no matter what is damaged or taken away

[corviform]

WHO: GILBERT, KENZI, SHADE & SHARON
WHERE: Residence #004
WHEN: evening 1/23
WHAT: (stress preparing) dinner
WARNINGS: tba

---

[ Focus has been a difficult thing to achieve lately for Gil. Ever since their arrival, he's drowned in a sea of thoughts and questions about the City, that entire world, the people who may not have been brought over. Realizing he's only going to be useless if he dwells too long, he takes up all the household chores, leaving none for the others if they want to.

There's an abundance of seafood (due to living so close to an ocean, he sees), so he makes use of whatever groceries have been packed into the household and prepares stew. By the time he's done, he's already set up the plates, glasses, and other utensils and a spot for everyone to eat at the table, Shade included.

He's kept the window open the whole time, to let out the smell from the kitchen. When he's done, he shuts it and fumbles about getting the air conditioning to run.

He steps out from the doorway and calls: ]

Dinner is ready.

Comments

[foreshadower]

[ Shade laughed. The irony of course, was that he was guilty of more than just pickpocketing, and honestly, a little grand larceny never hurt anyone in his opinion.

Well, maybe some pocketbooks, but priceless artifacts and books really were his true weakness. He couldn't resist them. ]

They decided I was fine material as an assistant librarian.

[ He lifted a shoulder. ]

Although it does fit. I can't complain too much.

[auntyquated]

( There's something inherently funny on how these job suggestions have fallen out, though she doesn't know enough about Shade to judge how apt or amusing his assignment is in truth. His laughter in response to what Kenzi says is interesting, but Sharon doesn't appear to do more in this moment than show polite, if keen, interest. )

It's been suggested that attending school and assisting part time in a bakery would be beneficial.

( Now, Librarian she gets, and Gilbert at a tea shop -- she did laugh behind her hand when he said as much -- is something else she knows.

What in all the world is a police dispatcher, other than a very literal understanding of the two words? She takes a sip of Gilbert's meal, eyes coming to rest on Kenzi. )

Is there anything more to police dispatcher work than dispatching the police to the places they're requested to be?

[corviform]

Hey. [ Of course he has to say something. ] Is that such a wise idea when they're watching us closely?

[ Those strange tattoos on their wrists... aren't they being monitored all the time now? He doesn't know how nanites work exactly.

He chokes on air when Sharon announces her place of employment, unable to picture Sharon in a bakery at all. He doesn't mean to doubt her abilities, but she's been raised as a heiress to a dukedom, not a lowly servant like him. ]

Bakery...? Why did they choose something like that?

[wisecracked]

[Kenzi's done more than pick pocketing but perhaps nothing as grand as grand larceny. Black market deals, scam jobs, those were more her thing but she'd toned it down to just pickpocketing over the past several months.]

If they want to label me a villain for freeing people of their money and acquiring a few new wallets, let them. [She snorts before spooning some more stew into her mouth.

Her attention turns to Sharon as she thinks it over. There's a lot of other mundane stuff that comes with the job but it's mostly as Sharon says.] It's mostly just that. Lots of dealing with people on the phones and telling the popo where to go.

[foreshadower]

And I'm sure they certainly need the proper direction, don't they?

[ He asked it, a bit of fond mockery for the police. Some police, the Shade didn't mind, however, offering a fond thought for the O'dare clan, and some of the members he was rather attached to. ]

I'm sure you are excellent at it -- both.

[auntyquated]

What an intriguing term to describe an officer of the law.

( Popo? It sounds so juvenile, which makes it all the more amusing. )

Have you always been a liberator of other people's funds, Kenzi? It sounds like dangerous, though exciting, work.

[corviform]

[ Gil shoots a look between Kenzi and Sharon. ]

Sharon! Don't encourage that behaviour!

[ Or call it something other than what it is! ]

[wisecracked]

I'm sure they wouldn't be able to find their own heads if not for the fact they're attached.

[Kenzi grins over at Shade then Sharon.] Among other things, a girl's gotta do what she can to survive.

[In response to Gil she simply rolls her eyes. Job are all well and good but she's really not the working type.] In any case, I think I might look into setting up P.I. work around here.

[foreshadower]

Mm, indeed -- and I'm sure surviving is costly.

[ He agreed, focusing more on savoring the food than lighting on too much of the talk. After all, he wasn't exactly the sort that was set on a "career", as it were.

His last few hadn't really been anything to write home about. Occasional assassin and -- he would almost say mercenary -- and then supervillain wasn't exactly the kind of thing that went with a 9-5. ]

I can assure you, most police can't, either way.

[ He said it lightly, before reaching out for his drink. ]

[auntyquated]

( She smiles sweetly for Gilbert. )

Encourage her? I have no idea what you mean, Gilbert, dear.

( Only to ask in turn: )

Pee Eye work?

( While taking note what Shade is saying. She sips at her own water, wishing briefly for tea. )

[corviform]

[ He immediately feels outnumbered in taking any of this seriously. Well, Sharon he doesn't doubt, but she does get carried away in mercilessly teasing or provoking him.

He begins to eat, grumbling into his stew about the seriousness of the matter. ]

[wisecracked]

Hey, not every homeless person wants to stay homeless. And I sure as hell didn't want to.

[Of course she ended up staying on the streets for quite some time, right up until she met Bo.]

Gil, I don't need encouragement from anyone, I'm gonna do what I'm gonna do.

[She turns her attention back to Sharon.] Private investigative work. I started it up with Bo, having a partner that can get info out of a people with just one little touch came in handy... [But she doesn't have that here, then again she often had to get information her own way.]

[foreshadower]

[ Shade said nothing, at that. Instead opting to let them talk, and let himself drink and actually eat. Not that he needed to, but small pleasures were important. So important.

He just hummed at Kenzi, her words a bit funny to him -- probably the idea of a thief turned PI struck a chord, but that was all he did. ]

[auntyquated]

( Something bangs through the door in the kitchen, slithering and clacking claws reaching Sharon's ears. She turns her head to the side, her comment of interest in P.I. work -- something she wouldn't mind getting involved with -- shelved in the face of the unknown.

She's not smiling so pleasantly right now, and her toes hover a fraction of an inch above the floor. If they'll need to beat a quick retreat...

Which is when the six foot alligator tromped through the open entrance and paused, mouth opening wide.

... Florida! )

What in the world...!

[corviform]

[ The screen of the door shattering gets Gil to his feet and his mind quickly files a complaint about how it shouldn't be possible the house is falling apart so soon, but as he wheels around on his heel to pinpoint the source of the noise, he spots the large reptile scaling its way through the doorway. ]

Wha...

[ It's huge! And its hide looks tough and sheep dangerously sharp. ]

What the hell is that?!

[ He's seen it before, at the zoo with Kenzi, and occasionally on the TV, but for the life of him he can't recall what the over sized lizard is supposed to be called. ]

[wisecracked]

[Kenzi's chair clatters to the floor as she jumps up and immediately hovers about a foot off the floor. While every bit of her is screaming at her to get out the room she remains where she is.]

Guess he just wanted some of your cooking, Gil. [She gives a little laugh.]

So uh, should we call someone to deal with it or... [No, she doesn't want to suggest using her TK to move it, nope, not going there.]

[foreshadower]

[ Shade looked from them, all three of them moving out of the way. Panic flooding in the room, but he only looked at the thing, and then took another bite. ]

No need.

[ He looked at the alligator, and waved a hand.

Shadows just seemed to push at it, effectively cornering the thing, before pushing it back, a dark wall almost aiming to swallow it, before vanishing. ]

It seems like we need better doors.

[auntyquated]

( Sharon watches the whole of what those shadows do, more interested in them as they subdue the threat of the creature. Her foot taps down on the ground. She shifts forward, moving the chair back and rising to her full, diminutive height. )

This is quite too much excitement for a well bred lady in one night! I beg pardon, Kenzi, Mister Shade, Mister Gilbert, I fear I feel the need for a little lie-down.

( Her tone is sincerely regretful, and she does look pale. Sharon's eyes are downcast, leaving Eques attached to Gilbert's shadow as she leaves the dining room. )

You're a wonderful chef, Gilbert, I hope you will forgive me for being unable to do your work proper justice.

[corviform]

[ Gil hangs back out of confusion and sheer surprise as Shade's shadows do as they do and the alligator has vanished into thin air. Or rather, swallowed up by the shadows and leaving no trace of itself behind. There's only the mud it's managed to track in and a broken screen door. ]

Why was something like that so close to the house in the first place?

[ His heart is still pounding and he thinks he's lost his appetite.

He turns to Sharon, surprised she's leaving so quickly. ]

I'll leave your dish aside when you feel like eating. [ His gaze extends to the door. ] What are we supposed to do with that?!

[wisecracked]

[As Shade does his thing Kenzi's eyes grow wide. Once the gator is swallowed up in the shadows she looks over at the man with eyes that are still wide.]

Did you just? Dude! That was awesome! [Her voice is louder in her excitement over seeing such a cool ability. It's been a long time since she's actually seen someone use a power that actually wowed her.] No, seriously, that was, like, epic.

[Her excitement dies down a little when Sharon rises and announces her departure.] Oh, uh, okay.

[Her feet finally touch the floor again, her seat righting itself seemingly on it's own.]

Uh...don't suppose anyone has fix-it powers, huh?

[foreshadower]

[ Shade only politely nodded to Sharon, letting her depart without another word. He didn't know her quite well enough to say anything more than that, but with her sensibilities, he had a feeling they would all get along pretty well. Especially since th3ey all seemed to know how to get under Gilbert's skin in some way, and the boy ruffled so easily.

He wiped a hand on his lapel, instead. ]

I'm not exactly a regular handyman. I'm better with disposal rather than actually fixing whatever damage these things create. Isn't there a landlord of some sort we can call?