New Grounds (IC)

[Aoiroo]

Once again, Carrie found herself sitting in a coffee shop reading a book. There were several reasons she liked coffee shops aside from childhood nostalgia, convient loitering and easy to use for meetings, today's main reason was that inside it was warm, and outside it was not. Work had brought her clear across town to do some paid errands for an elderly couple who didn't like to leave there nice warm home in Kingston and now she was simply waiting to switch bus routes. Still, she didn't find it so very urgent to move from the coffee shop and probably missed a couple of the buses set on the route by the seventh chapter she'd gone into her book. In fact she was certain a fair amount of time had passed because her hot chocolate had managed to cool from smolding to bareably luke warm. It was rather fortunate since one of the patrons somehow managed to bump her table knocking it over before she could grab it for another sip.

[Lone Star]

Blake blinked and turned back. "Oh, crap. My bad! I- hey. I know you from somewhere. I am getting some serious deja-vu. What was your name again?" He grabbed some napkins on impulse and started wiping the hot chocolate up. "I think I've owed you another drink before. This is so weird! Why am I so clumsy?"

[Aoiroo]

Taking a few seconds to simultaneously shrug and sigh as she put down her book she looked up quietly at the destroyer of caffinated drinks. She took half a second, but couldn't really seem to find anyone who matched her memory,

"Not sure what you mean by that, but you certainly owe me one now."

Backing her chair up she moved around from the edges of the spill and started to clean up the mess on the floor. Goodness knows in a crowded shop like this it'd take forever for any of the workers to notice it.

[Lone Star]

"Oh crap. That's right. We met in a coffee shop...I was skinny, wore classic rock T-shirts, had black hair? Blake Salazar?" he said, hoping to jar her memory. "I think I tried talking to you because I thought you were cute. Which, you still are, of course. But yeah, remember me now?" He finished cleaning up the spill and quickly moved the napkins to a trashcan. He walked back, with a smile on his face. "It really has been a while. How have you been?"

[Aoiroo]

Getting up as she recognized the name her eye brows raised as she took another look at him. He did look really different, it wasn't just the clothing and the hair style, but he actually looked like he could stand to take a punch. He also carried himself different, sure he was still a teenager, but he seemed a bit more sure of himself even in his offhanded mumblings about the past. She still had his number, but never fond a need to ever call it really, in fact she straight up forgot about it up until now. Standing up to toss her own napkins she took in a breath before saying,

"Yes, it has been a long time, and now you owe me two drinks."

[Lone Star]

Blake stood, dumbfounded. "Hey, that's no way to treat a friend! No big deal though, I have a gift card." He pulled the card out of his pocket, and bought her a drink, and gave the amount for a second drink in cash. "There, are you happy now? It looks like we're all even."

[Aoiroo]

She looked at him for a second then looked at the drink and the cash before she burst out laughing,

"I was just kidding."

She pushed back the cash as she took a sip of her cocoa slowly as this new one was freshly boiling,

"Seriously, what the hell happened to you, you look like it's been years when it's only been a few months."

She put down the cocoa and bent a page back in her book as she crossed her legs,

"Most teenage boys don't make such a major change so quickly unless they've had something major happen to them, like a divorce, or a girlfriend. Given, the first can't exactly happen to you Mr. Salazar, so what's her name?"

[Lone Star]

Blake grinned. "Clever. Well, it is true, I do have a girl now. Her name's Jessica Parker, and she's the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me." Had Blake been in a cartoon, small pink hearts would be rising from the top of his head. It was clear Blake was lovestruck by her. The once skinny and pale Blake had become almost good-looking with his tan and developing muscles. After his powers were taken away, Blake taught himself the rudiments of magic. He had a lot of time on his hands as well, so he decided to work on his physical form. There was no need to be so skinny anymore- so he figured he'd bulk up a little to impress his girl. He felt a lot better about himself. "I suppose it was just time for a change as well."

[Aoiroo]

She put an elbow on the table and rested her chin onto the top of her hand,

"Well good for you, because quite honestly there are several choices made that can change ones life, but its good to know you did so for the better. Because honestly, I was a bit worried that I'd have to walk you out of the Fens last time I saw you."

Reaching over she took the top off the hot chocolate and started to stir it to try and cool it a bit,

"So, life sounds pretty good right now, girlfriend and all. But I have to ask, what are you doing in Southside this fine day? It's not exactly the best neighborhood, mind you it's a step up from the Fens."

[Lone Star]

Blake realized he had never told her about his superheroic adventures in the times they had met. He had to make up an excuse. He was actually waiting for a client to call him. "Oh, there's an art place that's pretty close to here that I wanted to check out." He hoped she would buy it, as much as he hated lying to people. "What have you been up to of late?"

[Aoiroo]

She leaned forward and smiled her half smile that showed no teeth,

"Really, is it a gallery showing, or a store? I've been meaning to get more supplies myself, I've got a ton of projects."

Picking up the cocoa she took a sip,

"At the moment, I'm just waiting for a bus. It's funny because I actually have a car now, but because of where I live I don't have anywhere to park it. Actually had to ask a friend in Riverside if I could borrow his driveway while I try to figure it out."

[Lone Star]

"I drive my motorbike usually, but I'll take a bus whenever I can. It's a lot cheaper than paying for your own fuel. What do you do for a living, exactly? I don't remember if we discussed it last time." Blake listened carefully behind him- his client could be here any minute. He hoped he didn't bring his little "problem" with him. Within his overcoat, Blake had a Bible and a vial of holy water, just in case his "problem" decided to assert itself.

[Aoiroo]

"I do a lot of things, I'm sort of like an agenciless temp of the Theatre District. One of the many reasons I live in the Fens really. Today, my job was paid errands, next few weeks, a mix of stage work, some custom tailoring and just about anything else anyone needs me for. Most of the work I'm a bit overqualified for to be honest, but as long as my resume is I sort of can't bring myself to doing a nine to five job, mostly because I usually don't get up until at least noon."

She shrugged her shoulder,

"Not a bad life, not easy, but not boring either. It usually means short days, early nights, and lots of time for sleep."

Well more like early mornings because her night shifts tended to have rather chaotic in and out times. It might be better if she could actually use her car, but she wasn't taking it anywhere she 'worked' until she could be sure that it would there whenever she has finished.

[Lone Star]

Blake nodded. Something had been bothering him in the back of his head. Wasn't he technically a public hero by now? Would it really hurt him to tell her? Even if she was a supervillain in disguise, which was highly unlikely, his only loved one was a battlesuited superhero who could think rings around him. "So I've got something to say. When you met me the first time, I was a superhero, and I still am. I go under a new name now. I was called Kid Cthulhu back then...maybe you've seen me. I could change into this green squid-like form and I had strange psychic powers and some magic. So recently I had my powers taken away, but I taught myself magic. So now I rock the moniker Warlock." Blake sighed deeply. "There. Sorry, that's been on my mind for a while."

[Aoiroo]

She looked at him for a few seconds in silence. Reaching down she picked up her drink, blew on it than took a long sip. Setting it down she looked him straight in the eye,

"I'm not exactly sure how that is relevant."

Reaching behind she scratched he back a little bit,

"I mean, I barely know you, so what does this add to the conversation exactly? I know nothing about magic. I know a great deal about heroes in general, but it's not really relevant to you counting yourself among them."

Looking back at him though, she gave him another half smile,

"I'll grant you though, it is very cool. Though I got to ask, Warlock, rather general name and not all the nice sounding. Though given, your previous one I'm not exactly sure which direction it steps in. Given, something like Wizard or Spellcaster wouldn't be much better, and I'm quite certain Spellbound is taken."

[Lone Star]

"Wizard is too generic. Now Warlock on the other hand..." he said, pausing for emphasis. "Warlock inspires mystery and awe. Which was- kind of what I was going for." Blake scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "But yeah. I'm a public hero now, so I want to tell everyone I know. Do you know any other superheroes in person other than me? I know a few, but they were a little wary of someone called 'Kid Cthulhu', of course."

[Aoiroo]

"Whatever you say."

She started to tap her fingers,

"I know one or two, but I don't really talk about that sort of thing, it sort of paints a target on your back."

She cracked her neck quietly before leaning back,

"So you told me your a hero, so mind telling me what you're really doing here?"

[Lone Star]

"Just meeting a client. He said he'd be here any-"

Blake found himself cut off as his client stumbled into the coffee bar, vomiting demonic flames. "Give into your temptations." the man said, his eyes turning a glowing red. "No, no! Get away! Get out of my head!"

Blake turned to his friend. "And there he is. Everyone get out of the building, he's got a demon inside of him!" Blake said as he brandished his Bible and holy water. "Don't worry, I can take this guy. I saw this in a movie once."

[Aoiroo]

Carrie nearly fell out of her chair when she heard the guy screaming,

"Holy ****!"

Looking the smart crisis ready citizens started to evacuate outside the coffee shop while the people behind the counter took refuge. Carrie herself got back up to look at Blake than the clearly possessed person as she started frantically digging through her purse,

"You know I wasn't until you said that."

[Lone Star]

"Relax, I said I got this." He raised the holy book, and the man stopped in his place. Blake stepped closer to the man and started to flick holy water on him.

"No, no! It burns us!" The man said as his skin for a tenth of a moment became red and covered in hellfire.

"The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!" Blake said, and started to read passages from the worn book. The man sunk to the ground, and vomited up more hellfire. The evil spirit had passed him, and the man stood up.

"Oh, man. Thanks, Warlock. So do you accept credit?"

Blake whirled the bottle of holy water like a revolver and put it back into his belt pocket. "It's what I do. And just wire it to the PayPal account on my 'site."

[Aoiroo]

Apparently exorsisms weren't as big as a deal as the church made it seem because some kid in a nice suite managed to one in the time it took Carrie to fish her rosary from her purse.

Is that really all it takes?

Glancing around quietly, she looked at Black as she wrapped the rosary around her hand,

"Um, do you do this often, because that seemed a bit too easy to be real."

[Lone Star]

"Of course not. He'll relapse in a couple of days, and he knows that. There weren't any preachers available when he called, so I can't do it all official-like. He'll get the demon removed properly very soon." Blake put the holy book back into his bag, and put that on his shoulder. "You never know when you'll need a Bible. Vanquishes most demons and vampires, and it's interesting reading, for sure."

[Aoiroo]

She glanced at the guy than Blake and shrugged her shoulders,

Makes as much sense as anything.

"I don't really carry a bible, it's bulky. I prefer this."

She held up the red beaded rosary with the silver cruxifix,

"My auntie gave it to me for confirmation, apparently it was blessed by the Pope, and it spells like roses."

[Lone Star]

"It's usually pretty dangerous to attempt an exorcism without a priest- they know the full ritual, but I got a version that'll keep the demon away for a bit. It's usually not up my alley...but paranormal activities are what they pay me for. I make a pretty good living, and there's always a demand for it. Sometimes I'll get nut-jobs who think they've seen Bigfoot, or something. But most of the time, it's rogue vampires or ghosts that don't want to move on. It's pretty cool."

[Aoiroo]

"So, instead of mowing loans, you do some vampire hunting and ghost busting, what's the official title of whatever it is you do? Because whatever you're doing sort of sounds like you might need a lincinse of some sort."

Though what she couldn't say, private investigator lincinse sounded like the most common,

"How old are you anyway? You can't be a legal adult, or were you emancipated when your parents died?"