They farmed a deceiver, who wed a believer...

[mademeaweapon]

Sydney is standing in the lobby of the Kashtta, hanging near the doors where she'll be able to see Vaughn coming from down the street. This should have been dealt with already, and now... She's done with this. She's so done, and just as soon as she's sure Vaughn's alright, she's going to kill that demon. ...She's just still not clear on the how

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[changingtheodds]

Ruvin is thinking of going up to the Conrad's roof for a while, to think. Robin's given her a lot to think about, and being around people, any people, just ruffles all sorts of feathers at the moment.

So when the lift doors open and she practically walks straight into the Doctor, it's a rather unpleasant surprise. She catches herself just short of actually slamming into him.

He might notice the tiredness, and the residual "Hello, I've been crying a lot" expression. "...Oh. Hello."

[thatsortofaman]

The Doctor blinks as the doors slide open and he very nearly gets a Ruvin to the face. ...Well, general chest area, as she's not exactly tall, but close enough.

"Ruvin!" he says brightly, still holding Emily by the hand. (Possibly in case something explodes and they have to run? Who knows?) "Hello! What're you... right, you live here, don't you?" Give the Doctor a minute to notice various details. Emotions. He's not good with them, especially when distracted.

[who_will_buy]

Even though she's still holding his hand, Emily stays close to the Doctor's side and a little behind his leg, too so that she's probably difficult to notice, especially at first glance. She has never been in a building so extravagant. The closest that she's come was the building that the ball was held at.

She's distracted and overwhelmed, but not in a bad way necessarily. It's easier to be overcome by the fancy hotel with all its trimming and all of the people (angels, wanderers, supernatural, and human) than thinking about what might wait for them downstairs.

There is a Rift here. A big one. Even at this distance, she can sense its presence. It makes her nervous.

Emily looks up at Ruvin and attempts a smile. A wanderer. Emily always feels a mixture of guilt and grief at the sight of a Wanderer. She knows what they've been taken away from, and she can tell that this girl doesn't seem to be having a good time of it.

[changingtheodds]

She startles, not noticing the little girl at the Doctor's heel. "I--yes, I do. What--you don't, do you?"

She makes all the sense right now, Doctor, really she does. Ruvin glances past him at the lobby.

[stillaboyscout]

Vaughn has not had a good day thus far. Like a really really really not good day. Because today, he was attacked by the lookalike of his ex-girlfriend (not like that, their relationship is so damn complicated,) and threatened and bad things happened.

So he's kind of dragging himself up the street, back to the Kashtta, wincing because his chest is still bleeding and his head fucking hurts. The world is kind of spinning too, not in a particularly bad way...

Oh yes, in a bad way.

But he's almost there. So. He'll make it. He will.

...He might not, as he staggers a little.

[mademeaweapon]

He doesn't need to make it alone. As soon as he comes into view from the doors, Sydney's stepping outside and running to meet him, grabbing him by the arm and shifting around to help him stay upright. "God, Vaughn, what did she- Never mind. You should get inside." Where it's warm. And there are doctors.

[stillaboyscout]

Vaughn blinks. "I'm fine, I'm fine," he insists, even though seeing straight is slowly becoming a minor problem. "Did you contact your dad?" Because that's really what's important.

Also the way Sydney's hair smells, but he's not going to talk about that right now.

[mademeaweapon]

"You're bleeding," she snaps. That is so not fine, and he should know better than to try to convince her it is. She starts walking back toward the Tower, moving slowly so Vaughn doesn't fall over on top of her. "And I'll get him as soon as you've got... medical attention." Don't argue with Sydney, Vaughn. She'll hurt you. ...When she's convinced you're not going to bleed to death.

[ornobodywill]

When you're alone and life is making you bored, you can always go... DOWNTOWN.

...Hence why Mac is also prowling the streets. She hit up a couple of bars (none of them sold her kind of drinks) and smacked around some kids selling drugs in an alley, and now she's just wandering, figuring there's always some excitement around the Pier. And while not an archangel herself, Mac would be crazy to not notice one on the prowl, even if they are trying not to move like a predator. Work around archs enough, you get a feel for them.

"How's the hunting tonight?" She asks, falling into step beside her. Hey, if there's a chance she's wrong about what sort of angel she is, then she'll either look at her funny or step away slowly.

[evengodsdo]

Julia glances over at the woman, and smiles a little. Probably not an archangel, this one, a bit too short, but Julia's fairly amenable to other breeds of angel than her own. Especially as this one exudes a sense of "career military".

"Quiet. Which isn't what you'd expect when there are bands of humans out murdering angels on the streets." She pauses, and tilts her head to one side speculatively, glancing out over the water. "You think it would make a difference if I let my wings out?"

Because sometimes, you just have to tempt fate and see what happens.

[ornobodywill]

"For the demons? They'll probably run like someone lit their asses on fire." Mac chuckles and stares up at the sky for a moment, considering "However, if you want to bring those CLF bastards out and let them see how a real angel fights, then I think It'd make a world of difference."

Especially on Navy fucking Pier. There's got to be a lot of assholes running around one of the busiest places in Chicago and Mac's lookin' to knock a few heads herself.

[evengodsdo]

Julia grins a little, nodding. "There is that truce with the demons, and as this isn't really my town, I think I'll pass on breaking whatever system they've got set up here. These CLF kids, on the other hand..." So far, they've been picking on children, strangers to this world, or those less than capable of defending themselves. They're a bunch of cheap punks and thugs. They come up against a real warrior, and...

She quirks an eyebrow at Mac. "You up for it?"

[guardsintheory]

See, Buffy, the problem with having a guardian angel - especially one like Mat, who tends to know very precisely where his ward is - is that you can't sneak off without them realising it.

Which means that Mat completely misses the note she left for him, because he doesn't go near her room. He goes after her.

He's trying to be all stealthy, just following close enough that he can see she's not dead or dying or about to be one of the two, but not close enough that she'd know he was there. That'll totally work.

...Right?

[shealone_stands]

Buffy has been stalked by the best, Mat. That's so not going to work.

She stops walking abruptly - she's been aware that there's someone following her for about a block or so, but hasn't actually gotten a good look at the person in the dark. She sighs, without actually turning around, and shifts her sword a little.

"If you're going to attack me or something, can you just get it over with already? I'm getting kinda bored here anyway."

[guardsintheory]

"Um." Mat sounds more than a little sheepish, and moves a little closer. "I think that would sorta defeat the purpose of, y'know. My existence."

Awkward puppy is awkward. Welcome to your life, Buffster.

[shealone_stands]

Buffy blinks, and then spins around to face him, looking momentarily surprised, and then a small smile flickers over her face. "Oh. It's you. Kinda thought it was something lurky." And no, she was not hoping that it might be. ...okay, maybe a little. A tiny bit.

[prince_stupid]

In the darkness, something moves. It is dark. Its eyes glow with lurid light when streetlamps glance against them.

It is fluffy. So, so fluffy.

Ragnar trots out of the mouth of an alleyway and looks around, seeming mildly annoyed. "I must say this: Chicago is far too large. Indeed, it is inconvenient in its expansiveness. And not a Road to be found. This is a city of illness indeed."

[shealone_stands]

Buffy didn't miss the fact that there was something moving in the shadows. She caught the glint of its eyes, and while she's not going to go and attack something without being able to tell what it is, she is keeping an eye on it, just to make sure...

And then it emerges. And then it speaks. And Buffy stares.

"...You're a cat." Sometimes, the most obvious things are really all you can say.

[prince_stupid]

He blinks at her. It's been a long night, and he is somewhat irritated.

Yes, he is certainly that.

"Indeed. And you are a human being, I suspect? It is surprisingly difficult to ascertain that with certainty here. Now that we have established cross-species conversation, could you perhaps direct me to the Kashtta Tower?"

[shealone_stands]

"You're a cat and you're talking," Buffy says after a moment. Obvious, yes, but it is a talking cat. ...Yes, that is going to be the thing Buffy gets hung up on. Right, Kashtta Tower. Mat used to live there. She's been there with him to pick up his stuff.

"Uh... that's pretty far away. That... general direction," she says, pointing. "I'd take you there, but I think my guardian angel would freak out if I went that far without him, and... why are you talking?"