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March 22, 2000 |
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Webber's Wayside Inn...
Yosannah is standing at the end of the bar writing in a ledger. She glances up as a woman arrive, "Riv?"
Riva looks around, then freezes as her name is called. Her gaze fall on Yosannah and she squints, something lacking in her gaze. "Hey."
Yosannah smiles, "What are you doing in Elbridge? Looking for your employer or something?"
"Checking things out. How are you?" Riva moves towards the bar, gait slow. She sits down at Dark polished bar.
Yosannah closes the ledger and removes the wire rimmed specs from her nose. "Fine. I was working on the books. You scared me when you came in though. I wasn't expecting... " She shrugs and smiles.
Riva arches an eyebrow and smirks. "Wasn't expecting...a familiar face? What?" she chuckles. "I must be really scary.." she shakes her head gently. Riva grabs the bartender's attention and orders a scotch on the rocks.
"I guess I wasn't expecting anyone. This town has been rather dead since the explosion at the Gideon Club. Radiation or some such nonsense."
Riva nods. "Yeah, some real nuts out there..." she eyes the door warily. "If it's unsafe, why you here?
Yosannah shrugs, "Must be my current condition. Pestilence left me with a tough constitution it seems." She smiles. "Sides, it's died down lots. The radiation that is. I've heard talk that the club is almost rebuilt. But," She smirks, "Stoner must have told you that."
Riva pauses, sipping her drink. "Uh...Yeah." she regards Yo, gaze taking in details almost as if seeing you for the first time. "You been keeping busy?"
Yosannah nods, "Certainly have. Though it's been hard planning for a wedding when you work full time. You?"
Riva gives Yo a wry expression. "Elope, It's easier." a shrug. "I've been better."
Yosannah shakes her head at the word *elope* "Doubt that will happen." she watches as the glass slides over the bar.
Riva shrugs. "Eh. At least you'll have something to remember." she seems almost sour when she says this. "How's the groom-to-be doing?"
Yosannah studies her reaction for a moment before she replies, "Damen is good. I guess he's working on things with his dad lately and, ah, stuff." She shrugs,"Ah, Riv, you okay?"
Riva looks at you, expression and tone holding barely contained exasperation. "Yes, why?"
Yosannah smiles, "You aren't your usual peppy self" She teases.
Riva smirks. "Eh, good days and bad days, y'know it's-Uhrrgh!" she suck in a sharp breath and winces.
Yosannah drops her glasses on top of the ledger, "Riv?!" She moves toward the woman.
Riva holds up a hand, head bowed and her other hand gripping the bar tightly. "A ...Minute.."
Yosannah backs off just a bit, "Can I get you something. Do you need some aspirin, water, ah.."
Riva doesn't respond, jerking as another pained grunt leaves her.
Yosannah seems rather flustered, "Riva I ah, I don't know how to help you."
Riva's body snaps taunt and a grimace of pain is set onto her face, head snapping to tilt upwards. She doesn't appear to be aware of Yo's presence. Then, suddenly, she draws a deep breath and her body relaxes, leaving her slumped forward on the bar. "Fuck..."
"My God, Riv! Are you epileptic or something?" She rests a hand on the woman's shoulder, "Let me get you some water.."
Riva waves a hand dismissively, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. "Naw, I'm fine. Sorry." she frowns. "Damn this is getting on my damn nerves."
"What is it? Are you ill?"
Riva regards you, eyes narrowed. "I can count you as a friend, right? If I tell you I'm not going to regret it later?"
Yosannah shakes her head, "I'm not like that, Riv. I just want to make sure you're okay."
Riva says "Ok. I have no fucking clue who you are, or where I am."
Yosannah blinks once or twice. "Ah. I mean." She tucks her hair behind her ear a little nervous. "How'd you get here?" She seems a little skeptical.
Riva rubs her temples. "I have a trump." she looks at Yo, gaze narrowed an wary.
Yosannah bites at her lower lip, "Are you saying you don't remember me? We just chatted a week or to ago. You were asking me and D if we knew how to get to Sacramento..." She considers, "Or was it Metropolis. I don't remember."
Riva says "Metropolis. I've never heard of Sacramento. D...Damen...." she frowns. "Artsy dude involved in movies and stuff, right?"
Yosannah waves a hand dismissively, "yeah, artsy dude. Don't you remember that conversation at the bar?"
Riva looks irritated. "No." she reaches for her drink, fingertips to the other hand massage her temple.
Yosannah reaches for Riva's drink, "Maybe you should stay away from this stuff until we can figure out what's happened to you."
Riva looks at Yosannah, expression on of sheer will as she struggles with her short temper. "Look, chick. Two scotches ain't gonna do shit to me. A bottle....maybe. With the kinda week I've had I can allow myself a couple of scotches. Back off. Already know, to an extent. I don't need a mommy, but I could use you telling me what you know about me, and any enemies I might have....and that employer you spoke of when I entered."
Yosannah is unaffected by her words. In fact, her expression becomes disinterested. She gathers up her glasses and ledger from the bartop. "Stone. Ben Stone. Damen is is partner. The two of them own the studio in Dover and the Club that got blown up down the street." She pops the glasses back onto her nose "Listen, I got a guest room at the top of the stairs that's open if you need a place to stay."
"Nah, I appreciate the offer." she looks at Yosannah and her expression seems puzzled. "I'm sorry for being pissy."
Yosannah nods lightly, "Hey, whatever. It's a place to stay while you look for your *employer*"
Riva pauses. "Remember, I don't know shit. I'm missing something here, any chance I could get you to elaborate?"
Yosannah reaches into her jacket and pulls out a mess of cards, "The employer lives here in this shadow. Stone. Up the street."
She shows you a card of the man, "Him" She points, "Let me see if he's taking calls"
Riva says "No!" "Why not?"
Riva says "No, don't. I'm trying to keep this quiet. No way I'm letting word of this get out and ruin biz. Damn, girl. I'm curious why you seem to ah...dislike Stone?"
Yosannah shrugs, "I don't dislike him. We used to date before he introduced me to Damen. Stoner and I have this brother-sister love-hate thing going on I guess." She shrugs, "Sides, I don't think I can help you by myself."
Riva considers Yo, not somewhat skeptical. "Under stand that it's temporary. Assuming my head doesn't explode, It should be gone soon. I already am remembering a number of things. I would appreciate it if you could keep it to yourself?
Yosannah nods as she tucks the cards back into her jacket, "If that's what you want. Sure. Listen, I know a good head-doctor.
Delerium Greenmoon. Her office is right across the street. You should talk to her. Just to make sure there isn't something more serious wrong with you."
Riva says "I've already been checked out. What I owe you for being quiet?"
"I'm not Stone. You don't owe me anything."
Riva arches an eyebrow. "Al right. What's your name?"
"Yosannah." She quickly adds, "But you'll probably remember that eventually, right."
Riva says "Yeah, just feels kinda weird talking to someone you know you should be familiar with, but is still a stranger. " she shakes her head."
Yosannah nods, "Well, I have to go upstairs and do some research. The guest room is adjacent to the stairs if you need it. Make yourself at home."
Riva says "Nah, I have some work to get done. I appreciate your time, and discretion. I'm sure I'll make it up to you later."
Yo nods and turns towards the stairwell...
Later...
There is a knock at Yosannah's chamber door. She stirs but does not reply.
Thomas wanders into the chamber, eyes noticeably having to adjust to the dim light, his face calm and rested, his manner unthreatening.
Yosannah is standing from one of the easy chairs, the rather large textbook that sat in her lap falls into the chair. Her jacket is strewn over its arm and a glock sits on the endtable next to her.
Thomas says "Evenin', Miss Yosannah. It's been a long spell...how've ya' been?"
Yosannah's hand slides toward the weapon, "What the hell are you doing here?"
Thomas leans back against the door, closing it. He hooks his left thumb on his belt and raises a toothpick to his teeth. He's smiling, "Now wait a minute, Miss Yosannah! There's no need fer that...I jes' wanted to talk wit you."
Yosannah holds the weapon at her side, "Yeah, well the last time one of you wanted to talk, Kitsune knocked the shit out of me."
Thomas picks his teeth. "Well, that's Miss Kitty fer ya', she's a firecracker, she is. I'm more of a candle, yew know? Slow and comfortable like. I jes' wanta' talk. Yew okay wit that?"
"Well, I'm listening. You've got five minutes."
Thomas looks deadly serious for moment. "Or what, Miss Yosannah? Yew gonna' kill me?" The seriousness fades as quickly as it came. "Yew sound like you're all settled inta' this little foolishness. That's a nice collar yew got there, it really suits yew. Yew gonna' wear it forever?" He scuffs the floor with the toe of his boot.
"Foolishness? What are you.." She pauses and shakes her head, "Just talk." She absentmindedly reaches a hand up to the collar around her neck.
Thomas continues his important work with the toothpick and grins his unsettling grin. "You know know me, Miss Yosannah, I jes' get about giving people what they want. Knowing what people want is what I'm all about. An' yew is foolin' yerself if you think this is what what you want. It ain't. Yer more than this an' yew know it."
Yosannah shakes her head, "I don't know you but I've got control of your cohort and that's the way I *want* it. You have nothing I need."
Thomas says "Missy, I can feel folk's hunger, an' I ken feel yers. How do you think I found yew? Yer callin' to me like a hog-swallerer, it's all I can do to concentrate with that Want blarin' out of yew. Yer talkin' like yew believe yer human. We ain't on no blind mission, we're servin' up what people need. How yew think we came about? Jes' appeared one day, jes' for the hell of it? It's them, Miss Yosannah, it's people. They made us take form. I mean, we been around forever, but it was people that made me like this...like them. But we AIN'T them."
Damen walks right in, carrying a bundle of daisies. "Hey sexy! Miss me?"
Thomas gets pushed forward into the room as Damen comes through the door.
Yosannah is in mid conversation with Thomas. She holds a gun at her side.
Damen raises an eyebrow up at Yo's gun. His hand immediately moves to twist the finger on his finger. He glances at Yo, "Trouble?"
Thomas tips his hat to Damen. "Howdy, ole' son. I don't believe we've had the pleasure. Name's Thomas."
Damen tosses the daisies onto the bed. He assures Yo, "They'll keep."
"Thomas was just imparting some words of advice. I don't suspect there's any trouble to speak of though."
Damen moves as he nods, regarding Thomas before settling down comfortably in one of the easy chairs.
Thomas leans back against the door again. He goes back to working the pick in his teeth, pushes the hat back on his head, and looks at Damen. "I'm guessin yer her beau, the feller that took her and threw that there collar on her."
Yosannah stands quietly next to Damen's chair. She seems to be considering Thomas' words.
Damen smiles faintly, "Well hell...I'd hate to spoil your guessing games. Let's just keep up the suspense." He meets Thomas' gaze calmly, perhaps even with a hint of amusement.
Thomas grins. It's not exactly pleasant, but it's not exactly not, either. He turns his eyes back to Yosannah. "Yew know, it's all the same to me, I'm a patient sumbitch and ah' got all a' time and then some. Yew wanna' live out this here little fantasy, I can wait. Cause nuthin' yew do is gonna' change what yew are. I can't speak fer Miss Kitty and yew know who. They ain't as patient as me, too tied up in their forms...like yew."
"That doesn't scare me Thomas. I'm stronger than they are."
Damen smiles, "And she has quite a bit more resources available to her."
Thomas doesn't answer right away as he's found something with the pick and concentrating on getting it out. Ahh, there we go. Thomas settles his gaze between Damen and Yosannah. "Yew two figgerin' a way to lose that collar? I'd like to be there when you do." He looks at Damen, "Ah ' know what yew want too, son. But what yew want is already dead. You take Pestilence outta' her an' she's gonna dry up and blow away. We ain't easy on the forms we take...an Miss Yosannah's been rode hard and put up wet."
Damen chuckles, "I plan on doing nothing of the sort, -son-."
Yosannah reaches for the collar again. Unlike Damen, there is no hint of amusement in her eyes, "I think you need to go now, Thomas."
Damen nods, "Probably a good idea. We have a date."
Thomas nods and pushes off the door. "Alrighty then...yew jes' think about it, Miss Yosannah. Yer a goddamned force of nature, that's what yew are. But that horse collar's keeping yew from what yew really are, an' what yew really wanna' be. I WILL be seeing ya'. He tips his hat in your general direction and reaches for the door. As he turns he flashes a wink at Damen, "Yew too...son."
Damen chuckles softly before standing to grab the daisies. He shakes his head , "Yo...every time you come here....you seem to meet up with one of them. See the pattern yet?" He begins to look for a vase.
Yo exhales slowly.