fandomtownies | The Park, Friday (*LOCKED against ALL IC Knowledge -- and Fandom Radio*)

Kate steps outside of her house and is still for a moment, feeling the light breeze against her skin. She needs to come out more often, if only to walk. It wasn't practical to walk around in LA after hours, but here it might be...soothing, as well as healthy.

She'd picked this little house expressly because it was next to the park, and decides to take full advantage of it, striding toward it at a relaxed pace, savouring the feeling of a free night in a town that doesn't really know her.

Aziraphale smiles at the young woman as she walks through the park.

Kate sees Aziraphale on his bench and stops, gazing at him with a look of wonder. When she realises that yes, this is the same man who helped save their lives, she smiles back, and makes her way toward him and the girl at his side.

Quiet walks and peaceful connections are both things she'd like to have.

Aziraphale tosses a bit of bread crust to one of the ducks and looks up at Kate. "How are you today, Miss Lockley?"

"I'm fine, thank you," she answers, carefully stepping around the ducks and bread littering the ground. She smiles at them as well, wishing she had something of her own to give, before glancing up and nodding a hello to the young redhead sitting with Aziraphale, doing her best to stay out of their conversation.

Aziraphale nods toward the space next to him on the bench. "Please, sit down if you like," he says, holding out a piece bread.

"Thank you," she says again, taking the offered bread and seat. She sits and watches the ducks, an old fondness in her eyes as she tears off a chunk of the bread and gently tosses it amidst their cluster.

"How are you finding things in town, now that everything has settled down?"

Angela is strolling through the park, hands in her pockets, lost in thought.

When she sees Aziraphale, she smiles and cautiously joins him on his bench. "Hi," she says.

"Miss Chase, it's a pleasure to see you," he says quietly. "I hope you're well." He offers Angela a chunk of the bread he's brought for the ducks.

Angela takes the bread and begins to shred it, occasionally tossing a chunk to the ducks.

"I'm okay," she says. "Thank you for the books."

Not wanting to pry, but still wanting to know more about why Angela needed the books, Aziraphale settles for asking, "Did you find them useful?"

Angela gives Aziraphale a sidelong look, not sure she can trust him. Somethin in his manner suggests she might be able to.

"Um ... yes. And no. I mean, I didn't know anything about vampires before, and now I do. But I have kind of a ... weird situation."

Aziraphale nods. "Is there anything I can do to help, Miss Chase?"

Deep breaths, Angela thinks. He's a good guy.

She glances around the park to make sure no one is paying attention. "Well ... there's, um, a vampire student at the high school. Angelus." She stalls there, drawing in the grass with the toe of one sneaker, then visibly forces herself to continue. "And on Tuesday he ... my boyfriend had done something he didn't like. Something stupid."

"He -- Angelus -- threatened me."

Aziraphale immediately turns to face Angela, the ducks forgotten. "How did he threaten you?" he asks, his usual light demeanor now very serious.

Angela makes herself think about the awful minutes in the storage closet.

"Nothing physical. He didn't touch me. He told me ... he implied that if Marty pissed him off again, I would get hurt. And if I told any teachers or anything, we'd both get hurt."

She bites her lower lip. "We wouldn't kill him, or anything, but ... we heard there was a way to incapacitate Angelus. Give him a soul. Does that ... make any sense to you?"

Aziraphale's eyebrows shoot up, and he looks agitated. "'Give him a soul'? Miss Chase, I can understand why you would be fearful, and I'm gratified that you chose to tell me about this, but I must discourage you from even considering...mucking about with souls."

Sensing that this is likely not what Angela hoped to hear, he continues. "I'm not certain I understand why you think putting someone's...putting a spirit into this vampire would protect you from him."

Angela looks down, visibly disappointed.

"I couldn't find anything about it in the books you gave me either," she says. "But what I heard was that, like, there's some weird-ass curse that Angelus has on him. That if you can put a soul back into him, he turns into a good guy. He was under a ... kind of a spell, I guess ... on Saturday that made him think he had his soul, and he was really different. Nice. Brave. Kind of doofy."

"I don't know anything about magic," she continues, softly. "But I figured if anyone did, you would."

Looking rather pleased at the compliment, Aziraphale relents a bit and sits quietly for a moment, considering what Angela has told him.

"I'll be quite honest with you, Miss Chase. I really haven't had any experience with vampires before." He takes a breath. "However, I have had, erm, some experience with, ah, spirits inhabiting other bodies." He looks somewhat discomfited. "Therefore, in theory, I might be able to be of some help. But, I would want to know more before I made any promises."

Angela nods, looking relieved. "Of course. This is all really new to me -- I didn't believe in vampires or, even, spirits before I came to this school."

"What would you need?"

"Well, to begin with I would want to know more about this curse you mentioned. Also, I'd need to know more about why you think putting a soul into the vampire would be helpful."

The ducks, realizing that their food source had mysteriously ceased to notice them, began quacking loudly at the figures on the bench.

Angela nods thoughtfully and begins to shred some bread, tossing it to the ducks. "I just told you basically everything I know," she says. "I mean, we can find out more. But it might take some time. I don't even know how to start asking people about it, and if Angelus finds out ..." she shudders. "But you don't think it's necessarily completely stupid?"

"It...depends," he says carefully. He sits quietly feeding the ducks for several moments.

"Should I assume that the soul you intend to use to possess him is his own?"

"I think so. I don't actually know that," Angela says. "Hoow would I find out?"

She tosses more bread to the ducks as she waits for an answer, and they squabble over it happily.

"I need to tell you that I couldn't possibly agree to help you -- and moreover, that I would be obligated to try and stop you -- if there were a chance that you might be putting an innocent mortal's soul in jeopardy. I hope you understand.

However, if it were established that we would merely be returning this...vampire's own sould to it's rightful body, that...would be a different situation entirely."

Aziraphale considers several possible solutions to Angela's question. "If I knew more about the man, it's...possible that I could find out where his soul is, ah, currently residing."

And then I would owe you a big favor, Crowley.

Angela's eyes grow big. She hadn't considered the idea that it could be an innocent life they were playing with.

"Of course. I wouldn't want to hurt anyone. I don't think he can kill anyone at the school, and Marty and I will stay out of his way from now on."

She chews on her thumbnail before launching into the best description she can manage.

"His name is Angelus," she says, evenly. "But when he thought he was good, he called himself Angel. I think he was living in California before he came here -- Sunnydale, Sunnyvale, something like that. " She thinks. "His voice ... I kind of get the impression he might have been Irish once, but he's mostly lost the accent."

She thinks for another minute. "Physically, he's about six feet tall, solid, dark hair, dark eyes."

"Will any of that help you research him?"

Aziraphale nods as he listens. "Do you have any idea how long he's been a vampire? And, anything you could tell me about this curse would also be helpful."

Angela shakes her head regretfully. "I heard he was more than 200, but he looks ... maybe 18. I really don't know anything about the curse. Marty might."

"It's enough to begin on, I think. I would be grateful if you could ask Marty to tell me anything he might know about the curse. I'll do a bit of research and, ah, talk to some...friends. See what can be found out."

Aziraphale gives Angela a very grave look. "In the meantime, I think you both should stay away from him. If you encounter any problems, if you start to feel unsafe, please come and tell me."

Angela half-laughs. "I so do not need to be told to stay away from him. Sometimes I see him in study hall and I hate breathing the same air as the guy." She frowns. "I mean, if he breathes, which I guess he kind of doesn't."

"I'll tell Marty to come talk to you."

"And, um, thank you. Again."

"You're very welcome, Miss Chase. I...am trying to walk a fine line between being helpful and sticking my nose where it doesn't belong, and I'm afraid I don't always, ah, manage it very well. But I am always very pleased to assist when asked."

He smiles reassuringly and pats Angela's hand. "I don't believe that the teachers will allow him to do harm within the confines of the school. If you happen to run into him in town, and you feel threatened, you know that you'll always be safe in the church, or with me." After a pause, he adds, "Or with the Doctor, as well."

"The Doctor," Angela muses. "He does feel safe, doesn't he?"

She squeezes Aziraphale's shoulder. "I've never seen Angelus in town. I hope it stays that way. But if it doesn't" -- she gulps -- "I know where to go."

Aziraphale smiles at Angela's hand on his shoulder. "I'm quite certain that there are numerous people in town who would be happy to help you should you need it."

He places his hand over Angela's and gives it a gentle squeeze. "How is Mr. Blank doing?"

Angela chews on her thumbnail again. "I think he feels really guilty," she says honestly. "We haven't really talked since Tuesday. the night Angelus talked to me. And it seems to freak him out that I'm wearing this," she says, pulling her neckline aside to display a small gold cross.

"But on the other hand, he's running for office and he's really into that, so he's probably fine overall."

"I'm glad to hear that he has something to occupy his time and keep him out of trouble. And I think wearing the cross is an excellent idea." He stops for a moment, looking at the cross. "May I see it?"

Angela nods and unfastens the clasp at the back of her neck. The cross itself is nothing special -- it's plain yellow gold cross, no bigger than a thumbnail, on a flimsy chain, a present for a relative several Christmases ago that had pretty mouldered at the bottom of Angela's jewelry box.

She hands the trinket to Aziraphale.

Aziraphale lets the cross rest in the center of his hand. After a moment, it appears to give off a very faint glow. Before Angela can say for certain, however, the glow disappears, and Aziraphale hands it back.

Not sure what just happened but somehow certain it was a good thing, Angela refastens the chain.

"I should get to work," she says, reluctantly. "Thank you. For everything."

"It was my pleasure to speak with you, Miss Chase. I'll...let you know what I find out. And, please feel free to come by for a visit anytime."

"I will. You're a good friend."

Looking very pleased, Aziraphale gives her a bright smile. "Thank you, my dear. I consider myself blessed to have you as a friend."

"Oh, wow. Thanks." Angela smiles, hugging herself. "Bye."

Aziraphale's comment makes her feel incredbly lucky as she makes her way to Championship Vinyl. [OOC: And the mun goes to bed. 'Night.]

[OOC: Headed that way myself. 'Night.]

[OOC: Are you sure you don't want to move this to a locked LJ entry? I know Marty-mun said it was meant to be a surprise for the general FH populace, and it's possible that this thread could be picked up by the 'radio station'.]

[OOC: Yeah, you might be right. I don't really understand what something being on the radio station means -- I thought it was sort of a meta-thing where the characters couldn't hear it, but it doesn't look like that's how people are taking it. Could you just mark the post locked, in a metaphorical way?

Also -- I don't care if players know the storyline is in process, though I hope they'll refrain from acting like their characters know.]

The Park, Friday (*LOCKED against ALL IC Knowledge -- and Fandom Radio*)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

The Park, Friday (LOCKED against ALL IC Knowledge -- and Fandom Radio)