Wednesday Evening - Mars Residence - Neptune, CA (nfb - distance)
Veronica was busy in the kitchen doing prep work for tomorrow's dinner and trying not to think about the nightmare she had the night before. She had her phone close at hand in case Marty got lost on his way from the airport to the apartment. Her dad was at the store picking up some last minute groceries and Backup was laying on the couch.
Three hours in an airplane, an hour trying to find his luggage and add another 45 minutes to get a rental car then being pulled over for speeding and Marty was just thankful he still had his sanity when he pulled into the parking lot.
Winding his way through the complex he finally found the door and knocked. "Candygram."
Veronica smiled when she opened the door to let Marty in. "Rough flight?" she asked. "I was expecting you almost an hour ago."
"Well there was a problem with the luggage and then the fine sheriff's department of Neptune decided to pull me over for speeding," Marty said rolling his eyes as he gave Veronica a quick hug. "Five miles over the speed limit apparently constitutes a fifty dollar bribe in this town. Lovely guy. I assume if I give you his badge number you can find a suitable revenge.
"I'm sure I can probably come up with something," Veronica admitted with a grin.
"I bet," Marty snickered as he placed his bags on the floor. "Need any help with dinner?"
"Nope, this is all stuff for tomorrow. Tonight we're ordering pizza," Veronica told him. "So, how was your trip? What's new and exciting in your life? How's Angela?"
"She's good. We're good. Kind of," Marty said grabbing a seat on the couch and offering a hand for Backup to sniff before attempting to pet him. "We're still trying to figure out the whole life after high school thing."
"You were thinking about college, right?" Veronica asked, still busy in the kitchen and shaking her head when Backup gave Marty's hand a half-hearted sniff and then he put his head back down. "I'm assuming Angela is too."
"Yeah. It's a matter of where. And when," Marty replied frowning slightly. Then he shook his head. "Anyway, what have you been up to lately?"
"Oh, you know, the usual," Veronica replied, letting him change the subject for now. "Classes, newspaper, investigating a rape case, visiting with friends. Piper and Cameron were both here this month."
"Rape case?" Marty said looking concerned. "Everything okay? How is Piper doing? Everything with you and Cam going okay?"
"Cam and I are great," Veronica said. "Piper's not doing so great. Actually, that's one of the things I wanted to talk to you about while you were here."
She wiped her hands and headed into the living room to sit down. "How's Bel seemed to you lately?" She pushed aside the memories of her nightmare.
"Bel? I have a couple of classes with him. He seems to be keeping a low profile lately," Marty said raising an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"
Veronica sighed. "After Homecoming, he and I had a long talk and he told me that he wasn't sure if he could keep controlling the demon inside him," she said.
"And then Piper told me that she thinks he killed a witch to steal a protection amulet. And he's come close to hurting her twice in the last couple of weeks."
Marty gave Veronica a serious look. "Why has he tried to hurt her?"
"I don't know if he was trying," Veronica said. "The first time, Phoebe insisted that he only threw the fireball because he knew the amulet would protect Piper. And the second time, he just grabbed the amulet. But the situation isn't great."
"Have you talked with anyone else about this?" Marty asked. "Have either of you talked to Phoebe about this for some kind of explanation?"
"I haven't talked to her. When Piper told her about suspecting him of murdering a witch, they got into fight," Veronica said.
Marty frowned slightly. "Well no girlfriend likes to hear bad things about their boyfriend. Lord knows I understand about that. Can you tell me anything about the witch he might have murdered? Why does Piper think that?"
"She found scorch marks, like a fireball would leave behind, at the scene," Veronica explained.
Marty frowned. "Definitely his style, but Angel and Bel are the only demons I've run into. I was pretty sure he was wearing a white hat the last time I checked on him."
"Yeah, well, he was having problems controlling it over the summer," Veronica admitted. "I was trying to convince him to try meditation or to ask Angel for advice, but I don't know if he listened."
"So what do you want me to do? I'll do what I can, however the last time I tried to take out Bel I was almost flamebroiled."
Veronica got up and left the room for a moment, coming back with a vial which she handed to Marty. "That's a power-stripping potion that Piper made," she explained. "If you hit Bel with it, his powers will be gone and he'll be human."
Marty looked skeptically at the vial. "I don't have to wave my hands and say anything close to mumbo jumbo, do I? Because the last time I cast a spell there were bunnies everywhere."
"No, just throw the potion and hit Bel," Veronica told him. "Piper gave me a vial in case he decided to come after me. I asked for an extra that I could send to Fandom with someone I trusted."
Marty nodded and jiggled the vial in his hand. "Is this less than three ounces? Because I'm going to have a devil of a time explaining what it is to Security," Marty joked but carefully put the vial in his pocket.
Veronica rolled her eyes. "Pack it in your suitcase so you don't have to worry about security," she said.
"Have you seen the way those guys handle luggage? If that vial breaks I'm going to have to rub my boxers on Bel and I doubt that'll have the same effect," Marty said with a grin.
"Dirty?" Veronica asked, grinning back.
"Ew. Not dirty!" Marty said with a flail. "It's not like I'd be wearing them!"
Then he facepalmed.
"Forget I said that."
Veronica laughed. "So I don't need to call Angela and tell her that she should keep an eye on you and Bel?" she teased.
"Let's keep Angela out this," Marty said sobering up suddenly. "The last thing that needs to happen is for her to get in front of Bel if he's truly lost it."
Marty sat back and let off a long sigh. "It's going to be pretty tough trying to keep an eye on a demon who can be literally anywhere at a moments thought. Any ideas on how to keep track of him?"
"Bribe the radio squirrels?" Veronica joked half-heartedly. "I really don't know. I don't think you need to track him all the time. It'll just be good to know that you have that if anything bad happens."
"Something to be thankful for," Marty said quietly. "I guess you can always leave Fandom but somehow the weirdness still finds a way to follow you."
"Seems that way," Veronica agreed, as Backup got off the couch wandered over to the door. "My dad must be home," she said. "He doesn't know about any of this."
"I doubt he'd take the news in good spirits," Marty replied. "Then again if he knew what I did for a living he'd probably throw me in jail. You have some whacked out friends. You know that?"
Veronica grinned. "Yes, I know."
"At least we're never bored."
"No we're certainly not," Veronica agreed as she moved to open the door when she heard her father's keys jingling on the other side.
Keith came in, arms laden with groceries and the three spent the rest of the evening chatting about pleasant subjects and preparing for the holiday the next day.
[ooc: preplayed with oatmanspatient; posted early because we'll both be AFK later.]
Three hours in an airplane, an hour trying to find his luggage and add another 45 minutes to get a rental car then being pulled over for speeding and Marty was just thankful he still had his sanity when he pulled into the parking lot.
Winding his way through the complex he finally found the door and knocked. "Candygram."
Veronica smiled when she opened the door to let Marty in. "Rough flight?" she asked. "I was expecting you almost an hour ago."
"Well there was a problem with the luggage and then the fine sheriff's department of Neptune decided to pull me over for speeding," Marty said rolling his eyes as he gave Veronica a quick hug. "Five miles over the speed limit apparently constitutes a fifty dollar bribe in this town. Lovely guy. I assume if I give you his badge number you can find a suitable revenge.
"I'm sure I can probably come up with something," Veronica admitted with a grin.
"I bet," Marty snickered as he placed his bags on the floor. "Need any help with dinner?"
"Nope, this is all stuff for tomorrow. Tonight we're ordering pizza," Veronica told him. "So, how was your trip? What's new and exciting in your life? How's Angela?"
"She's good. We're good. Kind of," Marty said grabbing a seat on the couch and offering a hand for Backup to sniff before attempting to pet him. "We're still trying to figure out the whole life after high school thing."
"You were thinking about college, right?" Veronica asked, still busy in the kitchen and shaking her head when Backup gave Marty's hand a half-hearted sniff and then he put his head back down. "I'm assuming Angela is too."
"Yeah. It's a matter of where. And when," Marty replied frowning slightly. Then he shook his head. "Anyway, what have you been up to lately?"
"Oh, you know, the usual," Veronica replied, letting him change the subject for now. "Classes, newspaper, investigating a rape case, visiting with friends. Piper and Cameron were both here this month."
"Rape case?" Marty said looking concerned. "Everything okay? How is Piper doing? Everything with you and Cam going okay?"
"Cam and I are great," Veronica said. "Piper's not doing so great. Actually, that's one of the things I wanted to talk to you about while you were here."
She wiped her hands and headed into the living room to sit down. "How's Bel seemed to you lately?" She pushed aside the memories of her nightmare.
"Bel? I have a couple of classes with him. He seems to be keeping a low profile lately," Marty said raising an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"
Veronica sighed. "After Homecoming, he and I had a long talk and he told me that he wasn't sure if he could keep controlling the demon inside him," she said.
"And then Piper told me that she thinks he killed a witch to steal a protection amulet. And he's come close to hurting her twice in the last couple of weeks."
Marty gave Veronica a serious look. "Why has he tried to hurt her?"
"I don't know if he was trying," Veronica said. "The first time, Phoebe insisted that he only threw the fireball because he knew the amulet would protect Piper. And the second time, he just grabbed the amulet. But the situation isn't great."
"Have you talked with anyone else about this?" Marty asked. "Have either of you talked to Phoebe about this for some kind of explanation?"
"I haven't talked to her. When Piper told her about suspecting him of murdering a witch, they got into fight," Veronica said.
Marty frowned slightly. "Well no girlfriend likes to hear bad things about their boyfriend. Lord knows I understand about that. Can you tell me anything about the witch he might have murdered? Why does Piper think that?"
"She found scorch marks, like a fireball would leave behind, at the scene," Veronica explained.
Marty frowned. "Definitely his style, but Angel and Bel are the only demons I've run into. I was pretty sure he was wearing a white hat the last time I checked on him."
"Yeah, well, he was having problems controlling it over the summer," Veronica admitted. "I was trying to convince him to try meditation or to ask Angel for advice, but I don't know if he listened."
"So what do you want me to do? I'll do what I can, however the last time I tried to take out Bel I was almost flamebroiled."
Veronica got up and left the room for a moment, coming back with a vial which she handed to Marty. "That's a power-stripping potion that Piper made," she explained. "If you hit Bel with it, his powers will be gone and he'll be human."
Marty looked skeptically at the vial. "I don't have to wave my hands and say anything close to mumbo jumbo, do I? Because the last time I cast a spell there were bunnies everywhere."
"No, just throw the potion and hit Bel," Veronica told him. "Piper gave me a vial in case he decided to come after me. I asked for an extra that I could send to Fandom with someone I trusted."
Marty nodded and jiggled the vial in his hand. "Is this less than three ounces? Because I'm going to have a devil of a time explaining what it is to Security," Marty joked but carefully put the vial in his pocket.
Veronica rolled her eyes. "Pack it in your suitcase so you don't have to worry about security," she said.
"Have you seen the way those guys handle luggage? If that vial breaks I'm going to have to rub my boxers on Bel and I doubt that'll have the same effect," Marty said with a grin.
"Dirty?" Veronica asked, grinning back.
"Ew. Not dirty!" Marty said with a flail. "It's not like I'd be wearing them!"
Then he facepalmed.
"Forget I said that."
Veronica laughed. "So I don't need to call Angela and tell her that she should keep an eye on you and Bel?" she teased.
"Let's keep Angela out this," Marty said sobering up suddenly. "The last thing that needs to happen is for her to get in front of Bel if he's truly lost it."
Marty sat back and let off a long sigh. "It's going to be pretty tough trying to keep an eye on a demon who can be literally anywhere at a moments thought. Any ideas on how to keep track of him?"
"Bribe the radio squirrels?" Veronica joked half-heartedly. "I really don't know. I don't think you need to track him all the time. It'll just be good to know that you have that if anything bad happens."
"Something to be thankful for," Marty said quietly. "I guess you can always leave Fandom but somehow the weirdness still finds a way to follow you."
"Seems that way," Veronica agreed, as Backup got off the couch wandered over to the door. "My dad must be home," she said. "He doesn't know about any of this."
"I doubt he'd take the news in good spirits," Marty replied. "Then again if he knew what I did for a living he'd probably throw me in jail. You have some whacked out friends. You know that?"
Veronica grinned. "Yes, I know."
"At least we're never bored."
"No we're certainly not," Veronica agreed as she moved to open the door when she heard her father's keys jingling on the other side.
Keith came in, arms laden with groceries and the three spent the rest of the evening chatting about pleasant subjects and preparing for the holiday the next day.
[ooc: preplayed with oatmanspatient; posted early because we'll both be AFK later.]