CCCP 12

March 28
[GM]Mary>	So anyway!
	<[GM]Mary>	After an hour or two, Cassie and Tabby finally make it home. Melissa falls to a nap, from either mental or physical exhaustion. Perhaps both.
	* Cassandra	wipes the sweat off her brow. Hot day to be a killer.
	<Cassandra>	Hey, Tabitha.
	* Tabitha	opens the front door. Ahh, home...
	<Tabitha>	"Mmm, yes?"
	<Cassandra>	I don't mean to be mean or anything, but... Don't put a blade near me, ever again. I know what you were trying to say, but just don't.
	* Tabitha	gets a little nervous at that comment. She just now realizes how foolish that was, with Cassie as she is.
	<Tabitha>	"Ah, I'm... Waah, I'm sorry. It was just, a spur-of-the-moment thing."
	* Tabitha	's face gets rather red.
	<Tabitha>	"I-I promise, though. No more blades, not even as a joke."
	<Cassandra>	Thanks.
	* Tabitha	wonders... (But... what if the worst should happen...? If she begs me to kill her or some-No! Don't think like that, Tabby!)
	<Cassandra>	Hello? Anyone home?
	* [Rut]Christina	hears Cassandra. The thumping of feet descending stairs can be heard. Christina peeks her head into the room.
	<[Rut]Christina>	... How'd it go, bawss?
	* Tabitha	notices Christina. That girl...! She pushes her glasses up on her nose.
	* Cassandra	almost laughs. How'd it go? Sounds like she's been on a date, or something. That would be cute. A date to the bank with her sister, only, oh no! A bank robber blew his brains out! We'll be telling that story for weeks and weeks, I'm sure.
	<Cassandra>	It went fine.
	<Cassandra>	Is everyone alright?
	* [Rut]Christina	nods.
	<Cassandra>	Christie?
	<[Rut]Christina>	'Lissa's sleeping, I think. You sho'uh the copp'uhs didn't grill ya too hah'd?
	<Tabitha>	"They were just doing their job. I can't fault them for that."
	* Tabitha	's tone with Christina is rather short.
	<Cassandra>	It shouldn't be a problem. I don't want either of you speaking to the authorities, however. Leave that to the adults, don't answer the door for anyone unless we tell you to.
	<Cassandra>	Understand?
	* [Rut]Christina	would object under normal circumstances, but knows she's already in trouble. Best not to push her luck... Not that Lorenzo wouldn't find out sooner or later, anyway.
	<[Rut]Christina>	Mm... okay.
	<Cassandra>	Good. I'm going to go talk to Victoria. Tell me when Melissa's awake.
	<[Rut]Christina>	But anyway, oth'uh than the cops, you doin' awlright? Somethin' wei'uhd happened in the'uh. Dunno what.
	<Cassandra>	Try not to worry about it too much.
	* Cassandra	before parting, whispers to Tabitha:
	<Cassandra>	Don't be too hard on her.
	* Tabitha	slyly whispers back:
	<Tabitha>	"Only as hard as she can take, Cass."
	* Tabitha	does indeed wonder how much that is, though. Chris is made of strong stuff.
	* Cassandra	wrinkles her lip, and nods. It was a dumb stunt, but she's not really worried about that anymore. No one could predict what was going to happen. An act in the moment, same as her own.
	<Cassandra>	Alright.
	<Tabitha>	"You want me to set your new clothes on your bed, Cass?"
	<Cassandra>	Umm... yeah. Thanks.
	* [Rut]Christina	shrugs as Tabitha and Cassandra talk. She starts to leave the room casually.
	* Tabitha	nods to Cass, and catches Chris before she gets too far.
	* Cassandra	sighs. She feels worse already, with her sister's hand gone from her own. Everything finally begins to settle in full. She heads back outside, towards Victoria's home.

+++
Cassandra and Victoria
+++

[23:34]	* [Pyg]Victoria	is napping on the swinging bench with a book on her face.
[23:35]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	Zzzzzzzz...
[23:36]	<Cassandra>	?
[23:36]	* Cassandra	walks up the porch. Is she sleeping?
[23:41]	* Cassandra	quietly comes closer, listening for a dream.
[23:42]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Mrmmhmgmm..."
[23:45]	<Cassandra>	Vickie?
[23:46]	* Cassandra	reaches out to where she guesses a shoulder or collarbone may be. She instead finds a breast.
[23:46]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Eek!"
[23:47]	* Cassandra	withdraws her hand all quick-like.
[23:47]	<Cassandra>	Uh-whoops! Sorry! That was an accident, I swear.
[23:47]	* [Pyg]Victoria	is suddenly wide awake, sitting up and her book falling off her face.
[23:49]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Wha- Oh, Cassandra, it's just you."
[23:49]	<Cassandra>	Sorry... I probably should've just waited. Mind if I sit?
[23:52]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Yes, yes, go ahead."
[23:52]	* [Pyg]Victoria	leaves her lying position and sits properly, picking up her book.
[23:52]	<Cassandra>	Yeah... Sorry. Are you alright?
[23:53]	* Cassandra	sits close by.
[23:53]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Just resting. Besides, I should be asking that."
[23:54]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"What happened with the police?"
[23:54]	* Cassandra	sighs.
[23:57]	<Cassandra>	The one I talked to won't question anything. There's bound to be other investigators, however. I'm not particularly worried about it myself, but let's just say I don't want to get anyone in the public eye.
[00:03]	* Cassandra	remembers the train investigation, and grimaces.
[00:05]	<Cassandra>	Are you alright?
[00:06]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	I was shaken up bac
[00:06]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"I was shaken up back there, but I'm better now."
[00:06]	<Cassandra>	Yeah. I think everyone's a little shaken up.
[00:07]	* Cassandra	dwells on that for a moment.
[00:08]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"I never expected I'd actually see it happen."
[00:10]	<Cassandra>	Does it scare you?
[00:10]	* Cassandra	's voice deepens.
[00:11]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Maybe before, but now..."
[00:11]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Well, I know you wouldn't hurt me, or any of us."
[00:11]	<Cassandra>	Sure about that?
[00:12]	* [Pyg]Victoria	taps Cassandra's head with the book.
[00:12]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"You're pulling that crap again?"
[00:13]	<Cassandra>	I nearly killed Tabitha today.
[00:13]	* Cassandra	isn't trying to be funny at all.
[00:14]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"But she's okay."
[00:14]	<Cassandra>	If she was a little more careless, if her intentions were a little less clear, I might have done it. It makes me sick.
[00:14]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"No, you wouldn't."
[00:14]	* [Pyg]Victoria	sits up from the bench to stretch her arms and back.
[00:16]	<Cassandra>	I would.
[00:16]	<Cassandra>	Survival is a reflex. Even for me.
[00:17]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Are you telling me you're holding your own survival above the safety of your sister?"
[00:17]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"You're admitting that?"
[00:17]	* Cassandra	doesn't say anything for a very long time.
[00:19]	<Cassandra>	In my conscious mind, I'd rather die. But unconsciously...
[00:20]	* Cassandra	doesn't finish.
[00:21]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Then make that thought unconscious."
[00:21]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"I thought you promised yourself you'd overcome this."
[00:22]	* [Pyg]Victoria	walks across the porch, leaning her back on a rail.
[00:22]	<Cassandra>	I can't. Even through all my empathy, I can't change my very core. There's just some things I'm made to do. Dying isn't one of them.
[00:24]	<Cassandra>	I'm sorry.
[00:25]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"I wasn't telling you.."
[00:25]	* [Pyg]Victoria	sighs.
[00:25]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Nevermind."
[00:27]	<Cassandra>	Do you ever think about that?
[00:28]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"About what?"
[00:29]	<Cassandra>	About what you were made for. What we were intended to be. Why. How. Unanswerable questions. I bet I've lost a year of sleep to them.
[00:30]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"It's not that hard to find an answer. At least for me."
[00:30]	* [Pyg]Victoria	's gaze lingers on Cassandra for a moment before turning around to look at the moonlit sea.
[00:31]	<Cassandra>	What did you discover?
[00:32]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"I just have to be."
[00:32]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"For you, or Tabitha. Everyone in that house."
[00:33]	<Cassandra>	...
[00:33]	* Cassandra	turns away, using her elbow to prop her head up on the back of the porch swing.
[00:34]	<Cassandra>	Hey, Vickie. Did I ever tell you you were my role model?
[00:34]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"No, actually."
[00:34]	* [Pyg]Victoria	turns around again, facing Cassandra.
[00:35]	* Cassandra	faces down.
[00:35]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"I'm quite flattered."
[00:36]	<Cassandra>	Yeah. When I got over the last incident... I was kind of inf-... obsessed, with you.
[00:37]	<Cassandra>	Because of that.
[00:37]	<Cassandra>	Mainly.
[00:38]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Can't say I'm exactly role model material. You weren't forgetting what I am, were you?"
[00:39]	<Cassandra>	That's another reason why it tore me up. And straightened me out.
[00:43]	<Cassandra>	But thanks. I've been so... unsure. Now I know what to do.
[00:43]	<Cassandra>	I'll pretend I'm fifteen again... And try to be more like Vickie.
[00:43]	* Cassandra	smiles.
[00:44]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"You should try finding your real self as well while you're at it. I wouldn't want a doppleganger of me running around, you know."
[00:47]	<Cassandra>	Two Victorias? I think Tabitha might pass out from all the excitement.
[00:47]	* [Pyg]Victoria	chuckles as she turns to the sea again.
[00:54]	<Cassandra>	But really. Just being for someone else is what I've been trying to do ever since we left the country.
[00:55]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Why are you trying? You already are."
[00:55]	<Cassandra>	I suppose so.
[00:58]	* [Pyg]Victoria	lets out a yawn and shivers.
[00:58]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Phew, good thing you woke me up when you did. I might've slept here all night and caught a cold."
[01:01]	<Cassandra>	It's not that cold, is it...
[01:06]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Well, I'd better use a real bed."
[01:06]	<Cassandra>	Turning in already?
[01:06]	* [Pyg]Victoria	nods.
[01:06]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Yes."
[01:07]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Long day for everyone."
[01:07]	<Cassandra>	Yeah.
[01:07]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Oh, but will you be okay heading back?"
[01:08]	* Cassandra	almost suggests something, but her better half tells her it's as ridiculous as it actually sounds.
[01:08]	<Cassandra>	...Yeah. Thanks for talking with me. I feel better a little better now.
[01:09]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Good night then."
[01:09]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	"Say hi to Tabitha for me."
[01:09]	<Cassandra>	Sure. Good night.
[01:10]	* Cassandra	parts, returning home and to a sense of purpose. A better one, at least.

+++
Tabitha vs. Christina. Round one: Fight!
+++

	<Tabitha>	"Don't run off, Chris; I wouldn't mind spending some time with you this afternoon."
	<[Rut]Christina>	Oh, sho'uh thing. What's up, Doc?
	<Tabitha>	"Just wait here; I need to put away a few things."
	* Tabitha	leaves the living room to unpack her and Cass's new garments.
	* [Rut]Christina	scratches her head. She plops onto the couch impatiently, though she shows no intentional disrespect.
	* [Rut]Christina	starts mumbling to herself about her own problems.
	* Tabitha	sighs as she looks at her new dresses. Even with this hectic day, she can't help but smile at them. Almost like a little piece of Cassie's spunky spirit is embedded into them.
[23:35]	<[Rut]Christina>	Ergh... Papa 'Enzo is gonna kill me when he finds out...
[23:35]	* Tabitha	resists the urge to try them on again and just hangs them up. There's also a third... article, that she carefully hides away. Can't let anyone be finding this by mistake, no no~...
[23:42]	* Tabitha	returns to the living room to make sure Chris is still there, then heads to the kitchen.
[23:44]	<[Rut]Christina>	Uh, wai-- damn.
[23:44]	* Tabitha	grabs a wine glass and her half-empty bottle from last night, then goes back to the living room. She sits down and pours herself a glass.
[23:44]	<[Rut]Christina>	...
[23:45]	<[Rut]Christina>	What, no glass f'uh me? Ah, nev'uh mind, I'll get my own.
[23:45]	<Tabitha>	"You will not, Miss Christina. Sit down."
[23:46]	* Tabitha	is serious business!
[23:46]	<[Rut]Christina>	Haah?
[23:46]	* [Rut]Christina	looks at Tabitha flatly. She sits back down.
[23:47]	* Tabitha	takes a decent-sized sip from the glass. Ahh, so smooth~ If only she'd had this back at the bank.
[23:48]	<Tabitha>	"I couldn't stop Cassie from drinking when she was your age, but I CAN stop you."
[23:48]	* [Rut]Christina	is not amused.
[23:48]	<[Rut]Christina>	Why.
[23:49]	* Tabitha	is not amused either.
[23:52]	<Tabitha>	"Why Cassie? Because my spirit was far weaker back then."
[23:52]	<Tabitha>	"Why you? I'm a doctor. Young children can't tolerate alcohol well. Less so if they're female. Less so more if they're of a smaller size."
[23:52]	<Tabitha>	"I am ALSO your superior, and your elder, despite rarely exercising either position."
[23:53]	* Tabitha	folds her arms authoritatively.
[23:53]	<[Rut]Christina>	And ain't she old'uh than you, anyway? C'mahn, don't hawg it awll. If ya need mo'uh, just say so! My uncle owns a viny'uhd. It won't be none'uh that tub-brewed stuff, neith'uh. One-hundred pehcent legit, real deal.
[23:55]	<Tabitha>	"We're not here to talk about wine, Christina. We are here to talk about you."
[23:55]	<Tabitha>	"Your actions in the bank today were unacceptable."
[23:55]	<Tabitha>	"Do you here me? UNacceptable."
[23:57]	<[Rut]Christina>	Oh, that. Yeah, sahrry. Was awll I could think of on sho'uht notice, y'know? Prahbably won't even make a difference in the sentence. Psh.
[23:58]	* Tabitha	sets her glass down with a little more force than normal.
[23:58]	<[Rut]Christina>	'Co'uhse, if he manages to get awff, somehow, -then- maybe I could see about introducin' his spine to some stai'uhs. Heh.
[23:58]	<Tabitha>	"Won't even make a difference? Girl, do you even realize what you were doing?"
[23:59]	* [Rut]Christina	sighs, shrugging again.
[00:00]	<[Rut]Christina>	Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm an idiot. The cops'll prolly just think he picked the gun up aft'uh the guy shot himself. Ya don't need to tell me.
[00:00]	<Tabitha>	"You were provoking criminals. Criminals with GUNS. In a room full of PEOPLE who CRIMINALS don't mind shooting with their GUNS."
[00:00]	* Tabitha	accentuates particular words with force and annoyance.
[00:00]	* [Rut]Christina	looks surprised.
[00:01]	<[Rut]Christina>	Ohhh, that! So that's what you were goin' awn about.
[00:01]	<Tabitha>	"How many people could have died today, Christina? Twenty? Thirty? You tell me how long they'll shoot once their fuse goes off."
[00:02]	<Tabitha>	"Did you even CONSIDER that?!"
[00:03]	* Tabitha	's eyebrows are moving to RAGE mode rather rapidly.
[00:05]	<[Rut]Christina>	Naaah, they wasn't gonna do nothin'. That guy, Johnny Goudersi, he's a cow'uhdly rat. And awll full of himself, like you saw. I just needed him ta' take his stupid gun awff 'Lissa...
[00:06]	* [Rut]Christina	is awfully laid-back about this.
[00:08]	<[Rut]Christina>	Still, though... he deserves a lot worse than he gaht. Damn, it pisses me awff just thinkin' about it...
[00:08]	<Tabitha>	"And the two with the Thompsons? Were THEY cowardly rats? I don't care how many people you know in that world, Chris, but you can't tell me a bank job's never gone wrong before!"
[00:09]	<Tabitha>	"When people get mad, things go wrong. When things go wrong, people get hurt. Sometimes it's just emotional. Sometimes it's worse. And that bank, Chris, THAT could have been worse."
[00:11]	<Tabitha>	"Why are you even thinking about HIM? What about Cassie? What about Missy?"
[00:11]	* Tabitha	taps her fingers across her folded arms frantically.
[00:15]	<[Rut]Christina>	They -weren't- gonna. I wouldn't 'uh done it if they was gonna! I was just rattlin' his cage a little, tryin' to get him ta make a mistake.
[00:15]	* [Rut]Christina	is gradually getting more defensive. More agitated.
[00:17]	<Tabitha>	"It was MONEY, Chris! Plain, boring, common money! You can find it anywhere; let them take it! All the money in the world isn't worth the cost of a human life, let alone a room full of them!"
[00:18]	<[Rut]Christina>	Okay, so I admit, I didn't guess the los'uh had no bullets, but who does that, anyway? That stuff about Lamm doin' it, it's awll bullshit! You -always- load ya gun!
[00:19]	* Tabitha	obviously isn't speaking on the same wavelength as Chris; this is going nowhere. She tries a different angle.
[00:19]	<[Rut]Christina>	And that sonofabitch was just gonna -walk-! He put a gun to 'Lissa's head, and had his goons do it to the rest of us! And he was just gonna WALK OUT! Bullshit!
[00:20]	<Tabitha>	"What's so important about these gansters, eh? You wanna talk about them, go ahead, talk! Why do you care?!"
[00:20]	* [Rut]Christina	has lost it. What follows is a damning-but-barely translatable string of epithets directed at the robber.
[00:23]	* Tabitha	tries to talk over her, as useless as it might be. She's losing it fairly quickly too.
[00:23]	<[GM]Mary>	Christina: over your shouting and swearing, you think you hear someone laughing at you. You think so.
[00:23]	<Tabitha>	"You are NOT there anymore, girl! You are HERE! You are a part of THIS family now, and you will respect it!"
[00:23]	<[Rut]Christina>	H-he killed in the family! And he coulda done it ta any of us! Nobody shoots my people! He's scum! He-- what the fuck was that??
[00:24]	* Tabitha	slams the table for emphasis, but then perks up. Why'd Chris stop?
[00:24]	* [Rut]Christina	whips her head around, looking for the source of the voice frantically.
[00:25]	<Tabitha>	"What? What now?"
[00:26]	<[Rut]Christina>	Who did that?! Who's laughin'?! I'll fuckin' kill you, I swe'uh!
[00:27]	* Tabitha	blinks. Laughter? Oh, for the love of... not Izzy. Not with Chris like this.
[00:27]	* [Rut]Christina	fdfsgfg!ratgd^2dCr%#
[00:28]	<Tabitha>	"You watch your language, miss!"
[00:30]	<Tabitha>	"And watch that itchy trigger finger while you're at it! It's the reason we're all even IN this mess!"
[00:32]	* [Rut]Christina	, still wild-eyed over the perceived slight from nowhere, turns back to Tabitha.
[00:32]	<[Rut]Christina>	What are you tawkin' about??
[00:33]	<Tabitha>	"YOU, jumping out into the middle of things without even thinking!"
[00:34]	<Tabitha>	"I don't care how much you know from your old 'family', but this family follows a different set of rules you're going to have to learn, and rapidly if you keep this up!"
[00:36]	* Tabitha	refills her wineglass, just to give her hands something to do.
[00:36]	<[Rut]Christina>	He put a gun ta Melissa's head! The bast'uhd deserves to DIE! How the fuck can you just sit the'uh and let 'em get away with it?!?!
[00:37]	* [Rut]Christina	hands are also busy. Her fingernails are biting deep into her palms, threatening to draw blood... possibly not even her own.
[00:38]	<Tabitha>	"Because you can't just be a hero if you'll die without accomplishing anything! That's nothing more than wasting your life for nothing!"
[00:39]	<Tabitha>	"They had all the advantages, Chris! They had the firepower, the leverage, the shock, everything! There's some battles you shouldn't try to win!"
[00:40]	<[Rut]Christina>	YOU FUCKIN' COW'UHD!
[00:41]	* [Rut]Christina	, already on her feet, storms out of the room and up the stairs in a blur. She locks herself in her own room.
[00:42]	<Tabitha>	"YOU COME BACK HERE! WHO'S THE COWARD NOW, CHRIS?!"
[00:42]	* Tabitha	gets to her feet and follows her.
[00:43]	* Tabitha	isn't fast enough to get to the door before it shuts, of course. She paces outside the room angrily.
[00:44]	* Tabitha	mutters under her breath.
[00:45]	<Tabitha>	"So... you wanna play that way. I can match that move."
[00:46]	* [Rut]Christina	is on her bed, screaming profanity into the pillow. It takes a substantial amount of willpower for her to not shred her covers in rage.
[00:47]	* Tabitha	pads away softly to find a handful of small metal miscellany. Now, how hard are these locks to pick...?
[00:50]	* Tabitha	's not picked a lock in years, but the knowledge returns to her without any problems. With only moderate effort she springs the deadbolt free.
[00:51]	* Tabitha	opens the door and stands firm as stone in the doorway.
[00:51]	<Tabitha>	"You are NOT going to run away from me like that, Christina."
[00:56]	* Tabitha	waits for a response. Obviously there's no point in using force.
[01:03]	* [Rut]Christina	looks up. Her face is... indescribable. She's on the bed, and then she isn't. Weapon drawn, she careens into Tabitha, pinning her to the ground, poised to dash the metal-capped ends into the woman's face. The blow doesn't come.
[01:03]	* [Rut]Christina	is crying.
[01:03]	<[Rut]Christina>	...ke it... ck...
[01:03]	* Tabitha	didn't even see that coming. She wheezes as the wind is knocked out of her.
[01:04]	<Tabitha>	"Wh...iiiihhh, hhhhkkkk, hhcckkakk, hnnnnhhh..."
[01:04]	* [Rut]Christina	's voice is choked, hands trembling. She looks as though someone is literally holding her arm, stopping her from striking.
[01:05]	<Tabitha>	"Whhhhaahhh, echk echk... W-Whaa-aht-t...?"
[01:05]	<[Rut]Christina>	... Take it back...
[01:06]	<[Rut]Christina>	A-anyone... who hurts m-my... my *family*... deserves to die.
[01:07]	<[Rut]Christina>	I'm n... not a coward... take it back!...
[01:07]	* Tabitha	's glasses are somewhere in the hallway right now, revealing her shock-filled grey eyes.
[01:09]	<Tabitha>	"Ffffhhh... Fffine. Yoouuhh, you'rre... nohht, eggghh, not ahh coward."
[01:09]	* [Rut]Christina	's eyes, almost on cue, become a mirror of Tabitha's own. The weapon falls from her hands, landing neatly beside Tabitha's head. Christina quickly rises and flees, darting outside.
[01:10]	* Tabitha	clutches her chest, dazed. What... just...?
[01:12]	* Tabitha	slowly and gingerly rolls to her hands and knees. She manages to reacquire her glasses, but then ends up slumping into a sitting position outside the doorway.
[01:12]	<Tabitha>	"That.... That girl..."
[01:15]	* Tabitha	drifts into rambling inner speculation.
[01:17]	* Tabitha	comes up with a dozen loose ends, but only one thing that she can say for certain, which she whispers aloud.
[01:17]	<Tabitha>	"Violence... is the last refuge of the incompetent."

+++
Cassandra and Tabitha
+++

[01:18]	* Cassandra	waltzes on in, as if she owns the place. In fact, she does.
[01:20]	* Tabitha	vaguely hears a door opening and closing. She doesn't get up.
[01:21]	<Cassandra>	...
[01:22]	* Cassandra	senses the prior tension.
[01:24]	<Cassandra>	Tabitha? Christina?
[01:24]	* Tabitha	hears a familiar and comforting voice.
[01:24]	<Tabitha>	"Hallway."
[01:25]	* Cassandra	approaches.
[01:27]	* Tabitha	is still catching her breath; five years really hasn't improved her overall constitution much.
[01:27]	<Cassandra>	What's wrong? Where's Christina?
[01:28]	<Tabitha>	"She ran. Outside, somewhere... I think, we both got the best of each other in ways we weren't expecting."
[01:28]	* Tabitha	sighs deeply.
[01:29]	<Tabitha>	"Cassie, I am the dumbest smart person ever."
[01:29]	<Cassandra>	Eh. You're not that dumb.
[01:30]	* Cassandra	sits in the floor beside her.
[01:30]	<Cassandra>	But yeah. Sorry. I should have talked to her first.
[01:30]	* Tabitha	shakes her head, sending hair into her face she doesn't bother to push away.
[01:31]	<Tabitha>	"No... No, I am. You talking wouldn't have changed the bungle of things I said."
[01:32]	<Tabitha>	"I yelled at her something fierce, Cass. I don't even think she heard most of it."
[01:33]	<Cassandra>	I told her not to fuck with anybody not five minutes before she stepped in here. It's been just over twenty-four hours.
[01:33]	* Cassandra	sighs.
[01:33]	<Tabitha>	"You watch your language, miss."
[01:34]	* Tabitha	says in a deja-vu reflex sort of way.
[01:34]	* Cassandra	smirks a little.
[01:35]	<Cassandra>	Well, don't worry about it. Big sis will take care of this.
[01:37]	<Tabitha>	"I realized what I did wrong not two minutes after she'd gone, Cass. Gah, curse me and spending my life cloistered up in a university with smart people..."
[01:37]	* Tabitha	just wants to say this stuff aloud to someone else, really.
[01:38]	<Cassandra>	Yeah. Damn education. Big sis will take care of that next.
[01:38]	<Tabitha>	"I treated her like she was my age. Like she was some colleague who'd botched a research paper or something."
[01:39]	<Tabitha>	"She's got to be maybe, what, thirteen? Fourteen? And from a whole different world than mine to boot."
[01:40]	<Cassandra>	She has the same instincts I do. That's enough for me.
[01:41]	<Cassandra>	And that's enough for you. Go lay down, or clean house, or whatever you do to take these things off your mind.
[01:43]	* Cassandra	starts to get up, but reminds herself:
[01:43]	<Cassandra>	And don't drink too much! ...Yet. I got some things I need to do, and I still want to share a drink with you. If you're fine with that.
[01:44]	* Tabitha	wipes the beginnings of tears from her eyes and slowly gets to her feet. She looks at the discarded oriental weapon that might have smashed her head in with just a quick punch.
[01:45]	<Tabitha>	"I... think I need to clean for a while. My brain needs wisdom right now, not wine."
[01:46]	* Tabitha	picks up the nunchucks and sets them neatly on the bedside table.
[01:46]	<Tabitha>	"But... I'd like a drink with you later. Yeah. Please."
[01:47]	<Cassandra>	Alright. Good. I'll be right back.
[01:47]	* Cassandra	goes to check on Melissa...
[01:49]	* Tabitha	mills about the house slowly, mess and clutter disappearing in her wake. She whispers to herself as she does so, but the words are unintelligible to an eavesdropper.
[01:53]	* Tabitha	only wishes that she hasn't burned every bridge connecting her to Christina. If violence truly is the last refuge of the incompetent... then she's just as pathetic as the child.

+++
Christina and Johnny B. Goode
+++

[01:21]	<[GM]Mary>	Christina: You hear something nearby, but the fading light makes it difficult to spot.
[01:22]	* [Rut]Christina	walks along the beach, sniffling. Her response come out much weaker than she intended.
[01:22]	<[Rut]Christina>	W-who's there?...
[01:24]	<[GM]Mary>	"Psst." Says the figure behind her.
[01:25]	* [Rut]Christina	wipes her face on her sleeve and spins around.
[01:26]	<[GM]Mary>	Nothing's there. No prints in the sand, either. Just your imagination.
[01:27]	* [Rut]Christina	swallows the substantial lump in her throat and looks around again.
[01:27]	<[Rut]Christina>	S-stop hidin'! Who's the'uh?!
[01:29]	<[GM]Johnny>	"Depends on who's asking."
[01:30]	* [Rut]Christina	just stares. What her eyes perceive doesn't register immediately.
[01:31]	<[GM]Johnny>	What'sa matter? You look like you've seen a ghost, 'lil bambini.
[01:31]	* [GM]Johnny	stands and smiles, in full "cool" gangster regalia.
[01:34]	* [Rut]Christina	is seemingly revitalized by the sound of the man's voice. With a roar, she runs and throws herself at Johnny, attempting to tackle him to the ground.
[01:37]	<[GM]Johnny>	Christina: Funny enough, Johnny feels a lot like a beachful of sand. He chuckles as you dive into the beach.
[01:45]	* [Rut]Christina	tries to claw off the sand sticking to the half-dry tears on her face.
[01:45]	<[Rut]Christina>	Argh...
[01:46]	<[GM]Johnny>	Hehehe. You're pretty tough for your age, you know it?
[01:47]	<[Rut]Christina>	You...!
[01:47]	* [Rut]Christina	dives at him again.
[01:48]	<[GM]Mary>	Ineffective, yet again. Either he's superhumanly agile, or he's made of thin air.
[01:50]	<JohnnyBGoode>	Heh. You know, I'd say that makes me feel bad, but...
[01:50]	<[Rut]Christina>	Gkkt! H-how...
[01:51]	<JohnnyBGoode>	Ever heard of double jeopardy? I guess it's kinda like that.
[01:52]	* [Rut]Christina	got a mouthful of sand this time. Sputtering, she scrambles to grasp the man again, nearly tripping due to the poor foothold.
[01:52]	<[GM]Mary>	He slips right through your fingers.
[01:54]	<[Rut]Christina>	... *cough*...
[01:55]	<JohnnyBGoode>	I guess you could say I'm not much of the tangible kinda guy anymore.
[01:55]	* [Rut]Christina	collapses in the sand, somehow missing her mark again. She manages to get up to one knee.
[01:55]	<[Rut]Christina>	D... damn it....
[01:55]	<JohnnyBGoode>	Wanna kill me?
[01:55]	* JohnnyBGoode	makes an open-handed jesture.
[01:56]	<[Rut]Christina>	Grrr...!
[01:56]	* [Rut]Christina	goes for it, but doesn't even make it to her target this time, tripping in her blindness.
[01:56]	* JohnnyBGoode	sighs.
[01:57]	<JohnnyBGoode>	Jeez. To think I was killed by such a boring person.
[01:57]	<[Rut]Christina>	I-I swe'uh, I'll... what?
[01:58]	<JohnnyBGoode>	[yeah, I probably should've waited to do this. oh well]
[01:59]	<JohnnyBGoode>	You'll...?
[01:59]	* JohnnyBGoode	spins his fingers around and stresses the word, trying to draw it out of Christina.
[02:00]	* [Rut]Christina	shakes her head, trying to regain her senses. She must've misheard that last sentence.
[02:01]	* JohnnyBGoode	's twirling fingers are almost close enough to touch Christina's nose.
[02:02]	<[Rut]Christina>	--I'm gonna kill you!!
[02:03]	* [Rut]Christina	makes frenzied swipes at the figure.
[02:03]	<JohnnyBGoode>	Sorry, my little girlie, but it looks like you can't do that. Much to my relief.
[02:04]	<[Rut]Christina>	Shut... up...
[02:04]	<JohnnyBGoode>	Well. Not anymore, anyway.
[02:05]	<[Rut]Christina>	W-what ah ya?!
[02:06]	<JohnnyBGoode>	Ah! The hundred thousand dollar question. Get it? 'cause there was about that much in the... ahem, is this thing on? Anyway...
[02:07]	* JohnnyBGoode	slinks down so his face is level with Christina's. He pushes his glasses up on his nose and grins.
[02:07]	<JohnnyBGoode>	What do you think I am... right now?
[02:11]	<[Rut]Christina>	...How should I know?!
[02:11]	* [Rut]Christina	shouts in his face.
[02:12]	<JohnnyBGoode>	Well, I'd like to think I've given some pretty good hints. You're not that simple, are you? You can figure it out, right? Come on, humor me.
[02:13]	<[Rut]Christina>	You'uh... dead?
[02:14]	<JohnnyBGoode>	DING DING DING DING! And do we have some wonderful prizes for you!
[02:14]	* [Rut]Christina	falls to a sitting position, unsure what to make of any of this.
[02:15]	<JohnnyBGoode>	That's right, m'dear. When you choked me with your who'samehwhat'sit, I think you tore something...
[02:16]	* JohnnyBGoode	stretches his neck, revealing a cravat of blood and bruised tissue.
[02:18]	<JohnnyBGoode>	They tried to haul my butt to the hospital, but I was dee-oh-ay. Not a very funny way to go, I guess.
[02:18]	<[Rut]Christina>	...
[02:19]	<JohnnyBGoode>	So, all the hoopin' and hollerin' about killing me? Congratulations, kid. Did it style.
[02:19]	<[Rut]Christina>	... Shit...
[02:20]	<JohnnyBGoode>	What'sa matter?
[02:20]	* JohnnyBGoode	squats down.
[02:20]	* [Rut]Christina	curses. She wanted this, but not in this way...
[02:21]	<[Rut]Christina>	G-get away from me, deadman!
[02:21]	<JohnnyBGoode>	Ooooh. Sorry. That's the catch.
[02:22]	* [Rut]Christina	pulls herself back from the apparition.
[02:22]	<JohnnyBGoode>	You know anything about ghosts, Christina?
[02:22]	<[Rut]Christina>	They ain't real! Y-you ain't...
[02:24]	<JohnnyBGoode>	I'm pretty dag-gone real, bambini.
[02:24]	<JohnnyBGoode>	But only to you.
[02:25]	<[Rut]Christina>	Go ta hell!
[02:25]	* [Rut]Christina	gets up and starts running.
[02:27]	<[GM]Mary>	He doesn't seem to follow you, but his voice most certainly rings clearly in your head.
[02:27]	* JohnnyBGoode	/It's no use, Christina./
[02:27]	* [Rut]Christina	covers her ears as she runs, moving into a full sprint.
[02:28]	<[Rut]Christina>	Shut up, shut up!
[02:29]	* JohnnyBGoode	/Running again, huh? I guess she was right./
[02:29]	<[Rut]Christina>	Whadda ya want??
[02:32]	* JohnnyBGoode	/Why don't you sit down and shut up for a little bit?/
[02:33]	* [Rut]Christina	resists, but her burning lungs eventually demand compliance to the ghost's request. She falls to all fours, panting.
[02:34]	<[Rut]Christina>	Wh... haah... What... is it gonna take... fo'uh you to...
[02:34]	* JohnnyBGoode	appears once again.
[02:34]	<JohnnyBGoode>	For me to disappear for good?
[02:34]	* [Rut]Christina	grits her teeth and looks up.
[02:35]	<[Rut]Christina>	Tell me!
[02:35]	<JohnnyBGoode>	You have to help me find somebody.
[02:36]	<JohnnyBGoode>	Two somebodies. Though one will probably lead to another.
[02:36]	<[Rut]Christina>	Name 'em!...
[02:39]	<JohnnyBGoode>	First... I need you to help me find my dead friend's daughter. I swore on his grave that I would, and that's precisely why I haunt you now.
[02:40]	<JohnnyBGoode>	Well, not precisely. But I digress.
[02:40]	* JohnnyBGoode	strikes a second finger.
[02:41]	* [Rut]Christina	's anger is the only thing enabling her to keep herself from breaking down. She waits.
[02:41]	<JohnnyBGoode>	The only man I know who could find her. His name is...
[02:41]	<JohnnyBGoode>	Andrei Tetromi.
[02:42]	<JohnnyBGoode>	At least, that's one of his names.
[02:43]	<[Rut]Christina>	Tetromi...
[02:44]	* JohnnyBGoode	looks disturbed, and casts a glance over his shoulder. His expression turns sour.
[02:44]	<[Rut]Christina>	A-and... aft'uh I find 'uh? Then what?
[02:44]	<JohnnyBGoode>	...Hm. Well. Now you know. I'll tell you more about it... next time.
[02:45]	<[GM]Mary>	Christina: You blink, and he's gone. As if he were never there...
[02:45]	* [Rut]Christina	rolls over onto her back.
[02:46]	<[Rut]Christina>	Urgh... I don't believe this...
[02:47]	* [Rut]Christina	shuts her eyes. She doesn't want to think much any more. Exhaustion takes over from there.