(Untitled)

[afriendtosell]

WHO: John Constantine (afriendtosell ) and EVERYONE EVER.
WHERE: EVERYWHERE. (See below)
WHEN: 5/25/11
WARNINGS: NONE THUS FAR...
SUMMARY: John in the city, getting CR like a pro.
FORMAT: [ Quick like this. ]

Comments

NEAR THE MAC

[neglectedpost]

[You know that feeling like something just hit the fan?

WELL.

'sup. He's taking a walk]

Re: NEAR THE MAC

[afriendtosell]

[ This is John, just minding his own business when SUDDEN GIANT SENSE OF DREAD OVERCOMES HIM. You can kind of tell he's visibly shaken, even though he's trying to keep his cool.

WHAT SHALL YOU DO. ]

[neglectedpost]

[He looks over and notices this trembling blob of John]

Laddie? Are you all right, there?

[afriendtosell]

[ This is John, putting on a stoic face. ]

Just felt like a bomb went off over my bloody grave, Old son. That's all.

at some point, zee & diana's place.

[fishnets]

[It's been twenty-one days since Lassiter ported out. She'd been plenty distracted lately, what with forcing Bond on impromptu trips to Disney World (even if she knew he only did it because he thought he'd get laid) and practically passing out at an all-you-can-eat buffet with Ted. Over the weekend, she put on her big girl pants and decided it was time to move on.

Diana had been scarce lately and Billy had been ported out, so it was mostly her and Gaster, the slightly overweight cat that she inherited from Lassiter. She'd been avoiding John since that whole Vegas fiasco, for the most part, but it had become comforting to have him in the same building. Even if she knew eventually she would have to talk to him about how much of a brat he had been as a teenager...

She's in the kitchen dressed in a pair of shorts and a grey t-shirt, hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, bare feet padding across the tile floor as she heads for the fridge and opens it, rummaging around for something to eat. Come bother her, why don't you?]

[afriendtosell]

[ He'd been avoiding her. John didn't want to admit it -- was practically loathe to, especially after Lassiter had vanished -- but all the mental gymnastics in the world couldn't change the truth of the matter; he was trying to keep his distance, again.

After he'd returned to his original age, John had busied himself with getting to know the underground of the city. He usually left at dusk and returned well after dawn,feeling both bone tired and oddly exhilarated. He hadn't had the chance to interact with people -- with normal, decent, ignorant people -- in so long, and it felt good to have a break from it all. It kept his mind busy -- and, more importantly, his schedule barren.

Which made it rather ironic, he thought, that he would actually find Zatanna in the kitchen by pure happenstance, rather than her finally breaking down and coming to track him. He doesn't say anything at first, then tries for something casual: ]

Wotcher, Zee. Gonna make some breaky for us, then?

[fishnets]

[His delightful little flip-schedule had left little time to catch him. She'd get up early, go to her job at the Institute like a regular productive member of society. But it was getting repetitive. As much as she enjoyed teaching, she wasn't particularly keen on the normalcy. Luckily, she was gaining some notoriety. She'd probably quit the day job before the next school year. Maybe leave an offer to help any kids with powers that were more out-of-control.

Zatanna almost bumps her head when she hears his voice. Damn it, he was so good at that silent approach thing.]

Maybe. [And she stands upright, holding onto the refrigerator door, tilting her head to side-eye him.] Fridge is kinda bare, though.

[afriendtosell]

What've we got?

[ He's still in his evening attire, sans coat now that he's inside. He almost wishes he had it on, if only to have something to do with his hands. ]

Can't be that empty.

A SEEDY BAR

[inhisrighthand]

[The bar is mostly unremarkable, but it's hard to miss the gigantic red-skinned man with a huge stone hand and the squarest jaw there has ever been sitting at the counter and sipping a bottle of generic beer. He seems friendly enough, though.]

[afriendtosell]

[ When John enters the bar, there's a visceral sort of silence that overcomes the place. People throw him furtive glances, some nervous and some scornful, but most seem to be mildly amused with his presence -- especially the grey-hairs peppering the bar, here and there.

When he sees Hellboy, he stops, chuckles to himself, and then sidles on over to the man, taking a seat without asking. ]

You always take to dives like this so late at night, Red?

[inhisrighthand]

[He peers over his shoulder momentarily as John enters, and then returns to his beer as John takes his seat.]

They tell me it's a bad habit. Weird things tend to happen when I'm drunk.

[He lights up a cigarette.]

But what the hell. Probably wouldn't notice the difference around here.

[afriendtosell]

Can't be all that bad.

[ He orders a beer, then lights his own cigarette as the bartender walks away. ]

Last bloke I saw get pissed out of 'is head ended up beating the Devil at 'is own bloody game.

a fancy part of town, super late at night/early in the morning! I HOPE THIS IS OKAY.

[fantasycliche]

[ There's a well-dressed woman standing outside a newly discovered and very closed-for-the-day jewelry store, staring in through the pulled down iron lattice at the displays, looking decidedly thoughtful. She'd look way more properly placed trying this inside the store, during normal business hours, but you shop when you can.

Oh look, a necklace with a particularly opulent set of diamonds seems to have caught her eye. So she'll just be teleporting on inside and casually leaning over to scoop it up. Shopping is way better after hours. ]

[afriendtosell]

[ John isn't the heroic sort. He's patently the one who survives to fight another day, rather than risk it all to go out in a blaze of glory. When he sees the woman -- because, of course, it would have to be a woman to cross his path so late at night -- he only shakes his head and tries to keep his distance. ]

[fantasycliche]

[ Happy with her find (and a quick snatch for a lovely black-stoned bracelet while she's at it), Onyx blinks outside again. More or less directly into John's path, if safely a few feet ahead. She looks... just a little surprised to see him, and darts a glance back at the store.

YOU'RE NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING, RIGHT. BRO. ]

[afriendtosell]

[ He totally comes to a near-screeching halt. The surprise doesn't last long, however; with a little grunt, he fixes a rather perturbed look on the would-be super before him. ]

Getting our jollies off a little early, aren't we luv?

a SAD LITTLE BOOKSTORE.

[twicethelight]

[ This is a sad little bookstore in what is growing increasingly close to the SEEDIER PARTS OF TOWN, but not quite there.

It is one young man's last hope for finding the book he's hoping for. ]

Numerology. It's the study of the hidden and occult meaning of numbers. Naturally, it can be twisted to suit the needs of whoever is using the numbers. You could say I'm more interested in its history and use in this world than the magic itself.

[ Talking like he owns the subject. One hand on his hip. ]

I assume you have a copy of such a volume in Braille?

Re: a SAD LITTLE BOOKSTORE.

[afriendtosell]

[ Here is John, who just heard all of this while on his own hunt for a certain book. He can't help but talk shop, even if the other man isn't interested in the mystic aspects of it. ]

If it's the science bits you want to explore, Old Son, then I think you'd do better in another store.

[twicethelight]

[ The owner of the shop seems glad enough to push Snake off onto John for now with some muttering about how that Brit there seems to know the subject better... ]

Unfortunately, I've tried other stores.

[ A pause as he steps closer to John and immediately wrinkles his nose at the omnipresent lingering smell of cigarette smoke. But he keeps talking. ]

I wouldn't say it's the science, exactly. Indeed, the entire discipline of "science" is inexact at its boundaries, where it mingles with folklore and philosophy.

[afriendtosell]

All of 'em?

[ Ah, he's blind. John tries not to move too much out of courtesy -- he knows what it's like. ]

And there's only so much you can learn from a sodding book. [ He nods. ] If you know the basics, maybe I can help -- what're you looking to bone up on, so to speak?