Welcome to a parlor

[Circe]

An indoor venue, the bar had a few advantages to it for certain individuals and business deals. The biggest? It used to be a speakeasy and had some rather secure back rooms. Like this one that has rabbits carved into the door's frame. It is a private back room fitted with a variety of liquors, tonics, cannolis, and the striking Groundskeeper of the Sacramento Freehold.

Circe was using her business outfit as she was familiar with this bar for work. It'd deter certain people from bothering her. There was also the advantage of her sitting at a table with plenty of darkness beneath it.

The Summer was prepared for a full meeting of her court to meet a new Summer . The question was, which would arrive first?

Would the leader of Summer, guardian of the Freehold welcome her deputy or the new arrival first?

[Vivian Wing]

Vivian arrived at the proper place at the proper time. She was wringing her hands a bit over her outfit. I mean, what does one wear to greet their Monarch? EEEEEEK! Vivian had resources, a flaky job to be sure, but a job.....
She was doing alright when it came to that, but not THAT alright. She hoped what she wore to meet club owners and promoters was enough cause that was as fancy as Vivi got these days.

She wore a pair of tight but stetchy dark wash jeans, a rich brown belt that matched the knee high boots her skinny jeans were tucked into. Up top she wore a white 'peasant' blouse, hippish in style and light and airy, looking a bit more dressy. She paired it with a dark navy sport coat that did not button. She wore two gold chains around her neck, one shorter than the other for a layered look. Her incredibly long hair was left loose, falling pretty straight for the most part. Her hair was long and flowed to her waist, a natural red head, though her shade of red was so pale that it looked almost gold in the sunshine. She usually wore no makeup, but today was special. She wore some black mascara, and some lip gloss on her lips. It would just have to do.

"It's all right. It's just a chat chat. I can do that. No one can hurt you anymore. You made sure of that. You are strong and armed." She assured herself out loud. She clenched and relaxed her major muscle groups to feel her strength, her hand reached back to the small of her back and she felt the hilt of the large blade she kept on her at all times. Letting her quickened breath slowly rattle out of her lungs. She steeled her nerve and went inside demanding the rabbit. She was lead to where Circe sat, and Vivian held her breath as she walked resolutely up to her future Queen. Go go go! She cheered herself.

" Hello. I am here to meet about book club. I'm Vivian Wing, its tough to meet for the first time, but I"m told if you force yourself enough it becomes nice. I would say its nice to meet you, but I don't know if its nice to meet you or not. You could be a total asshole that I will kick myself for meeting, but I always hope for the best!"

It came out in a bubbly rush of try to hard..... if Circe didn't already have experience with Elemental's short comings, she may be guessing it already now...

[Circe]

Red pupils on a sea of black move up and down Vivian as she enters, calculating. Interesting traits, narrows down the possibilities of what this noob is. And then the lady talked.

Circe sat there looking flatly at Vivian. A full minute ticked by. Slowly, Circe's left eyebrow and ear both raised up.

She came off as either very awkward or maybe an Elemental. But the most damning part of what Vivian said? "Oh ho ho ho ho!" Yeah, the one exposed hand jerked a thumb at herself, "Total bitch and proud of it! You," she points at Vivian, "Have enthusiasm. I like that," the other hand remains under the table but the pointing one becomes a thumbs up, "Welcome ta town. I am Circe, Queen of Summer and Groundskeeper of Sacramento. That latter means sheriff more then grease monkey, but I'm versatile enough ta do THAT too."

"But come on in," waves her hand, "Have a drink, tell me about yerself and yer interests in our fair Freehold. We'll see where shit goes. See if I get ta introduce ya ta the other Summers or not."

Circe waits to see what Vivian will do.

[Vivian Wing]

Vivian realized she said the wrong thing. Or not the best thing she could say. Had to stop bashing herself, to herself. Her therapist would have been proud of that mental correction. She felt her cheeks heat up and she nibbled on her lower lip slightly.

"Umm. Sorry. I uh- " she paused a second to shut the door behind her and sit down. "I didn't say the best thing I could have said. I just am nervous, and feeling self conscious. I mean. More so than normal."

She slowly lowered herself into her seat her stormy eyes overlooking over the drink menu and she settled on a Dark and Stormy. Because she liked the name.

"Wow. A Queen and a Sheriff! You must be so busy!" She said softly. She settled in, and watched Circe for a moments.

"Well, I am a singer. I sing with three different bands, and I have a solo gig too and a manager who helps book me and the bands I work with. Umm, I look really young but I"m actually like a lot older. Though to be fair, I don't remember a lot and what I do remember is of when I was young, and not so much the time spent as uh....uh....a well I am an Elemental. My element is um Air. Airtouched, they call ones like me." She swallowed hard.

When her drink came she took two big gulps. "I also am an expert swordswoman. I practice every day, and take formal instruction from a Swedish man who believes in Norse Paganism." It was a hell of a way to describe a modern viking swordsman.

She cleared her throat. "I realize that maybe its time to join the Freehold to have like minded people to be around and do things with. I think now that I am fully emmersed back into my mask life, I can work on my Mien life!"

[Circe]

Circe smirks as Vivian shuts the door behind her whilst rambling. "Quite busy when ya throw in my mundy careers," her tone is amused but her eyes? Still calculating.

"Hmmm," she hums to show she is listening, "I figured you were that type. Props fer returning from that," she throws a little praise towards Vivian. She wasn't familiar with viking religions. Circe holds up two fingers and she gets a glass of cherry and coke. That and a wink from the server who knows her. And has a bulge in his coat thanks to Circe.

"Don't suppose he believes in fairies does he? And mind what ya say when the mundies are around," she reminds her as the door closes up. "The normal folk that is. We don't want them hearing the truth. That is one of the rules in this city. We even got a shitload of code words fer our lifestyle," she sips her cola through the straw, "Ya will learn them."

"Are ya the kind of sword swinger that likes ta tank hits or dance around yer foes?" Circe questions. Ram was likely to be closer to the former gien his interest in armor. "I prefer ta reach out and touch baddies from a distance."

Circe is friendly as she speaks, "It is good that ya want ta join our little club," Elementals in her experience were not the most deceptive. Too blunt. This one? Either a very skilled actress or was in earnest. "Summer is the shield of this Freehold. Hunting the monsters, beating back," she giggles, "Gang threats," yeah they didn't mess with their armorer's turf, "When a subtle touch won't do. You come ta a But," Circe's tone drops to cold steel, "I do not subscribe ta the warrior's doctrine. A fight is fought to be won, how isn't important. If I can end someone's evil twin by cutting a break line instead of challenging it ta a duel at dusk I'm getting the wire cutters." Vivian is being judged in her eyes, "Do ya have a problem with such a solution?"

[Vivian Wing]

Clouds roiled in those alien eyes as Circe mentions the horrifying reality of what an Elemental had to go through. The violent change. The slow stripping of their humanity and very bodies. Twisted, warped, worn away, flayed away, boiled, burned, buried, frozen, so many horrifying ways to be stripped into essence and remade into an element. She said nothing of it though.

"No he doesn't know what I really am. He knows I was hurt by someone and kidnapped for years. Human trafficking is alive and well without it being supernatural. It's funny how well the mortal world reflects horrors into the hidden ones."

She watched Circe a moment when she asked about her fighting style. "I dance around my enemies. I can take a hint better than I can take a hit. I am quick, light on my feet, and stronger than I appear in frame, but I am easier to hurt, so I try not to get hit if possible, and help others not to get hit too. I am also skilled in hand to hand, though not as good as my sword arms. Arms. Plural. It was a not so subtle hint that she dual weilded swords. It may be hard to imagine such a thing from such a young looking girl.

Vivi giggled darkly to the question, those alien eyes never wavering from her own. "Nope. Risking your own ass should be the last resport. I'm not a hero. "

[Circe]

"Yes it is," she knew of the flesh trade. She didn't support it at all and her tone made that clear, "Somewhat sad too when ya put it that way. Though it gives mortals reason to, as the saying goes, go full Liam Neeson. I would relish the chance to encourage such vengeance."

"Ah," she acknowledges the explanation as she sips her cola, "Dancer instead of an agro drawer. I know the pointy bits go inta the bad guys. I'm better at making cutters then using them. Prefer fist ta face, foot ta groin, or bullet ta flesh in my fights, depends on the enemy. Dodging is good but," she puts down the cola to thump her chest. It is a dull sound, "Always safety first." Circe lets out a ragged sigh, "Especially when teaching idiots how ta use a gun."

As for Vivian's view on death before dishonor? Circe was going to praise her. A lot.

"Excellent! Glad ta hear ya won't ruin a ambush by screaming Leeroy Jenkins ta charge at the dragon," Vivi may be able to hear the praise, "Glad ta hear it. Never let 'em have a chance. Even kill them with a computer." Circe grins as she visibly puffs up in pride, "That is always funny. Now," she sips the cola again but leaves her hand free.

"A little more background questions, just some formalities." Circe's free hand drops down into her coat as she takes out something. Her smart phone. "Ahem," she looks at it before her tone goes flat, "Are you a cannibal, lacking valid state ID, hater of children," a sigh as her tone briefly turns annoyed, "A killer of breakfast serials," her tone goes back to neutral, "Or have a history with any dangerous elements in Sacramento?"

Some of the questions were legit, others meant to throw Vivian off to make her slip up. Circe came up with the last for personal business reasons.

[Vivian Wing]

Vivian grinned at Circe, as she figured it out all on her own! Vivi always appreciated people who really listen. It was tough for her to articulate anything in an excited state.

Vivian chewed her lower lip at the second part. "I don't like guns. People waive them around and stuff, and they don't know what they are doing. Saw it on the street a lot when I was homeless. The home boy shopping network is great on prices but a little scary to deal with. They think if they waive a gun around you will just do whatever they ask." Those alien eyes that weren't afraid of guns, those people if they knew, would run screaming from the Elemental. It made you wonder how many were sucked into her beauty when they tried to hurt her.

Vivi smiled awkwardly. "Oh I am not good at stealth. I have some knowledge but could definitely improve. Also learning how to lie and make up stories would be good too. I usually just stop talking when I am not supposed to say something. My manager tells me to look pretty and don't talk."

She answered the questions literally as she said them. "No. Not a cannibal. No I have a new identity, but not strong enough to pass full muster, if you know what I mean. " She snickered slightly and nodded. "I have slain some shredded wheat in my time." The last one she looked puzzled. "No, not really. Other than the home boy shopping netowork."

[Circe]

Circe was conflicted by Vivian's words. On the one hand, dislike of guns. On the other? Disdain for dumb asses misusing guns. "Yeah," she nods in, "The bang gangers can be idiots. Like this one that tried ta mug with," free hand up with 1 finger up, "Safety on," second finger, "9 mil in a 32 revolver," third finger, "Asked fer the gun back after I took it from her ta point out her stupid." She scoffs, "I know how ta clean, customize, and shoot a gun with correct marksmanship instead of posing like an ta be cool."

Circe had an additional advantage in that said idiot's boss bought guns from her, which made it a lot more fun. As for stealth ineptitude, that disappointed her a little. Then her eyes narrow when Vivian mentions her manager's certain instructions. "Ya want me ta punch yer manager? Or uh, give ya tips? I love ta talk now," after her Durance she certainly did, "I'm a rambling woman. Also stealthy. I can teach ya cheats ta walk softly."

Then on to the list. "Good. Bad and I have experience with that. I know someone who knows lots of people ta fix that but not club," she shrugs, "So money." And yay the Elemental was laughing about the joke. Circe giggles along with a smile, "Good." Then the personal question, "Excellent! Not the best avenue of experience, better to be supplier ta them instead of a resource in my experience."

"Okay, next query is fer yer opinion on the other cliques within out club. Seasonal types go joyful, angry, scary, and cold. And yes, that is the club speak slang thing I mentioned." Circe looks over Vivian's shoulder to the closed door. It is still closed. "Do you have a problem with Spring, Autumn, or Winter?"

[Vivian Wing]

Vivian chuckled and listened to Circe explain the guns thing, and she slowly nodded. "I just never had any good experiences with them your grace. "

She shook her head when it came to her manager. "He thinks I am stupid. It's kinda my fault he thinks that. He doesn't abuse me, but he's not very nice either." She shook her head for a moment and shrugged gently. As if saying it was an accepted thing. "No. I don't have any issues with the other seasons. Sometimes a little difficulty with springs being a little overbearing. Mostly because I am a singer. Ithink they self project a little hard."