Cranberry Soda 11

[21:51:37] <`GM> [Vaguely downtown Toledo.  A distinct lack of tall buildings, grass, and the ability to wait less than three minutes to make a left-hand turn.]
[21:52:42] <`GM> [Jenna and the girls find themselves at such a non-turn, listening to the droning clicks of the minivan's blinker.]
[21:54:14] <Karan> Karan keeps her eyes on the road, always scanning carefully for any suspicious vehicles.
[21:54:36] <`GM> [They have been driving for the last hour, and there destination is "right down this next stretch".  There are a lot of "next stretches" in Toledo.]
[21:56:46] <`GM> Jenna:  "I am hearing a distinct lack of discussion of plans back there, SLACKERS."
[21:57:03] <`GM> Jenna:  "Someone hasn't spoken for TEN, SECONDS."
[21:58:49] <Meredith> "The boringness of this city has lured us into a hypnotic state."
[21:59:42] <Karan> "It's certainly far more laid back than the city," Karan muses, briefly interrupting her focus to follow a pair of birds across the sky.
[22:00:02] <`GM> Jenna:  "I pray we never drive through Iowa, then."
[22:00:30] <`GM> Jenna:  "Or I'll have to pick up four new girls."
[22:01:26] <Meredith> "Hopefully, this is like a vaccination, then."
[22:01:28] <`GM> [Jenna finally makes the turn.  The new road looks a lot like one of the other thirty roads they've driven on today.]
[22:02:13] <`GM> [She throws a wadded-up napkin at the back seat.]
[22:02:30] <`GM> Jenna:  "PLANS!"
[22:03:18] * Meredith uncrumples it and looks.
[22:03:30] <`GM> Jenna:  "I still say we want to get there before Duchess and talk to her mother.  Yeah yeah, I know I phoned ahead, but it won't be enough."
[22:03:59] <Karan> "That makes sense. We're not exactly here to just say 'hi'."
[22:05:09] <Meredith> "And also, be ready if any other 'recruiters' show up.".
[22:07:04] <`GM> [The napkin contains a few dried-up cherry pits from the drive yesterday.]
[22:07:32] * Meredith drops it in the trash bag.
[22:09:01] <Karan> "Of course."
[22:09:22] * Karan mentally checks the connection to her weapon: strong as ever.
[22:10:50] <`GM> Jenna:  "And please, PLEASE, try to remember.  Duchess's mother only knows enough to keep her out of trouble, and Duchess knows less than that."
[22:11:19] <`GM> Jenna:  "Any of you girls ever read them Harry Potter books?  They're old now, but, it's kind of like that."
[22:12:28] <Myrle> "A shame Emma Watson's a dried up whore of a bag now... what a shame... oh, right Dutch Oveness. She making cookies?"
[22:12:31] <Meredith> "Well, when Harry was just a baby, he still defeated the Dark Lord."
[22:13:22] <Karan> "If we're so lucky here, I'd be glad."
[22:13:27] <`GM> [Jenna jerks the steering wheel suddenly, bonking Merry's head into the window.]
[22:13:39] <Meredith> "Oof!"
[22:13:59] <`GM> Jenna:  "No, the PLOT CONTRIVANCE defeated the Dark Lord for him.  Get it right."
[22:14:50] <`GM> [Jenna smirks.  Lately she hasn't been able to one-up these girls all that much, but it's nice to know that sometimes, she still can~  It's the little things that matter.]
[22:15:35] <Myrle> "Yay, wasn't *yawns* Me this time"
[22:16:30] <Meredith> "If you're going to talk of contrivances, then Harry *is* the plot contrivance. They are inseparable."
[22:19:13] <`GM> Jenna:  "No more than ANY high-school protagonist in a fantasy setting is a walking plot contrivance.  Honestly I can't believe you even read that shit; the series wasn't even that good."
[22:21:24] <Meredith> "Yes, but they only had a limited library. It was that, or Atlas Shrugged, and I think I made the better choice."
[22:21:44] <Karan> "Either is better than this endless driving..."
[22:22:45] <`GM> Jenna:  "Well if SOMEONE would be spending more time PLANNING and less time getting distracted by ME, maybe the time would go faster~!"
[22:23:02] <Myrle> "So all for turning the duchess into a younger emma watson say aye?"
[22:23:46] <Meredith> "Well, we're going to get there, talk to her mom, pick her up, and leave, hopefully unassailed by enemies."
[22:24:00] <Meredith> "Sounds like a solid plan."
[22:25:45] <Karan> "I'd add letting Duchess in on the situation as lightly as possible. No reason to induce panic."
[22:29:08] <`GM> [Jenna finds it difficult to smirk, even though shes ends up doing it anyways.  (They really think it'll be that simple...)]
[22:30:02] <Meredith> "And if bad guys do attack, we protect Duchess and her mother as best as we can."
[22:31:34] <`GM> [Jenna flips on her blinker and pulls into the driveway of a two-story tan town house, heavily-shaded by some gnarled maple trees.]
[22:31:56] <`GM> Jenna:  "Last stop."
[22:35:03] * Meredith pitches her voice to imitate Medes. "I have to gp to the bathroom."
[22:36:21] <Karan> Karan steps out and stretches, retrieving an unassuming briefcase before assuming a spot next to the driver-side door.
[22:39:44] <`GM> Jenna:  "Dammit Medes this is serious, you do NOT.  And none of that shit inside, either!"
[22:40:18] <Myrle> "Poop? Okayyyy, let's go poop."
[22:40:21] <`GM> [Jenna spins around and "is very disappointed in you" at Medes.]
[22:40:30] <Karan> Karan hides her smirk by facing away from the car.
[22:40:56] <Myrle> Medes pops out of the car, stretching out and letting out a rather cute groan before looking around. "This place is niiiice."
[22:41:07] * Meredith summons her rabbit and has it sit behind a bush.
[22:42:26] <`GM> [Jenna locks the doors and stares at the front door of the house.  It's been too long...  She should have been a better big sister...]
[22:44:03] <Karan> Karan stands beside her.
[22:44:08] <Karan> "Are you ready?"
[22:46:07] <Myrle> "As ready as talking to a person normall would be... still wanting those cookies though.*
[22:46:08] <`GM> [Jenna steps back and holds out her hand.]
[22:46:15] <`GM> Jenna:  "After you."
[22:48:56] * Karan simply nods and strides towards the door, her careful glances projecting the air of a professional bodyguard.
[22:49:50] * Meredith follows Karan and Big Sis, her sunglasses revealing nothing of her expression.
[22:52:49] <`GM> [Jenna noticably keeps to the back.  The encounter with Tyro still remains forefront in her mind.  Not again...]
[22:52:54] * Myrle assumes.... herself. Yay for all that hard work. Probably should be celebrating right now though she thinks.
[22:57:38] <Karan> Once before the door, Karan knocks thrice, in rhythm, with just enough force to fit her role.
[23:02:14] <`GM> [There's a noticable pause; nobody seems to be answering the door.]
[23:02:42] <Meredith> [Is there a pet door?]
[23:05:10] <`GM> [There is no pet door]
[23:07:41] <Karan> Karan turns briefly to whisper to Meredith:
[23:07:57] <Karan> "Could you please scout the back? Something might be up."
[23:08:05] <Karan> After, she knocks again.
[23:08:36] * Meredith sends her bunny hopping to the back, and looks around through its eyes.
[23:12:04] <`GM> [The backyard is in need of some serious lawncare: hedges are overgrown, the lawn is half-dead and well-trod, and tall weeds and other brush is tangled in the chain-link fence.  It is devoid of persons.]
[23:12:33] <Myrle> "They're taking thier lovely time... better be some badass cookies she'd baking there."
[23:12:47] <Karan> "Meredith, what do you see?"
[23:12:54] <`GM> [The sliding back door is open, and the plastic drapes flutter in the breeze.]
[23:14:36] <Meredith> "The back door is open. Looks like they've been gone a while." The rabbit steps inside as stealthily as a little brown rabbit can manage.
[23:16:09] <`GM> [A silhouette of a woman can been seen approaching the front door.]
[23:18:36] <Karan> Karan subtly shifts to square herself between Jenna and the door, loosening her grip on the briefcase to let steel fly at a moment's notice.
[23:18:39] <Karan> If necessary.
[23:19:15] <`GM> [The front door opens to reveal a stocky middle-aged woman with stringy brown hair, dressed in faded jeans and a lilac blouse.]
[23:19:35] <`GM> Woman:  "Aahh... Yes, hello?"
[23:21:43] * Meredith waits for Big Sis to greet her.
[23:21:59] <Karan> Karan relaxes.
[23:22:21] <Karan> [=-= *relaxes, and then steps aside.]
[23:22:36] * Meredith meanwhile keeps looking inside the house with the rabbit.
[23:24:26] <`GM> [Jenna purposely repositions herself behind Meredith and turns away while shaking her head, motioning for Karan to continue.  She pulls out her phone so as to appear "occupied."]
[23:25:35] <Karan> After an instant of surprise, the tall guard shifts gears.
[23:26:30] <Karan> "Hello; my name is Karan."
[23:26:39] <Karan> Yet another pause follows as she figures out what to say.
[23:27:03] <`GM> [The interior of the house appears normal.  It's a spacious house with accomodations that seem better than they should be comparing them to the sorry state of the back yard.  A vaccuum sits in the middle of the living room.  No one is visible.]
[23:29:24] <`GM> Woman:  "Yes, hello Karan?"
[23:30:21] <`GM> [The woman seems amicable enough, though one can tell she's a bit confused from seeing all these young girls stand around outside her door.]
[23:32:42] <Karan> "We haven't met before, but we're all here with Jenna. Can we come in?"
[23:36:48] <`GM> [The woman glances at the motley assortment of girls standing outside the door, and notices Jenna "on the phone".]
[23:39:00] <`GM> Woman:  "Jen?  Oh god, it's been--I mean, I know you called on the phone, but still..."
[23:41:03] <`GM> Woman:  "You didn't tell me you'd be bringing company."
[23:43:03] <Myrle> "I like ti cal it insuuuuraannnnceeeeee, or cookies!"
[23:45:23] <Karan> Karan sighs towards the antics.
[23:45:38] <Karan> "Sorry if this is bothersome."
[23:45:45] <`GM> [The woman glances at the little and tries to make a weary, unconfortable smile.]
[23:45:53] <`GM> [=-= the little girl]
[23:47:26] <`GM> Woman:  "Ahh, no no, you're, you're here about Dilly, right?  Oh, I'm sorry, Dorothy; my daughter."
[23:48:09] <`GM> Woman:  "How do, pardon me, please, but umm, how do you, know Jenna?"
[23:49:14] <`GM> [The woman is rather noticably under some stress, not to be alleviated by such a large party coming to her door "about Dilly".]
[23:49:52] <Karan> "In a word, I'm her..."
[23:50:16] <Karan> "Assistant," Karan follows, silencing her first thought: bodyguard.
[23:52:59] <`GM> [Dorothy's mother half-points at the other girls.]
[23:53:13] <`GM> Woman:  "Oh, all of you?"
[23:53:54] <Myrle> "In a wayyyy, yes. Though if you don't like us here, we can leave right nooowwww!"
[23:55:08] <`GM> [She shakes her head, rather falteringly, and steps back, holding the door open.]
[23:55:47] <`GM> Woman:  "N-no, no, you can come in; Dilly'll be back from school soon."
[23:56:28] <Karan> "Thank you."
[23:56:42] <Myrle> "Oooh, nice pllaceee~" She grabs the womans hand for a bit before wrapping her arms around the woman's waist, she would notice the girls arms are awfull cool for a girls.
[23:56:50] <Myrle> "Hugs for nice lady."
[23:57:27] <`GM> [She jerks at the unexpected affection]
[23:57:52] <`GM> Woman:  "Oo-oh!  You can call me Sam, if you'd like, miss~"