but dogs can look up

[dr_conscience]

When; The afternoon into the evening of January 2nd... spanning sundown >:]
Rating; Rated G for Ghouls. Wait no. Let's say PG-13, maybe even R.
Characters; Anyone. EVERYONE. Get up in here!
Summary; A normal evening at one of the City's bars turns into Shaun of the Dead a ghoul attack.
Log;

[ While many of the City's denizens may have been growing gradually more anxious since the new year struck, a certain ominous paranoia closing in around them, life does not stop or even slow down for nerves. And without any tangible evidence of something amiss, it's easy for those who have been more actively occupied to bury themselves, all but missing the early warning signs of whatever may be closing in.

And so it is that one may find oneself out this evening, in the last hours of dusk before darkness falls over the City, unwinding over an after-work drink or grabbing an easy dinner. Of course, if one were to linger too long... | ]


[ Momentarily posting time divided threads, to indicate before and after sundown. Feel free to mingle before dark, or have your characters' ghoulish guests arrive after the sun goes down... ]

Comments

[defies_reason]

[Don't be dramatic, he's just being reasonable. Have another drink.]

Of course. But keep asking around. Someone is bound to know something.

[And then it's only a matter of chasing the thread of what happened. Isaak is good at that sort of thing.]

[candothat]

[Dramatic is a way of life. Don't knock it.]

I will, of course. Now let's talk about anything else.

[defies_reason]

As you like. What's a safe topic?

[He's already noticed most small talk around here tends to revolve around curses.]

[candothat]

[Allow Chekov to demonstrate his complete lack of practice in the areas of small talk and casual conversation.]

What would you like to talk about? I would like to know more about you--your line of work, interests, favorite color.

[defies_reason]

Blue.

[The lone innocuous question seems like the best place to start. He smiles faintly, before continuing.]

I'm considering a new line of work, or at least a shift. I thought I might open a bar here.

[candothat]

That is mine, as well.

[Trivial questions are just fine; Chekov has met people who didn't want to talk about themselves before.]

A bar? That would be very interesting, if you can find the star up costs.

[defies_reason]

[Keep a habit long enough and it becomes your nature; Isaak has too many reasons to be a guarded man. Here, not the least is the fact that he doesn't want to scare Chekov off.]

That's the biggest challenge, yes. But that sort of thing does seem to do well here, doesn't it?

[candothat]

Of course! Drinking is the only thing that makes some curses bearable, I think. Bars are a necessity.

[He could be joking about that. It's hard to tell.]

[defies_reason]

And there's little to do between them.

[Bread and spectacles, he'd called it earlier, and he still thinks that about covers it.]

[candothat]

Talk for yourself. I find it very easy to stay occupied between curses.

[defies_reason]

Being penned in doesn't make you stir crazy?

[candothat]

The City is far larger than a starship. [As if that's a proper answer.] Are you stir crazy?

[defies_reason]

Not yet. [Wait, starship?] But I dislike the idea of being unable to leave.

[candothat]

There are worse things.

[Yes, starship.]

[defies_reason]

[Well, it stands to reason that if he has friends who were older than him before he was born, he may as well have friends from the distant future. Welcome to life in the City, Isaak.]

That's true, but it doesn't make the facts less frustrating.

[candothat]

[Enjoy it, sir.]

You can do things to distract yourself beyond work.

[defies_reason]

Around here, what would you recommend?

[candothat]

I doubt we are distracted by the same things, Isaak.

[defies_reason]

That may be true, but the question stands.

[candothat]

Currently I like to help the doctor with the DeLorean's flight circuits, keep records for my friends who own businesses, run. Ah, stargazing, too.

[defies_reason]

Two of the three sound like work to me.

[His tone is faintly teasing.]

[candothat]

Which ones?

[With absolute innocence.]

[defies_reason]

Oh, I've spent many a pleasant vacation catching up on my bookkeeping.

[He doesn't even crack a smile. Two can play at that game, Chekov.]

[candothat]

You do not seem like a man who enjoys numbers that much, if I may say.

[defies_reason]

Oh, I like them well enough as long as they're in my favour.