Dax and Tai-San "talk" in His Room

[_dax]

Dax left the Cafe silently, he was tired of not being able to break his thoughts of May, his anger at the situation, his anger with himself. He didn't know what he wanted when he arrived back in his room, was he hoping to find May in there? Was he hoping that she'd be in there, reading his note, and the minute he opened the door, she'd forgive him

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[_salene_]

Salene walked towards the office complex with Trudy, contemplating the making Dax feel more a part of their ways, "Well you know I was thinking of doing a vote at breakfast, for both Dax and Moon, if they'd like to join us as Mall Rats, asking the Tribe what they thought. I mean, if he's going to sleep with May, he might as well be officially a Mall Rat, you know?" Salene kind of blushed, she didn't like to talk about other people that way, but it wasn't untrue, and it wasn't as if the entire Mall didn't know they were sleeping in a room together.

"Ahh yeah she does love that book, she's so cute, I'm so glad you two decided to stay here instead of with the Eco's again, it's great having you two around," she paused when Trudy mentioned Hawk, lifting her eyebrows. "Oh wow, really? I always thought, I mean, when you were here before the Techno battle, he really did seem to care about both you and Brady so much, but I wasn't sure if you two were, you know," she blushed again, being a nosey gossip monger wasn't polite, but it would fill the curiousity she had on the subject.

When they reached the doorway, however, Salene dropped the entire conversation, this wasn't something she wanted to talk about in front of either May or Dax, and she just hoped they weren't interrupting anything with the two of them. Nervously fidgeting, she stood next to Trudy and waited for someone to open the door.

[_dax]

Dax laid there on the bed, still confused over what Tai-San meant, lost in thoughts of his past, things he hated to revisit, he didn't want to think about any of it, but there was nothing he was hiding from people, other than the Chosen thing. Oh, it was a lost cause! He was getting nowhere, and that weird little girl had just proven to confuse him beyond any barrier of confusion he'd ever had. He sat up quickly when a knock came at the door, then Trudy's voice called out for May, saying that someone was there with her. He walked over to the door and pulled it open, relieved to see Trudy and Salene there. "Oh, hey, May isn't here, what can I do to help?"

Dax moved out of the way, to let them into the room, "I just had the strangest visit with Tai-San," he blurted out, "May said she was a former Supreme Mother too, I didn't know what to say to her, she was," he searched for the right words, not wanting to insult her and offend her friends, "She was different, that's for sure," he gave Salene a wary look, shrugging slightly.

[mother_trudy]

Trudy blushed a little when she heard Salene talking about Hawk. She had anticipated something would eventually come up in regards to the situation. Trudy knew that Hawk would never leave the Eco's to live in the city and she respected that. She was also at a point in her life where she didn't know if she could leave the mallrats again. Brady was getting older and Trudy wanted to make sure Brady would have the stability she needed, and the consistency that the city offered. Before Trudy could respond to Salene Dax had appeared in the doorway.

Trudy looked at the bewildered Dax wondering what had gotten him so flustered. "Hey Dax. We just wanted to stop by to ask if we could use some of the left over alcohol that May had, for the hen party tonight?" Trudy hoped that Dax wouldn't mind getting it for them. She really wasn't sure on it's exact location anyway. Trudy paused a minute before she could get out a stuttered, "..um, Dax? I was wondering, if maybe you wouldn't mind standing guard tonight for our hen party? I certainly don't want to inconvenience you, but we were a little concerned about some of the guys possibly crashing it. I just don't want to take any chances." Trudy still wasn't sold on Dax's committment to the mallrats, so she figured this might be an additional opportunity for him to further prove himself.

Trudy wondered about Dax;s encounter with Tai San. He seemed pretty shaken up about it. Of course, that was Tai San for ya..constantly making you think about something. She didn't respond to Dax about it though. Tai San had just gotten back to the mall, and Trudy didn't want to start causing strife between the two of them.

[_salene_]

Salene lingered in the doorway as Trudy and Dax conversed, but she couldn't but bite back a laugh as he described Tai-San. An encounter? Alone? She wondered what had happened exactly? He did look a bit flustered, just over the fact that she was Supreme Mother? Or had more happened? "Tai-San is different, that's a good way to put it," she said before laughing lightly. "She's just, she thinks differently than the rest of us, she's really pretty cool actually," Salene leaned against the door frame and watched his reaction to being asked to stand guard.

"Oh yeah, we can set you up like a bouncer, you have experience with that, right? I bet there's even one of those velvet ropes in the storage closet, you know, on those old golden poles?" She was half joking, of course, but she wondered what he'd say to that. Hey, if Dax would agree to do something kind of cool, but somewhat goobery on his part, well, that was just a bonus then.

[_dax]

Dax looked puzzled, May hadn't mentioned anything about the liquor, but she hadn't left on the best of terms either. "Oh, uh, yeah, it's over here," he motioned back into a corner of the room, moving over to a small cabinet and opening the doors, pulling out the box of liquor. He put back one half bottle of tequila and the rum, he knew better than to let them have it all, and he carried the box over to Trudy. "Here you go, some blueberry schnaps, elderberry wine," he put the box down, wrinkling his nose at the mention of the Eco's favorite concoction, "Um, there's vodka, some tequila, and scotch," he shrugged, it was the best he could do.

Turning to Salene, Dax got a confused look on his face, nodding slowly, "Yeah, she's cool alright, had some cryptic message for me, I'm still not too sure what she was talking about, but," he shrugged, leaving it hanging there that way. The mention of being a bouncer for the hen party made him life his eyebrow, him? Alone? Against the rest of the Mall Rat men?! It wasn't as if any of them could take him, he just felt really weird and out of place not letting them into a part of their own home, but if he was asked to do it, he would. His right hand came up to his head, scratching over his right ear, "Ahh yeah I guess I can do that, I don't really need the fancy rope unless you're trying to dress the place up or something," he shrugged, looking between Trudy and Salene, it was up to them, "But I'd be glad to help out," he added, letting his hand drop down, tucking it into his pocket.

[mother_trudy]

Trudy looked in the back corner of the room where Dax had mentioned. "Wow, we really hit the mother load huh Sal?" Trudy picked up the box and set it on the bed so she could wait for Dax and Salene to finished chatting. The box was fairly heavy so if she didn't have to hold it the entire time, she would be good.

Trudy was elated when Dax agreed to be the bouncer. She could imagine that it might make him feel a bit uncomfortable, but in times of need, access who you can. "Thanks so much Dax, that's really nice of you to agree to stand guard for us. I know it means a lot to Sal and I, but I also know Amber will appreciate it too."

[_salene_]

"Good," Salene echoed Trudy, "much appreciated," she stressed. "I think a rope is a good idea, that way if you wander away they know for certain not to come back here. And I don't care how dirty a guy is claiming to be, no showers, not one boy is to set his foot into this office complex," she gave him a very stern look. "If an emergency should arise, you are allowed to come back and get someone, but not until then," she nodded her head at him to reinforce her instructions. "Oh, yes, and May said we should feel free to borrow her stereo, since Cloe's is so big," she looked around the room expectantly, her eyes landing on the largish boom box, then back to Dax, not wanting to overstep her boundaries and just start unplugging appliances, it was his room after all.

"And one last thing, I ah, well," she glanced at Trudy, licking her lips quickly to figure out how to put this. "I was going to take a vote at breakfast tomorrow, to vote you in as a Mall Rat? You've really proven yourself as a Mall Rat, I think, done your part to help protect the Mall, can't keep you as our slave forever," she sighed wistfully and looked fake sad about that, then looked up at him with an amused smile. "What do you think?"

[_dax]

"Whatever you think Sal," he agreed with a short nod of his head. He'd never had a rope at the casino, it had always just been his presence that stopped the thugs from causing trouble, but these were Mall Rat men, not thugs. When she mentioned the stereo, his face fell a bit before he moved across the room to unplug it and pick it up, handing it to Salene. "Oh, and here," he went back to the shelf, pulling down a cloth 20 disk holder he'd gotten May, "There are a few CD's in there that'd be good for a party, May will know which ones," they were hers after all.

Dax's mouth hung open when she asked about voting him in to join the tribe, was she serious? He'd been restless all day about just that, not belonging even though he lived here, wondering his place. "You...you mean I'd be a Mall Rat?" He looked back to Trudy, then to Salene again, "That'd be very cool," he said as a grin spread slowly across his face. "Here, let me carry the liquor to your party for you," he offered, heading over to the box where Trudy had put it down and picking it up with ease. "Just lead the way," he felt a bounce in his step, he knew he still had to be voted in, but the very fact that Salene was willing to put him up for a vote, well that just brightened a night that had started out being very glum.

[mother_trudy]

Trudy was glad Salene remembered to ask about the Stereo. She was good like that, always remembering the things that are easily overlooked. Trudy was a bit surprised when Sal told Dax about the vote. She thought it was going to be a surprise. Of course, it probably would be better that Dax know ahead of time anyway. He was starting to look a bit gloomy.

Trudy started to get a bit antsy. She and Sal had spent quite a while in May's room getting things together, making sure nothing was forgotten. Trudy got up off the bed and was about to pick the liquor up when Dax offered to carry it up to the complex. Wow, Nice. "Wow, Thanks Dax. I was completely prepared to carry it myself, but what a great relief it was to hear your offer. Be my guest."

Things seemed pretty ready to go. Trudy looked to Sal as if to get some sort of confirmation that she was ready to go. "Ok..everything looks good from my end, and Dax is all set..how about you Sal?"

[_salene_]

Salene took the boom box and CD's from Dax, "Thanks, I'll be sure to have her DJ tonight," she responded to his comment about it being May's. She was amused by his reaction, "Yes, you'd be a genuine Mall Rat," she said with a nod, "That is, if they vote you in. Not everyone around here is comfortable with you yet, we can't forget where you came from, but some of us are on your side, and we're working to get them to forgive," she gave Trudy a knowing look and quickly changed the subject with a smile.

"Yes, I'm ready, let's go on to the party, and then you can get set up at the entrance to the complex," she said with a firm nod before leading the way down the hall. The mention of the vote had cheered him up, she could almost see the light in his eyes, his sullen face had brightened, and that made her so happy. It was nice to see someone want to be a Mall Rat, and springing a Tribe Member vote on them when they didn't want to become one, well that never ended well.