Bananas

<> Demiurge says "Okay. So where are Daimon and Pat (and Sephar) going now?"

<> Pat says "Home sounds good."

<> Demiurge says "Okay, so you two head for Pat's place."

<> Demiurge says "Sarah, are you attempting to attunally follow, or are you just phoning them? :)"

<> Sarah is attempting to attunally follow. Phones still don't always register to her. :)

<> Demiurge says "Okay, make a resonance roll."

<> Sarah rolls the d666 and gets 2 4 CHECK: 5.

<> Demiurge says "Not only can you pinpoint him precisely (whether that was Daimon or Pat), you can tell that he's in motion. Your knowledge of the city suggests he's heading for Pat's house."

<> Demiurge says "Meanwhile, Pat and Daimon approach Pat's house."

<> Demiurge says "You may both make Perception rolls, if you wish."

<> Pat rolls the d666 and gets 3 3 CHECK: 1.

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 4 5 CHECK: 4.

<> Sarah, thus, heads for Pat's house.

One of the curtains in an opposite flat looks... a little odd. Daimon notices this more than Pat.

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 2 1 CHECK: 4.

<> Demiurge says "Okay, both of you make _another_ Perception roll."

<> Pat rolls the d666 and gets 5 3 CHECK: 6.

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 5 2 CHECK: 6.

Abruptly, a Song goes off from the direction of the window with the off-line curtain. Though nothing happens. At least, nothing obvious.

Pat tosses Daimon the house keys.

Daimon takes the house keys, and runs for the door.

<> Demiurge says "Daimon, try an Agility roll."

Pat draws his gun, and moves for the door more cautiously, keeping an eye on the window.

<> Daimon says "You gotta be joking. :)"

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 3 1 CHECK: 1.

<> Daimon says "Wow. I failed. :)"

There is a brief sensation of something soft beneath Daimon's foot, and then he is skidding to go flat on his face.

A banana skin lies limply on the ground where Daimon had stepped.

Daimon swears loudly, and tries to pick himself up.

Pat catches up with Daimon, still watching the window. "Was that a banana peel?"

Daimon is not seriously injured, and can easily get up.

There is absolutely no reaction from the window.

Daimon picks up the banana peel. "Yeah."

Pat says "Great."

Daimon says "Yup."

Daimon hands Pat's keys back.

Pat shakes his head. "Get inside. I'll follow."

Daimon sighs. "Well, it was going to happen anyway."

Pat says "Hm?"

Daimon says "That they were going to show up. I just wasn't expecting this fast."

Pat says "Ah. Get inside, please."

Pat continues to watch the window as he converses.

Daimon nods, and this time just walks to the door.

Nothing happens. Nobody interrupts. They can get inside easily.

Daimon mutters, "It was clearly a drive by fruiting."

Pat follows Daimon inside, cautiously, and locks the door. "Clearly."

Daimon examines the peel, and then tosses it into the trash in the kitchen.

Pat makes a quick sweep of the apartment, just to be sure there are no jack-in-the-boxes.

There seems nothing unusual in the entire apartment. All is quiet, all is normal.

Daimon comes back out, hangs up his coat, takes off his shoes, hangs up his suit jacket, and flops on the couch. *fomp*

<> Demiurge says "Sarah, you may now arrive."

<> Demiurge says "Make a Perception roll outside."

Daimon takes out the Eli-made squirt gun and sets it on the coffee table.

Pat removes his overcoat and hat, leaving his suitcoat on and tucking his gun back into the holster.

<> Sarah rolls the d666 and gets 5 2 CHECK: 2.

Pat says "You know, I thought it would calm down while we were gone."

<> Demiurge says "Alas, Sarah fails to notice anything odd."

Sarah unlocks the door, if (a) she's been allowed to recover her 'stolen' purse and (b) the keys in it were salvageable. Otherwise, she knocks.

Daimon says "Of course not. Evil never sleeps. Oh no! Evil works its way even during the night! Evil is a 24 hour job! Why, there is always another old lady to knock down or another baby carriage to tip over!"

<> Demiurge says "Sarah has collected her "stolen" purse and has keys, yes."

Sarah unlocks, thus, lets herself in, and closes and re-locks the door behind her. Hopefully no-one will panic at keys in the door.

<> Demiurge says "Pat, Daimon, you hear someone's key in the door. And the door opening."

Pat does not panic at the sound of keys. He has already flopped into a chair.

Daimon picks the Eli squirt gun up off the table, and points it at the door.

Sarah considers Daimon mildly when she sees him and the squirt gun.

Sarah says "Beg pardon, of course, but precisely what did the two of you do?"

Pat says "Fell victim to drive-by produce."

Daimon says "We ripped off a bank, knocked over a liquor store, and accused an old man of being a communist. We actually started a wave of terror."

Sarah murmurs to herself, "I knew I shouldn't have left the two of them alone."

Pat says "We're fine, Sarah. Although I'd like to know who's in the sniper's nest across the street."

Daimon puts the gun back down on the coffee table.

Daimon says "We could just go knock on the door. 'Hey you in there. You with the bananas! Come out with your fruit up!'"

Pat says "We could, yes."

Daimon says "We're going to arrest him for having an illegal fruit market."

Sarah says, mildly, "Sniper's nest. The same one?"

Pat says "No."

Daimon says "Although we apparently live next to a sparkling new Demon infested high rise."

Sarah sighs mildly. "That tells us something, I'm sure, but I can't tell precisely what."

Pat says "There's no evidence it was a demon."

Daimon says "Tells us that my plan to sell my own condo in LA and put a down payment on a townhouse here is well founded."

Sarah says "How long ago was all this?"

Daimon says "2, 3 minutes ago."

Sarah says "I didn't feel anything."

Pat says "Someone in the building across the street Sung. And Daimon happened to have a run-in with a rogue banana peel."

Daimon lights up a smoke, and does his normal habitual search for an ash tray.

Pat has imported a number of ashtrays into the apartment since he acquired a Trouble, so one is easy to find.

Sarah says "That would strongly imply demonic activity. At least, I can't think of any angels likely to send rogue banana peels after Daimon."

Daimon says "It wasn't like it was walking and talking and eating out people's eyes. Although, you know, that would be really cool."

Pat says "If a trifle bizarre."

Sarah says "I'd term it moderately disturbing, myself."

Daimon considers for a moment. "It could be entirely possible I've been reading too many comic books lately."

Sarah says "That seems moderately likely."

Daimon says "But I can see the headlines. 'Giant ravenous banana peel eats populance of DC. President claims to be 'disturbed'.'"

Pat says "You're positive that Teraphim didn't do anything to you?"

Daimon says "I'm pretty sure, yup."

Pat says "Mm."

Sarah looks between both of them.

Sarah says "*Teraphim*?"

Pat nods. "Yes. It was a coffee morning."

Daimon says "Now what do you think would happen if the ravenous banana peel ATE the President? Would it be considered a national disaster?"

Sarah says "So *that's* what it was."

Pat says "What what was?"

Daimon says "I think I'm a little wired."

Sarah says, with perhaps admirable restraint, "I'd greatly appreciate it if the two of you would deign to take me along when you're meeting with Balseraphs. My resonance isn't always terribly specific about the source of danger."

Daimon says "He didn't need to hurt us. He just needed to fix me so I'd be broken like I was before."

Sarah shudders, paling.

Pat says "Which he did not have a chance to do."

Daimon says "Terry either doesn't know, or has convinced himself otherwise."

Daimon drags on his cigarette.

Sarah murmurs, "Or he was lying to you. What an amazing possibility."

Daimon says "Well, these were his Needs, not what he said. Two different things."

Sarah props her cheek against a hand for a moment, regarding Daimon; and simply sighs.

Daimon grins at Sarah.

Sarah says "Daimon..."

Sarah says "... never mind."

Daimon says "Wha?"

Daimon blinks.

Sarah shakes her head, rueful. "Never mind. Nothing."

Daimon says "What did I do?"

Sarah smiles, warm. "You were yourself. Frustrating, but wonderful."

Daimon says "Ah."

Daimon says "I'm suddenly in favor of this 'go over and knock' plan."

Pat says "Possible."

Sarah glances between the two of them.

Sarah says "Oh, dear."

Daimon says "Hi, we're the angels from next door, and we'd just like to introduce ourselves."

Daimon says "Maybe we should bring a pie or cookies."

Pat ponders. "I think I have brownies."

Sarah looks over at Pat. "Oh, my."

Daimon says "Walnut?"

Pat shakes his head. "Chocolate chunk."

Daimon says "That'll do."

Pat nods. "They're in the refridgerator."

Daimon gets up to go into the kitchen and have words with the fridge.

There are, indeed, chocolate chunk brownies in the fridge.

Daimon puts them on a platter, arranges them aesthetically, and puts saran wrap over them.

Daimon then returns, with platter, to the living room.

Pat stands up. "Shall we, then?"

Daimon puts on his suit jacket and his leather jacket. "It's only polite."

Daimon takes the Eli squirt gun and tucks it behind his pants waistband.

Pat pulls on his overcoat, but leaves his hat behind. "Sarah?"

Sarah straightens her jacket, needlessly. "Of course."

Pat nods, and leads the procession out of the apartment.

Daimon picks up the platter, and follows Pat, 'cause he's the Man.

Sarah brings up the rear, looking as if she'd prefer to be non-objectively first.

There are no curtain twitches from the building opposite. All is still.

Pat makes his way, brownies and concern in tow, to the opposite building.

<> Demiurge says "Front stair or back stair?"

<> Pat says "Front. We're being neighborly, not sneaky angels of the Lord's Wrath."

The apartment with the odd curtain was on the third floor. Nobody interrupts on the way up the stairs, though, "YES, WE HAVE NO BANANAS," can be heard drifting from an apartment on the way.

Sarah winces mildly, and eyes the apartment.

Daimon says "This guy wants to make sure we know he's a Kobalite. Sheesh. Why bother with sublety in this day in age! Kids, I tell ya."

<> Pat says "Wait. Is the music on the third floor, or before that?"

<> Demiurge says "It's _not_ the apartment that you want which has that music playing."

<> Demiurge says "It's one on the second floor. The one you want is on the third floor."

Pat considers the musical door.

Daimon ponders, and looks at Pat.

Pat says "How many brownies do we have?"

Daimon looks at the plate. "About a dozen."

Pat says "Six each, for the musical neighbor and the upstairs""

Sarah says "Which first?"

Daimon says "Could flip a coin."

WE HAVE NO BANANAS TODAYYYYYYY!

Sarah cringes again.

Pat winces. "Let's do this one first."

The music rises to a crescendo, then flips off.

Daimon says "In the words of Han Solo, I have a bad feeling about this."

Pat says "Well, yes. But at the very least, they should be off guard."

Daimon says "True."

Pat says "Shall I knock?"

Daimon says "Sure."

Pat knocks.

Sarah glances toward Pat, mildly dubious, and positions herself to be able to knock both out of the way if necessary.

There is a pause, then the click of a chain being fastened on the door, then it opens a couple of inches. A boy - perhaps nine years old - looks out through the crack, red hair untidy, black tshirt and jeans rumpled.

Pat squints at the boy, resonating.

<> Pat rolls the d666 and gets 4 5 CHECK: 5.

<> Pat is clueless.

Daimon resonates.

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 4 2 CHECK: 6.

The boy needs chocolate, for his mom to get back from work and do the washing, his sister to let him choose the television channel, some help with his maths, and a beard. Well, he'd like a beard. A big beard.

The boy squints back at the three adults.

Daimon looks to Pat, the fearless leader.

Pat squints at the boy. "Is Gerald in?"

The boy says, "Wrong flat, mister."

Pat considers. "Oh."

Sarah says "Truly? I'm terribly sorry. I must have miscopied the address."

The boy says, "'fraid so." He backs away, closing the door.

Daimon says "Just a normal human kid. Although we should have given him a brownie."

Pat says "Hm."

Pat says "We'll see if we have any left."

The door closes firmly.

Pat shrugs and proceeds upwards.

Daimon follows Pat.

Sarah follows both of them.

You come to the third floor corridor. The apartment you want is the fifth on the left.

Pat, without fanfare, knocks on the appropriate door. And comes up with a cheery, neighborly smile.

There is no answer from inside.

Daimon says "Hmm. Maybe the song we heard was a song of motion."

Pat hms, and tries the doorknob.

The door opens easily.

Daimon raises an eyebrow.

Pat pushes the door open with his foot, stepping back from the frame.

The door swings open into the main room of the apartment, facing the window. There is a body sprawled in front of the window, blood over the back of its head and soaking the tshirt down the spine.

Daimon says "Jesus."

Pat sighs. "Wonderful."

<> Demiurge says "Daimon, make an Int roll."

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 5 2 CHECK: 2.

<> Demiurge says "Something about the body looks vaguely familiar to you. Of course, he is lying face down."

Sarah flicks a fast glance down the hall.

Daimon checks the apartment for lurkers, while making his way to the body.

The hall and apartment seem empty of lurkers.

Pat steps inside the apartment quickly, helping in the lurker-check.

Sarah inhales through her teeth, and pulls Daimon back behind the cover of the door, if possible; does a like lurker-check, glaring at both her Attuneds after.

Daimon goes over to check the body.

There are no lurkers visible, though Sarah probably manages to grab Daimon if she's really trying.

Pat applies his Keen Judgment Senses(tm) to search for signs of a struggle.

There are no signs of a struggle. To Pat, it looks as if someone came up behind the man while he was kneeling, and shot the man in the back of his head. The body has a gunshot wound at the base of the skull. The body is still slightly warm, and the blood fresh.

Daimon tries to figure out who it is, if he recognizes him.

The face of the body is recognisable. Daimon can be fairly sure it's the recognisable vessel of Kuraz, a Djinn of Kobal that he met once or twice. The guy had a sick sense of humour and was somewhat sadistic, but good at following orders.

Daimon sighs heavily.

Daimon says "Someone is cacking Kobalites."

Pat looks at Daimon. "Again?"

Daimon says "Well, this is one."

Sarah says mildly, "Again?", in chorus with Pat. Then pauses. "What was he doing here?"

Daimon says "Him? Probably waiting for me."

Sarah says "Was this likely to be good, relatively, or particularly bad?"

<> Demiurge says "The body is still warm and the blood fresh. This suggests he was shot within the last ten-fifteen minutes."

Daimon says "Dunno. Whoever shot this guy has got to still be around."

Pat says "Unless that /was/ a Song of Motion."

Daimon says "Possible."

Daimon will search the body.

Sarah looks through the apartment, quietly.

In his pockets are photos of both Daimon's vessels, a wallet with some small change in it, paper tissues, a notebook, and a pencil.

<> Demiurge says "Both the male and the female vessels."

Daimon sighs heavily and shakes his head. Then he flips through the notebook.

<> Daimon says "What a galoolie. Doesn't he know that Monique is in storage?"

<> Daimon says "Last time I was Monique was.... 1930's sometime."

<> Demiurge says "Well, yes, but it's a copy of a photo from that period. You look very cute in the period dress."

<> Daimon says "Wellllll at least for any extended period of time. :)"

<> Daimon does look cute! Can't help it.

Daimon says "Wow. I haven't seen this picture in years."

Daimon says "Wow. I haven't LOOKED like this in years."

The notebook has two entries. One is marked, "7am. No sign." The second reads, "1.15pm. Daimon and unidentified (Patrick Murphy?) arrived. Song invoked."

Daimon says "I have good news and bad news, Sarah."

Sarah says "Would you care to share both?"

Daimon says "Part of the bad news is that I lied, there is no good news."

Sarah says "You've been talking to Terry too much. Go on?"

Daimon says "The bad news is that this is a Djinn of Dark Comedy who was sitting outside Pat's apartment waiting for me to show up ever since I descended that tether this morning, knowing what both my vessels look like, just in case I wanted to be sneaky and show up chicked out."

Sarah says "Oh, dear. That is bad news, yes."

Sarah says "How do you know he was waiting quite that long?"

Daimon says "The good news is that we have a big plate of brownies."

Daimon holds up the notebook.

Sarah comes to look at the notebook.

Sarah says "Well, ah... now we know when he died."

Daimon says "Right when we showed up. So he went to attune to me and someone cacked him and bailed."

Sarah says "Long enough after you showed up to write the note. Before I arrived."

Daimon says "Looks like it, yeah."

Sarah straightens. "I do wish demons would stop being vessel-killed around us."

Daimon says "Could have been worse."

Sarah says "I'm sure it will be."

Daimon says "I mean, heck, it's been two weeks since I checked in. I could have gone RENEGADE in that time. Who knows what has happened to me."

Daimon stands up.

Daimon says "The concern just makes my heart glad."

Daimon says "And they know I'm with Pat. We have got to move. I'll start looking for another apartment pronto. We need two bedrooms anyway."

Sarah leans to kiss Daimon on the cheek. "Daimon, may I point something out, dear?"

Daimon says "Sure."

Sarah says "We have no idea what that Song was."

Daimon says "Ah, very true. It could have been the song of anti-stink for all we know."

Daimon starts to search the entire apartment.

The apartment is barren and empty. Except for a bright yellow tshirt lying folded on the bed.

Daimon looks at the bright yellow t-shirt folded on the bed. It's obviously demonic, because who would fold a t-shirt?

Sarah sighs briefly, shaking her head and watching Daimon.

Sarah fails to have noticed the T-shirt in her own search because, well, she folds T-shirts. :)

There is nothing else to find in the apartment.

Sarah says "Is something fascinating you about that shirt, Daimon?"

Daimon says "It's very yellow."

Sarah says "So it is."

Sarah says "So are daffodils."

Daimon says "Any good Mercurian, or Impudite for that manner, will tell you that yellow is an appalling color in t-shirts."

Daimon decides to take it with him.

Sarah says "Really?"

Sarah does not say anything about the visions of bait for curious Troubles that the more paranoid parts of her brain are showing her.

Daimon says "Oh definitely. You just look all washed out and pasty. It's true."

Sarah says "I, er, see. I think."

Sarah says "Well, perhaps I don't."

Daimon says "Just trust me. Hey, I'm imparting to you a major Lilim secret here. We might be bonding - except there's a dead body in the living room."

<> Daimon says "Does the t-shirt have anything written on it?"

<> Demiurge says "No. It is just a bright yellow."

Daimon gathers up the contriband, and the platter of brownies, preparing to go.

Sarah says "It sounds something like a major Mercurian secret. I'd really prefer not to bond over dead bodies, yes."

Sarah says "I wonder who owns this building."

Daimon says "Me too. It's infested with dead demons. They really should get an exterminator."

Sarah says "I'm rather more worried about how the demons are finding these apartments."

Sarah checks the hallway again.

The hallway is still empty.

Daimon says "Phone book maybe?"

Sarah says "Yes, dear, but this is two in two weeks."

Sarah says "Unless they start reusing apartments, I'm going to be quite concerned for the more mundane inhabitants."

Daimon says "I dunno. Although I should give the kid downstairs a brownie."

<> Demiurge says "The kid refuses the brownies."

<> Sarah beams. Smart kid.

<> Demiurge says "He says his mommy told him not to take sweets from strangers."

<> Daimon is stranger then most!

<> Demiurge says "And I'll assume you go back to Pat's."

---

Fiat Justitia