2020-08-06 - The Inquisition

Ariana has been working hard on modifying equipment and researching the strange town that she finds herself in. Though that hasn't stopped her from noticing how absent Kip has been. And when she is briefly around, her friend is all giddy smiles and love songs. This must stop before bluebirds are making Kip's bed in the morning!

So, on this night, Ariana is waiting in the lounge of their rental. Eyes glaring at the door, almost willing Kip to return...before the blonde falls asleep and all this glaring is wasted. At least there is a half full bottle of vodka nearby to keep her company in her watch.

Kip had still be researching the strangeness going on! Though, admittedly - especially after her birthday - she'd been ever so slightly distracted. Certainly not doing as much research and poking around as she normally might. She was still doing work at the theater and probably should have been home about an hour or so ago but was only just now walking in. Maybe she just got held up with some stuff at work. If she'd been with Rekani she might not have come home at all.

Kip slipped off her shoes and looked around, starting a bit at Ariana just sitting there...and glaring. "Oh no. What did I do this time?" She asked, a bit of tease in her tone though also curiosity. It wasn't often that the blonde sat up waiting for her like she was her parent or something.

"I don't know, what did you do this time" replies Ariana, all steely glare and tapping fingernails on the arm of the chair. "It seems to me, Kip" she sighs, piling on the drama. "That you have been unnervingly happy lately. Almost like you're in...though it shocks me to say it...love." Ariana doesn't seem to be able to pronounce that last word correctly. She downs some more vodka to help remove the taste of the word before offering over the bottle and finally cracking a smile. "So what's the dross?" The blonde may have meant goss...or not.

At least there is also now a wink to crack her cold expression as she gestures for Kip to sit and spill.

"Well, I worked. And then was short 10 dollars so had to figure out what happened. And then I really thought I saw something weird in one of the theater rooms but, alas, it was just a raccoon." Kip wandered over, plopping down on the edge of the chair with a laugh. "It's weird. I mean...I guess I am. In love. It sounds so weird to say." Her brow furrowed a touch in thought. "We've been dancing around the topic for what feels like forever. But it finally all came out when he took me out for my birthday."

Kip would give Ariana the least mushy version of events but did add, "I was so confused by the questions he was asking. Like not the questions themselves but why he was asking them. Because they were so out of left field, you know? And then I saw his phone. A list of questions for love. Or something like that." Kip laughed, "It was ridiculous." She sighed contently and shrugged her shoulders a bit. "It feels better that it's all out in the open but it hasn't changed too much."

"Are you saying he did one of those online love guides to figure out if he loved you?" That has Ariana managing a look that combines confusion, disgust, and anger. "What if you failed the silly test? He would have broken up with you? He does know that those tests are written by bored interns and are for 'humorous purposes only'." A shake of her head and a roll of her eyes - standard Ariana reaction to life. "At least you got taken out on your birthday."

Another swig of her drink as she studies her friend. "You are happy, da? This is what you...and the test...want?" She taps her fingers on the arm of the couch again. "Guess you'll be moving out soon. All of that stuff."

"No not like that." Kip thought it over a moment. "More like...he didn't know how to bring the topic up? Because we are both not good at it. So he was trying to find a way to lead into telling me how he felt." She clarified and grinned. "If he had been doing an actual test I would have definitely had strong words with him. And perhaps also sic'd you on him." A bit of a tease in her tone.

"I am happy." She agreed. "I enjoy being with him." She steals the vodka bottle again to sip from it. "We haven't spoken about that. Moving in or out or anything. We only now officially started dating. So don't your worry your pretty head." Kip grinned again. "I'm not going anywhere any time too soon."

"I'm sure there's been plenty of moving in and out" Ariana deadpans. "You're such a hussy. All that sex and you're not even dating. You should be ashamed of yourself." Now that she has her mock morality out of the way, which she doesn't believe a word of, time to get to serious matters. "So, we're dealing with two emotionally stunted and nervous people struggling to tell each other their true feelings - which were obvious to everyone around them." A solemn nod with pursed lips. "Yep, this is going to be magical." A wink before she breaks out into a grin. "I'm happy for you. Honestly. You go, girl. And don't worry about me. It's not as if I can't look after myself."

Ariana waves off any attempted return of the bottle because she has another on the floor next to the seat; local liquor stores must do a roaring trade. "I could still beat him up for you..." she muses with a shrug. "Just to keep him in line. What does his hot sister think of all this?"

Kip grinned again. "It's like one of those stupid romance comedies. But better because it isn't scripted." She took another sip of the vodka. "How about you and that...Aislin was it? Is that still a thing that is going on?" Raising a curious brow. "Mmm Nova? I haven't had a chance to talk to her recently but I think she thinks it's about time. And probably gave him a bunch of shit for taking so long!" She pushed a hand through her hair. "I have been thinking though. Not just been all heart-eyes. I'd like to try and do another Veil venture soon."

"Are you sure it isn't scripted?" Ariana asks, though with a teasing tone rather than her usual deadpan. "You're a hell of a catch, Kip. Rek should have been proclaiming his love the second he laid eyes on you."

A mouthful of her own vodka. "You mean Ainslie?" Ariana purses her lips in a pout before shrugging. "We see each other some..."

Oh, look, there's the woman herself. Ainslie wanders into the room, topless. "Ari, have you seen...oh...I didn't know you had company..." The tall woman blushing a little before darting back out of view. "I'll have a look in the bedroom. Nice to see you again, Kip" Footsteps rapidly moving off.

"She, um, came by to fix the washer" Ariana 'explains'. "Got grease on her shirt. And since we don't have a washer, she can't get it clean. Probably looking for a shirt she can borrow off me." Does Ainslie even repair washers? Ariana has no idea. Thank goodness, a change of subject!

"A trip into the Veil sounds like a good idea. I've been working on the equipment and I want to test it soon. Any location in mind?"

Kip looks over some as she hears footsteps, eyes widening briefly - primarily just surprised because she wasn't expecting a topless Ainslie to be in the house! She laughed, flashing a grin. "Nice to see you too, Ainslie." She gave a bit of a wave to the blushing woman before looking to Ariana with a devilish grin. "Oh really? Just to fix the washer hm?" Giving her best friend a teasing nudge. "I'm sure she fixed it real well." There's another little giggle.

"She seems nice though, truly. I hope I can get to know her better some." Kip nodded. "Maybe we can all get together and do something sometime soon." A thoughtful noise as Ari asked about location.

"I do not know if it's safe to attempt the sawmill location...we could attempt the forest again, in a different direction. Try to approach the Mill even. Or perhaps we could explore more of the town mirror itself?"

"The leak got worse more once ainslie got her hands on it, but it eventually worked out very nicely" Ariana deadpans - is that an actual blush in her cheeks? She can't keep it up. She has to wink to her best friend in return. "Oh, I didn't tell you that Ainslie and I had a dream. With a werewolf. We were in medieval times. I was a Viking, she was...not. It really hurt us." A wound she was hiding from Kip when the latter was around. "Yeah, she's nice. A double date? Or an orgy?"

"Maybe we should stay in the town until we have a better idea of how to deal with things. And to test if the equipment is working. It sounds like many locals have been in the town mirror, and survived, so it will be a good place to start." Not that Ariana is afraid of danger as she follows that up with, "Or through ourselves into the fire and hit the sawmill." A tilt of her head as she studies Kip. "Or does your new found love mean we should keep it safer? Will Rekani be coming with us?"

Kip grinned as she watched Ari blushing but then looked concerned when she talked about being pulled into a Dream. Eyes widening as she explained. "Why didn't you tell me??" Kip asked. "Have you at least gotten help? Seen Roen? He makes stuff better doesn't he?" Kip eyed Ari a beat longer. "But...also that sounds like an interesting experience. Danger aside."

A bit of a shrug and a wink. "Double date first. We'll see what happens." Teasing.

"Staying in town makes the most sense to me. Maybe we will meet some creatures that are not trying to kill us?" Kip pondered . "And perhaps get their takes on the sawmill area..." She shrugged. "Rekani will likely come if I ask. Nova too perhaps. It would be safer if there are more than just us."

"I just did tell you" Ariana protests; it's not as if they've seen a lot of each other lately. "But, okay, if it happens again, I'll text you. Help? Why would I need help?" Good to see her pigheadedness is quickly back." Her brow furrows. "Roen? Who's Roen? I tend to forget things" she notes, lifting up her vodka bottle as the reason.

"Not sure what it all meant though" Ariana shrugs about the Dream. "I mean, obviously I'm descended from Vikings, but not sure why any sentient Veil thingy would want to bring that up. Or werewolves." A big drink of her vodka. "Okay, there was that thing back in the Urals with the potential werewolf that we never resolved - people may have died - but it's not as if that whole thing bothered me or anything. Like snow off a polar bear's back." Ignore the momentary shaking of her hands. "If it was trying to bring up bad memories, it doesn't know what it's dealing with."

A nod in agreement about the town investigation next. "Nova, huh? She is so fucking hot...but so is Ainslie" she winks. "Maybe we can bring potential red shirts, just in case things get nasty."

Kip made a grumble sort of noise. "I guess better late than never." She agreed. "And yes, text me, call me, whatever." When Ari asked about Roen, "August Roen" She clarified. "The tree guy we talked to. "

"Well, the ones I have been in all involved strange dancing things at the Firefly so...I do not know if they're supposed to have much of a rhyme or reason." Kip admitted." She laid a hand on Ari's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. "That was certainly not our fault. There was no solid proof or leads or anything that could help us find the proper answers. "

"I don't know if the goal is bad memories or just to prey on our fears. Get us where it hurts most." Kip shrugged and grinned just a bit. "She is good looking...perhaps they can both come with us." She winked back and then looked concerned again. "Hopefully it doesn't. I definitely don't want another spider encounter. Or anything similar."

"Oh...August. Da, yes, sorry. The guy who broke up his engagement to hang out with his plants." Ariana offers an apologetic expression for forgetting who he was before adding, "No, I did not tell him. Is he the town register of all events? I will tell him if you think it will help."

"Of course it wasn't our fault" Ariana sniffs about the 'incident', in her usual way of concreting over any true emotions she may feel. Though she does place her hand on Kip's for a moment to squeeze in return. A little laugh about what happened at the Firefly. "Oh please, Kip" she teases, "You are terrified of dancing. That is your worst fear ever. When we go to the discotheque, you are one of those girls who puts their handbag on the floor and taps their foot alongside it." A wink at her best friend before another mouthful of vodka.

"Both? A threesome?" Ariana's eyes light up at the idea...and whether the 'logistics' could be worked out. "If that could happen, I doubt there is a nightmare bad enough the Veil could throw at us that would wipe the smile off my face." She drifts off to her happy place for a moment as she thinks a little more on the suggestion. "Sorry...da...no spiders. I got covered in spider goo and that was not nice. If this entity, or whatever it is, is so good at personalizing our nightmares slash dreams, it must be in our own dreams to find what bothers us. Unless it can read our subconscious minds in another way." Her expression suggests her brain is about to explode with how it all works and she is, once more, glad she doesn't have to figure this stuff out - that's Kip's job - and just have to deal with technical aspects.

Kip rose her brows at this engagement news. "He...did?" She looks puzzled at that and makes a mental note. "No, he heals people." She clarified. "He could heal you if you're still hurt maybe."

She laughed with Ari. "It is not! You know I like to dance. Though I'm terrible at it." But she has improved ever so slightly hanging out with the Latino siblings. "Maybe you will come with us next time and see for yourself!" A beat of pause. "Hopefully just dancing though and no weird things."

Kip looks amused when Ari thinks about the threesome suggestion. "You will have to let me know if it is successful." She laughed but then sobered up some and shrugged. "I have no idea. I don't know what it wants or what the creatures want. Besides that they just like us feeling negatively." She takes another long drink from the bottle. "We will crack the code one day. Hopefully. But until then, pizza and a horror movie we can make fun of?"

"It's all over town. Not that I listen to gossip. You know August better than me" Ariana shrugs before quirking an eyebrow at her friend, considering something, then nodding. "Da. you must love dancing. Why else would you keep doing it when you are so bad?" She's only teasing...in her dead serious way. Thankfully, Kip knows her well.

"I thought you were helping me with the threesome?" A dramatic sigh and roll of her eyes. "Typical, Kip. Come up with the idea and leave me to put it into practice." A snort about the creature. "If it likes negative, it must love me." She rises from the Questioning Chair, downs some more vodka, and heads over to the door. "Pizza and movie sounds great" she agrees before yelling out into the house. "Ainslie, we are going to eat shit food and watch shit movie. You joining us?'

Ainslie may have fled already.