In The Wake Of The Riots

Participants:

anna_icon.gif griffin_icon.gif kendall_icon.gif melissa_icon.gif milton_icon.gif nadira_icon.gif

Scene Title In the Wake of the Riots
Synopsis People gather at Tartarus to remember the dead and hope for the living.
Date November 22, 2010

Tartarus


The goth club Tartarus is normally full of, well, goths, and the décor and atmosphere are usually tailored to suit those people, as they're the type who normally come in and spend money. It's goths that keep the club afloat. Today however, is much different.

Signs at the door tell that the club's normal operations are shut down tonight so that a wake can be held for all those lost in the riots. The lights, normally red, are a more normal, but still soft color, though there's still few enough of them that it's still relatively dim within the club. And though black is still a favored color among those who have gathered to remember, it's not the only one by far. Some have chose to remember those they've lost with bright colors and fake laughter as they tell stories about friends and family. And more than one has brought children with them, making Tartarus more into a family event than a place for young singles.

There are no candles offered like at so many memorials that have and will take place, but instead there's a large poster against the wall near the door, easily ten feet long and six feet high. Printed is In memory of… and pens of various colors lay nearby, for people to write names or messages on the paper. More than a few of those in attendance have done so, including the manager who's neatly written Pandora, Jonas, Knox, and Oleander in large, colorful print, along with every name that was mentioned in the news in smaller black print.

And of course it wouldn't be a wake without alcohol, so the bar is open, with drinks offered at a discounted price. Tonight isn't about making money, it's giving the dead a good send off and the living a way to mourn. The music played is softer than usual, and not all goth either. It's less of a focus than on a regular night.

Standing in her usual spot is Melissa, leaning against the bar, without a cigarette or drink like normal, but wearing her new favorite 'suit' of pinstriped corset and pants topped with a black fedora. And in her arms is a baby just little more than half a year old, dressed in black as well. Goth black, but with pink accents. Girly baby goth.

Kendall had three reasons for leaving Pollepel Island: The first, he was worried sick over his video games being abandoned at Kaylee's apartment, so as soon as he was capable of it he snuck in and grabbed everything under his cloak of invisibility(actually a ring). Second reason, to inform his bosses that he is not actually dead this time either. And now he's coming to the third reason. He hadn't contacted Melissa since the 8th, so he was feeling pretty guilty, so upon hearing she's hosting something, he decided to show up. He comes into the bar, fidgeting a little. She's going to either hug him to death or kick his ass, or maybe both.

Milton is by no means a regular at Tartarus any more than he is on any other goth venues in the city, but equally, he's not an unknown face in the subculture either. His lean and angular appearance, and his poetic mien, both make him a natural ally to the goth set, a fellow-traveler rather than an actual signatory. At the moment he's in front of the poster board, reading the list of names inscribed upon it with a morose expression. And oddly enough, like Melissa, he too is sporting a black hat — this one a stetson.

Anna would normally probably not even allowed to enter the place, being very much a minor. Still, the teen slips into the place, dressed entirely in black herself. She maneuvers herself to a place to the side, and trying not to draw too much attention to herself. She's probably not well liked by at least some of the people here, due to her recent anti-evolved activities. Still, a few school friends of Anna have died in the riots, and the teen does take the time to write their names onto the paper.

Nadira's with the alcohol. Nadira's always with the alcohol. She's serving drinks with more of a passive smile than usual, but it fits the occasion as she slides drinks quietly across the counter to their respective orderers. She glances over at the wall with the paper, watching it for a long time. She had no plans on touching that paper, if she could help it. She pours some Jack Daniels into a glass, sliding it over to a customer.

It takes some time before Melissa spots Kendall in the midst of the other mourners. But she does eventually spot him. At first her head just tilts and she studies him for a long moment, hiding whatever her initial reaction is to seeing him. She doesn't start towards him though, maybe the baby's heavy enough that she doesn't want to navigate the club. Or maybe it's punishment for not hearing from him since sticking him on the boat to Ferry Island.

Oh, good. Melissa isn't immediately charging up to him and glomping him. Wait, is that a baby? Blink. Well maybe he can avoid notice even further. He slips off to the side, out of sight from most people. Once there, he pops a piece of candy into his mouth, and when he comes back into sight, he appears subtly older. It's not too noticeable, since it's just a few years, but. And so he casually heads for the counter. "Hey, I'd like something."

Milton watches Anna write the names on the board. He himself has not added a single stroke of the pen to the memorial. "Good friends of yours?" he says with a sympathetic air to her, by way of a conversational gambit.

The teen just nods to Milton, forcing a sad smile. She doesn't linger around him, instead making her way to someone she knows. Someone she recognizes, "Hey Ken." Anna greets the older teen, "Where've you been? We thought you were dead." She does notice the… distinctly older look, but writes it off as something to do with the lights and surroundings.

"What would you like, then?" Nadira peers towards Kendall, then towards Anna, then raises an eyebrow. Either there's some major jailbait situation going on, or something's fishy. Besides, who comes up to a bar and asks for 'something'? "Can I see some ID?"

The shower and shave he got while at Pollepel Island was refreshing. Griffin scrubbed himself clean, shaved that two-week beard he had going on, and generally enjoyed being clean. The blood-stained suit he was stuck in was thrown out, too. Upon returning to the city proper, Griffin retrieved his things from where he had them stashed. He's decked out in his best suit, complete with a heavy wool coat kept for occasions of cold weather such as these past few days. His elegant black cane, with its silver knob handle, accompanies him today.

Green eyes glance about as he enters, adjusting his coat. After scanning the room briefly, his attention turns toward the bar, and he begins to weave his way through the crowd, slipping up to the bar in a spot where Nadira won't see him immediately. He watches her for a long moment in silence. Then, he grins faintly. "Glenlevit on the rocks, please."

A brow arches when Kendall goes sneaking off and making himself older. Melissa shakes her head. "Our boy's about to get his ass kicked," she murmurs to the baby, giving her a little bounce before moving over towards Kendall, shaking her head to him, then Nadira. "Don't even think about it," she says, voice flat. "Soda, water or juice," she adds, giving Kendall a hard look.

"Sure." Kendall pulls out his ID, which is also illusioned and declares that his birth year is 1986 and expires next year. "What would you suggest? I'm always willing to try something new." Kendall also knows that one drink is his limit if he wants to keep his illusion intact. Anna is glanced at. Oops, she might blow his cover. "I'm not dead this time." does that mean he was once before? And then his cover really is blown, since Melissa shows up. Glower. "Yes, Mom." sulk. Then he peers at Junko. "I didn't even know you were pregnant. Or did you steal someone's baby?"

Milton responds stoically to being blanked by Anna; perhaps he's used to this with girls. He regards the memorial board for a few more seconds, then turns and scans the room, walking slowly in the direction of the bar.

A faint chuckle is given by Anna, who turns to Nadira, "Diet coke, please… with two cubes of ice." The girl then looks back to Kendall, peering at that ID, "Since when are you that old, Ken?" She shrugs before looking back to Ken's face, "We miss you at the store, Ken… we all have to work harder since you're not showing up… I don't have the time to work as hard as I have to now."

Nadira looks between Melissa and Kendall. Ah-ha! So there IS something suspicious here. She peers towards Kendall, raising an eyebrow, but then his mention of babysnatching actually causes the rare reaction of the proverbial hackles to rise. "Melissa did a very noble thing taking this child in and she's done a lot of work taking care of her. Be respectful." With that she slides a coke over towards him. She's not even letting him pick the drink! She slides over Anna's own coke, offering her a warm smile before she moves down towards the other end of the bar. She did remember hearing about an order for Glenlevit…

And then Nadira sees who it is. She practically chokes, moving from behind the bar around to the other side so that she can properly throw her arms around Griffin and not let go as she erupts into sobs.

Griffin has a faint smile as Nadira promptly flings herself at him; his cane is leaned against the bar just in time for him to wrap his arms around her, holding her close in silence for a long while. Kisses are planted on her shoulder, then on her cheek, as he holds the woman he's been missing horribly for the past two weeks. After a moment, he even goes so far as lifing her off of her feet and holding her up with strong arms. It was difficult for him; he can only imagine how difficult it must have been for her, not knowing what happened to him.

"I'm back, now." His voice is gentle, soothing almost. "I won't let this happen again. Promise." He would notice Melissa, but he's a bit too busy holding Nadira as if she'll disappear (or he will) if he lets go of her.

Kendall's given another long, unamused look by Melissa right up until Nadira jumps in defensively, which has Mel looking surprised. Not unpleasantly so, though. But then she nods and looks back to Ken. "Her mother was executed along with six others the day of the riots. By soldiers. Four of them were part of the family you've been staying with." She nods towards the poster. "Name's are up there. At least the ones I knew. I didn't know three of 'em," she admits.

She shrugs and shifts the baby, still favoring her right arm, but moving so Kendall can see the baby better. "You know I'm a sucker for taking in people. Her name's Junko. I call her Junie more often though. Even if it doesn't go with all the goth baby stuff I've bought her." She pauses a moment. "When'd you get back?"

Kendall sighs at Nadira's reaction, eying the soda. And then he slowly returns to normal, since people are expressing disbelief that he's actually 24. "Today, actually… it's been difficult getting away, and all, with all the crap that's been going on with the 8th." even though it's been two weeks. "No one likes us." he sighs. "Even though we didn't do anything." Anna is shrugged at. "Well it's understandable, right? I mean, I would've risked my life coming before now."

Nadira's sudden outburst as she flings herself at Griffin draws the attention of several people, Milton among them. He comes to a halt in his progress toward the bar, and delivers himself of a wry smile at one corner of his mouth and a corresponding quirk of the eyebrow. This is, he thinks to himself, merely the first of many emotional reunions he will no doubt witness tonight.

Bemusedly, Anna asks Melissa, "Don't suppose you got room for one more?" While her tone is jocular, there seems to be a more serious layer beneath the question. A distinctly sad smile accompanies the words. "I'm Anna, by the way… coworker of Ken." The teen then looks back to Ken, "We didn't know where you were… if I had been in charge… I'd have fired you by now. There's such a thing as a phone."

Nadira, ordinarily, would go for a hug and then get right back to work, but this is an exception. This is Griffin, and she was worried he might be dead. She wouldn't admit he was, but there was always that fear. Crying in public isn't usually her thing either, but she's a bit distracted. She doesn't seem to plan on letting him go any time soon as she clings desperately to him. "I am so glad you are okay, Griffin. I've—" She chokes off the words, burying her face against his chest. She also doesn't want to move her head for fear of catching someone's gaze. She's embarrassed she's crying.

For all that Griffin is concerned, the entire world doesn't exist outside of the embrace he shares with the Egyptian woman. As her head presses against his chest, a gentle hand clasps the back of it, planting small kisses on the woman's hair. Normally, he's not much for PDA, especially on this level, but…well, this is Nadira, and she's special.

"It's okay." His voice is calm, soothing, and he offers a brief glance around the bar for a moment, before offering a faint smile back down to Nadira. Dipping his head down, he whispers quietly into her ear, his fingers playing through her hair as he does so. These words are for her ears only.

"Why do you think I fight?" Melissa murmurs, more to herself than to Kendall. She moves closer, carefully draping her right arm around his shoulders and giving him a squeeze. "I like you though, Kendall. You're family, whether you like it or not," she says, watching Nadira and Griffin for a moment.

She looks at Anna then, frowning a bit. "Good thing Raquelle's in charge then." She cocks her head. "I'm Mel. And right now I barely have room for myself." Back to Kendall. "End of February. Plan on moving back in then, alright?" She's quiet for a long moment, then says, softly, "Ling won't be back though. She was killed."

Kendall is surreptitiously eying Griffin and Nadira from the corner of his eye. Maybe he's trying to learn something on how to interact with women, picking up cues or something. And then there's an arm wrapped around him, and he blinks at Melissa. "Well, you've probably got your hands full with the baby, so… maybe I should stay away for a little while until things get adjusted." then he shakes his head. "Other job, Melissa. The comic book store one." and then Melissa drops a (figurative) bomb. "What?"

Milton frowns quietly to himself as tears start to flow. The lanky young man has never been any good when girls start getting emotional, and this time is no exception. Plus, he thinks to himself, the odds are there'll be more waterworks before tonight is through. Still with a frown on his face, he turns abruptly and heads for the exit door.

"Damn." Anna responds to Mel's comment about not having room.. "I don't know how much longer I can stay with the Brodericks without turning insane." She sighs and then looks at her coke, taking a sip, "I just wish I still had my parents.." The teen whispers to herself.

Nadira's still aware of where they're at, which tugs her mind between going back to work and ohgoddontletgoyoucouldhavebeendeadwherewereyou. Still, there are arms around her and she doesn't have to look at anyone for the moment, so she takes in a deep breath. There are less tears, now, as the initial shock is over, and whatever was whispered gets a small nod from Nadira.

Griffin holds Nadira close, apparently quite happy to not let her go. It feels good to have her so close, especially after thinking he may never see her again. He whispers into her ear once more, a faint smile on his face, then he leans back to plant a kiss on her forehead.

Melissa's words about Ling's death reach his ears, however, and Griffin turns, suddenly, to peer quietly at Melissa with a soft frown. "Ling…?" He doesn't finish his sentence, instead shaking his head and squeezing Nadira once more, before finally setting her back down on her feet with another kiss to her forehead.

Melissa nods and gives Kendall another squeeze. "Read it in the paper. And Edgar's MIA. Tony's still there though, and another friend took Faron's spot in the basement. But I think end of February is plenty of time to get adjusted since it's only mid-November." She pauses, then looks almost guilty. "Sorry can't give you a Thanksgiving anything."

She looks over to Griffin and nods. "Yeah. Knox and Oleander too," she tells him, voice soft. "A lot of people have died in the last two weeks who didn't need to. Who shouldn't have. It's why I did this," she says, a tilt of her head indicating the club in general and the wake specifically. "So drink up in memory of everyone's who's gone."

"Don't worry, we're in a castle, and there's this huge pile of food people brought in, we'll be fine." Kendall sighs a little over Ling. He'll miss her rapier tongue. Then he pauses, and looks at Melissa. "We're in a castle." he repeats, for added emphasis. Anna's words, however, cause him to shake his head. "Sorry about that. Um…. well, I can't really help, or anything, since my parents didn't die, they just kicked me out."

"I kind of wish the Brodericks would kick me out…" Anna says softly, she doesn't have anything to comment regarding Ling, since well… to her, it's just another name on the big laundry list. Not someone she knew personally. So the girl takes another few sips out of her coke.

There's a warm smile from Nadira at whatever Griffin said, murmuring a response before she too glances towards Melissa. "Ling…? Ah… I'm sorry to hear that. I hadn't heard about Ling. Did you put her name up?" She keeps one arm around Griffin, the other reaching up to wipe her face to put herself back in some semblance of order.

Griffin smiles warmly to Nadira's response, planting another kiss on her forehead. Then, a frown is turned toward Melissa at the list of names, the man shaking his head and squeezing Nadira. He's not letting go of her any time soon, even if he has to go behind the bar with her. "Damn…well, let's bust out the Glenlivet, shall we?" He turns a faint smile toward Nadira.

Hearing that Kendall's taken care of for Thanksgiving sort of has Melissa looking a little depressed, and she nods and lets go of him. "Oh. Well, good." Though she clearly thinks it's anything but good. She gives Anna a long, hard look. "No, you don't," she says before nodding at Nadira. "Ling and everyone else I know. And everyone who's name was in the news, whether I knew them or not. They all deserve to be remembered," she murmurs with a look towards the growing list of names.

"Yeah, even the people who were hurt, like Valerie and Kaylee and a whole bunch of other people, will get to enjoy Thanksgiving." oops, in hindsight maybe it wasn't a good idea to bring up Valerie's name. Well maybe Melissa's not paying attention. "A lot of people got hurt and died…. I'm just glad I was grabbed when I lost consciousness like I did." Kendall sighs. "Even if it does mean I'm in Daphne's debt." mutter.

Anna looks up at Mel, "It's not like I have any attachment to them… like they're anything but a poor substite for my parents." That might not entirely do them justice, but well… teens will be teens, right? "And the more time progresses, the more I wish I was eightteen, so I could frickin move out…"

"Right. Time for the alcohol." Nadira says, moving to head behind the bar. She, too, seems to want to stay joined at the hip with Griffin, so she takes him by the hand and guides him behind the bar with her as she fixes him a drink and slides it in his direction before looking to see if anyone else is in need of something.

Green eyes turn toward Anna, and Griffin raises his eyebrows slightly. "Kiddo, you don't want to be eighteen and out on your own. Life outside of childhood and teenage years sucks." He chuckles softly, shaking his head for a moment. "Kids are always in such a rush to grow up. I wish I hadn't been." A charming smile is offered to the young girl. "Enjoy being free of the burden of major responsibility. It only gets more and more difficult as the years pass."

Then, Griffin's attention is drawn back to Nadira, the man sliding onto a barstool to ease the discomfort in his right knee joint. It's difficult for him to not look at her for any long span of time, and there's a certain fondness in his eyes that has grown since before his absence. A faint smile is offered to her as he leads her behind the bar. He takes the drink, taking a large gulp and flinching as it goes down. "That hit the spot."

Once again, he turns his attention from his girlfriend, peering thoughtfully at Melissa. "Hmm. I've been meaning to ask you, Mel. Any interest in a bodyguard for this place?" Sure, he doesn't look like much of a bodyguard, but then…Mel already knows what he does.

"Valerie. And Kaylee," Melissa says in a flat tone to Kendall. "Well. Have fun," she says, moving away from him to find a stool elsewhere. Griffin's question has her shrugging. "I've got bouncers. Don't need bodyguards. We don't have that much trouble in here." And she nods towards the nearest bouncer.

Kendall sighs at Melissa's reaction, then shakes his head and looks away, turning his attention to Griffin and Anna. "I could tell you how bad it was, especially if you were kicked out in the middle of that freak snowstorm last year. I almost died." he nods solemnly. "That's how I ended up staying with Melissa." Griffin is eyed next. "So… why were you covered in blood yesterday?" he asks the man, since Melissa seems to know him and therefore he can't be too bad. And Nadira seems to know him, erm… pretty well.

"Whatever." Anna sighs and goes back to her drink, looking down into the glass as she takes a few sips. The teen doesn't seem to be in the mood to debate this.

Nadira smiles back over at Griffin, then lets her eyes flick quickly over to Melissa first, then Kendall, especially at the question of 'why were you covered in blood'. Oooh dear. She moves a bit, glancing over towards Anna. "Ever had a Shirley Temple? You look like you need a bit of a pick-me-up and somehow I don't think Diet Coke quite cuts it."

"Bouncer, that's what I meant." Griffin offers a gentle smile to Melissa. "I only ask because I am quite unsure how long the construction job will last now that things are so…different, and because…well." He glances toward Nadira, and it's pretty obvious what he means to say: I want to keep an eye on her, too. After a fond glance to the Egyptian, Griffin sips once more at his scotch.

Then, he turns to Kendall, his brows raising as he reguards the illusionist for a long moment, taking another thoughtful sip of the harsh amber liquid as he tries to judge the right words to say. It takes him a while to decide on the correct explanation.

A brief glance is cast toward Anna, then green eyes focus back on Kendall. "On the Eighth, I was helping out the Ferrymen, at the request of a close friend." Speaking of, he needs to speak to Lynette. "I killed people who were attacking innocent women and children, and was arrested." He frowns as he explains this, draining his scotch down to ice.

Then, he's moving for the bottle again to refill his own beverage. He may as well take advantage of being behind the bar with Nadira.

"He did. Got the flu and whined about it the whole time. But then he asked if I'd be his mom and I was sunk," Melissa says, though still in the flat tone of voice. "Nadi? No, damn. Meh. Gimme a coke, will ya?" She looks at Anna, head tilting. "Look, if you haven't gotten shot at, beaten, told that you were a freak or useless or somethin' like that, you got it good wherever you're at."

Then she goes veeeeeeery still and looks at Griffin as he mentions the Ferrymen by name. "Griff? Watch what you're saying or I'll do more than just not hire you," she says, voice and expression harder than before.

Kendall darts a glance from Melissa to Griffin, looking shifty. "Ah… well, uh, I guess that's a good enough reason." but Kendall has to agree with Melissa! About that, anyway. For the rest… "Hey, I did not whine!" he glowers at Melissa. "And I only asked that because it pissed you off to call you that." then to Anna, "I was shot once too, but I got better. And being in a coma for 5 days, don't forget that." he adds, eying Melissa pointedly.

"I don't deserve good…" Anna mutters, then looks at Nashira, "No, I haven't…" A shrug, and a curious glance at Griffin. "You killed people..?" She doesn't mention the Ferrymen, not knowing anything more than what the government has released into the news outlets about the organization.

"Sure you don't want me to slip some Jack into that Coke?" Nadira glances towards Melissa, then her gaze settles back on Anna, mostly from Melissa's comment. "Back in Egypt, they used to stone people. Harder for them to get away with that now… but it's still a common way to deal with things. It's one of the most brutal deaths I can think of." She proceeds to make up a Shirley Temple, sliding it over towards Anna. She'll cover the conversation of Ferrymen by scaring people with tales of stoning. Well, this is Tartarus, after all.

The man falls quiet, drawing back, raising his hand in silent apologies. He's still fairly frazzled. No more words from him for several moments— he's quite content to drain this second glass of scotch. Quickly, the subject is changed. "I've been shot more than once." Thankfully, he's been healed since then, or he'd probably have infections after that awful time in inhumane conditions.

A glance is spared to Anna. "I would do it all over again, to protect those unable to defend themselves." He swirls the ice in his glass, eyes hooding as he studies the teen. Then, he's smiling faintly to Nadira. "Well, I'm certainly glad that this isn't Egypt, and that you got away from there." One hand moves to brush against the woman's back.

"You whined. You said you were gonna die," Melissa says, glancing back to Kendall and arching a brow. "And you didn't know that it bothered me until after you called me mom. Which we both know isn't accurate. You'd listen better if I was a mom and not more of a big sister. Hell, I introduce you as my brother." She shakes her head at Nadira. "I got Junko to take care of. Can't drink while on baby duty. Otherwise I'd just tell you to give me a bottle of Patron."

A pause as she glances between Kendall and Griffin, then she busts out laughing, which startles the baby in her arms. "Oh, you two do not wanna be comparing scars with me in the room."

"I'll take it in mine." Kendall pipes up immediately, smiling at Nadira hopefully. It's not like he's an alcoholic or anything, but he just tries sneaking alcohol at multiple opportunities. "And I could've died, there were people who died from that flu." pause. "I don't have any scars. Should I get some?"

Anna tries a sip from the Temple, and then another, "Not bad, I guess…" She offers, "Thanks." The teen pointedly ignores the topic of stoning, "I just… feel like I.. like I don't deserve to live." The girl mutters, "But suicide is a sin…" She sighs again.

"Protecting is a good cause." Nadira murmurs before she looks back to Melissa with a sympathetic smile. She slides the Coke (just Coke) over to Melissa. The Egyptian blinks, however, at Anna's comments. She's not quite sure how to handle that. "I don't believe the idea is that any of us can earn the right to live. You just do." She's not going to say any more on the topic, looking back towards Griffin. "I am certainly glad I'm here, but I'm beginning to wonder if it is not safer to be somewhere else these days."

Griffin laughs along with Melissa. "Oh, I'm not even going to pretend to try and compare scars. I don't have many." The scars from his wounds prior to the eighth have all been traded for a black palm mark on his chest, which looks more like an elaborately made tattoo combined with scarification than anything else. "Though I do have a lasting knee injury that requires me to use a cane, most days. That has to count for something. Like…a swagger or something?" Ha, silly older man trying to keep up with the times. He's probably a few years off on that slang, too.

A glance is cast toward Anna, Griffin's brows raising as he runs a hand nervously through his hair, which is getting a bit too long for his tastes. He…really doesn't have any words of wisdom to offer on that. None that would help her right now, at least. Instead, he frowns to the girl. "Don't think like that." That's all he offers.

He wraps his arm around Nadira as she speaks to him, planting a small kiss on her cheek, before whispering in her ear once more.

"No," Melissa answers Kendall entirely too quickly. "Scars aren't cool. I got ditched because scars "aren't sexy" and I didn't have nearly as many then as I do now." And in her current outfit several are visible. Left shoulder, right shoulder (fresh), all down her arms, across her forehead, under her chin…

She looks at Anna then and her eyes narrow. "Girl, you had better take that back or get the hell out of my club. Enough people died the last two weeks without you going on some emo teenager pity party. What, did you get a D instead of an A? The boy you like not like you? Because I swear if it's something stupid, with a comment like, with me having lost three friends? I will hurt you. And anyone here can tell you that I can follow through on that promise," she says, tone dark.

She looks at Nadira then, and the ferocity of her voice doesn't lessen. "You're safe here. I will not have my friends and employees hurt. It will not happen." And somehow she manages to keep control of her temper enough so that she's not accidentally hurting those very people.

Kendall blinks and stares at Anna. Yeah, he has no clue what to say to that. As for Melissa…. she's freakin' scary. So Kendall will just be quiet and pretend he's not there. No drawing attention for him.

"What it is? I almost killed dozens of people because I was stupid and hateful and didn't think it through well. That's what it is. Stupid enough for you to hurt me?" Anna bites back at Melissa. She puts down her drink and turns around, "But fine… I'll leave, if you don't want me here, then I guess I have no place to be here."

Nadira lowers her voice in reply to Griffin, and then a smile crosses her features, in spite of the terrifying display. The Egyptian woman nods. "I believe you. We look out for each other." Her gaze shifts to Anna for a long moment, observing her with a slight frown, though she doesn't speak, moving over to slide an arm fully around Griffin and lean lightly against him in thought.

A nod is offered to Nadira, the man kissing her on the cheek once more. Griffin is quiet, in regards to Anna's outbursts, shaking his head. Instead, he focuses his attention back to Nadira, hugging her close and leaning his chin on her shoulder, squeezing her just a little. At the very least, Griffin can be very good at being silent, not a word coming from him.

He certainly isn't going to say anything to Melissa, knowing what she can do. She frightens even him.

Melissa shakes her head slowly, and the look on her face is one Kendall recognizes all too well from when he's pulled stupid stunts. Like getting killed. "Almost killed. Almost is the key word there, Anna. Almost. And really, get off the pity party. I've hurt people by accident. Most of us have. Almost any evolved has when they were learning how to use their ability. So get over yourself and start figuring out how to be smart rather than stupid and hateful. Hell, start now if you want. How did you almost kill dozens of people?"

Kendall looks at Melissa. "I try and focus on the ones whose lives I've saved." he comments quietly. Remember getting shoved out of the way of a bullet, Melissa? "I'm just glad I'm not capable of hurting someone. Not for real, anyway." some pain is all in a person's mind.

Awkward silence comes from Griffin. He is far too busy enjoying his scotch, being the guy who gets to hang out behind the bar with the bartender and obviously display to all those patrons that he and Nadira are an item. He's helpfully handing her bottles of alcohol and putting them back in their places as she works. He's still under the effects of negation injections, and thus there are no floating bottles today.

After a moment, however, he suddenly raises a newly refilled third glass of scotch, clearing his throat. Time for a change of subject; Griffin speaks in a loud, clear tone. "Let us all make a toast today, right now, for those who have fallen. Whether their names are written on the wall, or they live on in the hearts and minds and memories of those that they touched, they will be horribly missed." He raises the glass further.

"We must not take the events of the eighth lightly. The world as we know it is changing, and we must never forget the lessons that the past offers. We must all strive to learn from the past, so we can prevent it from repeating itself as it is so prone to do." He closes his eyes, dipping his head in a silent prayer.

"To the future." With that, Griffin tosses back a large gulp of his scotch.

Melissa nods at Kendall without really looking at him. "Exactly." Yeah, she remembers. And all the deaths she caused to save others. It's a dirty world, but someone has to live in it. Anna's confession has Mel's brows shooting up. "Why in the hell did you try and do that?" she demands. "You got something against books? Against readers?" She's so intent on that that she misses the toast, though she has no scotch or alcohol to toast with.

"You tried to set a BOOKSTORE on fire?!" nevermind the people, the BOOKS! Kendall eyes Anna. "Whyyyy?"

"I had my reasons…" Anna responds, "And I'm not sure I agree with those reasons anymore…" The girl sighs… "Like I said… I shouldn't have tried to pull that stunt… it was a rotten, evil stunt.." And then Kendall gets all angry, and Anna just mutters a scared "Sorry…"

"To the future." Nadira agrees, raising a bottle to the toast, but not drinking. She just had one in hand. She glances towards the others, then looks back to Griffin. "And to those who survived."

Griffin peers quietly toward Melissa, Anna, and Kendall, before his attention is once more drawn back to Nadira, smiling. "Indeed." After planting a kiss on her forehead, he slurps down a few more gulps of that third glass. This will be more than enough for him for the night.

"Well, unless you wanna share those reasons and work past them, don't start talking that right to live and suicide bullshit around me. Especially not now," Melissa says in the tone she usually saves for Kendall. The Mom tone, that dares someone to argue. And with that said, she lifts her coke for the toast then gulps it down, wishing it were alcoholic.

Kendall lifts his own coke for the toast, then shakes his head. "No one deserves to die, and wanting to kill yourself is just stupid. Live to spite whatever it is that makes you wanna die." and at that point, Kendall finishes his drink and walks for the door. And if anyone tries following him, well good luck with that because he's doing his disappearing trick.

"I guess I'll just leave… no point in me sticking around any longer." Anna states as she makes way for the door, doing her best to ignore any attempts to keep her around if they come. "Seeya, perhaps." She says as the last thing before finally getting to the door.

People come and go from the wake, unconventional as it may be. Griffin's toast isn't the first nor the last that'll be made, nor is he the last that'll get drunk from celebrating life and remembering those who have moved past it. Nadira's kept busy making drinks, and Melissa says nothing about Griffin being behind the bar with her. But then, she knows what's it's like to lose someone, then find them again.

And really, that's what everyone here is really hoping for, no matter how impossible it is.


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