(Untitled)

[a_lioness]

[OOM: A new threat.Usually Alanna finds herself in Milliways when she's in a hurry or has pressing business. Tonight is a marked contrast. She’s straddling a chair at the table she used to consider her favorite and staring thoughtfully at a long feather. The most remarkable thing about the scene is the feather itself, with its silvery flash of

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[furiousmaximus]

Max usually finds himself in Milliways.

It's a choice now as much as anything. It's not that he doesn't like Alera, it's that people are always trying to kill him there, and he's not such a big fan of that. Besides, there is plenty of booze, and no small number of attractive women.

Speaking of attractive women, there's a woman at a table not too far away who's particularly caught his eye. She has a compelling sort of aura. Confidence and danger and competence.

Max grins.

[a_lioness]

Feeling the weight of his gaze, Alanna turns her head away from the feather and meets his eyes. She holds them, arches an eyebrow and laces her fingers together over the back of the chair.

"I don't know you," she says bluntly.

[furiousmaximus]

"An unfortunately true statement," Max agrees, taking this as enough of an invitation to approach.

"I am Max." He grins again and holds out his hand.

[a_lioness]

"And I have no reason to doubt your word."

A glance at his hand and she shakes it, her grip strong.

"Alanna," she remembers to offer.

[cutting_edgex23]

It might be the strong smell attached to the metallic feather that catches X's attention.

It might simply be the sight of the feather itself.

Regardless, after her shift upstairs, X slips across the bar floor to stand a few feet from Alanna, head tilting slightly.

And after a moment--

"Hello."

Beat.

"The feather is not adamantium?"

She does not know what kind of experiments the Facility is into now. If they still exist.

[a_lioness]

Alanna looks up, face expressionless, and watches the stranger for a moment before offering her own "Hello."

The word she used is unfamiliar but interesting, and Alanna is not yet at the stage where she's prepared to rule anything out.

"It is some form of metal," she says, "though I don't know what. Do you recognize it?"

[cutting_edgex23]

X frowns, scenting the air again.

"I do not know."

Beat.

"You can cut it?"

[a_lioness]

The smell is definitely strong, like rotting flesh and all manner of nasty things, though Alanna's nose has stopped noticing so much out of self-defense.

A snort. "More likely it would cut me," she admits, turning the feather slightly to give X a better view of its sharp barbs. "It's not malleable."

[smallestopener]

Ingress is bundled up and pink cheeked when she comes inside from playing out by the lake. When she sees Alanna, she squeals and runs over.

"Alanna! Alanna! I haven't seen you in forever and ever!"

[a_lioness]

Hearing someone exclaim her name takes Alanna by surprise, but not as much as seeing Ingress running in her direction. Starting, she pushes the feather to the far side of the table and stands. Her smile, when it starts, is wide and welcoming.

"Ingress!"

You have no idea, Ingress.

[smallestopener]

"Hey, you're older," she says, once she pulls back from a huge hug. "But I am, too! Where have you been?"

[a_lioness]

"So you are."

Laughing, Alanna takes her hand and gives her a twirl.

"Tortall. Seven years passed for me in the space of a few weeks here. The triplets are about your size!"

[3rdtimelucky]

Before too long a familiar figure comes striding in through the front door. It's Goldy, suited and booted and fresh from a day's work at MiB headquarters. It's anyone's guess as to why she's still fresh. Must be her phenomenal stamina or something...

"Well hello there," she drawls when she spots her favorite knight, and proceeds to make a bee-line for her location. When she gets there, she makes a prowling circuit of the table, inspecting Alanna from all angles over the thick frames of her Raybans.

"Raph's full of shit. You look as good as you did seven years ago. And I think your hair looks even better."

High praise from she of the legendary locks.

[a_lioness]

Alanna swivels her head, following Goldy with her eyes.

"I don't want to know what he said." Yes she does. "He's just jealous I had extra hair to cut off."

Smiling, she reaches out to grasp Goldy's arm.

"It's good to see you."

[3rdtimelucky]

"You too."

Goldy grins and leans in to give her a proper hug and a possibly unwelcome peck on the cheek.

"As for Raph, don't worry, I'll kick his ass for you when he's finished my Shang training."

She sets down in an adjacent chair, takes off her shades and makes an idle gesture to the nearest wait-rat. "Another mug of whatever she's having, please." It scampers off obligingly. "And put it on her tab!" she calls after it.

[a_lioness]

"It's cider. I still have a tab?" The question chases after the waitrat, but it's not inclined to answer. "Strange."

Alanna looks back to Goldy, absently scrubbing her cheek with the flat of her hand.

"You're still interested in Shang training?" She laughs quietly. "You and the children. They love lessons with Uncle Raph."

Well. They often moan and groan about them, but she knows the truth.