What I want to hear on nights I can't sleep is your voice

[philoxenia]

[ ... Well, that was an absolute shitshow, wasn't it? Instead of dwelling on how she feels about everything that just happened, Mira's channeling that energy into something else--and she has a little bit of help doing it. Zerinda and Ema are here in the bar to make drinks, and Mira's brought in a ton of food that's definitely not healthy for anyone, but screw it, who cares about health right now?

Della's here to pass out invitations, too--they let everyone know there's a gathering in the bar, if they'd rather not be alone.

If you choose not to come, well... Mira's got that taken care of, too. She'll place a little container of cookies and hot cocoa outside your door. Maybe it'll help someone feel a little less alone--at least, that's what she's hoping. ]

Comments

[reallyhatesharks]

[Things Nova has taken at face value:
- time travel
- sharknados
- lavalantulas
- magic
- aliens
- vampires
- zombies

At some point you gotta look inside yourself and ask "what am I willing to put up with today?" The answer is NOT FUCKING ANY OF THAT. So basically Nova ends up just. Mildly screaming. In her room. She'll be fine.

She does show up at the bar after a while, though, and immediately takes stock of the entire inventory. Okay. You know what? She was a bartender for years.]

Want something? I'm putting my skills to good use tonight because we all deserve it.

[blackmass]

[You should never have been born.]

[Entertaining as the unmitigated mess of a trial had been, something about that stuck with Kirei like a persistent thorn. It bothered him, and it bothered him all the way to the bar. He poured a glass of red wine and sat in pensive silence, only occasionally remembering to actually drink it.]

[A small book of matches laid out on the bar caught his eye, Kirei picked it up as if considering something. Glanced around the room, then stepped behind the bar. He struck a match and took a photograph from his pocket, holding it over the flame and watching the edges curl as they smoldered.]

['Your wish will not come true unless there is a clear evil. Even if it is not something you approve of, a superhero requires a villain to defeat.']

[Yes. To grant that wish would be to bring about a cataclysm requiring a savior. What that Master desired now, Kirei didn't know. He doubted that person himself was even fully certain any longer.]

['You said you would be a superhero. Then make your decision.']

[To grant that person's wish would be to give them an enemy that a hero of justice needed to defeat. In that way...their desires were one and the same. Worth killing for, certainly. Kirei had only refused as much because-]

['Such a hopeless wretch! Do you still seek mundane happiness!? Do you not understand that such a thing does not exist for you!?']

[The small flames reached a little too close to the priest's hand, and the photograph was dropped into the metal sink to slowly burn away harmlessly. Kirei, as though nothing out of place had transpired at all today, turned his back on it.]

[The reasoning didn't matter. Neither did the motivations of a madman styling himself a professor. He could only live as he always had, and wait for the right opportunity to show itself..]

[philoxenia]

[ Mira's around the gathering, of course; she seems pretty off--knowing Zelos's motive had hit her pretty hard... but all the same, she's here if anyone needs or wants to chat.

After that, she's in the library, a book open in her lap... but she doesn't look like she's really reading it. Eventually, she gives up and starts writing in her notepad. ]

wasted away again in margaritaville

[snackooed]

[ Ema's got more than a bit on her mind after that whole fiasco, but throwing something together with Mira and the girls is proving to be a pretty excellent way to channel all of these nerves! There's something about mixing drinks and playing around with ingredients that feels comfortable, and constant, like she's working with a formula, or combining solutions...

Needless to say, there's some control to it, which is always a good thing to have. And on top of that, having Zerinda and Nova around to help and show her new tricks is a huge plus. Plus, it's good to change hands, every now and again..!

She's got the boombox playing a pretty heavy rotation of some more upbeat music: The Clash at Demonhead is here, but she's also got these cheesy Jimmy Buffett songs rolling in, and all of your favorite cheesy bar hits. Occasionally, she'll throw on a CHVRCHES song, or better yet, something from Paramore, courtesy of Angel's CD dropoff from earlier in the week.

She's here to chat, about whatever may strike your fancy, but if you'd like to just bum it at the bar, she's here for you, too. ]

Gathering

[drladysounds]

[At some point Shelley approaches -- hesitantly when she notices Mira is distracted]

...are you feeling alright? You seem...distant.

[philoxenia]

Oh-- Shelley.

[ She's quiet for a little while. ]

... I wouldn't be able to fool anyone if I said anything other than "not especially."

library;

[snackooed]

[ It isn't until the group starts to fizzle out a bit that Ema leaves her post at the bar to look for Mira, and for some reason... ]

Thought I'd find you here.

[ The smile on her face is a little bittersweet, but it isn't quite as forced as it could be, all things considered. ]

Mind if I sit with you? Just for a bit. I won't keep you, if you want some alone time.

[ God knows she wouldn't blame her. ]

[philoxenia]

I guess it's sort of obvious where I'd be.

[ That, or the art room... but she can't even think about those portraits right now. She gives Ema the tiniest smile, though, just as bittersweet as Ema's own. ]

Honestly... I'd like some company from a friend.

the bar

[philoxenia]

[ She doesn't drink, but she does have two mugs of cocoa. ]

I'm alright--I don't drink, but... here. [ She sets down the mug close to Nova. ] I've heard Fireball goes well with hot chocolate, if you want.

[reallyhatesharks]

I'm not big on cinnamon, really. [She takes a sip of the cocoa so there's enough space in there to put a shot or two.] Thanks.

[nothingcanstop]

[ Della passes out invitations. Della of course is around the bar. Della is going to make sure no one is alone today.

She's dealing in aggressive positivity--or at least, aggressive company. Don't have something to eat? Well, she'll just ask what you want and get it then. Sitting alone? Howdy partner, let's chat. There's a defiant air to it all. She's so done with this, so done, but that only makes her want to try harder.

And...if you happen to not be at the gathering, she's...doing a little looking around the facility. ]

Hey there. I've been looking for you.

[ She's looking for everyone. She doesn't want this to happen again. Not another preventable death. ]

[philoxenia]

Of course.

[ She sips at her own. ]

Do you do this a lot? Make drinks.

[snackooed]

Guess I must've had a sixth sense tingling or something, then.

[ There's just a touch more mirth to it, when she hears that, and she takes a seat next to her... ]

Or maybe I was just feeling the same way? The bar and the company was nice, don't get me wrong, but between you and me, I think I've had my fill of high energy for one day, really.

[ Things can only get so chaotic... ]

Sometimes, private and low-key like this is better. You have the right idea of it.

[reallyhatesharks]

Used to be my job - I went to school for it and everything.

[Anyway then the sharknados attacked.]

Library

[bolderfell]

Oh. Mira.

[Therion glances away, but then shakes his head and sighs.]

You know which room is Rhea's, right?

[philoxenia]

No wonder you look so comfortable there. [ a pause. ] What made you choose that?

bar;

[snackooed]

[ There's the unmistakable sound of a coin pressed up against the bartop, as Kirei pensively stares at his wine glass. Seems like Ema's tapped one for the vending machine down not too far from where he sits, on the barten's side of the wood. ]

It's not quite a penny, but that's for your thoughts, Father Kotomine.

[fivestagegod]

[Yeah, Birkin is sort of Sir Not Appearing In This Bar; he can be found in the workshop as usual, though he isn't sacrificing anything else to the hellpuppet collective today. He's just spending time in here because it's somewhere to be; he's got the leech with him and the leech has one of the hard-boiled eggs from the machine, though it doesn't seem interested in eating it so much as it does just...nudging it a lot and recoiling when the egg rolls a bit.

This is clearly a good use of a workbench.

But then, most people aren't in here after a trial, so it's got that going for it, which is nice.]

Have you...?

[He doesn't really know what to do with the assertion that he's been looked for.]

Is everything all right?

[blackmass]

...I have no need of it. Neither do I have any wish to speak on such a disastrous week's events.

[He's Fine]

[philoxenia]

Hmmm. I can believe that. Ema Skye, Ace Psychic....

[ Despite herself, she lets out a quiet laugh. ]

... I know what you mean. It feels like it gets more and more exhausting each week, doesn't it?

[ And what had been said during-- she can't even call it a trial. What a farce. ]

Maybe it's because we're all getting to know each other better....

[ But does she really know anyone? Ugh. No, she can't afford to think like that, or she won't be able to keep her head above water... ]

Y'know, not

[bolderfell]

[Therion hunches into himself a little, like he's bracing himself for a dressing-down. It's kind of funny, dressed up as he is in the black suit.]

Why.

[philoxenia]

Therion. Hello.

[ She nods, though. ]

I do. ... Do you have something for her?

[snackooed]

I get what you mean. Between the motive, and everything about today, I can't say that I blame you for wanting to just sort of put it behind you. I do, too.

[ Poor guy, though. He's been having a go of it, too, clearly... ]

At least we didn't have to look for the missing blood this time, though, right?

[philoxenia]

[ Sup, Della, if you're taking a break and sitting somewhere, Mira will take a seat beside you and offer a mug of hot cocoa. ]

Thank you for helping. It really... well, helped.

[blackmass]

...Quite. I would sooner deal with a misguided child than a vampire.

[At least, he was pretty sure that was the case.]