Synopsis
March 15, 2005 - Orion stops by Bunker’s Garage to try and remember what happened the night before. He finds Abbey, who tells him that he attacked Murphy. Orion remembers very little from the night in question.
Setting
Bunker's Garage and Salvage:
Bunkers's Garage and Salvage sits on a rather large lot in the West Dallas neighborhood. The parking lot is small, and one spot is occupied at all times by a beat-up tow truck. Two fully equipped bays, complete with safety notices on the walls are for employees only. To the right side of the bays is an office, containing a simple desk with a grubby looking computer, and a filing cabinet. Behind the desk is a small whiteboard which lists inspection prices, and those for other services. The walls are decorated with a few small display cases where items available for sale are located.
Abbey:
There's no telling what her age is, somewhere in the early twenty's if someone was to guess. Her height is about 5'9 a bit on the tall side but nothing that abnormal. Long bright red-orange, lose spiral curls are found upon her, it flows down to her mid back and can be often found pulled into a pony tail to keep it out of the way. A few lose curls fall to either side of her cheeks, and bangs rest just a bit above her eyes.
Her clothing isn't anything un-normal. A short or long sleeved shirt can be found on her depending the day or the weather, most dark colored. Black or blue ankle length jeans are found on her lower half, they tend to be a bit snug on her hips and flow down the rest of her leg. Her foot wear also depends on the weather, or what she's doing. Sneakers or boots are her choices though. A thick leather cord rests around her neck with a pewter dragon charm upon it, the two inch charm holds within its grasping forepaws is a pale blue gem. Depending on the weather is what jacket she wears a long black leather duster or a more simple leather jacket.
Three golden studs can be found upon the edge of both ears, another silver stud found in her right eyebrow. She also has a good collection of tattoos and scars. An old small slightly jagged scar rests across her right cheek, others found elsewhere on her. Black tribal like tattoo markings curl around and then down both of her forearms to circle around her wrists in a Celtic knot work pattern. Other tattoos are unseen thanks to her clothing. Her eyes are an interesting pale icy blue color; rather eerie in a way which tends to make her stand out if anyone pays enough attention to her.
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Orion:
You see a man in his mid thirties who stands a little over six feet and weighs approximately 180 pounds. One can tell by looking at him that he works out regularly. His face is rugged but attractive, usually with a couple of days worth of stubble on his cheek. His hair is brownish red and cropped short, spiking up a bit on top. His eyes are deep gold and appear to be almost an unnatural shade. He bears a tattoo of a paw print on his left upper arm. When the man speaks, he has a very distinct Irish accent. It is strong, but not to the point that he is difficult to understand.
The man is wearing a tight fitting brown shirt with blue jeans. He has brown boots on and a silver watch on his right wrist. His ears are each pierced with a silver ring, and he has mirrored sunglasses pushed up on his head.
Scene
The flatbed tow truck of Bunkers is out front meaning Abbey is home. She in fact just got in and is making her way into the garage. A few coughs escape her as she goes, her side throbbing and her hand aching. She pulls the fingerless gloves off her hand and throws them on the workbench while looking over her hand. Its not broken at least but it still hurts like all heck from punching Ramona like she did. Her gaze drifts around as if looking for someone, but still no sign of Steele. She frowns at this before shaking her head and moves to close the garage door and lock up for the night before she goes upstairs. Murphy's truck is still at the garage and the blood that was on the floor has been scrubbed clean.
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Orion is slightly confused as to what exactly happened last night. He remembers coming to the garage and talking to Murphy, but the next thing he remembers is waking up naked in the woods with a nasty bruise on his face. He had spent the day trying to figure out where exactly he had been the night before so that he could find his clothing. He has decided that perhaps visiting the last place he has memory of is the best course of action. He steps up to the door and tries it, discovering it to be locked.
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Abbey glances back to the door as she hears someone trying to open it. She's quiet for a few moments, lisitoning and sniffing before she can figure out who it is. Moving back to the door and unlocks it and opens it peering at Orion a few moments. "Orion.. Are you alright?" Seems she has more concern for Orion then she did Murphy the night before.. We at least for the moment.
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Orion is peering at the door-handle when the door suddenly opens. He looks up and Abbey and smiles, "Sorry! Didn't think youd be closed." He looks slightly confused at her question, "Am I alright?" He touches his face and winces slightly, "I guess, except I got a nasty bruise on my face somehow. Also I cant find my clothes from the other night. The last thing I remember is coming here and chatting with Glen. So…I thought I'd try to retrace my steps." He seems to honestly have no idea what happened last night. "Hey, did you ever find Steele?"
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Abbey blinks a few times while she watches Orion, she looks tired, which lately isn't much of a surprize really. "Ya.. Ah well your clothing is here. I tried to call you earlier but I guess I missed you." She opens the door more. "You want to come on in?" A slight frown is seen as he brings up Steele. "Well.. No.. I don't know where he is." Once his inside she'll close and relock the door. After making two vampires mad in two days she's being a bit more careful about having anything open at night it seems.
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Orion looks relieved and confused at the same time as he enters the shop. “Ok, well then I must have shifted here. But why would I do that?” He tries to remember but it all seems lost to him. “I do remember going into the alley. I think I heard something, but I don’t remember.” He taps his foot on the ground as he thinks. “Well he’s probably not working now, but Murphy might know why I went out there. Maybe I’ll come back during daylight and ask him. Unless he mentioned something to you?” He looks up at Abbey and notes the frown. “I’m sure Steele will come back soon enough.”
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Abbey ahs softly at this. "I wouldn't suggest talking to Murphy for a while Orion.." This said softly as she wondering how to bring it up. "Orion.. When I got here last night you was standing over Murphy, in your dog form, and his arm was torn apart.. He says you attacked him for no reason." She's given this a lot of thought since the night before, she still thinks there was another wolf around. An actual wolf and she also picked up a strange wolf scent when she was looking around in the ally for Orion. "Do you remember anything?" As to Steele she's quiet for a moment. "I've gotten use to everything I care about disappearing on me in some way or form. Its jut another part of life that I have to deal with. Steele isn't coming back or he would have be now." Seems Orion isn't the only one with bad luck.
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Orion looks extra confused now. “Wait wait wait. I was in dog form in front of him? And I had attacked him?” Orion shakes his head, “Well that doesn’t make sense. Though I do have a bruise on my face. Sometimes I shift uncontrollably when I get hurt, maybe he attacked me for some reason.” He ponders for a few more minutes. “Were my clothes in here when you found them?’ He frowns some more about Steele. “I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have come around so much. Seems like you’ve been suffering a lot of bad luck since I showed up.”
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"Your clothes was outside. I have them upstairs at the moment." Abbey offers while heading towards the hallway where the steps are. "Murphy hit you after I got there, across the face with a wrench so that's how you got the bruised up face." A glance is offered back to Orion and she shakes her head. "I've had bad luck all my life. Nothing you did to spur it on, trust me there." She moves on towards the steps. "Lets go talk upstairs.. I feel like drinking."
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Orion hesitates for a moment before following Abbey upstairs. “Yeah, well you also grew up in the same neighborhood as my family. Maybe our curse rubbed off on you a little.” He touches his face again, “A wrench? What a jerk. Granted if I was attacking him I suppose I don’t blame him. But I still don’t understand why I would have attacked him. I don’t even remember shifting, that doesn’t happen often.”
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Abbey didn't tell him not to come, and she doesn't seem that mad at him. "They wasn't tattered so I figured you took 'em off." She offers as she makes her way up the steps and opens the door as she moves into the loft. A slight wary glance is offered over the place along with a sniff or to while she moves into the kitchen and takes out a small container of ice from the freezer which she sticks right hand into. "Thing is.. I don't think you attacked him.. I mean.. Ya you was there and covered in blood but I found another scent in the area.. One I've never caught before." She glances towards him once his inside the loft. "Do you not remember anything?"
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Orion catches Abbey’s unease but says nothing for now. “No, I only remember being human. But you caught another scent? Like there was a stranger in the garage? It is a public business, just about anybody could have been in there.” He sighs, “Well let me think. I was talking to Glen about the fact that his surname is the same as my mother’s maiden name. And he seemed to not think anything about this. Then I went into the alley because…I heard something! Yeah, I thought it was Steele. So I went outside and…” He closes his eyes and concentrates. “And then I’m naked under a tree.” He shakes his head. “I don’t know.”
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Abbey smirks some while leaning back against the counter while looking at her hand in the ice. "I know its a public business.. But it was a wolf, a wolf that was wandering through the back alley. When I was coming down the alley I heard something running.. I'm sure of it. It was running away from the garage." Her eyes close for a moment. "Glen thinks you attacked him.. I wasn't there, I don't know.. But I just don't think you attacked him. Unless he was being his normal pig headed-self then I don't blame you."
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Orion thinks for a moment. "A wolf? You're sure of that? I mean, the black hound is at least part wolf. It probably smells similar. I don't really see how a…" He gets a flash of something and frowns, "Actually…Now I do seem to recall. It's more like a memory of a dream. Two black wolves fighting, but I'm one of them." He suddenly looks shocked. "The black wolf? Do you think it could have been the one from the news that the pack is looking for? Maybe it attacked Murphy." He thinks about it further before a look of dread crosses his face, "Oh no…But if it was me who attacked him, and I don't have a memory of it., then maybe there were others. What if I am the black wolf?"
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Abbey smirks while peering at him. "Orion, I know your scent. It was different from yours. The problem is I don't know why it would have came to the garage.. I mean Glen is a shifter so.. That would fit the story." She blinks while watching Orion and shakes her head. "Your not the black wolf Orion. One your not a wolf to start with, and two.. I can't imagen you doing anything like that to anyone."
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Orion shakes his head, "They say it's a wolf on the news. What do the victims know? The black hound certainly LOOKS like a wolf, except the ears are bigger and the tail's a little curly. Things people might overlook if they're being mauled." He still looks concerned, "And maybe it's just some new side effect of the curse. The Barghest is supposed to foretell death, maybe that's because it actually kills people." He ignores the part where Abbey recognized his scent as different from the other wolf's.
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Abbey sighs at this and pulls her hand out from the ice and drys it off with a towel before moving over and peers at Orion. "Orion.. You’re not a wolf.. you don't smell like a wolf.. The other shifters in the area said it was a wolf. There was a strange wolf here last night.." She pokes at his shoulder. "Any of this sinking in?" There's a pause. "Orion.. Your not cursed.. I've been around you and I'm still alive an't I?" Well other then busted ribs and a nearly broken hand but that doesn't count!
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Orion seems unconvinced of his non-cursed status. “I’m pretty sure having terrible things happen to you counts as bad luck.” He shakes his head, “Again, they may have been in shock from the attack. When someone’s attacking you do you take the time to analyze their scent?” He snaps his fingers, “Glen! He was there, he’d be able to tell us if there were two black wolf-like animals in the room with him. And how badly was he injured? Did you notice animal tracks or specific bite marks on his arm?”
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Abbey sighs softly and folds her arms in front of her while she watches him. "You just don't want to believe me.. Do you?" Fine.. She's use to that to. "Orion, I've had bad luck all my life.. Were you there when my parents an pack was killed? Were you there when Emily was killed?" When Abbey tryed to kill herself? Not that she says that part. "I don't think you was. Bad luck isn't a curse, it happens to everyone." She pauses and glances off. "Perhaps they don't, but I do when it involves my turf." "Glen's arm was mauled.. It was bite wounds.. An I don't think talking to him is a good idea right now.. He sorta wants to kill you."
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Orion sighs. “Well, you never know with these things. I’ll just be extras cautious with myself just in case. If I’m not the black wolf, fine. If I am, at least I can try to take actions of some sort.” What actions he could take he does not say. “And I’ll try to avoid Glen for a while, then. He can’t turn into like…A bear or anything, can he?” He frowns and looks at the clock. “Also, you do have my clothes up here, right?
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Abbey watches him a few moments before nodding. "Ya.." She says softly while moving over to pick up a plastic bag with the said clothing in it. "Just be careful.. Alright?" This is questioned while she moves back over and offers him the plastic bag. "An you can call me or come over here when ever if you think your in trouble. I got your back." Even if he thinks his the big bad wolf she doesn't think that.
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Orion takes the bag and rummages through it, pulling out his wallet and putting it in his pocket. “Ah good. I can drive legally again.” He smirks at Abbey, “I’ll be fine. I’m not the one getting jumped and all that.” He frowns, “But assuming there was another wolf, it came here. So you’re the one who needs to be careful.” He ties the clothes bag shut again and slings it over his shoulder. “I should probably head out. Don’t want to have to walk home if it’s too late out.”
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Abbey smiles a bit at the driving legal comment. "Ya.. Suppose that's a good thing to have." A soft ah escapes her. "Well.. I've lasted this long.. I think I'll be alright for a few more years." She nods. "The door downstairs will lock on its own when you go out. Though.. your welcome to crash here if you want. Rather you not get jumped on your way home.. But I could drive you home too." There's a pause and she folds her arms in front of her. "Sorry.. I'm sorta rambling I guess.. I blame the pain meds.."
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Orion chuckles and shakes his head. “No, no. I can make it home alright. I’m not too far away. Besides, what if I am the black wolf, eh? Probably don’t want me sticking around.” He shrugs and heads toward the door. “I’ll text you when I make it home so you know I’m alright, k?” He offers one last wave and heads out the door after hearing anything else Abbey might have to say. After he gets home he’ll send her a quick text.
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Abbey smirks. "Oh right.. ya that's going to totally make me want you to leave." She says with a faint huff escaping her. "That doesn't bother me.. Anyway.. I'm rather sure I could take you if it turned out to be true." "Hey.. Happy St. Patrick's day by the way." She winks at him, the thought of giving him a kiss does cross her mind though instead she kisses her hand and does the whole blow a kiss towards him like. "You better text me or I'm coming to find you." This is said while she waves back as he leaves.
~ Fin ~
