A Stranger in the Kitchen

[Star]

"Who's the OG of what now?"

There's about four different topics (okay, ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ) up in the air, which is all cool. But one of them? No context. Curious angel is curious!

"Phoenyx is okay." Get in where you fit in. "Her boyfriend has some some Secrecy issues, though. Which is weird, since she's his babysitter." Deft hands found their way around the food, piling it up on a plate. "Like, okay, I don't know if they're a thing but they sure look like a thing."

You know what a thing looks like. That extra bit of attention. Who a person pays attention to first, prioritizes. Stares at without realizing they're staring.

Hi.

Like that. Tyche may be the looker and that pink is hard to miss, but it's sables and greens that he studies before moving beside to lean over for a shoulder bump. Just as an example.

"By the way? Noticed that," he mimed turning a key in a lock at Tyche. "Cool, cool. But, to be fair, like, rewind back to Phoenyx, I don't think she's going to let Anima get away with that Eddie Haskell routine*." He puts his plate down and mimes taking a picture of B-Ro. Shocked face: captured for reference. Cap it off with a nudge at Avis and waving his fork at Camper van Beethoven when he picks his food back up. "He's dying to go explore the tunnels. Like every time a group thing comes up, he low-key slides it in."

That's not snitching. Just an explanation, yo. Color one angel happy that everyone seems cool with the perma-visitation.

Dying. Moros. Gotcha.

*

Probably messing up continuity since the 2006 Consilium will 'happen' before this likely ends, but whatever.

[Briar Rose]

"This!" comes a poutscowl, along with a fork pointing to her hair. There's a pepper on it. Which is eaten. Quickly. "Have you seen this new Shaman? No? Gawd She's like, let's be hair besties" she says in a high voice. A very poor imitation of the Arrow's cadence.

She lets out a raspberry gusty sigh.

"They're an ex-thing." she says, fort tapping the air, she dives in for more sausage. "Recent I think. So. Still in that post-thing-awkward. Which is like suuuuper bad now. What with the. Baby.Sitter.Thing."

There's another moment, a different sigh. A slump, a head plops into a hand, as a mournful look is given to her plate.

"Why'd ya have ta bring Anima into breakfast?"

[Avis]

"I definitely want a key. So hook me up when you get a chance," Avis said to Tyche, pausing for a moment to study the other brunette. Seemed she'd maybe pushed back a little too hard. Or, maybe the Guardian was just a naturally reserved and watchful person, which, of course, wouldn't be that surprising. Likely, it was both. Regardless, she suspected that everyone in the room, herself included, had their guards raised. Ironically, it was probably Campanella that was being the most open. Even the pink haired woman was hiding behind the food and that brusque manner.

Like spoke to like, after all.

But, whatever, she was the one disrupting whatever emotional ecology they'd managed to build (which, honestly, didn't seem to be much), and so it was her responsibility to put in the effort needed to help coax it along again.

"I definitely think we should do some urban exploring. Delve some tunnels beneath the city, see what we find in the dark. But that's a future thing. Something to plan. Sooo..."

The Warlock trailed off, thinking back to all of the cabal-bonding she'd done in the past. What would be the best method with this group? Something that allowed them to share, but to do so under the guise of the activity. Truths and lies was out. Too obscure. Hmm. Something a little freer, but with room for depth.

Ah.

"Let's play the association game. It's pretty simple. Basically, we each make a list of random words. Let's say...three words. Keep it easy. They could be, like..."

Avis broke off, those swamp water eyes roving over the room.

"Fork. Fjord. Computer. So, that would be my list. Normally, you wouldn't share the list out all at once. Instead, every round you choose a word to share to the group. Everyone in the group picks one of the words the others shared, and then tells a little a story based off of how they associate with that word/idea in the scheme of their life. So, for instance, let's say Star shared the word fork, then, when it was my turn, I would chose that one. I'd start off by saying that I actually like forks better than spoons, because when I was growing up in an asylum, forks made me feel safe. They're pointy, and not as flimsy as plastic knives, so it was easier to jam them into the skin and get them to stick. But, after a few orderlies had to get one of the doctors to remove plastic fork tines from beneath their skin, I lost fork privileges and could only use spoons. So...I don't really like spoons. Even if I have to use them to eat what I like."

Her eyes tracked over to the abandoned pudding cup on the counter, with a spoon sticking out of it before she looked back to the group.

"Then, the next person would go. So, what do y'all say? Give it a go?"

[Tyche]

"With Briar on this one," Tyche said, "Pretty sure it's recent. Kaze seems to be handling it well. Pheonyx though? She's raw. Dunno if she wants that shared, but... you should probably know that if you intend to, like, talk to her about it."

Not to mention the other obvious dangers of raw emotions.

"For sure, I'll need to dip back to my room first, so I'll toss you one after this," Tyche said as Avis confirmed her request. Tyche the Keymaster. Ha. Neat. Gatekeeper sounded better though, so long as no one turned out to be Zuul.

"We'll definitely plan it. It'll be useful to know what's down there," Tyche offered at the conversation of the tunnels, it seemed she was of a mind like Avis. Future things. What was important for the here and now was getting acquainted. They had already gotten off topic the first time they had tried this.

Then a nod to Avis.

"Alright, I'm game," she said, before looking around the room, "I'll start?"

Pausing for few long moments, Tyche took a dive into her own sea of memory. Eyes staring into the middle distance, Tyche took another drink of coffee. The mug eventually lowering from her lips, the Enchanter had found a memory of some value, evidenced as it was by the small smile on her lips.

Thus, Tyche's attention returned to the group.

"Armchair," she uttered, eyes roving to see who would take it.

[Briar Rose]

Talking to Phoenyx about feeling didn't seem like that would be something that anyone would do, but she is surprised when it's relieved that it was only her vodka that the firebird didn't want.

So, game time. And, deep and relieving stories. Plainly, Briar Rose didn't want to. But, if she gave, she'd get ya? That's what this was about. Getting something from each of them, binding a group with secrets and dirt. Mutually assured destruction and all that.

The pinkette smirks, looking up at the Space Master. So far, she liked how this women thought.

"Armchair, sure." she snorts. "I don't get the actual chair first off. I get like, the other armchair, like psychiatrists." which might be spillover from Avis' story. "No, wait. Armchair. Like old, and worn. Found on the side of the road for free. It was great, and sturdy and it was gonna be a project. Was gonna shove it out back by the shed, it was gonna be my reading chair. But Mister Bailey found bedbugs in the house and blamed me and - we were blamed instead of Luke, who actually brought those fuckers in but he was white and blonde and - and I didn't get to keep my chair." her eyes are far away, she coughs. Snorts, eats another mouthful and says,

"Cigarette."

[Campanella]

Campanella cleared his plate and went in search of a second helping.

"Cigarette," the Moros replied carefully while his back was still turned to the group.

"Can't stand them, personally. I have enough health problems... But I digress. Don't like them. Do enjoy the smell - some brands more than others. They evoke a sense of place; history; of objects used and ... shall we say, wanted. When you work in the antique business long enough you come across old furniture and fabrics that have taken on the smell. Sometimes it helps evoke a mood or a period. Sometimes its a clue to an objects past. That uncertainty... yet feeling..."

He sighed and returned to his chosen perch, a (smaller) helping on his plate.

"Yes. You can say I dig that, as it were. Always have. My parent's had rooms filled with such objects. And they were filled with ghosts."

And he stops talking because eating.

"You can probably guess. Books."

[Star]

Book.

M - Y - S - T - A - G... Wait, no. It's not a spelling bee.

Spoons, chairs, cigarettes. This is how words work, and why words don't work. There's meaning, and there's meaning. It's funny to think that the most prolific method of communication is so subjective. In some ways, Camper is no surprise. For all that sedate air of mystery? He is exactly what he is. Angry Pink Youth? Becoming less of a question mark. These are important thing, yo. Sometimes important things happen and it's nice to manage expectations.

We probably have an unfair advantage. Then again, there's a lot of things We just accept, always accepted, without ever asking why.

"The first guy I ever killed in Sacramento was over a book."

He waves a fork at Avis before taking a bite. Not bad. It's loaded with meat and mushroom, plenty of time for a leisurely chew.

"Sure, like. There were other, you know. Factors. But this Sleeper dealer had a head full of bad ju-ju he'd gotten from this, what's it called. Tome? Grimoire? Anyway. Things he shouldn't have known. Or had his hands on." That's the thing about writing things down. You never know who might read it. "So, you know. Had to handle it."
​
As far as execution squad stories go? Pretty boring. True story. Nobody wants to hear about the fat guy or other details. Blue-green eyes flicker over to Avis. That was right after Moxie. Before We. Funny. Couldn't remember if he told her. Again: not terribly exciting of a story anyway.

"Now... unless I'm mistaken? Fork, armchair, cigarette, books," he listed off, ticking each person off with a gesture of his fork, "That leaves... you." Tyche. Was she dodging? Seemed like a Guardian thing to do. Probably not, but the key to being a conspiracy theorist was to be a conspiracy theorist. Besides. That gives Avis a totally random word. Theoretically. Because this could get pointed awfully fast. "So... cards. Playing cards."

Because trending hashtag super obvious.

[Avis]

"Ya know, maybe it would work better if we shared our whole lists? Maybe do another round and then, ya know, let things develop a little more naturally? Just a suggestion," Avis said, walking back over to retrieve her pudding cup. She scooped up a big mouthful, despite the deliciously addicting sugary goop resting atop a spoon, and placed it between her lips, savoring the flavor as she regarded the others.

Mr. Bailey stuck out the most of the stories that had been shared so far, though perhaps that was only because of the bond she already shared with Cut, and obviously her own past. Avis clearly would not have gotten along with Mr. Bailey. But who was that dickhead? Step-father? No, likely not, she didn't mention Luke and Bailey being related. So what would that make it?

She sucked the spoon clean as she brought it out and plopped it back into the container to harvest another bite of pudding. It had to be a state appointment. That was the only explanation for why Briar Rose would be living in such close proximity with two different men, one of whom clearly had all the power in the relationship. Interesting, so she wasn't the only former ward of the state in the room. Cut, after all, could have been, but was more of a lost boy than a true cog in the machine.

As for Campanella, she also wasn't surprised. Well, not entirely. She suspected there was far more meaning attached with the presence of those ghosts than he was letting on. Something far more personal and meaningful than just objects that had happened to capture resonance. Was he harboring ancestral guilt, or was it parental? Or...perhaps it was something to do with him, himself. Perhaps that was the reason he hadn't discussed the bloody spectacle yet. Perhaps he was all too familiar with spectacles of the sort.

[Tyche]

Tyche listens as words are spoken and glimpses of history are given. Then came Star's challenge and words, alongside Avis' suggestion.

With a shrug the Enchanter decided to hit up Star's word first.

"Alright, cards," she said, downing a big gulp of coffee, it was nearly gone by now, "I don't usually like to play 'em. Doesn't matter the game."

The mug is placed on the counter before the Acanthus seats herself on the surface.

"They remind me of this guy I know, one of my old foster parents," she explained, "He was one of the good ones. Actually gave a damn and I think he was hoping to get me out of the system, but... he had his own problems. George was a great guy, but a shitty gambler. When word hit the state about his debts they decided it was 'in my best interests' to put me up with another family. So it was bye George and hi Marlene. And Marlene was a cunt, Ben wasn't much better."

Twisting in her place Tyche reached for her mug and polished off what remained before her gaze shifted to Avis.

"Sure I'm game," she offered before looking to the group at large. This was probably best done as a group decision.

[Briar Rose]

Y'know, she had figured that her word accommodation with cigarette is not anywhere in the realm of Campanella's. She slumps down munches more, there's still food on her plate, and everyone knows you can't do that.

food.gets.taken.away.peoplefakesiblingsstealthedif ferencebetweenfullandaching.

and is then regaled a tale of murder. Because, that's what Guardian's do with books. Or to get books.

Sure you're game. Comes the grumble of the mind of the Shaman. "That why you're two words short?" opse that was supposed be on the inside, instead of the outside. Well. Whatever.

"Cigarettes. Bones. Pink." she says. Feeling her tongue around her teeth.

"So, My go. Avis' Computer." she's quiet as she thinks. "Wasn't for me at uh-home." sure let's say that. "Library or computer labs. Extra credit for extra time. Games and learning. I remember....back word docs, with a blinking cursor, and.....Safari Tycoon. With meerkats the most. I'd make them have their own island. A safe place where the alligators couldn't eat them."