming too. Not sure why Meridith only shows up to raids with the Conclave anymore, but she’s probably still mad at Shay,” he hazards a guess.

Miles says “Little under ten minutes to go.“

Obadiah wrinkles his face a moment, “I like Rina. She went to college.” He looks back and adds, “Esme talked to Shay. I am really curious to hear how that went.”

“Rina’s cool,” Miles confirms, then admits his thinking that: “I love Shay, but he’s been a bit uptight lately. I get where he’s coming from, really, but he can’t be such a dick about it, you know?”

“Talked to Shay about him telling me to fuck off?” Patience asks of Obadiah, before a bit of what color she does have flees her face. “Or err. His upset with the whole Coven thing. Right… that’s good. I’m glad someone could.

“He told you to fuck off?” Miles blinks, turning aside to peer at Patience.

Patience says “Anyone else coming to fight? I feel like I should have brought my water balloons.“

Nemi says “This’ll be an important one to possibly win the political poll. And yep!“

Patience deliberately changes the topic with that silly quip on comms. “I did say that we had a fight but… well. I can be professional. It’s fine,” she asserts to Miles. “We just aren’t friends any more, which I guess is a dumb thing to expect most people to be, when you say you don’t think it’s a good idea to date them.

Patience says, with audible frustration, “That… whole damn party got us nowhere? “

Alice stares at Patience as she arrives, sensing gossip with the accuracy of a laser. “Oh my god, who’d you break up with?”

Obadiah stretches and cracks his back, “Naw. I talked to Shay for the case Dovie is working but…” He stops then as other people catch up, then says with a moment, “Let the Pollsters have a chance to catch up.”

Sofia says “Oh look, it’s my favorite people again!“

Nemi says “Also the polls have’nt updated yet.“

Obadiah deadpans to Sofia, “I swear I am the only one dressed for a swim.”

Patience sighs. “Nobody,” she tells Alice. “Shay wanted to date, but we like, weren’t even crossing paths much so I said it didn’t make sense. Besides…” she says with a flick of dark eyes up at Miles, and a wry little smirk. “But then we fought after that whole meeting and it went really bad. It’s fine. I’m not meaning to gossip! I just… thought Obie had heard about it.

Patience says “Hi Sofia!“

Nemi nods softly. “Hey I dressed to swim! Non of my clothes are heavy in water!”

Nemi says “but their not water proof…“

At least Patience goes so far as to take off her shoes this time.

Alice covers her mouth with a hand. How scandalous. She lets it go afterwards, though, just nodding.

Sofia says “Shit, I shoulda worn a bikini, shouldn’t I have?“

Nemi says “Possibly- “

Nemi says “too late for me to go grab mine…“

“I feel like mature adults can like, you know, remain friends after rejection and break ups,” Miles opines daringly, then lazily stretches while checking on his harpoon and speargun. He takes a second to start applying a vial of some foul, black gunk onto his weaponry. “We’ll start off by seeing if there’s cover on dry land. If so, we’ll set up there. Grab the goods, get it there, then destroy all cover in range. If we have time, I might plant some mines on the nearest cover.”

Obadiah pauses and adds, “I take that back. I am the only one whose legs fall off in the water, so you know, I kind of need to change, otherwise I lose my pants.” He shrugs, then and adds, “I would not have minded seeing any of you in bikinis.”

“I did not have time to change into my wetsuit. I will have to go to the dry cleaners after,” Ambrose supposes of his poor choice of attire. “At least I do not need scuba gear.”

Sofia says “Scuba Vampire.“

Nemi says “Oh shit.“

Nemi says “I don’t have scuba gear-“

Ambrose taps his temple knowingly.

Nemi says “should we have brought some?“

Patience laughs at Sofia’s quip. “That’d be strange to see but hey. I’m all for it,” she decides, before squinting at Miles. “I’m not mature,” is her decision.

Obadiah glowers at Sofia and Ambrose. “I am going to smack King so help me christ.”

Alice shifts her weight from foot to foot nervously.

Sofia nods to herself, muttering, “Bat nipples.”

Nemi nods.

Ambrose settles back onto his bike.

Nemi says “Oh- extra bandages“

Sofia points upwards at the passing bat, saying, “That one knows.”

Obadiah gets a goofy grin, “Here we go.”

Nemi points at them. “For anyone needing a few!”

Alice says “Which cover should we use?“

Nemi says “Is there ANY water?“

“This isn’t the lake,” Ambrose commentates.

Patience says “I should have brought my weapons if there’s no water…“

Patience says “we’re in fairefield…“

Ambrose says “Correct. “

Nemi says “Why are we in fairfield we should’nt have been?“

Nemi says “Which cover!“

Obadiah says “Don’t ask questions, just get stuff.“

“Yeah, just booking to the pickup to see if they stashed that treasure chest here,” Miles decides.

Nemi says “I’m able to be at the first one here!“

Nemi says “heading straight south!“

“Well, guess it’s just up and disappeared,” Miles blinks in confusion. His treasure chest has, indeed, mysteriously disappeared.

Nemi says “Hopefully mine doesnt go-“

Patience frowns and shakes her head. “We’re going to get stuck here like that one other time, until we all get ourselves knocked out,” she mutters quietly.

Nemi says “Chest “

Patience says “Heyyyy “

Nemi holds up a treasure chest!

Nemi says “Do you want it pax?“

“On the extraction point, good job!” Miles calls out.

“No, I just have no weapons to fight with,” Patience says wryly. “So I was going to be the packhorse.” She turns to jog off, saying, “You can be the pack horse!” A pause then, “Did we lose it again?

Nemi says “Yeah- “

Patience says “Hey. How’d you find that?“

Ambrose says “May as well post up on extraction.“

Nemi says “Shit Connie might catch up to shi-“

Nemi says “RUN FOREST RUUUUUN!“

Obadiah says “Obie“

Ambrose says “… she hasn’t moved. Calm yourself.“

Patience says “Why is Shiloh on the other team?“

Nemi says “No- “

Obadiah says “He isn’t on their team. He may be confused.“

Obadiah says “Shiloh! Come sprint to us!“

Nemi says “Did we already take out all the cover?“

“Meridith’s way down there too…” Patience mutters with a sigh and a shake of her head. “I’m pretty sure they deployed for the wrong team by accident.”

Patience says “Oh no I guess not. That’s good.“

Stelle says “They are marked with our flags.“

Nemi says “they have ally flags though-“

Obadiah says “No look at them, they are both Allys.“

Patience says “Yeah I see it.“

Nemi says “They probably got the wrong drop off coordinates is all“

Obadiah says “Obie“

Alice says “I’m gonna wait on the extract.“

Nemi says “I can run for one!“

Patience says “I can too.“

Patience says “Not fast though.“

Obadiah says “I’ll wait here unless… The 63rd… Great.“

Nemi says “What?! “

Sofia says “I mean at least they’re fighting each other.“

Alice says “Um, Ambrose?“

Obadiah nods to Sofia and leans against his spear.

“A thought,” Ambrose considers aside to Alice, patiently. Not that he even has his sword, technically.

Patience says “Does that work? “

Alice nods, hunkering down in a low squat, watching the others. “Right, I shouldn’t have questioned it.”

Nemi says “Miles can you try going for a further one?“

Obadiah says “I am not saying I am mad, but I am saying I put on a speedo and was promised I was going to go swimming.“

Nemi says “Or not- I’ll go for the next closest-“

Obadiah pulls out his phone and starts playing Candy Crush.

Ambrose says “Discomforted that I haven’t hear extraction announcements.“

Obadiah says “Yep! Miles has one, you are going for one. I think Sofia is going for one.“

Patience says “And Shiloh.“

Patience says “Amby, How are you warding her with no enemies?“

Ambrose says “Not a ward.“

Obadiah salutes Miles

Patience says “It’s gone again.“

Miles says “Okay, at this point I think we just knock ourselves unconscious and call it a day.“

Obadiah says “Yep…. The Fae are giving everyone practice running though“

Obadiah shadow boxes with himself. Can he beat himself? It is the final game of death.

Obadiah grins at Miles. “I can’t help it!”

“I’m so confused,” Patience decides, but she keeps charging at miles with one fist balled up like she’s gonna sock him one.

Miles says “Come to me for sweet release.“

Obadiah says, in best Alan Rickman, “Obviously.“

Patience says “Oooh baby.“

Alice says “Oh, yeah, sure. Someone can knock me out. I should go down quick.“

Obadiah says “Alright I got you Ally“

Obadiah says “Alright, Alice. We gonna spar“

Alice says “You want me to hit back?“

Obadiah says “Come at me bro.“

“We all need a man that knows how to use a spear,” Patience coos at Miles, as the world goes dark yet again.

Obadiah says “Yeah! I gotta get outta here too!“

Alice says “Okay! “

Obadiah says “There can be only one!“

“Let’s join Obie and Alice so I can swing wide,” Miles grabs Patience and tries to drag her off to dance.

“Ooops!” Patience calls innocently over to Obadiah.

Obadiah says “Fuck you pax!“

Patience says “Yup! “

Obadiah says “We are sparing“

Obadiah says “When i can see again“

Alice says “I’M GONNA SCREAM“

Alice says “I need EVERYBODY to dogpile me.“

Shiloh says “On it!“

“I’ll overlook how eager you all were to do that, by the way,” Alice says sardonically.

Shiloh says “Gotcha! “

Obadiah grins at Sofia

Obadiah says “Faebie gonna fae.“

Obadiah says “Speeeeed 4 suuuuuuuuuucks“

Patience says “Charge sturdy.“

Alice says “I’m one tapped. Anybody.“

Sofia says “Next one will be a doozy.“

Sofia says “Alright Pax, whacking you next.“

Miles says “I got you, Shiloh.“

Patience says “Yay! “

Shiloh says “This is for your take on chicago style pizza Sofia!“

Shiloh says “Also thanks Miles!“

Sofia says “Gonna have to do better than that!“

Shiloh says “I’m almost down.“