Suns Out, Guns Out

[Circe]

Circe found the best option for attire if you had to exercise or look like it was the stuff made for it. Hence the track suit. And while Circe COULD have been there for work, watching for attractive people, or perhaps to mess with annoying people she was not.

Circe was in fact training in the most important of final plans. The plan known as leg it! Just as she had done so earlier with the irritating phone guy she'd messed with and run from while laughing her ass off. The moron was probably still trying to debug his phone.

Presently Circe was enjoying a blue blizzard as she walked along the path. Why? To make her tongue match he face of course. But hark, was that a familiar voice yonder? Perhaps in that direction she should wander? There was Anatole!

And on the monkey bars was her favorite monkey with the stoner bug. And wait did he just say? The Summer Queen must do something nice for him soon. That was a perfect set up for the elfin Fairest to just segue herself in. Circe loudly slurps her slushy as she saunters up behind the Autumn, "Ya know what they say Annie?" She hip bumps Anatole as she stands beside him, "Speak of the devil and the bitch herself will appear," her free hand waves in a flourish.

She squints at the two acrobats, "So Sonny Shine? You and the noob girl just monkeying around on those monkey bars?

[Sonnie Wu]

"Oh myyyy!" Her Takei impression was decent enough, "Yes! Love him!" Who didn't love George Takei? Terrible people, that's who.

Perhaps having had enough of being upside down, the Beast swung herself upright again, doing an impressive crunch to reach up and take the chin-up bar in her hands. She wasn't done with the bar, however. She continued to dangle from it, though only by one hand now. She'd hold it for a time, then switch arms, all while rocking back and forth. Her motions were, well, much like a monkey on a tree branch.

"Sounds good. Start small, then ramp it up over time. That's the smart way to do it! Oh, and I have a mountain bike! We can ride some trails if you want." California had some lovely bike trails. Sonnie nodded, and then was distracted by the approach of the short Wizened. She clearly knew him, as she smiled and waved with recognition.

"Yo! Um, yeah, there's some seating along the running trail. Good day for an outside lunch, huh?" She looked over at the Wasp, then back to the Dwarf. "Oh, right! Coco, this is Anatole! He's from the... um... Halloween club?" Subterfuge wasn't quite her forte.

Shrugging off her lame attempt at a code phrase, the Monkey blinked in surprise at the Dancer's description of the late Spring Courtier. "Um, yeah, that was Abraham. Liked to call himself a knight and a storyteller and he was actually kind of a bully." And possibly a murderer, but she couldn't confirm that part yet. She grinned at Coco, "Glad to hear it! Just don't go breaking into random motel rooms and you'll avoid his last mistake."

[Anatole]

"I'm Anatole... Of the Halloween club..."

The dwarf began.

"I am sorry, I took you for a Crimson. I didn't see you at the Coronation. Who? When?"

Anatole's face folded in a from. They raised eyebrow remained until Circe arrived. His smile open mouth made an appearance through his the curly wafts of his long beard.

"Well hello. What a surprise! I didn't think I was that close to the beating heart of... of our... I didn't expect everyone to be out today."

He was checking the periphery of their space.

"I believe we are reasonably safe out in the open here. Its a pretty quiet park. Can we speak more openly? Good."

Back at Coco

"This Abraham was before my time, so I have no idea what you are referring to. As I didn't see you at the last big celebration, would I be correct in saying that you are recently arrival as well?"

[Coco]

While it was probably a very good thing that she was meeting more of the freehold post-relapse, it looked like her workout was going to be cut mercifully short. Which, was a little disappointing since she'd just made a new workout buddy with glistening abs and those laughing eyes. Still, it couldn't be helped. Especially not with the Blueberry acting like she was.

"Ok, look, I know the last time we met I was relapsing, and high as fuck, and I acted in a shameful way," Coco begin, squaring off against the summer Queen, "but let's be a little bit more gracious to one another, not to mention circumspect. Sonnie is an athlete, not an animal. And I've called this city my home off and on for about 7 years now, so I'd appreciate it if you called me by my name, which is Coco."

The Wasp's eyes narrowed despite her best intentions. She was trying to be polite, and not to drag down the mood, but something about the blue-tinted woman was pissing her off. Which, made her glad that Anatole was there to help deflect some of the heat that was threatening to build between her and the Summer.

"Pleased to meet you, Anatole," Coco said, forcing herself to turn towards the stocky, Santa looking fellow. "And yes, I missed the coronation. I was still traveling. And I don't mind speaking a little more openly, as long as we're not shouting things at one another."

An other pointed look shot to Circe.

Ok, look, she was trying.

[Circe]

"Scary works Sonny. Club speak, yer sheriff need remind ya, goes like happy, angry, scary, and cold fer the year," Circe decides to remind Sonja of the code phrases. The girl really needed to brush up on doublespeak. "Holidays are sorta close, so kudos fer that." Because the Winter season holidays do not match the Court of Sorrow.

She does frown at the mention of Abraham. And the heat around the group rises as the Summer's mantle flares. Those responsible steal needed death dealt to them for attacking the Freehold. Excessive death. "Good amount of respect yer showing fer a dead fellow happy times member," the snark just came out.

Anatole's words were much better at not lighting her rage ablaze. "Ya know how it is. Need ta stretch my legs, need ta annoy some mundies, redirect their ire, and fuel up. Plus entertainment," Anatole's smile is returned with extra wickedness.

Then Coco goes on the offense. Circe starts to square off, "Really girl? This bitch did damage control with the mundies fer that relapse. And ya don't like me joking with my friendssssss." Before getting confused. "Wait? Coco was it?" Circe shook her head, "I know she a parkour star and bo master," Circe points to Sonja, "On top of badass adorable and ya thought I'm insulting her? Ha ha!" Circe smiles widely, "I was making a pun! No need fer ya ta try ta dish out pun-ishment ta me, tis all in good pun," Circe sips her drink as she scoffs, "Or are ya homophonic?"

Circe finishes her drink, "Ah. Or were ya hoping ta pick a fight? If yer hoping fer good old fisticuffs, Sonja there," she points again, "Always beats me. She is fastest with the punchlines. Wow you two are bendy."

She looks to Anatole, "Flexibility is hot right?"

[Sonnie Wu]

Sonnie, finally letting go of the chin up bar and landing lightly on her feet, smiled at Circe, "Hi!" Then she looked in confusion at the blue elf, "Wait, we have official codes phrases?" This was news to her. Nobody ever handed out a rule book.

The Beast looked up and down the jogging trail, and it all seemed to be clear for now. "We can always shut up as soon as anyone comes along."

She chuckled at Anatole, "Our kind seems to have an odd habit of running into each other in this town. This is, like, hardly the first time I've been out by myself and ended up in a random group of us." Maybe it was the Wyrd at work?

On the subject of the late Abraham, she could only shrug. "He's... probably a topic for a different time." Best to shelve the Flower Knight for now. She'd nearly forgotten there were juicy tidbits about his death most of the freehold wasn't aware of, quite yet. Hopefully soon.

The Monkey eyed both Coco and Circe as their exchange fired up. Like they needed more heat on a day like this. She held up her hands in a calming sort of gesture, "Whoa! Okay, let's chill a bit, shall we? It's okay, Coco. Smurfette and I poke fun at each other all the time. I don't mind. Thanks, though." She smiled appreciatively at the Wasp coming to her defense.

"Haha! Homophonic." Just smile and nod like you know what that word means, Sonnie. Smile and nod.

A head tilt was aimed at the Iron Spear. She couldn't recall every sparring with the Larcenist before. However, she decided not to dispute the claim. If it sounded like she could beat up the Summer Queen, that was good for her rep. Right?

Oh, punchlines. Heh.

"It is very hot. I'm very bendy. I'm also ambidextrous!" She grinned, pulling a water bottle from her fanny pack and opening it to drink, "That means I can do it with either hand!" Blink blink. "Write, I mean."

Also, with her feet.

[Anatole]

"Right..."

Anatole's words vanished on the wind as the verbal sparring erupted around him. The dwarf could on watch, head moving from one to the other as if he were in a comedy skit, watching a tennis match.

"Not the best place for a fight. Pick the Hedge. Or back ally." He commented dryly. Laughter ended his sentence as Sonnie delivered her punchline. Anatole knuckled his moustache.

"Its the Wyrd, Sonnie. We are Lost but we keep finding each other. Has to be. We are our own little world."

He was focussing on Coco again.

"Seven years or so, huh? You must know some secrets then."

His little smirk, crawling up his face, said many things.

[Coco]

The Summer Queen's words made the Wasp bristle, though thankfully Sonnie was there to try and calm things down before Coco could set the sharp edge of her tongue to work. Anatole, sadly, was just a bystander, but his reminder to keep things calm was noted, if not acknowledged.

Still, there was something about Circe that prickled at Coco's skin, something needling and sharp, something that felt vaguely familiar, deeply familiar, yet she couldn't remember what it was. No, wait, there was a phrase tickling at the back of her mind. A saying.

If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven. Such is the rule of honor.

Where had that phantom come from?

The Wasp's lips twisted into a moue of discontent, but she let it go, instead turning her attention back to Sonnie and Anatole.

"Well, we were about to train together, but you have food, so, what do you say, Sonnie? Should we take a break, sit and chat for a while? Though you'll be disappointed, Anatole, if you're hoping to hear about secrets. Most of the people I knew here are long gone, and any value their secrets might have had, with them. Though...If you'd be willing to share some of the secrets you all know," Coco continued, grudgingly turning her eyes to include Circe, too, "then I'd be more than happy to listen. For instance, what's the deal with that guy who was playing grab ass with Seraphina in the pool hall?"

[Circe]

Circe's right eyebrow and ear twitch, a lot, at Sonja's question. The Larcenist takes in a deep breath to just sigh, "Yes, it is called club speak. I'll give ya and the returnee a run down later or some shit."

Sonja gets a warm smile from Circe for her defense, "I still need ta get the white dress ta go with that nickname. Coco? Ya can expect ta get an pseudonym from the lil' nicknamer beside ya real soon."

"Ooooo bouncy girl I KNOW how good yer hands are. Aaaand ya make folks sing," wink.

She looks to Anatole, "I'm copacetic bro," though for some reason the bug was annoying her. Keep attention on something else until they can duke it out in private, "But ya think folks in the club are like magnets? Isn't that Wyrd," Circe giggles at the horrible combination reference and pun.

"Secrets of old but are they bold," Circe coos after Anatole speaks.

Great the bug wanted to be fed again. Oooh and nasty look? Circe's own red and black eyes met the facets head on. Then waggled her eyebrows. "I know many secrets, everyone in my position should. Some club, many not, but I'd not be a bitch ta not miser the good ones," smiles sweetie. If Coco wanted to pick a fight, verbally victorious would Circe me. Wait what?

"Che cosa?" She looks to Sonja, "Wait, did I miss Rhodes beating the shit outta somebody fer groping his girlfriend?" Because she did not recall that happening as it'd have been way more fun then keeping a doped up bug from breaking secrecy. She just answered Coco's question too. "I mean it certainly didn't happen while I was there because I'd have helped him do it."

[Sonnie Wu]

A shrug was given towards Circe, "What? It's not my fault nobody gave me a copy of the guidebook. When did this start? Is it new?" Twenty-odd months she'd been here and no one had even suggested there was any sort of official public terminology. Weird. Unless... "Blueberry, are you just making this up? This is a prank, right?"

"You will learn, my dear Coco Bean, that I never turn down an offer of food. If we're gonna take a snack break, then we are taking a gee-damn snack break!" The Beast nodded firmly. Munchables will always have priority. This was the way.

The Dancer's question, and the Larcenist's response, brought a confused look to Sonnie's face. Not an uncommon expression for her. "Um, that was just Rhodes." She smiled to Coco, "The rulers of Spring and Autumn are dating. They been a couple for like a year or so now, and not above public displays of affection, apparently." Another shrug from the Monkey. She had no problem with it.

"Anywho, there's some picnic tables or whatever a little ways further down the trail. Let's roll!" The Steepscrambler started marching towards her supposed destination, even though she had only a vague recollection of where everything in the park was located. This is what's called an adventure!