New Year, Same Problems

[Sally]

"Hey, Mason," Sally says with a nod. As he listens to Mason's explanation, and the exchange with Madrigus, he says,

"I'll admit I don't know shit 'bout shit when it comes to ya'lls obligations. What I does know is that you two- an' Hartighan, an' Phil, an' Gabriel, an' Beatrice, an' Alana ain't never done wrong by me, an', as far as I know, by the bulk of us. So, I figger, Imma take the Eden Jones route and say that, as long as somebody ain't bein a asshole 'r tryin' to kill any of us- includin' ya'll-, they OK by me."

"But, yeah Mason's gotta point. I ain't sayin' we should go after anythin' on this list, exactly, jus' that we should be aware. ... even if Leo done caused that trouble hisself. He's one 'a us, and thus, his foolishness is gon' be ou' foolishness."

Looking around, he says, "If we can pin down whatever's crawlin' out from each other's beds an' closets an' such, then mayhap we ken be pre-pared when it comes." He doesn't quite sigh, but keeps his eyes down to the sheets as he says, "Mighta given us a few minutes more warnin' bout what was to happen wit' Gus. Or we coulda had Bobby Gray or Hartighan & Nile get us some help dealin' with Talon when they came fer Pan-dor-a. Or any other such Bogeyman comin' ou' way."

With a shrug, Sally looks back up. "I can''t open up that Cave whastist and blow that fuckin' thing back to whatever hellhole it crawled outta. I can't go kickin' in doors an' holdin' blowtorches to folks till they spill the beans- Sheriff's orders- so, best I ken do is get or-gan-ized and meth-od-ical 'bout makin' sure our backs, an' ou' sides, an' our way for'ward is all covered. Fer all a' us. S'all I ken do."

[kimp]

:: Liberty abruptly stood, pushing her stool back slightly then pointing at it and saying ::
Fives

:: That said she strode over to the kitchen and stopped near Dr Kennigan ::
Da...
:: the word choked off. She drew a breath through her nose and amended with ::
Ma'am. A question?

:: Her tone was all business; her expression placid or, more to the point closed off. ::

[Ellie Kennigan]

As Blue called for her attention, Ellie said something else to the cook -- from his reaction, it was probably something to the effect of "Catch you later." She shifted her weight on her crutches to face Blue with a practiced grace. "Ma'am? Ellie's fine," she could be heard to say before picking up her mug for another draw of coffee. The rest of their conversation was lost in the din of the diner for now.

[PoeticJustice]

Alice looked up from the corner she was sitting in, looking up from her journal. She frowned deeply, closing the book but keeping her page. Her eyes flickered to Fel.

[Wolfman2006]

Mason nods to Madrigus
"Yeah sure remind me, I'll be finished it soon."

Turning back towards Sally
"Yeah we've a way to go, but its worth noting we've come a long way and fast. Honesty, trust, and all that doesn't come quick or easy after all. Keeping track of what we know is a good second step, we can figure out a third when we get there. We should be careful to make distinctions between what we actually know as opposed to what we think we know. Some of the stuff on that list we have compiled a lot of information on, confirmed facts. Others we know next to nothing about, they are no better than rumors, misinformation can be dangerous. You might want to consider a way of keeping track of that."

[PoeticJustice]

Alice pushed herself to her feet, striding across the AAA to take a look at his list. She frowned and looked at what was written under her name, pointing at the crossed out Jabberwocky.

"I do not believe this should be crossed out," she said, swallowing heavily. She looked down and shook her head, moving to retake a seat. Any observant eyes on her would notice her hands shaking faintly.

[Wolfman2006]

A look of mixed perplextion and concern crosses Mason's face as Alice speaks

"Alice, I'm sorry to pry but if its on the list that means we need to be aware of it... what is it exactly? What do we need to know?"

[PoeticJustice]

"I don't know," she admitted, her voice quiet and very carefully measured. "I thought it was a demon. The demon who made me.... like this..." she gestured vaguely at her head. "Who took my exorcism rites from me, so I had to get them tattooed on my arms so I would never forget them again." Unless I am flayed, she thought absently. But then I would have a different set of problems.

"It is... coming. I believe. For me..." she looked down at her hands. "Although I cannot remember its name. It took that from me as well."

"I... do not want people to get hurt for my problems..." she said her brow furrowing as that suddenly occurred to her.

[Wolfman2006]

Mason nods and speaks firmly but empathetically

"Of course you don't, but they likely would be if they didn't know what might be coming for you, somehow I doubt that ignorance will protect them should it come. That is the entire point of Sally's list... people tend to get hurt by others problems when they don't know about them. At least this way there is some level of understanding, who knows maybe we can even prepare. So a Demon huh... welp thats almost good news all things told. Demons I know, and I suppose its better to face the monster you know than the one you don't. Not gonna lie was afraid for a minute there I was afraid you were going to say its draconic monster magically made manifest from a story or something, at this point cause why not."

Mason stops for a minute some thought occurring to him, he looks down at his dangling chains before speaking. He looks thoughtful and speaks a bit distantly, as if almost detached from his own words.

"Sally, add one more name to the list please, you can put it under the Hanleys for now. Write my name after Demons, Darkness, and Fae. This list is about actual or potential dangers and who is keeping track of them, I um definitely qualify as one of those."

[Sally]

Sally listens, nodding, and nearly snorting at Mason's mention of magically-manifest draconics.

"Story's the same fer tha thing in yer shadow," Sally says, looking up to Alice, "We gon' kill hi- it, 'soon as it sets foot wit'in a half-mile of this place." His voice was grave, "Cuz, like Mason said, if they's anythin' this lot knows how to do, iss kill us some-" he glances to Madrigus, "Hostile-Ass Crazy Demons Makin' Trouble Wit Us," he says, hoping his terminology is both accurate and inoffensive, "Any of us."

As Mason makes his request, Sally furrows his brow, clearly conflicted, but does as asked.

"I dunno how many times I don speech-ified 'bout how we's gotta take measures about takin' each other town in the event is necessary, so I ain't gonna pro-test that." He looks up at Mason, after writing the man's name on Page 2, "You get confused, even if ya do somethin' outta... char-ac-ter... Alice can wrangle up that Ashmore fella an' we ken see 'bout sorta ya out, back ta-" he gestured to the Mason Fell before him, his own arm jangling with dangling demonic chains attached to his left wrist. "That goes the same fer any of us. We dogpile on 'em, drag 'em back here and... and... get 'em a b-beer an' some time with the Professor. Minus the former fer me an' JD, a course."

He shakes his head, looking down at the pages and writing a bit more before saying again, "But this is good. We gotta get talkin', lookin' out fer each other more. Guardin' the realms a men an' such."

"How 'bout you Mr. Mad-ri-gus, you gotta any angry Li-brar-ians comin' fer that book 'a yers witta Overdue Library Notice in hand?"

Sally blinks, looking to Eden, "An' seein' as we grew up not so different-like," he grins, "Ya got any blood feuds from the clan a holler 'r two over from yers?"

Sally's notes, Amended, read:
Page 1:
GORALS; JD- MELLIE- SALLY- CORA- JACOB
BIG BAD WOLF
BUTCHER & Sally
GOLLDARN DARKNESS
SASQUATCHES
GOG AND FUCKING MAGOG
EYEBALL COLLECTOR

Page 2:
HANLEYS; CORVUS - MASON - EDEN - AMELIA- RORY- DOC RUE- TJ
GODDAMN DARKNESS
GODDAMN OTHER DEMONS
ALL THE FEY THAT AIN'T MOGGIE
Fell

Page 3:
ALICE N GABE - ONDREJ - ED - ETHAN
THE JABBERWOCK
OTHER GODDAMN DEMONS