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January 24, 1998 |
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Gideon Club sitting room
Stone gestures, "Ms. Blade. Yo."
Blade rolls her fingers at the woman, "Gimme one-ah those cans then. Better find out why it’s so popular."
Stone chuckles and grabs a Diet Coke from behind the bar, tossing it to Blade, "Nectar of the Gods." He informs
Stone regards Yosannah, "Ms. Blade and I were just discussing finding a worthy cause. Any ideas?"
Blade grabs the cold metal out of the air and runs a finger of the top, "Pleased to meetcha, Yo."
"Likewise."
Tarkus walks into the sitting room, stumbling slightly upon passing the door.
Stone smirks, "Hey there Dee Double-U." He waves at Tarkus.
Stone tells the ladies, "Tarkus."
Tarkus nods at Blade, then to Yosannah.
Yosannah says, "Well, we’ve got ourselves a regular party going here." She chugs the remainder of her diet coke.
Stone says to Tarkus, "Oh, your Trump can in the mail."
Tarkus nods, coughing again, "Good. I’ve another favor to ask of you. How much more of my soul do you want?" He wheezes during the last part.
Yosannah rolls her eyes.
Stone smirks at Yosannah, "Not a word…" And then to Tarkus as he removes a trump from his jacket, "Another one?"
Tarkus nods, "Yes… a little more special this time."
Yosannah lifts her hand as if to acknowledge Stone and begins to cough. She slaps at her chest and spits up some soda, "Sorry, it went down the wrong way."
Blade crosses her legs and snorts as she calmly sips the caustic liquid, "Gottah get used to the hard stuff, Yo."
Stone just sighs and says, "Ignore her. What’s on your mind, Dee… Tarkus."
Tarkus slides his gaze across the woman, briefly, then points at his wound, "See this?"
Stone nods, "Very charming, I’m sure it attracts vampires everywhere."
Yosannah calls for a servant to help her clean up the spittle on the floor. She coughs again as she and a maid get on the floor to wipe up the soda.
Tarkus shoots Blade a glances and returns his attention to Stone, "I received this not long ago, World’s End time. I’ve been receiving reminders of my vulnerability frequently. Far more so in recent past. I need a method of communication with someone I can trust, someone that can perhaps stop these reminders from finding me.
Stone nods, "Trumps of Oberon then. Fairly hard to come by even in a recession."
Tarkus tries to chuckle; winces, and coughs.
Yosannah stands and turns to Tarkus and Stone, "Of Oberon. You’ve got one of those? Can I see?"
Stone looks at Yosannah, "No." he says simply.
Blade snickers again.
Yosannah humph's and hands the bar mop to the maid who scurries back into the kitchen.
Tarkus shakes his head, then, and wheezes, "Of Baron. One is already in existence. You shouldn’t be concerned he wouldn’t allow for such. He’s given me verbal consent."
Stone smirks, "You want Baron? Why?"
Tarkus says, "I can trust him, and he frequents where I frequent. And I can break him should he become untrustworthy."
Stone hehs, "Always a good virtue."
Yosannah wanders behind the bar, digging for another soda.
Tarkus takes a step closer to the wall and leans against it. He asks, I’d appreciate it, and will attempt to pay your prices."
Blade watches the negotiation with faint attention.
Yosannah ahh ha’s, cracks open the can and walks over to Blade.
Stone looks at Tarkus, "Willing to add to your list of favors, then?"
Yosannah whispers to Blade, "This cracks me up."
Blade whispers back to Yosannah, "Humiliating, ain’t it?"
Yosannah nods in agreement, "If he only knew what a girly-man Stoner really is."
Tarkus shakes his head, "Negative…however, with the trump that arrived for me in the mail, I can get it and return before long."
Yosannah chuckles softly.
Stone hands Tarkus a trump and glances over at Yosannah finally, "Ms. Yo, would you care to share with the rest of the class?"
She turns at the sound of his voice, "I’m sorry. What?"
Blade chuckles in unison with Yosannah.
Tarkus keeps the trump in his right hand and nods, "Shall I fetch it then?"
Stone says, "Whose is it?"
Tarkus says, "It’s currently Revlos’."
Blade looks up sharply at the mention of Revlos’ name.
Stone glances at Blade, "You know him?"
Tarkus’ gaze follows Stone’s to blade.
Yosannah asks, "Who is he?"
Blade shakes her head, "He’s a better negotiator then me, that’s for sure." She looks to Tarkus, "You tell him."
Tarkus shakes his head, "I don’t know what you’re talking about."
Blade sighs, "Revlos apparently has Baron around his finger."
Yosannah mumbles, "Apparently." She crosses her arms over her chest and leans against the wall.
Stone asks, "What do you mean?"
Tarkus shakes his head, "Negative, Blade. Revlos is… assisting Baron."
Blade stamps her foot down and leans forward, "I’m only saying that, every time I met him he was asking for more payment for his assistance."
Tarkus says, "Revlos possesses many skills…and they are worth paying for."
Stone says, "Such as?"
Blade nods and sits back.
Tarkus slides his sapphire eyes toward Stone, "He can best me in a fight, amongst other things."
Stone shrugs, "Lots of folk can fight"
Tarkus shrugs, "We need all the help we can get. " He pauses, then says, "I’m going to return to the Kitchen to fetch that card, and get some rest. I’ll be back A.S.A.P."
Stone nods, "No hurry. Pretty back up as it is."
Tarkus nods, "Understandable. Must be tough being blessed with such an ability. Baron will be by soon, I’m sure." He brings the trump before his face, "Farewell."
Stone heh’s, "Be seeing you."
Tarkus moves forward and vanishes in a rainbow sparkle.
Blade points to the place where Tarkus stood, "They need all the help they can get but they can’t prevent murder in their own barracks, sheesh."
Stone hehs, "Dweller and Baron barely have a brain between them. Go easy on them."
Yosannah mimics Tarkus, "Must be so tough being so blessed. Blahht!"
Stone snicks and says to Yosannah, "Hush."
Yosannah scratches at her chin, "We’re we gonna talk about ‘causes’ and such?"
Stone nods and looks to Blade, "What kinds of cause appeals to you?"
Blade throws her hands up in the air, "I don’t know, Lost Brothers is a good one, prevent tandrai infection is a fine one too."
Yosannah shrugs and sips her drink, "Why the need for a cause, Blade. Really."
Blade replies, "Because I don’t want to live my life only traipsing from one flop house to another. Don’t you want a purpose for your life?"
Yosannah says, "Certainly, but my aspirations don’t include death and revenge."
Blade raises her chin and says with a hint of pain, "Are you making assumptions about me?"
Yosannah says, "I suppose I probably am."
Blade interrupts, "I never said ‘cause to fight’. I just said ‘cause’. Something larger then my pleasure."
Stone looks to Blade, "Well, what interests you?"
Blade remarks, "I’d like to think I was making a difference, but you know, just looking for my brother is a full time job."
Stone looks at Yosannah, "What do you do with your free time?"
Yosannah humph's, "I don’t sit around wondering about you, so get off that right now."
Stone let’s out a chuckle, "Yes, ma’am."
Yosannah asks, "And what do you do in your free time?"
Stone hehs, "I didn’t realize I had free time."
Yosannah sighs, "Typical. Avoiding the question. You have free time right now."
Stone says, "I’m conducting business."
Yosannah seems doubtful.
He gestures at Blade, "Her brother worked for me. She’s expressed a desire to continue his work in one form or another. Business."
Blade offers, "So, the short answer is yes. I am business."
Yosannah holds up her hand as if she might retort with, ‘whatever,’ "The one thing that drives me nuts about this man," she motions to Stone as she talks to Blade, "is that it’s all business. Our relationship. Probably business."
Stone sighs, "Business does not mean lack of emotion."
Blade considers, "But when does friendship begin?"
Yosannah looks at Stone, waiting for an answer, "Well..?"
Stone glances back and forth, "It begins with trust."
Blade purses her lips, "My thoughts exactly."
Yosannah humph's, "He’s lying."
Blade drops her jaw, "How can you say that."
Yosannah looks up at Stone, "Unless you’re gonna tell me you have no friends."
Blade ahas, "He once told you he trusts no one?"
Yosannah says, "A regular Fox Mulder if you get my meaning."
Stone smirks, "I never said that. I possibly alluded to it…"
Yosannah says, "Now he’s just playing word games."
Blade raises her eyebrows, "Wouldn’t the best policy be trust but verify?"
Stone now looks at Blade, "What do you mean?"
Blade snickers in Yo’s direction, "I just mean that one always needs to be cautious."
Stone nods, "I’ll agree with that."
Yosannah says, "Please. There is a rather large difference between being cautious and being paranoid, Stoner."
Stone hehs, "Paranoid? How am I paranoid?"
Yosannah looks to Blade, "Okay. Lemme demonstrate." She turns to Stone, "How long have I known you."
Stone shrugs, "Years."
Yosannah asks, "And would you say that you trust me?"
Stone thinks, "Hmm. I trust you to act like you act, yes."
Yosannah smiles and slaps Stone in the arm, playfully, "You’re making this too easy." She turns to Blade, "Okay, what are the kinds of things you’d expect me to know given the fact that Stone and I have known each other for years?"
Stone smirks at Yosannah and then watches Blade.
Blade considers, "I guess, you would know… which hand he writes with?"
Yosannah smiles, "What else. Come on."
Blade tries, "His favorite dessert, his favorite color, the authors he reads." She continues, "Some of his old lovers and why he broke up, how many children he has, his mother’s name.."
Yosannah raises her hand in the air to stop Blade, "Okay. Lemme think about those. Yes. No. No. No. Well isn’t that interesting. Ah. Yes. No No… and No. Well, isn’t that great."
Stone smirks wryly at Yosannah, There were some yesses in there." He defends.
Yosannah rolls her eyes, "Please. The first one was easy, and the second one is only cause we went out… briefly. Even then, you’ve never introduced me to any significant other’s you’ve had, or even talked about them." She nods in affirmation, "Paranoid."
Blade notes, "So, basically, you know the same things anyone might know."
"Bingo!"
Blade looks at Stone in a new light, "My, what a lonely man you must be."
Stone raises an eyebrow at Blade, "How’s that?"
Yosannah smiles triumphantly.
Blade says, "No real friends."
Stone looks at Yosannah with suspicion, "I have a friend." He retorts.
Blade smiles sympathetically, not quite believing him, "Of course you do."
Stone smirks at Blade
Yosannah crosses her arms, "A… friend?"
Stone nods, "Yeah. What of it?"
Yosannah becomes insistent, "A..?"
Stone nods, "Better than none." He argues.
Yosannah pokes, "And who is this one dear and trusted friend, contrary to popular belief, it’s not me." She turns to Blade, "There’s a cause for you. Get Ben Stone to trust you."
Stone sighs and stares at the ceiling.
Blade speaks quietly, "I can only influence my own actions and attitudes. And so far, I trust him."
Stone nods to Blade, "Thank you." He says with a smile.
Blade stifles a yawn then stands and grabs for her coat, "Where are we? Can I walk home from here?"
Yosannah asks, "Leaving already?"
Stone shakes his head, "What a ride? Or you could stay here for the night. Plenty of rooms."
Blade brightens, "Didn’t bring my toothbrush, but what the hell, I like an adventure."
Stone smiles and calls in a servant who stands, waiting to take Blade to an upstairs room.
Blade waves over her shoulder, "Goodnight, Friends." She emphasizes the word with deliberate irony.
Stone grins and says, "be seeing you."
Yosannah smiles and winks.
Blade walks out into the lobby.
Yosannah shrugs, "I don’t know, maybe it’s time for me to go to bed too." She pauses and then asks, "How’s Hel by the way?"
"She’s fine. Up and about. Staying at a friend’s house tonight…"
Just then, Calis comes in from the lobby. He offers an idle wave as he makes his way directly for the bar, "I’m just passing through." He retrieves a beer.
Stone smirks.