Log:Pizza and Beer

Pizza and Beer
Hey, good evening...morning?
Participants Bronwyn Gallagher, Weaver Utridge	15 July, 2018 Weaver stops by Bronwyn's cabin for a visit, and brings pizza.
Location Rental Cabin
This late at night most people are afforded a measure of peace. Bronwyn isn't as fortunate as the sound of knuckles rapping on doors eches. "Bron, it's me." As if that raspy voice of his wasn't evidence enough he adds, "Weaver." A few barks follow that to identify the hedge beast with him. "I brought Fido, too. And pizza. The normal kind even." As if Bronwyn would be asleep when there is a riddle to solve! Though when she does open the door, she has a shawl over her shoulders and her hair is in a state that suggests she could have been napping...at the table where she has set out all the papers. "Hey, good evening...morning? Come on in." She stands back to let him in. "Hey, Fido. Don't drool on the floor please." A quick glance to see if Velvet is there also before she closes the door...and locks it. "I think I'm making progress on the papers" she sighs, removing her glasses for a moment to rub at her eyes. "Pizza smells good." Weaver "Morning for us. Mostly." Then he's quick to add in, "Velvet and I. Not too sure about anyone else, really. Well, Dani's kind of a morning person, but I think that's more a spring." Then he lifts two boxes up in front of him, and comes in with it. The massive beast behind him barks in compliance, much of his house training coming from Velvet. "Vee's with Liv for now. Almost got Liv outta the house today, too. Almost. But what about you, Bron? You been sleeping at all?" "Is Olivia okay?" Bronwyn having missed the whole abduction and rescue business. "Yeah, I get sleep" she yawns. "I do my best thinking while asleep...and having the 'ink' leave marks on my cheek. I don't really know what time it is though. Haven't even seen Widget for a few days. I think it's a few at least." A gesture towards the kitchen. "Pizza on the counter. Keep it away from the papers, please. No grease on the symbols. Like a beer?" "Of course, yeah," weaver says when setting the boxes down. He then pops the first open, and lets the smells of meat and sauce permeat the air before turning to Bronwyn with a smile. "I'll take one, yeah. With Olivia it's just her getting used to coming back. It's been better than most, but it's gonna take some time. If Velvet never told ya, being away and for however long can really, really fuck with you. Hard to tell if it's an illusion or you really are back. Hard to trust, too." "Away where? When did she leave? After the reception?" Bronwyn shakes her head. "No, she was in town." The penny finally drops. "Wait...she was kidnapped? That thing that happened to you all. It happened to Olivia? That was her copy I was talking to?" She leans against the kitchen wall, taking this all in. "Wow. How did you know? She seemed exactly the same as always. When did it happen? Did I ever meet the real Olivia?" A nod to one of the cupboards. "Plates in there." Weaver nods while moving where directed. "Well, um. Just shit. I thought Velvet had told you, but didn't really think about how busy and shit we all were." After getting two plates he goes about setting a slice of pizza on each. "We found out a few days before we found her in the Hedge. Velvet realized the one with us was a fake. She'd been snatched up on the day of the reception: Vee thinks around when we all got fucked up in the house. She's, well, she's a bit different now. A lot different really." "Were they going for her deliberately?" Bronwyn asks, a bit of fear in her voice. "Were you sure they were coming to kill me here or take me away to Hell as well?" She spots the plate and adds, "I'll have two slices, thanks." A scratch of her head. "I'm glad she's back I guess. I'm the real Bron...though I guess I would say that. Would I know?" Weaver nods to damn near every question. He starts on his pizza for just a moment, and then stops, setting it back down on his plate. He reaches over to the pizza to get another for Bronwyn, and delivers hers to her. "Dietrich specifically went for her. Yes, they were coming to kill you but I wouldn't rule out taking you. The guy that came here is dead. You can now, I suppose. She looks fairly different. No more red hair is the main one. She's a lot colder and her hairs all white now. It's kinda weird at first, but not too bad after a while." "What a shame. I don't mind redheads" Bronwyn smirks before a nod of thanks to the plate received. She takes a bite. "Mmm...nice pizza. Will this thing I'm translating for you keep us all safe? Will anything? Or will I always be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life?" Another bite of pizza. "Did you say 'yes' to a beer?" she asks while heading for the fridge. Weaver laughs at the comment, and then goes back to his pizza. "We're about as safe if there were and weren't Changelings. Regular crazies haven't stopped being a thing. From what Velvet said this'll keep us safe. The Changelings. Since the chucklefucks are capturing, torturing, and killing the ones like us." ANd then he nods. "Oh yeah. Yeah, I mean, I'll take a beer." Bronwyn puts her plate down to grab a pair of beers, opening each of the bottles and then handing one over to Weaver. She drags a chair over from the table to the counter, reclaims her pizza and then sits down. "I'm sorry I'm taking so long to figure out those papers but I think I'm almost there" she sighs before another bite of pizza. "How are you doing? You were hurt pretty bad at the reception and...and Velvet told me that it was your son that attacked you. Sort of. Everything gets rather complicated around you guys." "That's the understatement of the year, Bron. Don't know if it's just us as Changelings or what." Weaver shrugs, and then takes a sip of his beer. "I got shot a gain, but I'm fine now thanks to Dani. I was out of it, and things moved to fast. Short version is that Dietrach set up a trap for me, didn't count on Velvet being as a good a shot, and did something to use me for a shield." He taps at his chest, but doesn't wince in pain. "She put him down, as sad as it is to think about. And it's not a problem. If it was something simple, easy, and quick one of us wouldn't have just dropped the burden on just you." "It's not a burden. I want to help" Bronwyn assures Weaver. "I just want to help a bit quicker. And I think Widget has got fed up with hanging around here watching over me. I don't blame her. It's not very exciting watching me get frustrated." A wry smile. "You seem to get hurt a lot, Weaver. You're lucky to have Velvet around." More beer is guzzled and pizza eaten. "So this Dietrich guy is gone for good? No more problems from him. I guess that means you can die." Weaver lifts a finger, still chewing his pizza, and lowers it when done. "I'm lucky to have you fuckers, really. Even my enemies, too, I guess." Another sip of his beer is taken after that. "When Velvet says she killed somebody she did it. I also had a few pieces of bone in me and some blood on me. I know for a- Wait. Hold up. You thought we were immortal or some shit? I mean some of us basically are, and some I'd easily call goddamned invincible. It just takes a whole lotta time and power for some shit like this." "I've seen you come through some pretty life ending situations, Weaver" Bronwyn replies. "And I think Velvet can walk through an atomic explosion" she adds with a smirk. "And that fruit that you have. That sure helps keep you going." A shake of her head. "I'd be toast in minutes and I thought I was pretty tough. You guys keep on keeping on. Like Eveready batteries...no...Duracell. Does this Dietrich guy have friends?" "We were friends. In a weird, fucked up way I'd need several hours and beers to explain. He and I and a few others are like a kind of collective of dragons. Things like dragons. I really don't know if dragons were a for real thing all the way the fuck back when. Maybe. Fuck if I really know." Weaver starts drinking his beer a bit more earnestly until he's found the bottom of the bottle. "Anyway, yeah, we both had friends in a way. There's just no telling how that shit's gonna go down as word gets out." "So why did he attack you?" Bronwyn asks as she gets out the rest of the six pack and places it down in front of Weaver. Looks like she wants to hear a story. "Damion is a dragon too but red. That mean something? All the different colours. I would have said dragons didn't really exist. That they were the stories to explain dinosaur bones combined with the evil of reptiles in general and snakes in particular. Now...not so sure. Umm...odd question here. Your aunt, Dani. The faun. Um...is she naked from the waist down?" "Don't know a Damion, and the colors mean fuck all for all I know. I breathe this kinda stuff that isn't fire, but it'll melt almost anything that isn't super in some kinda way. Dietrich was grey and really tough. That's only part of why he was called The Iron Dragon, though. Other part was that he's a fucking ace with anything you put in front of him, and he can build all kinds of shit. He is- was one of the smartest people I knew aside from you." Weaver doesn't think about that second question, and waits a moment. He still doesn't answer it as he lifts his bottle up to shake out whatever droplets of beer he can get. The bottle's set back down, and he shrugs. "That is so not something I even thought about. Maybe? It's hard to tell with the mask and shit, and I can't see hers unless I really try to or she forces it to the surface." He then shifts to the form she'd been used to before. "Like this," "So you guys see the mask version but I have to see the full view?" Bronwyn does not think this is fair. "Damion is a friend of Widget's. Runs a gym in town...and a strip joint. I guess he makes sure his strippers are fit. He is a red dragon but have no idea what he can do." She looks upon the black dragon once more. "You know, as much as I love to see what you really look like. And it is /very/ interesting. I have to admit I feel more at ease with the mask version. Though I guess that's me being racist too." She nods to the four beers in front of him. "Drink up. I have a couch you can sleep on...or does beer not effect you at all?" "No, no. We see the Mien version. The mien is what we really are. We can try to see the mask version, but it takes a lot of effort. More than it's worth, but I may just be lazy. And it takes a while for anyone to get used to what I look like. The ones that look more human might not scare you as much. Like Olivia. She still mostly looks the same. Mostly. Oh yeah, blue eyes too. But claws and teeth kinda like mine. I do know I freak people out, even people like me." He smiles, as any prideful predator would. "You can always ask Dani what she looks like to the regular people around town. I'd wager that she's not naked since I haven't seen anyone freak out yet. Another thing you'll probably find out is that we're all very, very different really. I can take beer better than most, but I still can't handle my booze like Vee. The stuff that'd get her tipsy might rot your guts from the inside out." "Yeah, I've learned to stock the hard stuff if Velvet is coming round. And lots of it" Bronwyn sighs before munching on some more pizza. "You don't look that bad. I've seen plenty of stranger looking idols. Hmm...I wonder how many of those idols are based on people like you? Or do the people who make you base them on the idols." She sighs. "So much to think about and I'm not aloud to say a word." "Sounds like some chicken and egg shit that's way over my head." Weaver laughs, and resumes eating bits of his own pizza in between talking. "If I had even half of the answers I'd give 'em to you, but that's part of the fun. I don't know much, and I won't ever. I can maybe try linking you up with one of the Custodians to see if they can answer some more or..." His eyes close, and his head lowers. "Oh shit. Shit fucking shit fuck. We gotta introduce you to the queen at some point, but that shouldn't be too bad. After that, though, and guessing she doesn't wanna fucking rip my head off, you can easily swear yourself into it, and probably join the custodians. I know they oculd use the help of somebody with that big ol' brain of yours." Bronwyn smirks at the idea that she has a big brain...but won't contradict him. "It would make sense you'd have people like me in your society too. Custodians...I like the name too. Thing is, Weaver. I could learn so much but it would kill me not to be able to share it. I don't do what I do to be selfish. It's not for my elucidation but for the world." Another bite of pizza. "Which I know will kill me so there goes that idea. You have a queen? Nice. Why would she kill you? You didn't let me see. And I don't think anyone would take Velvet on." "I figured you might say that, and there's a whole lot of people like us that could do with the kinda things you learn or even with. Even the stuff you're doing with all the symbols and shit cna be shared with them." Weaver grabs another slice to set on his plate and she shrugs. "Velvet's strong, but there's always somebody stronger somewhere. That's how the fuck it goes for everything, and anything at the top is bad enough that I don't wanna deal with it." "Let's hope that I don't get stolen then" Bronwyn smiles. "Though at the moment, I can see what is coming at me. Could Olivia see you guys properly when she was taken? How much does she remember about what happened? I'd love to hear what she saw. What she experienced." A laugh at herself as she shakes her head. "Listen to me. All sympathy. Knowledge is more important than how Olivia must be feeling. Someone stronger than Velvet? That is someone I do not wish to meet." "It depends. On a lot of things. I'm naturally stronger than Velvet, but I can't do a lot of what she does. The whole smelling you from however fucking long is something she can do. I can go invisible as you saw with Dani, but I'm an ogre. No, not some fucknut out of a swamp, but's part of what I am. After what I can do with my own musle and shit I can get a lot stronger and push myself beyond that. Most I ever did was lift a car, but shit like that comes in bursts. You get as powerful as some of us that's just how it goes, and you didn't have that wrong. You care, and that's a good thing. We think of you like family, and it makes sense that you'd care. I wouldn't go poking her with questions, yet, or rshe might do something like freeze you." "When you say 'freeze', you mean literally don't you" Bronwyn sighs. "She can turn on the ice like you can turn on this fire like substance of yours. Doesn't seem very her though. One of the things I wonder is if you're changed along the lines of your personality or do they just make you what they want you to be? I mean, were you always strong? Fiery maybe?" A smile at the family comment. "Thanks. I appreciate it. I hope I don't let you all down even when I can't see the real you anymore." She tilts her head to study him. "I dunno. You'd look cute with those Shrek ears." "Strong? Fuck no. I did enough to look decent, and that's it. For fuck's sake I didn't even do sports when I was growing up." He leaves out what he was doing, and moves on happily. "I got stronger when the longer I stayed with The Borrower. I had to if I wanted to survive, and I like surviving a lot more than being lazy." Weaver laughs, but he sounds as serious as a heart attack. "I didn't really fuck with fire either, unless you count when I kinda helped Olivia when she could start messing with it." "Hmm...interesting" Bronwyn muses after Weaver's reply. "So this Borrower could have taken anyone and they would have turned out the same. Why is he called 'The Borrower'? Did he give himself that name or is that what your society calls him? Do Changelings all over the world know who you mean when you say that word? And hear I am babbling on again. I don't suppose there is any chance of speaking with one of those things. The ones who steal." "I don't know why they're called what they are on the whole. A custodian or Autumn like Velvet might've sussed that shit out." Weaver shrugs, betraying his own ignorance. "I know they have titles, but it could be something in their name or some other shit. Titles plural, by the way. He could be The Borrwerer to some of us around here, but Taker the Mother Fucking Magnificent to folks down in South Beach if his influence is that far. Most I can say is that he borrows stuff from you and other fucks. Takes it back, gives you new shit, and so on." Bronwyn gets the distinct feeling that Weaver isn't the answering type. She's sure he wants to but isn't sure he has the knowledge. Time to talk about something else before it frustrates him too much. "When Velvet is able to join us next time, I want to give you guys your wedding present. Just wanted to let you know it existed. Hopefully, you can get things more normal again. Whatever normal is. Your family seems to be quite the targets. Is that four of you that I know of? You. Olivia. Dani. Ben. And now Velvet. You should form a support group." Weaver smiles at her still remembering, and shakes his head. "That you're alive and well is good enough of a gift for me. If you got hurt bad or worse there's a good chance there'd be a lot more dead people than there are now. But, let's not think on bullshit like that. Yeah?" He nods as if sure of it, and moves his mind away from it. "I think you got the whole of it though. We do have a support group. Kinda. You got the courts, but I don't think they actually help us move forward. Not in any kinda way I can tell, but I skipped psych class. Then we got motleys, which is what we're doing anyway. The Utridges, that is." He holds up a hand, asking for a pause while gnawing on the remainder of his pizza. "You don't wanna meet a loyalist or privateer without one of us near. The fuckers that kidnap and all that shit. Because you might be next, and if that happens Velvet isn't gonna stop me from razing the town to the ground." "Loyalist? Who are they loyal too? Oops...asking questions again" Bronwyn smiles. "Though it wouldn't be the town's fault. And it sounds like I would be in another dimension so burning it down wouldn't make much difference." And she's still talking about it! She commits words like 'motley' to memory as she finishes off her first slice. "How about we talk about something else? Seen any good movies lately?" Life does seem rather banal after all this Changeling talk. "I've spent the last few weeks either knocked all the way the fuck out, bleeding out, fretting over Dietrich, or trying not to burn everything down over Olivia." Weaver cuts himself off, and notes, "I mean, I did catch that lady being made princess or something. Queen, I think. There was also this thing on YouTube with this cat riding on a dog. Cute shit, mostly."