10:23 <banana> Stella Savoy's office hours are after midnight, of course. Early in the morning - Aster would have some time to sleep in if he did that sort of thing. Willie can, now that the Christmas break is on, and still make it to the game in the afternoon. 10:24 <VoxPVoxD> It'll feel better going on holiday with these arrangements put to bed. Every reason to come back helps. 10:26 <Crion> Aster will be wearing his black coat again over a turtleneck. First time in awhile out of a suit or combat gear. 10:29 <banana> Clan Gangrel's front is a low-rise building in the West Bradford office park, just over the canal from Piccadilly. The name on the place should be Savoyard Operations, and your impression is that Dylan will not be on site; he's not important enough to have a say in the details of his fate. There's two of them, which is the rule the cell prefers to follow for meeting with officials of the 10:29 <banana> undead... apart from that, any special preparations? 10:30 <Crion> Aster is as prepared as he needs to be, all the time. 10:31 <banana> Elsewhen on the 22nd, it's a snowy day in Manchester. Thick drifts of it are starting to pile up inland, even out west in Eccles. This has been the last day of Mari Medwar's first clinical work-shadowing programme. 10:31 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's in a puffy forest-green parka with a violently red scarf poking up through the collar. Kagemenauch is wearing a red flannel bowtie dotted with snowflakes. 10:33 <banana> Streetlights and the office park's own floodlighting don't do much for Kaga. He looks more like a shadow than a bloodhound, with a red streak through the shifting black. 10:34 <VoxPVoxD> That suits the hellspawn fine. 10:34 <Crion> To Willie: "Willie." To the demon: "Demon." 10:35 <Crion> To Willie again: "We're meeting the head of Clan Gangrel in this city, a woman who I've previously accused in council of collaboration and coverup in the Gardiner matter. Which might have even been correct; I've never fully trusted that it was mere territorialism that had those ghouls fall upon us the day we cracked the case." 10:36 <Crion> "Anyway. If she seems slightly put-out in some fashion, that's why." 10:36 <VoxPVoxD> Willie and Kaga, in near-unison: "Good evening, Aaron." Willie alone: "I shall endeavour not to take it personally." 10:36 <tom> How is it possible for a man's hands to be so cold, but have sweaty palms anyway? Doesn't matter. Bob sweeps the thin dusting of snow off the barbecue and fiddles with his lighter until the burner catches, casting long shadows around the darkened courtyard. The steaks go on; he watches the meat sizzle on the grill. 10:36 <Crion> Unsettling. Aster doesn't let it show. 10:40 <banana> It's in the early afternoon that Agostina, Rolf and Willie make their way to the small square behind the old town hall to wrap up this job. The violent parts are all over. 10:41 <tom> The ODIN lies where he left it on the couch inside, the playlist turns over, the discarded earpiece spitting music into the empty apartment and faintly audible out in the silence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjjdroEutNA 10:41 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's in a puffy forest-green parka with a starry violet scarf poking up through the collar. Kagemenauch is at home, sulking about the bowtie. 10:41 <Quaker> Badawi has a spring in her step. Now’s the easy, fun part. She whistles as they walk. 10:42 <Quaker> “Hey, what are you all going to wear to the concert?” 10:42 <banana> It's quite back here, far less foot-trafficked than St. Peter's - there are no shopfronts at all. It's really just a back alley that once served the city's guilds and now has outdoor 'entertainments' like a ping-pong table... and chess. 10:43 <hrolf> Rolf is wrapping up a call on his mobile. "...yeah, Don, no worries mate. I looked it up on facebook and Canadian real estate looks like a real 'ot number. Look I 'ave to go, other business - but we'll set up a chat and some virtual viewings later, alright? Take care mate." 10:44 <banana> https://limits.thomascastiglione.com/media/chess1.jpg https://limits.thomascastiglione.com/media/chess2.png 10:44 <banana> Mary and Charlie are facing each other across the board, alternating between laughter and intense concentration as they shuffle the oversized pieces around. They're both dressed all the way down, not looking like semi-famous people at all. 10:44 <VoxPVoxD> Willie, to Agostina: "I'm not sure yet. Is there a dress code?" 10:44 <hrolf> Rolf: "What kind of music is it anyway?" 10:45 <Quaker> To Willie: “No. But I’ll be up on stage, so I had to get a new outfit. Wear whatever you like!” 10:45 <Quaker> To Rolf: “Oh, this and that. What kind of music do you listen to, Rolf?” 10:46 <banana> There's no creak of the iron gate in Eccles; it's always open. Bob hears Mari's footsteps, though, trudging through the snow. She comes around the corner into the courtyard, looking happier than he's seen in.. some time, dark hair peeking out from under an umbrella. 10:46 <VoxPVoxD> Willie drifts ahead a bit to look at the game. Who's winning? 10:46 <banana> "Ohhh, that's a good smell. So juicy." 10:47 <hrolf> Rolf: "Anyfing really. Jungle if we're going by genres. If we're going by bands, then Prodigy. The 'roses weren't 'alf bad for Mancs." 10:48 <hrolf> He looks slightly embarassed about the next revelation. "UB40. 'aven't been to see them since I got shot outside their last concert." 10:49 <tom> "Hey hun." Bob pulls his face into a tight smile. The steaks go onto the plate and he turns to get the door for her. 10:49 <banana> Savoyard Operations has light burning in the front, but so do a number of the other offices in the complex. For all the Mayor's protestations, Greater Manchester has not gone green. 10:49 <banana> It's quiet, though. Too quiet? 10:51 <banana> Mari looks a bit glummer again... but still hungry. She lingers for a moment. "How was your battle? I should get this stuff off, but- I want to hear..." 10:51 <Quaker> “Nice. You ever catch Joe Yamanaka live? He swung through Buenos Aires about twenty years ago. I remember I traded some new sandals for tickets.” 10:52 <hrolf> "Never heard of him mate." 10:52 <tom> He shakes of his coat and goes to the table. "I won, like always." 10:53 <tom> "No civilian casualties. Limited fallout. Another payday incoming. A good day." 10:53 <banana> Willie scouts the chess and scrapes her brain for how all this stuff works. They're not far into the game, but it looks like an extended orthodox opening - both women seem to know what they're doing, although they're playing faster than real masters would, limited by the need to haul the giant pieces around rather than prognosticating many moves ahead. 10:53 <banana> As usual, Reveille's the first to notice a change in the vibe - she looks up and smiles brilliantly at the incomers, as relaxed as you've seen her. 10:54 <Quaker> “You’d like him. I’ll see if I can grab a record while I’m out in Mexico. You ever been to the Mexico City music flea markets? It’s like Mecca out there. But yeah, I love dance music. None in the concert, though, got to keep the kids and the old folks happy. Maybe this summer, if I can find that kind of crowd to put together something for.” 10:55 <tom> Bob doles out the steak and rubs his hands before sitting down at the table, smiling nervously. 10:55 <banana> Aster sees them, black-on-black in the sky. Half a dozen little furry things wheeling out of the night and down to the roof of the low-rise, through vents and windows - bats! Then they're gone, inside, and after a moment there's a burst of noise and speech from within. Multiple rooms are suddenly populated. 10:56 <Crion> Aster sighs. "Our hosts have arrived. And they have not showered." 10:56 <Quaker> Badawi puts on her best Vinnie Jones accent, but jokingly. “Oy, mate. Don’t yew owe us some dosh, love?” 10:58 <hrolf> Rolf: "Dunno if they'll ever let indoor raves on again...fahckin fake news plandemic restrictions. In Canada I 'eard they're doing somefing about it, some lorry drivers took over the capital." 11:00 <banana> Mary: "Yes I do - and thanks from all of us. Come over here, let's not yell further than the board is big." 11:02 <VoxPVoxD> To Aaron: "Maybe they'll be comparatively more impressed by our commitment to detail." 11:02 <banana> Mari (with an i): "..that's good! You're alive, I can see, and so's the team, like. All of that sounds good." She's finished getting her outwear off and washing up. Time for meat. And, at the table: "Sooo.. what's not good, baby?" 11:03 <VoxPVoxD> To Mary and Charlie: "Is it harder to calculate when you've got to drag your pawns around with both hands?" 11:03 <Crion> "I have little idea what will and what will not impress them," Aster admits. "Almost all my contact with this particular group has been via ghoul, living relative, or e-mail." 11:04 <hrolf> Rolf puts his mobile away into a pocket under his coat and walks over. He gives the chess board a disinterested once over glance. "You're welcome. I 'eard there was mention of a bonus?" 11:04 <banana> Charlie has even shorter hair than Mary, just red fuzz over a once-shaven scalp. All of you have met her, but none of the three hunters present have seen her smile before. "Making the game physical, innit? This is a battle of muscles as well as the mind." 11:04 <VoxPVoxD> To Aaron: "They might like us! Almost half of the people we meet in the night-city do." 11:06 <banana> As Rolf and Badawi finish talking about music.. they become aware that it's playing, from somewhere. There are no speakers or PA systems visible back here, and nobody's got a boombox; regardless, the instrumental line of some punk track drifts around the game. Occasionally its players move in time. 11:07 <tom> The existence of carbon-based life implies that of carbon-cringe lifeforms. Bob sighs: "How was school? You've been following a doctor around, yeah? How was that?" 11:09 <tom> She deserves a normal conversation to start, at least. 11:09 <hrolf> Rolfs ears prickup. "'ear that? Where's that comin from then?" 11:10 <Crion> Aster: "'Like' is such an imprecise word for the reactions we engender in these...people." 11:10 <banana> Mari knows she's being put off, but she loves her work... "Intense stuff. They just started up elective surgery last month after it was put off for half a year, so there's this huge backlog.. the surgeons spend all day going from one theatre to the next. They like it, I think? Everything revolves around them, and they can work 80 hours a week without having to, well, hmm." 11:10 <banana> "The work-life balance doesn't seem super." She laughs. 11:10 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "And yet, as with the referendum, all we have before us is one box for Yes and one box for No, and one tick to allot between them." 11:12 <tom> Bob: "But it's good work, pays well, saving lives... shit, I know you're good at it." He rubs the spot on his collarbone where the chip rests. Not even even a scar. 11:12 <VoxPVoxD> At the park, Willie just kind of vibes with the music, but she's got her phone out. She squats low to get a level, side-on view of the battlefield that happens to capture Reveille and Charlie Miracle in-frame, moving pieces. 11:12 <tom> "You're really making a difference out there." 11:12 <Crion> Is there a door to knock on? 11:13 <Quaker> “That’s a neat trick. Hey, you’re all coming to my concert tonight, aren’t you? Free food and drinks, no charge, I’ve got some really great players flown in.” 11:13 <tom> He waits for her to sit down before he starts on his steak. 11:17 <banana> There is a door to knock on. There's even a receptionist, a blonde woman in a button-up short and and suspenders, hastily adjusting her skirt - everything's disarranged, presumably from flight. 11:17 <banana> Gangrel: "Mr. Aster, of Aster Biologics.. Ms. Wellesley.. sup!" 11:18 <VoxPVoxD> Would that every receptionist caught hastily adjusting her skirt had such a bulletproof excuse. "Good evening," says Willie to the receptionist. Is she a vampire. "We have an appointment." 11:19 <banana> Mary: "Yeah, I'm coming, with Paola Anna and maybe Linds.. I'll give you our schedule, since it's also the schedule for your bonus, Hughes. Is it my go?" 11:19 <banana> Charlie: "Yep. Knight takes pawn." 11:19 <banana> Mary: "What? That was obviously a trap." 11:19 <banana> Charlie: "Is it, though...?" 11:20 <banana> Willie's phone gets the push message from Huntr. 11:20 <hrolf> Rolf: "Anyfing you needed from us before we're done wif this?" 11:21 <banana> Charlie Miracle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmin5WkOuPw - "She'll never be totally safe -- It's not a safe world -- That doesn't mean she can't get shit done." 11:22 <tom> Bob drums his fingers on the table before speaking: "I didn't tell you about, ah, how I got shot.. that last time." 11:22 <VoxPVoxD> Willie smiles at the TrackCheck. 11:22 <Crion> Aster: "Good evening. You have us at a disadvantage." His voice conveys that he strictly means with regard to name. 11:22 <banana> Mari: "Not really making a difference yet, but.. I intend to. I shall." 11:23 <banana> "How did you get shot, Bob?" She listens. 11:24 <tom> "We went in to Penberthy's through the hedge. He didn't make it easy. I thought I could, uh, make 'em hug it out." He dabs his mouth with a napkin. "Didn't work out." 11:25 <tom> "The Fetch shot me in the back and Rolfie blew his head off." 11:25 <banana> The receptionist is definitely a vampire. Willie can practically smell blood, and her occult senses aren't usually so blunt - vampires stink, yes, but it's abstract, a sense of controlled change and sinking deeply, whiffs of damnation without the hellfire that characterises demons. 11:25 <banana> You get used to it, particularly in Sergio's case, but this woman's straight up been involved with IRL blood so recently that Aster can smell it too. 11:26 <tom> Bob skewers a piece of steak on his fork. 11:26 <VoxPVoxD> Ah! Charming. 11:26 <tom> "I guess that's when I gave up." 11:28 <tom> The heater rattles back on again somewhere deeper in the apartment. Bob kneads his forehead. 11:29 <banana> Mari grimaces at the other Liam's fate. "They're.. they're not all so unhappy, but it can't be easy knowing you're on that side of the crib. What do you mean by gave up?" Didn't he say he always wins? 11:31 <tom> "Trying to fix it. You and yours. The whole deal." 11:32 <tom> "I thought, you know, I can show her it can work, I can turn this around." 11:33 <banana> Reveille contemplates the deceased pawn. "Nah, don't need anything else, you've done a brilliant job. It's my turn now, mine and ours." 11:33 <banana> "Here's the plan. On Christmas Eve, we're heading down to London - it's Lindsey's van but Lindsay's driving. That makes it sound like we're indies on the way to some gig, but the reality is we'll be meeting EMI reps, to start the big push." 11:34 <banana> She picks up a rook, staggering a little. "I'll transfer you the first chunk before we go. Then, on Christmas, the album comes out." 11:35 <banana> "We did most of the tracks at the start of this year, so don't expect much there, but the name - it'll be In the Wings of the Nameless House." 11:35 <hrolf> Rolf: "Nice, nice. 'ope you'll send us a copy. Been a pleasure doin business." 11:37 <banana> Mari: "So.. my fetch? It, I mean she, doesn't want to kill me or to die. I don't quite get it." 11:37 <banana> "Please help me understand." 11:37 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's eyes widen at Reveille's revelation. "Oh my! That's lovely!" 11:37 <VoxPVoxD> Willie checks her phone while Aaron and the receptionist converse. 11:38 <tom> Bob finishes his meal and leans back in his chair, sighing: "I was trying to prove some stupid point about friendship, some stupid shit like that. I really thought I could just.. mash these two people together and make everyone happy again." 11:38 <tom> "I was just writing fanfiction." 11:38 <tom> "Caught a bullet for it." 11:40 <banana> Gangrel: "Call me Tonia. If you got a disadvantage, it's nothing permanent.. death heals all wounds." 11:40 <Quaker> “Mm. That’s quite a…tribute.” You STOLE our NAME?? 11:40 <banana> She claps long-nailed hands together: "If you want to see the boss, you can go straight through! Need to know anything first?" 11:40 <Crion> Aster just stares at her expectantly until she says that, and then: "No. Thank you, Tonia." 11:41 <Quaker> Great. Now if they get big, every moron they meet are going to go ‘oh you mean like the album?’. Oh well. All’s well that ends well, she thinks. 11:41 <hrolf> Rolf: "Yeah, fantastic, lovely. Well, we'll be off then.." 11:42 <banana> Charlie: "A mixed reception.. that's the way we like it. Seriously though, thanks from all of us for keeping M&M safe." 11:43 <banana> Mary: "Hang on, let me get to the arrangements for the bonus.. we're on tour from the new year, but the first cheque should be in.. huh." She seems suddenly struck by something. 11:43 <VoxPVoxD> Willie, to Mary: "Mm?" 11:43 <tom> He rubs his eye. "And, you know, it's like... what am I even doing? That shit only works out in kid's cartoons." And I should know! Extensive knowledge, there. Not the point: "I mean, hun... I see you doing all these amazing things, you're becoming a doctor, you're..." 11:43 <VoxPVoxD> Willie beams at Tonia and follows Aaron in. 11:44 <VoxPVoxD> Death only heals all wounds if time does. And judging from the very case at hand, you can hold onto an injury for a long, long time. 11:44 <banana> Mari: "But you were trying to do the right thing. It's awful that you and the fetch both got hurt, but it wasn't wrong to want that.. I mean, you know how much fic I read." 11:46 <tom> "I.. guess what I mean is, I'm stuck in one place." He finally finishes. "I thought I could cheat my way out of that, just like, jump right into that happy life. But I close my eyes and I can smell the burning pine." 11:46 <banana> Reveille: "Mmm indeed. Like I said, you've done the job.. so if you want to leave this alone, maybe you could. I could take a look after the game." 11:46 <banana> Charlie: "A look at what?" 11:46 <tom> "And I can't be there for you, the way you need me, like actually need me to be." 11:47 <banana> Reveille: "There's something in the alley over there. A mind, alien.. not aggressive. Hiding." 11:47 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's immediately looking over at the alley. 11:48 <hrolf> Rolf: "Is it linked to the star?" 11:48 <banana> Reveille: "Think so. Isn't it supposed to be over?" 11:49 <banana> Aster and Wellesley head deeper into the buildin gand enter a room that straddles the line between executive office and rumpus room. 11:49 <VoxPVoxD> Willie, to Reveille: "How long as it been there?" 11:50 <banana> There's a big, expensive table and trophy cabinet; there's also a ping-pong table, across which three guys are trying to play a game all at once. They're calling each other things like 'broski', having a great time despite the late hour and the lack of alcohol. 11:50 <banana> *a big, expensive desk 11:51 <hrolf> Rolf flicks open his holster's cover. Might not be dangerous, but..."Let's go and see, yeah?" 11:51 <VoxPVoxD> Nobody's had a rumpus room since the 1970s.... exactly how 1970s is the rumpus room side of the divide? 11:51 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Rolf is right." 11:51 <Quaker> Badawi has her hand in her coat, following Rolf. 11:51 <VoxPVoxD> You've got to let yourself say these things. It's Christmas. 11:51 <tom> Bob turns away from her: "What am I doing here? I knew it the moment I saw you at school- what's this old, tired, weird fuck doing here? What's his angle?" 11:51 <Crion> Aster finds these gamers far more irritating than the college students(?). 11:52 <Crion> But, this is a business meeting. 11:52 <banana> Watching indulgently from behind the desk is a big, expensive woman. Stella Savoy - Aster recognises the bone structure - isn't the size of Carl of Eccles, but she's got both muscle and fat proportionally distributed. At least six feet, and for her suit to fit under the circumstances it has to also be pretty expensive. She's got brown hair cut evenly around her neck like a half-open lampshade. 11:52 <VoxPVoxD> Oh hell yes. 11:53 <VoxPVoxD> Willie takes an immediate, superficial liking to Stella. Lucky she's still got her phone out... 11:53 <banana> All of them are undead, of course. 11:53 <banana> Reveille: "...right, call us over if you need it. I don't think it's been there long." 11:53 <tom> Bob gets up and reaches under the sink to pull out a half-empty bottle of clear something. "Well, whatever he's doing, it ain't working." 11:54 <banana> Charlie doesn't move any more pieces for now, just keeps watch, but they stay at the board. There are a few random spectators, and it wouldn't be good to lead them all into the alley. 11:54 <Quaker> Into the alley, as they head deeper: “Hello? Come out, we won’t hurt you as long as you’ve come peacefully.” 11:54 <tom> He takes a glass out the cupboard and pours himself a drink. He turns to Mari questioningly before going for a second glass. 11:55 <banana> Mari doesn't want it. She looks kind of desperate, a little shocked... "But you've been here.. I've been happy.. I'm not as young as I look! I'm twenty-six!" 11:57 <banana> Three hunters between them fill the mouth of the alleyway and provide a superficial cover against anyone who might be looking in, but you're in the middle of Manchester and it's the holidays. Someone will wander by. 11:57 <banana> There's something behind a rubbish bin that shifts in response to Badawi's entreaty. 11:57 <tom> He spills a bit of his drink down the front of his shirt as he goes for it, doesn't notice. Too busy with his whole face wrenching up, completely involuntary. Already tears, just the corners for now. 11:58 <VoxPVoxD> Willie kind of hopes it's just a reporter. 11:58 <banana> It's not a reporter, it's a... pile. Feathers, shaped roughly along faint traceries of light that outline sensual limbs. 11:58 <tom> He sits back down at the table. "And now I'm hurting you, and I don't know what to do." 11:58 <banana> Quiet and almost despairing, the alien: "We come in peace." 11:59 <hrolf> Rolf: "'o're you then?" 11:59 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Tra-Se-Uu?" 11:59 <Quaker> Badawi puts her hand down. “It’s not violent.” 12:00 <VoxPVoxD> Willie looks back at Agostina. This is the one from the report, right? The one who vowed to try and crash the chess game. 12:00 <Quaker> “It’s the one that was going to accuse Reveille of something at chess night. Make a hysterical scene.” 12:00 <Quaker> “I don’t think it’s dangerous. Physically, anyway.” 12:00 <banana> Mari: "God, I don't know.. you say that but it sounds like you're hurting, not me! I want to.. I want to kiss away your tears like another dumb kind of fanfic. I have this feeling that insists it should work, that I just need more comfort, more solace." 12:01 <Quaker> “What do you want, Tra-Se-Uu?” 12:01 <tom> "I don't think that's how it works, hun." 12:01 <VoxPVoxD> The Primogen is Aaron's play, so in that ambiguously-dated college party game room she's just kind of soaking up the vibes. Cheap beer and blood both smell oddly metallic, don't they? 12:02 <banana> The Tra-Se-Uu: "We do not know what to do." The voice is coming from a 'head' shape outlined in bright plumage, but it's buried in the creature's long mass. It takes up quite a lot of space even folded in to a feathery mass like that. "We have been... marooned." 12:02 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's heart breaks a little. Oh no. 12:02 <hrolf> Rolf: "Don't 'ave a spaceship you can fly away in, like?" 12:02 <Quaker> “And the others? Bao Guai and the rest?” 12:08 <Quaker> Badawi walks over to the bundle of feathers and kneels beside it, petting it with a hand. “Do you need a new master or something?” 12:08 <banana> The Tra-Se-Uu pulses faintly, pink-yellow. "Yes, Bao Guai, the protectors... we 'hitched a ride'. But everyone is gone to the stars. The commsnet is down, and this was the only place we knew to go." 12:10 <banana> Under Badawi's hand it feels warm but a little sticky. 12:12 <banana> Mari: "Intellectually, I know it's unrealistic. But I also try to reason stuff out too much, so I don't how to.. look, you've told me things that aren't working. What I don't get is.." She looks frustrated, with herself. Trying to word things. 12:14 <banana> "This is a great meal.. you've really been improving. And all the other stuff, meeting with friends, money is great.. it sounds like.. you keep saying that things aren't working for me but that isn't right is it? You're unhappy. I don't know whether that's because of something I'm doing, or not doing, or.. for other reasons." 12:14 <banana> "What is it you want and don't have? Please tell me. I won't get mad." 12:15 <Quaker> Badawi pets it some more. “Have you ever been to Mexico, Tra-Se-Uu? I’m going there after tonight. I have people who could look after you until you decide what you want to do, or contact your people.” 12:20 <banana> The alien in the alleyway unfolds a little bit. It looks like it has wings of light, curled up around its thin body- given all the feathers, they might actually be functional. To the humans looking down: "What is... mexico?" 12:21 <banana> "We are familiar with 'mexicali'. One of the human cuisines most similar to our own." 12:21 <Quaker> Badawi: “It’s a different place than here. Much warmer and friendlier. They have better food there.” 12:21 <Quaker> “Do you like…chili peppers?” 12:22 <banana> Tra-Se-Uu: "Warmth would be appreciated. Our limbs and genitals are in pain." 12:22 <hrolf> Rolf: "Warmer I'll give you. Nuffink beats a parmo though. Do they have those in Mexico?" 12:22 <VoxPVoxD> Ordinarily Willie is the first to jump to the defence of English food. Not this time, though. Not this time. 12:23 <tom> Bob: "When I try to open up to you, I get completely lost..." 12:24 <Quaker> Badawi: “I imagine they do have them there. Well, if you like warmth and chili peppers, I can take you there safely, and you will be given safe harbor until you figure your next step.” 12:25 <Quaker> “Does that sound acceptable, Tra-Se-Uu?” 12:26 <tom> Bob looks entirely defeated, just sitting there with his chin resting on his fist. 12:26 <banana> Feathery alien: "We are in your hands, human spy-master. This world is very large, and without a Great One's commands... the right thing to do is not obvious," 12:26 <hrolf> "We 'ave a great one 'ere. 'is name's Boris." 12:27 <Quaker> Badawi stands up and looks down on the creature. “One warning, Tra-Se-Uu. The people you will be staying with are ferocious hunters when crossed. They will treat you kindly, but if you betray them, if this is a trick or a scheme to hurt people…they will eat you. Do you understand?” 12:28 <VoxPVoxD> Boris would throw the lovebird a party. 12:33 <banana> The feathered-ghost alien stands too. It's now.. very obviously alien, so if you're going to get it out of here without incident, there's a question of how. As well as being taller than humans and partially transparent, it floats a few inches off the ground. 12:34 <banana> "Cannibalism of sentient species has been forbidden under The Accords for two hundred years. We appreciate your aid, we will not scorn or betray it... please leave our flesh intact." 12:35 <Quaker> Is it light? Can they carry it out in a milk crate if it lays down in one? 12:35 <VoxPVoxD> To the alien: "Can you take on a human guise? If not, how small can you make yourself?" 12:35 <hrolf> Rolf: "Want me to bring the rover over to the alley? Can't 'ave this lad walking around in broad daylight yeah?" 12:35 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's got some blankets in her car... 12:37 <banana> Badawi can weigh up the entity's arm in her own.. it's quite light indeed, massing more than the visible feathers but far less than a mammal. 12:39 <Quaker> “Yes, bring the car around. We’ll carry it in…” She picks up a stray plastic milk crate. “This, and cover it with blankets in the back seat.” 12:40 <VoxPVoxD> God bless us, all but one. 12:40 <hrolf> A few minutes later, Rolf is carefuly backing the ranger rover into the alley. He knocks over a few bins and nearly runs over Willie, but no harm no foul, yeah? 12:41 <VoxPVoxD> No harm to fowl, at least. Willie glares at Rolf. 12:41 <tom> He rubs his eyes and speaks, finally: "What if I realized... I didn't want happiness? What if deep down, a person could be so fucked that they just... don't get it?" 12:41 <Quaker> Badawi bundles the alien into the back seat. “Stay here and warm up. Do you need food? Water?” 12:42 <tom> "And I keep trying, and I keep pushing, and it just... it doesn't come?" 12:43 <banana> Tra-Se-Uu: "Nutritious liquids would be a great kindness. Are all of you humans?" 12:43 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "More or less." 12:43 <hrolf> Rolf sheepishly shrugs at Willie. "The back camera on this fing is cack...sorry.." 12:44 <banana> Mary and Charlie have made significant progress with their game, but keep glancing over at the car that's not really where it should be. Charlie says something that makes Mary laugh, and then you feel her mental voice: "It's not at all clear what you're doing there, but it seems under control? We'll see you at the gig, yeah?" 12:45 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "You could take the money from this contract and upgrade to Aaron's model." 12:45 <Quaker> Badawi: “Alright. Let’s stop at a juice place or something on the way to the concert.” 12:46 <Quaker> The woman sitting next to the alien in the back seat suddenly pats her jacket. “Oh, right, Christmas. Before I forget…” 12:46 <banana> Mari puts her forehead on the table with a clunk. 12:46 <Quaker> She pulls out a key fob from her pocket and hands it to Rolf. 12:46 <banana> "I do get that.. it's a problem. I don't get the nature of it, which.. is the problem, I think. Bismillah. I don't wanna make you write poetry, or do therapy.." 12:47 <Quaker> She pulls out a burned CD in a green jewel case from her coat and hands it to Willie. It says “Sicily Winter” on it in blue Sharpie. 12:47 <hrolf> Rolf: "Nah mate, can't get a new car. Me dosh isn't so liquid at the mo. Parking it in Canadian real estate - its got even better returns than the UK, or so me cuz Don says." 12:48 <VoxPVoxD> !!! 12:48 <banana> "For me that doesn't make sense, the idea of not wanting happiness. Happiness is.. whatever you do want. And every time we talk about this it gets worse, because we're talking past each other, like... even saying this, the way I am, it's wrong somehow. I don't get how." 12:48 <Quaker> “You know, for when you and Sergio are driving around.” 12:48 <hrolf> Rolf: "What's this key for?" 12:48 <VoxPVoxD> She made me a mix... "I will wear this out, I assure you." 12:49 <Quaker> “Check the loading dock at the Greybox when you get back.” 12:49 <hrolf> Rolf pockets it. "Alright, fanks I spose...merry christmas to you too." 12:50 <banana> Mari: "Look- the steak is great, the feelings are, neither of us can fix that right now. Maybe.. something will make more sense when we're not trying to explain it." 12:50 <hrolf> He jerks a thumb towards the back. "If we can't get a turkey dinner, that could do." 12:51 <banana> The Tra-Se-Uu quivers. Looks like something out of a burlesque. 12:52 <Quaker> To the alien, as they get ready to drive off: “Hey, can you handle loud music?” 12:52 <tom> Bob nods and wipes his eyes. "I'm real sorry babe. I don't know what's wrong with me." Yes you do. 12:56 <banana> Mari: "It.. sucks, it clearly sucks, and it sucks for me too so. Let's leave it. Let's go to bed." 12:56 <banana> "Maybe it's really weird in the circumstances but I kind of just want to fuck, and not think for a while." 12:56 <tom> Bob: "Yes ma'am." 12:58 <Crion> What's Stella Savoy's formal title, again? Does Aster know? 13:00 <banana> She's the Primogen of Clan Gangrel, and presumably has some sort of job title in this office. That one he doesn't know, but Primogen should be fine. 13:01 <Crion> Then presumably at some point in the past he will use it. Now, however, he and Samantha have a...concert...to go to? 13:02 <Quaker> Whatever arrangements the Winter King has made for his own little fiefdom, the stage will have been put together under Martina’s supervision and direction. Acoustic panels hang from tall metal poles, properly funneling sound from stage to audience. Tables decorated with white tablecloths, poinsettias, and candles are all arranged evenly spaced heating lamps. Off to the side, Mr. Hussein (of Manchester Mediterranean) and ten catering staff man an 13:02 <Quaker> open bar and a lavish buffet of lebanese food. 13:02 <Quaker> The stage itself has all the band’s pedals, speakers, amps, and equipment, with their instruments laying on stands. Martina is sitting in her little fortress of synthesizers and keyboards, which have been stacked three deep like an organ. 13:04 <Quaker> It’s cold, but that doesn’t stop Badawi from changing into her concert outfit, a new dress for the occasion: https://i.imgur.com/Tk8Wyp5.jpg 13:04 <Quaker> How are the Nightingales doing? They go up first as the Children’s Choir. 13:05 <VoxPVoxD> Oh, that's beautiful. 13:06 <banana> Sandy Bunkers Retirement Community is dressed up for Christmas. The staff are much better paid than typical carers, so the buildings are well-kept and there's tinsel all about, high up where it won't trip people. There's also a tree in the big rec room, right now off the corner as the stage steals its stage. 13:07 <hrolf> Rolf is stuffing himself at the buffet. Don't like the people, but their food ain't so bad. 13:07 <hrolf> Not being able to help himself, he grabs some baklavas and stuffs it into his pockets to take home. 13:07 <Quaker> Badawi will try to find Cameron. She has news for the young girl, anyway. 13:08 <Quaker> Mr. Hussein smiles widely and nods at Rolf. “Very good, sir. Please, take as much as you like home with you. We always make more than anyone could eat.” 13:09 <hrolf> Rolf, mouth full: "-ufnf, yeah fanks-" 13:09 <Crion> Aster's wearing whatever suit of his matches Samantha's dress. She'll have had a hand, therefore, in picking both. 13:10 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's aimed for 'friendly Christmas party' as a dress level. Once she hands Sergio her coat she's in a knit black jumper covered in snowflakes and various coffee brewers, and her earrings look like little sprigs of holly. Ahhh she feels so free and happy. 13:11 <VoxPVoxD> She eats labneh with great delicacy to avoid drips. 13:12 <banana> The residents are almost all out - in a few cases, naptime is not predictable even for a special event. Close to two score elderly people are gathering for the audience; to Bob's eyes, and the more closely observant of the other hunters, about five of them are Lost. 13:12 <Quaker> When Aster arrives, Amjad will make his way over to him and hand over a large box wrapped in Christmas paper and a bow. “From Missus Agostina. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Dr. Blackfin, and how lovely you look this evening. Excuse me, I have to return a medallion to someone. Merry Christmas.” 13:12 <banana> That's not counting Seelie King Starling, who today doesn't look old at all. He's still got an absurd white beard which wraps about him like a belt, but otherwise looks middle-aged, striding around the place giving orders and answering questions, the stars of Winter at his brow. 13:13 <Quaker> She invited Octocat and Vivi! 13:13 <banana> The children's choir is going to be up first, although the Nightingales aren't pleased to have it described that way. 13:13 <Quaker> Well, pretty much every acquaintaince they are not actively hostile against has a standing invitation… 13:14 <banana> Cameron, with a gang of friends in their casual new clothes, confronts Badawi. "Children? Look, missus, we all look like children to these folk. They're aged to the point of derangement." 13:15 <Crion> Aster, seeing what it is and who it's from, retreats to the car, muttering. When he returns, he has his own thin rectangular prism with a bow on it -- something, or series of things, held together tightly with wrapping paper. 13:15 <Crion> He was going to save this for the Greybox but if she's going to spring the presents ambush now... 13:15 <Quaker> Badawi: “Humor them. Old people love children. Usually. Listen, about the community center…” 13:16 <banana> Sergio nods to Aster as soon as they see each other. Despite Badawi's standing invitations, the guest list is basically residents, a number of changelings, and the hunters' direct invitees. For a retirement home show, the atmosphere is surprisingly complex. At the back of the stage, the two visitors from Sunset are tuning instruments and drawing the eye. 13:16 <banana> Cameron: "Yeah, what's with it?" 13:17 <Quaker> “I’m going to be out of the country for a month or two after tonight. I’ve got the contractors ready to go, and just got a major funding infusion for renovations. Can I tell them they can start, and can I trust you to keep an eye on them? I’m sure Willie will be around this January, too, in case you need an adult’s signature for anything. And Mr. Amjad will be around, and Mr. Octocat.” 13:18 <banana> Another Nightingale, the older boy Jock, greets the rest of the House. Rolf hasn't seen these kids since Gorton Cemetery, and they look rather less goth-y in this environment. 13:18 <banana> "Welcome, fellow denizens of the night." Never mind, still goth. 13:18 <VoxPVoxD> Ah, the children of the night. What beautiful music they'll make. 13:18 <tom> Bob's there- with Mari, of course. He looks unusually sedate. Suspiciously so. 13:19 <banana> Sumi bustles up to them immediately. "Mari!!! And Bob. Nice to see 'yall'. Are you going to Coetzee's christmas party?" 13:19 <banana> "Sorry, is it Yall or All Yall?" 13:20 <hrolf> Rolf casts a a beady eye around at the company. Hopefully the music won't be shite. 13:20 <tom> "All y'all would be a group. Y'all for a group, minimum of two. So y'all." 13:21 <Crion> Is he waiting to open the box...? He turns to Samantha. "What are the manners here? Do I take it back to the car and open it later? It's a bit big to just...start tearing into...right here." 13:22 <banana> Cameron Kingfisher: "Yeah, ultimately it's your building.. or, Miss Willie's building.. if you want it changed, go ahead. We can let t' builders in and annoy them. Just.. one question." 13:22 <VoxPVoxD> Now that Sumi's also over there, Willie feels safe to go with Sergio. "Oh, hello. Sumi, Mari, Robert. You've got to get some of the kibbeh while they're still hot." Big smile. 13:23 <banana> "The Colonel says.. a lot of the people here aren't entirely people. You guys know that and you're on top of it, right?" 13:23 <Quaker> “Uh-huh.” 13:23 <VoxPVoxD> The Colonel sounds like a prick. 13:23 <Quaker> “Oh, the audience? Yes, we know.” 13:23 <Quaker> “Well, part of the band, too, if we’re being honest…” 13:24 <Quaker> Badawi checks her watch. “Alright up you go. Good luck! And remember, I put this setlist together for you all, so if I have a riot of elderly people here you’d better appreciate it.” 13:24 <tom> Bob is staring at a spot in the air about a foot above and to the left of one of the children, blinks, narrows his eyes. 13:24 <tom> "What the fuck is Nathan Bedford Forrest doing here?" 13:24 <VoxPVoxD> Willie makes small chat with all of them, giving them each a bit of focused attention. How's the mood among the Winter courtiers? 13:25 <banana> Speaking of the Colonel... anyone wearing etheric goggles can see the geist now, a spirit-like creature wrapped around and through Cameron. They look like halves of a caduceus, entirely intertwined, but the geist is holder and its head floats above her own: a man, 30-40, slick dark hair, dead. 13:25 <tom> Cameron is, like, a teenage girl, right? 13:26 <banana> You think she's about 15. 13:26 <tom> Bob quirks an eyebrow at the ghost and shakes his head disapprovingly. 13:27 <banana> As the Nightingales are going on stage, Hatch Starling finishes directing the staff and comes over to greet the hunters he doesn't know well. Willie's temporarily occupied, so Aster and Rolf find themselves stared at by the King under the Hill. "Hm." 13:27 <banana> He circles them a little. "Yes.. and Dr. Blackfin. Nice to see you all. This thing.. why a concert?" 13:27 <hrolf> Rolf wolfs down a chicken shawarma with some pepsi. "-ughrhgfff, why not mate?" 13:28 <banana> Starling: "Tis the spirit of the season, apparently. But you were a company of contractors, and now you're just becoming part of the Underground's social life. I think many of us are happy to see it. Are you?" 13:29 <Crion> Aster: "Because Badawi adores song. And it's a positive, productive use of children's free time." 13:29 <Crion> "Happiness is hardly the point." 13:30 <Quaker> The chorus occupy the forward-most part of the stage, on a little raised section that can hold about 25 small people in rows. Badawi will take her place behind them, as the band finishes last-minute preparations and settles in to listen to the kids. Her guitar, the orange Stratocaster, lays in her lap as she sits on an amp. 13:30 <banana> Mari tries the kibbeh. "We're going to Riaan's... maybe. Are you staying away, Sumisumi? Because of ditching the poor ass?" 13:30 <banana> Sumiya: "I didn't dump him, I'm merely.. attempting new frontiers in exclusivity. Cross-seasonal. I'm a biennial hothouse flower." 13:31 <hrolf> Rolf: "Socializing gives us opportunities for more contracts innit? As the 'ead of the business development vert'cal I'm hobligated to make an happearance." 13:32 <banana> The kids up on stage are enjoying having an audience, even if it's olds. They're just going to launch into some of their better-rehearsed stuff, basically, as the more alert of the residents applaud, or laugh at them, or talk about how reminded they are of their own grandchildren. 13:32 <tom> Well, it's not entirely fair to say she ditched Riann. After all, the paper Sumi gave Bob way back did label him as a 'fuckbuddy'. Specifically. 13:32 <tom> God, my brain's been scrambled too many times. 13:32 <banana> The Kentucky-looking geist eyes Bob and mouths something. Whatever it is makes Cameron look over at him too, but she doesn't seem particularly interested. 13:33 <tom> "You best watch your ass, KFC," Bob mutters before returning to plundering the snack table. 13:34 <hrolf> Rolf taps his foot in tune to the music. Not bad. 13:35 <hrolf> Rolf, to Starling: "'ow's the mutual aid society doing these days then?" 13:36 <hrolf> His eyes narrow a bit. "Your little Great Wall against the elfs and whatnot still full on juice?" 13:37 <banana> Hatch: "We're strong enough. The elven enemy is out, and will stay out - the enemy in our heads is a bit harder. Your colleague Agostina putting on an event like this is very nice, a reminder of the rewards of normality." 13:38 <banana> You can see a couple of others from Samhain throughout the audience. For most of the old folk, though, any interaction out of the ordinary is exciting. 13:40 <hrolf> Rolf: "Strong enough. 's nice. Very nice. For 'ow long do you fink?" 13:40 <banana> Sergio, to Willie and whoever else is around: "They're not bad at all, but they're young.. we're not going to make them keep it up for the full two hours, right?" 13:41 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "They're just the warmup act for Agostina and her band." 13:42 <VoxPVoxD> "Agostina is secretly a musical genius, did you know? I imagine her friends are as well." 13:43 <banana> Starling: "Until we can't do it anymore. Then we find out whether the world's been made anew or whether the whole thing reverts to Faerieland... fields of green, seas of blood, a united Ireland, cats and dogs sleeping together. Et cetera." 13:43 <VoxPVoxD> "This is, without question, the best show happening in Manchester tonight." 13:43 <Crion> Aster: "It's all very hush-hush. Metaphorically, I mean. I presume the band is quite loud." 13:44 <hrolf> Rolf: "Right right. As long as you got the strength in you to keep the lords and ladies at bay, yeah? 'ow exactly do you plan to keep doing it, if i may ask?" 13:46 <banana> The outside doors open as the Nightingales move toward the end of their set. Three people spill in quickly from the biting cold - Reveille and DisAster, the former still dressed down with sunglasses and a muffler that help keep her face quiet. The third introduces himself to the changeling guard at the door as 'Victor Ocherro'. 13:49 <Quaker> As the kids walk off, Agostina turns to Martina, who is wearing her cans around her neck. She gets a thumbs up: the acoustics are as good here as they’re going to get. Rehan and Saera take their spots and turn on their amps, the crackling feedback hissing until Martina brings everything down from the master console in front of her. From behind the drum set, Tom Luna flexes his massive blonde forearms and begins to tap out a soft beat on his toms 13:49 <Quaker> 13:49 <banana> The King pauses. Another changeling comes up to stand beside him, elegantly dressed - Rolf may or may not know Premson of Winter. Starling: "You're getting into deep questions now, the sort with answers that bind the asker. I can abridge for you: while I wear this Crown, I'm empowered to seal the way between worlds. Fortunately, removing it from me would be difficult." 13:50 <banana> Who's the first hunter that seems unoccupied to someone that's just walked in who wants to ask an urgent question? 13:50 <Quaker> Agostina stalks to the edge of the stage. “Hello, Sandy Bunkers! Are you ready? Apologies if some of you pass out…” 13:50 <hrolf> Rolf snaps his fingers. "You know these kids aren't 'alf bad. Been a while since I bin to some live music if i'm 'onest. Last time was...my gosh, when the 'ammers went up to Stoke in the FA cup? Me and the lads stopped by a pub in the city on the way back. They got an 'ole scene up there, very gentrified, in the old minin area. Burslem. Ever been?" 13:51 <banana> Samantha: "Hello again, Sumiya. Did you hear back from Kim?" 13:51 <Quaker> “We’re the House Band.” She puts the mic back and takes up her guitar and strums a chord. Tom Luna smashes out a few opening notes, and then quiets the drums. Then he leads them in properly, Martina hits several buttons, and the stage explodes. 13:52 <banana> Sumi: "I'm surrounded by doctors again.. yeah, she's going to call y'all-" she winks at Bob- "about the work. One of those people who gets sucked into this business by her own experiences and can't quite leave it alone, you know?" 13:52 <banana> Blackfin: "Uh, yeah, I do actually." 13:52 <Crion> Aster coughs politely. 13:52 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's pulled away a bit from the group, letting Sergio mingle. It might be her who intercepts whoever. 13:53 <Quaker> First Track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ5qs3ALrU4 13:54 <Quaker> Full Set: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOhdn-PrKH4Hj9wfozwfMSXmX0NjB0jH 13:54 <banana> Vivi- his beard far shorter than Starling's, but still very impressive in his own right - looks alarmed, like he wants to grab Willie and force an explanation. He's not quite alarmed enough to betray the offered hospitality like that, but: 13:54 <hrolf> This is actually pretty good. Gets the Rolf seal of approval. 13:54 <Crion> Quite loud. 13:54 <banana> "Ms. Wellesley, what are those on stage with Luisa?" 13:54 <VoxPVoxD> They're not demons or vampires, are they? 13:55 <tom> Certified banger, here. 13:56 <banana> They're a young woman and an older man, intense-looking, unrecognised archetypes. They're putting out sound that gels very well, backing Badawi's covers like they have no greater ambition in life- and yet, speaking of ambition... it's odd. Around the edges, Martina's shirt is outlined in gold. Tom Luna's drumsticks strike you as unusually pink. It's just colour, though. 13:56 <Crion> ...And quite good. 13:57 <Quaker> Before they get into the second track, Agostina yells: “Cameron, this one’s for you!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEaMgEcQuB0 13:58 <banana> Hatch Starling has half an ear on the stage. His attention was caught by the band too, but it swings back to Rolf. "No, Mr. Hughes. I was up on the border at the time, by Quintinshill." 13:58 <banana> "Whose rumours have you heard in which pub?" 13:58 <Quaker> Really, pretty much all the pop punk is for them. 13:58 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Well, one of them's a drummer, and one of them's some sort of synthesizer ninja, it sounds like..." 13:59 <Crion> Bit on the nose there, Agostina. 13:59 <banana> The Waistcoat Colony members are enjoying it too, though. They've blended into the crowd of old people, enjoying the pretence of needing to be fed and waited on. 13:59 <VoxPVoxD> Nice arms on that drummer. As is so often the case. 13:59 <tom> We're headed for disaster / and I won't close my eyes until it's over. 14:00 <banana> Vivi: "...Those are the aspects they're letting show through. You know, I didn't know why I was invited to this thing, but it was good to get out after our lockdown." 14:00 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Luisa invited you in the spirit of the holiday, and of friendship, I'm sure." 14:00 <Quaker> As they make their way through the set, the sound starts to soften a bit. After an Arabic guitar classic, Rehan and Saera take a step back, and Tom Luna quiets his drums for a moment. 14:00 <hrolf> Rolf's heard the best way to be heard in a wall of noise is not to shout, but just speak normally through and close to the listener. He gives Hatch Starling a hard look, and sidles closer: "You must be very proud of yourselves." 14:01 <VoxPVoxD> "She looks happy up there, doesn't she?" 14:01 <Quaker> Martina hits a switch and a spotlight falls on Badawi, and then Martina puts her hands on the keyboard and plays her in as she begins to sing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03naRILIA9o 14:01 <tom> Bob's fallen silent by the time the second song starts. He's stopped tapping on his leg. 14:02 <VoxPVoxD> Willie's briefly arrested by the music. 14:03 <banana> Vivi: "You sure it wasn't to make a statement?" 14:03 <banana> "Octocat's visiting an apprentice of ours backstage. The boy will have been shocked by these foreign divinities, but we'll smooth it over." 14:03 <banana> The mage rubs his forehead and visibly forces his facial muscles to relax. "I know.. friendship is a thing. Octocat insisted I come out here. But these are fraught times. Surprises everywhere." 14:03 <banana> "You're not hiding any more aliens, are you?" 14:05 <VoxPVoxD> "You're not with the Home Office, are you?" Willie counters. "I'm teasing. But no. Everyone here..." she looks around a bit, at Aaron and Samantha, at Rolf and Starling, at the kids. At Sumi and Mari. At Bob. At Sergio. "I think everyone here belongs here." 14:05 <Quaker> After that one, the band seems to shift in size and arrangement. Rehan and Saera get to sit and take a breather as Badawi takes off her black denim jacket that she’s wearing over her dress. They can see her top plastered in sweat. Agostina grabs the drumsticks and sits behind the set as Tom Luna slings his saxophone over his shoulder and steps forward. 14:05 <hrolf> Rolf calls out a request: "Play the epic sax guy song! From eurovision!" 14:05 <Quaker> Martina leads them in, and Tom Luna proceeds to lose his fucking mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh7HtH3cm-M 14:06 <banana> Sergio: "Sublime, that one." He's less enthused by the drum solo. 14:07 <banana> Some of the Nightingales have come out to join the audience now. Alarmingly, they take up seats by Mary Morgan and Paola Anna Santierre, leading to a spate of whispering that hopefully isn't going to get anyone In Trouble. 14:08 <banana> The sax and drums are fairly popular with the actual audience of residents. An elderly changeling that none of you have met calls out FECK YEAH! at one point. 14:08 <Quaker> They finish another jazz number before Badawi stands up. “Okay, five minute break.” She hops off the stage and makes a beeline for the water bottles. 14:08 <Quaker> As she heads back, she calls out to Bob. “Next one’s for you, Goreman.” 14:08 <tom> Bob manages a shaky laugh. 14:09 <Quaker> They get their instruments tuned again in a moment, and Badawi’s holding an acoustic guitar for this one. 14:09 <banana> Things quiet down. The mage Vivi contemplates his conversational sins, shrugs. He tells Willie, "I suppose sometimes a comet is just a comet." 14:09 <Quaker> She starts to sing as the band backs her with a softer sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brVtJLuDgkw 14:10 <banana> With Rolf's attention distracted, Hatch briefly takes the stage during the five minute break, telling people that they're free to get up or have something to eat and drink if they like, and that there will be another hour of music afterward for anyone who's still up for it. Most remain; it's not that late, even for the elderly. 14:11 <banana> After that.. he retreats to the side with a couple of courtiers, watching Badawi's bandmates closely. 14:11 <hrolf> Rolf watches him go, his mouth tightening. He shuffles off to grab another beer. He has to drive home, but fuck it. 14:13 <hrolf> He finds an armchair and plops himself down, closing his eyes and settling in with a sigh. The song washes over him. He starts to drink. 14:13 <Quaker> Badawi’s fingers are starting to feel a bit raw. Oh well, on with the show! 14:13 <VoxPVoxD> Everyone's so terribly curious about the band. 14:13 <tom> He settles into his seat next to Mari and makes faces for a little while before he settles into a sad smile. 14:13 <banana> Mari: "I'm not a music-knower, but these three can cross different styles so easily.. that's incredible." 14:13 <banana> Sumi: "It's pretty normal for a cover band - same kind of mix you'd hear in a bar, the difference is they're good at it." 14:14 <tom> Bob sighs and cautiously moves to take Mari's hand in his. 14:14 <Quaker> The band goes through a few slow sad classics in Spanish as a downtempo refresher. After Nunca Es Suficiente, she picks up the mic: “Alright, this is a stone cold British classic, so you better know it.” 14:14 <hrolf> Rolf: "Chumbawumba! Come on!" 14:15 <banana> Mari squeezes once. It feels good, just.. well, it's a nice physical thing. The no thinking zone can go on a little longer. 14:15 <tom> Heaven's calling my name from the hallway outside the door. 14:15 <Crion> Aster wonders idly what the chances are Rolf knows what Chumbawamba's politics are. 14:15 <banana> After the seating change, Aster finds himself next to an audience changeling that he vaguely recognises - one of the ones who gave out vague prophecies at the party and did tricks with leaves. She's got a heavy coat, as did many of the non-resident guests when they came in, but still worn. 14:16 <Quaker> Saera puts out a scratchy rhythm while Rehan backs it with a deep bass line. Badawi closes her eyes and sings as Martina strikes the notes on her keyboards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q5CGLHJ-54 14:16 <banana> Charn: "How's the destiny-alteration business?" 14:16 <Quaker> Why did we come so far? 14:16 <Crion> Aster: "Lucrative. Unexpectedly violent." 14:17 <Quaker> I knew I’d seen it all before 14:17 <Crion> He pauses. "No, I suppose the violence was within parameters." 14:17 <Quaker> Tall building, reach up in vain 14:17 <Quaker> Tinseltown is in the rain 14:17 <banana> The Augur of Worms: "Fate fights, clean or dirty. Still, keep up the good work. We wouldn't want God to have it all His way." 14:18 <Quaker> “I know now, love was so exciting/ Tinseltown in the rain/ Oh men and women/ Here we are, caught up in this big rhythm-“ 14:18 <tom> Bob's wiping tears out the corners of his eyes and looking around, blinking furiously. 14:18 <VoxPVoxD> Willie grabs Sergio and leans into him. It's not quite a dance - hard to dance to a song this melancholy, even with the synth in full glory - but it is a sort of quiet sway. She buries her face in his chest, as if she could warm him from the inside that way. 14:18 <Quaker> At the chorus: 14:18 <Quaker> DO I LOVE YOU 14:18 <Quaker> YES I LOVE YOU 14:19 <banana> Some of the old folk sing along, as do some of the Nightingales. For all their resistance to education, they study musical history. 14:19 <Quaker> WILL WE ALWAYS BE HAPPY GO LUCKY 14:19 <Quaker> DO I LOVE YOU 14:19 <Quaker> YES I LOVE YOU 14:19 <Quaker> BUT ITS EASY COME, AND ITS EASY GO 14:19 <Quaker> ALL THIS TALKING 14:19 <Quaker> IS ONLY BRAVADO 14:19 <Crion> Some static on the edge of the speakers. Does anyone else hear that? 14:19 <Crion> No, it's nothing. 14:20 <Quaker> They come down from it with a relaxed Dwight Yoakam track, transitioning effortlessly into the rangy country guitar. 14:21 <hrolf> Rolf, eight beers in, starts up a chant in between songs: "Chumbawumba! Chumbawumba!" 14:21 <hrolf> Rolf, eight beers in, starts up a chant in between songs: "Chumbawumba! Chumbawumba!" 14:21 <Crion> He raises his glass to the Augur and moves off to find Samantha. 14:22 <banana> Kylie, the apparently-oldest of the changeling retirees - she looks impossibly old, beyond any of the mortals - can't really sing, but she's mouthing along as well. Possibly to the song, possibly to the call for Chumbawumba. 14:22 <Quaker> Alright, this is the King of Winter’s request. Time to blow the old man away. 14:23 <Quaker> Badawi fixes Hatch Starling with her eyes as she brings her guitar up, Saera and Rehan clear their throats for the backing vocals, and they start to play the hell out of what he asked for: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiKBAbLTegU 14:23 <VoxPVoxD> Rolf in the background makes this feel like what Willie always imagined an ordinary family would be like, where the racist uncle gets sloppy drunk and starts babbling nonsense instead of 'Edward VIII got banged up for a stupid load of fuss over meeting the Germans' drunk. 14:26 <Quaker> Okay, that was for him, this is for the band. Saera strums out a gigantic opening riff as Badawi shouts into a filtered mic. Time to shred the hell out of this place. 14:26 <Quaker> I — AM — IRON — MAN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F01UTYg79KY 14:26 <VoxPVoxD> Ahahahahaha. 14:27 <Crion> Now there's a classic. 14:27 <banana> The King of Winter is clapping along, looking a little more his age. Paola Anna from Waistcoat Colony leans back with her eyes closed, feeling the music with more than five senses. Probably too many for the next track. 14:27 <Quaker> Did Aster ever open his present? 14:28 <banana> Most of you aren't quite sure when Octocat got out into the audience. He's a very unobtrustive person - magic helps, but it's also just a personal trait. "Haha this rules," is audible, though. 14:28 <banana> *unobtrusive 14:28 <Crion> When he had a moment in a quiet place so it wasn't too obtrusively 'grown man opening a Christmas present in public,' yes. 14:29 <banana> A select few can also hear an unusual deep voice following along with the song - Cameron's geist is doing creditable ghostly headbanging. 14:29 <Quaker> Alright, one fast one. Teenagers still like this one, right? It’s impossible to imagine teenagers not liking this, ever. 14:30 <banana> Blackfin to Aster: "I'll just duck out for a moment, don't leave without me..." 14:30 <Quaker> They drop the dooming booms for an uptempo adolescent classic, and Badawi’s velvety contralto is somehow a massive improvement over Patrick Stump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZB5uewPVEk 14:32 <VoxPVoxD> Oh God. Willie is a kid again. 14:32 <Crion> "Of course not." He's had a bit to drink, after all. 14:33 <Quaker> Inside his box, Aster got: 14:33 <banana> The crowd is tired, although they've had a great time. Young people these days: okay? Sumi's needling Sergio about going to church or something. It's good-natured, Willie thinks... 14:33 <VoxPVoxD> Does Sergio see it that way? 14:34 <VoxPVoxD> Willie wonders who's older. Sumi's almost certainly lived more years. 14:35 <Quaker> A blu-ray box set of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, seasons 1-14, a sea-green and grey scarf that reads PHILADELPHIA EAGLES in white stitching, a bobblehead of Mike Schmidt, a pewter replica Liberty Bell, and a blu-ray of the film Philadelphia (1993). 14:36 <Quaker> Badawi is exhausted, but pleasantly. One last guitar track left. She hates finishing shows with anything left in the tank. 14:36 <banana> Bonasera: "...but I'm not going to subject Willie to that nonsense for a midnight mass. Actually, the Dracula people - you know them? the name's a bit of a put-on - they've invited us to some sort of inverted mass ceremony. Just in case the Devil's listening. Interesting times, right?" 14:36 <Crion> ...Hah. He wonders if she's actually seen Philadelphia. 14:37 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "I'll spend midnight anywhere, darling, as long as you're there with me." 14:37 <banana> Sumi: "I really liked that one. I'm not sure I could go back and read it now 'cos it's kind of Orientalist, but maybe.. we can't always be woke." 14:37 <VoxPVoxD> Said the turkey to the carving knife: what you give is what you get. 14:38 <banana> Tom Luna isn't wearing a mic. He tells Badawi, before the last song: "You will owe us, now. It's been a glad duty... best way to incur debt I've experienced in years." 14:38 <Quaker> She raises her voice again as they take up the metal tempo and go into the last long one of the night. It’s melodic, heavy, and somehow soothing in its intensity. When the guitar solos in the last half come up, she plays until she can feel her guitar pushed to the very edge of its performance. Her throat is raw as the others sing with her. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQX_oVVORFU 14:39 <Crion> What a set. 14:39 <banana> Sergio: "Liked that what? Oh, Willie-love- sounds good. This is going to be a really good Christmas." 14:39 <banana> Sumi: "Are you seriously- do you read fiction at all, either of you?" 14:40 <banana> Mari: "I didn't know you did." 14:40 <VoxPVoxD> "Of course I've read Dracula. I just clearly didn't learn anything from it." 14:41 <banana> Sumi: "I don't read... a lot of books, no. But I'm talking about Discworld!" 14:41 <banana> "Oh my god, has the younger generation not read Discworld. We're all going to hell." 14:42 <Quaker> As the sounds of the electric guitars fade into the night, Badawi steps forward and lets her guitar fall on its sling. Her face is dripping sweat. “Okay…thanks, that’s just about it for us…something quiet to go out on, yeah?” She covers the mic with her hand and looks back at Tom Luna. “I always owe you, Tom. Hey, this one’s for you.” 14:42 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Ah, no, that's a hole in my education, sadly. I was a Roald Dahl child." 14:43 <banana> Octocat: "Miss Tyagabrahmam, was it? You're right, but allow me to elucidate- we live in a Fallen World. This is already Hell and it is of our own making, a perfectly imperfect creation. Even Sir Terry is susceptible to that fatal truth." 14:43 <VoxPVoxD> "It's not entirely Hell, Mr. Ocherro." 14:44 <Quaker> Saera plays a slow, simple chord on her guitar as Badawi holds the mic with both hands, swaying as she sings. She’s tired, but somehow her voice recovers from all the earlier volume to play them out softly, to a beat that’s alternately relaxing…and vaguely anxious. 14:44 <Quaker> For Tom Luna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36010ju6WzE 14:44 <banana> Octocat: "Granted. This place has been a little pocket reality tonight, filled with joy." 14:44 <banana> Vivi doesn't concur... in fact, he isn't even in the room anymore. 14:46 <banana> Tom bows to Badawi, then the audience. Martina's mostly shutting them out, but it's not for anxiety but for love of the music. 14:47 <VoxPVoxD> Willie: "Moments like this are possible because we work at them. Luisa, her people, the Nightengales, all of them worked really hard at this, even though none of them had any reason to besides the desire to make other people happy." 14:47 <banana> The Winter King approaches the stage, several changelings drifting into his wake. He smiles around at the old people, and his people, then up at Badawi. "I admit it." 14:47 <banana> "We should have let you play Samhain." 14:50 <Quaker> Badawi drinks an entire water bottle in one pull. “You really missed out. Consider us even for your help with that star-thing. And do let the other kings and queens that I’ll trade music for favors. Now, excuse me, your majesty…” 14:50 <Quaker> She slides off the stage and goes to the Nightingales: “You guys were so good! See? I told you you would have fun.” 14:53 <banana> Aaron finds Samantha outside. "...but not without an audit." she's saying to the Vice-Curator. "So yeah, you know my facility is secure now.. give me the data and I'll find your correlations. It's interesting to know what dragon-magic can't do." 14:54 <Quaker> When Rolf Hughes makes his way to the Greybox and its loading dock, he’ll discover his gift: a grass-green 1964 Ford Falcon convertible. 14:55 <banana> The Nightingales.. had fun. As well as an audience, they got to meet some celebrities (who are now slipping out the back). Octocat joins Badawi, shepherding Jock back to the rest of them. 14:55 <Quaker> It is in absolutely degraded condition. There is a note on the steering wheel. “So you can fix it : ) - A.B.” 14:56 <banana> Octocat: "Amazing stuff, everyone. Agostina, we put a blanket on your dam thing in time.. which required keeping a pinhole open to watch through." 14:56 <banana> "So the Hierarch's team had a bird's eye view of all that stuff, and can I just say... lmao wtf." 14:57 <banana> Mari bids farewell to friends and acquaintances. She and probably Bob, she tells Sumi, would rather attend her thing than Riaan's if it's separate. The night comes to an end.