NerwenGreen (11:42 PM): Right around noon, Ryan's alarm clock goes off. With a resounding groan, he reaches over with a fist and smashes the snooze button. He sits up and blearily rubs his eyes for a moment, rolls over and sits up. After he carefully clicks the off button on the clock, he clambers down the ladder and begins his "morning" routine.
AgujaCabra (11:44 PM): Ryan awakens to the low grumble of lunch-hour traffic. Although distant from his secluded location near the woods; an occasional note from a passing boom box drifts into the gravel lot.. Nearby, songbirds twitter in the surrounding growth, and a conversation between two adolescents continues on towards the entrance to the nature trail. When he climbs down into the main section of his vehicle, Ryan could
AgujaCabra (11:44 PM): notice a black velvet pouch dangling from the rear view mirror. It is plump, but not overly full; and the front of the packet is embroidered in small silver letters that glitter faintly in the sunlight. Upon close inspection, the text reads "The Watchtower/ 60-73 Yorkshire"
NerwenGreen (11:45 PM): Ryan squints suspiciously at the black velvet pouch, then checks the locks on his doors.
AgujaCabra (11:46 PM): His vehicle is properly locked.
NerwenGreen (11:47 PM): He steps back into his lab and grabs the nearest stick. Carefully, he pokes at the pouch.
AgujaCabra (11:47 PM): [haha]
NerwenGreen (11:48 PM): [hey, at least I'm in character already? ;)]
AgujaCabra (11:50 PM): There is a soft rattling from the pouch, as the objects inside settle together; it sounds as though it might contain some small stones, or large beads. When the objects fall together, a nearly inaudible hum perforates the still air for a moment, and then dies off.
NerwenGreen (11:51 PM): Ryan backs away tentatively as the hum commences. Still suspicious, he goes back into his lab and grabs a hooked stick. He also puts on some protective gear that he uses when he's doing something potentially explosive.
NerwenGreen (11:52 PM): Sliding past the pouch on the driver's seat, he opens the door. Then he carefully unhooks the pouch from the mirror and places it outside. Still using the stick, he opens it.
AgujaCabra (11:52 PM): The packet is complacently still and quiet, as Ryan mucks with his protective gear.
AgujaCabra (11:56 PM): As the pouch opens, a delicate, oily perfume emits from the fine velvet cloth. It smells vaguely of Italian oil and incense; and dissipates as it touches the courser air of the parking lot. Inside lies a rolled piece of parchment, and five shimmering, dice-sized, stones. Each stone is smooth, 25-sided, and a watered-down bronze in colour; flecked with burnished creases of amber and gold.. at the center of each lies
AgujaCabra (11:56 PM): a miniature time-piece, complicated by an array of slowly turning gears and metal hands.
NerwenGreen (11:58 PM): Ryan cautiously leans down next to the opened pouch and peers at its contents for a moment, frowning suspiciously, then carefully removes the parchment and unrolls it.
AgujaCabra (12:04 AM): The parchment is delicate and opaque; slightly slick to the touch. It bares a few lines of text, printed by a firm, legible hand in a gold pen.

"Mr. Decker,

This is an invite to the WatchTower; courtesy of Mr. Dauncer James.

Come by at any convenient time. Please remember to bring your identification [included in the packet].

Regards,

The WatchTower staff.

[James]
NerwenGreen (12:06 AM): "Hmmph," Ryan grunts, relaxing a little and removing his protective gear. Tossing it toward the passenger seat of his bus, he picks up the pouch and slides into the driver's seat. Carefully he empties the remaining contents into his hand and looks at them closely.
AgujaCabra (12:11 AM): The stones are densely translucent, and hum softly in the palm of Ryan's hand once they are released from the packet. As the sunlight touched them, they glow brightly in the illumination, and begin to vibrate gently. The sensation is similar to holding Mexican jumping beans-- it feels as though the stones are living, but sluggish and capable of only lazy, small movements. The spherical timepieces at the center of each stone each tick to a slightly different time; tiny runes inscribed in gold around the face
AgujaCabra (12:11 AM): of each clock, light up dimly as the hand passes over their respective positions.
NerwenGreen (12:14 AM): After examining the stones for a few minutes, Ryan carefully returns them to the pouch and places the pouch back on his rearview mirror. He moves the protective gear back into his lab, then roots around until he finds the card that James had given him. He calls the number.
AgujaCabra (12:17 AM): After three rings, a smooth, male voice answers on the line: "This is the WatchTower. Evette speaking... May I help you?". The voice is slick and almost serpentine; with a hollow, ephemeral quality that tinctures each word with a vague surrealism.
NerwenGreen (12:18 AM): "Hey, this is Ryan. I got a message from James inviting me to visit. Where are you guys located?"
AgujaCabra (12:18 AM): [the addy was on the bag :P ]
NerwenGreen (12:18 AM): [it was?]
NerwenGreen (12:18 AM): [rewrite! :p]
AgujaCabra (12:19 AM): [nono.. its okay :p It might not have been totally obvious]
NerwenGreen (12:19 AM): [oh .. okay. I'll just leave it then I guess :p]
AgujaCabra (12:20 AM): "60-73 Yorkshire," Evette replies simply, "We look forward to meeting you, Ryan."
AgujaCabra (12:22 AM): [hm.. maybe he should be more helpful with directions :p ::pokes him::]
NerwenGreen (12:22 AM): "Ah," Ryan replies, realization dawning. "Guess I'll come right over then. See you soon."
AgujaCabra (12:23 AM): There is the barest hint of a smile in his tone, as Evette replies; "There is no rush. Come at your convenience."
NerwenGreen (12:26 AM): "Okay," Ryan replies dubiously. "Maybe later tonight, then."
AgujaCabra (12:27 AM): "Goodbye." Evette hangs up the telephone, without saying anything further.
NerwenGreen (12:28 AM): Ryan hangs up too. He gets dressed and goes to work.
AgujaCabra (12:29 AM): [did you want to play anything from his work day, or ffd?]
NerwenGreen (12:29 AM): [if anything important is going to happen at work, we should play it ... otherwise ffd is fine ;)]
AgujaCabra (12:32 AM): The carnival is only sparsely populated at this time on a friday; children too young for school tarry in the midway with their parents, and a scattered tourists ride the rides apathetically. Traffic and overall enthusiasm will pick up as evening approaches. [Unless Ryan is going to seek out his employer for anything.. I don't think there's much at the carnival today :p ]
AgujaCabra (12:32 AM): [delete my random 'a']
NerwenGreen (12:34 AM): Ryan spends most of his working hours in his office, getting himself oriented and introducing himself to his various coworkers, then working on some preliminary design ideas on his computer for awhile.
AgujaCabra (12:38 AM): Ryan's coworkers are all relatively amicable, but mostly absorbed in their own daily routines. Those involved in customer relations offer kind smiles and one directs Ryan to a bulletin board with carnival news -- picnics, special parties, and the like. Some of the working carnies occasionally toddle by, nursing cups of hot coffee, and most appear somewhat tired. Apparently, few of the carnival workers are 'morning' people.
NerwenGreen (12:39 AM): [it's not morning though ...]
AgujaCabra (12:39 AM): [hehe... it is to them? :p Noon is morning to me]
NerwenGreen (12:39 AM): [haha .. okay :p]
NerwenGreen (12:40 AM): Ryan makes a mental note of any interesting upcoming events he sees, then spends the rest of his day in front of his computer. He leaves again after he's been there for nearly 8 hours.
AgujaCabra (12:45 AM): [I will inform Ryan at a later time, if there are any good events coming up that he might be interested in ^^ At the moment, I am at a complete loss]. By 8PM, the carnival lights have flickered on and a steady trail of customers trickles through the revolving gate. Pounding music drums a manic beat outside, and the small office area throbs with the excitement outside.. When Ryan steps outside into the fresh night air, he can see the Ferris wheel towering up above the small office cluster; the bright lights
AgujaCabra (12:46 AM): blaze a brilliant blue against the pale starlight. . and teenagers chomp cotton candy and popcorn as they rotate through the looming vertical circle.
NerwenGreen (12:48 AM): Ryan grins as he takes in the sights and he spends a few moments staring up at the Ferris wheel and stretching. He strolls casually out to the parking lot and to his car.
AgujaCabra (12:52 AM): The parking lot is beginning to fill, and park goers flux in and out of the gate toting cameras, tickets, and candy... The black asphalt dimly reflects the lights of the park, and the sound of traffic replaces the jaunty carnival music as he walks further from the front gate. [He can certainly get to his bus uneventfully ^^]
AgujaCabra (12:53 AM): [I'm trying to picture my city again.. hm. ]
NerwenGreen (12:53 AM): He climbs in, relatively more cheerful after a productive day's work, and decides to go visit the Watchtower.
AgujaCabra (12:54 AM): [aah]
NerwenGreen (12:54 AM): [hehe .. you knew we'd get there eventually right? ;)]
AgujaCabra (12:54 AM): [I know I know.. he could completely ignore the invite :p ? ]
NerwenGreen (12:55 AM): [err ... I don't think so. :p]
AgujaCabra (1:09 AM): Turning onto Yorkshire, the festive carnival atmosphere grades into a quaint, modestly claustrophobic shopping district, comprised of two and three story red brick buildings, and modern glass paned window stores. A dollar movie theatre graces the right side of the road, squeezed between a small Italian restaurant and a woman's clothing shop. A bookshop with the dubious name of 'Mr. Styx' sits above the clothing store, and terra cotta fern boxes rest on many window sills along the street.
AgujaCabra (1:09 AM): On the left, Ryan can spot a narrow, three story brick building enclosed by a nondescript French restaurant, and a mainly abandoned office complex. A slender balcony jets out from the second floor; enclosed by a metal railing with flaking bronze paint. There are no plants on this balcony, but a circular, bronze clock dangles from beneath the overhang; as the streetlight hits the metal, it seems to generate a faint, luminescent glow around the rim of the clock. This building bares the address given
AgujaCabra (1:09 AM): to Ryan, but there is nothing to indicate a shop title above or on the thick, black wood door.
NerwenGreen (1:12 AM): Ryan finds the nearest parking space to this building, then, removing the pouch of stones from his mirror and stuffing it into a pocket, he climbs out to appraise the building for a moment before approaching the door and placing a firm knock on it.
AgujaCabra (1:18 AM): Ryan can find a parking slot either on the street, or in a small lot beside the office complex. There are plenty of spaces available, and many of the shops are either closed, or preparing to shut down for the night. The WatchTower's black door is recessed back into the building, so that Ryan stands in a dark, muggy overhang when he steps up towards the entrance. The thick, wooden doorway appears to be sealed and perhaps unopened for a long period of time; a square sliding window rests
AgujaCabra (1:18 AM): towards the top of the wooden panel, and apparently affords a view outside, for those within. There is no sign of activity within the building, and the windows are dark.. however, when he steps beneath the pale light emanating from the clock, the pouch in his pocket begins to vibrate again faintly; almost as though in anticipation. The stones click together softly, beginning to hum again.
NerwenGreen (1:19 AM): Ryan parks in the small lot next to the office complex. He pauses slightly when the stones in his pocket begin to hum, then shrugs and continues to the door.
AgujaCabra (1:20 AM): [I thought he already knocked on the door :p ]
NerwenGreen (1:20 AM): [he did :p]
NerwenGreen (1:20 AM): [but I thought I'd add a few things in light of the new info ;)]
AgujaCabra (1:20 AM): [ah... okie.]
AgujaCabra (1:23 AM): No one responds to the knock, and Ryan can vaguely discern its echo within the darkened building. His pocket continues to hum gently, and if he glanced at the packet, he could see a faint, white light haloing the stones.
AgujaCabra (1:24 AM): [I might as well call the stones 25-sided dice :p they look like dice]
NerwenGreen (1:26 AM): After a few seconds, he pulls out the pouch and dumps the stones into his hand, then moves to stand underneath the clock, observing them.
AgujaCabra (1:26 AM): [yay :p ]
AgujaCabra (1:31 AM): The stones quiver excitedly as they are touched by the pale, ghostly light, and each begins to roll independently of the others within Ryan's palm. As they shift, the light swells gently, and the patch of sidewalk before the WatchTower is bathed in a soft luminance, while the surrounding shops seem to grow dim, and increasingly distant. Four of the stones form a perfect square in Ryan's hand, while the fifth hovers a mere millimeter over his palm in the center of the square; the white light surrounding each
AgujaCabra (1:34 AM): stone branching out to interconnect each of the miniature time pieces in a tesseract design. The wind picks up slightly, as the natural street lights continue to dim into a murky, flickering shadow, and the black doorway begins to shine with the same silvery light as the stones. The intensity of the light continues to increase, until the black surface shimmers with the consistency of polished mercury.. and elegantly, a slat of the door slides inwards; inviting Ryan to enter inside.
AgujaCabra (1:35 AM): [noo.. I quit ? :p ]
NerwenGreen (1:35 AM): [eh? why?]
AgujaCabra (1:36 AM): [oh pooh. I guess I won't I'm panicy, and its 2 :p ]
NerwenGreen (1:37 AM): Still holding the stones in the palm of his hand, Ryan looks at the doorway skeptically for a moment, then with a nearly imperceptible shrug, he cautiously enters.

AgujaCabra (1:59 AM): Ryan enters through the silvery passage into a lavish, 1960s era foyer, hoving with a warm amber light that reflects softly off the slick, polished grain of the dark mahogany walls. The carpet underfoot is a deep, plush red, that extends to all corners of the room, and at the center of the carpet is the impression of a playing card; offset minutely from the blanketing crimson by a slightly darker, glistening tone. A small but elegant grand staircase begins at the mid-section of the room [towards the back],
AgujaCabra (1:59 AM): and ascends to a mostly unseen second floor, which seems to include sitting environments, and possibly a black piano. To Ryan's right is a mahogany reception desk, with a slick bronze countertop and an opaque glass panel that reveals a music-box like contraption inside. An old fashioned black telephone sits on one side of the desk. Continuing along the right-hand wall, an expensive grandfather clock divides the foyer from a wide hallway that
AgujaCabra (1:59 AM): houses a large, gated elevator. There are a few unoccupied sitting chairs along the left wall, and an end table holding a beautiful classic phonograph, with a cream-coloured horn and a neat floral outline. The phonograph plays a soft jazz tune, and the entire building seems to hum to the same tone as the dice.
AgujaCabra (1:59 AM): After a few moments, a man dressed in loose black pants and a thick, pieced-together black long-coat, descends the staircase. He carries a candle lightly in one hand, and the other [adorned with a number of small silver rings], rests at his side. He has pale silver-grey eyes set into the wan complexion of an entirely forgettable face-- not easily dismissed because it is unremarkable, but rather because the precise memory of it slides
AgujaCabra (1:59 AM): elusively off the mind when one looks away. His thick, black hair is braided into a tumultuous assortment of slender lines and thick tresses; bunched and bound together with thin silver and black cords. Observing Ryan silently, the man places the candle on the edge of the banister, and steps forward into the foyer. "Welcome to the WatchTower-I am Evette. James will be down shortly."
AgujaCabra (2:03 AM): [The dice settle down once Ryan has stepped inside the room... also, it seems as though the space inside, is not entirely identical to the exterior shape of the building. The two are extremely similar, but there are slight spatial differences. ]
NerwenGreen (2:05 AM): Ryan stops in the middle of the foyer to look appraisingly around the room, absently shoving the stones back into its pouch, and the pouch into a pocket, as they stop humming. He turns to watch Evette approach and grins. "Hello, Evette. Nice place you got here."

AgujaCabra (2:14 AM): A dry smile crosses Evette's features, and he replies plainly; "It isn't mine at all-but thank you." Turning his head to peer back up the stairway, Evette steps to one side as an older woman dressed in a casual business suit and a pastel blue scarf walks down; speaking quietly with a young boy of 15 or 16, with pale green skin offset by soft purple splotches. The boy, clothed in jeans and a planet of the apes t-shirt with a green corduroy
AgujaCabra (2:14 AM): jacket slung over one arm, has brilliant green yellow faceted eyes and translucent bean sprouts emerging from the top of his head like hair. Both of them look up as they spot Ryan, and the boy pipes up "Hullo. You're Ryan Decker, right?".
NerwenGreen (2:15 AM): "Yeah, that's me," Ryan replies easily. "And who might you be?"
AgujaCabra (2:17 AM): "[~Leonard]," the kid offers a friendly wave, and hops down off the steps. "This is Ms. March," he indicates the woman, who steps down carefully after him. Showing a stiff smile, Ms. March eyes Ryan appraisingly. "Madeline would be fine, please," she adds easily, "We heard that you might be coming by this evening."

NerwenGreen (2:19 AM): Ryan grins in response and sketches a slight bow. "Well, here I am."

AgujaCabra (2:24 AM): Madeline chuckles curtly, and casts a look to Evette who peers back up the staircase again thoughtfully. After a slight pause, Madeline replies in a friendly, but reserved tone; "Yes, indeed.. well, certainly any mage who isn't up to trouble is welcome here."

NerwenGreen (2:28 AM): "Scientist, actually," Ryan answers. "That's the term I prefer." He looks around the room again. "So what sorts of things do you folks do here?"
AgujaCabra (2:34 AM): Madeline's eyebrow raises quixotically at the scientist statement, but she lets it pass. "This is an observation tower... aside from that function, the sky's the limit." She offers a weak smile at that statement, and [~Leonard] snorts lightly at her, taking a surreptitious step away from Evette's candle. Madeline glances at the other two, frowning minutely. "I'm leaving for tonight-- unless there's anything else?" Evette shakes his head thoughtfully, without saying anything.
NerwenGreen (2:36 AM): "Nice meeting you, Madeline," Ryan says by way of reply, nodding at her.
AgujaCabra (2:39 AM): Madeline steps over casually to a closet near the elevator, and extracts a simple grey coat and a computer back from amid a short collection of neatly hung artifacts. Pulling the jacket on crisply, she looks over the group again, pausing with her gaze on Ryan as he speaks. "You too, Ryan... Enjoy your visit," she responds nicely, and steps out through the door onto the street beyond. It is impossible to see the street clearly through the doorway.
NerwenGreen (2:40 AM): Ryan smiles, then turns to look at the remaining occupants of the room after she leaves. "What kinds of things do you guys observe?"

AgujaCabra (2:45 AM): Evette's eyes shine briefly, as he looks up at Ryan's inquiry. "Fate, time-- the city. Everything can be seen from the tower, but it is difficult to do anything constructive with the things that are observed." Leonard scowls pensively, and swats out the candle in a hurry before hopping away. He glances at Evette, and back over to Ryan. "I think the observation angle is a crock, myself-- I just come here for the other perks. Magic is easier here" He says with a sly grin.

NerwenGreen (2:50 AM): Ryan smiles in response to Leonard's comment. "Well, I'd still like to see it before I decide that sort of thing." He moves toward the stairs. "Mind if I go have a look around?"
AgujaCabra (2:50 AM): [you may not look around. . that means I have to describe more stuff :p]
NerwenGreen (2:52 AM): [haha]
AgujaCabra (2:56 AM): Leonard sits down comfortably on the stairs once the candle is safely out; looking up at Ryan steadily through his fractured green eyes. "That would probably be fine--" He casts a look to Evette, who acquiesces after a pause; "Go ahead." Adjusting his back on the wooden rail, Leonard fishes in his jacket pocket a moment, and brings out a fresh, blue apple. He dusts it on his shirt, as he asks offhandedly "Do you just want to wander around, or do you want somebody to show you?"
NerwenGreen (2:58 AM): Ryan pauses at the foot of the stairs to look down at Leonard, grinning. "If you're not busy right now, I wouldn't mind a guided tour - but I'm perfectly fine with wandering around by myself, too."
AgujaCabra (3:02 AM): Leonard shrugs lightly, taking a bite of the apple before he picks himself to his feet. The inside of the apple is a bright, unnatural white, but Leonard is, of course, perfectly unfazed by the unusual colour of his fruit. He looks at his jacket irritably, and tugs it on just to keep it out of the way. "I'm not doing anything except waiting right now-- I have some plants growing upstairs, but it'll be awhile before I can do anything... So uh," he grins widely, "I guess I'm all yours? "
NerwenGreen (3:04 AM): Ryan grins back. "Then lead the way."

[March 22, 2003]

AgujaCabra (11:08 PM): Tossing the apple idly in his hand, Leonard shoots an easy smile back to Ryan, as be begins to trudge up the wide set of stairs. His feet pad softly into the mahogany stair, and he runs his free hand lightly along the smooth, sloping railing in a careless, familiar manner. "So, " he pipes up cheerfully, turning to speak with Ryan as he walks, "What kind of research are you into?" The staircase gradually levels onto the second floor landing, which is, on first glance, quite different from the Watchtower's
AgujaCabra (11:08 PM): foyer. Rather than thick, red carpeting underfoot, the floor is composed of bare wood, waxed to an immaculate shine. The walls surrounding are a similar wood grain, but the rich paneling splits in places, to reveal an intricate pattern of glittering, bronze gears and delicate levers. The walls vibrate with a low, humming noise as the gears turn and click together. A black, baby grand piano stands to Ryan's right as he steps
AgujaCabra (11:08 PM): off the stairs. It sits on a small patch of red carpeting, and the interior of the instrument is wired to play automatically [with a touch of the controls], and a scattering of small, votive candles rest on the polished black bench, and spill over onto the floor surrounding -- loosely tracing the sharp angles of the room as it branches into small, claustrophobic hallways and niches. Across from Ryan, a series of 4 numbered doors stand, firmly shut. Other similar doors line the various hallways;
AgujaCabra (11:08 PM): and all are surreptitiously closed.
AgujaCabra (11:09 PM): [gah! that sucked so much... ::hides and remembers to proofread first::]
NerwenGreen (11:10 PM): [hmm .. what kind of research is Ryan into ... *thinks fast*]
AgujaCabra (11:11 PM): [haha.. he doesn't have to be into any research.. or he can tell Leonard to buzz off :p ? ]
NerwenGreen (11:11 PM): [hehehe]
NerwenGreen (11:15 PM): Ryan agreeably follows Leonard up the stairs. As he catches sight of the piano, he walks casually over to look curiously at the mechanism for automatic play. "I'm between research projects, actually," he responds to the boy in a somewhat preoccupied voice. "And really, I'm more of an engineer than a scientist." He experimentally presses one of the keys on the piano.
AgujaCabra (11:22 PM): The piano strikes a low, corresponding note, to compliment Ryan's. A few gears spin idly within the body of the instrument, and then grind to a soft pause-- as though waiting for an additional cue. Spinning the apple thoughtfully, Leonard nods in an agreeable way "Oh okay," he responds quickly. "Well, if you have any projects you want to bring here-- it'd probably be all right." After a short pause, he trots over to one of the doors, and pulls it open-- peeking curiously inside. "Most of the rooms here are
AgujaCabra (11:22 PM): for guests staying at the Tower.. But we also have research wings. Is there anything special you'd like to see?"
NerwenGreen (11:31 PM): Ryan experimentally taps another couple of keys in quick succession, watching the gears respond with a raised eyebrow. "I build things and fix things," he tells Leonard. With a short laugh, he adds, "And sometimes take them apart." He looks up from the piano and begins to peer at the nearest split in the wall panelling, eyeing the gears behind it suspiciously. He glances at Leonard with a quick smile at his query. "Show me everything."
AgujaCabra (11:31 PM): [gahhhhh]
NerwenGreen (11:31 PM): [hehehehe]
AgujaCabra (11:31 PM): [no! :p ]
NerwenGreen (11:32 PM): [just the stuff that leonard would be interested in then? ;)]
AgujaCabra (11:37 PM): Leonard laughs quietly at Ryan's response, shaking his head a bit and acquiescing "I don't think I can do that-- some of the mages would trounce me if I peeked in on their projects!" Grinning, he crosses over to one of the narrow hallways with a gesture for Ryan to follow. Waiting for Ryan to walk over, Leonard casts [~an] appraising glance down the wooden passage, and takes a small bite of his apple. Slender, numbered metal markings delineate various points along the hallway-- most corresponding
AgujaCabra (11:37 PM): roughly with the various doorways that line either wall. "Most of the projects down this a'way, would take too much time in the real world." Leonard gestures at the hall with his apple, and, dusting it lightly on his jacket, glances over to Ryan with a soft twinkle in his eye. "Watch this," he says lightly, and immediately takes off in a quick jog down the hallway. As Leonard moves down towards the far end, his twisting, bean
AgujaCabra (11:37 PM): sprout hair writhes and grows out from his head-- reaching an apex of about an inch, before curling over upon itself, and forming little ringlets on the side of his head. Leonard trots back quickly to Ryan's side of the hallway, and tosses the apple again casually-- the fruit nearly falls to pieces in his hand. It is rotten through, and an unpleasant dark blue colour. "ew," he comments to himself, frowning slightly at the apple.
AgujaCabra (11:38 PM): [*an appraising glance.. and man. I have to actually make him show Ryan a project, I guess :p not just run through hallways]
AgujaCabra (11:38 PM): [they need to go play with the 3rd floor.]
NerwenGreen (11:39 PM): [hehe okay ]
NerwenGreen (11:44 PM): Ryan watches Leonard run down the hallway and back, staring at the bean sprouts a bit strangely. He chuckles cynically as Leonard rejoins him. "I take it James has a lot to do with the setup of these labs? Never been much good with time dilation effects myself. How many mages are there in here?" He pauses to peer at the wall gears again for a moment. "If this whole building is ticking ... does it ever chime?"
AgujaCabra (11:52 PM): [too many questions in one thing :P ]
NerwenGreen (11:52 PM): [hehe ... you went too far ahead with yours too :p]
AgujaCabra (11:52 PM): [sorry!]
NerwenGreen (11:52 PM): [it's okay ;)]
AgujaCabra (11:56 PM): Leonard reluctantly slips the dust from the rotten apple back into a jacket pocket; dusting his hands together with a vague expression of distaste, as he listens to Ryan. "Yeah-- this is mainly James' place now," he comments offhandedly, looking at the wall gears as Ryan does. "But I think Evette is working with him a lot recently-- and James kind of likes to be out on the town, more than he likes researching, " Leonard adds with a quick, childish smile. "Um. . as for how many of us stick around
AgujaCabra (11:56 PM): the Tower, I guess I see 7 or 8 around regularly. Most of the mages in the city can get in if they want to, though--" Leonard hesitates, and adds "We're kind of hoping to organize the traditions again, when we can... " Trailing off thoughtfully, Leonard seems to have either forgotten or overlooked the last question. Crinkling his nose a bit at the time-influenced hallway, he takes a few light steps away from it.
NerwenGreen (12:01 AM): Ryan listens to Leonard's explanations with detached interest, as he finds a different spot in the wall to continue peering at the gears with a perplexed frown. "So how many mages are there in town? Sounds like there's quite a bit of history. James said a few things about the Euthanatos when he came by to visit a couple days ago."
AgujaCabra (12:07 AM): Leonard moves to lean casually against a solid part of the wall. Loosely crossing one foot over the other, and gazing apathetically at the slowly turning gears, he mulls briefly over Ryan's questions. "Oh I don't know about history.. I've not been here as long as James," he comments with a loose shrug. "There aren't many Euthanatos around anymore that I've seen-- a couple maybe. Most of us don't hold to traditions
AgujaCabra (12:07 AM): anymore either.. it just doesn't make that much sense to. Uh--" Leonard stops for a moment, and adds "There are maybe 20 magi in the city. Including yourself, I guess."
AgujaCabra (12:07 AM): [how can I describe the gears.. hmm.. :p Does he want to know how anything works? what's he looking for? ::bounce::]
NerwenGreen (12:07 AM): [he's an engineer, so he's trying to figure out what the gears do and how they do it ;)]
AgujaCabra (12:09 AM): [hehe.. um. I think he'd need to see the entire structure put together, instead of just minor pieces? :p ]
NerwenGreen (12:12 AM): Ryan raises an eyebrow with some surprise at the figure. "That's quite a few," he remarks appreciatively, turning to look at Leonard. "If this Watchtower counts as a chantry, it sounds to me like you've got plenty of people to organize something with." Approaching Leonard speculatively, he asks, "What happened to get everything disorganized in the first place?"
AgujaCabra (12:16 AM): Uncrossing his feet, Leonard steps away from the wall slightly, and runs his fingers across the smooth wood paneling for a moment. "I guess we had some vampire trouble awhile ago," he responds with another soft shrug, settling back on the wall with a tired huff. "I dunno. I'm a kid." He shows a toothy smile, and chuckles lightly. "I don't deal with time much either, so-- really. I'm a kid. I don't know all the history of this place."
NerwenGreen (12:21 AM): Ryan grins in response. "Okay, gotcha." Standing casually a few feet in front of Leonard with his hands jammed into his jacket pockets, he lets out a small chuckle, then begins looking curiously around the room again. "How about you show me some of your projects, then?"
AgujaCabra (12:21 AM): [gah.. I could show him projects, or I could make stuff happen.. ::ponders::]
NerwenGreen (12:22 AM): [make stuff happen while projects are being shown? ;)]
AgujaCabra (12:33 AM): "Sure," Leonard beams, taking a quick step away from the wall and trotting down to another, nearby hallway. The floorboards moan an indistinct complaint as his footsteps fall across them, and a soft whispering arises down some other, hidden part of the floor-- a sound that commingles softly with the humming gears, but eerily retains its distinction. Taking hold of the second doorknob along this wall, Leonard pushes the door in gently -- cracking it just enough so that a softly glowing, pale
AgujaCabra (12:33 AM): golden light shines through the slit. "Well, I'm working mostly with plant life right now-- " he says idly, adding with a cheeky grin, "In case you couldn't guess." Pushing the door in a bit more, Ryan can see [if he's looking], a narrow wooden room, with a dark glass ceiling. Twisting, alien plants sprout from assorted clay pots, and their silvery-green leaves shine with a pale, golden aura that shimmers delicately in the glow of
AgujaCabra (12:33 AM): the small electric uplights, that sit beside most of the pots. Blue apples, identical to that Leonard had been eating, dangle enticingly off the slender branches of some plants; while others bare such delicacies as purple oranges, and pure white grapes. Some of the smaller plants shiver and buzz a high, soft note when Leonard opens the door. Others retreat shyly into their pots.
NerwenGreen (12:38 AM): Ryan follows Leonard to the lab space, whistling appreciatively as he peers into the room through the slit. "That's quite a garden you've got going in there," he says. He grins broadly. "I know someone who would love to see it, but he's not a mage, so I doubt he's invited."
AgujaCabra (12:39 AM): [aw.. Thomas should get to see :p? ]
NerwenGreen (12:39 AM): [hehe]
AgujaCabra (12:43 AM): Smiling happily, Leonard closes the door again after another moment peering in on his plants. "Oh yeah?" he inquires with open curiosity, stepping back a bit in the hallway, and glancing up at Ryan with a tinge of pride glinting in his wild, green eyes. "Well no, we don't usually let sleepers walk around in here--" he says, a little regretfully. "Is your friend a gardener?"
NerwenGreen (12:45 AM): "Yeah, a pretty good one, too." Ryan replies. "Of course, he doesn't let me get near his plants - I have some kind of weird curse where they like to die if I touch them." He chuckles. "I should probably stay away from yours, too."
AgujaCabra (12:51 AM): Leonard's eyes widen slightly in fearful surprise, and he instinctively tugs the doorknob to ensure that it is properly fastened. "Oh-- yeah. That'd probably be a good thing." He flashes a thin smile, and trots skittishly away from the lab; motioning for Ryan to come away as well. "Do you have any other curses I should know about?" Leonard asks smartly; his smile broadening experimentally as he stops by the elevator cage.
NerwenGreen (12:53 AM): Ryan laughs cynically at Leonard's reaction. "That you should know about? Well, I don't know." He chuckles again. "What kinds of curses do you have?"
AgujaCabra (1:00 AM): Taken slightly off guard, Leonard's hand pauses hesitantly beside the controls to the elevator. "Well.. I mean. Do you do anything bad to machines-- or to time, or space, or animals... ? We have a lot of small projects here-- I don't want to be the guy who screwed them up, ya know?" Leonard runs his hand uncomfortably through his twisting, whitish green hair; rustling the plants together quietly, before dropping his hand into a pocket and standing nervously still.
AgujaCabra (1:01 AM): There is an abrupt, halted clattering from one of the obscured hallways, at which Leonard jumps in surprise. A moment passes, before a slow, irritated "Shi-ooot!" echoes loudly down the quiet hall.
NerwenGreen (1:04 AM): Ryan opens his mouth to reply, but cuts himself off as the clattering erupts, somewhat startled himself. He takes a few steps toward the source of the irritated exclamation. "What's going on down there?"
AgujaCabra (1:13 AM): "Shit!" The same, grumbling voice, laden with a curt, New Orleans drawl, cuts in explanatorily; and a sealed door at the end of the hall containing Leonard's lab, buckles outward slightly when a sharp, frustrated kick impacts its midsection. After a short pause, the door pops open, and out strolls a man dressed primly in an extravagant, feather long coat, with a glass-headed cane grasped firmly in one hand, and the side of the door frame grasped in the other. Muttering another low expletive,
AgujaCabra (1:13 AM): the man raises his head slowly to look at Ryan and Leonard through a neatly-combed web of bristled grey hair. Aside from the hair, and the wrinkles spider-webbing the man's face and hands, it appears to be James. The voice, though slightly tired, is also familiar, and he shows a wry smile as he spies Ryan. "Well hell, boy... No one told me you had dropped by."
NerwenGreen (1:14 AM): [how old did James look on Tuesday?]
AgujaCabra (1:14 AM): [considerably younger.. mid 30s I think. He doesn't look incredibly old now, but there's a marked difference. He could be 60]
NerwenGreen (1:19 AM): Ryan stops to stare at James in surprise. "My, you're looking a bit..." he clears his throat to stifle an amused snicker, "... well preserved?" He grins a little and takes another step forward, extending a hand. "Pleasure seeing you again."
AgujaCabra (1:27 AM): "Yeah," James starts with a petulant snort, passing his cane to his left hand quickly, and leaning into it a bit as he steps up to grasp Ryan's hand in a firm, snappy handshake. "He-hul, used to be kids had respect for their elders-- pshaw. You'd look like the dry side of a pickled prune too, if you been screwing around with this damn clocktower as much as I've been these past-- Uh, well. Shit. I have got to get out and have something stiff to drink... " Stepping back tiredly from Ryan, James sighs
AgujaCabra (1:27 AM): faintly, and scowls firmly at the shifting gears in the wall. "Ye-h.. so, you got my card I see... how do you like the place? You wouldn't be int'rested in buyin' ? " He snorts again, evidently disgusted with some aspect of the Tower.
AgujaCabra (1:29 AM): [whee]
NerwenGreen (1:31 AM): Ryan grins broadly as he puts his hand back into his pocket again. "Haven't seen much of it so far - Leonard here has been showing me around a little," he replies with a low chuckle, turning slightly to include the boy in the conversation. "What've you been working on? I doubt I could help, but I can try anyway."
AgujaCabra (1:38 AM): Clicking the cane sharply against the floor, James lets out another frustrated sigh, and tosses the cane lightly to Leonard, who catches it with a startled squeak, and then begins to twist it casually in his hand. "Ye-h, you keep that. I ain't old enough to be hobblin' around on some damn stick.. hell." James pauses briefly, before turning back to Ryan, and letting his breath out, "Hell. I been messin' with the Tower
AgujaCabra (1:38 AM): alignment again-- always looks to be twisting its damn self out of place, and the gears go a bit wonky.."
NerwenGreen (1:39 AM): Ryan's eyes light up with interest. "Really? What's it supposed to do when it's working right?"
AgujaCabra (1:46 AM): "We-hul, see .. it ain't so much what she does when she's aligned proper. That's natural for her-- though she likes to twist a bit, and screw with the time we're seein' in here." James scowls to himself, and steps over brusquely to an open wall, where he begins to irritably pick at a couple of the polished, brass levers. "See, ah, We aren't so much in our cozy small-town city right now as beside it. Lookin' through this here tower, we can see all the happenin's like uh.. syndicated soap box show. 'Cept
AgujaCabra (1:46 AM): without the commercials. But, see, when the alignment starts slidin' around off its axis, the Tower slides back from being beside, to within... and there ain't no good about lookin' at the city within."
NerwenGreen (1:50 AM): Ryan looks intrigued. "Makes sense, sorta." He joins James over at the wall and peers curiously at the levers. "So can you show me stuff that's going on right now? Or is it stuff from past and future, too?"
AgujaCabra (1:58 AM): Breaking off in a slow, amused chuckle, James turns back to Ryan with a smug, introverted smirk, and snorts out the end of his laugh, before answering with a whistled note... "Now ain't that the jim dandy of it... Yah, we can show you what's goin' on now; what went on then; and a handful of what happens if... now with those ifs, and some of the nows, there ain't no good way to tell which is real, and which is just possible. The past-- now that can be checked on. But most folk don't want to
AgujaCabra (1:58 AM): know where they're comin' from-- they just got eyes for where they're goin'. "
NerwenGreen (2:01 AM): Ryan gives James a steady, deadpan look throughout the explanation, blinking occasionally. "Ah, I see." He shakes his head a little in confusion. "So show me something. I wanna see how it works."
AgujaCabra (2:02 AM): [groan?]
NerwenGreen (2:03 AM): [hehehe .. we can fast forward through stuff if it's getting bogged down in details?]
AgujaCabra (2:08 AM): Raising a skeptical eyebrow at Ryan, James takes a quick step toward Leonard, and extends a hand toward the cane that he'd given the boy just a moment ago. "Ah, well, lemmie take that damn stick back then if we're walkin'..," he says with a rough sigh, practically swiping the cane from Leonard's hands, then reaching out to affectionally pat him on the head. "Sure.. I kin give you a tour of the uh-facilities. The goddamn floor is twistin' itself in a knot tonight, though-- so if you ain't got sea legs, I
AgujaCabra (2:08 AM): highly suggest you stick your feet firmly elsewhere." Without waiting for Ryan to respond, James prods at the elevator call button with the end of his cane, and then braces the stick lightly in front of himself; waiting for the car to arrive.
NerwenGreen (2:12 AM): Ryan follows them to stand next to the elevator too, with a quick grin. "I've always liked carnival rides," he remarks.
AgujaCabra (2:24 AM): Chuckling good-naturedly, James retorts with a sly smirk "I ex'pect ta hear you say that, once you've landed plum on yer arse a few times-- " He shifts a little uncomfortably, and casts a restless glance to the elevator cage. "Hell-- this dern Tower 'as thrown me down the stairs more times than -- than, well He-hul. More times than you'd think for me havin' my knees intact. " Grunting irritably, he places
AgujaCabra (2:24 AM): his hand on the elevator gate, as the car slides obediently into place. Lifting the metal guard with a huff, he steps up steadily into the elevator car. Leonard steps away from the car when it opens, and lifts a hand to wave lazily at both James and Ryan. "Hey. I think I've seen the 3rd floor enough times.. and I have some stuff to do. I'll see you all later." He smiles broadly at James, and nervously at Ryan, taking a
AgujaCabra (2:24 AM): step towards his lab. "Sure, Lenny," James replies with a smirk, "You ain't got legs for it tonight anyhow."
NerwenGreen (2:25 AM): [hmm .. I think I've definitely been out curmudgeoned]
AgujaCabra (2:25 AM): [what? who? how? :P ]
AgujaCabra (2:26 AM): [who's curmudgeon :p ? ]
AgujaCabra (2:27 AM): [mm.. and geez. something was gonna happen at this tower eventually... ::tries to make self write faster::]
NerwenGreen (2:29 AM): Ryan gets into the elevator without hesitation behind James. "See you later, kid," he waves as Leonard leaves. Turning to James again as the elevator begins to move, he asks "So where did this Tower come from, anyway?"
AgujaCabra (2:37 AM): Letting the grate lower itself with a slow, creaking grind, James steps back rigidly into the elevator, and jabs at the 'up' button with his handy stick. He glances at Ryan, starting to respond when the elevator jolts upward with a startling, abrupt motion; gradually sliding into a steady, if slightly bumpy, ascent. Grinding his back teeth together tiredly, James looks out through the grating as they go up, and adjusts his bearing thoughtfully before turning to Ryan. "Chuck and I started buildin' the thing
AgujaCabra (2:37 AM): years ago... It ain't so old in the scheme of things, but its been around long enough to be a landmark where I'm concerned. . Too bad we don't invite many people in here-- we'd probably end up bein' a city histor'cal attraction."
AgujaCabra (2:38 AM): [I like playing James... :p ]
AgujaCabra (2:38 AM): [I am gonna run out of bizarre southern witticisms sometime, though.]
NerwenGreen (2:38 AM): Ryan leans casually back against the wall, steadying himself surreptitiously as the bumpy ride commences. "Who's Chuck?" he asks casually.
NerwenGreen (2:39 AM): [hehe .. I like James ;)]
NerwenGreen (2:39 AM): [it's sort of how I originally envisioned Ryan ... though not with quite the same phrasings]
AgujaCabra (2:39 AM): [meep!]
AgujaCabra (2:44 AM): "Oh heeh, Chuck," James sighs, leaning on his cane wearily as the elevator creaks upwards; the wood paneling outside scrolling by at methodic clicks. "Now I reckon I knew him fer years-- but you know, I jest don't remember .. who he was exactly. " A shallow furrow winds itself onto James' brow, as he exhaled roughly "He was a mage, used to live 'round here... and I think he's the one who shifted the tower beside the city. . hell, I don't have tricks that dashed up my sleeves. ."
NerwenGreen (2:49 AM): "I'm still not sure I'm clear on this whole tower shifting business," Ryan replies. "But you'll be showing it to me in a minute, I'm guessing." He lets out a sardonic chuckle. "So what happened to Chuck? Do you remember that?"
AgujaCabra (2:54 AM): "No I-- figure he got himself in some mess of trouble, and jest moved on... " James begins with a nostalgic air, when the car suddenly begins to shake again; scraping faintly against the sides of the concrete shaft. After a short pause, the elevator car tilts violently to the right; shifting on its base, as though something had pushed it upwards from beneath. Cursing, James braces himself against the tilting wall; trying
AgujaCabra (2:54 AM): to keep his footing as the elevator finally grinds to a noisy halt at the landing to the third floor. "Now, see? This whole floor is wantin' to pull itself apart," he growls, halfway to himself, as he steps forward to open the gate. Outside, a narrow wooden hallway stretches far out, towards the right; but upon closer inspection, the hall is only wooden outside the elevator landing itself. Only a few feet beyond the edge of
AgujaCabra (2:54 AM): the shaft, the floor and wall paneling merges into an intricate weaving of shifting, rotating, and spinning metal components. The elevator car vibrates with the dull, low humming of the hallway.
NerwenGreen (3:02 AM): Ryan braces himself against the wall, sliding his feet out slightly to keep his balance, as the elevator car shifts. He peers cautiously out as the doors open, staring at the bizarre machinery beyond for a lengthy, silent pause before asking, in a quietly incredulous voice, "What the hell is all that? Why's it like this?"
AgujaCabra (3:06 AM): Huffing loudly, James steps bodily out of the elevator, and onto the small wooden landing. "Why the hell wouldn't it be like this?" he retorts snappishly; scowling back at Ryan a moment, before submitting to a stiff, bemused smile. "Be-cause sonny, let's say I need a little jolt of the fantastical to get my belief up and runnin'. This is my turf-- so its gonna work the way I tell it to work."
AgujaCabra (3:07 AM): [gah. I meant to add some italics :p oh well]
AgujaCabra (3:07 AM): [This is my turf-- so its gonna work the way I tell it to work]
NerwenGreen (3:09 AM): Ryan smirks. "Well, make it work the way you want, then," he snaps back, though there is clear amusement in his voice. "I don't have to curse at my lab." He breaks into a dry chuckle.
AgujaCabra (3:14 AM): Looking momentarily flabbergasted, James mutters a growling "Dag-gunnit," and mumbles a few additional, muted curses, before breaking into a slow chuckle of his own. "Ya know, sonny," he drawls indulgently, "I ain't never said I was an engineer... I make a clock here and then, and as a clock it works damn fine. I didn't say I knew a damn thing about structural integrity."
AgujaCabra (3:16 AM): [I think I actually like old James better than young James... ::pats the cranky old man::]
NerwenGreen (3:17 AM): Ryan gives him a sardonic grin. "I can give you some pointers, if you really want," he replies. "But seriously, this is intriguing. I'd be thrilled to get a chance to poke at it, see how it all ticks, so to speak." He moves to take a step out of the elevator.
AgujaCabra (3:23 AM): The floor shakes rhythmically beneath Ryan's feet; the quit humming blending with the dull, methodical ticks of gears, springs, and other devices connecting and turning together in unison. Occasionally, a sickened 'twang' breaks the symmetry of the tune, and the shaking becomes momentarily more insistent. "If you kin get things lined up properly, you be my guest," James adds with a disbelieving smirk, stepping
AgujaCabra (3:23 AM): forward off the wooden platform, onto the whirring metal. "Now.. jest on the other side of this mess, I have got-- well, not the best with the dern Tower being dag-gun irritatin', but I would the most complete view of the city. You got any locker rooms you want to peek into?" He asks with a coy smile.
AgujaCabra (3:24 AM): [*I would *say* the most complete view of the city]
NerwenGreen (3:28 AM): Ryan stands still for a moment to steady his footing and get used to the rhythm, before carefully moving about the space, observing the machinery as it works and looking for the source of the disharmonic 'twang' noises. He grins easily at James's question. "Nope, not right at the moment ... maybe we could get a look at the underside of Guillame, though. Haven't had time to go back over there yet, but if you can point this tower there, maybe I won't have to."
AgujaCabra (3:31 AM): [eek. oops. :p ]
AgujaCabra (3:32 AM): [if I fast-forwarded to James going into the observation room.. would Ryan go? Or did he want to check out this part of the machine for awhile?]
AgujaCabra (3:33 AM): [this is fun, but its getting silly :P tons and tons of frelling machinery... and there's a story somewhere.. uh.. maybe. I don't think so ^^ ]
NerwenGreen (3:33 AM): [hehehe]
NerwenGreen (3:33 AM): [they can examine the machinery afterwards I guess?]
NerwenGreen (3:34 AM): [Ryan is fascinated .. that's all I gotta say. He's itching to go take the whole thing apart and see how it all works ;)]
AgujaCabra (3:34 AM): [gah! :p He may not.]
NerwenGreen (3:35 AM): [hehehe .. he's not quite that rude ;)]
AgujaCabra (3:41 AM): "Yeah, gettin' this Tower straightened out tonight is easy as plum pie.. " he says with a sardonic drawl, adding optimistically "Maybe you'll have the gentleman's touch-- get her purring right again." Walking quickly over the slick, metal floor, James steps onto another small wooden landing at the end of the hallway, and pushes open a doorway into a wooden, hexagonal chamber, approximately 25 feet in diameter. Each of the
AgujaCabra (3:41 AM): five flat walls are lined from floor to ceiling with 6 inch colour television screens. A blur of flitting static surges across most of the screens; but a few contain images; a bus stop, an evening party outside the college campus; an empty park bench; and other assorted city views. The floor is solid wood, and appears to be relatively steady, despite a constant, jarring vibration. Suspended overhead, on a cavernous, black
AgujaCabra (3:41 AM): ceiling, the immense, bronze pieces of a circular clock hang; pendulous, heavy, and slowly turning on an unseen pivot. The large face ring is separate from a ring containing the large, bronze Roman numerals that delineate the time... Separate still, three heavy, bronze hands create a threatening mobile, of slowly turning parts. Behind the clock 'face', lies the intricate, beautifully articulated inner ballet of gears
AgujaCabra (3:41 AM): and devices, that Ryan has become familiar with in the rest of the WatchTower. This detail is also encapsulated in a circular design, and bows outward slightly like the half-sphere bend of a contact lens. One James and Ryan have stepped inside, the humming dulls to a quiet, but ever-present murmur.
AgujaCabra (3:42 AM): [one =once. yow]
AgujaCabra (3:42 AM): [gee... do you know why I didn't want to describe the scenery :P um. I'm having fun with it, though]
NerwenGreen (3:43 AM): [hehehe ... see? it's fun ;)]
AgujaCabra (3:43 AM): [heheh.. I like doing James.]
NerwenGreen (3:48 AM): With a last look at the workings of the gears before he reluctantly turns to follow James into the observation chamber, Ryan replies easily, "I'd sure like to take a crack at it. Can't say I know much about Time, but I'm pretty decent with machines, generally speaking." He stops just inside the doorway of the new room to look around, eyeing the giant clock hanging over his head uneasily for a long moment before cautiously coming farther into the room.
AgujaCabra (3:55 AM): James closes the door behind him with a chuckle, and casts a sidelong glance at the overhead timepiece. "It ain't comin' down to get'cha," he assures slyly, stepping boldly over to the center of the room, and reaching up with the tip of his cane to push deliberately on the twisting clock hands. After an initial resistance, they sway slowly in the indicated direction-- and corresponding images flash by on cooperating
AgujaCabra (3:55 AM): screens; a flickering kaleidoscope of city views, and random faces flitting by and shifting as James toys with the second hand.
NerwenGreen (3:57 AM): Ryan watches in speechless fascination.
AgujaCabra (3:57 AM): [pooh :p ]
NerwenGreen (3:57 AM): [hehe]
AgujaCabra (3:57 AM): [::prods ryan in the eye::]
NerwenGreen (3:57 AM): [Ryan yelps and snarls at the ST]
AgujaCabra (3:57 AM): [ST cackles gleefully]
AgujaCabra (4:00 AM): "So... " James drawls after a moment, grinning broadly as he slowly brings the clock to a relative pause. "Guillaime, you wanted? Got a time preference, or are we just fishin'.. ? Now. keep in mind, this ain't workin' as well as the warranty said-- but as long as we're up in this haystack, might as well search for needles."
AgujaCabra (4:01 AM): [and if you were typing for Ryan.. I will delete that response :P Whatever]
AgujaCabra (4:01 AM): [I guess I'll do some dice rolling, to see if the bloody watchtower feels like cooperating.. :p ]
NerwenGreen (4:01 AM): [I wasn't typing ;)]
AgujaCabra (4:02 AM): [okie ^^ ]
NerwenGreen (4:04 AM): Ryan thinks for a second, then suggests, "How about at the time of the murders? 1910, I believe it was."
AgujaCabra (4:06 AM): [oh man... uhm.... I didn't think he was gonna ask for things like that :p ... you're giving work to the ST!]
NerwenGreen (4:06 AM): [haha]
AgujaCabra (4:13 AM): James grunts irritably, but shoves the cane back up into the mess of rotating bars and numbers. Initially putting most of his weight into the effort of moving the clock, he sighs after a beat, and gently taps the three metal hands-- a new, delicate humming pulsing between the metal beams begins, and they slowly start to turn around one another, as the imagery on the screens scrolls rapidly backwards in time. As the
AgujaCabra (4:13 AM): date approaches the turn of the century, many of the screens fade out to a hazy static buzz-- but a few remain on, and crystal clear. After some tinkering, an older version of Island Guillame appears on one of the tiny screens. There are only a few houses on the island, and a narrow, wooden bridge connecting it to shore. On the small screen, it is difficult to tell, but it looks as though a small, social gathering is
AgujaCabra (4:13 AM): taking place outside one of the homes.
NerwenGreen (4:14 AM): Ryan watches the clock mechanism at work with undisguised fascination until the correct time period has been reached. Then he turns to focus on the monitor in front of him.
AgujaCabra (4:15 AM): [mm.. ST quick thinking.. occuring... now! :p ? ]
NerwenGreen (4:16 AM): [hehehe]
AgujaCabra (4:22 AM): It is past sunset, on a night dimly illuminated by the moon, and a small outdoor bonfire. Two young ladies, and three men, are having dinner and music outside on a simple picnic-style table. A child is playing at the corner of the property with a simple wooden boat, which he has lodged in a patch of mud. Suddenly, part of the screen fills with an inky, impenetrable blackness. James steps over to the tv screen with a
AgujaCabra (4:22 AM): frown, and tapping on a few buttons, makes the image expand to fill a 3x3 square of screens, rather than just one. The blot persists for 30 seconds, before rapidly dropping. None of the adult men or women are present. The child is still sitting with his boat, but either unconscious or dead.
AgujaCabra (4:23 AM): "Hells bells, " James mutters with a distinct frown.
NerwenGreen (4:25 AM): Ryan stares at the screen, his brow wrinkled in confusion. "Something wrong with the ... uhh, camera? What was that black spot?"
AgujaCabra (4:31 AM): "Well, I'll be damned if I know that.." James mutters thoughtfully, as he steps back over to the center of the room, and begins to rap irritably on the second hand again with his cane. "Hell, it could be the Tower.. 'could be that this spot was there, and couldn't get seen around. . If there's anything else about those poor chaps, it should be close by-- news clippings, killers, cadavers. ah.. um. " He frowns to himself,
AgujaCabra (4:31 AM): continuing to lightly flick at the clock. A series of slow images rotates by on some of the screens; eventually, a dirt tunnel appears, and part of a human limb.
NerwenGreen (4:33 AM): "Wait, stop there," Ryan calls out as the dirt tunnels begin appearing. "What are we looking at? What time frame?"
NerwenGreen (4:34 AM): [the images of the party... was it in fast forward? or did the obten only last for 30 real seconds?]
AgujaCabra (4:34 AM): [30 real seconds. or at least, as far as we can tell from the tape :p ]
NerwenGreen (4:34 AM): [hehe okay]
AgujaCabra (4:34 AM): [it didn't seem to be in fast forward]
AgujaCabra (4:37 AM): Peering up at the clock for a moment, James replies "early part of the century... what you were lookin' fer, I thought. I suspect this is after that little party-- by 10 minutes, at most.... is this the 'weird' goings-on you wanted checked out? hell... "
NerwenGreen (4:39 AM): "Yeah. The tunnels is what I was looking at a few days ago. Dirt tunnels, filled with bodies that had no heads or hands. Some of them were pretty recent, too."
NerwenGreen (4:40 AM): [err .. make that hands and feet, not heads]

[March 24, 2003]

NerwenGreen (10:43 PM): Was there any sound in what they were seeing?
AgujaCabra (10:44 PM): I'm gonna say no sound.. I can't make this tower the eye of god :p
NerwenGreen (10:44 PM): hahaha .. okay :p
AgujaCabra (10:48 PM): James allows the second hand to rotate on its own accord, and a choppy video clip begins to play within the darkened tunnel image. A limp body is drug through the tunnel by its ankles; carried by a slightly stern, sophisticated man of medium build and height. His stylish grey suit is stained by cracked, drying blood, and dry fragments of soil that have dislodged from the packed dirt walls. His loose brown hair traces the outline of his shoulders, and falls tiredly to obscure his hard, emotionless
AgujaCabra (10:48 PM): eyes. Slowly, the man shoves the body into a rectangular space previously carved for the purpose, and its arms are neatly folded over its chest. After dirt is packed around the corpse, there is a short pause, before the man combs his hand back through his hair, and turns to leisurely approach another spot in the tunnel. Scooping a handful of dirt from the wall, he reaches in to casually grab the neck of another man. Leaning in, he tastes the edge of the grey, bloodless skin, before scowling
AgujaCabra (10:48 PM): fiercely at the body, and sinking his fangs into the corpse. It takes a minute, but he is evidently able to drink from it, and backs away, quickly out of the tunnel, once he has re-hidden the body.
NerwenGreen (10:51 PM): Ryan watches the screen fixedly as the action unfolds. "Vampire with peculiar eating habits?" he asks rhetorically, still staring at the screen with a slight frown. "I thought they liked their blood fresh."
NerwenGreen (10:53 PM): [was this man at the party?]
AgujaCabra (10:54 PM): [the man being hauled about? yeah. the vampire wasn't]
NerwenGreen (10:54 PM): [ok]
AgujaCabra (10:58 PM): James coughs into his hand nervously, and turns from the screen looking remotely pale. "Well hell, boy... I reckon' you'd do better askin' one of their own about that one-- the blood fetish never did much for my part, so I ain't exactly a delicatessen." Resting his cane stiffly against the floorboards, he peers back skeptically at the screen, and shakes his head with a low whistle. "hell... " he mutters again, more to himself than to Ryan.
AgujaCabra (10:58 PM): [ergh]
NerwenGreen (10:59 PM): Ryan turns from looking at the screen to peer curiously at James, somewhat confused. "Something about vampires bother you?"
AgujaCabra (11:05 PM): Arching an eyebrow wryly without turning from the screen, James retorts with a grim smile, "Sumthin' about murder not bother you?" He taps his cane thoughtfully on the ground for a beat, continuing in a low drawl, "heck, I guess watchin' eh, blood-junkies drink is a dollar peep show in some towns-- me, I'd rather leave 'em to their business, and keep 'em out of mine. I don't fancy makin' any charitable donations I didn't plan."
NerwenGreen (11:10 PM): "Ah. You do have a point there," Ryan answers, turning back to look at the screen. He shrugs after a moment. "I've seen a lot of weird things in my day - not just vampires, either. Guess I've gotten used to it."
AgujaCabra (11:15 PM): Falling into an uncharacteristic silence, James bites the edge of his lip pensively for a moment as he absently fingers his cane. Clearing his throat, he turns back to Ryan with an easy, acerbic smile-- "Anythin' else you' are lookin' to find tonight, or you had your fill of uh, [~Bela Lugosi] here?"

NerwenGreen (11:19 PM): Ryan leans back on his heels, thinking. "I guess that pretty much explains the tunnels filled with dead bodies I saw when I was over there. He must still be there." He pauses, considering. "Wonder why the people living there now aren't squawking about it - those tunnels looked to lead into every single house on the island."
AgujaCabra (11:28 PM): Shrugging disinterestedly, James reaches up casually with his cane, to set the clock into an idle, directionless spin. Images flicker by in a mismatched montage, casting colourful reflections across the wood and bronze of the observation chamber. "Meybe your vamp-pier is more discriminatin' these days... I don't figure he's sinkin' his teeth into every family on that island, or the news crews would be swarming like flies on a
AgujaCabra (11:28 PM): .." Trailing off, James sticks his cane between the clock hands quickly, bringing the contraption to a rapid stop. "Weh-l.. looks like we're havin' another visitor tonight," he mutters; pointing with his cane to an image depicting the exterior of the WatchTower. A young woman stands huddled outside the door, looking with a distinct uneasiness up at the imposing brick building.
NerwenGreen (11:29 PM): "Eh?" Ryan turns back to the screen, taking a step closer to see what James is looking at. "Another mage?"
AgujaCabra (11:36 PM): Blowing a huff of air out his nose, James braces his hands on the cane, and watches the screen with detached interest. "Now I ain't famil'iar with the dame.. and I don't suspect she's got her hands on a bag of invites." He frowns slightly, turning to look curiously over the surrounding screens, when the girl steps up to the door resolutely, and places a firm knock on the thick, black wood. James' head snaps back to the
AgujaCabra (11:36 PM): screen, and he lets out a surprised "well I'll be .. " when the muffled sound of the knock echoes faintly through the building.
NerwenGreen (11:37 PM): "What?" Ryan asks, still watching the woman.
AgujaCabra (11:43 PM): Stepping close to the screen, James stares at the girl with a quixotic expression. "See, ah.. " he mutters, coughing slightly to himself as he turns to glance back at Ryan "that door isn't the door that's attached to the inside of the eh.. lobby. Realis'ticlly, her knockin' shouldn't do anythin' but knock some dust off the door.. and we sure shouldn't hear it inside the Tower.." James scowls in puzzlement, taking a
AgujaCabra (11:43 PM): step back towards the observation room door, and glaring back at the screen for a beat, when the door downstairs opens slowly from the inside, and the girl steps up cautiously inside.
AgujaCabra (11:44 PM): [mm. 'and the girl steps up cautiously into the building']
NerwenGreen (11:44 PM): [so .. did she open the door and walk in? or did someone open it?]
AgujaCabra (11:44 PM): [it opened from the inside. someone opened it for her]
NerwenGreen (11:44 PM): [so is she in the lobby now?]
AgujaCabra (11:44 PM): [yeah. presumably :p ]
NerwenGreen (11:45 PM): Ryan grunts noncommittally. "I knocked too. Did you hear that up here? Or is she just special?"
AgujaCabra (11:48 PM): "What? Naw... see, that's the strange about it... " James points back to the screen with his stick, "That door ain't attached to the buildin'. You're knockin' on an empty shell when you're outside-- and we don't hear a thing inside. That's how its suppose' to work. The bag o' jumpin' stones I sent your way are a ticket in... and there ain't no other means of pryin' your way into the building.."
NerwenGreen (11:49 PM): "So maybe the Tower is way out of alignment," Ryan suggests. "Either way, what say we go down there and see what she's about?"
AgujaCabra (11:52 PM): "Ye-ah, " James drawls slowly, snapping his attention back to Ryan with a stern, but vaguely amused frown. "Hell, I was gettin' to that," he says sharply, and steps over quickly to pull the door open, and move back into the jostling, shaking hallway.
NerwenGreen (11:55 PM): Ryan shrugs and follows James back into the hall, taking a moment as he steps across the threshhold to steady himself. He casts a lingering look at the inner workings of the gears, and for a moment he stops in the middle to study it pensively, before reluctantly continuing across to the elevator.
AgujaCabra (11:58 PM): James dances skillfully, if stiffly, across the vibrating metal floor; steadying himself once against the wall, and cursing irritably under his breath, as his stylish feather garb catches lightly in the turning gears. Jerking the elevator grate up, James cautiously climbs into the tilted box, and waits for Ryan to join him, before jabbing the button for the lobby.
NerwenGreen (12:01 AM): "I'd still love a chance to get a good, close look at the Tower innards," Ryan remarks as he enters the elevator. "Maybe we can figure out how to get it to stop .. doing whatever it's doing wrong for you."
AgujaCabra (12:06 AM): Flashing a broad, toothy smile as he steps over to brace himself against the corner of the box, James nods in acquiescence; "Why sure--- I'd most appreciate any advice you got on the Tower, Mr. Engineer," he replies with a good-natured chuckle. "Meybe once we get this young lady sorted out, you kin give the old clock-work a good once-over. . and hell, you're welcome to come back anytime, if you're gonna lend a hand." The elevator jolts down violently, after a short, stuttering pause. After scraping off the
AgujaCabra (12:06 AM): side of the shaft, it slips into a smooth, natural descent.
NerwenGreen (12:09 AM): Ryan reflexively reaches out to steady himself as the elevator jolts, coming to lean casually against the wall. He grins easily back at James. "Tomorrow's Saturday - I could spend the whole day here. Probably Sunday, too." There is an excited glint in his eyes as he thinks about this.
AgujaCabra (12:10 AM): [aaah. ]
NerwenGreen (12:11 AM): [hehehe ... well, Sunday he'll be dragged out to the island during the day at least ;)]
NerwenGreen (12:11 AM): [and we can fast forward through a lot of it ;)]
AgujaCabra (12:14 AM): Chuckling, James leans back casually into his selected corner, and drums the cane loosely against the side of the dropping box. "Yah, you sure are invited-- he-hul, if yer good enough at tinkerin', meybe I'll go get myself a good drink, and you kin deal with the damn metal-trap y'self." James smiles darkly, and chuckles again to himself.. waiting impatiently to get down to the lobby.
NerwenGreen (12:17 AM): Ryan laughs skeptically. "I suck with Time-type stuff, I doubt I could do it by myself." He continues to chuckle, still looking over at James. "If we get it fixed, we can go drinking together, maybe. Or for that matter if we don't get it fixed."
AgujaCabra (12:22 AM): Breaking into a brief, dry laugh, James picks up the cane stiffly, and straightens his posture on the rail, as the elevator begins to gradually slow down. "That does sound like a fine plan, indeed," he says with a grin, adding cheekily "As fer Time, well... that's kids-stuff. We'll get you up and runnin' with that, no trouble at'all. "
AgujaCabra (12:22 AM): [hehe. I guess I'll put the loby/ girl in the next scene.. I was gonna jam them together :p ]
NerwenGreen (12:24 AM): Ryan smiles, rather less humorously than before. "You can try, and I'd appreciate it. I've just never been able to get my mind to wrap around it."
AgujaCabra (12:41 AM): Shrugging in mock defeat, James flashes another winning smile at Ryan as he admits "I don't claim to work miracles here-- if you got an aversion to temperal things, well, meybe those're demons you'll be werkin' on by yerself.. Meybe you kin help with the metalwork still-- damn hands ain't what they used to be," he frowns at the last part of his statement, grabbing the cane up stiffly and walking over to the elevator gate. Sliding down into the warmly lit foyer, the elevator slows, and comes to an easy
AgujaCabra (12:41 AM): stop at the bottom of the shaft. James steps forward before it stops completely, to tug on the grate-- and he hops outside just as the cables stop spinning. "Mistah Evette-- " James calls as he steps out onto the carpet, "Did you invite our visitor inside ..? "
AgujaCabra (12:41 AM): Evette glances back at James slowly, over his shoulder. He is crouched comfortably on the other side of the room, with his legs loosely crossed, and his hands held lightly upon his lap. The girl is perched in a chair in front of Evette, with one leg drawn tactfully onto the seat, while she warily eyes the older man. "Yes James," he replies evenly, turning back to the girl. "There was no harm in it." Dressed casually in homemade, brown patchwork pants, and a similar pale blue jacket with holiday bells
AgujaCabra (12:41 AM): on the sleeves, the girl watches the room with an exhausted expression. She has a plain white tank top under the jacket, and cradles a large, old-fashioned black doctor's bag on her lap. A decorative bike chain has been fastened to the bag as a makeshift shoulder strap, and one of her utilitarian, earth-friendly sandals dangles partly off the foot that trails across the ground. Though she seems pretty in an unconventional, earthen sense, her auburn hair is tied back into a sloppy bun at the
AgujaCabra (12:42 AM): back of her head, and there are dark circles under her eyes. Showing a weak frown, she looks up at Ryan and James, as though to ask; 'who the hell are you'.
NerwenGreen (12:46 AM): Ryan casually digs out his tricorder from a pocket and aims it nonchalantly in the girl's direction, taking a few readings with a casual, non-invasive air as he wanders slowly over, careful to appear only politely interested in her presence.
AgujaCabra (12:47 AM): [did he pull out a gadget?]
NerwenGreen (12:47 AM): [yes]
AgujaCabra (12:47 AM): [oh right :p]
AgujaCabra (12:47 AM): [sorry. I see.]
AgujaCabra (12:54 AM): Shrinking away from him stiffly on the chair, she looks up at Ryan with a hot glare. "What are you doing?" she asks quietly, though without open hostility; slowly lowering her other foot to rest on the ground as well. James saunters over casually to observe the girl as well; circling around the side of her chair, and giving Evette an occasional, expressionless look. "Hey--" he says experimentally, flashing a warm
AgujaCabra (12:54 AM): smile and pausing behind Evette. "how eh.. how in the sam hill did'ja find yer way in here?" The girl stares uncomfortably between James, Ryan and Evette.
AgujaCabra (12:55 AM): [oh right.. tricorder readings :p]
NerwenGreen (12:55 AM): [hehe]
AgujaCabra (12:56 AM): [did we decide that a ghoul would register oddly or not?]
NerwenGreen (12:56 AM): [umm .. hmm. I don't remember. If she has vamp blood in her, it would be different from regular blood though, right?]
AgujaCabra (12:57 AM): [hmm.. would Ryan's tricorder pick up something that subtle?]
NerwenGreen (12:58 AM): [sure ;)]
AgujaCabra (12:58 AM): [eh. He can tell that there is some small amount of vampire blood in her system, as well as an unidentified substance that might be venom. Aside from those oddities, she seems to be a perfectly normal human girl]
NerwenGreen (1:02 AM): Ryan raises an eyebrow and glares back at her, then drops all pretense of casualness and aims his tricorder directly at her as he finishes scanning. He doesn't come closer to her, though, finding the nearest piece of furniture to lean up against as he watches the others. He shoves the tricorder back into his pocket.
AgujaCabra (1:07 AM): Sitting forward stiffly, she glowers at him long and hard. "I asked you what the hell you're doing," she snaps at Ryan, albeit weakly, as she braces herself on the wooden arm rest. Putting a hand tiredly to her head, she sits back into the chair again and closes her eyes. "Ohh.. shit," she murmurs softly, fishing in a pocket for a pack of regular cigis and a lighter. "I-I'm sorry for barging in on you guys like this.. uhm, is it a shriners club or something? are gals not allowed?" She asks with a small
AgujaCabra (1:07 AM): smile, glancing up at James.
AgujaCabra (1:07 AM): [mm.. I'll give Ryan a shot at responding, if he wants. I shouldn't type in the IM window ;p ]
NerwenGreen (1:11 AM): Ryan bristles at her tone, narrowing her eyes at her with his arms folded in front of him on the top of the chair he's leaning on. "Whatever the hell I feel like doing," he shoots back irritably. [which he would've said before she sat back into the chair.]
AgujaCabra (1:11 AM): [geez... great. they're gonna hate one another. so much for Thomas' ghoul :p ? Why is Ryan being a prick with her?]
NerwenGreen (1:12 AM): [she started it]
AgujaCabra (1:12 AM): [uhh.. a strange man waving a tricorder about.. refusing to say what they're doing.. its pretty natural to be nervous?]
NerwenGreen (1:13 AM): [a girl barging into a place uninvited demanding to know ? she glared at him ...]
AgujaCabra (1:13 AM): [mm.. she's justifiably scared of being scanned..? ]
NerwenGreen (1:13 AM): [well, it's his natural reaction to scan everything unusual ...]
NerwenGreen (1:14 AM): [Ryan is not a nice guy like Thomas :p .. he's naturally cranky to people who are cranky to him]
NerwenGreen (1:15 AM): [also, he's more cranky when someone is imposing on him, and he's been in the tower long enough to feel like it's somewhere he belongs ]
AgujaCabra (1:20 AM): Grinning broadly, James steps towards her experimentally, with a light chuckle. "No, naw.. nuthin' like that," he replies evenly; distinctly amused. "Hell, we fellers get a bit edgy when a charmin' young thing as y'self walks in-- but it ain't at all because you aren't welcome." Evette turns to look up at James testily, and lightly shoos him back with a hand. He, in turn, smiles gently at the girl, and rests a hand lightly on either
AgujaCabra (1:20 AM): side of the chair, looking up at her from the ground. "This building is not usually accessible from the door you knocked on-- excuse us all, but we're curious to know how you came to visit us tonight." The girl laughs softly at James, and fingers her pack of cigarettes absently as she looks down at Evette with a curious expression. "I just.. I followed .. " she stumbles over her words slightly, and Evette completes her
AgujaCabra (1:20 AM): sentence for her, "Lights; cobwebs of light.. you were following them from New Orleans.. " The girl turns distinctly pale, but nods guardedly to his assessment.
NerwenGreen (1:21 AM): Ryan watches in the background.
AgujaCabra (1:22 AM): [ack... I don't want this to turn into a thing where I'm typing and you sit... ]
NerwenGreen (1:22 AM): [well, he's not going to say anything ... she doesn't seem to like him, and he is a bit put off by her ..]
AgujaCabra (1:22 AM): [merk... shit]
NerwenGreen (1:23 AM): [hmm ... Ryan is too well established a character for me to try and revise his personality like I did for Maria ..]
AgujaCabra (1:23 AM): [I'm not asking you to revise his character.. ]
NerwenGreen (1:24 AM): [hmm .. hopefully it'll work out somehow?]
AgujaCabra (1:31 AM): Sighing in exhaustion, the girl slides both hands around the back of her neck, and leans down quietly onto her black bag. "Jordan?" Evette asks quietly after a moment, and the girl looks back to him evenly, with a questioning, confused look. "Were you looking for something here?" Still holding onto her head a bit, she sits up slightly from the bag, and shakes her head slowly in a puzzled daze. "No.. I.. had to come to the city to -- take care of some business. But, I heard there were more vampires in
AgujaCabra (1:31 AM): Midsomer than New Orleans..." she says steadily, staring at Evette for a long moment. "I guess you guys are mages... I didn't .. know this was a mage house.. But I really need to find a vampire.. "

NerwenGreen (1:32 AM): Ryan remains in the background, but he pays closer attention to the exchange between the other three as vampires are mentioned.
AgujaCabra (1:41 AM): James remains testily quiet, playing with his cane while listening intently to Evette's conversation with the girl. Occasionally, he cocks his head a little; listening to the steady, soft hum of his tremendous, whirring clock. He snorts softly when she mentions vampires, and pipes up drily, "We-hul that is mighty perceptive of you," he comments with a smile; "now.. what were you wantin' with vampires. . I think I can rightly assure you that we mages are kinder company than ah.. yer average dracula."
AgujaCabra (1:41 AM): Jordan laughs weakly, "Oh well, I'm sure of that," she replies stiffly, lowering her eyes wearily to the ground. "I um.. my mother, my um.. domitor isn't around anymore.. and I kind of need to find a vampire to .. uhm, to get some blood from." She lowers her head a bit more when she mentions her mom, and fingers the cigis again edgily.
NerwenGreen (1:46 AM): Ryan speaks up in an stonily neutral tone, "I know a few vampires." Pushing himself off the back of the chair, he circles around and walks a few steps closer to the rest of them, studying her expressionlessly, his hands jammed into his jacket pockets.
AgujaCabra (1:50 AM): Jordan is quiet for a moment, before looking over at Ryan warily. "Yeah.. ?" she asks softly, clearing her throat a bit and lightly brushing a touch of moisture from her cheek as she regains her composure. "Do you think one of them would be interested in a ghoul?" Her tone is hopeful, but slightly deadpan; as though she has been turned down before, and does not want to get her hopes up.
NerwenGreen (1:57 AM): Ryan continues to look at her, his expression softening a little as he mulls over the question. "I don't know," he answers finally. "You'd have to come ask them yourself. Probably depends on what you could do."
AgujaCabra (2:04 AM): Nodding thoughtfully, she props herself casually on the armrest to sit up, albeit tiredly, and look evenly at Ryan. "Well, I have a couple of talents that someone should be interested in... " she pauses momentarily, casting a long glance at the door. ".. I'd love to get in contact with them. . any vampire is really all right. It just needs to be kind of quick.. "
AgujaCabra (2:04 AM): [aaah. ::dies::]
NerwenGreen (2:08 AM): Ryan steps a little closer to her chair. "How quick?" he asks. "There's someone I can get ahold of pretty fast, and he'd probably be able to find other people if he's not interested. Do you have a phone number or something?"

AgujaCabra (2:15 AM): Hesitating thoughtfully, Jordan shakes her head after a moment, and adjusts a foot uncomfortably in her sandal. "I'm not exactly sure. I haven't gone without blood since I was a kid.. but my domitor died over two months ago, and I've only found vampires who would tide me over. No one wanted a permanent ghoul in New Orleans. " Jordan sticks her hands into the warm confines of her jacket sleeves; huddling quietly in the chair as she regards Ryan.

AgujaCabra (2:20 AM): "I have a cellphone," she adds after a pause. Removing one hand from its sleeve, she unfastens the hitch of her medical bag, and fishes around for a pad of paper and a pen. She draws out a pad of choco-cat post-it notes, and a plain black pen.

NerwenGreen (2:23 AM): A small, amused smile appears on Ryan's face at the notepad. "I'll see if I can get ahold of someone," he says as she gives him her number. He glances at his watch.
AgujaCabra (2:23 AM): [I think I need to look back at the logs to figure the time. meep. ]
AgujaCabra (2:25 AM): [I guess he arrived at the Tower around 8:30. give or take 15 minutes. So, I guess it would be at least 9:30 or 9:45? ]
AgujaCabra (2:26 AM): [ST does not have time sphere ^^]
NerwenGreen (2:27 AM): [hehe .. sure ;)]
AgujaCabra (2:30 AM): "Thank you," she replies gratefully, returning the notepad and pen to her bag, and then clasping it shut carefully. Evette folds his arms lightly over his knees, offering gently as she puts her things away, "You may stay here, if you have nowhere else to go - until Ryan has spoken to his vampire friend." Jordan hesitates, but smiles faintly when James shrugs and flashes her with a brilliant, flirtatious smile. "I'll think about it," she says noncommittally.
AgujaCabra (2:34 AM): [oh.. holy crap. its 2:30 ^o^]
NerwenGreen (2:34 AM): Ryan looks over at James. "Well, it's definitely been a fun visit, but I need to go grab some food."
NerwenGreen (2:35 AM): [yeah .. we need to stop soon ]
AgujaCabra (2:43 AM): James' smile broadens as he is addressed, and he disengages himself from the stair-banister, to walz casually in Ryan's direction. Extending a hand with part mock-formality, and part genuine, southern hospitality, he responds with a wry chuckle, "Hell, it was a real pleasure seein' you again, Ryan... and I 'xpect to see you back again soon, to work out the kinks in this damn machine." His smile becomes slightly mischievous. "You ain't gonna back out on this deal, are you? Hell, I will buy your drinks,
AgujaCabra (2:43 AM): if you git a handle on the gawl-dang clock."
NerwenGreen (2:46 AM): Ryan laughs easily in response to James's offer and, walking over toward him, shakes the offered hand. "I'll come by again tomorrow, if you're not too busy with other stuff."
AgujaCabra (2:49 AM): "Naw. That would be swell," he grins easily, taking his hand back and walking over to let Ryan out the front door. "Looks like I got some new company to chat at, and some locks to fix up... but I will surely be here, gettin' my arse kicked in by that damn hallway."
NerwenGreen (2:52 AM): Ryan laughs, his sense of humor having returned, as he obediently allows himself to be escorted to the door. "We'll see what we can do about that," he replies. Sketching a mock bow followed by a salute, he grins at James and steps back outside.
AgujaCabra (2:56 AM): James laughs at Ryan's antics, touching his cane regally to his forehead in a comical salute of his own. "Yah. Take care, an' all that ... you jest come on by whenever you like. Don't bother callin' ahead." Grinning naturally, he waves politely to Ryan as he leaves. Jordan calls out a friendly "Goodbye," as well, and Evette turns to watch him go.
NerwenGreen (2:57 AM): Ryan waves from the doorway at everyone, his grin fading just a little as he glances at Jordan, but quickly returning. He turns to go back to his bus.
AgujaCabra (2:58 AM): [time to quit?]
NerwenGreen (2:58 AM): [yes ;)]
NerwenGreen (2:58 AM): Ryan calls Thomas as he drives to the nearest fast food restaurant that is still open, and leaves a message on the machine.