01<@Ardweden> [Day: Wednesday, September 8. Time: The End of School (not to be confused with The End of Days - that's later).] 01<@Ardweden> [The last bell rang! Yay! It's the English hallway, where your lockers are! Double yay? That's where YOU'RE going, because there is no avoiding the lockerness. Other than that, the day has been proceeding pretty much completely normally.] 01<@Ardweden> [Session Start.] 06* Hank arrives at the lockers! He seems to be in a good mood as he begins the book exchanging ritual. 01<@Ardweden> [A couple of girls glance at Hank and start talking in hushed tones as they hurry past.] 06* Hank wins! .... Maybe? 06* Javy heads down the hall, and slows down a notch when he sees Hank is there already, gathering his energy. 06* Tyler stays at his locker way over there. 01<@Ardweden> [Nate's actually walking by (early!) and waves at Javy as he heads to his locker. "Hey, Javy!"] 06* @Tiffany fiddles with the combo on her locker. She seems slightly distracted and flubs it a couple times first. 06* Javy starts, and waves back at Nate. "Oh, hey. You're here early." 06* Sydney arrives, late as always. But she's getting a bit better and strides confidently to her locker now that she's made it to the hallway. 01<@Ardweden> ["Yeah, I've got this thing after school for Mr. Mitchell, but I wanted to talk to you about the Lunatic Fringe stuff because it's *really* interesting." Nate takes a breath, then says, "I'm going to do a little more research this week... probably at least put all the ghost stories in one place and do some cross referencing. I just figured you'd want to know."] 06* Javy looks around a little, surprised, and then says softly, "Um, uh... cool. That's good. Really." He smiles. "Thanks. Can I help?" 01<@Ardweden> ["Sure, I'll let you know when I'm going if you want. But it's just busywork mostly... still, ghost stories are kind of awesome and I wouldn't mind looking at them again, so I just figured. Can't believe I didn't know about that stuff before." Nate waves at Sydney as she walks by.] 06* Sydney waves back. "Hi, Nate! How're you doing?" 06* Javy waves to her, as well, almost as an afterthought. "Yeah. Great. Um... thanks. I didn't know, either." 06* Hank finishes with his book stuff and heads over to them. "'Sup guys?" 06* @Tiffany pauses a moment and looks off to the side at Javy's conversation, then gets frustrating because she flubs her combination and has to start it all over again. 06* Tyler looked like he was going to head towards Javy and then all of the sudden is VERY interested in his locker. Strange. 01<@Ardweden> [Nate smiles. "Good. Kind of getting into that Fringe stuff we were looking at yesterday... sucks that you got lost, though." He turns to Hank. "Hi Hank."] 06* Sydney looks slightly sheepish. "It happens. My anti-superpower." 01<@Ardweden> ["Yeah. 'Sokay, really." Nate glances at his phone and then says, "I don't mean to run out on you guys, but I gotta go or I'll be late. Just wanted to check in." He waves at the lot of you and then rushes off.] Bye! 06* Javy nods to Hank, as well. It's easier here. "Hey." Then back to Sydney. "You can manage. Um..." He waves Nate off. "Talk with you. Um. Soon." 06* Hank watches him go. "Later, man." 01<@Ardweden> ["Yeah, I'll text you!" Nate calls at Javy before he disappears around the corner.] 06* Javy nods, and looks at the others. He spots Tiffany, too... and Tyler. But he looks back to Tiffany... and then to Syd again. "You're here now. Right?" 06* Hank turns back to the others, grinning. "Guess what." 06* Sydney looks down at herself briefly. "I think so!" 06* Javy blinks, and then nods to Syd, before looking at Hank. "What?" 06* @Tiffany finally gets her locker open and just shoves in the books that she doesn't need. She slams her locker and keeps her hand on it for a moment as she breathes out a slow sigh. She then turns slightly and eyes the group together but doesn't make a step forward either way. We're goin' out tonight. We are? Where? The Fringe! It's gonna be open. 06* Javy blinks again, and shifts his bag along his shoulder. "What?" But... how? 06* Sydney scratches her chin, puzzled. 06* Hank grins. "Did some research of my own is all. But we gotta go tonight. Ain't gonna be open again fer a while after." 06* Javy nods slowly. "Okay." He glances over to see Tiffany looking at them, and straightens a little. "Did you tell. Um. Did you tell the... the others yet?" Not yet, no So how is it open tonight? It's not a full moon. Turns out it ain't only the full moon that does it. 06* Javy almost starts to call Tiffany over, then, but he stops. "What? What else does?" The new moon fer one. 06* Sydney 's eyes widen. "Oh!" Okay. Wow. Uh... How... how did you find that out? Asked 'round. 06* Javy nods slowly. "But who?" 06* Hank scratches his cheek. "Eh... The Cat y'all don't like." I like him plenty! Why do you think I didn't? 06* @Tiffany stops watching the group for a moment and hides her face a little, looking from side to side. She spots Tyler and makes her way over towards him. 06* Hank shrugs. "I dunno. I thought most of ya didn't. Tiffany don't." 06* Sydney points upward. "He has an awesome hat and all! How can I not like the awesome hat?" 06* Tyler closes his locker and slowly starts to move away from the group 06* Javy shakes his head, looking annoyed with himself. "Why... I should have thought of... thought of asking him." Anywho, place gonna be open tonight. We should go. 06* @Tiffany stops and frowns a bit as Tyler starts to move away, but she's not really in the mood for pursuing him. She glances back at the group again for a moment, considering going back. 06* Javy sees Tiffany moving away, and shifts his bag back again. "Yeah. Um. Let's. We should, uh, we should tell the others." He takes a step towards her. 06* Hank mutters, "Yeah, it'd look kinda dumb if she tried to break into the place while it was open." 06* @Tiffany sees Javy coming her way and freezes a little, brushing her hair and looking slightly away. 06* Sydney follows! 06* Hank follows. At the back. 06* Javy sees Syd following, and lets her come alongside before they get to Tiffany. "Um. H-Hey, Tiffany." 06* @Tiffany doesn't manage to look at him, glancing at a particularly interesting differently-colored tile on the floor. "O-oh. Um. Hey. Hey, Javy." 06* Javy pauses, and then manages, "How... how are you today?" 06* @Tiffany looks about, then gets the courage to look at the group, though she's avoiding eye contact for right now, especially with Hank. "I'm...I'm okay." Pause. "I suppose." Another pause. "What were you talking about earlier?" 06* Sydney smiles warmly at her. 06* Javy colors a little, and looks towards Hank. "Um... it's Hank. He, uh, he found out something." 06* @Tiffany hazards a brief glance, Hankward. She sounds curious but she's still not making full eye contact. Maybe with one of them. "Oh?" 06* Hank has a sudden interest in some girl off to the side, until his name's mentioned. "Huh? ... Yeah. The Fringe is gonna be open tonight." 06* @Tiffany blinks slightly, suddenly curious. "Is it? But why?" Dunno. But that's how it is. 06* @Tiffany hmms for a moment. "Well. That's a lucky break then. I'm guessing you're all going?" Yep 06* Javy nods. "If... if it's just for tonight, then, then, I think. We need to. Right?" This way we can all go. <@Tiffany> Well...we don't know when else we'll actually have the chance really... 06* @Tiffany frowns slightly. "Does Tyler know?" 06* Sydney shakes her head. "No, we haven't told him yet." We, uh, I. Hank just told us. 06* @Tiffany sighs slightly and nods. "Gotcha..." 06* Javy looks around to see if Tyler's still here, anyway. 01<@Ardweden> [Tyler is walking away, very slowly.] 06* Tyler is making his way out the main enterence taking his good sweet time. We should. Someone should tell him. 06* Javy looks at Syd hopefully? 06* Sydney gets the message, miracle of miracles. "Do we have a meeting time in mind?" 06* Hank frowns at that. 06* @Tiffany frowns and crosses her arms across her chest. "Not me this time." Well I ain't gonna. If ya bring him along he's liable to fuck it all up anywho. I don't know. When did... do you know when it opens? Prob'ly midnight. 06* @Tiffany sighs. "Yeah, Hank, but if he's off doing his own thing anyways, he's liable to fuck things up too. He's still 'unique', whether we like it or not." She doesn't seem to like the word unique, but couldn't think of a better codeword on the fly. That's when it was open last time, wern't it? 06* Javy nods at Hank, mostly sure. 06* Sydney folds her arms. "We can tell him, and the rest is up to him. So. Meeting there at midnight?" An' if this Medea person really is a witch he's liable to piss 'er off and get us hexed or somethin'. No thanks." 06* @Tiffany sighs. "Well, whichever. I don't care either way." She frowns and crosses her arms, looking away and getting softer. "I'm with you, Hank...I really am...I just don't think it's going to do us much good..." 06* Javy nods to Syd. "That's... I think that's right." I think. I... but... what if she needs us all there? If, that's how we were, ah, when we, we started. So we should. We should try at least. 06* Hank snorts, "Whatever. You guys wanna bring him? It's on yer heads." He walks off down the hallway, waving without looking back. "See ya tonight." 06* Javy waves at him anyway, unsure. "Okay. Um. Tonight." 06* Sydney sighs. "There is no good way to deal with this, is there?" 06* @Tiffany sighs as Hank goes away. "He hates me, doesn't he?" 06* Javy shakes his head. "Not you." He pauses. "I think." Tyler, definitely. You, I don't think so. Annoyed, maybe? But not hate. 06* Javy looks at Syd, and nods. "They, ah... the fight. And everything." I don't really like him, but he's a part of this thing, and I feel like we ought to tell him about the plans. 06* @Tiffany frowns and runs her fingers through her hair. "Bull. I'm always sticking up for Tyler. Even though I hate him. I'm...I'm just trying to be sensible here..." She gets smaller and turns inward for a moment. "Tell me guys. Am I in the wrong here?" I don't think so. It's tricky. I'm not very good at dealing with people I don't like very much. Usually I'd just not have anything to do with them and it'd work itself out. 06* @Tiffany nods, slowly, but she doesn't sound entirely convinced. "Alright..." She brushes her hand through her hair again and sighs, clutching her books tighter. "I'll catch you guys later, alright?" 06* Sydney nods. "Yep. Later!" 06* @Tiffany nods and heads off. 06* Javy can't figure out what to say exactly, but looks like he agrees with Syd, and then waves to her. "Yeah. Um. See you." 01<@Ardweden> [Blipzoom! The scene is the Square, in front of Lunatic Fringe. Time: 11:55 p.m.] 01<@Ardweden> [The area looks like it always has, pretty much. The Fringe looks closed, and the Square's streets and sidewalks are decently well lit. It's late and on a weekday, so there aren't any passerby wandering about. It's a new moon night.] 06* @Tiffany looks up at the moon for a moment and frowns. "I wonder if that's it..." 06* Hank arrives with a fanfare of revved up motorcycle. He's wearing a leather jacket. Awesome.] 06* @Tiffany has been waiting for a while. She's got her usual armwarmers on and a black tank with her chain inside. She's wearing jeans with a spikey leather belt. Classy. 06* Tyler shows up in his blacker than goth pants and tshirt, glancing at the others with a shrug. Buckles seem to be the theme of this outfit. 06* @Tiffany tugs the mesh black up as Tyler approaches and glances away to the knight on the motorcycle. "Hey Hank..." 06* Hank is wearing a helmet! Which he removes................................. now. "'Sup." 06* Tyler doesn't say anything to Hank or even look that way. 06* Hank doesn't either! Maybe if he pretends Tyler doesn't exists, he'll stop! 06* Sydney dashes up, clutching her GPS phone and seeming slightly out of breath. She's wearing sweatpants and a powder-blue t-shirt with a skating penguin on the front. "Sorry I'm late! Wait, am I late?" 06* Hank looks around. "Javy and Sydney ain't here yet?" (Please swap those statements.) <@Tiffany> Well there's one of them. 06* Hank waves. "'Sup Sydney." No. You aren't. I know, amazing. 06* Tyler is complete deadpan right now. Whew. 06* Javy pads through the square quietly, in a simple light grey windbreaker open over a dark brown t-shirt and jeans. It's 'Sup Javy? 06* Javy looks around the group. "Um, sorry. It... I had a hard time. Getting out." 06* Tyler shrugs at Javy. 01<@Ardweden> [The lights turn on inside of Lunatic Fringe.] 06* Javy starts slightly, and blinks at it. He mumbles something that ends on "...midnight." 06* Tyler heads to open the door. <@Tiffany> New moon too... 06* @Tiffany watches Tyler go but doesn't make a move to go after him just yet. People might think they're together somehow. 06* Hank parks. "Thought so. C'mon." He heads in! Beating Tyler to the door if he has to. 06* Tyler purposely steps in front of hank to open the door himself. Screw hank. He moved for it first. 06* Javy glances at Tiffany and Sydney, and starts heading towards the door with whoever of them moves next. 01<@Ardweden> [Hank deftly steps around Tyler and gets to the door first, opening it.] 06* Hank WINS! 06* Hank heads in. "Hullo?" 06* @Tiffany makes his way next, noticing Javy's hesitation but only with a glance. 06* Tyler follows Hank in, frowning heavily. 06* Javy heads alongside Tiffany, then, falling in beside her, but looking resolutely ahead. 01<@Ardweden> [The smell of incense rushes out, but instead of smelling musky and strong, it's light - refreshing. The merchandise is shining, polished... and valuable, at least to your untrained eyes. Figures made out of marble, and jewelry made out of gold and precious gems, even some silk clothes and pillows, beaded and all neatly in their places.] 06* Sydney follows the rest. 01<@Ardweden> [Behind the counter is literally the most gorgeous young woman you've ever seen. She doesn't look much older than yourselves, and she has curled, dark brown hair done up with a few locks spilling artfully down the sides of her face, large dark eyes, and full lips. She's wearing a few jewels herself, and her dress, while not short or anything, does nothing to hide her curves.] 01<@Ardweden> [She gives the lot of you a dazzling smile. "Welcome to Lunatic Fringe. May I help you?"] 06* Tyler just openly staaaaaaaaares at her. 06* Javy blinks a couple of times, and stops just inside the door. He's not about to come up with anything to say. 06* @Tiffany looks at the woman and stares for a little bit. She looks a little timid. Then she finally manages her voice. "Oh, um, hello...I'm sorry, it looks a little...different." 01<@Ardweden> ["Does it?" The young woman looks around.] <@Tiffany> I...well...um... 06* @Tiffany 's still lost at staring at her. We're looking for Medea. 01<@Ardweden> ["Oh, the merchandise." She snaps her fingers. "Yes, it gets changed up once in a while." She blinks at Tiffany's staring, and then frowns - which looks adorable somehow. "Well, you can stop staring."] 01<@Ardweden> ["Medea's not here right now, sorry."] 06* Hank stares at the woman. Until she speaks, when he thinks she's addressing him. He gains a hast interest in the silks. 06* Javy nods at what Sydney says, slightly, but he does manage to look away from her to the other stuff, too. What happened here? You are? Ah, okay. Is she only around at the full moon? 06* @Tiffany stops staring for a moment, blushing embarrassed. "Oh...um...so uh...wait, how do you know we met Medea? Is she the only other one here?" 01<@Ardweden> [She points at Sydney. "Yes, that's exactly it! We've got a smart one on our hands." And then she looks at Tyler and smiles. "I'm Helen. And no, Tiffany, there are three of us."] Well it's the same store. Of course she'd know who Medea is. Let me guess, the one during the half moon is Cassiopeia? Whe...ah. 01<@Ardweden> [She laughs. "No. Interesting guess, though."] <@Tiffany> Yeah but she wouldn't necessarily know that we met with her... 06* Hank smiles. "Can't fault me fer tryin'. I'm Hank," he offers a hand. Who and when is the other one, they are trying to figure this store out 06* @Tiffany frowns and mutters something to herself... 01<@Ardweden> [Helen places her hand in Hank's - not the style of a handshake, but more of a lady expecting a kiss on the back of her hand. "I know, sir," she says with a wink.] 06* Javy starts to feel a bit more settled here, but that undoes it. "How... how did you know?" 01<@Ardweden> ["Why, the contracts, of course. I have all of your names in writing."] It's interesting how you can match us up with just that. 06* Hank looks confused for a minute, then hesitantly places a quick peck on the back of her hand. Once the deed's done........ he still looks pretty dang confused. "Oh, yeah. Reckon that'd do it." 01<@Ardweden> [Helen grins mischievously. "You'd be *amazed* what I could do." She withdraws her hand from Hank's.] 06* @Tiffany mutters something that sounds like "Niobe?" Oh, I'm sure what you could do would make Tiffany die of shame. 06* Hank blushes and scratches the back of his head. "Uh... Listen, we came here 'cause we needed some help. Somethin's screwy on the other side, if'n ya get my meanin'." 06* Sydney is still beaming from Helen's praise. 06* Javy looks over at Tiffany, trying to figure out what it was she just said. 01<@Ardweden> ["Oh?"] 06* @Tiffany looks over at Tyler, frowns, and goes to slug him in the shoulder. Yeah. On Sunday we ended up there as ourselves. 06* Tyler laughs as he gets hit. 06* Hank pauses, then says, "I mean... our 'this side' selves." Not.... y'know.... 06* Hank glances to Javy. "Help me out here, man." 06* Javy finally focuses more on what Hank's saying. "Like. Like this. Not as... as what we show up as there. Dragons and imps. Those." 06* @Tiffany growls and steps away from Tyler, folding her arms across her chest. He's saying we're ourselves not our dream selves. 01<@Ardweden> [Helen loses the smile. "You walked... without walking?"] Yeah. Yes <@Tiffany> Yeah. This dip over here is right. We don't know how it happened, and we'd like for it not to happen again. Well we do know how it happened. Kinda. We know someone did something to make it happen. <@Tiffany> We also met the Gods, apparently. So, yeah, sounds like there's a problem in your grand scheme 01<@Ardweden> [Helen frowns. "That shouldn't be possible. That *can't* be possible." She starts pacing, obviously thinking. "The gods, oh. Of the dream realm." She looks up at Tiffany. "Did you actually meet them?"] Nope. Just statues. And some woman. <@Tiffany> I...no, I don't think *really*. But we didn't intend to go there... They are asses. 01<@Ardweden> ["The shrine. Of course. It's one of the centers." She keeps pacing. "Not that meeting a god is impossible or anything, but they usually don't- I'm sorry?"] 06* Javy looks concerned, asses or no. 01<@Ardweden> [Now Helen looks at Tyler, confused.] The gods are asses. 06* Hank mumbles, "I told ya so..." <@Tiffany> There was...talk about a gate. 01<@Ardweden> ["What makes you say that?" Helen seems focused on Tyler for the moment.] 06* Sydney opens her mouth to say something, then shuts it. Just what I got from thta stupid smirking one. <@Tiffany> You *would* be the type to get insulted by a statue, Tyler. 01<@Ardweden> [Helen looks at Tiffany and looks at Tyler, then covers her mouth to hide a smile. "A gate, though, yes. Every barrier worth having has a gate." Helen stops where she is, closing her eyes. "And people must past through. They must travel the road between the waking and the dreaming and back. A crumbling gate... could be."] 06* Javy winces a little, and looks back at Helen, opening his mouth, and then closing it after a beat and coloring a little across his cheeks. What can we do to fix it? is it our job to fix it? I mean is it something we need to worry about we aren't fixers Hey, if you don't wanna help, that's fine with me. 02* Sydney (Ciara@c-69-140-137-39.hsd1.md.comcast.net) Quit (Quit: lost in sleep? ) 06* @Tiffany shakes her head. "Honestly, I'm not sure exactly *what* we are..." 01<@Ardweden> ["The gate is crumbling because the balance is shifting." Helen winces. "Sorry, *has been* shifted. Is still shifting. Too many on the other side." She opens her eyes. "You can't fix the gate. I'd guess you only got pulled because you can walk in the first place, so it's easier."] So it could happen again? 06* Javy latches onto something. "And too many what?" 06* @Tiffany pauses at that statement for a moment. "Wait...are you saying...it could get worse and pull other people into it too?" So what does that mean? 06* @Tiffany sighs and rubs her head. "Sorry. Too many questions at once, I know." 01<@Ardweden> ["Well, it can fix itself, so assuming the balance doesn't get *worse*, eventually it should get better." Helen nods at Tiffany. "More or less. I think. This hasn't really happened before."] Alright. Then how do we find the guy... or gal... or whatever who's causing the problem? That's unhelpful. <@Tiffany> She's not here for your fucking convenience, Tyler. 01<@Ardweden> [Helen shrugs, pacing around the counter to jump up and sit on it. She swings her feet. "I'm not here for anyone's convenience." She grins. "But conveniently for you, I'm a fan of that barrier staying up."] 06* Javy nods, but doesn't really look at her on the counter. "But what's causing it? Um. Is it... what's the balance of?" My guess is that shadow thing we saw. 06* @Tiffany smiles slightly at that statement and watches Helen. She's definitely more of a fan of her by the minute, especially given the alternative. 01<@Ardweden> [Helen shrugs. "I'm not the smart one. And I don't have a whole lot of answers. But I'm pretty sure there are too many dreamers. Isn't that right?" She looks at each of you in turn. "Isn't that why you're here in the first place? Because it almost happened to you?"] Yeah. It's true. But what can we do? We barely know much about the place as it is. 06* Javy blinks, and looks thoughtful at that. 06* @Tiffany pauses a bit as she answers, a bit distracted. "I...um...yeah." 01<@Ardweden> [End for now!]