#bergen_county

It isn't.... but talk they must!

...Soon Piper is busily distracting herself by setting up for the gathering in 'her' studio back at Goldfinch - comfy chairs set out, a table for pizza and soda. And fussing. Quietly, but fuss fuss fuss. What if they don't show up? What if Dagmar changes her mind? What if they don't find an answer? WHAT IF THEY DO?!

Linwood, the shy keyboard musician, shows up first. The 'likable quiet one' to Jordan's mouthy cynic, the keyboardist considers Piper a friend. "Hey? Am I too early? "

Piper has a look like a deer in headlights for a moment, but then straightens and gives him a welcoming smile. "Come on in. I ordered pizza - the pie on the left has sausage and pepperoni, the one on the right is veggie."

"Thanks," he trots in "Great to see you again. How's your dad?"

She perks up at that. "He's doing great. We did a brunch that some proud boys tried to crash, but I gave a couple of them the ol' Summer Cantrip hotseat until the police showed up. It was touch and go for a bit, but Dad's a smooth talker and managed to convince them that we were the ones in the right."

She looks rather proud of her dad.

"Cool, you two are so much braver than I could ever be." The centaur says despite he is, well, part horse and could kick the shit out of folks if he tried, "I really have to admire what Siv told me about all your pro drag work. " he takes one slice of veggie pizza, just one.

She glances around... no one else is here yet. But, neither is Dagmar. She stalls, and encourages, "Help yourself, you have a whole centaur to feed. We can always order more, they have a 2-for-1 dealy."

"Thanks, but no need to rush it."

Dagmar arrives - casual gear, no big falcon blazons (though there's still an awful lot of hunter green and yellow ochre happening)

Dirk comes in behind her "I heard there was food. "

Piper's look of relief when Dagmar shows up is palpable, then she quickly taps in an order for more pizzas, as Dirk arrives... and a couple sides of wings. Gotta remember that.

Indeed, Dirk heads towards the meat pizza "What's this about?" Munch munch

The big wilder trolless somehow manages to slouch. She half-raises a hand in quiet greeting.

"Well, you see... have something to eat. Relax. It's no big deal. Just a bit of a fact-finding expedition, kinda. Once we're all here, I'll get into it." She seems at ease, but she IS a performer by nature.

Linwood says "Sure" relaxing. he trusts his fellow musician

She heads over to join Dagmar, whispering, "Thank you again for coming out. I feel a lot better with you here."

A shrug and a nervous smile. "Like I said, you're my friend."

Lyron and Basil enter in.. the two satyrs talking excitedly

A wave at the two, and she gestures towards the food and drink. To Dagmar, she whispers, "Just the trolls, and Jordan left, I think." Scanning her mental list.

A nod.

"I'm gonna..." A vague gesture at the pizzas before she starts over to inspect the options.

"Hey girls" Basil says//"Ladies" Lyron grins

Up-nod for the satyrs.

Piper makes some small talk, trying not to glance at the clock nervously. The backup pizzas are received and set out, and the wings presented to Dirk, who will surely leave as soon as the food is gone.

"Just saying I don't trust it" Jordan says, "This whole thing feels off. "

Provided the veggie pizza doesn't have anything "weird", Dag takes a slice of each.

"Do you trust anything?" Ives asks, the DeBuke lad sums up his view as he and Jordan enter

Peppers, onions, mushrooms... no artichoke or fennel bulbs, alas.

Then the Kinaihn comes in, another DeBuke. Carson is barely known in these parts, but he did visit last beltaine so....

The doors are open. With two centaurs invited, and Ives who is not a fan of tight spaces himself, they made sure this area had room. Still, Ives waits for the crowd at the pizza tables die down. Carson inclines his head politely. And Spencer DeBuke grins "Hello everyone" The musical DeBuke loves visiting Goldfinch

Dagmar finds a corner to lurk in.

Jordan looks at the set up with suspicion "This isn't about my trod watch plans is it?"

Piper hesitates, wishing for a moment that Siv was here, yet understanding why she isn't... and once everyone had a chance to grab a drink and at least say hi, she stands up and clears her throat. She nods to Jordan, and starts... "I know you're all wondering why I've asked you here today..."

Dirk swallows another slice

"And let me start by saying that NO ONE is in any trouble. What you all have in common is that we were all at the shindig that Goldfinch threw for Beltaine, and I'm trying to track down... something that happened that night. No blame, no shame... and if you prefer, I'll talk to any of you individually instead of in a group. I just need to ask... what you did after around... midnight or so, until morning."

She clears her throat awkwardly. "If, um, that's cool, and all."

Lyron is still young, but among the older wilders "This sounds... interesting."

"Whatever it was, I didn't take it," Jimmy or whatever his name is says from a side wall "And if I did, I'll give it back"

"I don't need details. I know we were ALL partying. So just, you know, who you were with..." She realizes that this is really kinda prying, but she looks a bit lost as to how to ask without saying more. "I mean. Um."

Basil tilts his head "Okay, starting to wonder. What's up?"

She heads over to Basil. "I remember you were having an arm wrestling contest, and I think you flips Rikki all the way tail over teakettle when she challenged you... but not sure if I saw you after that?" She asks, encouraging.

She does pick the olives off the veggie slice, making a little pile of them on a spare paper towel.

"This is a trap" Jordan mutters and looks tempted to bolt

Basil rolls his eyes at Jordan "Could you be any less of a jerk?" Then looks at his cousin "Well, she owed me a drink after that so she got me onee. Course the drinks were free so... I told her she owed me a dance. She did the macarana and I admit, I laughed. Then we went dancing for real. After that..." Basil ahems "Well, ah, I don't want to talk about it on account of she can get mean if she gets talked about too much."

All TRUE

A glance Dagmar's direction, discretely though.

Quiet nod.

Dirk sniffs the air, and not for Pizza "Why is it all guys here? I mean, cept for you and Dags?" A question to both ladies

Dirk used to be much slower on the uptake.