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The Watchers are being much more polite to Tamara nowadays. They've never precisely been rude to her, but they are very good at being quietly, politely and oh-so-Britishly unwelcoming. Irritating, but she can live with it if it means she can be a part of the Council. But now their normal tactics have scared off their precious Slayer, and Tamara's the one who convinced her not to bolt; Tamara is now their lead to the Slayer and as such, she's being treated like she's made of glass.
She finds that mildly irritating for a whole different set of reasons, but it's such an improvement over the alternative that she lets it be. She's very careful not to seem as though she's taking advantage of her new-found position. She demands nothing, and makes only a few careful, diffident suggestions. This will not last forever; no need to burn bridges.
And of course, whenever she receives an email from the Slayer, she responds promptly.
older_and_wiser
cross_and_bow
"I do not have a pressing desire like that. Newspapering is all yours. I'll find who wrote the flyer tomorrow."
So the next day, Bella finds who wrote the flyer, and texts Tamara about it: She doesn't know anything that adds up to more than "check newspapers for suspicious prom-related deaths". Should I be looking for a prom date? I can probably sneak in without one even if they're trying to enforce the rule, and I want to find whatever it is that's going after the dateless, but let me know if you think I ought to track down accompaniment.
So the next day, Bella finds who wrote the flyer, and texts Tamara about it: She doesn't know anything that adds up to more than "check newspapers for suspicious prom-related deaths". Should I be looking for a prom date? I can probably sneak in without one even if they're trying to enforce the rule, and I want to find whatever it is that's going after the dateless, but let me know if you think I ought to track down accompaniment.
older_and_wiser
Tamara has spent the day (from quite early in the morning, actually, Kevin is a very effective alarm clock) working on the puzzle in a nearby coffee shop. She has set up something of a work station; she has a pile of old newspapers, a notebook, and quite a lot of index cards. She's quite pleased with her work area overall, though the one time she left her table she came back to find someone had left a dying iris on her table, leaving her to clean up the petals. But with her work setup in place she's found a number of related articles- not the source, not yet, but at least enough to answer Bella's message.
If you can get in either way, your accompaniment is entirely up to you. Of course, if you do bring a date, just make sure to stage a public fight in the centre of the room. All the cases I've found are very clear about that; you must be plausibly single for an accident to happen.
If you can get in either way, your accompaniment is entirely up to you. Of course, if you do bring a date, just make sure to stage a public fight in the centre of the room. All the cases I've found are very clear about that; you must be plausibly single for an accident to happen.
cross_and_bow
The accidents do, I hope, look like something I can maybe Slay my way out of, rather than sudden mysterious heart attacks or whatever?
older_and_wiser
All the articles I've found specify either strangulation or drowning. The presence of a physical attacker is, if not guaranteed, at least heavily suggested. And attackers can be fended off. You have your first fighting class this weekend, don't you?
cross_and_bow
Yeah. So I suppose I'll see if I can start on dealing with strangulation-type attacks - drowning seems more general. Drowned where, in a sink or something?
older_and_wiser
Good guess. All the attacks were in the loo. Those that mention it said it was the men's one, if it helps.
cross_and_bow
What fun. Any idea how the whatever gets them there? Especially if it's drowned girls too, who wouldn't have walked there under their own power.
older_and_wiser
There was no mention of marks other than those caused by the strangulation. Unfortunately, your guess is as good as mine until I find more articles.
older_and_wiser
Amusing as the thought may be, it might still be worth considering. I have never heard that American prom outfits are optimal combat attire.
cross_and_bow
If I'm sneaking in I suppose I don't have to look that plausibly prommy. Are British prom outfits bedecked with armor and useful pockets?
older_and_wiser
Proms are not a British custom; I certainly never attended one. I suppose it's becoming a bit more common nowadays, but entirely as an American cultural import.
cross_and_bow
Anyway, keep me posted on what you think it might be, especially if there's witchy prep I should be going in with for it.
older_and_wiser
I expect to have a full report in a couple of days. Why don't I just meet you at class on Saturday? I'll bring copies of the articles I've found, in case you want to look at them.
cross_and_bow
Sounds good. And you can Watch me. What with that being your job title.
Bella turns up to her class on time.
Bella turns up to her class on time.
ego_custodiam
Her class is in a gym on the edge of town, slightly run down around the edges in a way that says 'well used' rather than 'neglected'. Other than the locker rooms, it seems to consist mainly of two large rooms; one with equipment and mats for traditional gym activities, and one clearly intended for fighting disciplines. There's a boxing ring, a large mat with some children practicing karate, and a variety of punching bags and boxing equipment scattered around in semi-organized chaos.
Bella and Tamara are met at the door by her new trainer. He offers Bella a hand when she walks in. "So you're the one I've heard so much about, then? Nice to meet you. Phil Anderson, call me Phil." He waves at a door on the back wall. "Hope you don't mind, we're training outside today. We've got a bit of a yard in the back."
Bella and Tamara are met at the door by her new trainer. He offers Bella a hand when she walks in. "So you're the one I've heard so much about, then? Nice to meet you. Phil Anderson, call me Phil." He waves at a door on the back wall. "Hope you don't mind, we're training outside today. We've got a bit of a yard in the back."
cross_and_bow
"Can't scare me," says Bella. "I'm supposed to ask you to concentrate on what I do if something tries to strangle me, did Tamara tell you?"
ego_custodiam
"Believe me, I have a whole freakin' laundry list of instructions, from both Tamara here," he grins crookedly at her, "and my wife. But as it happens, strangulation did not come up. Having trouble with that, are we?"
ego_custodiam
Phil snorts. "Sorry, my bad. I'm married to Emma. You know- little, short hair, sews people up for a living?"
ego_custodiam
He smiles fondly. "Emma went full nurse on me. Endurance training, if we can figure it out; flexibility and anything I can come up with related to reflexes and agility which I believe Emma stuck under the subtitle dodging everything; a whole bunch of things I would probably just call PT but which break down to learning how to strengthen, or safely favor, specific areas."
"Now Tamara, let me see-" he pulls a Post-it note with a mostly illegible scrawl on it from his pocket. "Defensive fighting, escape-oriented fighting, minimum-damage take downs, blah blah fighting stuff. I'm told you have good instincts for this, but that's just instinct. Now you get it explained, in detail, and then you get to drill on it six ways till Sunday." He winks. "Sounds fun, right?"
He look at Tamara. "So! I miss anything?"
"Now Tamara, let me see-" he pulls a Post-it note with a mostly illegible scrawl on it from his pocket. "Defensive fighting, escape-oriented fighting, minimum-damage take downs, blah blah fighting stuff. I'm told you have good instincts for this, but that's just instinct. Now you get it explained, in detail, and then you get to drill on it six ways till Sunday." He winks. "Sounds fun, right?"
He look at Tamara. "So! I miss anything?"
older_and_wiser
"I would probably not have summarized my suggestions as blah blah fighting stuff," Tamara says dryly, "but otherwise that seems accurate. "Ultimately I'd like Bella to come out of this with a better idea of what, exactly, her instincts are prompting to her to do, and why."