Robin Rice stumbled on a few CLF members trying to deface property with more of their hate speech. He has no weapons andno idea how to fight. One of these is an Elemental of some sort. Apparently, he's decided to tell them to stop, instead of calling the police. He's saying a lot that sounds good about why they should stop. They seem too angry to
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She hadn't set out to stay too late, but it's one of those nights where sleep doesn't come. She's used to those nights, except in the past she'd have had plenty to occupy her time with. There wouldn't have been enough time to go through all the paperwork that would be piled up on her desk at the DA's office.
She spots Martha and doesn't consider just walking on by, however late it is.
It's her good friend, and Rachel always enjoys talking to her. She looks busy, and Rachel is not entirely sure with what as she approaches.
Clearing her throat to signal her arrival, she stuffs her hands in her pockets. "An inch taller and I believe you might have secured it already." Whatever it is.
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"Honestly, I've had this problem ever since I could remember, except when I was seven. When I was seven, I was the tallest girl in my class," she says with a fond smile as though she's taking a moment to actually remember. "That was the golden year."
She isn't being at all serious, of course.
"I think I could get it if I jump, but if this turns out to be a rather large piece of trash, I'll look rather silly."
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"I could help you with it if you'd like?"
After a moment of consideration, she adds with a bit of teasing, "If it turns out to be trash, I promise not to tell."
She can keep a secret surprisingly well, or so the narration has heard.
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She jumps for the object and lands solidly on her feet, on the grass behind it.
"Maybe you ought to try this time," Martha says, turning around. "I can hold the bench to keep it more stable. If it is trash, I'm sorry for all the complication over... something that's worthless, but you never quite know until you have a better look."
She holds the back of it with both of her hands. It's the back part of the bench that seems to be wobbly. The rest is attached firmly to the ground.
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Those he cares for most have had...a great deal of turmoil in their lives of late, and this causes Alfred to worry. It also makes him want to find a way to help those people he cares for.
So, he is sitting on a bench, staring off into space and pondering those people. He's pondering ideas and thoughts and he's remembering things that cause a small smile to come forth every so often.
He is not smiling, however, when he is poked with a stick.
Perplexed, he turns to see Danny wielding said stick. "I beg your pardon, Sir. Have I offended you in some way?" The question, Danny, is sincere. The confusion, bewilderment, and discomfort at being poked with a stick is sincere, as well.
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He sends the old man a smirk.
"Yeah, when people sit on benches staring off into space, it really offends the shit out of me," he says, holding the stick up as if he's proud that he's going around poking people with it. "Nah. Just... doing a zombie check. You pass!"
The narration apologizes forever.
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However, the young man does not appear to be poking him with a stick to be vicious, and Alfred passes the behavior off as too much time on young peoples' hands. Naturally.
"I am most pleased to know I pass the zombie check," Alfred says, pleasantly enough.
He is worldly enough, thankfully, to note that he likely does not offend Danny by staring off into space. However, as this is Chicago, he really must ask...
"Is there a need to be concerned there are zombies in the immediate area, Sir?"
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He smirks at Alfred's reaction, pleased. It was a bogus statement that he didn't actually expect this man to roll with, even if he is a wanderer.
"You and me both," Danny says, pressing the stick against his forehead.
Danny shrugs. "Sure. Why not? I mean, you never know what will pop out of a Rift. Haven't seen a zombie... yet, but it's just a matter of time, ain't it?"
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But she recognizes the voice shouting, and that simple fact cuts past reason and straight to instinct, and Grace starts moving toward the group before she even realizes she's doing it. As she gets closer, it becomes pretty obvious that yes, that is Robin, and she can't help wincing a little. Does he have to yell at them?
"Hey!" she shouts, reaching into her pocket for her phone. Maybe the simple fact of someone new to the situation with a phone in hand will be enough to get the strangers to back off. If they're insanely lucky, anyway.
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It's one thing to shout at dangerous people on the street when he's alone, but it's another entirely to do so when someone he cares about is near... and apparently, getting involved.
He shoots her an almost desperate look that seems to say, Please, go away. Now, but he doesn't think that she'll listen ( ... )
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She flips the phone open, thumb hovering above the 9 as she glances over to the kid who spoke. A part of her wishes Romana were still around; the kid did have a point about at least some of the police, and Grace would feel a lot better calling Romana in this situation instead of taking their chances with the police... Still, they don't have to know she's worried about it.
"Some of the police, maybe. How sure are you that some of them aren't..." Pause, as she tries to hold back a grimace. "Freaks too, though? Or have a brother or cousin or best friend who happens to have some weird talent...? You think every one of them's just going to wave you on your way?"
Please go, she thinks, biting the inside of her cheek as she stops talking. Just go, just go, just go...
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There are only a few of them in this particular group, and they have no idea what these particular freaks might be able to do (cause only freaks would stick up for freaks). They start to back away.
"We'll come after you. We'll be stronger. Most of the police will be on our side," the kid insists, sounding more certain than he actually is. "The freaks won't last in this city for long and that means the both of you, too."
And then the whole group runs off.
Robin's afraid that they'll be back. He turns to look at Grace. There's a sigh, mingling with something else. Concern. "You didn't have to... do that." I really would have preferred it if you hadn't is implied.
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"Aren't you a little young to be in here?" Mio asks bemusedly as she passes him the little napkin her drink came on.
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"I'm thirty five. I just look young for my age," he says with a smirk, He does not expect anyone to actually believe that.
He walks over to the napkin, picks it up, and shoves it into the trash. "Thanks for the... napkin, by the way. My sleeve only works for so long."
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"Here's a hint: stop trying so hard. It only makes it more obvious that you're not telling the truth."
Mio takes a sip of her drink and considers. "I will give you points for gumption though."
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He cannot get a drink not that she's drinking anything that he's too young to buy, but he'd rather avoid ordering anything at all. He does not actually want a drink. He hates alcohol.
"Trying too hard and gumption. I think I can handle that. Yeah, I've been called much worse. I do think I'm going to take a break on the whole..." Xander waves a hand vaguely in the air, unsure of a nice way to say what he wants so it's best to leave it to vagueness.
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After a moment, though, she takes a little bit of pity and tosses a couple of napkins in his direction. "Been practicing that line?" she asks, smirking a little.
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"Nom not really. I'm not much for lines and that was the first time I took that one out for a test drive. I'm thinking I might want to try something less... cheesy next time," he says.
Xander realized that the line was ridiculous, but he'd been hoping that it'd state what he wanted, while establishing how funny he is. No such luck.
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Maybe you haven't arrived at "cute" or "funny", Xander, but you've got "entertaining" down. ...that may not be any real consolation.
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"Thanks," he says and sends her an exasperated smirk (such expressions exist). "I live to be... impressive to the ladies."
He sits down near her. For the moment, he's giving up on his search for a one night stand. It always looks so easy in the movies. Of course, if he looked like the guys in the movies and had their lines, it might be easy for him, too.
"So. Can I ask you something?"
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