weighed_down (weighed_down) wrote in marvel_nextgen,
@ 2011-06-23 21:28:00

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While he was happy to be able to walk the streets of his hometown without worrying about a Hellfire Club assassin trying to kill him, it still felt strange. By the end of the week he'd be heading for Dalla, Texas to take out Carter Howard. Damn, sweltering, hot-as-hell Texas. He had chatted with Minnie a bit, and she recommended this place for him to take some downtime before he'd have to leave. Minnie was scarce with the details but she intimated he'd enjoy the experience. He didn't really understand how a art shop was supposed to help him relax, but he trusted Minnie enough to give it a shot. Edmund sees the building, labeled Van Roehms, hmm..that sounded familiar. He shrugs and heads for the place's front desk.

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	ng_hellfire 2011-06-23 11:35 pm UTC (link)
	A few customers are being helped by various employees, but the woman at the desk looks a little more ...authoritative. Well, as much of an authority as a woman in black leather with a good bit of steel in her face can be. "Hey." Viveca's eyes start to narrow a little as she looks at the guy. Maybe she sniffs just a little bit more than normal inhaling calls for. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	weighed_down 2011-06-23 11:45 pm UTC (link)
	'Wow that's a lot of hardware,' Edmund briefly thinks upon seing the woman's piercings. He then notices the sniffing. 'Oh crap, do I stink? Is my cologne too strong?' "Um, hi," Edmund scratches the back of his head. "My name's Edmund Leland, a friend of mine reserved an appointment?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	ng_hellfire 2011-06-23 11:52 pm UTC (link)
	"Yes, you would be Edmund Leland," Viveca says simply. "What are you interested in? Ink, hardware, or just regular accessories of some sort? We do some of the non-invasive and high-end, too, though the really fancy stuff, like practically anything our common friends would wear, is at the other location." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	weighed_down 2011-06-24 12:03 am UTC (link)
	"Um yeah, call me old-fashioned but I think I'll stick with the non-invasive stuff." She looked vaguely familiar. Plus the store's name sounded familiar too. He knew he'd heard the name Van Roehm before. "What kind of hardware you talking about?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

ng_hellfire
2011-06-24 12:53 am UTC (link)

Viveca gestured to all the surgical steel in her face, then gestured to her leather-clad self. "We go all the way down, as necessary, but non-invasive. Cool." She leads him over to some interesting display cases of etched cufflinks and chains -- high quality, but with a decidedly 'indie' bent, to say the least -- as 'Symphony of Destruction' starts up in the background and makes her smile to herself. Then, "So you're in business with our common friends now?"

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weighed_down
2011-06-24 01:02 am UTC (link)

Edmund follows her, and smiles as well upon hearing the music. He closes his eyes and mouths the words a bit. That is until Ed realized he zoned out. "Sorry, I love Megadeth." He says by way of apology. "If by common friends you mean a group of men and women with an affinity for using chess piece names for titles, then yes." He allows himself to peruse some of the items.

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	ng_hellfire 2011-06-24 01:04 am UTC (link)
	"Me, too. Viveca, by the way. Viveca Von Roehm." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

weighed_down
2011-06-24 01:10 am UTC (link)

Edmund's eyebrow went up a bit when he heard the name. "I'm sorry, but I'm positive I've heard that name before." He srcatches his goatee for a second. "Yeah, when I was a kid. I think I may have seen you when Pop brought me along to the Club once. You had pigtails right?" Edmund takes note of her current appearance and thinks she may not want to be reminded of her past hairstyle. So he throws out an embarassing fact of his own. "You may not remember me, I was the tall, fat kid."

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	ng_hellfire 2011-06-24 01:13 am UTC (link)
	"Yeah, I think I remember. It was right when Dad was really losing it." She manages a grin, though her fangs are out. "You were all right, though." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

weighed_down
2011-06-24 01:22 am UTC (link)

Now your average guy may have bit a bit intimidated, but Edmund, he thought it was kind of sexy. He returned the smile. "I'm glad I at least made a positive impression." Edmund frowns a little bit at the mention of Viveca's father. His dad had not been kind in his private assessment of the man. "Yeah, Dad died not too long after that. I had to leave town quick at after Shaw stole my Dad's fortune." His expression now is almost wistful. "Never thought I'd actually be home again. Sorry, didn't mean to bore you my life story."

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	ng_hellfire 2011-06-24 01:25 am UTC (link)
	"Not bored. Yeah, a lot's improved recently. I had to build the stores back up from scratch, myself, after certain people were done with them..." She looks around. "But in some ways, it's better. Given it a flair so it can be work I enjoy, you know?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

weighed_down
2011-06-24 01:32 am UTC (link)

"Yeah, I can understand that. Make it so that you not only have to do your job, but want to. Add your own personal touch to it so it's something you feel connected to. I personally don't get much chance to do that in my job. If you stand out, it gets you noticed by people you'd rather not have looking into your business. You're lucky to have that luxury." He takes a moment to study a nose piercing.

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	ng_hellfire 2011-06-24 01:47 am UTC (link)
	"Yes, I am, and I've worked hard to stay that way. I've got a bit of a Scarlett O'Hara schtick, Ed: I've sworn I'll never go hungry again. So I like doing business with people who adhere to their deals, and our current common friends do that." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

weighed_down
2011-06-24 01:56 am UTC (link)

"Likewise. I'd rather not have to be paranoid that the people I'm working with are going to stab me in the back..or the jugular. Whichever their preference." He smiles a bit, indicating he's joking, though also positive there's some truth in it. "Me, I promised myself I would not go out like my old man did. I'm not going to end up so pampered by high-living that it costs me my health. Don't get me wrong, I like the finer things in life, just in moderation." Edmund takes a moment to lip sync one of his favorite parts of the song.

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	ng_hellfire 2011-06-24 02:09 am UTC (link)
	Viveca may have just done the drumstick gesture to that part. Don't call her on it, Ed. "Yeah. You've got to play these things smart. Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it, and all." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	weighed_down 2011-06-24 02:16 am UTC (link)
	Edmund thinks he may have saw something, but decides to let it go. He doesn't know the woman well enough to be teasing her. He nods in agreement. "You said you ink too, right?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	ng_hellfire 2011-06-24 02:19 am UTC (link)
	"Yep. My own designs, mostly, but I've shown Sav and the girls how to do them right. And we do it Right; sterile environment, fresh individualized inkwells. Nobody's catching any freaking diseases in my place." Viveca gets a binder of body art examples off a shelf and shows him. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	weighed_down 2011-06-24 02:26 am UTC (link)
	Edmund looks through the binder. "These are nice. You've got style, Ms. Van Roehm." He sees some symbols from a language he doesn't understand. "What are these?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	ng_hellfire 2011-06-24 02:31 am UTC (link)
	"That's the Chinese kanji for 'star,' the one for 'willow tree,' and the one for 'goblin-slash-ghost-slash-demon.'" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	weighed_down 2011-06-24 02:36 am UTC (link)
	"Sure I can take your word on that?" He asks with a smirk. "I knew a guy in Sao Pauolo who got a tatoo he thought was a symbol of manliness. Turns out it was actually an invitation from a newly single gay male. Heh, the look on his face..." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	ng_hellfire 2011-06-24 02:38 am UTC (link)
	"If I was making things up, don't you think I'd make up something more marketable to the floozies than 'willow tree'? But not trusting me is good. I've had to give too many people a language lesson myself." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	weighed_down 2011-06-24 02:40 am UTC (link)
	"No, I believed you, I..." Edmund shakes his head. "Sorry, Viveca. I tease too much." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	ng_hellfire 2011-06-24 02:46 am UTC (link)
	"It's okay. I wasn't kidding; Paranoia can be good, as long as you figure out when to shut it off. I did eventually. Well...turn it down a bit, anyway." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	weighed_down 2011-06-24 02:54 am UTC (link)
	"Ah, thought I offended you." Edmund explained. "Yeah, I have to be paranoid a lot of the time myself. It's hard to turn that off, so I can sympathize." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	ng_hellfire 2011-06-24 02:58 am UTC (link)
	"Yeah. But some people surprise you. In a good way." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)