fandomtownies | Opening the bank

Vala walked into the bank first thing in the morning, a duffle bag over one shoulder. One eye on the harpy, one on a very hungover banker, she came straight to the point. "I'd like to deposit some American Earth dollars."

At least she looks normal,he thought. I don't think I could handle seeing Red for the first time with a hangover.

He just wished she wouldn't shout.

"Good morning. You'll be opening an account then. Will this be checking or savings, personal or business?"

Salmoneus finally noticed that she seemed to be looking at something other than himself, and he followed her gaze to the door that led to the vault. ~~Fluffy~~Anassa was laying in the doorway, trying to look inconspicuous.

"What are you doing? Get back in there -- you'll scare the customers!"

Vala considers for a moment. "I just need a safe place I can put it where I can get to it when I need to. And it's business, but it's just me." She looks confused.

Considering, Sal moves cautiously around to the counter. Her last statement seemed a little confusing to him, and by the look on her face, she wasn't clear on what she needed.

"Well, if you need immediate access to your money, the best thing would be a checking account. It's not perfect, but if you run out of cash in the middle of the night you can write a check." He thought about it. "If you don't think that'll be a problem, or you don't want to leave any records, then you can rent a safety deposit box. You'll only have access during banking hours, but we are open six days a week."

[ooc:no problem!]

"Six days?" She frowns for a minute. "Hmmm, maybe the safety deposit box would be best. After all, I don't think I'll be needing any of it back in the middle of the night or anything."

"Wonderful." He pulled out a brochure and opened it, then handed it to her with a pen. "I'll need you to fill this out, and show me one form of identification. The price of the box is $28 for six months. Will that be all right?"

"That will be fine," she agrees, pulling a hundred dollar bill and her school ID out of the bag. She fills in the basic information on the form, name, address, and all the rest.

"Now there are some basic rules for what can and can't be put into a safety deposit box. No flammables, and nothing that can explode. Also, no food or organic items that can rot." He took the form back and looked at her i.d., then made a note and signed it. After stamping the form, he gave part of it back to her, along with $72, then motioned her to follow him.

"The boxes are kept in the back by the vault. I'll take you back and get you your key." He opened the door and waved at the harpy who was back on her bed. "Never mind her. As long as you're with me, you're fine."

Vala eyed the harpy. "Interesting security you have here," she commented, following him into the back.

"Some of the best, too." He opened the lockbox that held the key to the safety deposit boxes, then unlocked the door to the room. "Your box will be number 17." The banker handed Vala a small key. "This is yours and you'll need it every time you want to open the box. It's a fifty dollar fee if you lose it, so be careful." Placing box number seventeen on the table in the room, he used his key to unlock it, then stepped out and waved her in. "Remember to relock it once you're finished."

Only a few moments later, Vala re-emerged, the duffle bag notably lighter. "All locked and ready to go," she announced.

"Great!" Salmoneus, in the face of business, was regaining a little of his natural bouyancy. "The next time you need to use it, just remember to bring your key. I do ask that you be patient if there are other customers in the bank. Since I'm the only one here, it might be a few minutes before I can get free and bring you back." Leading her back to the front of the bank, he winced as his headache twinged once more, but still held out a hand to her. "You're now a part of the First Local Bank. Thanks for coming in."

Vala shook his hand. "I'll remember that, thanks." She gave him a slightly odd look, and left.

As she's cruising by on her skateboard, Shane notices that the bank is open and decides it might be a good idea to stop in and fill out the paperwork that Tara had spoken with her about the night before.

Skidding to a stop outside the bank, she picks up her board as she opens the door with her free hand and steps inside.

Salmoneus is blearily watching the steam from a cup of coffee. He's feeling better, but has not yet figured out exactly what happened last night and is wondering if he should even poke his head out of the bank ever again.

When he sees Shane enter the bank, his eyes go wide and his head drops to the desk.

Athena, I'll worship you for the rest of my life, just don't let me have done anything bad last night.

As she walks further into the bank, Shane frowns a little as she sees Salmoneus sitting at his desk with his head resting on the top. "Sal?" She asks carefully. "Are you all right?"

Lifting his head, he peeked through his fingers at her.

"Whatever I did, I didn't do it. I -- I mean, I didn't mean it. Whatever I did." He paused. "What did I do? Last night?"

"Nothing," Shane says with a grin. "You had a little bit too much to drink and so Tara and I walked you home."

"That part I remember. I remember Tara unlocking the door and going through the bank to the back... but that's where I draw a blank, till I woke up with," he jerked a thumb toward the back. "Do you have any idea how frightening it is to wake up with something like that in your face?" He shook his head, gingerly. "I didn't do anything else? You're sure?"

"Positive," Shane says, giving him a reassuring smile. After a moment it turns slightly mischievous. "You're not exactly my type."

For a moment, he was taken aback, wondering if he'd made some comment or suggestion. When he saw the smile, Salmoneus relaxed a little.

"What, you don't go for older guys?" He chuckled, then adopted teasingly scolding position. "You know, you should have told me I was so far off base about those bracelets. I thought for sure that they were some from guy to his very pretty girlfriend." Feeling better than he had all day, he winked at her.

Shane grins and shrugs a little. "It's not older guys in particular so much as just... guys," she says. "And people will usually think what they want. Doesn't really matter much what I have to say about it, right?"

He frowned. "No, I don't think that's right." Getting up, he moved around his desk and sits on the edge of it. "Shane, I'm from three thousand years ago, so maybe I'm out of touch with the times. But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that what you say and do matter. People may think what they want, but if you just let them think it, how are you helping to change the world and make it a better place?"

Salmoneus paused for a moment. "I've also learned that it's not a good idea to drink four glasses of brandy inside of an hour. It's not a lesson I'll forget. Thank you for making sure I got home last night. I do appreciate it."

Ducking her head, Shane studies her sneakers quietly for a few moments. "I just mean... people can think what they want about me," she clarifies, lifting her shoulder in a shrug. "I don't care about that. Would it really change the world that much for you to know that ... I got those bracelets because Pollux ate my tie?"

Looking up at him, she gives him a small grin. "No problem," she murmurs.

"No, Shane, me knowing about your tie won't change the world. But it might change it just a little if you stand up and tell someone what's inside you. Change it for them and for you. It might even be for the greater good." He smiled a sad smile. "I had a friend who taught me about doing things for the greater good. I don't always do what's right -- in fact most of the time I don't -- but I try and remember, just the same." Salmoneus turned introspective for just a moment. Then it was gone.

"Ah, but what am I talking about? I'm just an old man, and I'm probably still part drunk. What brings you in today, Shane? Need those bracelets back?"

"No," Shane says, with an oddly grateful look in her eyes as she smiles. "Tara told me about the account she opened here and that she wanted me to co-sign on it with her, so I was just wondering if there was anything I needed to fill out, or...?"

"Yes, there's a signature card. She should have given you one. I can't give out another because she needs to sign it in front of me. She didn't give it to you?"

"Oh, wait... yeah, she -- yeah, she gave me this thing," Shane says, a perturbed frown as she digs into her back pocket. She pulls out a card and holds it up, arching an eyebrow. "You mean this?"

Salmoneus nodded. "That's it. Just sign it, and you'll be the co-signer on her account." He leaned on the counter, watching. "You know, you have quite a girlfriend, there. Beautiful, and talented. I remember the song she sang." He paused. "Okay, I barely remember the song she sang, but I do remember thinking her voice was beautiful. Does she sing often?"

Shane flips the card around and looks at it, both brows arching up. "Oh... okay," she says. Looking up at him, she gives him a slightly sheepish smile as she grabs a pen, signs the card, and tucks the card back into her pocket.

"Yeah, I know," she says, a fond smile shaping her lips, eyes gleaming with warmth. At the question of whether or not Tara sings often, she shrugs her shoulder a little. "I don't know. I mean... she sang to me, once. Before last night at the club, I mean."

"Only once? Well, then, I feel priviledged to have heard her last night." He smiled. "By the way, I need that card. Need to have proof she authorized it and that you actually signed, as well as something to match against your signature."

"Yeah," Shane says, smiling. "She really has an amazing voice."

"Oh, shit," she mutters, chuckling as she pulls the card out of her pocket again and hands it over to him. "Sorry, I -- I've never done this before."

Still smiling, Salmoneus nodded. "It's perfectly okay." He stamped the card. "That's that. You're all set, Shane."

Tilting his head, he looked at her thoughtfully. "Can I ask you something?"

"Thanks... and yeah, sure," she says, giving him an expectant look.

"Was it just me or did there seem to be a lot of people singing last night? Or at least in line to sing? I mean, besides Lorne and Tara." He groaned and dropped his head at a sudden memory of Lorne. "Oh, Hades, tell me I wasn't really flirting with a man who has green skin and red horns."

"Yeah, plenty," Shane says, nodding. After a moment, she gives him a puzzled look. "Why?"

As he groans, she can't help but chuckle. "Umm... yeah," she says, not very helpfully as she laughs. "You were. I mean... if that's what works for you, that's cool. He seems totally cool."

"Well, it's never worked for me before." He shook his head, then sighed. "But then again, it's a new town, a new millenium..." He shook his head. "Anyway, thanks for stopping in and checking on an old man, Shane. I appreciate it. Tell Tara I said hello, and I'm sorry if I ruined your evening out. Tell her she sings beautifully."

"I will," she says, smiling as she nods. Her smile grows slightly besotted at the edges. "And you didn't ruin it... getting to hear her sing was... enough."

"I'll see you around," Shane says as she heads for the door.

Opening the bank

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