An Evening of Fine Dining with the Old Firm [locked to Echolls, Party of Four]

[http://users.livejournal.com/_the_old_firm/]

The shop is transformed, the shelves and kiosk all mysteriously vanished. The office door now has a strange neighbor, a swinging door that must lead into a kitchen that definitely wasn't there yesterday.

Mr. Croup stands in his finest tweed suit, a cloth draped over one arm. Mr. Vandemar is not to be seen.

A fine oaken table is smack dab in the center, covered with a fine silk tablecloth, set with fine china, and sterling silver place settings, each monogrammed with "E.G" on the handles.

There is a fancy centerpiece with a large tapered candle in the center of the table, as well as candlabras surrounding the table.

A small dwarfish man stands in a corner, quietly strumming a mandolin.

Croup: "Remember, Hop-Frog. These people are guests... no stunts, got it?"

Hop-Frog grumbles, and nods while strumming the mandolin some more.

Mister Croup anxiously awaits the arrival of their guests.

Comments

[fh_jackass]

Logan knocks on the door.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory stands beside him, fidgeting.

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

"Nice looking place Logan. Did you get a reference from the Zagat's Restaurant guide from hell?" Marty asks jokingly.

[fh_jackass]

Logan shrugs. "Hey, thought I'd try something different, since we'd already been to Nolita."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_the_old_firm/]

Mister Croup opens the door, and holds it open for the guests.

Croup: "Master Echolls sir, we have been anxiously awaiting your arrival."

He gestures towards the table.

Croup: "We are prepared to serve, sir."

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

"Ah Croup my good man. Kybo mein doobage?" Marty asks trying to ease the tension.

[chasingangela]

Angela shoots Marty a look. She has this weird feeling that if you asked for pot here, you might get it.

Not that being high would be such terrible preparation for the dance, other than that it might slow them down if something went wrong.

She takes her seat.

[fh_jackass]

"Thank you, Mr.... Croup, is it?" Logan enters, beckoning the others to follow, and chooses a seat at the table.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory takes a seat next to Logan, crossing her ankles and smiling demurely.

If someone were paying attention to that sort of thing, one might notice her wringing her hands nervously.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_the_old_firm/]

Croup: "Yes, it is. Mister Vandemar will be in the kitchen today, so I will be serving, sir. Please take a seat." (http://www.livejournal.com/community/fandomtownies/153211.html?thread=4899707#t4899707)

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory smiles sweetly at the two men, but discreetly slips her hand into Logan's.

Something about them made her a little nervous.

[fh_jackass]

Logan gives her hand a reassuring squeeze.

[chasingangela]

Angela is beside Logan and Rory, smiling fixedly, not sure what to expect.

She reaches out to squeeze Marty's hand.

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty squeezes her hand back.

If she listens closely she could probably here him mutter "Should've brought my gun."

[chasingangela]

"Pepper spray. In my purse," Angela says, under her breath. "But we aren't killing anybody tonight, okay?"

They follow Croup to the table.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_the_old_firm/]

Mister Croup pulls the chairs and offers to seat the couple.

Croup: "We'll be offering the finest of cuisines this evening. Do not bother to ask for a menu, it is, in fact, up to your mere whim as to what you wish served. We are fully stocked, and my brother Mister Vandemar is fully trained in all forms of food preperations, both conventional and unconventional."

He smiles, baring his teeth. The dwarf in the corner begins playing David Bowie songs on the Mandolin.

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty winces. Didn't mean to say it so loud.

"Sorry. Just a little nervous here."

IN THE KITCHEN: [locked to Croup and Vandemar]

[http://users.livejournal.com/_the_old_firm/]

Mister Croup enters throught the swinging door, and growls.

Croup: "They're wanting... salads."

Vandemar: "Then what was the point of gathering all the zombies, Mister Croup?"

Croup: "An exercise in..." He pauses, then grins. "Grind some up and put it in the damn dressing, Mister Vandemar."

Vandemar: "Will do, will do. Here's the Bruschetta. Used the special flour and everything."

Croup: "Good work. Start work on the duck, would you?"

Mister Croup places the large plate of Bruschetta on a serving tray, next to the two buckets containing the wines. He then takes the tray out to the table...

Re: IN THE KITCHEN: [locked to Croup and Vandemar]

[http://users.livejournal.com/_the_old_firm/]

Croup enters the kitchen again.

Croup: "Four. Green. Salads."

Mister Vandemar looks puzzled, a live duck struggling in his hands.

Vandemar: "But I thought..."

Croup: "Just make the salads!"

He kicks the stove.

Croup: "Bugger!"

Vandemar: "No need to be kicking the stove..."

Croup: "Just get me the salads."

Mister Vandemar sets the duck down, and then kicks it into the wall. Mister Croup smirks, his tension having eased a bit.

Croup: "Oh, good form."

Mister Croup waits as the salads are prepared, and the dressings are extra specially prepared, and everything is arranged to be served.

Vandemar: "There. Good greens, too. Finest from Babylon's hanging gardens."

Mister Croup curls his lip.

Croup: "Wasted on the likes as these."

Mister Croup grabs the tray and exits back into the other room.

YOUR MEAL

[http://users.livejournal.com/_the_old_firm/]

Mister Croup presents the salads with a flourish, as the dwarf in the corner kicks into "Under Pressure" on the mandolin.

Croup: "Your meal, ladies and gentleman. Fine Babylonian grown vegetables and fruits, and some very special blue cheese dressing, on the side, as requested. Please do not hesitate to request anything further, if this proves unable to satiate your hunger."

Re: YOUR MEAL

[chasingangela]

Angela pokes at her salad suspiciously with a fork. Nothing is moving, anyhow...

Re: YOUR MEAL

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty looks at the salad and then the dwarf.

He decides to stick with the wine.

Re: YOUR MEAL

[fh_jackass]

"Thank you," says Logan. He prods his salad carefully, and decides it's safe to take a bite.

Re: YOUR MEAL

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory fiddles with something under the table for a second. Glancing up, she smiles, and seems to reach over and put her hand on Logan's leg right before he places the fork in his mouth.

If one were looking very carefully, they would see that she's slipping him a hastily-written note, which reads:

I vote we get out of here while we can.

Re: YOUR MEAL

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory beams up at Croup.

"Thank you so much. You've been very accomodating," she says.

She picks up her fork and gingerly pokes a leaf of lettuce.