Honky Tonk Women

[wolfs_daughter]

The Dive was about what Echo had expected, and she ordered a draft beer before settling her weight on a thinly padded stool. The evening had yet to get started, so there weren't many people inside. That was just as well. Having lots of people around her all at once made her nervous, so she was willing to let the crowd grow around her.

Brian was nowhere in sight, but she doubted he hung out at the place if he wasn't playing there. She'd stay through the first set, maybe the second if the first band didn't suck. At least if the music was loud she wouldn't be expected to make conversation.

The hybrid took a pull at her beer, wiped the foam mustache away with the back of her hand. She'd pick up a matchbook when she left, something to go with the collection she'd started when she left Seattle. She'd gotten a form letter from the grant foundation that said her request was under consideration, so this was a muted celebration of sorts.

A waitress in a halter top sashayed past, and Echo ducked her head so she didn't get caught staring. Too much flesh, that was all. No wonder she didn't work with live subjects.

Comments

[valerie_vause]

The trash cans clattered as Valerie landed backwards and sank into them. The metal gave way with a shriek as a lid toppled and bounced loudly next to her. She shook her head, used her free hand to push herself up... Just for the girl to grab the sleeve of her sweater. “Hey that’s-” Stitches gave way with an audible rip to leave the vampire holding the arm. It flapped uselessly in the wind before it threw it away with a snarl. The blonde snatched up the metal lid and threw it like a frisbee. It collided against the creatures head with a clang as she finished with an annoyed, “New.”

Valerie ran towards her to deliver a roundhouse kick, the force sent the vampire into the wall and the blonde followed her. She backhanded the demon with the hand she held the stake in before plunging the point through it’s ribcage. It burst into dust, but not before pushing Valerie off with a growl. “See this...” She began, pulling the ruined sweater off to toss over the crumpled trash cans. “This is why I can’t have nice things.”

After a quick dust off the blonde bent to slip the stake back into her bag, she pulled the strap over her head and got it settled across her shoulder before making her way out of the alley and into the place. When she heard all the student buzz about the bar she knew it would be a perfect hunting ground. So many bodies crammed into a small space, most of them drunk or high? It just called to vampires.

As soon as Valerie stepped inside she had to admit, The Dive was appropriately named. When a scantily clad waitress walked by she had to double check her own outfit. The pale blue jeans were fine but she would have prefered the dark fabric of her sweater to the pale green and swirled blue t-shirt now on display. On the bright side at least she matched. Valerie scanned the room. Not many people were here yet, but as the night went on she could see it filling easily. With nothing but time to kill the blonde didn’t hesitate as she made her way over to the bar.

Pale elbows found the counter to lean on as she smiled at the bar tender. “Hey, do you have anything fruity?” His face went blank and Valerie watched his eyes glaze over as he stated, “Uhm... We have cherries?” The blonde tried not to show the amusement on her face as she added, “You know, those drinks with the little umbrellas?” One hand rubbed across his forehead and he repeated, “Umbrellas?” Valerie shook her head with a smile, she was thirsty and she had to blend with the crowd. Well, lack thereof. “I’ll have whatever beer is on tap.” This he knew, and his face brightened, “Coming right up.”

[wolfs_daughter]

"Yeah, they don't do cocktails here. I'd be surprised if they've heard of half of them, much less have someone here who knows how to make them."

Normally Echo would never have spoken up, but she was trying to make herself comfortable because there was no crowd and she didn't have to yell to make herself heard. Her beer was three-quarters empty, foam clinging to the insides of the mug, and she picked a few peanuts out of the little wicker bowl on the bar to pop them into her mouth. Out of the corner of her eye, she looked at the owner of the new voice, then turned to face her more fully.

She was very pretty, even if blondes weren't normally the hybrid's type. She was probably a student at UNLV, or maybe she worked in the city. The brunette took a pull at her rapidly draining beer, wished it wasn't so watery. She'd drunk her first homebrew when she was sixteen, and so she was used to something with a little kick to it. American beer would have to do in a place like this, but maybe she could find a store that sold Guinness so she could put some in the fridge at home.

"Do you know when the bands get started?" she asked the other woman after crunching up some more peanuts. "This is my first time here, so I'm a total newbie. Do they get anybody decent being kind of far from the Strip?"

[valerie_vause]

Valerie handed over a few dollars and accepted the pint of beer with a slight laugh. Through the foam she could see three cherries, they bobbed merrily in the liquid as the bartender half shrugged with a smile before walking off to serve someone else. She took a large sip, allowing one of the cherries to pour into her mouth. The blonde chewed it as she heard the voice beside her speak. She took it as a cue to sit at the bar, and once comfortable she swiveled slightly to face the woman. “You have to give them points for trying.” That was when she leaned towards her slightly and pointed to the glass in her hand.

On the counter sat bowls of nuts, placed sporadically along it’s length. Though she felt tempted by them the idea of all the hands, and where they may have been before grabbing some, put her off. She settled instead for a few more sips and another chewy piece of fruit instead. It was on the tip of Valerie’s tongue to ask if the brunette was a regular to the place, but she answered the question before it ever got voiced. Either The Dive brought in a steady stream of new people or the vampires were picking off customers before they could become regular.

Fingers brushed away any foam that may have lingered against her lip as she shook her head with a bit of a grin, “Honestly I have no idea.” Valerie pushed a few strands of blonde hair behind an ear and added bemused, “This is the first time I’ve stepped inside the place.” Then as an afterthought, “I guess that makes me a newbie too.”

Valerie decided she’d leave the last cherry until she’d finished her drink. Which she had no intention of nursing. Another couple of sips were taken and she watched the amber liquid slosh like a turbulent sea when she lowered the glass. A quarter was left if she were lucky. The blonde had no plans to get drunk, the cold beer just helped to quench her thirst, especially after the fight. “I think once people start to fill the place that the band will soon follow, the regulars probably show up before they take the stage.”

[wolfs_daughter]

"I'm not much for the clubbing scene," Echo admitted truthfully, and her first beer was already down to the dregs. It might look weird if she rushed to order another, but it was weak stuff, so maybe the blonde wouldn't take it amiss. The bartender was busy with someone else, a blowsy-looking woman in too-tight jeans and too much makeup, so she decided to bide her time.

"I'm still getting used to Vegas, since I just moved down here from Washington state. The desert's a lot different than Seattle, but it's also really beautiful. Harsh but attractive."

The same waitress flitted past, carrying a tray of mugs, and Echo noticed that she had a rose tattoo peeking out from under her halter top. Well, at least she was able to talk to the blonde without stammering, and that was worth noting. Maybe if she learned how to act normal around girls, that would mean she'd date more often.

"Let me guess," she said, putting one finger against her temple as if in contemplation. "You're either a secretary or you work in the medical profession. But you're a professional at something."

[valerie_vause]

“Sometimes it’s just nice to get out.” Valerie rarely found herself inside a club or bar for personal reasons beyond her calling. Even now as she sat there she considered herself to be doing her duty. She hadn’t walked in to hear the band, or to meet up with friends if she had had any, and as the place filled she would be on the lookout for those who went munch in the night. The blonde could understand where the brunette was coming from, but couldn’t honestly say the same.

Valerie nodded as she listened and swirled the remaining beer in her glass. “There’s something to be said about being able to see all those stars untainted with bright lights. I could get lost in them if I looked long enough.” She raised the glass to her lips and managed to swallow the liquid before capturing the cherry with her teeth. One chew and then she practically inhaled the damn thing when the brunette guessed what she did for a living. The blonde placed the empty glass on the bar and covered her mouth as she half laughed and coughed all at once. A secretary? The thought of sitting around all day answering calls felt like death, she’d feel restless in that kind of job. She felt restless just now thinking about it. “Uhm...”

Medical? Now there was an idea to run up the supernatural flag pole. Although that meant her only skill was putting down rabid demons. Yet the thought of wearing a stethoscope tickled her a little if only for the novelty. Valerie had to take a slow breath to gather her thoughts before turning to face the brunette more fully. One elbow lifted to rest on the bar, palm raised as she rested her chin on it to really look at the woman.

“Wrong, and wrong again.” She smiled slightly, a curious flicker of amusement as her eyes narrowed with thought. Lips pressed together as if she were deciding something, the slightest of pauses before she sat up straight and splayed her palm against the counter. Valerie tilted her head while green eyes found the woman’s and she asked, “What is it about me that has you so sure I’m a professional at anything?”

[wolfs_daughter]

"I know a lot of city types," Echo said with a one-shouldered shrug. She'd spent her first few years in the commune, but after her parents were asked to leave the Bishop family had had to take up residence in a more traditional community. And she had never adjusted to things like public school, although she'd always made her best effort. The Wolf meant she was different, apart, and although she'd mastered that half of herself there were times when it felt just beneath the surface.

She's staring. Why is she staring? I didn't say anything *that* weird. Stop it, you're paranoid. Her beer mug was empty. The hybrid ordered a refill because she didn't know what else to do with her hands.

She broke the eye contact when her fresh drink arrived, looked towards the empty stage. "Besides, I'm an artist, and when you're an artist you learn to watch people so you can capture their essence. Especially when you work from memory the way I usually do."

There, maybe that put her back in the realm of normalcy. It also potentially turned the conversation away from the subject of her amazing powers of detection. Mama had always told her to try and blend in, not stand out. It was Papa who said not to worry, but Papa had been alive for a very long time.

"So what do you do if you don't work in an office somewhere?"

[valerie_vause]

Valerie had been watching the other people around her when she heard the woman’s explanation of knowing city people. She frowned slightly before stating, “I’m not from the city, I grew up in a small town the other side of the country.” What had sprang that conclusion, the non specific fruity drink request? The blonde had just craved something sweet and refreshing, and her clothes were certainly casual. Being only twenty-one she couldn’t picture herself as working in the medical field either since it took years and years of school. That and she didn’t look old enough, given half the time she got carded in places like this.

The blonde took in the way the brunette turned her attention to the bar. She’d given the woman no more than three seconds of her full attention after stating that her guesses were wrong, and save the eye contact when she asked her own question in return she couldn’t quite understand the reaction. It was as if she had been watching the brunette hawk-like for five solid minutes instead of mere seconds and she had to wonder why the woman had spoken to her if she didn’t expect her to at least look at her when they were talking. She shifted on the stool to properly face the bar and motioned to her empty glass as the bartender approached. He got the message and lifted it to fill while she got money out of her wallet and slid it across the counter for him.

She quirked an eyebrow at the part about watching people to capture their essence but only nodded. From the earlier reaction Valerie decided to keep her attention at the bar. From experience the blonde knew that people tended to see what they wanted in others most of the time. She had no profession, she had a calling, the two in her eyes were very different. People chose their profession. She was chosen. When her beer arrived she took a liberal sip and held it in her mouth to feel the foam burst and the bubbles fizz. Seconds later she had swallowed it and taken another drink. Valerie placed the beer back on the bar and used her finger tips to swirl the condensation that had gathered.

“I’m an artist.” She said simply, “And I came here because I saved up enough over the years and got into a good university.”

[wolfs_daughter]

God, you're ridiculous. She's not going to eat you. If for no other reason than you're in a public place. What's the matter with you?

"What kind of artist?" Echo asked, trying to shake off the self-consciousness as she made herself try to make eye contact. "I usually start out by sketching, then turn to working in clay. It's why my hands always look like hell."

School meant the blonde had ambition, or at least wasn't the type to wait around for things like paperwork to be tunneled through. "You're going to UNLV?" Echo questioned, still holding her head up. "I've applied for a grant so I can afford to take classes. That's kind of why I'm here tonight, because I got a preliminary letter that the foundation people are considering cutting me a check. I thought I'd celebrate by catching some live music."

And the hybrid had already decided against ordering a third beer, because she was babbling like an idiot and she'd barely finished the second. Somewhere deep down, the Wolf was stirring restlessly, impatient with her social ineptitude. She would need to meditate twice as long tomorrow to calm it.

"My name's Echo, what's yours?" the brunette finally asked, putting down her mug and offering a slightly chilled palm in the other woman's direction.

[valerie_vause]

In her peripheral vision Valerie could see the brunette looking at her as she spoke. With a slow breath in she decided to give it another go and turned to look at the woman as she answered, “I sketch ideas out, sometimes paint to create something vivid in my mind before I sculpt. I use everything and anything I can get my hands on, half the fun is in the creating.” She looked away and focused on the bubbles rising in her pint. “I like abstract things, metal is interesting to work with, but so is ice. I like carving things too, wood, wax, the feel of plaster as I chip it away and smooth it down.” The blonde shrugged and added before taking a sip of her drink, “I like to work with my hands.”

Valerie began to realise the longer she sat in The Dive, the more she began to like the place. It had it’s own, albeit grungy, vibe going and it didn’t pretend to be anything more than it was. That wasn’t the beer talking either, which she had to admit, wasn’t that bad. Alright it wasn’t great and it tasted practically of nothing but it was cold and cheap and did it’s job. “Hm?” The blonde turned to glance at the brunette before she nodded, “Yes I am.” She brought the glass to her lips but paused as she listened, only to turn slightly and raise her glass up, “Oh! Congratulations, I’m sure I’ll see you on the campus fairly soon. I hope the band is good now.”

She took a sip then, or two, before setting the glass down on the bar. The blonde contemplated buying a bag of chips, or did they serve food in the place? Would she trust the food if they did? She snapped out of it when the woman offered not only her name but her hand. Without hesitation she took Echo's hand to shake and said with a slight smile, “Nice to meet you, Echo. I’m Valerie.”

[wolfs_daughter]

Good, this was good, she was doing better. Echo grasped Valerie's hand with not too much strength as the handshake happened, then let go. "I drove in from Searchlight to check this place out after a guy in the grocery store recommended it. I don't listen to much music unless it's older stuff, but I thought I'd give this place a try."

And now that she was breathing more normally, maybe she could order a new beer. The Dive was probably the sort of place that cut you off after two a.m., but she wasn't planning to stay that late. No more peanuts, though, because they left a weird aftertaste.

"What are you going to study at school besides art, or is that all you're interested in?" she asked the blonde. "I was thinking I could at least take art history, since we didn't have many electives at my high school and it would be interesting to learn about people who actually became well-known by creating art."

She rubbed at a callus on her left hand with her right thumb, decided that if she could make relatively normal conversation with a stranger in a bar then she could make Emmeline a trinket. Getting out of the house was supposed to help her, right?

"Where did you move to Nevada from?"

[valerie_vause]

There was a slight lift of shoulders as Valerie sipped at her beer. She held the glass in her right hand as she glanced at Echo then studied the drinks behind the bar. “I haven’t really decided yet. My options are open though so I’ll find something eventually.” Personally she had no interest in art history. Nothing against artists or history or those who enjoyed learning about them, but Valerie knew all too well that life could be short. She’d much rather be making her own art than taking notes on those who made their art years ago. She appreciated them, without a doubt, some she even admired. However her interests were more inclined to where art was going. She wanted to know what the future could hold for it, where it would lead, because she may never get to see it herself.

Valerie heard the question but her attention was drawn to the ever increasing trickle of people coming through the doors. “Home.” She said, the corners of her mouth twitching to hint at a ghost of a smile. “Hey, it looks like the regulars are starting to arrive. I’m going to take that as a sign that the band is probably going to play soon. They must sound alright or nobody would bother to show up.”

It wasn’t that Valerie didn’t expect the question, and she wasn’t being rude either. She simply didn’t give out that kind of personal information to strangers. There were demons out there that could pass as human, she’d fought her fair share. Then there were humans that could pass as monsters, in some ways they were worse. Valerie tended to err on the side of caution despite however optimistic her feelings might be at the time.

The blonde finished off her second beer and slid her glass across the counter. When the bartender caught her eye with a silent nod to the empty glass she shook her head and ordered a coke. Now that people were starting to arrive she had to stay alert.

[wolfs_daughter]

As nervous and weird as Echo could be around strangers, she took no offense when Valerie didn't answer her question. The blonde seemed like a nice enough person, so maybe she just didn't make small talk a lot. And if nothing else, it made her feel less freakish about the previous lack of eye contact.

The crowd beginning to file in from outside had her shifting to make room as a bunch of college-aged guys in windbreakers and chinos bellied up to the bar. She smelled an overload of cologne, and it made her take a half-step upwind. Her nose wasn't as sensitive as her father's, but it smelled like these guys had bathed in the stuff rather than just splash it on. Humans may have been ostensibly the superior race, but when they failed at personal grooming, they really failed.

She was nursing her third beer, since it was way too lightweight to get her drunk, and there were more people coming in, filling the small space. Echo's other half stirred again, uncomfortable with the sudden crowding, but she masked it by assuming a placid expression and focusing on the clock behind the bar. "Whoever's on stage tonight, they must be really cool," she remarked to Valerie lightly. "This many people can't be just friends and family of the band." Now she would order a soda. She did have to drive back to Searchlight tonight, and that meant she needed a clear head.

[valerie_vause]

As far as small talk went Valerie had no problem with it. Small talk was light, it didn't delve into anything personal, it skated above the surface and she managed it time and time again with ease. Out of all the questions the brunette had thrown her way, that had been the only one she had deliberately kept vague, and a vague answer was still an answer.

While new faces made their way to the bar the blonde took a sip of her coke and scanned them all. Nobody so far sent off any signals so she turned her attention to the stage. Sure enough Valerie had been right, the band were starting to set up and a crowd was already forming on the floor in front of them. It was better to get amongst the crowd than to stay off to edges where things could be missed. With her mind made up she took another sip of her drink and stood up. She set the glass on the counter and bribed the guy behind the bar to keep her bag safe with five bucks.

Valerie ran her fingers through her hair before she turned to Echo, “I’m heading to the dance floor before anyone else crams in, so if the band is alright I have a decent spot to enjoy the music. Nice meeting you.” That wasn’t her real reason but it was a normal one that others around her were stating themselves. She lifted her glass of coke for one last sip before wandering through the crowd to find a place in the center.