milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Ava is still working for the vengeance demons, but it's been kind of a literal headache lately.

(Your soul is toughening up nicely, D'Hoffryn told her a couple years back. But she can't deny that recently, the wails of the vengeful have been ... bothering her.)

She teleports into the Milliways restroom and adjusts her tiny demon horns, which morph back into a silvery headband. Then she steps out into the main bar, still in work clothes: cardigan, pencil skirt ... sneakers.

She makes a beeline for the Bar.

[ooc: plotlocked if you please!]

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Gene has been scanning the place for women who fit the description of 'mousy', and 'long brown hair', and 'round face'. It actually helps that he's in Milliways, because so many of the women look far more weird than that, and have all sorts of strange hair-colours.

Still, this kind of plod work is not his favourite, and he's not in a great mood at having to do it. He approaches unenthusiastically.

'Got a minute?'

... This guy? Seriously? Ava rubs her temple.

"I really need some painkillers right now," she says. "Bar?"

Two pills and a glass of water appear.

'Yeah, believe me, I'm about as happy as you are about this.'

He taps the Security badge on his chest.

'Need to ask you some questions.'

He knows they've met before, but he can't remember what they talked about except that it involved quite a lot of insults on both sides. He definitely can't remember her name.

Her eyes narrow.

"Questions?" She swallows her pills with some of the water. "About what?"

There's a vengeance-y scent clinging to her, which is something like sulfur and something like smoke. Of all the times for freaking Security to want to talk to her.

'About what you were doin' in the forest a few nights ago.'

He can't place that smell. It comes close to gunpowder, but too strongly of rotten eggs to be that. He can't imagine where that'd come from.

Ava blinks, her brow furrowing-- which hurts.

Somebody saw her in the woods? Is somebody mad about the tree? She gives Gene an uncomprehending smile.

"Okay, I have no idea what you're talking about."

'Oh, so you weren't in the forest a few nights ago? When there was a lot of smoke and loud noises? 'cos I've got a witness says you were, and a missin'...man,' is Santa even a man, really? 'who appears to have disappeared that night.'

He taps the bar, and a pint appears.

'So. What were you doing in there?'

Once again, her eyes narrow.

"I didn't make anyone disappear." She takes a sip from her water glass, sets it down on the Bar, and steps back.

Her head is killing her. And she's not sure she wants to get in it with Security where just anyone-- Autor, Hannibal Lecter, Beverly Katz, the list goes on-- could see her.

"Sorry I can't help."

She starts to moves towards the stairs.

'Hold on.'

He puts out a hand to stop her, but doesn't actually touch her. Yet.

'Not good enough, luv. What were you doing out there?'

Ava doesn't flinch.

But the light above them flickers.

"Nothing," she says, emphatic. "I take walks sometimes. And right now I really have a headache, so if you'll excuse me--"

Going outside is not a good plan. Kitchens, Security hallway, not so tenable. Stairs it is.

He drops his hand, and puts it in his coat pocket. He surveys her for a moment, then steps back.

'I'll be seein' you again.'

He's not going to force this at this stage. There's too much about it that doesn't make sense - mention of monsters, bugs growing too fast, weird pictures turning up on the moon. And she's just a girl...though the flickering light doesn't escape his notice, even if he does just assume it's an electrical fault.

Having said all that, he doesn't believe for a second that she just took a walk.

'Best go an' lie down, if it's that bad.'

Keep your shirt on, Ava thinks irritably to the door in her head.

Is that a nonsensical thing to say to a demon? You bet! But Ava's head really does hurt, and her week is taking a rapid turn for the worse.

"Thanks," she murmurs. "I'll do that."

Ava doesn't turn her back on much of anyone, and now's no exception: She takes a slightly circuitous route to the stares to keep Gene in her periphery.

And he watches her all the way, unabashed in his scrutiny, and very obviously suspicious.

There's something not right about that girl. He'll definitely make a point of finding her soon.

And sitting at Bar is a little street kid eating a stack of waffles. Ava may notice the girl's face go from checking out the room to poker in the blink of an eye.

Ava is pretty paranoid as a general rule, and especially right now. Her gaze flickers to the girl as she downs some Advil.

Of course, it doesn't immediately help. She rubs her temple, absent.

Selina pulls out a friendly smile out and a look of concern.

"Tough night or long day?"

Ava returns the smile, though hers is closer to a wince.

(There is a faintly demonic scent clinging to her-- something that recalls sulfur and smoke.)

"Long day. I was just gonna drink this," she raises a glass of water, "and head upstairs."

Selina resists the sneeze that creeps up on her at the smell. The freaky. freaky smell. People only smell like that in her world if they live in the sewers, or the toxic dumps.

"My mom gets migraines all the time. Swears by frozen Snickers bars."

Edited (sorry, last one I swear) 2014-12-04 23:02 (UTC)

Ava's eyebrows arch as she sips.

... Which kind of hurts.

"Like to eat, or just to press to her forehead?"

"To eat. But she usually had to leave them out for a few minutes to soften them up. Hey Bar, could a get a mostly frozen Snickers bar?"

When one appears, wrapper and all, Selina slides it over. "Give it a try. I'll eat it if it doesn't help."

"I'm Cat by the way."

Ava looks down to the Snickers bar, then back at the girl.

She can't help but wonder if this whole being-nice, offering-food M.O. has something, somehow, to do with Hannibal Lecter.

"I'm Ava," she says, "thanks-- nice to meet you." A pause. "Does your mom come here too?"

She tends not to see unaccompanied minors.

"Nah, she's back home. Nice to meet you too," Selina says with another smile. "I hope the Snickers helps. Headaches are the worst."

"They're no fun," Ava admits, making a face. She sips from her glass.

"So I let this sit for how long?"

"Oh, sorry! It should be good now. That's why I ordered it mostly frozen," Selina replies with a wince.

"Oh! That's okay. Thanks."

Ava unwraps the Snickers bar with care and takes a slow bite. Thoughtfully, she chews.

... It doesn't really help the headache, but she didn't think it would.

While Ava eats, Selina cuts another bite of waffle and looks for any further distinguishing marks to report to Gene. This woman really is just one of the crowd though.

Ava smiles faintly.

"Maybe I'll eat the rest of this upstairs and take a nap. If I see you again, I'll tell you if it helped, okay?"

"Sounds good," Selina says with a wave and a smile. "Hope you feel better."

She nods, standing, and picks up her glass and the Snickers bar.

"Me too. Have a good one, Cat."

Ava turns and heads for the stairs, her skull pounding.

Maybe she really will take a nap.

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