And Then There Were Six

And Then There Were Six
Date of Scene:	21 November 2012
Location:	Manhattan - Twilight Detective Agency
Synopsis:	Another new face shows up around the Detective Agency. What's her story, and why did she come here?
Cast of Characters:	Deidra, Will Sherman, Mercade Alexander, Avira, Celina Duvalis, Tom Magnusson

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Mercade Alexander has posed:
Welcome to the Twilight Detective Agency! A light rain patters against the windows of the plain office building, creating a low hiss that compliments the atmosphere of smooth jazz on the stereo. Mercade Alexander, de facto head of the Agency (because who else is going to run it? Will?) is sitting at the desk in the lobby (which is the main office since there haven't been enough people to necessitate changing it), paging through some files and clicking on some things on the computer. Maybe he's checking Facebook for Heartless sightings!

No, that's silly. Myspace is way better for that.

Still, he seems to be hard at work with a bowl of cheap ramen and a steaming cup of black coffee on the desk. The meal of hard-boiled, perennially-broke bachelor detectives everywhere, right?

Celina Duvalis has posed:
Both suck for Heartless sightings.

Celina pauses outside of the door, sniffing slightly as she frowns. That's Ramen. Cheap ramen. Celina does not approve. The criminalist pushes open the door, closing her umbrella behind her as she steps into the lobby, shaking it slightly before she heads straight for the hatrack. She is not wearing a hat today.

She doesn't need a hat, after all.

"You're eating Ramen." Again.

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Celina in fact catches Mercade mid-noodleslurp. "Hph, whmph wrnnng wff rmmun?" He replies, before devouring the noodles and repeating, this time without noodles in mouth, "Hey, what's wrong with ramen? It's cheap!" He squints at Celina, probably waiting to see the woman's response.

Celina Duvalis has posed:
"It's not long-term healthy for you." She points out, frowning at Mercade. "Also don't talk with your mouth full." Celina hangs up her jacket and her umbrella on her part of the coat rack, migrating down the hallway to check the breakroom.

"You've all been having pizza, too, haven't you?"

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade Alexander stands, following after Celina. "Well, yeah. It's Manhattan, you gotta have pizza. Besides, it's the best way to get veggies." Mercade points out. For all of his detectiving and such, his opinions on nutrition probably could use some work.

"So, uh... Why are you so worried about it, anyway?" He asks.

Celina Duvalis has posed:
Celina whirls around and stares at Mercade.

"If I'm to keep you all alive, it starts outside of the field and with your nutrition. When was the last time you had nice, steamed vegetables that were not mixed with cheese and pizza sauce?" She asks, her voice light as she peers at him, her brown eyes amused.

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade Alexander actually stops and thinks about it. "Ummmmmmm..." He says, eloquently, as he thinks. "I don't... remember."

He then blinks. "Wait, keep us alive? You're working here?" He thinks again, rubbins his chin, and then he gets a Wright-esque surprised look on his face. "Oh hell! I didn't think you'd show up after all that's happened! I mean, I read all the files, but... Well, I guess after Magnusson kicked in the door, anything is possible."

Celina Duvalis has posed:
"I maintain my view." Celina says firmly.

Mercade then blinks, and she gives him a look, and then sticks out her hand. "Celina Duvalis, Master's in Forensic Science, specilization in criminalistics. Photographer, artist, den mother, and uh... your resident magic user."

"Tom's back?"

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade shakes her hand, sighing. "Mercade Alexander, bachelors' degree, guy trying to pick up where the old one left off." He grimaces a bit, and then shakes his head. "So you know magic, huh? Well, that's certainly been something we've been... /sort/ of lacking? It's hard to explain except well, we have a Gargoyle hanging around." He gestures idly. "Also, a talking frog. You good with voodoo curses? He's got a nasty one." That explains the terrarium by the TV. "So yeah, And Tom's back. He kicked in the door yesterday with some pizza, and immediately crashed on the couch. Will's been sulking ever since."

Celina Duvalis has posed:
"Right, I'm sure I heard of you. Also..."

"Well, it's not about knowing, I can only use magic if I'm channeling it through this-" She touches her necklace, "So I don't know all that much. But I'm working on it." She says.

"Gargoyles, and a talking frog. Has he kissed his true love yet? It always worked in the storybooks."

Celina's not genre savvy, she just likes stories. "Oh. Good. Everyone's returning. That's nice." Beat. "Will?"

Deidra has posed:
Deidra has admitted she was an amature but still she was better than nothing right? However the converstation had caught her attention off in one of the other rooms and the Gargyole? Had been peeking through a crack in the door before she steps in and says "Well that's a good enough of a cue as any humm Mercade and I thought I was working for you. It's not like I have any other job prospects other than to be chased by an angry mob." She grins a little bit shwoing her fangs withotu really thinking about it as she looks the new girl over. "So another magic user?" Yup totally not a human, wings, tail. bone spikes on the knees. Oh yes talons too. "Likely as grumpy as I am about the couch being stolen from us."

Will Sherman has posed:
Suddenly Will falls off the side of a Bookcase, and slams into the ground.

"Ow." he says, and rubs his rear as he suddenly looks around the room.

"God..I miss our old secretary's bookshelf...it was the best sleeping place." he says, sadly to nobody and everyone.

"So wha-...Celina!" he says, jumping to his feet!

Mercade Alexander has posed:
"We're still working on that." Mercade says. "I don't think he HAS a true love yet." He sighs, and then shrugs. "Will. Hobo Lad. Short, black hole for a stomach, you probably saw him before."

Deidra shows up, and Mercade waves to the gargoyle. "Hey Deidra. Meet Celina, old-time member and apparently a magic-user and den mother." He seems to be warming to the idea of someone else cooking for them. "Anyway, hang on."

He heads back to the lobby, and then comes back, handing Celina a mobile phone with the Xanatos Enterprises logo on the back. "This is an interdimensional cellphone. Xanatos has been supplying us with things in exchange for our findings. It's been a sweet deal so far. Right now, we're exploring the worlds, fighting the Heartless, and working out ways to try to get our world back. I think that basically summarizes recent actions. "

He pauses. "Oh right, another world wants to invade us and take over our world. No pressure."

Celina Duvalis has posed:
"Oh, right. The one whose been here for ages." Speaking of Will... "Will, dear heart, didn't we get it in your head to sleep in BEDS rather than bookcases?" Celina asks, leaning over to examine the boy where he stands.

Mother Hen is examining thne youngest of the roosters in the room.

"Thanks." She says, rolling the cellphone around her fingers as she examines it before it gets slid into a pocket.

"Uhhhh, well..." She looks at Deidra. "It's a pleasure to meet you, dear."

Deidra has posed:
Deidra looks over Cleina a bit more and she still seem to be in a good mood. She pauyses at Celina goes all mother hen upon Will. This is certainly an interesting suprised but the number of humans around here is growing and prehaps she maybe a little concerned either way she'll have to deal or leave and the later isn't very likely. "Good to meet you as well."

Tom Magnusson has posed:
Tom Magnusson has been asleep for approximately a day. Not a day's worth of sleep, but an actual full twenty-four hour day. He hasn't so much as twitched during that period, though he's clearly been breathing. When Tom decides to check out for a day's worth of well-deserved rest, he damn well means he's going to be out for a day's worth of well-deserved rest.

Even if it means that Will's been fuming about the couch for the past twenty-four hours.

Now, though, there are signs of life. A great yawn rumbles through the vaguely pizza-scented atmosphere of the detective agency, and there's a sound like wood creaking as Tom turns himself over in the lazy process of Getting Up.

Avira has posed:
Guess who doesn't knock?

Avira doesn't need no stinkin' knocking anyway. She's technically an employee of the wise and powerful Twilight Detective Agency. Unlike some of the other times she's visited, though, the petite woman doesn't narrate her own entrance. All the better for as she walks in, she quickly realizes that the office is a lot more occupied than before.

"...whoah, full house. What's going on?"

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade sighs. "I guess at this rate we're going to have to get the apartments upstairs all renovated. Maybe move some things around. Good thing I got that money from Shinra." He mumbles.

Finally, he speaks up. "So anyway, you're probably familiar with the problem we're all facing, what with the 'missing most of the world' and 'eldritch horrors of the darkness' thing going on. Feel free to catch up on current events in the archives, I've kept them sorted according to the existing method." It took him like 2 weeks to /learn/ that method.

He looks to Avira as she enters, and waves. "Hey Avira! Come on in. A couple of the old members of the Agency just showed up. The sleeping guy on the couch is Tom Magnusson, and the nice woman here is Celina Duvalis, resident forensics and criminal expert, and den mother." He pauses. "She's the one who said it."

Will Sherman has posed:
"We got some of our old members back...Tom walked out of the darkness and Celina the Good Witch...I dunno?" he looks at her, "Where were you? Did you get lost in the darkness too?" he asks before yawning and stretching as he answers Avira.

Oh yeah! he thinks...and walks over towards the coat racks...and 'pretends' to be sly as he 'pretends' to slip money out of Mercade's jacket. In reality he's slipped in the gold thing he found, now if he'd only get the balls to use it...

He'll give the right pushes.

"Goooooood Celina, first day back and you're already scolding me...I AM your senior..."

Tom Magnusson has posed:
There's a thud. It's really more of a loud WHAM. Tom groans as he lifts himself off the floor where he's rolled off the couch. "Ugh," he grunts, pushing himself up and back onto the couch. "...That was a good one."

Celina Duvalis has posed:
"Until you look older than me you get to deal with the consequences of looking like a teenager." Celina says sweetly. Far, far too sweetly. The woman looks over at Avira, giving her a quick nod.

"Nice to meet you. Do you encourage them to always eat pizza and ramen? It's bad for them." Celina hears a THUMP-WHAM, and looks over at the couch. "ONe moment."

Celina steps around the couch, leans down, and grips Toms' ear.

Avira has posed:
"Mercade!" Avira says brightly, looking to the unfamiliar faces. Of course, she knows Will and Deidra already. The sleeping Tom gets a long look and a smirk as she sees him wake up and roll off the couch.

Then to Celina, who surprisingly does seem to be older than her. "Hello! Um...only pizza and that's because we don't have anywhere I'm from."

Celina starts to antagonize Tom and Avira giggles a little more. "Anyway, was in the area, decided to drop by, say hi, that kind of thing."

Tom Magnusson has posed:
The couch is comfy. It is a good couch. It is an old couch! It is a couch that Tom has missed dearly since he's been away. Unfortunately, he doesn't get a chance to lay on it for much longer. Tom's ear is taken by a vengeful Good Witch! "Wh-" Tom starts, trying to turn at the ear-grab, and then--

He blinks, "Cel?"

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade Alexander is basically used to Will stealing money from him. He keeps a little cash in a pocket just for Will to pretend he's getting away with something. Mercade keeps his real cash supply in his socks. Until he gets his hat back, that is. HATLESS MERCADE IS HATLESS. He folds his arms and hangs out with Avira while watching what's about to happen in front of him. He's never had a chance to observe these two, so it's a good time to do so.

"So what are you up to, Avira? Find any good marks lately?" He asks.

Celina Duvalis has posed:
Celina gives Tom a thorough shake via ear-grabbing.

"You are the absolute worst, Thomas Magnusson!" She informs him. Oh crap, full name. "The most insufferable, terriblest, most ... worst person in the multiple worlds and universe." Shake, shake.

That done, red-faced, Celina walks away to drop into a chair. Hmph!

Will Sherman has posed:
Will shrugs... "You know I don't chose the form I am in. So...whatever. Deal with it, I am older than you naaaaya!" he says...until Cel goes Tom an earful. "...What did you do Tom? I mean, seriously, she's /mad/ at you..."

There is a shudder.

Tom Magnusson has posed:
Celina does not, unfortunately, get the chance to storm off in a huff.

She does not get the chance because Tom's arms wrap around her waist before she slips away, "H-hey now! I'm not the worst person! I haven't kicked a single puppy in the past ten years. How could I be the worst person in the world?"

Tom frowns.

"Sorry for... Disappearing without telling anyone. I fell off the world."

Avira has posed:
"Eh, this and that, catching up with old friends. A clan mate of mine seems to be serving some gigantic creepy armored guy. Garland? Yeah. It's all a little weird hearing him call ANYBODY 'master'." Avira sighs, rubbing her forehead, "Gotta get his story on that sometime. But...funny you should mention that, Mercade."

She reaches into one of the pouches on her leather belts (of course she wears more than one, this is Kingdom Hearts) and pulls out a piece of paper. "I've been hearing a lot of rumbling about a mysterious tower appearing in Targ forest that I'm planning to investigate. Straight up adventuring stuff so I'm going to take some VALKYRI with me for it." Avira waves the paper around.

No, she's not going to talk about that green jelly mark she did yesterday. Despite being hit with magic twice and taking a shower, she still felt unclean.

Mercade Alexander has posed:
"So.... Do you think that means she likes him? Or not?" He asks Avira. She's a woman, she should be able to tell.

He doesn't seem to have heard Will's comment about 'forms', since he's looking over at the paper Avira's got. "Huh." He says. "Really? Want some help? I mean, now we've got all these people who are going to need to contribute to the rent..." He looks over at Tom and Celina with an intent look.

Deidra has posed:
Deidra is just hanging back for the moment as she tries to get a feel for the new people. Garland she's not sure what to think of the talk about Garland she only heard a few whispers about him really. Still she 's paying attention at the very least. "Hello Avira."

Celina Duvalis has posed:
"You look younger than me, and until you can provide actual paperwork, you're still akid." Cel says, currently trapped in Tom's grip. "Yes, that is exactly why you're the worst person! You didn't send a note or anything!"

Celina is being slightly irrational - she understands that sometimes, getting swallowed up by the other part of the World means there's no notes or contact for awhile. She's /still/ allowed to be mad at him, however.

"So... grr!"

Will Sherman has posed:
Will sighs, he walks over to a computer, taps in a few things, and...

He brings up a picture. One of those old time ones of New York's public library when it was remodled. It was easily in the '20s.

"Hey, Cel. Proof is right here." he says pointing at the picture. In the back of the picture is a young guy with Will's general build and distinguished hat.

It's a bit blurry because well, old picture.

Avira has posed:
Oh, what a spot to be put in. Avira can't go around telling people that tsundere rage from a woman means they actually /like/ the guy. It was all pretty noncommittal at that point anyway. "Maybe? I dunno. She certainly wants his attention. Why, is he into her?"

She looks down at her paper. "Wellll yes. But it's going to be pretty rough. You guys might need to practice before you come and be prepared to deal with, well, magic."

She focuses on the argument about age going on for a second, "Wait, are you really some kind of ageless immortal, Will?"

Tom Magnusson has posed:
"Well," Tom huffs, "I would have sent a note if there was any paper in the place beyond the world. And it would have been hard to send a message after those things out there ate my cellphone, so I couldn't make a call either. And I didn't run into any mail couriers besides." Tom grins, "Soooo. Do you have it in your heart to forgive me for not sending any word?"

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade shrugs. "I have no idea. I've known Tom for a bit, but this is the first time I've met Celina. All I had were their personnel files... But it seems like they both care a bit about each other. Or maybe Tom just likes his ear being intact."

He pauses for a minute. "And 'Garland', huh? Sounds ominous. Or festive. I mean, it is Christmas. There's got to be lots of garland around." Mercade jokes.

Will admits his agelessness and Mercade just stares for a minute.... And then just shrugs helplessly. What can he possibly say to that? "Looks like we're all settling in fine now." He looks to the others. "So yeah, I've got a little money in the account. We're going to need to use it to renovate a bit because really, we haven't been using most of the place. Put up some ideas on some things we're going to need on the board. I'll work on getting it done."

Celina Duvalis has posed:
"Yes, we have the oldest teenager in existence standing in our lobby." Cel comments, looking over at Avira and Mercade, before informing them, feathers ruffled, "We were good friends. Then he got eaten by darkness. And now he's on the bad list."

She frowns at Tom. "No!" Then, to Mercade: "Do we have a group bank account I can make some deposits into?" She inquires.

Avira has posed:
"Holy cow, so you are an ageless immortal." With a mysterious past to boot.

Ah, so the end of the world made Celina realize just how much Tom meant to her and she was now antagonizing him out of love.

Avira wisely keeps this conclusion to herself.

"Hah, I wish he was something festive. More like something ominous. If I see this guy again, it'll be too soon." Avira shakes her head, "Oh! Oh yeah! I have a base now. But I bet you realized that when I took my statue back." Still, she sounds like she's proud of it.

Tom Magnusson has posed:
Tom Frowns. It's a Frown with a capital F. A very Tom-like frown. The sort of frown that can make a little kitten sad.

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to make it up to you bit by bit, huh." He huffs, still not letting Celina so much as take a step away. "But hey, I fought my way out of the darkness to come back for you guys, so it's not like I'm going to be on the Bad List forever, right?"

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade doesn't get it. Because he totally isn't all that good with his own relationship issues. Or lack of relationship issues, despite Will's attempts to 'fix' them. "We have a business account, yeah." Mercade replies. "They take dollars and Munny. Exchange rates are reasonable."

Mercade looks over to Avira and nods. "It was a nice statue. So how's your base turning out? Do you have a 'no boys allowed' sign on the front door?" He jokes.

Deidra has posed:
Deidra pauses for a moment and stares at Will her eyes going wide, he just stole being the bizzaro prize from er own life. She nods for a moment and says "ALl right." She just stares for a moment she'd been doing rearch and knows Gargyoles can live about double humans but Will wait how did he do that. "Doesn't matter what you are Will or why this is happening your my friend that's enough for me."

Celina Duvalis has posed:
Avira is one of the wisest people in the room.

celina frowns back at Tom. If this was a fight of the frowns, neither would be losing right now. She finally taps his nose. "That is your one redeeming quality." She informs him. "You always come back."

"I'll hand over some cash later than, to help."

Avira has posed:
"Hey!" Avira gives Mercade a playful shove. "Just 'cause it's named VALKYRI doesn't mean we only take women. It's just that no guys have wanted to join." Sure, because of the name most likely. "Why, do you want to join~?"

Tom Magnusson has posed:
"Aw, I've gotta have more redeeming qualities than that." Tom thinks aloud. "Like my bright and sunny personality, or my awesome muscles, or maybe it's the fact that I can make a mean breakfast burrito?" Tom grins, and then turns his head toward Avira.

"Uh. VALKYRI? What, is the uniform one of those brass corsets you always see 'em wearing at the operas?"

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade gets shoved, and he laughs. "Oooh, no boys wanted to join the big tough warrior women girl power club? People talk, Avira!" He fingerwaggles, and chuckles at her, but he shakes his head. "I'll help you all with whatever you need, but I don't really have the time to be an official member /and/ keep the TDA rolling." He squints at Tom. "Goodness knows I can't expect Tom to do it. He seems to be a bit unreliable."

Avira has posed:
"Hmph." Avira huffs and shoves him again, "I was mostly joking. ...is that what people are really saying? That we're tough warrior women?" Nobody's said these things in her presence. How exciting to think so, though! That's almost like being taken seriously, right?

Avira turns to Tom and narrows her eyes.

The first things out of this man's mouth directed at her was outright mocking of her group. "Excuse me?" Her playfulness is gone.

Will Sherman has posed:
Suddenly will is between Avira and Tom.

NO FIGHTING.

He crosses his arms, "Seriously guys. We can't afford another tussel in here. Mercade would have an anurism." he says, shaking his head. "So either appologize Tom, or take it outside. If you take it outside, let me get popcorn."

Celina Duvalis has posed:
Cel turns up her Frown ratio. "I don't think he was meaning any harm; he was probably referring to the valkyrie costumes you see people wearing in operas and stuff..." She explains to Avira. "He doesn't think much before he talks." She notes to Tom. He needs to fix that habit. She does rub her forehead slightly.

Tom Magnusson has posed:
"It's true, I don't usually do much of that," Tom grins. His jovial attitude, it seems, does not fade away at a single frown! Tom is also apparantly capable of turning from crestfallen to cheerful within sixty seconds. Calling his personality 'tempestuous' isn't too far off the mark. "Besides, I like the warrior-maiden look. I think it's a pretty neat calling card, actually."

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade is still chuckling. "Well, you do have a reputation. I don't think it's a bad one! You alone kick so much ass that people aren't likely to mess with VALKYRI."

He glances to Will. "And he's right. I really would prefer to keep the collateral damage down in here. I don't have THAT much money."

Will Sherman has posed:
"Just a Xanatos expense budget." Will adds, shaking his head at the two of them! For shame! Wait until I have popcorn!

Deidra has posed:
Deidra watches the babnter go on trying to get a feel for the new people here. Her life is getting quite full of people far more than she expected it to ever be. "The chooses of the honorable dead to go to Valhalla to fight every day to their hearts contenttil the end of the world. I heard your friends are no slouches either Avira."

Avira has posed:
"Do I look like some kind of opera floozy?" Avira huffs. Sure, she /could/ sing, but...

Will is quick to jump in her way. "I'm not going to have a tussel in here, don't worry.." She says, tilting her head up as if she's trying to look at Tom over Will, still slightly agitated. "I really would much rather step outside if there was going to be an altercation." She doesn't, for the record, sound like she has her heart set on beating this guy up. Eventually she nods when Tom admits he does like the look. "We don't have uniforms." Uniforms is a step too far to Avira.

She puts a hand to her mouth and looks at Mercade, "Really? You really think so?" ...or he might just be saying these things to calm her down. "A..aaaanyway. Oh yes, the other members are very talented. I hope you all can meet them someday."

Mercade Alexander has posed:
"The less I have to use that, the better." Mercade replies to Will at the mention of the Xanatos budget. "He's helping fund us, but there are strings I don't like pulling."

He shakes his head at Avira. "Not at all. But hey, there's always Carnegie Hall if you want to give it a try." He grins. "I bet you'd look pretty amazing in a long white dress."

Celina Duvalis has posed:
Cel, in Tom's grip, starts writing Mercade a check. It is a very nice check. It is payable to Twilight Detective Agency. This is what happens when you have a Master's Degree and a gigantic trust fund.

She then wriggles out of his grip to hand it to him.

"Look, just start thinking, Tom."

Tom Magnusson has posed:
"I think," Tom harrumphs, his arms crossing as Celina slips away. "Besides, I'm not about to fight someone I just met. That's just rude." He'd be more than willing to fight her sometime in the future, though. At a pre-arranged date, like a gentleman.

Tom peers at Mercade. "...Heh." He's got a thing for the Warrior Chick? Interesting.

Avira has posed:
Well that's odd, seems Mercade doesn't like calling upon his rich patron for financial help all the time. In a way, it's actually pretty respectable. Stand on your own feet! Avira can appreciate that.

"I think I shall pass on your Carnegie Ha-" she pauses at the second part of his observation. She actually looks kind of flustered, "Well I dunno. Maybe."

She glances at the others for a second. "...anywho, I ought to be on my way. It is good to see your numbers growing, Mercade."

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade nods, to Avira. "All right, everyone. Let's get to work. This world isn't going to save itself." He gestures. "We need to explore the worlds, look for hints as to the nature of the Heartless, and find a way to stop them. Help anyone along the way you can so we can build bridges. Together, we'll find a way to make this work!"