#bergen_county

(to the Lodge)

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Adam and Kourtney motor around town, Adam playing tour guide.

"So, that's the infamous Miss McGillicudy's place huh?"

"Yeah. She's a bitch, but she can see stuff, so be careful around her."

"So she's like you? the seeing stuff, n ot the bitch part" A blush

Adam grins, understanding. "I guess?"

"Nice. Good gift to have. I had an aunt with the power"

"It sucks, sometimes, but.... I don't think I'd lose it if I had the choice."

"Still, it had to be so strange for you"

"SO Strange!" He agrees, and tells her about the giant crab-thing at the lake.

"Oh wow.. okay, we don't get so much the sea monsters.. .or even stream monsters... now and then maybe"

"Well, I don't think it happens, like, every week around here but we get some monsters."

And she looks up, "Gray sky......" Tense swirling...rain now and then

"Yeah, I mean.... it rains here. Doesn't it rain where you're from?"

An amused look "Course it does... but bet it wasn't predicted on the weather like this... see the chimericalside? the dreaming touches? they're more.. tense.." Serious again "Sad even. She's still worried for husband I reckon."

"Yeah, that was.... pretty messed up."

A nod "DeBukes are pretty glad we don't have nobles ruling. Maybe that's a reason"

"Yeah, heard about that." Apparently he didn't love what he heard.

She notices the look "What's wrong with no nobles?"

A shrug. "Aren't most nobles Sidhe? And vice versa?"

"Yeah" She says "What of it? " Still not sure understanding "Why should they get to rule just because they're sidhe?"

A shrug. "I'm kinda not the expert on all that stuff. Just.... well, I heard maybe your family doesn't like Sidhe too much."

"Oh, well, they don't, but you're not one of them, you're kinian" She says

"You seem al ot nicer than those Arcadian invaders"

"So you don't think people at the farm would... you know, get on me, hassle me, if I went there?"

"mmm maybe one or two, but I'd like to think they'd get called on it"

"-I- haven't done anything to anyone and it's not like I'm going to be a noble or anything."

(He might be a bit bitter about that, but if so he is hiding it well.)

"Right, exactly" She smikles and says 'Bright side"

"So you don't know -any- Sidhe nobles who aren't assholes?"

"Well," She says "There were Beaumayn that helped us once" She admits "And Clem says there was a Fiona lady who was pretty generous even if she's a flake."

"Yeah?" Some interest.

"Tajier or something.. or maybe it was that lady at Earth runes..what's her name? Cory Dale?""

A shrug. "I don't know."

"oh sorry of course you wouldn't. I just..trying to remember. Those sidhe nobles aren't part of my life except something to be on guard against so I don't know them all that well"

"Now thta's the wayburtons? Mostly satyrs?"

"Yeah." Happily. "They're great."

"Must get wild around their place" Intrigued "They doing okay health wise?"

"Yeah. We stay in touch mostly by phone and all, you know? I think the Lodge is a safe zone."

"Good, " She nods "How about your family? Where do you live?"

He describes it.

"So your mother is a satyress, your father is a troll, your sister is a sluagh, and you have sidhe blood..." She blinks "I think I missed something"

"-You- missed something?" Adam laughs, and it is not free from bitterness. "There was this.... thing. A... really bad dude was trying to, like, take over all of New Jersey by making all the mortals into Fae loyal to him, or something, and he wanted to use me to do it. Offered me.... anyway, some of the magic made it through. Turned my family into Fae."

"You're pulling my leg" She says, but looks intrigued

"Nope."

"Thats... wow..thats crazytown stuff... I mean... I'm glad it didn't succeed but... wow" She says "I kind of want to meet yoru family now"

"You wanna swing by?"

"I suppose I best finish the tour first.. but on the end of the trip mahybe?"

"Sure, we can end up there." Adam points out the ice cream shop, the sports place he used to work at, the school (closed), and so on.

"Sure." She smiles at the ice cream shop