[Sodium_noir] To sup with Panthers (Arkana and Panic)

[Spikey]

Panic
Sammie's Diner
Edge of the Theatre District
Saturday evening

The young Mage was in a hurry. He'd been all over the city in the last dusky hours and since nightfall had been freezing his butt off on the roof of club Harlequin with his two partners in crime. However the benefits of a kick arse sports car and the ability to make traffic and traffic lights bend to his needs had gotten him here before Arkana. Maybe if he had known her it wouldn't be much of a surprise, the Brujah shared some of his own personality and habits. 

The journey went by in a blur due to the intensity of his thoughts. Things were getting complicated right now and it was taking all his concentration to keep up the appearance of the devil-may-care playboy. The fact that the Harlequin's attentions were suddenly distracted by the return of his corpse bride didn't help matters and Damien was not 100% on the ball either. His problem was his Sir Lancelot syndrome. He couldn't turn down a damsel in distress and the longer he stayed anywhere the more responsibilities he amounted. 

That's what you get for having a code of honour he guessed. 

Rachel, there was a problem. He usually found the company of the undead filled a hole. They tended to be detached and less inclined to form attachments. But perhaps that was a misconception. Shade didn't show any signs of wanting to move out of his hotel, and Rachel was already starting to feel ... familiar! Best he put them distance between them for a night or two. That way nobodies heart got broken, and when Titus found out, neither would his legs.

And then there was Christine. Newly awakened and in danger of being overwhelmed by it all. Her abilities as a Seer were strong and he knew just how much that would appeal to some of the predators in Gotham. Nothing a prospective tyrant liked more than an insightful beauty at his side. And if not, bad guys tended to take out the oppositions soothsayers and spies as early as possible. He'd need to put some plans into effect to deal with that!

After supper with the as yet unseen Miss Arkana ... 

The moment he strode into the diner (never does to look rushed, even if you are) and was embraced by the sounds of some 80's faux Punk band, he knew he had gotten here first. Sammie, the eponymous owner of the diner, was an open book to him. He ate here regularly and felt no remorse at probing her surface thoughts and memories. Keeping a check on her and her clientele. paying little visits to anyone she remembered giving her trouble or not treating her with respect. Making mental notes of who visited her establishment. Sammie never forgot a face or an order, and so Panic was able to lift it all clean from her cerebellum. There was nobody in tonight's clientele who matched his idea of Arkana. Nobody who was undead at all in fact unless they came out of a sewer directly outside.

"Hey Handsome!" She called as he arrived. "Can you sit over there tonight ... I had to make a non smoking section or they'd close me down." The exasperated expression she faked for him was returned. Even without her legendary memory, nobody who met Panic would forget the chain smoking too soon. "What can I getcha honey pie?"

"Pie please light-of-my-life!2 panic eased into a seat on the opposite end of the diner to his usual spot, covering his disappointment and the need to throw away familiarity. "With ice cream and Custard please. Then can I have some of them nacho things? I am meeting somebody here and not sure if they will have eaten already so make it a big one with the extra. Oh, and tea please."

Sammie smiled and retreated behind the counter to fill his order. Complaining to those sat close to her about the boy and him 'always eating his pudding before his meal'. Panic tapped out a cigarette and lit it, watching the door in a windows reflection.

[tag Arkana]
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