Causeway, a little before midnight.

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

El breathed out the cold air and watched it form into a small cloud.

He was not used to such cold. But he could manage. He had always been adaptable like that. He glanced down at the guitar case nearby him and, for the twentieth time, considered going back and getting the one full of weapons.

But that would ruin the whole point, wouldn't it? "Go to Graceland", the girl had said. Well, go to Graceland he would. He would pray at the grave of one of the great gods of the guitar, and seek out the shrines to other such gods.

He would see his new adopted country. If he was to live there, he might as well see it. And he know only two ways to travel. One was with the smell of gunpowder and blood. And the other was on the skill of his guitar.

Just a few more loose ends to tie up before he left...

Comments

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

After the party at the Devil's Nest, Pippi noticed she had a voice mail (http://strongestgirl.livejournal.com/975.html?thread=776655#t776655). So she flounced down to the Causeway.

"Hola El Professor!"

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

El turned around, rubbing his hands together. "Hello, Pippi. Feliz Navidad."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"Glad Julen to you too!"

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"I'm taking your advice," he said.

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"Really? Is that 'Buy International Steel at 47' or 'take a vacation in Graceland'?"

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"Take a vacation. To Graceland and to some other places."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"Cool. I'm glad, you'll have fun."

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

El held out a package for her. Inside was a necklace with a sliver scorpion in it. He also handed two other packages for Nadia and Chad in case their muns cannot get their characters to the Causeway to pick them up.

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"Oh hey! Just like on your jacket! Are we starting a gang?"

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"I suppose," El said. "But all the bands I've been in before, no one's had that scorpion but me."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi puts on the necklace and pats the scorpion.

"I'll take good care of him then, and we'll both see you when you get back."

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

El nodded. "It's rather cold out, why don't you get home now," El said.

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"I don't know. Why don't I?"

Smarmy little brat, isn't she?

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"Is there something else?" El asked.

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi opened her arms and waited expectantly.

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"Ah, of course," El said, hugging Pippi."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi manages not to lift El off his feet.

"Have a safe trip."

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

El nodded. "Pippi, did I say goodbye?"

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"No."

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"Well I will," El said.

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi smirked at that and tipped her hat to him before turning to go.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad had taken his time responding to El's phone call and heading to the causeway. He had...a lot of things to think about on the way there, and, if he missed El...oh, well. That's what he got for calling so late on the Christmas night he had decided to tell a boy he was pretty crazy for that he was unable to be monogamous.

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

Fortunately, El was still there.

He's leaving late. He's weird like that.

"//Merry Christmas, Chad.//"

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad lifted a hand in a pretty half-hearted wave. //"Merry Christmas."//

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"//I'm leaving Fandom for a while, until the next semester. You might be interested in taking my class, just as a piece of advice. But I do have something for you.//"

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

//"What'll you be teaching?"// Chad felt he had to ask. //"And what have you got? I...haven't got anything for you."//

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"//Guitar. And you didn't have to,//" El said. He produced a package containing a red, brightly decorated Mariachi jacket.

Sized for Chad, of course.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Okay, that quite effectively managed to pull Chad out of his little funk for a moment. "Wow," he commented, a little awed, as he took it and tried it on.

//"It actually fits...!"//

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"//Well, yes. There would be no point in a jacket that didn't fit.//"

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

//"Yes, but I'm not used to those."// Chad tugged at the collar a little bit, straightening his shoulders, wishing he had a mirror. But his initial reaction to model it off died when he realized that he had just been given a very special gift, and should be properly grateful. He dropped his arms down to his side and gave El a slight nod. //"Thank you for this..."//

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"//We're part of a fine tradition, Chad. Our country is among the best for guitars and guitar players of any other in the world. Wear it with pride, Chad. And with honor."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad nodded, pulling at the collar again slightly as he shoulders squared. //"I will, Senor."//

[nadiathesaint]

Nadia got the voicemail, and headed down to the causeway, bundled up pretty thoroughly against the cold, herself.

"Feliz Navidad, El Professor."

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"Feliz Navidad, Nadia. //Have you had a good Christmas?//"

[nadiathesaint]

Nadia nodded cheerfully. "Si! //Even if it has been far too cold. Walter makes fun of me for saying Christmas should be a summer holiday.//"

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"//I'm inclined to agree with him, I'm afraid. I'm from the Northern Hemisphere.//" He popped his neck a bit. "//Nadia, I'm going to be leaving for a bit. I'll be back for the semester, but I wanted to give you something before I left.//"

[nadiathesaint]

"//But at least you know that Christmas is allowed to be warm.//" Nadia flashed a smile, then went more serious. "//I'm glad you're coming back. I, um, don't have anything to give you, though.//"

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

El nodded and pulled out a package with a necklace in it. It appeared to be well used. "//That belonged to someone special to me,//" El said.

[nadiathesaint]

Nadia opened the package and kind of stared at it for a moment, before looking up again. "//Thank you. Are you sure you want to give it to me?//"

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

"//Yes. It was going to go to my daughter before she died.//"

[nadiathesaint]

Which got more confused staring, and a little bit of blushing. "//I-I didn't know you had a daughter. Did she die because of. . . .//" she trailed off, not sure how to put what she'd learned about El after she'd been kidnapped. "//I'm sorry, that's a stupid question. Forget I asked, just . . . thank you. Again.//"

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

//Yes,//" El said. "//She did.//"

[nadiathesaint]

Nadia just nodded, then impulsively moved forward to hug him. "//I'm sorry. I'll take very good care of it. And I won't die on you.//"

[guitar-and-gun.livejournal.com]

El smirked. "//Good to know.//"

[nadiathesaint]

Nadia slipped the necklace on, letting it fall next to the one she'd gotten from Walter the night before. "//Have a good trip, El Professor. And a safe one.//"