The city was settling down, the recent violent war of mercenaries and vigilantes being put down as 'gang violence' and people were gradually recovering. There was a tense feeling on the streets as the Lady Diana consolidated her position, while rival gangs began to feel out possibilities on the edges of her territory. "Looks like your relief is here," Circe said, taking customers at one end of the bar while Descent handled the other. Descent stalked around the bar in her usual black leather clothes, her raven black hair shimmering in the light as the pale young women stripped off the apron. "Thanks for getting here early," she said to Athena with a slightly tired smile. "Are you feeling sick of people checking you out?" Athena asked curiously, the blonde haired goddess of wisdom pulling on the apron smoothly, her muscles rippling under the red t-shirt and blue jeans. "It's getting annoying," Descent agreed wryly. After surviving the Lady's assassins Descent was being acknowledged as a power in the city, and that had caused many oif the players in the city to take a hard look at her. In the days following the battle more than a few of them had come to the Daughters to observe the woman, covertly and sometimes not so covertly. "Don't worry," Athena smiled slightly, "I suspect your fifteen minutes of fame will pass soon enough." "It'd better," Descent said as she stalked away. Circe watched with some amusement as customers studied Descent passage, their expressions a mix of awe and worry. The slightly trashier looking blonde gazed over at her sister-in-law, "Did she really expect that there'd be no consequences to her pounding the Lady's bounty hunters like that?" Athena looked amused as she poured a older man a drink, "Actually, I think Descent isn't that good at forseeing that kind of thing." She passed the beer over as she quietly added, "She's lucky to have Sam around." Circe poured herself a shot too, tossing it back as she curiously asked, "Do you think those two are...?" "Hard to say," Athena admitted as she hauled down a bottle for another customer, "they seem close, but they could just be friends." "What a waste that would be," Circe mused as she caught a empty from one customer, dumped it in the bin and served another. Athena laughed, "Well, she also has her vampire girlfriend, too." "Could I get a drink?" Elizabeth asked, the pretty sorceress listening to them with amusement. Jess Drake was leading a sing along around one of the far tables, the black haired tattoo artist and mystic singing surprisingly well. Erin and her girlfriend Susan were joining in, as was Shannon McGee and Jess' girlfriend Alice. Elizabeth watched with a certain amount of regret, knowing that she wasn't exactly welcome in that group. She turned and sat down, smiling at the young woman sitting across from her, "Sorry, I got a bit distracted." "No problem," Angela Rowan answered, the brown haired auctioneer smiling back slightly. A elegant and moderately wealthy woman she was visiting from out of town, and had found the Daughters through a business connection. "I'm sorry you had to pick such a dangerous time to visit the city," Elizabeth noted as she set the drink down in front of her. "There's always some chance of risk in my business," Angela winked, "you'd be surprised where I've had to go to examine artifacts to determine their actual value." Elizabeth smiled charmingly as she leaned forward and asked, "What was the worst place you can remember visiting?" Angela looked thoughtful a moment then said, "A little border town in Mexico, actually. I nearly got killed trying to check out several artifacts from the Texas Revolution against Mexico. Supposedly they had belonged to James Bowie and Davy Crockett, but the local drug lord wanted them too." "You didn't...?" Elizabeth started. "We evaded him, thankfully," Angela drank then smiled wryly, "and to make matters worse, the items weren't even real." Elizabeth chuckled softly, "Ouch." Angela looked at Elizabeth thoughtfully, "Are you... doing anything tonight?" Elizabeth tilted her head slightly as she smiled at her charmingly, "Nothing that couldn't be postponed a bit." Angela grinned back at her as she asked, "Then would you care to meet me at my hotel for dinner and a nightcap?" "I'd love to," Elizabeth nodded, feeling relieved to know her charm with the ladies was still going strong. Up at the bar a older man complained bitterly at the quality of the bar snacks, his black hair messy and his suit rumpled. "An' why are the drinks so much?" he demanded. Athena carefully kept her temper under control as she replied to him evenly, "We serve quality drinks, sir." "Ya call this quality?" he hiccuped indignantly, nearly spilling his drink on Athena as he gestured wildly. "That's it," Circe said briskly, stepping in. She gestured, there was a sudden displacement of air then a very stubbed looking bunny sat in the man's place. "Circe!" Athena sighed as the sorceress retrieved the drunk animal, "You know that attracts too much attention." "Would you rather I turned him into a pig?" Circe offered as she put it in a cage she kept behind the counter for just such occasions, "It's more traditional." "I'd rather you didn't do that at all," Athena sighed. "What will Diana think?" she asked. "Probably want to hunt and trap him," Circe laughed. Athena had to laugh, "You may be right." "Of course she's right," Diana agreed, the tawny haired goddess of the hunt entering the bar gracefully and striding up to them. She grinned at Athena, "Thanks for covering for me." Then gracefully she leaned over to kiss Circe lingeringly, "Hello, m'love." "Welcome back," Athena noted with some amusement. Circe only pulled back reluctantly, "How did the meeting go?" Diana looked rather disgusted, "Everyone's agreed to maintain our neutrality so far, but several of the new gangs seem to be itching to see if we live up to our reputation." "You were off talking to the leaders of the syndicates?" Athena sounded faintly disapproving of that. Diana gave her sister a look, "We have to maintain our bar's status or we'll be unable to operate." She sighed, "Cost of doing business." "I suppose," Athena conceded, "but I don't like it." "Should we get Jess Drake involved?" Circe offered as she poured a much more respectful customer a drink, "I know most of the gangs are pretty wary of her." "I'd rather save her for later," Diana gave a amused look over to where the lady in question was sitting with her friends. "Besides," Athena mused thoughtfully, "we might actually want them to attack." As Circe and Diana looked at her in surprise she added coolly, "A sound defeat of whoever attempts it might discourage anyone else." "That's cold blooded," Diana said after a moment. Athena smiled slightly, "Sound military tactics, though." "I occasionally forget you're in charge of both wisdom and war," Circe said wryly, moving to serve another customer then returning. She looked at Diana, "Any guesses who'd try for us first?" "There's a group of Yakuza wannabes," Diana mused, "they seemed most interested in doing something." Athena narrowed her eyes, "Old fashioned style, or punks with guns?" "More old fashioned," Diana said, "their representative carried a sword." "Isn't that interesting," Athena actually smiled as she purred dangerously, "if they show up, I want first shot at them." Circe shook her head, "I'd rather just turn them all into toads." "That's your solution to every problem," Diana kissed her lingeringly, "but while it's fun it doesn't always work." "If you'd just let me leave them transformed..." Circe pouted. Athena sighed, "You'd own a petting zoo in a week, and you know it." "Spoilsports," Circe pouted.
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