strangetrip | GP/EP: Check-In Day: Turning Tricks into Treats

Instead of the remains of a raucous night of dedicated drinking, the chairs were up on the tables, the counter was cleaned, the floor had been vacuumed and mopped as appropriate. Kitty had had plenty of time to straighten up at close yesterday, since almost everyone seemed more interested in drinking in Bonesville. For her part, she'd had enough after her and Wyatt's little adventure in Funland. At least, she'd had enough for the few days it would take her to heal.

On the upside, that made opening up this morning easy and fast. On the downside, it meant she had an entire day with not much to distract her from wondering when Barrel of Fun would lock down access to the outside and why it couldn't open onto a world with higher tech. She had managed to scavenge some computer circuitry and cell phones, but she hadn't worked out how they'd solve her current tech problem yet.

If Dot were still here, she'd be baking for Halloween. Even if they'd had to explain Halloween to her, she'd be making cookies and candy and cakes, and probably sewing costumes, too. Those thoughts summoned a wistful sigh from Kitty while she took down the chairs. She was still sighing when she finished refreshing her stock of cut up fruit.

By mid-afternoon, she'd put away a pot and a half of coffee, she was practically vibrating, and a buzz-by from Caroline prompted an amazing idea. Why not spend the afternoon testing Halloween and Thanksgiving cocktails, to help turn the arrival trick of Check-In Day on the 1st into, well, a little bit of a treat? So it was that the new arrivals, two days earlier than expected, found the bar counter covered with spooky and kooky and dry-ice steamy drinks and Kitty literally spinning between her coffee cup and the next bright green, weirdly black, or pumpkin orange drink.

[ooc: find Kitty making any of these or drinking yet another cup of coffee, she's OTA]

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At that, Regina laughed, a low, warm, husky chuckle that sounded like magic if magic had a sound. She showed him both hands and put the left one firmly on the counter. With the right, she made a gesture somewhere between opening a cupboard and 'tada' and in her hand appeared a plate with bread and butter pudding and a fork -- as she remembered it, so perhaps not precisely what he knew, but close. She set it down in front of him and said, "Bon appétit."

"That's a nice trick," Jackson stated, eyebrows raised. Yeah, he was impressed. Still didn't believe it was magic, he'd seen plenty illusions in his time. But impressed. Especially about how she could've guessed that'd be the dessert he'd go for. He picked up the fork, curious to see if it would taste like the pudding, too. He took a bite, then nodded sideways with a purse of his lips. "Close enough."

Watching Dyson talking to the brunette was putting her in a perverse and peevish mood. The sort that made her willing to show off with magic when she shouldn't. "Anything else I can get you while I'm taking orders?"

"Hmm." Jackson made a show of thinking it over, tapping the fork tines against his lips - mostly because with how much he'd been drinking, he was thinking more slowly than usual. "How 'bout... a new hat?" He tilted his head towards the one on the counter. "This one's seen a lotta better days."

The hat wasn't a familiar style, but that hardly mattered. With a model right there in front of her, it was simplicity itself to produce another with a wave of a hand. "Like so."

The limitations on Regina's ability to produce something out of nothing had more to do with the cost of the magic than the thing itself. But for small things, she could take the cost on herself. Today, at least.

Jackson took it from her with a perplexed frown, and he poked and prodded at the hat as if it was going to prove to be something else altogether. He tried it on, and grimaced, taking it off immediately. "Bit too tight for me, darlin', but I'm suitably impressed. How'd you do that?" he asked, holding the hat back out to her.

Hm. Regina took the hat and considered fussing with it to make it the correct size, but for the moment, he didn't seem interested. "Magic. The how of it..." She lifted a single shoulder in an elegant shrug. "Some requires spellcraft, some potions, and some is innate. Most magic must be performed by those who have an affinity for it."

"And that's what you've got," Jackson concluded, going along with it. Why not? He'd be gone in the morning, and there would be no more Fae or half-Elves or magic. "An affinity."

"A sorceress for a mother--" a dragon and an imp for a teacher, "and years of training and practice." She turned the hat in her hands, wondering at herself, and trying not to wonder at what Dyson and the woman were talking about. "What do you do?"

"I work for the police, in London," Jackson replied, scratching at the back of his head for a moment. "Scientific examiner. Mostly a lotta dead bodies."

Of course he was. Regina resisted the impulse to look at Dyson until she said, "The pantsless wonder is a cop. And Dr. Butters is a medical examiner. Odo is a security officer."

"There any kind of policin' goin' around here?" Jackson asked. He didn't even know how many people were here, but before he could ask any more questions, he reminded himself that he would be gone in the morning. That he didn't trust any of this, or any of 'em. So what was the point in asking?

"There isn't much need in a community this size," Regina replied. "But we try to stay prepared for any eventuality." She and Caroline did, anyhow. And they'd roped Dr. Butters and Brother Kashaw into it now, too.

"You put more than one person together, there'll be a need eventually," Jackson replied, as if it were one of the great truths of life. Because it was, as far as he was concerned. "Human nature."

"The first group arrived almost a year ago now. To my knowledge, the worst 'offense' so far was Yasmeen losing her last stitch in strip poker and winning it back in Len's bed." She smiled wryly. "I doubt anyone with eyes called her stalking him through the lobby nude an offense against anything but chastity."

Jackson looked dubious at best - not about anyone taking offense to whoever Yasmeen was stalking around naked, especially not if she was a beauty - but about the lack of a need for policing. People were people, unless magical people were much different. Then again, he didn't care enough to argue the point, not with his friend bourbon by his side and the prospect of leaving in the morning. "Sounds like I missed somethin' beautiful."

"And deadly." Regina smiled, the expression unusually wistful. Some days she forgot how much she missed having the Captain to bitch to. She'd have been as curious as Regina about the woman Dyson was talking to. "I expect you would have liked her."

Across the bar from them, Dyson finally stood. Regina felt her chest loosen. "And if you'll excuse me, I need to see a man about some pants." Preferably removing them.

"All excused, darlin'," Jackson told her, glancing over towards the man who'd been talking to Bo. Enjoy, he thought, but wasn't quite drunk enough to say it out loud, not to someone like Regina.

GP/EP: Check-In Day: Turning Tricks into Treats

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