Masks 2

Sam was currently doing the laziest version of a backstroke that he could.

More intelligent people would take full advantage of the cast of potential connections that were at this party.

Sam continued doing his lazy backstroke.

"I'm from the Bronx, and uh, my dad was from Turkey but he came to America. And I'm really good at getting things to places, so that's why I started working with the Rainbow Network and I guess they're resistance people so I'm here now."

"Fair enough. Glad to have you there," Tlaloc told her.

***

"Been living in an apartment for ten years, and am living out in the woods now," the Red Reaper told Desmond. "I just use my gut instincts most of the time."

"Yeah its been the same story for me but for longer. But you were still good shit back in the day, can you at least tell me what you would do in situations were you had to stake out places for a long time before assaulting and how you'd take care of gear in such conditions?"

Theraea thought about Lux's request, while not really reacting to the way in which she delivered it. Goodness, this human is intense.

"Hmm... okay, okay, well, there's a distinct possibility that I'll find something interesting to explore in the local Abyss. Maybe you could come along for that if it happens? Can't really bring you into the Abyss unless there's someplace to go first."

"I would love to check out some Abyssal anomalies--but, if you can't go to the Abyss itself, how are you 'from' there? Mm, unless there's some sort of...universe space ship-- Ah! Is that the 'Spire'?" She asked, making the connection to what had earlier sounded like a string of nonsense.

"I'd sit outside in a discrete car with a lot of guns. I'd make a note of every single relevant person I saw. I'd research them extensively. Then I'd take those guns, go inside, and shoot all the people that needed shooting," the Red Reaper told Desmond. "And more importantly: not shoot the people that didn't need shooting. Wasn't smart. Turned out other people needed shooting more. I'm correcting that now."

Devana got up from the bar upon noticing Earnest, and took him aside to speak with him...

Aaaaa ok Maria existed again! She made a hand gesture to Raven to let him know she’d explain later, and focused in on the coaching!

“Don’t talk to yourself, makes you look unsure. Which you are- but that’s not your best foot to put forward. I don’t think you’re going to hit over-confidence to be honest, so just shoot for that star! You’re good at getting stuff places and you know that’s useful and interesting and you’re useful and inter sting and everyone should want a piece of that pie!”

She clenched a fist in an excitable manner, all smiles. “And he clearly does, because he’s mostly leading this conversation. You started this, you’ve gotta drive it! He can’t be the only one asking questions, you wanna find out more! You just talked about what you do, and you’re coworkers now, so it’s fair to be curious about what’s up with him. Maybe he’ll say no, but it doesn’t hurt to ask gentle questions. You know, like how normal people make friends and stuff. What have you noticed about him? What led you to talk to him? Do you have a mutual acquaintance to site so it’s not just out of the blue? Obviously you can’t use most of those now, but it’s stuff to think about! Ok, mid-talk-coaching over, go!”

Lux didn't want to lean down and spill her drink, so instead an extra arm emerged from her upper back and offered Finn a firm, glassy feeling handshake. "Unless I'm much mistaken, you're a...mm, wizard, are you not?"

"Aye, ma'am!!! I'm-- still figurin' out my name, but-- fuck, is it that obvious??? Gods be damn't..."

"Oh, don't stress about it too much. I have my ways--the public won't suspect, if you don't, oh, wear starry pointed hats and throw fireballs." She flapped a hand dismissively, having not yet seen a single wizard really lean into the aesthetic. Pathetic! "But if you take too long with the name, the public will pick one for you," she warned! "Bit of a roulette there."

"Pfft, nah - I learned a thing or two from ye older folks-- gotta have a consistent aesthetic, practical, with a bit o' identity thrown in the mix, yeah? And!!! Gods above, yer all just-- here!! You and Coyote, in the same room!!! Gods!!! Gods!!!!!! I've watched all of yer YouTube videyas, an' I've nae missed an arc since I've been able tae buy yer stuff!! I know yer gay, so the straight interpretations ain't true, but-- but did you and Salamandra ever really date???" She's blushing a little bit. Like a child asking about this shit. Finn clearly ships it.

And then, names!!! "Oh shite, uh-- fuck, that sounds awful, th'public mostly means the Corp!!! Any suggestions? Where did you start with yer name?"

"A little! Kind of! It's one of the nineteen spires of the Citadel of Nineteen, which is the citadel-ship I'm from. Ships of that scale are used for traversing vast distances in the Abyss, but we also have smaller-scale ships for things like exploration." Theraea finally finished her coffee and telekinetically floated the cup over to Emily as she requested a refill. "The reason we can't just go into the Abyss without somewhere specific to go is because... I guess let's continue the metaphor, it's like the vacuum of space, except instead of no air there's no physics. So... you'd probably disintegrate or something."

"Oh, oh honey no," she chuckled. "That's sweet, but nothing after the youtube videos have been my stuff. And Salamandra and I...crossed paths, but, uh. She wasn't my type." That was true. Salamandra had clammy hands, and Lex wasn't into it. But it was also true that Lux had once stolen Salamandra's date mid-double date while she and Emma were in the middle of a rocky patch. Oops.

"As for the name...well, it was sort of a spontaneous pick. Lux, light...A reporter asked, and that's the first thing that came to mind," she sipped at her drink. "...Should probably explain that I was in my second year of Latin classes at that point."

"So...how about your ship, then?" She asked Theraea. "Or did you just get dropped off?"

At this point, Devana came back from talking with Earnest. Earnest was going with her, looking deep in thought. They'd had a quick but VERY productive conversation.

Returning to the bar, Devana sat down and looked up at Lux.

"Dear, found some really troubling things out that we'll discuss later. Remind me...not that I'll forget," Devana said, ordering a shot of vodka. She needed something stronger.

"Ah... I suppose that's fair, aye. Things can't always turn out the way they do in the stories. Guess my side o' the shippin' wars lost, then. As long as you didnae end up with..."

...WAIT. Devana was here... and she was sitting down and---

"Ah-- nevermind!!! Aye, though, suppose we should be gettin' back tae... the OTHER ships. Aye. Yeah. Uh."

She looks back to her notepad, horribly embarrassed.

Devana looked over at Finn just as Minimax spread her buglike dragonfly wings and flew over to land between them.

"Hey!" Minimax said. "You finally met Lux anyway. Glad for you."

She smiled a sincere smile and gave Finn a pat on the back.

"I don't have a ship - don't really need one while I'm here. I can request one if I ever need one."

Theraea glanced over to Finn. "...Shipping wars? Is this, um... is this a different kind of ship we're talking about, or-"

AND THEN DRAGONFLY. KIND OF. PART DRAGONFLY. "Oh!!! Minimax! Hi! We were just talking about ships! I'm not sure what kind anymore."

"Oh?" She glanced up to the other archer and frowned slightly, wondering what sort of things they'd discussed that could have troubled her wife so! It seemed like maybe Emma wanted a drink to take the edge of the news off, but it was worth checking if she wanted to get these new troubles off her chest sooner rather than later, so Lex started to ask: "Did you want to discuss it now? We could--" and then Minimax was there!

"Mini! Surprised to see you out of Megaboston, how rad--Dragonfly come along too?" She leaned forward slightly, then back. Sydney knew her well enough to guess that she was waffling about hugging her in public and breaking her oh-so-cool-and-composed public persona. As though she hadn't just been visibly internally fangirling about SPACE.

They would definitely hug at some point, though. Her sister was here!!!

"Ah-- it's like-- when ye support a fictional romance happenin'? And ye fight tae the death fer it in ritual bloodsport o'er the internet. Though... Now that I think about it..."

Was it messed up that corporations had normalized shipping fictionalized versions of real people???

Hrm. Troubling. She'd have to think on that. Oof. That was her childhood gone.

"Anywae-- Minimax!!! Good tae be seein' ya again!!! And- And aye, it's a dream come true, if I'm tellin ye the truth af it!!!"

Devana shook her head to Lex. It could wait.

"Dragonfly had to stay back. Somebody has to hold the fort," Minimax told Lex before looking to Finn. "I'm glad! You met Watchwoman too, right? She's uh..."

She looked around and saw Watchwoman relaxing under an umbrella near the pool. Still in her armor.

"Right over there! Yeah. Hometown hero and all that."

Then she looked to Theraea.

"Hey! Good to see you again!"

So many hellos.

"WwWWwwwwWWWwwwWATCHWOMAN!??!?!"

FINN NEARLY FALLS OUT OF HER SEAT.

"UH-- AYE, GIMME A SECOND, I'M SORRY, JUST--"

SHE DASHES OVER TO WATCHWOMAN AND OFFERS HER HAND TO SHAKE, SEEKING WORDS.

Desmond politely ignores the embarassing fangirling of his best friend's wizard daughter, and decided to switch the conversation to guns.

"Alright, fair enough, so what gun preferences do you have?"

Finn returns!! She's gonna tap Desmond on the shoulder.

"'Scuse me, ol' Broodybeak. Mind if I get a coupla questions in?"

Desmond looked up, surprised to see Finn.

"Oh, whats up?"

"It's about wizertry. We've got some things in common, and I got some questions. Figure open honesty n' all is the best idea here, aye?"