[Gina McClaren] *It seemed without Evan’s mate to keep up the packhouse stores, supplies were rather hit and miss. Gina had finally dissolved into frustrated cursing when she’d discovered mid-pie that there was hardly any sugar for the filling, and that was that. She’d declared a grocery trip, and invited the dreadlocked theurge to accompany her. Without the police car, if she pleased. It was to this end that she’s striding down the sidewalk towards the local EZ Foods, charms jingling, hair blown in the chill wind. She makes a bitter face, sighing and looking to the Get.*
Fook me ets cauld.
[Joss Lehrer] “Told ya we shoulda taken Althea!” She grins though, as she’s not really bothered by the cold as much as the pikey is. She is dressed as she always is, from her flats, to her skirts, to her sweater – her only admittance that it’s a little chillier than she would like is the addition of a scarf around her neck.
She lets Gina set the pace of their walk, her hands tucked into the pockets of her skirts. The little police car is safely locked up inside the attic, and they managed to escape without him. This time.
“Decker won’t even ride in it – makes me park’er out back when he’s home, afraid it’ll make him look like a gay hippie.” It’s said with a grin though – as if she thought of exactly that when she found her Van.
[Gina McClaren] h, decker jes hates anythen wistful, reckon. Hates me bells tae. *Sings the pikey, half teasingly. SHe’d returned in a better mood later last night, and woken up curled to a Fianna in the morning. Gina’s wrapped against the cold, olive coat and a long sweater stretched over ample curves, sporting a scarf as well as her skirts flutter and charms jingle.*
Yer car es a spirit tae, aye?
[Joss Lehrer] She laughs softly. “Everything is a spirit, Gina. Everything has a spirit deep within, just most of them still slumber.” She grins, and then relents. “But yes, Althea’s awakened. Means she shows up even on the other side – I can haul things umbrally just as easily as I can here, too. Comes in handle for body disposal.”
She says it without a flinch. No surprise really – she is Fenrir.
[Gina McClaren] Dae ye ‘ave tae dae tha, on the other side?
*GIna crows curiously, tilting her head and teasing a long strand of hair back from her face as she regards the Godi with unabashed interest.*
Dispose o yer banes an’ sooch?
[Joss Lehrer] She shrugs slightly. “Sorta. Mostly it’s gathering things for cleansing and the such. Sometimes somethin’ we fight over there has armour, and I like t’make them into other things, so I can collect more if I’m throwing it into Althea, to get it cleansed and back to the Caern. I made these really cute armour suits for some dog spirits, to help protect them a they scouted for Marrick…”
Like it’s an everyday thing…
[Gina McClaren] Sae..can ye breng thengs o’er wi’ ye? *Gina’s slowed her pace, Ez Foods in the distance, with all its groceries and crowded aisles full of twitching ignorant ears. The mention of dog spirits has her smiling wistfully, small kin singsonging as an afterthought.*
Ah miss dags.
[Joss Lehrer] She grins. “Some things yeah. Like my Godi bag here?” She lifts it off her hip, and smiles. “It’s called dedication – you dedicate it to your person, and you can carry it with. I have to redo it though – it’s a rite – in order to have everything inside be carried too. It’s like with our clothing – ya know how some will shift and their clothing is destroyed? They weren’t dedicated. It’s all kinda connected that way.”
She chuckles and shrugs. “I have the spirits. They’re not pets like dogs, but well it’s what I got.” As with most born True, animals tend to shy away.
[Gina McClaren] Well, hard tae have pets when they’re pissin themselves an tremblin aul tha time. *Gina quirks her lips sideways, singing.* Waco could ride. Hes horses didnae spook o hem. Ah dinnae kain quite how ee’ managed.
*A slight frown at the mention of Waco’s horses, before the pikey drags a hand through her hair and sighs.*
Sae.. Anythen ye wan me tae make fer ye? Might as well gi fer et suppiles once we’re o tha store.
[Joss Lehrer] She laughs and shrugs. “Some with a lower rage or a special kinship with animals can do things like that. There’s a pack that I saw at the moot- they follow Alleycat as a totem, and have kittens that not only tolerate them, but adore’em. It’s possible, just not very often.”
Then she asks about something special to make, and she smiles brightly. “Ya don’t gotta go outa your way for me or anything… I’m pretty much like a garbage disposal – or a Gnawer. I’ll eat anythin’. And you know you don’t really have to do anything if ya don’t want right? Ya can stay anyway…” just to be clear… then? “but if you know how to make chocolate chip cookies? I’ll be our best friend for life….”
[Gina McClaren] *Gina nods. She knew an Alleycat. Head tilting sideways as she regards the godi beside her. A soft smile slipping across exotic features.*
Ah’ll make ye cookies darlin. We’ll pick oop some cheps.
*Jingling quietly, cheeks pink from the bite of the air. Its several minutes of silence before Gina singsongs.*
Peaches, why’m ah here?
[Joss Lehrer] “Yay!” She smiles brightly, and even skips a couple steps. She’s easily pleased, this Godi. But then Gina asks her question, and Joss studies her for a moment.
“I’m not sure what you mean – in the grand scheme of things, or like… here, with me, specifically?”
[Gina McClaren] Ah’m meant wi’ ye an yer eagles loves. reckon ah’ve me grand scheme o theng questions moore oor less figured oot fer meself.
Jes, nae certain o’ tha why o thengs. Aye?
[Joss Lehrer] She laughs, almost embarrassed to have asked that way, but well – she wasn’t sure. At least she ask when she has questions, right?
She grins at Gina. “Why not?”
She shrugs, and lifts a hand to push her dreads back over her shoulder. “Both Curata and I saw the other night that you could use a place to… I dunno, get centered. It’s hard to do that at the Brotherhood, I’d wager. It’s really that simple – you needed a place to stay, and we have one. I know you’ve a warder, and you’re not an Eagle Kin per se, but you are a friend, and what’s the point of having a packhouse if we can’t offer a room to someone in need?”
[Gina McClaren] *This is logic that makes sense to a pikey on every level but one. She didn’t much deserve charity, given what she was responsible for in recent weeks. She ducks her head and nibbles her lip, pausing in the parking lot to consider. Leaning on a Handicapped Parking sign as she sings quietly, dark eyes flashing to Joss.*
Thank ye peaches. Ah dinnae deserve et, but thanks aul tha same.
[Joss Lehrer] She watches the way she ducks her head, and then sighs softly.
“Ya blame yourself for Maija’s death, don’t you…”
[Gina McClaren] Dinnae blame meself Joss darlin. Am tae blame. Devil’s en tha details, reckon.
*A somber nod, illsuited to a charming strider kin. She did better with saucy and flirtatious. Sorrow hung about her heavy and awkward, a coat that chafed and didn’t fit. Her shoulders roll in a shrug.*
But naethen tae dae fer et now, but make amends where ah can.
[Joss Lehrer] “NO.”
She snaps it out, quickly, and then steps closer to the pikey, and cups her face in her hands, hands warmed by the rage that fuels her slender form, and she forces Gina to look at her in the eyes, meet her gaze, and hold it.
“There were a lot of mistakes made that night. I’m not saying you didn’t make any – but I am saying this: It was a conglomeration of mishaps, and if even one person in the chain had chosen to do something different, it would have happened differently. If Wahya had chosen not to go to Malfaes alone, if Boy had taken him to the bawn first, if he had kept guard at the door instead of leaving Wahya alone in the house of a kinfolk, had you not tried to take care of him, had you not called Maija, had Wahya recognized her, had she not stepped between you, had she not drawn a blade, had Wayha gone for you first….
The list is endless, as you can see. There is no lack of blame to go around – but you cannot take it all on yourself. It is the fault of all of us that Wayha fell, that Maija died. Use that knowledge, and become stronger for it. Learn from the mistakes, without dwelling on them. Do not let their loss and suffering be in vain.”
She brushes back the Pikey’s hair, and smiles softly as she drops her hands and steps back again. “I recently spoke to an ancient Godi, and when I told him that I thought Evan’s death was my fault, you know what he said?”
[Gina McClaren] *Gina nearly flinches away in the Godi’s hands, forced to meet Joss’s gaze, pikey’s expression flashing fearful a moment. Protests die on her lips as a litany of mistakes is rattled off at her, caramel cheeks coloring with shame. Her eyes drop as she listens, hands coming to catch Joss’s wrists, as though to somehow control the woman’s access to her. She shakes her head.*
Wha’d ee say?
[Joss Lehrer] She sighs, softly, painfully, as she watches Gina – her hold on her wrists felt, though she doesn’t let go of the smaller kin until she is ready. When she does, when her hands are back in her pockets, when she has caught her breath then she admits softly.
“I said it I thought it was my fault, and he said. ‘It was. Do better.’” There’s no lack of pain in that, even as she squares her shoulders and lifts her chin, then her eyes to the sky above. She finally looks at Gina again, and lifts a shoulder in a shrug. “And so I pass on his words to you. You think it was your fault. Partially, it was. Do better. It’s all we can do.”
[Gina McClaren] Ah’m seck tae death wi death.
*A distracting lullaby as this time its Gina making to touch Joss, her hand coming to the woman’s abruptly squared shoulder, pushing at a dreadlock dismally. A deep breath and a shake of her head as she looks up to Joss, eyes dark with emotion.*
Ets only lately ah wesh ah’d been left tae me own devices. Yer a hard folk tae love on. Och..
*A squeeze of Joss’s shoulder and a wave of her hand, bangles tinkling merry.* Fookit. Lez gi’ some bloody engrediants. We’re both wi’ oot prospects reckon, we can gi fat as hens on chocolate cookies an nae wan’s tha wiser.
*Its with that she strides for the door, lips quirked in a weak semblance of a grin.*
[Joss Lehrer] She sighs softly. “Me too.” But there’s no end to it- and they both know it. November’s been a particularly hard couple of months for the Sept, and it’s taken it’s tole on the Godi. she lost a friend, she lost colleagues, she attended gatherings, she held gatherings, she snapped at other packs…
…she lost her smile.
She’s trying so hard to bring it back…
She laughs softly at the thought of getting fat as hens. “Then we better get some ice cream too – wonder if Curata will swing by Cold Stone for me after patrol….” She does her best to brighten her grin as she follows Gina toward the door.
[Joshua Walker] Okay he was lost. He’d been wandering the isles of the store for a good five minutes and he still hadn’t found half the items he was looking for on the list he’d been given. WHo’s bright idea was it for him to do the xmas shopping? Oh that’s right it was his idea to help out. Stiffling a sigh he keeps wandering around looking for the items on his list.
[Gina McClaren] Och, mayhaps effen ye talk sweet. Ah hear ee’s a sucker fer a pretty face…
*Gina singsongs teasingly, feigning cheer until she had some of her own to share. Her hip bumps the godi as they meander past checkouts to the baking aisle, nabbing a basket from a precarious stack. A familiar figure has her squinting as she reaches for shortening on the shelf.*
Och Jaysus.
[Joss Lehrer] She snorts. “You better do the beggin’ then, instead of me.” She grins at her companion, following her to the baking aisle.
When Gina reacts to someone farther down, she arches a brow. “Friend o’yers?”
[Joshua Walker] Picking up a few items off the shelf he drops them gently into the trolley and then looks at the list again. Why did they need so much chocolate and cream? Shaking his head he looks around and on spotting Gina gives a casual wave before returning to his hunt.
[Gina McClaren] Sort o.
Allo Joshua darlin…
*Gina offers a quick smile and a wave in return, posture drawing a little more tense as she looks between dark and milk chocolate chips. She murmers lowly.*
Ee’s a strider, aye? Philo, effen ah remember recht.
[Joss Lehrer] “Ah, I see. Not sure I’ve met’im. So many new faces lately…”
She nods slightly, understanding, and then she’s completely distracted as she finds peanut butter chips. “Oooooooooooooooh.. LOOK!” she looks at Gina hopeful they can be added to their chocolate chip cookies.
[Joshua Walker] Wandering towards the pair he smiles as he spots what they have and then see’s what he’s been looking for.
“Oh you are saints. Could you toss me about five of those packets of the choc chips please Gina.”
Gives a warm smile as stands out of their way.
[Gina McClaren] A saint am ah? Ah wan tae kain oo ye’ve been gi’en yer enfermation frem, reckon ah owe em a drenk oor tae.
*Counters Gina with some cheek, tossing several bags of chocolate chips to Josh before nodding and pushing various sorts of chocolate into her own basket. A tired grin up at Joss before she makes to regard the Silent Strider.*
Joshua, thes es Joss.
[Joss Lehrer] Gina handles the tossing of the bags to joshua, and Joss sneaks a back of peppermint chips into their own basket too. If they’re gonna try and get fat as hens, might as well go all out. She plans to pay attention anyway, so maybe she can learn to make some on her own. How hard can it be?
(…oh a recipe for disaster…)
“Hey, Joshua.”
[Joshua Walker] Catches the bags and drops them into his trolley with a smile.
“Well if it means saving my life from a house full of ladies demanding chocolate then you’re a saint in my book.”
Looks to Joss and smiles as he nods to her in greeting.
“Nice to meet you Joss. So you ladies doing some xmas shopping or planning to spend an evening watching chick flicks?”
Snickers as he motions at their basket.
[Gina McClaren] Reckon jes makin cookies. But there are a shiteload o hungry wolfmen en tha house, an effen ah entend on actually tastin the fruit o me labors, we’d best make a goodly amount. Be recht back loves.
*A nod as she looks just past Joshua, spotting another ingrediant she’d be needing. She slips past him, a hand set to his shoulder as she passes, making to brood elsewhere. A house full of ladies was it?? Damndable striders and their harems of mates and armys of children. Her mouth purses in distaste once her back is to him, Pikey slipping away to continue her shopping.*
[Joss Lehrer] She chuckles softly as Gina makes her escape to elsewhere in the store, other items needing to be found for their cookies. “She’s helpin me – afraid I’ll burn the house down.”
She makes a mental note to ask Gina about her distaste, but later. For now, she leaves it be.
[Joshua Walker] Chuckles as he nods to Joss. Notices the slight mood given off by Gina but lets it go since he’s had a bad habit of putting his foot in it of late.
“Know how that is. Last time I tried cooking anything inside I set off all the fire alarms.”
[Joss Lehrer] She grins and shrugs her shoulders. “I can handle basic needs, but anything special and I’m at a loss.”
She pushes her dreads back, and tucks her hands back into the pockets of her skirts.
[Joshua Walker] Notices Gina has wandered off and looks to Joss.
“Was wondering, how has Gina been lately with all that’s happened?”
[Joss Lehrer] She shrugs a shoulder, absently. “She’s doing alright. She’s staying with us for a bit.” Us being the Eagles, of course. “We’ve all had a rough strenuous couple months.”
[Joshua Walker] “Thank you for helping her. I’m not much use when it comes to being helpful these days. I seem to cause troubles more than I solve.”
Gives a slight chuckle as he nods his head in thanks.
[Joss Lehrer] She chuckles. “She’s a lovely woman, and fun to have around. She helps me more than I could her, I’m sure.”
[Joshua Walker] “I’m afraid the only times I’ve seen her she’s been plastered or with a hang over. Except that one time in which I put my foot in it.”
Shakes his head and smiles.
“If there’s anything I can do to thank you all for your help, please let me know.”
[Joss Lehrer] She nods, slightly. “I will, though it’s no problem. I should go catch up with her though – before she decides to disappear with my peanut butter chips.”
She steps away and waves, before she heads off after the pikey.
[Joshua Walker] Nods as he wanders off to resume his own shopping.
[Joss Lehrer] (Have to go get the kid – thanks for playing!)