#bergen_county

He turns in a slow circle, looking for her. "That's.. pretty impressive, actually."

"Sorry, you're saying somethingg but I cann't hear you from here" She peeks out behind a nearby tree. How she got ther he's not sure bu there you go.

"Come on inside when you're ready. I feel I DO owe you a drink after I gave you an asthma attack" And he can follow or no, but in she goes

"Yeah. I may have given myself the wheezes from trying to sock you there. Listen. Dagmar? She's off limits. Poke and prod at whoever you think you can start a fight with, if you really have that death wish. But you leave her out of your insults. She's dealt with shit that's not my place to say and none of your business, and she doesn't need to be prodded in a sensitive place." Symon is cooly matter of fact. "Just because I can't punch, doesn't mean that I don't have ways to make people regret bad decisions."

"But if you really want a good brawl just for fun?" His expression says he thinks the concept is crazy. "Try asking. She'll fight, and fight fair. Dags's got a thing for jousting, but she's all around tough with pretty much any weapon."

"Okay Okay... geez I won't insult her. she seems okay annyway.... " A shrug "You seem a pretty good boyfriend to her"

He is tempted to slap his forehead, but at this rate, he'll hurt himself. "Listen, I'm not her boyfriend. Okay? We're friends. We fight together, we stick together, we're partners, got it? And that's it. Jesus. I don't see why everyone thinks things always have to come back to... fluid bonding." He shakes his head.

"Well, when I mentioned Girlfriend to rile you that time.. you're the one who gave her name, not me" A reminder "So you can see why I'd make that conclusion. Will you come in nand get a drink with me or something? Maybe if we're both drinking something I won' blather and accidentally offend you?"

She's blushing a bit feeling bad about the whole choke and die part

He ducks his head a bit and shrugs. "Everyone always thinks that. Yeah, sure."

"Well, okay then" A little less embarrassed. "So you're more like buddy cops, walking the beat together, one of you a by the book shining badge, the other the more slovenly maverick who skirts the rules and gets called up by the station commander who doesn't know whether to promote you or throw the book at you"

He gives her a glance, and then slowly responds. "...not that far off, actually."

"Yeah?" She looks pleased "Point for me. I wonder if the Chieftain ever sends you guys out then says she's getting too old for this shit?"

"She doesn't swear... that I've seen. But I bet she THINKS it."

A smirk, then more seriously "What's with her ... I mean, okay, we're a dying species so it's just smart for her and the Hearth and others to protect us and help us and stuff... but why does she get to be in charge? Because she owns the fire? I mean... this feudal system I'm learningg about seems weird. Like back when folks had to own land to vote"

He runs a hand through his hair and huffs a bit. "Why you gotta ask me this stuff? You know, if you'd asked me a year or two ago? I'd have said she gets to be in charge because she's tough and she's got a pack of trolls backing up her claim."

"Yeah? And now?" Ignoring his question of why she's gotta ask him

"I'd say the same. It's still true. But also it's a shitty job a lot of the time, but she's GOOD at it, and dedicated. So I guess she's got a pack of trolls, and the rest of the riff raff, like me."

"Huh" A thought "So in a way, if she were running for mayor, she might win anway. Fairy Mayor that is"

"Sure, being in charge means you get to tell everyone what to do and boss 'em around. But it also means that when shit comes down heavy, you're the one everyone is looking at to know what to do." He frowns a bit, thoughtfully. "Anyone can be a boss, but it takes brains and guts to lead. I know enough to know I ain't got what it takes. I can lead an adventuring party, but only as the Dee- Emm and only then because I'm making them band together by trying to kill them."

A huff of amusement. "There's a statue, you know, of her. At a... call it a Fairy B&B."

"Yeah? Is she carryingg a torch or something?"

"Why, are you feeling like a huddled mass yearning to breath free?"

"My Rennts were control freaks who made me feel like shit.. seems to have trannslated into authority issues" She admits

"Well, think of it this way. When the monsters were poppin' up and you were in the middle of it, she's the one who came running INTO the danger to get you out of it, without knowing who you were or anything more 'n you needed help. Ain't everyone who'd do that."

"Well, you and Dagmar" an admission

"We were there." He shrugs, "And the law says we have to help. She CAME from safety to get you."

"Oh yeah...." Audrey frowns "NOW I feel kind of bad Nolan stole ...err borrowed her vehicle"

"You got off LUCKY. Ask around sometime about the last pooka who took one of the Lodge's cars for a joy ride."

"Yeah... so is here a fur rug somewhere?" Nervous

"Almost."

He smirks a bit to show that he's joking. Probably.

"you enjoy freaking people out, don't you?"

She doesn' tseem offended, but more just verifying

"It's kinda my schtick. There ain't a lot of slugs around here-" Tapping his chest so she'll know he means himself. "So I have to make up for the lack."

"I've made the mark of the barbed ring upon her hand sinister, Symon... she is ours now and ready for the sacrifice" A soft whisper behind the Clurichaun.

Audrey whirls and lifts her left hand, she had taken the boxing gloves off awhile ago, annd thee on her hand is a circle of red with siniser looking jaggs!

Symon recognnizes it as the sort of thing kids use for finger painting

Audrey says "What the.. geez!!!" As she looks down to see Lily.. the creepy little girl who has squrimed her vertabrae so she looks like she has a brroken neck ...

While she is gawking at Lily, Symon takes advantage of the distraction to draw himself up into the rafts, dangling from just one sticky-fingered hand and with his head lolling like a hanged man in a noose when she turns back around...

Which she does "Is she OKAY Do we need... GAHHHH!" Backpeddle

She falls over, and ... that is the fastest crabwalk Symon has ever seen!

He drops lightly to the floor, and gives Lily a thumbs up and gummy grin.

Annd the Clurichaun is GONE.. probably in the kitchen if not out the door

Lily's spine clatterrs back into place and she claps softly with delight "Can we keep her? PLLLLLEEAZE?"

In a happy whisper, of course

Of course, keeping means they'll have to find Audrrey again, but still, the kid's requeswt is reasonable

Lily then takes Symon's hand "We should have tea" not a request. "This way, Mister Symon." Of course, Symon will have to wipe the 'blood' (red finger paint) off himself later as he's clasped her hand, but that's a small price to pay for helping a kith sister get a good scare.

(End Scene)