Currently the moon is in the waxing Half Moon phase (49% full).

Pool Hall

Pool tables, with one foosball table and an air hockey table hiding among them, dominate the space of the hall, hardly yielding any space for the motley crew of players chalking their sticks and eying the brandy bottle at the bar lining one wall. The dust and scratches on all surfaces save the green velvet lining the pool tables indicate this hall as skimping on maintenance and cheap on cleaners. Its lack of flashy videogames and surplus of toothless kibitzers underscores its appeal to the older crowd. No natural sunlight is permitted into the hall, its lighting provided by bulbs swinging from the ceiling.

A recent 'renovation' to the hall has caused many splinters and embdeed bullet holes, adding much to the aged atmosphere. Ruddish stains, dark and ominous even under the lights, refuse to be washed out of the floor. A dart board brightens up the walls with its red-and-black scheme, and a moosehead looks down on the proceedings.

Mounted from the ceiling, a television blares its glaring brightness and noises.

The sooty smell of smoke lingers after the recent city riots. The power is back on.

A set of double doors, one locked, the other unlocked at the whims of the hall manager, lead out to the street. Unobstructive doors behind the bar undoubtedly lead to storerooms.

Contents:
Joey
Jeremy
Dakota

Obvious exits:
Outside

"I suppose he got tied up, huh?" Jeremy asks with a laugh as he glances around the various gathered Garou who mostly mingle among themselves, then gives his attention back to Dakota. "So, plans? What are you going to do now, miss Cliath?" He asks with a chuckle.

"Oh, probably." Dakota says with a soft chuckle, producing a pixie stick from her pocket which she twirls about her fingers. "Me? I'm gonna pack and learn every gift and Rite I can. Oh, and save the world." She adds there on the end, ripping off the end of the stick and depositing the cherry sugar in her mouth.

As a few people enter the pool hall, Joey manages her way in. Black beret donned upon her head and a green army like satchel over her shoulder. She is clean and presentable, if not a bit blandly dressed. Her eyes take in the surroundings as she pauses just within the door, almost as if deciding whether to stay or go.

Natalie pushes in from the street just behind Joey, her jacket unzipped halfway and hands, as usual, jammed into the front pockets of her jeans. Traffic jam. "Oi, kid, you wanna get out of the way?"

Jeremy bobs his head a bit with a grin at Dakota. "Oh yah? Thats cool. Good luck on that." Reaching over and snatching his Rita back, he takes a sip off it, then glances over as he hears Natalie's voice. Lifting up a hand, he waves her over.

Joey turns back with a slight grin and a blush, "Oh sorry 'bout that." A side step clears her out of the entrance and she looks for a quiet place to sit down.

Natalie frowns a moment down at the girl, as if a memory... but no. "Yeah. Whatever." Nat's not in a good mood this evening, it'd seem. She pushes further into the pool hall, stalking as if daring someone else to get in her way.

Dakota bounces slightly to the music as she sits backwards on her chair, humming along to the words as she begins to pick at the bowl of popcorn on the table, popping a few pieces in her mouth. "Hey, Jer'? What kinda margarita is that? Damn good."

Dakota:

The seventeen year old girl, in just a few months, has gone from a gawky young girl to a proud young woman. Though only 5'4", her slim athletic body is well toned with tight, sleek muscles. Her skin is a pale cream, touched with highlights of gold and rose. Faded lines of white mark her wrists and arms, barely seen on her light complexion. Noticeably, however, is an ash-darkened scar running the length of the top of her right hand. Naturally dark brown eyes have been given contacts to alter their color, changing them to a pale cobalt blue. From her childhood, her hair has been long and wavy, a rich, dark auburn brown. Now, it's been whacked short, up to the back of her head. Straightened, it frays out at the end in a trendy sort of spiking. Some of the original color remains at her roots, but the rest has been lightened to various pale shades of reds and blondes. Clothing is still casual much of the time, but she's not above dressing up a bit flashier when the desire arises.

"Nothing special, just a strawberry with some 1800 in it." Jermey says with a laugh, running his finger along the rim of his glass, waving Natalie over after a moment. His eyes turn back to the Coggie, smile brightening over his features. "You seem to know this song... who is it? Um... Creedance?"

Somebody enters the establishment. The baggy green sweater and kind of tight jeans aren't familiar, but the head is Karl's. He looks around to the familiar as he enters further, and what was a sense of unease seems to wash away.

Anthony arrives a little after Natalie, rubbing his nose at the heavy scents one usually finds in poolhouses as he enters.

Dakota shrugs her shoulder, "Psh! Got me. I never remember band names." She looks over towards all the people who have entered and spots the familiar face with the odd green sweater. "KARL!" Dakota bellows out joyfully, waving a hand to draw him attention and gesture him over to the table she shares with Jeremy.

Natalie finally notices Jer's wave; she gives him a nod before stopping at the bar. When she heads over to the kin's group it's with a glass of beer. Not that this seems to make her any happier.

Joey pushes off to sit at one of the side tables that is not so heavily occupied or surrounded. Her bag comes to rest on her lap and she just watches the others come in and mingle.

Karl stands at 5'8" and appears to be the bookish 'computer geek' type, somewhere in his mid-late teens. Artificially tanned skin has almost entirely faded with time, revealing the natural colour to be quite pale. /Brightly/ bleached blonde hair gives way to more than an inch of what could be black at the roots. Even Karl's oversized blue jeans are gone, and are replaced by neat, clean, 'military green' cargos, which are only /one/ size too big, but thanks to drawstrings, fit snuggly at the hips. A bland brown tee can be seen if his black hooded tracksuit jacket isn't zipped up. It keeps him warm, but its sleeves are a little on the conservative side and don't quite cover his wrists as they should. A pair of scuffed sneakers, a shade of white, have been cleaned up pretty darn well and protect his feet.

With a chuckle, Jeremy watches Dakota explode, shaking his head a bit minutely. He nudges a seat out for Natalie, and then one for Tony at their table. "Hey guys." He calls over to the Walker pair. "I trust you know Dakota? Or at least you are going to...?"

Anthony already looks like he's not going to have a Good Time, shuffling to the chair offered to him and flopping down into it, not stopping at the bar first like everyone else apparently had.

Karl continues walking until he reaches Dakota and Jeremy. For now he stands by his Tribemate and asks, "How late am I?"

Dakota nods her head to both Natalie and Anthony before she shakes her head to Karl. "Not too much, it'll probably be fairly quite tonight. Sit." She tells her tribe mate with a grin. "Ya want something to drink, Bro?"

Natalie takes the seat Jer's pulled out for her with a grunt of thanks. Sip of her beer, and she adds a more elaborate, "Thanks, Jer. Nah, I don't." Blue-green eyes study Dakota for a minute. "Alicia said everyone here'd be family?"

"Hey Karl, congratulations." Jeremy says with a chuckle, propping his chin up in the palm of his hand, giving Natalie a nod. "She said it should be. They were going to do their best, but we shouldn't get all ragey or anything."

Joey continues to watch those gathering, eyeing shyly some of the boys that might catch her attention. She seems comfortable being by herself though, and even smiles as she enjoys a night of people watching.

Anthony looks out over the pool tables, occasionally pausing to cough, pretty much disregarding the small talk at his table.

Karl nods casually as he sits down. "Thanks," he says to Jeremy, and then, "Drink? Nah, not just yet."

Dakota nods her head in agreement with Jeremy's words and chuckles. "I'm suprised Ali' isn't here belting her lungs out with karaoke yet."

"Then I'll keep it simple." The Galliard keeps one hand around her beer, her attention flicking between Karl and Dakota. "Natalie Baker. Gossip. I'm one of Jeremy's cousins. I'll give you more details somewhere I know's private."

It seems the Gaian in question is at the bar, talking with Reggie in hushed murmurs, gabbing and catching up with an old friend of hers.

Rising up, Jeremy ambles his way to the bar, ordering a round of drinks from the Uktena, sharing a quick smile and laugh to the pair of Garou. After a bit of small talk, he comes back with a tray of vodka shots, settling it in the middle of the table, settling back down.

"Dakota Warner. I talk to dead people and Unicorns." The new Cliath replies to Natalie's introduction with a smile. "Nica ta meetcha, again. I thought you looked sorta familiar... I ran into you out in the woods last week." She looks at the tray of drinks and smirks. "Oh no."

Anthony glances back slowly at the tray of shots, wrinkles his nose, and goes back to watching the pool tables.

Those paying much attention to Karl will notice that discomfort back again, even stronger than it was when he first entered. He eyes the shots briefly, and listens as introductions are made. He clears his throat and offers in murmur, "Karl Blakely. Same as Dakota."

Joey watches as the one boy wrinkles his nose at the shots, a curious smile on her lips. She stands up then and begins to make her way over, slowly. There is a reasonable mix of shyness and confidence. "Uhm hi, mind if I join you?"

"Yeah?" Dakota's admission brings Nat's attention back from where it had been wandering; she studies the younger girl's face intently. "Then congratulations again." Her tongue peeps out as she considers Karl. "Him too?" Joey's question brings her in turn under Natalie's consideration, with a brusque, "Yeah? Who're you?"

Reaching out and taking a shot from the tray, Jeremy knocks it back easily, licking his lips afterwards. With a chuckle, he nudges Dakota slightly, before turning his eyes upon Joey, not recognizing her either. He squints some, staring.

Dakota looks over to Joey, but seeing as how she's already being questioned, doesn't interrogate the poor girl further. She does, however, offer her a friendly smile. At Jeremy's nudge, she lets out a sigh and a soft chuckle and selects a shot. She takes the punch with a fair amount of grace, feeling it burn all the way down.

Anthony doesn't seem to notice Joey at first, though eventually he realizes he's being asked a question. He looks back at Jeremy, then to the girl, shrugging a little. "Sure, I guess," he says as he pushes out another chair, not exactly sounding hospitable.

Joey looks to the woman with the hard edge and offers out a hand. "Joey Copland, sorry, uh. Was just looking to see he," a nod given to Anthony, "would mind some company?"

Natalie doesn't protest Joey's arrival; she's too busy being glum over her beer.

Karl looks nervously between Tony, Natalie and the newcomer, but stays quiet for now.

"Umm..." Jeremy trails off a bit, looking at Anthony, then back to Joey. "You know her bro?" He asks, taking up another shot, tracing a finger slowly along the rim, before knocking it back, swallowing quickly.

"No, but I don't know a lot of people," Tony replies, glancing at Joey again.

Dakota reaches over to give Karl a nudge. "So what've ya been doin' since we got back?" She asks him with a grin, picking up another shot and drinking it down, squinting her eyes as she presses her lips together.

"Ah, I finally caught up with Doc - she's got a new name too. Showed off my scar, talked about... the gang. Was good. Talked to Josh as well, he's not too confident on how he'll go with his test..." Karl says.

Joey takes the seat then, a bright smile spreading over her face. She is more interested in Anthony than the others, but the conversation does not go unnoticed. Her question though, is directed to the one she sits near. "You guys are in like a /real/ gang?"

Shifting his gaze some, Jeremy frowns and reaches out for another shot, placing it before him. "No... we're just... friends." He explains to Joey, staring at her thoughtfully, eyes squinting together somewhat. He seems to be studying her.

Natalie upends one of the vodka shots into her beer and stands. "I don't have the patience for this right now," she declares, giving those around the table - yeah, even the new girl - a single nod. Let them squabble amongst themselves for possession of it. "I'm gonna go kill a cueball." With that, Nat heads for the pool tables, leaving her chair pushed back and in the way.

Dakota nods her head slowly, letting out a sigh. "Yeah. I ran into Josh too. He didn't seem to happy, or comfortable, being around me now that I'm his superior. Really seemed to wig him out." She looks over to Joey, regarding her question. "Yeah, we're all friends, hang out together and... that." Yeah. She takes another shot and swallows.

[About an hour passes.]

"We're getting married?" The Gaian scrunches her nose in a rather serious look of expression, but then seems to forget what she was thinking about as Jeremy gets up and moves away. Dakota sticks her elbows on the table, propping her head up.

Olga looks down at the offered soda, and then up at Joey, poking her tongue against the inside of her mouth, considering her for a moment. "'S a long story, Tony," she mumbles, without explaining further, without removing her eyes from Joey. "We should go talk about it," she announces, hunching up her bag on her shoulder once again in a determined sort of way. "Thanks f'r the soda," she adds, pocketing it, moving off towards the front door.

Natalie comes back down the short hallway leading to the ladies'. She stops there, at the entrance to the larger room, and considers the people there gathered.

Salem eases into the game as if that's entirely what he came here for, chalking up his pool cue and then walking around the table, eyeing the arrangement of balls with a critical eye. He lines up his shot, sinks it, then misses the next. And all the while keeps an eye on the rest of the party.

Joey seems a bit surprised, looking from Olga to Anthony and back again. "Now?" She grins to Tony, "I do think she means now, I'm really sorry. It was nice meeting you, maybe I'll see you around again." She leaves a few bills on the counter and rushes back to get her satchel and once more catch up with the orange bag-toting woman.

Jeremy reaches out for a pool stick and chuckles slightly, leaning against it as he makes his way to the table, glancing between the two Garou. "Hey Natalie." He calls over to the Galliard, waving her over.

"'We' like you and me or 'we' like you and her?" Anthony calls as Olga heads off towards the door, putting the soda on the bar and standing up.

Signe, contrarily, seems to have forgotten the party. While Salem was enjoying his success at the table, she'd meandered to the bar to pick up a beer. Taking a sip, she sets it down on the edge of the table while she lines up her own shot.

Natalie heads back to the bar to get herself another beer. The first one - and a second - seem to have wandered off somewhere. Then she heads back to her first table, nodding 'round to everyone as she sits again. Alcohol and time have worn the Galliard's sharp edges down to amiability.

Olga stops at the door and takes in the crowd again, eyes wide, as if she were trying to absorb an hours worth of people-watching in those short few seconds. "Was talkin' about me and Joey, Tony," she explains to the man, almost apologetically, "but y're free to come if you want." She takes a step back, opening the door, and waves her goodbye to the two newly minted Gaians. "Congrats, Dak," she calls out to them, even though one is probably beyond comprehension, now, "congratulations, Karl. Really. I'll talk t' y' about it more later, eh? Sorry f'r being so sour 'nd dragging your playmate away, everybody," she calls out then to all assembled, and with a jerk of her head out, she steps out, holding the door open for Joey, and Anthony should he choose to join them.

Giving the rest of the poolhall a quick glance and not finding anything that needs his immediate attention, Anthony scoops up the soda from the bar and heads for the front door as well.

Joey doesn't seem very bothered by the abrupt decision to leave, and even has a smile on her face as she follows Olga out. A faint wave is given, less formal than perhaps the others farewell, but sincere nonetheless. She does look to Anthony though with a grin, "Yah I don't mind either."

Salem glances over as Olga ushers Joey away, his mismatched eyes narrowing behind the dark glasses, his amiable expression flickering briefly into something a bit more cold and feral.

Karl blinks in confusion, then eyes the bar for his drink. Seems he got ignored. D'oh. Ah well, looks like he'll continue with the burny drink instead of palming it off to Dakota.

Dakota watches those playing pool with a sort of dead stare. After a very long time, she bothers to blink, and slowly turns her eyes to Karl. Resume stare.

Jeremy relaxes some in a booth chair near the pool tables as he leans against the stick he holds in his hands. He glances to Natalie, then over to Dakota, smiling goofily a bit as he lets the alochol simmer him.

Signe straightens up after sinking the shot she made. "What are you glaring at?" she asks Salem, looking around and fairly unaware of the party desertions.

Salem turns back to the billiard game. "Just wondered who the kid was." He shrugs, as if it really doesn't matter.

Natalie mulls over her beer, watching the pool players glumly. After a minute or so she addresses Karl as the more coherent of her tablemates. "Who'uz the girl? That went with Olga an' Tony?"

Signe frowns, looking back at where the others escaped. "I thought she was with the Gaians," the Get offers in a low voice, nothing that could get past their table. Another shot is lined up, but this one misses. "Hey, Nat," she greets, retrieving her beer.

Karl shrugs. "No idea. Just some girl as far as I know." He eventually looks at his shotglass once more, then picks it up and tips it back. His eyes REALLY water this time, and he coughs at the burn in his throat and prays nobody is watching.

"I never seen her before either, so we kinda just played it cool." Jeremy says with a shrug. "I think she was... bored." He eyeballs the table that Signe and Salem shoot at. "Can I get winner?" He asks with a lazy drawl.

"If Signe agrees, certainly," Salem says, apparantly putting the whole matter out of his mind. With an air of making it look easy, he sinks two balls and narrowly misses sinking a third -- and that a complicated three-bank shot. Bastard.

Natalie offers, "Brave or stupid," though whether she means Jeremy or Joey is unclear. "'Lo, Signe. I gotta talk t' you sometime."

"Yeah, sure," Signe answers, and she's looking at Natalie, although the answer suffices for Jeremy too--since she gives him a nod as she draws away from the table. Since Salem's doing so well, she asks Natalie, "Wanna talk now?"

Jeremy hops off the stool and makes his way over to the table, offering a grin to Salem with a raise of his brow. "Want to rack 'em up?" He asks, trailing his eyes over towards Dakota at the table.

Dakota seems about ready to crash, her head drooped low between her hands that prop it up. She's sort of staring off into space, humming very faintly to herself.

Salem arches a brow and glances over at the Get. "You want to concede this one, go chat with Natalie?" He glances at the Walker Galliard briefly, then back to the Get Ahroun.

Signe offers Salem a little grin. "I don't quit," she affirms, nodding for him to go on, "But I'm betting you'll sink those last two, too. So go ahead."

Salem smirks, then with a flourish does indeed send the last two balls into pocketed oblivion.

"Now's good, 'f you're not busy," agrees Nat, taking a swig from her beer. "Not gonna, not gonna interrupt, though. Not gonna have much, much time to do that." She flips an inebriated hand toward the pool table and Salem.

Karl regards Dakota with some concern, but appears otherwise bored.

Signe watches the last ball fall in and slides the pool cue down on the table. "All yours, Jer," she says, gesturing Nat over to an empty drinking table. Noticing her condition, she frowns a bit. "So, what'dya need?"

Jeremy glances over towards Dakota and offers. "Hey, You doing OK?" He calls to the table, before racking up the balls with a smile towards Salem.

Salem gathers the balls and racks them up, offering Jeremy the break if he wants it. An eye goes toward Nat and Signe, briefly.

Natalie, being the good little Cliath that she is, follows Signe over to the Get's chosen table. "Wanna talk t' you about pa - that gang you 'ere putting together. Who d'you wanna follow?"

Dakota flops a hand in a sort of dismissive gesture to Jeremy's question, a yawn being utters a moment later. "M'fine...g'play." She responds, crossing her arms on the table in front of her.

Jeremy nods his head towards her slightly, then grins to himself. Leaning over the table, he snaps his wrist quickly, firing the ball hard into the triangle, letting them scatter and swoop about.

Karl murmurs something to Dakota.

The balls stop moving, but none sink in for the kinfolk.

Signe settles into a chair. With this many garou in the place, most of the mere mortals have decided they'd rather be hanging out in the shoe department at K-mart tonight. Still, the Get doesn't launch into list of chosen spirits. "Who do I wanna follow?" she asks, brow knitting thoughtfully. "Fuck if I know. I've thought about it, but without much conclusion. Why, you got ideas?"

Dakota slowly turns her attentions over to Karl, blinking at him and murmuring, "...whysat?"

Karl glances about briefly and continues murmuring to Dakota.

Salem moves in, prowling around the pool table and eyeing the scattered spheres with a wolfishly keen eye, a predator choosing its prey. He picks a moderately difficult shot, misses it, and then straightens up with a shrug.

Natalie shakes her head unhelpfully. "Not really. Nothing, nobody... frou. Y'know? I wanna /do/ something, not stand around and look superior."

Signe eyes Natalie. "Superior?" she asks, gruffly.

"Psssssshh!" Dakota giggles at Karl's response, lifting a brow at him. "N'fun there. Fun 'ere!"

Circling around the table, Jeremy's chains jingle and clank against the wood as he eyes the balls. Leaning over, he squints his eyes, then stares at the diamonds positioned on the table. He takes a few moment to murmur a few words, then flicks his wrist, tapping a ball swiftly. He kisses the side of a striper and knocks it into a pocket with ease. "Pool is mathematics."

Karl just shrugs and watches the pair play pool.

Salem smiles faintly and leans against a different, unused pool table nearby, arms folded as he watches.

Nat says, "Yeah." Whatever that's supposed to mean. "No... no fril... I wanna /do/ something." Three - no, two and a half - beers with vodka chasers, and eloquence goes bang out the window. "An' since Salem's running off, gotta do it with you."

Another ball is sunk before Jeremy misses the next, one that hops out of the hole at the last second. A loud huff is heard from the kinfolk as he steps back, narrowing his eyes at the table and silently talking to himself as his lips move, using a finger to dart about the air.

Dakota yawns again and returns her attentions to the pool game, watching the colored spheres roll around from a distance.

Signe looks confused for a few seconds. "Huh?" she says, staring at Natalie for a moment, and then the Get's attention shifts to the Walker elder. Natalie may as well not be there anymore. She pushes back her chair and stands up to walk back towards the pool table, and Salem.

Salem exhales a quiet breath and mutters something underbreath, in Serbian, about chatty gibbous moons. Then, in the middle of considering his next shot, he turns away from the pool table to fix a bland look at Signe. "I just told them this morning. Would have mentioned it earlier tonight, but that kid was here." His lips thin, all easy amiability gone. "I have to leave town for a while. Got business elsewhere... Portland, eventually. But not until mid-March. You should have finished learning Rite of Passage by then."

Jeremy furrows his brows some as Signe and Salem begin to have a talk, then makes his way over to the table, sinking down next to Dakota once more. "You doing OK?"

Karl's eyes follow Jeremy all the way to the table, and now he listens for Dakota's response.

Natalie watches Signe leave, then watches Salem justify himself to Signe, all the while nursing her beer.

Dakota lifts a brow as her head lies on her crossed arms. She grins lopsidedly to Jeremy, eyed drooped. "Mmmmm-hm."

Jeremy chuckles and shakes his head. "You want me to take you home?" He asks softly, giving her a soft nudge.

Some of the Get's momentum is stolen from her as Salem speaks first. It's a move that irritates Signe even more, but she's not sure what to do about it just yet. When he finishes explaining, she has her ammunition. "The /Rite/? That's what you're worried about?"

Salem's eyes narrow. Carefully, he sets down the pool cue. So much for the game with Jeremy. "No, but I said I'd teach it to you and I will." He keeps his voice even, steady. Steelly.

Dakota seems to consider this as she picks her head up off her arms, blinking at Jeremy to bring him back into focus. "Mmmkay." She mumbles as she places a hand on Jeremy's shoulder, leaning in on him.

"Can I come too?" Karl asks.

Natalie's just going to stay over here, thanks. Where it's safe. -Er.

Jeremy blinks slightly over to Karl, then nods his head. "Um... sure. I was just going to drop Dak off at Lish's." He says, standing up, guiding Dakota with him as an arm slips around her waist. He glances over to Salem and Signe, waving to them. "I guess we're going to take off guys. See you tomorrow?"

Karl rises as Jeremy does, gives a vague wave to all gathered and then offers to help support Dakota if either/both of them need it.

Signe's lips pull back, showing off her teeth to Salem. The tension in the room picks up even more as the Get snarls a bit in her response. "Fuck you, Jack," she says, "That's not the only thing you said you'd do." She eyes him, as if gauging whether she wants to do, or say, more. In the end, she decides against it.Shaking her head, she just shrugs and turns away.

Dakota wraps an arm around Jeremy, her head once more finding his shoulder. She smiles slowly, looking to Karl, oblivious to the rising tension as she totters with her escorts towards the door.

Having thrown the cat in among the pigeons, Nat simply sits and watches the Elders go at it. She doesn't seem to be taking any especial glee in the situation. Instead it's more like a mildly interesting sitcom. Caerns of Our Lives, perhaps.

Salem's scarred face is rigid, stony; there's a mask over his expression that's even more opaque than the dark, mirrored lenses that cover his eyes. He offers no further excuse or explanation, but simply shrugs and moves away from the pool table, heading back for the abandoned wreckage of shot glasses and coats. His own, in particular.

Flopping down next to Natalie is a slightly buzzed Alicia, grinning like a cat. "Yo." She says with a thick urbran drawl, propping her chin on the Walker's shoulder. "Wassup? They aren't ganna getall... ya'know... punchy an shit, right?"

Hooking his arms around Dakota, Jeremy begins to lead her to the door, yawning himself. He figures its best to pick up the step some. "So.." He trails off a bit. "You just want to be dropped off?" He asks Dak, offering up a grin. "Or, did you have other plans?"

Natalie eyes the Gaian. "Dunno. Don' think so. Yer lookin at the new Walker elder, d'y'know that? 'Nless I get killed between now and then." More beer seems just the solution for a statement like that.

Karl so entirely pretends not to hear that proposition...

"Mmm, bed." Dakota says with a happy sort of coo, though whatever that translates to is anyone's guess.

"Oooh... yer' da' new Don? Pff... dude, aiight. Thats coo'." Alicia says with a wry grin on her face, then stiffles a soft yawn, getting comfortable on her shoulder. "Don' try an be too bored."

Signe'd never relinquished her coat, so she's already moving toward the door. Suddenly not in the mood for a party, she heads out.

With a slight grin, and an eye towards Salem, Jeremy murmurs. "Yours or mine?" He flashes a quick grin, nudging the door open, but only after Signe leaves with a bustle.

Salem watches Signe leave with a flat expression, then glances over at Jeremy. "Pardon?"

Jeremy shakes his head slightly. "Nothing... Um... I guess we're taking off... G'night Salem." He says softly.

Natalie eyes Alicia grumpily. "You don't seem too surprised. Guess he told you he was r... leaving already, huh? /I/ didn' find out 'ntil today. This morning. Breakfast."

Dakota mutters some form of an answer, and while it probably makes perfect sense to her, it's gibberish to anyone else. She looks back over the crest of Jeremy's shoulder to Salem blearily before regarding the door and making her way, crookedly, towards it.

"Nah. I'm just not surprised, cuz' well... Walker's always got a new Leader. But... " Alicia says with a sloppy grin on her face, reaching for a vodka shot. "Scar face will be back. He always comes back... cuz.." She grunts slightly after knocking back the shot. "Cuz' he loves us an shit." Her eyes half lid. "Boy do ah' got stories o' Salem an the good o' days... least' mah good o' days wi'em. Yeh'know... we went through lots when shit hit deh' fan a few years ago. He's like mah bruddah." She sighs, eyes squinting shut, rambling off topic.

Jeremy, Karl, and Dakota step outside to the street.

Salem glances back over at Alicia and Natalie and looks at the pair of them ruefully. "Like a bad penny," he says dryly, without any hint of a smile. "You two need a designated driver?"

Natalie abruptly drops her face into her hands, nods. "Didn't... don't /want/. Dammit, Salem." Her voice breaks, and she mumbles something about a, "Pushy bitch."

Alicia wraps an arm around Natalie's neck and pulls her into a hug, giggling to herself. "Ooh... Naat, yer' tripping yo'." She says, slurring the words. "Straight tripp'n boo. Ya'll be aiight, if yeh' need any'tin, yeh can call me up, cuz'... ah'm like a honorary walkah an shit... huh S-Dawg?" She says, peering up at Salem.

Salem snorts. "Yes, she's a cockroach with a unicorn's horn. Child of Glass. Gaia-Walker. Whichever." Alicia's easy acceptance, drunken though it may be, eases some minor humor into his tone.

Natalie sniffs hard and doesn't resist Alicia's hug. She doesn't lower her hands, though either, perhaps not wanting to smear snot all over creation. "I jus', I gotta... I'm gonna start babblin' inna minute. I wanna go /home/."

"Home?" Alicia asks, giving her a firmer squeeze as she leans her head against the Walker's. "Home is cool, word. Its like... cool... an... shit.." She trails off some, her voice soft. She rolls her eyes over to Salem, staring at him for a long moment, before blinking her eyes a bit. "Jack, I love you. Ah'm ganna miss ya when ya leave an shit dude. Yer'like the closest ting' ah'got ta' family outside of Dak'. So... don't do stupid shit an get killed like John, huh? Or... I'm ganna fucking dig yeh up an... yell at yer bones."

Salem blinks at the besotted Child of Gaia. "...Noted." Then he takes up his coat and shrugs into it. "Come on, ladies. Time to go home and let Reggie clean up the place. I'm driving."

Nat sniffs again, swallows, then nods and lowers her hands experimentally. They're wet, but nothing a quick swipe down her jeans won't fix. She's not one of those women whom crying makes prettier, though her red-rimmed eyes make her pupils much more green than blue. "All right. I'd only get lost any - you wanna take my truck? 'N where's Tony? He's gonna need a ride too. He went with the Duchess."

Rising upwards swiftly, Alicia shakes her head a bit and then tosses a hand over to Reggie, giving him the thumbs up. The two trade a 'look', before she begins to giggle. Sliding an arm around Natalie's waist, she tugs her a bit closer. "Cool. I don't live far from here, I walked actually. I think I'll be alright. You two can just take off." She says, yawning, then lets go of the Galliard. "It was nice seeing ya'll 'gain.'

"Tony will be fine. He was sober." Salem almost smiles as he escorts the two drunken Galliards out and to Natalie's truck.

[Salem drives Natalie home, in silence.]

[End of log]