Participants:
| Scene Title | Puppies and Updates |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Delilah runs into Melissa at the lounge; they talk of puppies, the evolved, and a lack of straight men. |
| Date | February 23, 2010 |
Melissa looks vastly different than she did the night before, since she's gotten rid of the dress and gone back to her skirt and corset. And right now she's got her hair pulled back, a drop cloth on the floor and she seems to be painting the 'lounge' of the Den. At least that's the only possible reason for the smell of paint and walls that are now multi-hued.
It's only for a bit, but Delilah has been going around dropping of some 'interdepartmental mail' for the Ferry. She had no idea what is in the envelopes, but has been guessing that it probably has something to do with supplies and weather. Or something practical. Somehow she has convinced mister Calogero upstairs to let her tie Samson up just on the inside of the store; maybe it was the dog's calmness even in the face of a store full of meat. Possibly he may get a treat for being quiet and sitting in one place.
The sound of the door upstairs is really all that comes before Delilah comes a-tromping down the staircase, hopping off onto the floor and only then taking stock of the room. Her eyes blink wide when she sees Melissa. Oh, Popsicles! Small world!
Melissa glances over at the sound of footsteps, then she blinks when she sees a familiar face. "Okay, getting tired of the shocks. First Helena shows up in New York, now you're one of the club? Weird." She smiles then, putting down the paint roller in her hand. "Hey Delilah."
"Been in this club almost a year, haha." And even now Delilah can be surprised by who she finds in it. "I should have suspected something when I met you at Lucy's canoodling with the others." Her words imply that more there are either in the club or skirting it. "I have this for the house-" The redhead flashes the brown envelope. "Dunno what it is, but seems every place is getting one."
Melissa arches a brow, then she reaches for a rag to wipe her hands off. "Well, better take a look at it then." She grins, dimples and all. "Since I'm runnin' this place. But I didn't know most of the people at Lucy's were Ferrymen. Just one or two."
"Well, Abby's not technically, but most of us are cool with her. Leo too, he's lived with a couple houses before staying with Abby. But Lucy's seems to be kinda stacked with us. Not to say everyone there is, so don't assume. It's always best to actually find out." Delilah passes over the envelope when it looks like she can take it. "Lucy's is kind of a …neutral ground hub thing for lots of people. Police, Ferry, Phoenix, outcasts, evos- I've seen Frontline people there a lot too. It's weird but nice, I guess." If she ever has a place like that she will make sure that it is as cool a hub!
Melissa nods as she takes the envelope. "Yeah, I ran into Leo here. Was kind of surprised. But he seems cool." She opens the envelope to find out what's inside while she listens. "Any Company people ever show up at Lucy's to roust the evolved?"
"If Company people show up, it's only to get a beer. I've only suspected a couple, so I guess if they do come they keep to themselves. Besides, the people with abilities that go there are probably already in whatever system they have, so as long as nobody sets people on fire or anything… and a couple people know agents, so yeah- it's weird- but there's some kinda unspoken accord inside, so nobody worries. And if there is ever trouble I imagine the oodles of people with abilities or guns will step in and finish it. The other week some poor guy accidentally busted up a glass with his power and about four people pulled out pistols. I think he peed his pants." Delilah talks, did you notice?
Melissa glances up and smiles faintly. "I'm in the system, but they'd probably love to lock me up again. They already did once. And I'll do whatever I have to in order to keep from going back. But it's good that it's been a neutral zone so far. Maybe it'll continue to be that way."
"I'm in too, and then a few weeks ago I got arrested- but somehow I squeaked out a tier two." Delilah says this in a hushed tone, shivering slightly. "We don't make messes and they don't bother us. I hope it stays that way too. Abby would go insane if they tried something or staked outside the doors waiting to catch people."
Melissa gives another of those faint smiles. "Somehow they knew what I was, tracked me down, stamped tier three on my forehead and threw me into Moab. Wasn't fun. Glad you got out with just a tier two though. That ever changes, you better believe I'll be doing my damnedest to break your ass out of whatever cell they put you in."
"You and a hundred other people." Delilah is not ashamed or afraid to say that, boot scuffing on the floor. "I'm dangerous, so it better not change. I wouldn't have ever registered if I could have helped it, but those guys made a mess over in Meadows and it was a riot. But, I met mister Praeger, so I guess it's okay."
"Yeah, I met Praeger too. Had a meeting with him, Doc Brennan, and one of his flunkies," Melissa says, nodding and sitting down on the arm of a couch. "Mind if I ask what your ability is?"
"I thought he was a nice man. Maybe it was his smile that drew me in." Delilah just really remembers him being the most lovely person. Her hands pull at themselves, scratching at her mittens. "On my card it is 'Psychoactive Secretion'. Cat and I came up with that a while ago so I just went with it."
"Praeger? I don't know. He /says/ he wants what's best for this community, but he's government, and I don't trust government," Melissa says with a shrug. Then her head tilts slightly. "Psychoactive secretion? What, like the poison on those toads people lick? And who's Cat?"
"I'm sure you'll meet her sometime. Yeah, like the toads. But people don't actually get high off those toads- animals do. I'm like a poison toad, but for humans and animals. At a certain point I can overdose people. Physically it's because the poison attacks the respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological systems." She counts at her fingers as she explains, trying to remember what she has learned explicitly. "Mentally it changes person to person. I can poison two people- one might see giant spiders and start shooting things, another might start puking and think she's breathing mustard gas- it's kind of like a grab bag. I have a notebook about stuff, but I've never purposefully experimented.”
Melissa's brows lift as she listens, and she nods. "That's a handy skill. Surprised they only stuck you at tier two, to be honest. Glad they did of course, just surprised. It's a pity you can't choose how they'll react though. Puking would be better for disabling a person. And less dangerous than random shooting at things that aren't there."
"I think I only got it because I don't have the hair-trigger reaction I had when it first happened. I'd get just a little bit upset and it would start up. I poisoned a guy at work, even. I told them he was already high when he came in and was saying weird things when he ordered. Worked, but then I quit because it was just awkward. People with the ferry helped me control it though, so I've learned a lot. Not enough to just command it out of my hands, but enough so that I can bring it when I need it and keep it from leaking all over the place when I stub my toes." Delilah rubs a mitten at her elbow and laughs hesitantly. "So it was either my control of it and the fact I can live in society- or Praeger did me a preemptive favor."
Melissa smiles wryly. "I can sympathize there. I didn't poison anyone, but I don't think /any/ of us have control at first. But how'd Praeger help you out?" she asks curiously, moving to a cooler full of beer and soda. She takes out a coke, and offers one to Dee while she talks.
"I mean if it wasn't my dazzling explanation that got me two, it might have been him. I met with him after being arrested- it's how he wanted to tell us that he wanted to help. I was a messenger, basically. But at first when he told me who he was I was entertaining the idea that maybe he wanted to give me a job- but that only happens on television! Fff." Delilah scoffs loudly.
Melissa arches a brow, then smiles. "Well where you working instead? And really, do you want a /government/ job?" she asks, popping open her soda and chugging down a few gulps.
"The Rock Cellar. It's not as neutral as Lucy's, but a lot of folks are in and out. And hey- maybe it could have been them wanting someone from the other side! I dunno, I like to daydream." Delilah laughs at herself, brushing her hair back.
Melissa grins. "Dreaming is good. I dream of a guy who's straight, decent, doesn't freak out about my ability, and acts his age. We'll see if I ever find him. In the mean time…I'm thinking of getting a puppy."
"We're full up on queers, so you might wanna go outside the circle." Delilah likes to be honest. "I brought my dog, mister Cala-gala-wh- the Italian guy upstairs- let me chain him inside the door. Samson's probably gotten something from his wife, mark me. Got him this past summer at the pound. Seems like we're starting a dog pack among us, haha."
Melissa busts out laughing. "Like Leo? Yeah, I noticed. Hence the dream part. Not sure I'll get a dog from the pound either. Want something that's cute and loveable with me, but that also doubles as a guard dog. Like a German shepherd."
"I lucked out. Samson belonged to an old guy that had him trained as one. Old guy died, nobody could take his dog." Delilah is all for the pound. "There are too many dogs already, I didn't like the idea of giving people a reason to breed more."
Melissa nods. "Point. Guess I could check around, see if the pounds have any German shepherd puppies. 'Cause I want something young, yanno?"
"Samson's about four or five already. Nobody was sure." Delilah glances up at the ceiling of the basement. "And I didn't need to train him hardly at all, so I like that about older dogs. The old dogs and new tricks stuff is just baloney."
Melissa grins. "Yeah, but then you miss the cute and awkward puppy phase! I love that phase. When they're tripping over their own feet and all. Though I guess that does also mean a wait before he actually would be able to do guard dog stuff."
"I just play with other people's puppies. And Sam does that tripping over himself thing just fine. Too much of him that he has no idea what to do with." Delilah smirks. "Yeah, if you get a little guy he won't be much of a guard dog for a while."
"Damn. Decisions. I hate decisions. Good thing I picked a job that's full of 'em, huh?" Melissa says with a crooked smile. "So what's the rundown on things around here anyway? Heard that some people went after the Refrain, to shut it down, and Praeger's deal with Summer Meadows, but that's about it."
"Right now? That seems like all it is. You might want to catch up on what's gone on before, if just so you can know it for future purposes." Delilah is a history advocate! "Grand Central is a good place to look for someone who can bring you up to speed- Scott, Grace- the old hats, you know?"
Melissa nods. "Sure, sounds good. Hate to have history repeat itself. At least the bad things. I'll see if I can track those two down for a chat. Anything huge you wanna share with me now?"
"We had some big problems a few months back with Humanis First, and some terrakinetic named Norman White. Out of the current events, definitely catch up on those. Other than that, have at it." Delilah smiles. "Just meet as many people as you can, too. I'm still meeting people."
Melissa grins. "Oh, I'm working on it. That's why I went to the big shindig last night. To meet people. And it worked. Still shocked to have seen Helena there. But in a good way. We were sorta buds before."
"Were you? Cool." Delilah doesn't know much about Moab, and it is never first thing on her mind when it comes to knowing someone from somewhere else. "She's a good friend of mine. I'm glad I know her. We've got lots of people to meet, and I hope you can meet more. It's a small world when it comes to people like us."
Melissa smiles, nods. "Yeah, it does seem to be. And I'm glad to know her too. More glad that I was able to get her to go with you last night rather than doing something she'd get arrested for."
"Yeah, me too. She probably would have lopped that girl's head right off." People are protective of each other around here." One reason that Dee was so certain that she'd be sought after if anything bad happened to her and she was taken away. Close-knit makes for loyalties.
Melissa nods. "Yeah, probably. Can't blame her though. I'd have been pissed off in her situation too. Thanks, by the way, for helping get her away from that chick."
"I'm a voice of reason, which is kind of sad." Delilah hums, not mentioning that she needs voices of reason too. "I probably won't do anything if they meet on the street though. Maybe get a right hook in myself." Hah, yeah, she needs one too sometimes.
Melissa grins. "I probably wouldn't either. But there? Yeah, had to. And don't feel bad, I'm a voice of reason myself. I hate it. Didn't used to be like that, but eh. Things change."
"Well, I should get going. Samson is a good dog, but he is in a store full of meat, so-" Delilah edges towards the stairs again. "I'll see you around, alright?"
Melissa grins. "Yeah, sounds like a bull in a china shop. But I'm sure we'll run into each other again. See ya 'round."
Delilah gives Melissa a big smile before heading upstairs; before the door closes a second time Melissa will probably hear the booming bark of Samson finally getting a scrap. That's the sound of a huge dog, and it rumbles through the floor a little. Yeesh.