fandomtownies | The Emporium is Open -- Wednesday

Tobias's voice is dimly heard in thoughspeech, coming from a distance. He sounds desperate and in pain as he cries, //Michael!!! Michael, if you can hear me, please help!! I'm outside! Michael!!!//
Tobias is about a block away, hopping and flapping his bleeding wings futily as he lands a short distance away from where he took off. His territory fight (http://www.livejournal.com/users/hawktobias/1308.html) with a newcoming pair of hawks had left him victorious, but very injured.

Locking up his shop for a quick dart out, Red and the cubs trotted up to the Emporium. He pushed on the door with his head and the two cubs scampered in ahead of him, and like all children, their radar took them straight to the toys. "Afternoon, Michael."

Michael is startled by the panicked sound in his head. He opens the door and steps outside. "Tobias? Where are you?" he calls out, hoping Tobias is within hearing range. He starts in the direction of the park, figuring that's probably where Tobias would be coming from.

Michael smiles. "Red! Long time no see. Damn, the cubs get bigger every time I see them."

((ooc: before Tobias? After? Assuming Michael's been gone at some point for a spell to take care of Tobias, but that can remain pretty fluid time-wise.))

"They eat like it at any rate," Red said with a grin. "How are you doing?"

((ooc: Whenever is convenient for you! I'm easy to please.))

"I'm good. How have you been? And what can I do for you today?"

((ooc: Going for "before." Too stressed out in RL to play up stressed-out Michael at the moment.))

"Busy, but good." Red gnawed at his cuffs to pull out his list. He pawed at it to get it to open. "I wanted to make some wassil and I have the ingredients here. I think you might have everything I need." Looking around, "and probably a crockpot too. I don't have one of those."

Michael looks at the list and nods. "We've got everything you need, including a crockpot." He starts down one of the aisles and starts taking spices off a shelf ~~because there are a zillion recipes for wassail and you can decide which one the list is actually made from~~.

Tobias is flapping futilly with a pretty messed up right wing. He sees Michael approaching and tries to fly towards him, a movement which, in execution, is more of a flailing of his wings that gets him nowhere.
//Michael! Over here! I'm across the road!//

"Hey, hey, don't move. I'm coming." Michael crosses the street and kneels by Tobias. "Easy now." Michael doesn't know much about birds, but he knows what blood looks like. Examining Tobias, Michael realizes he's hurt pretty bad. "What happened to you? Good grief. I'm going to pick you up and take you back to the shop, so just don't sink a claw into me, okay? We'll find someone to take care of this." It might look stupid that he's talking to a bird, but Michael's not really thinking about that right now.

Red followed behind. "I've never made it before but it sounds really good. I wanted to have some for the carolers when they come by on Friday. That's traditional, right? To offer the carolers something to drink?"

Tobias is breathing heavily after over-exerting himself getting form his nest to the edge of the park. He relaxes in Michael's arms when he picks him up.
//Territory fight... another pair of hawks... I guess they were desperate. I held my ground, but they were really tough... ugh...//
He allows Michael to take him to wherever he deems is best.
Weakly, he adds, //Thank you//

Michael raises an eyebrow, but shrugs. "Honestly, I don't know. It's been a long time since I've done anything like this. And on Liberty Avenue, if somebody just handed you a drink, you'd want to take care to know what exactly was in it."

Sitting down, Red looked up at Michael, his head cocked to the side. "Well, unless I mess up the recipe, I suppose it should be safe to drink. Can wassail be screwed up?"

Glancing at the list, Michael shakes his head. "I really don't think so. It wasn't screwed up recipes that were the problem back home, so much as what people were...adding to the drinks afterward." Michael grins. "I think the carolers will certainly appreciate the hospitality, Red."

"While drunk carolers will be funny to watch, maybe not so funny to listen to, I'll stick to the non-alcoholic version," Red said. "Wouldn't want anyone to get lost on the way home and end up in the sea."

Michael didn't bother explaining that it was more than just alcohol that ended up in some of the drinks around Liberty Avenue. "No, we wouldn't want that. I suspect there will be enough drunken revelry around here, between finals and the holidays."

"I wonder if there will be students left on campus for this holiday. It's obviously more imporant a holiday from what I'm seeing." Red's ear flicked to listen for the cubs. It was quiet. Too quiet.

((ooc: Poor Red. He can be so clueless at times!))

Realizing he left the shop without a jacket, Michael held the raptor close to keep him warm and took him back to the Emporium.

Ben was behind the counter when Michael entered. "I was wondering where you went..." The words left him when he saw the bundle Michael carried. Ben studied Michael's shell-shocked expression. "Is he..."

"He's alive." Michael's words were barely above a whisper. "I've got to help him...but I don't know how..." Michael peered into Ben's face. "A vet? But he's part person in there..."

Ben slipped from behind the counter and approached Michael, his eyes taking in the damage to the bird. "If it's just physical, Michael, then a vet would probably be the best choice. Somebody who could rehab him. The personality inside there will survive -- maybe a little stir-crazy by the time he gets out, but still there." Guiding Michael to sit in a chair, Ben shook his head at the blood stains on Michael's shirt. "Let me go upstairs and get you a different shirt, and your jacket, and a blanket to put him in. Then we'll find the vet's office and get him looked at, okay?"

While Ben was upstairs, Michael cradled the bird in his arms. "It's going to be okay," he said softly, not sure if he believed that himself quite yet. "By the time you're back to work, we'll have the birdie door put in, okay? Everything will be all set up and good to go." He looked up as Ben came downstairs.

"You ready?" Ben held the blanket while Michael gently placed Tobias in it. Michael changed his shirt and slung on his jacket; Ben was already bundled up in his. Quietly they closed up shop and headed for the vet's office.

(FTB)

"I don't know. I'm not sure how many students do or don't have family to go home to. If they all leave, the shops will be pretty quiet."

Michael notices Red listening, and he listens too. For what? Thinking of Jenny Rebecca and the panic that surfaces when she is too quiet, he suddenly understands what the problem is. "Castor? Pollux? What trouble are you two getting into?"

The silence continued for a moment, followed by hushed growling that almost sounded like giggling. Then a clang, a clatter and the sound of something rolling. Red sighed. "Excuse me a moment, Michael."

Michael stifled a laugh...as well as a somebody's in trouble sing-songed comment. "Sure, no problem." He grinned. "Isn't parenthood grand?"

Rolling his eye, Red disappeared around the corner of the aisle. What followed were a series of growls and yips, complete with two cubs tearing back around and heading straight for Michael, diving between his legs and sliding to a stop against a display, which, thankfully, didn't crumble or fall.

Red trotted up and sat down next to Michael, shooting the two troublemakes a look. "Where were we?"

Although startled by the sudden dive of the cubs, he looks behind him and grins. "I think you guys just ruined your chances of daddy buying you any treats or toys."

Turning back to Red, he says, "I think we were heading for the juice aisle. And discussing whether there'd be any students left in town over vacation. How about townspeople? Are they leaving too? We're only planning to be gone a couple of days, but that may get extended if there won't be anyone here."

Walking with Michael to get the juice, Red shook his head and glanced behind to make sure the cubs were following. "Hard to say. This is my first holiday here in Fandom Town. I know I plan on being here but if most of the students are gone, some business owners may choose to use the slowdown in business to close up and visit family."

"Is it bad that that makes me sad? I mean, I love my family back in Pittsburgh and all, and I want to see them, but...I sort of think of the people here as family too." Michael frowns as he pulls down bottles of the various juices asked for in the recipe. "Those of us who are staying should make some plans, get to know each other better. We don't get enough of a chance to do that. I know it isn't even Christmas yet, but a New Year's Eve party might be in order, too."

"A New Year's Eve party is a very good idea," Red said. "Something small and intimate for the towns people, perhaps?"

Michael nods. "That would be good. We'd be happy to host it, but maybe a public place -- Caritas, or Spike's, or the Perk -- would like to handle it? I wouldn't want it to disrupt their business, though."

"Definitely worth looking in to," Red agreed. Pollux tried to sneak by and was brought up short by a large paw on his tail. "Any of those places would certainly be large enough to handle a party."

Michael chokes back a laugh at Pollux's antics. "Maybe I could even convince Hunter and Mara to come out for New Year's. Hunter would love to see this place again."

Looking at his armful of items, he says, "I think that's everything you need. Except..." He marches to the appliance aisle and manages to grab a crock pot. "That should be it." He sets the items on the counter. "Anything else you need?"

"That's all for the moment," Red said. He bowed his head and shoved at the recalcitrant cub, guiding him to the counter so he could pay, Castor trotting along behind.

Digging in his cuff again, he produced a credit card and placed it for Michael to swipe when he got the order rang up. "And I think Hunter and Mara coming would wonderful! I'd like to see Hunter again."

Michael rings up the items and directs his words to the cubs. "See, if you'd been good, you might have at least raked in a new toy."

When everything is totalled and bagged, he swipes the card and hands it back to Red, along with a receipt and pen. "Hunter would love to show off that great ring on Mara's lovely finger. She really loves the ring, and we owe that to you."

Sounds of disappointment came from the cubs and they both sat there, looking quite dejected.

"I'm glad she liked it," Red said with a grin. "It was a lovely choice."

Taking the pen from Michael, he signed his name and nosed the receipt over. "Thank you so much for your help tonday. Hopefully it'll be drinkable for you on Friday night."

"No problem -- it's always a pleasure to see you, Red. And I look forward to trying out your concoction on Friday. Hopefully it's going to be a fun-filled night."

"So you'll make sure to drop by the shop? I'm sure the cubs would love to hear the singing. They quite enjoyed when Aaron sang for them." Red started to gather the bags for the trip back to his shop.

((ooc: *glork* I just ran out of steam. Sorry. *sheepish grin* Finish up tomorrow? We are so close...))

Michael nods. "Absolutely. We'll be there." He gestures to the cubs. "Maybe they'll chime in with us."

((ooc: No prob. I'm about dead too. Good night!))

"Don't encourage them," Red said in a loud whisper. "They'll never stop after that."

Laughing, he gave each of the cubs a lighter bag and helped them to hold it so it wouldn't drag the ground. With the bag holding the crockpot in his mouth, Red nodded. "We'll thee you lather, Michael."

Michael gives the three a wave. "Later, Red. And good luck with the recipe! I'm sure it'll be great." He makes a mental note to bring a surprise present for the cubs on Friday.

The Emporium is Open -- Wednesday

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