Sailing into the New Year

[Alessandra]

There was a nod, “Ah. Should have put the two together with the mention of the scar from a bull. Have you done that for a while? Or something you always wanted to do? Scusate, just never talked to someone who did that.” But she couldn’t really be expected to keep up with what Kine did. “Well, good luck with that.” And she meant it, cause it was a waste of food for Kine to willingly kill themselves. Though why someone would want to ride on a very angry bull was beyond her.

“Least he’s working, and if they treat him good, all the better. But there are some companies hiring for more private type security. Should have him look into it.” Sometimes it was god to play nice.

“Well, you should make sure to call her at midnight, I hear girls like that.” That whole romantic thing or something. She never understood the whole romance thing, maybe it was due to being undead and having been around for over a hundred years.

Laughing, “I find it sometimes easier and cheaper to drink at home sometimes. Call a couple friends over and just hang out. Seems the price of beer and drinks keeps going up at bars.” There was a shake of her head as she finishes off her own.

“Oh yeah, it’s a 1970 Torino GT, 4 speed manual. Got it a couple months ago, traded my jeep for it. Funny story, the car is actually named for the Italian city, Turin, which is Torino in Italian. So it’s kinda like the Italian Detriot.” Little known fact, they were fun sometimes.

“The guys who installed my CD player complained about me defacing a classic.” She rolled her eyes, “Hey, I get the car is a classic and all, but its my car.”

[Mhairi Ankaa]

"Bartram?" Mhairi echos, feeling a little like a parrot. "At least it's not Bartholomew." Mhairi says, her tone light.

Rising from the railing, Mhairi looks Bart over, "Are you sure you need a name to give you more character?" She sips on her wine, "Because I'm seeing plenty of character." A little blunt, but she'd had enough wine to not really care about hiding, or softening her Elementalisums.

Watching Bart lean against the railing she'd just left, "So, what line of work do you need additional character for?"

[Campanella]

Campanella chuckled softly and a smile widened across his face. He looked away for a moment.

"I am an art dealer. Books... Are my preference but I've been finding work dealing in painting and sculptures, mostly. Especially since moving to California. Its a strange trade. One needs character to stand out; its almost as god has having a calling card."

He moved his drink to his lips. He did not speak but the look that passed over his eyes made an implicit question: in what trade did Mhairi find herself?

[Star]

"Ma'am, you must never have talked to someone from Texas, then. We barbecue, play football, and rodeo."

How long had he been doing it? What a silly question.

"Ain't that the truth about prices, though? Ran into a fella unpacking cases of beer and then he told me a plastic cup of beer at Golden was nearly twenty bucks. More, for an import. I couldn't believe it. What's even worse is they're calling Dos Equiis and Corona 'imports'. Way I figure, a thing has to cross an ocean to be an import. But here, event the waitresses and menus list 'em like that."

Jack doesn't really want to dwell on his brother. Or a midnight call.

"Right, right. Turin. Like the Olympics. Never made that connection myself, about the Torino. 'Bout all I know other than the Olympics is that there Shroud thing they have. Whooo. Talk about creepy, right? Now, if I remember my cars right, the Torino was the uppity version of the Fairlane. Trying to picture it, but coming up blank. Reckon it's a two-door V8 from the GT, though. Got a picture?"

Jack likes his cars like his beer. Imports. If this chick had a Skyline?

[Alessandra]

She laughs, “I’ve passed through Texas on my travels, but can’t say I ever really sat down and talked with someone from there.” Plus, she traveled at night, and not many people were chatty at night with a strange woman covered in tattoos.

Eyes widen, “Twenty bucks for a beer?! Hell no! It better be a damn big one and walk me to my car for that price.” No way she’d pay that much for a beer. And most American beer was watered down anyways. “Now back home we’re mainly known for our wines, but we do a mean pale lager and I swear it is the best thing you can pair with a pizza.”

Ah, boyscout knows his cars.

There was an impressed look on the Italians face, “You’re correct. It was at one point considered a subseries of the Fairline, but soon surpassed it and in, I think 71, the Fairline name was dropped and replaced with Torino.” Did she have a picture?! Of course she did!

“Who wouldn’t have a picture?!” a phone was taken out of a small purse, and her fingers swipes the screen a few times before pulling up the car. The screen was turned to face Jack, it was a two-door, and jet black, obviously well cared for. “She’s a beast on the streets, real throaty with one hell of engine. Sounds like you know a little about cars.”

[Mhairi Ankaa]

Mhairi's eyes light up, sparkling in a way that might resemble a flame's flicker, were it not for the Glamour used to strengthen the Mask to keep her true self away from the muggles around her.

"Really?" she breathes, because art, history, books who knew what kinda of lore they might have that could be real, hidden faerie secrets lost to time...disguised as she was now to apear like nothing but ordinary to untrained eyes. "Books should be everybody's preference." Mhairi's nod in resolute.

Mhairi blinks, as Bart looks at her over the rim of his glass, whaa? Oh. Right. She should say something. "I run a Boarding House." Mhairi offers, glad that she doesn't have to tell anyone she'd unemployed or a maid and a sleazy motel anymore.

[Campanella]

"Yes, I totally agree." Campanella smiled softly. "There is more to the act of reading than meets the eye. It is a tactile as well as visual and intellectual exercise. At least, for me it is. I am glad that someone else feels the same way."

He lowered his glass.

"You run a Boarding House?" He carefully enunciated the words. "Now that is something I don't hear every day. Motels; hotels; I even once heard someone explain that because they offered a flat to Airbnb that made them a landlord... But a Boarding House? Now that means something more than a simple hotel; something old fashioned and nostalgic."

A pause.

"And yes, I have an active imagination. You'll probably have to fill me in on the details now." He dared to be a little cheeky.

[Star]

"I sa-wear. Just mosey on over to Golden when a game or show is going on."

He laughed and spread his hands in a whaddya-do gesture before looking at the picture. Picture. On a phone. Maybe he'd text Tuesday Happy New Year's.

"Well, I'm no expert, just a casual fan. Mostly on account of motors and such in general. Wow. That is a beauty. I love seeing older cars with their gentle body lines. Reckon that's, what, 16 gauge Detroit steel there? Maybe even eighth inch. At an rate, it'd crush one of them tin cans on the road today." A nod and a step away. "But, I tell ya. Raises an interesting question, don't it?"

He leaned back against the railing, arms raised to rest on them. If the railing were a cattle fence, it'd be picturesque.

"New motors, what with valve timing and more efficient compression, they're fast. Run of the mill four banger today will pace a twenty year old V8. Today's straight sixes will smoke 'em. So, lemme ask your opinion. What makes a car a car? Speed? Or production technique? Might be able to ask the same thing about saddles or even pistols."

[Alessandra]

Smirking, “For a casual fan you know your terms. Most casual fans I’ve come across couldn’t tell you what a spark plug was or where to find it in the car.” Not that she changed spark plugs, she has a Herd that does that for her.

“Well, to be honest, I’m not sure about the steel used. But my money is on the best of the best. And she has crushed quite a few teenagers and their sad excuses for sports cars.” She adds with a hint of pride and chuckle. “Though the hideaway headlights are kinda my favorite part of the car, you just don’t see them like that anymore.” Yeah, she was a little proud of her car.

She joins him leaning against the railing, thinking over his question, “Good question, not an easy one to answer. New motors are nice and pretty, but they lack the quality of the older models. Least I think they do. I’ve smoked quite a few sports cars, most of them the run of the mill American sports cars. The trick being that I can drive and handle a high performance sport clutch. Most kids today have never had the privilege of driving a stick or knowing how to properly shift one when racing.” It wasn’t really what he had asked, so she continues, “What makes a car a car is her engine. It’s the heart of the car, what drives and moves it. And I wouldn’t say production technique so much as production quality. Most cars today are put out as quickly as a rabbit multiplies, they’re just lacking the time and quality that you see on older muscle cars. Not to mention the standards car companies have to abide by now choke the engine of what it can really do. Now there are muscle cars out there that could smoke mine, she can only do so much, but one thing they can’t beat her at? Her beauty.” The newer muscle cars were just ugly and clunky.

Chuckling, “Now pistols, I could talk your ear off all night about if you let me.” She jokes with a wide smile.

[Mhairi Ankaa]

"It's the smell, that I like." Mhairi enthuses, "A new book, smells very different then an old one." her hand flutters up, and if she hadn't had her wine glass in the other, they both would be speaking for her, "And the heft. There's just something special about holding a book apposed to a tablet, or reading something off a computer screen."

"I do." A nod paired with a smile, "And it is." one last sip and her glass was empty, "But that's why I like it." at least aesthetically, there were a lot of reasons why she was overly fond of Edna's.

"Oh? Will I now?" she teases back. Slipping her fingers around her glass, she tries to describe Edna's well, but not well enough that would make anyone want to visit. It was a safe haven for the Lost, it wasn't meant for anyone else. "It's out of the way, quiet. Victoria lines, three stories, with trees everywhere. The back garden is gorgeous. Well, when it's not winter."