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February 23, 1998 |
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Gideon Club...
Yosannah and Stone are in mid-conversation when Damen arrives at the Gideon Club sitting room, "...Paris is like that. He's like me but with less a sense of humor."
"Stone, meant to talk to you about opening another club."
Stone turns to Damen, "What do you mean?"
"Dance Club. I'm broadening my horizons."
Yosannah seems mildly interested. She snatches Damen's Dr. Pepper and takes a swig, "Really? Where?"
Damen glances down at the accosted drink but merely shrugs, "Don't know yet. Metropolis? Banished Sun. Don't care.. wherever appropriate."
Stone nods, "Metropolis would be good. But access to the shadow impaired is lousy."
Damen asks, "What's your interest in Paris?"
"Paris? Business. He's in some places we're not."
Damen smiles, "Speak for yourself." Damen gestures towards Yo, "And how do you know this fetching creature?"
Yosannah smiles, listening tot he conversation. She peeks into the soda can.
Stone hehs at Damen and says, "We've known each other almost as long as you and I have."
Damen glances at Yo, "A crime deserving a most hideous death."
Stone snickers.
Yosannah looks up at Damen, "Hideous isn't the word."
Stone nods at Damen, "See what I mean about Court Jester?"
Damen returns Yosannah's gaze and answers Stone, "I do indeed." He smiles, "So what do you do, lass.... when you're not annoying my business partner?"
She humphs and leans her back against the bar, "Now that would be sharing business information, and if I've learned anything from Stoner... it's not to share such things." She looks at Stone, "Right?"
Stone points at Damen, "Remember when I told you I had one friend. That's him," he says to Yo candidly.
She raises a brow and smirks, "And your point?"
Damen chuckles, "He's saying you can trust me." Damen tries not to laugh, hearing that come from his own lips.
Stone grins and nods at Damen's words.
Yosannah gazes at Damen, "Honey, you're *his* friend, not mine, so forgive me if I'm not all warm and fuzzy with trust at the moment."
Stone hehs at Damen, "Honey. I like that."
Damen regards Yosannah, amused by her litany of woe, "Do you ever get past the faux bravado? Or are you always like this?"
Stone tells Damen, "Always."
Damen nods, "Good to know."
Yosannah rolls her eyes, "Nothing personal, Damen. Somehow, I'm sure *you* understand that."
Damen smiles at Yo, "I just like watching your feathers get ruffled, lass."
Yosannah mutters, "Get in line." She smirks at Stone.
Damen heads back to the bar to retrieve another soda, "I would hope I can opt for favoritism."
Yosannah shrugs at Stone and motions to Damen as his back is turned toward the bar.
Stone hehs at Yosannah, "Everyone has two sets of standards." He then gives Yo a thumbs up sign.
Yosannah smiles and tucks her hair behind her ear, giving Stone the *are you kidding* look.
Stone nods several times.
Damen returns with his acquisition.
*Trump Window Arrives*
Damen pauses and looks about the room, frowning faintly, "Stop spying wench..."
*Trump Window Leaves*
He smirks.
Yosannah turns toward Damen, "What?"
Damen nods towards Stone, "His better half."
Stone looks at Damen, "A visit from beyond? I really need to carry a mini you around in my pocket."
Damen chuckles.
Stone hehes, "What'd she want?"
Yosannah huhs, "Who?"
Damen Shrugs, "Probably just testing out her new talents"
Yosannah urges, "WHO?"
Damen Grins, "She stopped as soon as I sensed her."
Stone nods to Damen, "I see," as he expertly ignores Yosannah
Yosannah punches Stone in the arm, "WHO!?" She crosses her arms insistently.
Stone flinches, "OW. Alayne. you know, the one who I said looks in on me and would toss you in the Abyss if she heard half the things you say."
Yosannah lifts an eyebrow, "Why's she so paranoid?"
Stone nods at Yo, "She's not paranoid."
"She certainly acts like it."
Stone hehs, "If you could see what someone was up to with a thought, wouldn't you?"
"I guess if you were an insecure child and you couldn't deal with people on a personal level..." She considers, "Where can I get one of those things?"
Stone stares up at the ceiling.
"Anyway," she smirks, "She seems like tons of fun. I'm happy for you."
Damen smiles faintly, "My direct family has to be approached somewhat carefully"
Yosannah eyes Damen coyly, "Does that included you, Damen?"
Damen chuckles and offers Yosannah a wink, A "I'm second only to my grandfather."
Stone tells Yosannah, "His family really just has a bad reputation. They're really quiet pleasant."
Coben arrives from the lobby and Stone gestures at him, "Coben, you met Damen yet?"
"Naw," he peers at Damen, then says to Stone, "Ma said she had something for you, and to see her later."
Damen quirks an eyebrow up, "Ma?" He turns to Stone, "This is one of your children?"
Yosannah nudges Damen, "Wait 'til you get a load of this kid..."
Damen grins at Yosannah, briefly touching her arm.
Coben shrugs, and moves to the bar to get a Jolt.
Damen looks back at Coben, "Amazing, he looks normal..."
Stone nods to Coben, "Damen is Alayne's nephew."
Coben finally says, "Hi, Damen. Heard a bunch about ya."
Yosannah smirks at the boy, "Coben, darling. Shouldn't you be in school or something?"
"Naw."
Damen sips his Dr. Pepper and turns to Yo, "So, where are you staying?"
Coben turns to Stone, "Got that trump of that Mars place."
Stone nods to Coben, "Good, Met any of the natives yet.?"
"Naw."
Yo looks at Coben, shakes her head and then turns back at Damen, "Ah here.. I mean. Ah Elbridge. You know that little Inn up the street"
Damen smiles at her, "I'll take you to Scotland some time if you'd like. I own a cottage overlooking the sea. If you like the quiet... coupled with the tempest of nature." He shrugs, "It's really a nice place."
"Really?" She smiles sincererly, "I'd love it, really."
"Then we'll have to schedule a trip there."
Coben glances at Damen and Yosannah with a smirk.
Romneous comes in from the lobby, dripping salt water. "Sorry folks, didn't know you were all here."
Coben glances at Romneous and pushes down his shades for a moment to look him over. Yo pulls a clip out of her jacket pocket. She twists her hair and clasps it behind her head.
Stone smirks at Romneous, "Been to Rebma, or just swimming?"
Damen glances down at the rug and then at Romneous.
Romneous shrugs, "What's left of the narthys harbor, actually."
Stone ahs, "How's it look?"
"Well, it's a small bubble of security surrounded on all sides by swarms of Tandrai. So, no real change."
Coben takes out a bag of small chocolate like puffs. He pops a couple in his mouth and crunches.
Romneous grins, "Well, I'll pop off and let you get back to your meeting. If you get a chance later, Stone, I'd like to test a hypothesis.
"You don't want to test it now?"
Yosannah mumbles to Coben and Damen at the bar, "I bet Stone doesn't even know what a hypothesis is.."
Romneous grins, "This is a good test. I'm gonna feed Stone some paper, ink, and pens and see if he'll crap trumps for me while I whisper IOU's in his ear."
Damen turns to regard Romneous again. The look is less amiable.
Romneous smirks, "Sorry Stoner, I so rarely get to poke fun at you I couldn't resist."
Stone smirks and clasps his hand over his face.
Damen smiles faintly, "Some interesting things can be done with that art, boyo. Perhaps I'll perform my own *experiment* at some point. For your benefit."
Stone gestures, "Hey, you two are friends. It says so in our charter."
Romneous grins, "True enough, Stone. Hasta la Winnebago, people." He heads out as Damen mumbles, "What use is shapeshift from miles away?"
Yosannah rolls her eyes and turns to Damen. Softly she asks, "You busy now?"
He smiles, "No."
"Let's get out of here then." She makes a face at Coben as she takes both of Damen's hands and pulls him out toward the lobby.
He grins and turns to Stone as he gets pulled away, "Be seeing you.... don't wait up."
Stone grins and gives Damen a wave, "Don't do anything I haven't done."
Palace of Mirrors...
Damen and Yo trump to Damen's chambers at the Palace of Mirrors. Yosannah gazes around the room, "Wow. This is incredible. Where are we?"
"My aunt's estate. In Fairmir."
"Oh. You're aunt's" He nods, "My aunt Alayne. Though, as of late, I've been staying in the Courts. I've been recuperating from my injuries." He considers,"It's hard to satiate me. I'm dichotic by nature. At times I need the peace of the Highlands... at others, I need the frenzied noise of the city." He regards her,"How about you?"
Yosannah shrugs as she reaches up to the bruise on Damen's face, "I like.... I guess I'm the same, 'cept nobody has ever taken me to the Highlands... Jesus. Who did this to you?"
Damen frowns faintly, "I did. I'd rather not explain at the moment. but at the time, it was necessary. Most of the damages has healed. They eye will take about a year though."
"You mean, it's going to grow back?"
Damen smiles, "Yes. It will grow back. Eventually." He studies her, "Sometimes I take it for granted that everyone around Stone knows about certain things. You have heard of Amber and the Courts, right?"
Yosannah runs her hands over her hair, "You must think me pretty simple huh?"
Damen shakes his head, "Not at all," he grins, lifting a hand up to lightly touch her chin, "I'm not trying to belittle your intelligence. I'm just ...checking."