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June Desrochers: June and Teagan arrive together, and nobody is surprised. Nobody who knows June and Teagan, anyway. June is clad in her armor, a suit of June-sized gothic plate painted red that even has little ear bumps on the helmet for her ears and armor for her tail, as well. The gauntlets end at the fingers, and are then covered with leather gloves that go all the way to her last knuckle, leaving her claws bare, and she's wearing no other weaponry. "It has been forever since I did that," she's telling Teagan with an embarrassed laugh, finishing the story of how she almost spilled her coffee on someone at a cafe earlier today, like she used to be a hazard for all the time.
Aurelio Menegi: As the pair entered they would find Aurelio occupying a corner of the training grounds, putting himself through his paces with the sword he had in hand. Wisps of mist wafted off of him as he worked, courtesy of the chill of the marble that made up his form mingling with the heat of his mantle. His form was rather solid all told to those who had an eye for such things, but practice made perfect and whatnot.
Teagan: "Well, at least now it's been a while since you did that," Teagan points out, loping alongside June with a sort of gentle, lazy companionship. "I always thought it was cute, to be honest. I know it embarrassed you, but ... I thought it was adorable." Confessions! They raise one scarred hand to wave to Aurelio, tipping their chin up at him. "Ey, how's it?"
June Desrochers: "I was mostly always worried about hurting someone, or breaking something important," June explains as she flips her visor up and smiles at Teagan now that they're inside. "It wasn't so much a personal embarrassment as concern for the people around me." She leans to bump an armored shoulder against them and then waves at Aurelio. "Hey Aurelio!" she calls. "That's some solid form you've got there. Not that swordsmanship is my area of expertise, but I know a warrior when I see one! Have you two met?" She asks with a glance between the two other Summers.
Aurelio Menegi: Aurelio looked over as he was addressed, finishing the swing he was in the middle of before letting the blade rest at his side and giving a salute with his free hand. "Well enough, all told. Been working to improve on it as my primary form doesn't work as well among those like us. And we've met, if briefly."
Teagan: "I get it, JuneyJune. I really do. But it was cute." They wrap an arm around her shoulder, kiss the top of her helmeted head. "We've met in passing, yeah. And your form is good -- mine's all hack-and-slash, but... " Teagan pulls their coat to the side with one hand, showing off their machete, or at least indicating it.
June Desrochers: "Everything I do is cute," June points out with a laugh. "Your primary form?" she asks Aurelio. "My primary means of attack is..." she holds her hands up and wiggles the wicked claws they're tipped with. "Which gets a little awkward when I get into a serious fight in front of normal people, but usually if I get into a fight there it gets weird anyway. Unfortunately, I also can't hedgespin my hands into fancy weapons."
Aurelio Menegi: "Thank you. Been working with Phoenix for a time, and it's been going well." Aurelio nodded as he glanced towards the machete before looking back to the pair. "Grappling, primarily. It suits the...talents granted to me in my time away."
Teagan: "JuneyJune, if your hands got any more deadly or fancier, you'd be slicing through time and space," Teagan laughs brightly, a brilliant, broken-glass sort of scattering of sound. "Phoenix? I don't think I know them." They lazily pace over toward Aurelio.
June Desrochers: "Artie," June explains to Teagan with a grin. "Phoenix is his last name, I think?" She looks at Aurelio for confirmation. "And if I could cut through time and space that would be fucking awesome are you kidding?" she volleys back at Teagan. "I've never actually had a chance to see Artie fight, but I've heard he's got skills. I'm actually a grappler primarily, myself."
Aurelio Menegi: "'Si'." Aurelio nodded to June, taking a moment to put the practice blade back with the others before returning to the pair. "Watched a sparring match between him and Sigrun some time back, and he held up well, although one weaving he called upon was ill-used. She took him to task for that."
Rieko Sato: Surely changes in the weather aren't unheard of in the Hollows - especially with all the powerful mantles motherfuckers walk in slinging around. Which is good, because when Rieko steps into the area, a sweltering humidity sets in - like one might feel in the wake of a sudden summer storm.
Today, the Oni is wearing a pair of stone washed Daisy Dukes with a red and black checkered flannel wrapped around her waist, a brand new pair of boots, her battered cowboy hat, and a tank top that reads: "The United States? Oh, you mean Texas and her 49 Side Bitches?" in one of those Edgy Meme Generator fonts. Her hand rests lazily at the hilt of a hunting knife as she wanders on over to the group of Summers.
"Howdy, Folx." She tips her hat.
Teagan: "Ahhh." Teagan's mirror-smooth face gives away no hint of their opinion of Artie. Which may be a hint of their opinion, but then, they don't emote a lot when they're not looking at their motleymates. "... I mean, that's true, it would be awesome. And the only time I've ever seen Artie fight, he pulled some bullshit dirty trick in a sparring match that blinded not only his partner but everyone watching, so... " And then Rieko arrives, and Teagan turns their attention to the sweltering Texas Oni's arrival. "Ey," Teagan responds, taking their arm from around June so they can offer their hand to her. "You're new. I'm Teagan."
June Desrochers: "Oh, yeah, I heard about that," June says with a nod. "Dirty tricks are all well and good, but not in sparring matches, you know? I'm just saying that I've heard he can also fight capably, which so far as I know is true!" She looks over at Rieko when the oni comes in, gawks for a moment, and then flashes a sheepish smile and says, "hey there! Isn't Texas technically America's bottom?" Then she remembers introductions. "Oh yeah, I'm June."
Aurelio Menegi: "That would be the match in question, yes." Aurelio shook his head quietly. "la Luce del Sole is to be used wisely, but he took the lesson well from what I could tell."
He looked towards Rieko as she approached, offering a brief salute in return for the hat-tip. "Good seeing you. Get everything taken care off since we spoke last?"
Rieko Sato: "Yep! I am homeless, I am gay, I -- well, I don't have AIDS -- but I am new in town!" Her eyes glitter like maybe she's been looking for someone to make this reference on for days, and she takes Teagan's hand into hers for a rough shake. "Rieko. I won't push you, 'cause I can see that backscratcher under your coat, and you seem like a real motherfucker, but it's good to meet'ch'a all the same."
She withdraws her hand, and it returns to it's familiar perch at her belt as she adopts a Lazy Movie Cowboy stance with a dopey grin that leaves a mouthful of fangs on display for the group. "You know what, I did - thank you for asking. Oathed to the Freehold, found a place to stay, and everything." Then she flashes June a wink. "Well, by my reckoning, if Florida's the junk," she holds up a hand to demonstrate positioning. "That makes Maine the butt, and Texas ends up being the tits. You feel me?"
Teagan: "Yeah, I hope he fucking did," grumbles Teagan,a nd then the matter of Artie and the Blinding Light is left to the side for the time being. Their attention is turned to Rieko, and their handshake is warm, and firm. "... nice, John Mulaney. Points for good taste." The compliment given by the oni to both the Mirrorskin and their weapon makes a smile crack across their face, brief and sharp.
"... I mean, I guess, if the US is bent over with its ass toward Russia, which it seems to be these days... " thank you, Teagan.
June Desrochers: "Well, Maine is a butt. As someone from Vermont I have to agree," June says as she puts a thoughtful hand to her chin. "So I guess that means Texas is for boobs," she agrees with a grin. "Hey," she says with a glance at Teagan. "I got that reference. But if Maine is the butt, then its ass is toward Europe. I mean I guess technically that's also toward Russia."
Aurelio Menegi: "Good." Aurelio nodded, pausing as the conversation turned towards geographical anatomy. He chuckled after a moment, more amused than anything. "I come from the boot of Europe myself, so I can't say much."
Rieko Sato: "You could say that - and ain't it just like a Northerner to try and talk down - but I prefer to say she's the tits." She offers a bright little cackle - and her golden fangs catch the light as she laughs. The hat comes off over her 8" horns, and she uses it to fan herself - hand still on the hilt of her knife. "So, what're y'all three up to this fine," she trails off to look up at the sky, then back down to her watch. "Whatever the fuck it is right now?"
Teagan:"Look, all I'm saying is that boot could be applied to America's ass right now and we'd be well served by it." Teagan wanders back toward June and loops their arm around June. "Exactly, JuneyJune." A beat. "Well, I came to check on the Hollow, make sure shit ain't on fire, the whole nine. It's been a while since I was here."
June Desrochers: "Don't worry, I have no problem with Europeans making fun of us too. We deserve it," June says to Aurelio with a roll of her eyes. "That's definitely one topic that can bring out the angry Summer in me." Then to Rieko she says, "speaking of which it's summer right now, remember? I'm doing great this fine summer. But yeah, Teagan and I were just patrolling a bit. Keeping an eye on things."
Aurelio Menegi: "Came to do some training myself." Aurelio tilted his head towards the collection of weapons nearby. "Stopped to talk when they arrived."
Rieko Sato: "Suhweeeeet," she drags out the word. "I'm glad to see the fort's all held down." It's interesting to note that Rieko doesn't actually have a southern accent -- in fact, she doesn't have much of an accent at all -- though she does adopt some particularly Texan language conventions. "I'm just getting back from a road trip up to Dover. Was a bit over my head, but Patriarch's Tree is quite a lovely Freehold. Any of y'all ever been out thay way?"
Teagan: "Oh, we definitely deserve it," agrees Teagan lazily. Not as angry about America's place in the world as June is, apparently. "The fort is absolutely one hundred percent held down," they agree, and their head tilts to one side, broken-mirror eyes reflecting back Rieko to herself. "What was over your head?" they query. "Haven't been down there since we got back into town, no."
Aurelio Menegi: "Perhaps. We all have our faults, though." Aurelio offered with a small shrug, then nodded to Rieko's question. "Si. I went with Lif and Annie on the first outreach there. Very beautiful place."
June Desrochers: "I haven't been there," June confirms with a shake of her head. "I don't tend to stray that far from home unless I have a real reason, and other people have had things handled there." Then she sighs a bit dramatically and looks at Teagan. "One day I'll get strong enough to lift the whole fort up, instead of holding it down," she jokes.
Rieko Sato: "Oh just the politicking and what-not,' Rieko offers a dismissive wave. "Went out that way with a li'l feller goes by the name of Lif - got a real green thumb, and a sweet voice." The latter bit she adds for Teagan and June, 'cause clearly Aurelio already knows Lif.
"With guns like those," she flashes another wink at June, and sticks out her tongue. It's forked, and much longer than a tongue ought to be. Well. For a human. Which she isn't. "I don't doubt you will!"
Teagan: "Hot," Teagan answers June, faux-swooning and leaning down to kiss the top of her helmeted head. "I've heard of Lif, but I haven't -- maybe I met her? In passing? I don't think so, though. Lots of new people, which is nice." A nod of their head, and their free hand rubs through their short hair. "Politics are not my forte either. I prefer the sort of problems that stop being problems when I cut them in half."
Aurelio Menegi: "Was there more as the bearer of the gift from the freehold, in truth. Can handle trading agreements well enough, but anything more political than that isn't my strong suit."
June Desrochers: "Oh, I'm not great at the politicking either," June says with a laugh, and she raises an armored arm and flexes it, though it doesn't really show much, because armor. "I tend to just tackle problems and rip them apart. Or sit down with them and have a nice heart to heart. But politics tend to involve a lot of double talk and maneuvering, and I hate that stuff."
Rieko Sato: "Boy howdy, does that ever just describe me to a T," Rieko hooks a thumb towards the massive blade on her back - and then she sets her hat back atop her head. Her hand leaves the knife at her belt for a moment -- long enough to fetch a hair tie from her pocket -- and she cinches her shirt up into a crop top before tying it off. Guh, look at those fucking abs tho. "This definitely wasn't double-talkin' but we were definitely trying a gambit that seemed to make a lot of folks uneasy. Which had the unfortunate added side effect of making me very uneasy."
Teagan: "I can lie my face off with the best of them, but normally it's just me trying to get close enough to cut some unfortunate motherfucker in half." There's a theme, here. It's not a subtle one. "I hate politics." No shit, Teagan, thanks. They scratch their cheek. "Are you allowed to talk about the gambit in question?"
Aurelio Menegi: "Lif handled herself well during that first visit as far as talking with the leadership at the Tree went. She is new to the Spear, to my knowledge, but has a good future in it, I think."
June Desrochers: "I am direct and straight forwaaah..." she trails off when Rieko adjust her shirt and shows off her abs. "Oh heck." One clawed hand comes up and flips her visor closed.
Rieko Sato: "Enhhh," Rieko holds out the word as she tugs her lower lip into her mouth and chews. "I'm not sure actually." There's a beat, and she shrugs. Suddenly all of her Big Top Energy is back, and she looses one of those bright cackles again at June's display.
Rieko pauses for a moment to entertain her new friends by lifting up her shirt just a touch further, and tugging down the waistband of her shorts -- nothing lewd, mind you! Just perfectly framing her abs -- to flex. For her new friends. With no ulterior motives. Her abdominal muscles ripple with ridiculous definition, and then she takes a moment to flex both biceps as well.
"So, basically," she continues. Y'know, as if that was just an extremely normal thing for a person to do. "Lif and I brought Dover a tree in the hopes that we could use it to fix their old tree."
Teagan: It's an awful good thing that Teagan's eyes cannot be seen to focus on any one thing, because it would be embarrassing for them to be caught staring like that. But game recognize game, and the Mirrorskin's face silvers, and they clear their throat rather loudly and roll their shoulders loosely inside their charcoal grey coat. That's a massive reaction from Teagan, so, you know.
Savor that shit.
"... hunh." Teagan offers. "That's cool." Rieko's words were all just white noise just now. They did not hear shit. But they're pretending.
Aurelio Menegi: Even the marble facade could crack, it seemed, as Aurelio's eyebrows went up at the rather impressive display. "We took samples when we were there before...imagine it had something to do with that?"
June Desrochers: June just kind of stands there for a few moments, like maybe the armor is actually just a statue and nobody's inside it. Then she squeaks and takes a step half-way behind Teagan. "That's cool," she says kind of absently, like she's not sure what they're talking about any more.
Rieko Sato: "I'm just sayin'," Rieko's eyebrows go up, and she wiggles that forked tongue of hers at June and Teagan in particular. "I can show off again, and y'all can touch 'em this time if you want. Let it never be said that Rieko Sato isn't a consummate performer..."
Then there's another cackle from Rieko. Boy howdy, is she enjoying herself. A crowd that doesn't want to kill her is a crowd that she can fall in love with.
Teagan: "You know, I would," Teagan offers philosophically, "But I have this Winter girlfriend who really likes to flex her muscles for me, and I think that -- while we are indeed about as poly as poly gets -- she'd probably make sad eyes at me if I went around feeling other girl's muscles in the Summer Hollow. On account of she put on a rather fabulous gun show for me and one other person on the day I met her." There's a moment of wistfulness, the expression playing across Teagan's face one of pure smittenness.
"Aaaanyway. I better take June home before she steam-cooks in her own armor."
Aurelio Menegi: Aurelio smirked slightly, chuckling softly as he nodded to the pair. "Was good talking with you both. Have a good night."
June Desrochers: June lets out a little giggle at Teagan's words. "We probably should get home," she agrees. "Nice meeting you," she says to Rieko, a bit hurriedly, before she remembers Aurelio is there (sorry) and turns back to him. "Night! We should do some grappling practice some time. I promise I'm good at not shredding people with my claws when I don't want to."
Rieko Sato: Rieko wiggles her fingers at the departing pair of Summers, sinking back into her Lazy Cowboy stance. "Nice to meet'ch'a both - hopefully I'll see y'all around sometime." Then she touches the brim of her hat, nodding to Aurelio. "I better mosey on, myself. Got a cute little thing expecting me at home and I'd hate to keep'em waiting." Beat. "Have a good one, y'hear?"
Aurelio Menegi: "Let me know when." Aurelio nodded to June, smiling warmly. "Sigrun has my number, I believe, so call when you wish."
"You as well." He gave Rieko a brief salute. "See you around."
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