Red Rock School and Archives, Nevada September 23 1954 11:17 pm

[wander_in_neutral]

The window slid up silently on liberally soaped tracks as Tourmaline lifted it up. She paused to listen for any sign that she had been caught before propping up the frame with a piece of scrap wood. With no one the wiser to her antics, the young girl swiftly swung out from the window and dropped to the ground outside of her foster family's house.

Nuts to this. If they weren't going to do something about getting Jimmy back, she WOULD. Tourmaline skulked from the shadows of the house towards the shed where her bike was stowed away. Slowly she opened the door...and frowned when it did not open into interior she expected. "Que?"

Comments

[vagrant_malkin]

Blissfully unaware of the incoming storm of trouble, Thomas is doing his best to enjoy some quiet time inside the Bar. He has a herbal cigarette between his lips that he puffs on idly, and a book on sigils and wards open in front of him.




And likely in full view of anyone who happens to be coming in through the door.

[wander_in_neutral]

A shock of..familiar auburn hair barely contained in a ponytail peered in the crack of the door, glaring suspiciously at the bar as a whole. Tourmaline frowned and glanced back to the empty desert night behind her before grabbing a chair to jam the door open with a clatter.

[vagrant_malkin]

The clatter is what causes Thomas to look up and spot the kid. The hair is familar, but not enough to tip him off as to who the wild-haired child is, even if he does watch her antics bemusedly.

[wander_in_neutral]

With a grunt and fully bodied shove to get the door jammed open, Tourmaline turned to regard the bar with suspicion and an accusation. "What happened to my bike?"

[vagrant_malkin]

This kid.

Carefully, Thomas maneuvers his cigarette to the corner of his mouth so he can respond. "It'll still be there when y'get back and try the door again, kiddo."

[wander_in_neutral]

"Uh-huh," She gave Thomas a look up and down, before returning to look at his ears. "Pull the other leg."

[vagrant_malkin]

He shakes his head, leaning back in his seat. "No lie. This place is just a pretty piece of magework is all."

[wander_in_neutral]

Thomas is just going to be given an extremely suspicious glance before Tourmaline inspects the rest of the bar, starting with the rafters...then the bar itself...and then the window.

That window.

You know the one.

Because she shrinks in and mutters a single word.. "Wizard work."

[vagrant_malkin]

"Yeah, it's somethin' alright," he mutters, kicking out a chair and nodding to it. "Have a seat, kid. Before you fall over."

[wander_in_neutral]

The girl wrinkled up her face at him, but slunk to the chair with one grey eye still on her own door.

[vagrant_malkin]

Carefully, he marks his place in the book he'd been reading and closes it to give the kid his full attention.

"No one's gonna fuck with it. Don't you worry none."

[wander_in_neutral]

"I wanna keep my running options open," The girl shot back, "Why should I trust you? I don't know you."

[vagrant_malkin]

"Ah," he begins unhelpfully. One of those sorts. "Not gonna stop you if you want to bolt. We just met and I'm an adult, so of course you don't trust me. It's no skin off my nose."

[wander_in_neutral]

"..." She's still giving him a suspicious glare..but it doesn't take much to see the gears turning in her head. "...what're you doing here?"

[vagrant_malkin]

He leans forward in his seat, resting an elbow on the table and his chin on his hand.

"Taking a bit of a break away from a chaotic bunch of magelings. Reading. Relaxing."

Beat.

"And you were looking for your bike?"

[wander_in_neutral]

...oh great, this was one of the teachers.

"Yes, seifu." There's a definite tone shift, and MORE wariness, though it's more of the 'been caught' variety.

[vagrant_malkin]

His eyebrows raise and he blinks at the familiar term. He waves a hand idly, though, dismissing the fomal address.

"Don't fuss about that with me. You aren't my student and this isn't a school."

[wander_in_neutral]

"Duh, it's a BAR." The words are out before she can stop them, and Tourmaline just sighs. "Yes, I was looking for my bike."

[vagrant_malkin]

"This is an all ages sort of place, you just aren't allowed any booze."

He gazes back towards the girl's door to where it's propped open, noting the darkness on the other side. He raises a brow at her.

"At this hour?"

[wander_in_neutral]

"I got my own business." Namely finding out stuff. "Was going to go for a ride, isn't like I can drive."

[vagrant_malkin]

He arches a brow, inadvertanly giving the girl his seifu knows you're up to something look.

"Just don't get caught, I suppose."

[wander_in_neutral]

"I won't."

She will.

[vagrant_malkin]

He squints at her some, still with his seifu face.

"What name may I call you?"

[wander_in_neutral]

"...I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

[vagrant_malkin]

He inclines his head to the girl.

"By custom, I'm Thomas Ashmalkin."

[wander_in_neutral]

"I am named Tourmaline Pasternak, by custom." That little dark auburn haired girl gives him one last look before yanking the chair out of the door and shutting it behind her.

[vagrant_malkin]

Well shit.

He's able to keep his expression calm, but drags a hand over his face once the girl. Tourmaline turns away from him.

He's level again, by the time she faces him again, and he offers her a grin.

"Well met."

[wander_in_neutral]

"Well met and well part." The way she says this is more of the parroting of a schooled child than with any particular feeling. At least he knows she'll grow into it. "May we be well met again."

Then she's gone behind the shut door.