milliways_bar | (no subject)

*Meg watches the whole tableau warily, and shifts her feet back a little.

Anthy is not coming out from under the table yet.

She wants to glance at Andrew, but doesn't take her eyes off of Mina, Nick, Val and Joe. It's not safe yet.*

She glares at Nick ... but he's vastly older than she is. She'd probably lose. She turns her head on hearing Val. It's harder for her to hold on to her rage.

And Joe's voice brings her to a complete stop. She relaxes under all their hands, whispering to Joe. "After what she did ... All she's done ...?" A pleading tone in the whisper.

*Andrew has no idea what Anthy's done with regard to Mina. At the moment he doesn't much care.*

*Seeing that she's stopped for the moment, he crouches quickly to look under the table.*

Hey ... Anthy, you okay?

Val's eyes are not moving from Mina. "Mina, let it go, please. It'll get worked out. Really. Things will work out." She talks in a soothing, caring voice, with only a hint of pleading.

*It takes her a moment to make out his face. When she does, she blinks again anyway.* . . . Fine.

Can I come out?

...I don't know. Hang on there a minute, they're still trying to talk down the crazy lady...

She's not crazy . . .

Joe grips Mina's hand. "I know, darlin'. I know. But she ain't human. I mean you can't kill her. She won't die. It's no good tryin'. Just calm down."

"Please listen to reason, Mina. No one wants to have to hurt you, especially me."

And very gently, he lets go of her arms, his hands still poised above them just in case she attempts to bolt.

"You're a smart girl, Mina. Be smart."

And one hand reaches up to playfully poke her on the nose.

"I like your face where it is."

That last bit wasn't quite as friendly but the childish behavior makes it a bit ambiguous. He's been very calm and logical so far, right?

*Meg's voice is still ridiculously squeaky. Soft. But squeaky.

It'd be comical. But it's not.*

If you killed her, Mina, you'd be doing her a favor.

Just leave her be. She's already lost everying, Mina, she's lost even the right to die, just leave her be -

"Nick!" Val's voice turns cold, commanding, and frustrated. "There will be -no- hurting going on here. No one is going to die, no one is going to be hurt. Why the frell can't we just cal down and -talk- about all of this?"

"...the fuck?"

Joe pulls Mina away from Nick, putting his arm around her as he does, both for comfort and restraint.

Right arm. Damn damn damn.

Joe put his left hand on the short sword under his belt. Bless those Argentines.

"Nobody's hurting her."

Roland watches Joe and the woman. Mina. He's got the fanged man in his line of sight, too.

Vampire.

He keeps his left hand on his holstered gun.

This is all very...interesting.

She twitches as her nose is poked, almost flashing-diving into rage again, but his joking tone keeps her from it.

Her voice goes harsh with hate and pain. "After last night, she needs to suffer. Needs to."

Hearing Val, she guiltily flinches. "I'm sorry, Val ..."

The smell of cigars and gunsmoke calms her the rest of the way, and she just buries herself in his arms.

Last night?

*Meg is this close to stamping her foot on the floor.*

What the bloody inferne happened last night?

Nick eyes Mina, glad that she seems to have calmed down, before turning to Meg with what's almost a grin.

"She took exception to Anthy's games. Didn't like what happened to Joe here, certainly didn't enjoy the little mind game Anthy played with her the other day and honestly, I can understand. I have enough trouble keeping Nick sane that I wouldn't appreciate it if someone tipped the balance unnecessarily...and Anthy tends to like to do that. Ophelia comes to mind..."

He seems lost in a memory for a moment before continuing.

"Also, there was last night..."

He grins. Oh, the drama!

"She was being Mina last night, Meg. How would you like it if you kissed your lover and it wasn't them?" Joe shouts hoarsely, hugging Mina tight.

Joe's lover...is made of bats.

Roland is flabbergasted. This is putting it mildly.

Not that you can really tell from the outside, though. He's still standing there, left hand resting on his revolver.

*Andrew ... chokes. On nothing.*

*And turns a bewildered, horrified gaze on Anthy.*

*Meg opens her mouth to answer - but words won't come out, so she closes it again.

It's rather a good thing the tables there to stop her from staggering backwards, so she can retain some semblance of control. She opens her mouth to try again, her voice a hoarse, tinny whisper.*

I don't know. I don't know.

*And Anthy's out the back of the table and on her feet, backing away. Her eyes are narrowed, and her lashes block the light.*

*Meg doesn't see Anthy come out - but she straightens anyways, pushing up against the table, and looks at Mina and Joe.

She isn't angry anymore.*

All right.

I see. I understand.

But Mina - what I told you yesterday still stands. Nothing changes it.

I'm sorry -

She turns around in Joe's arms, looking at Meg. She sees Anthy and gives the hunting-cat-growl again, but doesn't leap at her. She shakes her head and looks back to Meg.

"We could remove your responsibility for her, by a challenge to duel ..."

"NO!" Joe sounds stricken. "For Christ's sake--"

"No." Val is more than serious. "If we want to remove Meg's responsibility towards Anthy, another duel would be a horrible idea. We need to look into how the frell we can stop this blasted cycle in the first place and free Anthy. That's the best way to do it. If the duels keep up, then, well, it's just prolonging the mess." Her eyes flash. "There has to be a way to do it."