[Day: Wednsday, October 3. Time: 12:00 a.m.] [This guy and a girl walk into a bar...] [Ok, it's more like a nightclub. In the deepest parts of London is this little... um. Medium-sized? nightclub with a special clientele. Togo's there too, along with Elizabeth, who's still seemingly very confused having basically lost her memory in its entirety.] [She's still wearing that yellow-and-black suit, but presumably Togo had the sense to remove her weapons.] [They're outside the club presently. There's a big beefy bouncer in black out front. He's got a large square jaw and, frankly, is built like a square.] [Mini Start!] [Elizabeth looks rather intimidated by the big guy. Well, he is intimidating.] * Togo waves at the big guy. "Hey Al. How's business tonight?" ["Ungh." 'Al' grumbles.] * Togo nods, then turns to Elizabeth. "S'Al. He's the bouncer here. Really nice guy." Elizabeth stares up at Al and croaks, "Oh." C'mon, let's head in. And remember what I said. There're gonna be some people in there that look a bit strange, but they're all pretty nice for the most part. My friend Finora runs this place... I'm hoping she has a place you can stay while I try'n figure out who you are so we can get you your memories back. [Elizabeth nods slowly. Eyes fixed on Al.] * Togo starts in, and motions for Elizabeth to follow, never getting more than a coupla steps ahead of her. [Elizabeth follows as Al moves to let them by.] [Inside is a hip-hoppin' night club! With an interesting clientele, alright. Some people have horns, some have fangs, some have weird skin, some are only vaguely humanoid. It's certainly an... unusual place. Elizabeth stares at everyone in shock.] * Togo pats Elizabeth on the shoulder. He might not be able to see her expression, but the body language is pretty obvious. "The Dancing Fiend is a club that mostly caters to what you'd call the supernatural community. But really only those that are interested in coexisting with people like you'n me. So don't worry, nobody's gonna try to eat you." *pauses* "Except maybe the big hairy thing in the corner, but that's just how his people say hello." ["O...okay..."] C'mon, let's get you to the bar. If anyone ever needed a drink, I think you do now. *leads Elizabeth by the hand towards the bar* [Elizabeth follows, glancing over by the bar at a gorgeous woman in red leather, with white and pink hair. "And they're all so mean to me!" she complains to the 8 or 12 guys and gals around her. "I should just eat all their souls."] (Yvonne loves you, Lizzy!) [Her flunkies all nod sympathetically. "Yeah." She sighs and gets up. "Oh well. Let's all go have sex." And they all leave.] * Togo ignores that. o/~ * Togo continues towards the bar, trying to keep himself between Elizabeth and anyone that looks too scary/carnivorous. [Meanwhile, serving drinks at the bar is another gorgeous woman, in low- riding jeans and a cropped T-shirt. She's got long, flowing red hair, freckles, and pale skin. She's serving a drink to a large, humanoid-shaped... blob, who seems down on his luck. "I dunno, Finora... I tried chocolates, flowers, and serenading her outside her window, but she keeps saying I'm not her type."] [He-- it?-- sighs and dumps the drink out over his head, where it sort of sinks into his body.] * Togo shakes his head. "Poor Bill. Girl won't even give him the time'a day." *sits down at the bar; motions for Elizabeth to take a seat next to him* [Elizabeth takes the seat as the bartender comes over. "Why, hello, studmuffin." She grins, revealing her fangs. Elizabeth shirks away, drawing her gaze. "Now, who's this kid?"] * Togo grins. "Don't get jealous now, Finora. She's with me on business. This is Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is Finora O'Shaughnassey, bonney Irish lass and owner of this fine establishment." [Elizabeth yelps as another gorgeous woman (lotta them in here <.<) with long blue hair draps her arms around her shoulders. "Mmm, She doesn't seem your type, Togo." She's wearing a waitress's uniform, but it's been altered to the point where it barely counts as clothing at all.] (You just don't believe in plain/ugly women, Brett. :P) ( These are Jesse's characters >.> ) (Okay, Jesse really doesn't.) ( Except the first one. :P ) Bella! Didn't see you when I came in. That's Elizabeth, and like I told Finora, she's with me on business. *turns to Elizabeth* Elizabeth, this is Belladonna. She a retired succubus, part-time waiter, and full-time hugger. [She pouts. "How could you miss me, Togo?"] [She releases Elizabeth, too, much to her relief.] * Togo taps his shades. "Only way anyone could, of course." [She smiles. "Hmmm.... Well, next time I'll make sure you don't miss me." She waves and heads off to wait tables.] * Togo waves, then turns back to Finora. "I need a big favor, Finora." [Finora frowns. "This better not be about an apocalypse, Togo."] Nah, that's next month. *pauses* I hope. [She eyes Togo, idly grabbing a can of V14 and popping it open.] I was at the museum tonight looking into a cursed mask, and ended up in the middle of a robbery. Robbers got away with a few things, including the Rossetta Stone. "History buffs?" I hope so. Don't know much about it, except that it's been involved in more than a few really nasty incidents. I'd appreciate you keeping an ear out for anything about it, but that's not why I'm here. "Mmm... Really? I thought everyone knew about it." * Togo pats Elizabeth on the shoulder. "Elizabeth here was being forced to help out the robbers so they could have her take the fall for it. When I and some new friends of mine interrupted the job, they wiped her mind and took off." [She frowns. "And?"] And now the poor kid has no memories. Can't just leave her out on the street, or with the cops. I need someplace safe for her to stay while I figure out who she is and what the hell's going on. [She sighs. "I *knew* you were going to say that."] I'll owe you big time, Finora. *turns to Elizabeth* If Finora can give you a place to stay, would you mind helping her out a bit around the club? [Finora folds her arms. "Hey! I haven't even accepted yet."] * Togo idly plops two bottles of 'Just Aboot The Best, Eh'-brand Pure Canadian Maple Syrup on the counter. [Finora sighs. "Alright, but if she's going to stay here, she's *going* to work."] Elizabeth? That okay with you? ["And I refuse to be held responsible if she slips up and gets her soul eaten."] [Elizabeth looks skeptical. "Umm...." she sighs. "I guess I don't have much choice."] I promise, I'll figure out who you are and how to get your memories back. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a nee- er, well, cross my heart. [Finora chuckles.] * Togo turns back to Finora. "And you, lass, I owe big time for this one." [She nods. "And don't think I'll forget about it."] Wouldn't dream of it. *rubs his head* And now, I need a drink. Anything for you, Elizabeth? [Elizabeth shakes her head.] [Finora asks, "What will it be?"] Vodka on the rocks. Grandpa always said there was no problem in the world the right amount of vodka couldn't fix. Trick was to figure out what the right amount was. [She nods and prepares the drink quickly.] * Togo takes it when she's done, and downs about a third of the glass in one big gulp. "Ah. That's what I'm talkin' about." *pauses for a moment* "Is Old Man Winters around, Finora?" [She jerks a thumb towards a corner. "Is he ever not?"] Point. Gimme a pint'a Guinness, wouldja? I gotta ask him a coupla questions. [She nods and gets one down for him.] * Togo turns to Elizabeth. "Will you be okay for a minute? I have to go talk to someone, see if he can help me figure out why the people who wiped your memory were there in the first place." [Elizabeth nods, slowly.] Be right back, I swear. *eyes Finora* Be nice. [Finora grins toothily. "Aren't I always?"] * Togo grins back, pats Elizabeth on the shoulder reassuringly, grabs his drink and the pint, and heads down to the end of the bar where Old Man Winters always resides. [As Togo leaves a handsome blond guy comes up to the bar and orders a bottle of Angst on the rock. Meanwhile, Old Man Winters is certainly old. He looks to be in his 90s, with a bald head and a long, long beard. He sips at a single drink in his dark, lonely corner staring into his single glass. He's hunched over like he's got a bad back. Well, he is really old.] * Togo sits down next to the man, and slides the fresh pint over in front of him. "Pint for your thoughts?" [He looks up. "Ooo! What's that y'say, laddie?"] Fresh pint for you, Mr. Winters. And a few questions, as always. [He smiles a grandfatherly smile and says in his squeaky voice. "Well, why didnt 'cher say so, sonny? Pull up a chair."] Someone stole the Rosetta Stone from the museum earlier tonight. Left a girl with no memory and me feeling that old sense of impending doom. I know the stone has something to do with spirit energy, but not much beyond that. Anything you can tell me about the stone, and anything you know about who might wanna steal it and why? [He strokes his beard. "Rosetta Stone? Why would you be wantin' to know about a thing like that?" Because I've heard enough stories about people using it to try'n do all sorts of evil shit to know that whoever stole it isn't just a fan of ancient Egypt. * Togo frowns. "Things've been getting really bad out there. Without HESO, us freelancers are barely keeping things from blowing up. If there's someone new on the scene that's planning something big, I need to know about it so I can head it off before it gets too big for me to handle." [He continues to stroke his beard, eyes glancing at the pint in Togo's hand. "Well, sonny, let's see what I can remember about that silly old stone."] [He pauses a good long while. "Hmmm... As I heard it, it was Napoleon who first found the thing... That one; there's more, mind you, but that's the important one."] ["It's notable because it's the only way we have of reading ancient hieroglyphics. But, as I heard it, that's not all it does."] [He continues! "As I heard it, these old stones are like beacons for spirits, y'see? Draws them in."] [He may be done!] And once you've got a lotta spirits together... bad things happen. Any idea who might've stolen it? Or what they might want it for? [He sips his drink, evidently trying to finish it off so he can get ready for the new one. "Anyone who wished to deal with souls, obviously."] ... and I'm not gettin' any more specifics outta you tonight, right? [He just smiles and takes another sip.] * Togo sighs. "Right then. Enjoy your drink, old timer. I'll be seeing you." * Togo grabs his drink, downs the rest of it, and heads back to Elizabeth and Finora. "You two getting along?" [Fionra shrugs. "As well as can be expected."] * Togo nods, and turns to Elizabeth. "I've gotta head out and get your photo out to a few friends of mine, see if they can track down who you are. You sure you're gonna be okay?" [Elizabeth nods, though she looks unsure.] I'll come check on you tomorrow afternoon, see how you're doing, okay? "Okay." * Togo turns back to Finora. "And I always pay my debts. Including my bar tab." *slaps some appropriate amount of money on the counter* [Fionra takes it. "Well, that's more than I can say for some people." She nods towards a handsome, but very depressed looking blond guy at a table. "Leroy still has yet to pay me for all those Angst on the rocks."] * Togo runs his hands through his hair. "Can you believe that was me a few years back?" ["...Yes."] ... yeah, I can too. *grins slightly* Still got a lotta work to do, don't I, Finora? [She nods, smiling. "But you're getting there."] Just not quite sure where there is. *pauses; chuckles* And there I go again. I better get outta here before I start pondering the meaninglessness of life. [She laughs. "Take care, studmuffin."] * Togo tilts his head, smirking. "Y'know, it's really hard to maintain my reputation as someone not to be fucked with while being called studmuffin." [She smiles.] * Togo salutes crisply, waves to Elizabeth, and heads out. [Mini end!]