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xp_logsAfter Amanda's return from LA, Marie-Ange approaches her for a favour.
Reviewing the report she'd written up for Remy had rededicated Marie-Ange to the plan she'd come up with months prior. And she knew if she didn't get someone to make her stick to it, that she would find some way to put it off.
And the next time they might not get so lucky as to avoid being caught.
And so, as the work day came to a close, Marie-Ange made a point of stopping at Amanda's desk. "I need a favour," she asked, once she had Amanda's attention.
Looking up from the pile of files she was trying to work her way through, Amanda gave Marie-Ange an almost grateful look. Statistics were never interesting and she'd hit numbers event horizon. "If it gets me away from population figures in New Jersey, I'll do it. Even if it's shoe shopping," she replied, making with the puppy eyes.
"I never understand why Remy just does not have Doug do those. Doug enjoys the numbers assignments." Marie-Ange said, and then waved a hand out the door. "I need to go get that tattoo before I talk myself out of it again. Because I have done so..." she paused thoughtfully. "Six times already, and if I do not I am just going to keep avoiding it."
"Remy decided my week 'off' in LA meant I needed more work," Amanda said wryly. Her eyebrows rose at the request. "So you're finally gunna do it, huh? You got a place booked or do you want me to call in a favour with the place I get the piercings done?"
Marie-Ange spread her hands and shook her head. "I do not know even where to start to find a place that would be good." She pulled a folded piece of paper out of her shoulder bag and opened it to show Amanda a repeating design of the four symbols of the tarot. "I know what I want to have, and where, but ... I do not know the questions to ask and how to tell if a place is good or bad, and the internet is not very helpful except in telling me what not to do."
"Well, this is why you know me," Amanda said with an expansive gesture. "Because I have friends in seedy-yet-sanitary places, and I can also get you in somewhere for after work today, if you want. Much better than the internet, tho' we won't tel Doug that in case his world view collapse." She winked at Marie-Ange, before taking the paper. "These look good. A little tricky, but that's why I'm gunna call Carmen. She's a whizz with a needle, and she'll love these. Likes the artistic challenge over doing hearts with 'mum' in 'em."
"Doug is going to have kittens." Marie-Ange said quietly. "But yes, today please. I keep talking myself out of it, or putting it off." She covered her eyes at the mention of hearts with names in them. "I have to wonder if somewhere, that the artists have a list of the ones they hate to do because so many people get them. Because hearts sounds like one of those."
"It really is. 'S a bit like pub bands always being asked to do Beatles songs. Or Oasis," the witch replied, glancing towards the server room housing Doug. "This is gunna be one of those 'agree to disagree' things, isn't it?" she asked, digging through her top drawer for her address book - she was still rebuilding the contact list lost with the destruction of her phone. "With Doug, I mean."
Marie-Ange nodded. "I do not think he is going to be too upset, but he will not like it." It wasn't as if Doug didn't tolerate tattoos on his friends. And she hoped he would understand that it was practical. Looking somewhat sheepishly at Amanda, Marie-Ange added "I have a question that may sound stupid... How much is this going to hurt?"
"Your skin, your choice. And if it saves our arses one day, all the better." Amanda found the number and used her finger to mark the place whilst she answered Marie-Ange's question. "Weeeell, it basically feels like someone jabbing you with a needle over and over. It really depends on what you get and where you get it done - the bonier the bit, the more it hurts, but if it's somewhere sensitive, that'll hurt too. The one on my arm wasn't too bad at all, but the ones on my stomach hurt more. But it's mostly just for the time you're under the needle, and even then, after a while the endorphins kick in. Later's a bit more painful, but not much more than a sunburn."
Marie-Ange poked at her arm experimentally, first with a fingernail, and then with a letter opener from Amanda's desk. "Hrm. It cannot be too bad then. My arms are not -that- sensitive." She frowned, glancing again at the door to Doug's server room. "If I go now, perhaps I can avoid having to explain -before- I go..."
Amanda was already getting up, address book in hand. "If you lend me your phone, I can call Carmen on the way there. This time of day, she shouldn't be too busy."
"Yes, please." Marie-Ange said, handed Amanda the phone, and only then added. "We really need to have Remy stop destroying phones. They are annoying to have to replace."
***
"So, that wasn't too bad?" Amanda asked as they left the tattoo parlour, blinking in the transition from dim room to bright sunshine. Carmen had, as predicted, loved Marie-Ange's designs, and it had been difficult to extricate the French girl from the extremely-tattooed woman's enthusiasm.
"That was very not bad at all." Marie-Ange said, poking experimentally at the bandages on her upper arm. "It itches a bit, and I think I am going to have to wear shirts with very loose sleeves for a day or two.." She'd elected not to cover it, since it was in a location where she would have it covered with shirt sleeves unless she needed it.
"It'll itch while it heals - whatever you do, don't scratch it, or you'll scratch off the ink and it'll be all blotchy," Amanda advised. "At least with the Trenchcoats we don't have a uniform, so you don't have to worry about modifying it to get at it." She grinned. "Unless you want to try that velcro flap idea any way."
"I am not ruining a perfectly good jacket that I had to -buy-." Marie-Ange protested. "Most of my shirts will hide it unless I want to show it off. And if need to get to it... I do not wear tight sleeves very often anyway." And most importantly, it couldn't be dropped, knocked out of her hands, or removed in a search.
Amanda chuckled. "Maybe I should start thinking of a back-up emergency powers thing myself. Maybe carry a bit of New York asphalt with me wherever I go?" she joked. "But seriously, it's a bloody good idea. And it looks good. Wouldn't be surprised if Carmen started a run on tarot card design now."
"Would that work?" Marie-Ange asked. "I suppose you could -try- it..." Amanda's powers were more confusing to her then her own were sometimes. "Mark ran out of his batteries in Uganda. It is part of why I was reminded about this. Having something to back up our powers with is too useful not to do, yes?"
"I have no idea. I think it's more 'n that, tho', more's the pity. It'd come in handy in places where the vibe isn't right for what I need." She grimaced. "Like LA. I could have done with something offensive there, and I don't mean saying rude things about someone's mum."
"There has to be something we can do for you..." Marie-Ange said. "Snow globes. Something that reminds you of New York strongly. Or London, or New Orleans. Anywhere." Not that she had the first idea of what could be used.
"And I could always chunk 'em at people when I'm done?" Amanda suggested, with a chuckle. "'S something to look into, tho', even if I can't think right now what might work. Same goes with the spells - Charlie's notes have been helping a lot, giving me some ideas." She shrugged. "Work in progress. So... wanna go get a glass of anesthetic to take your mind off the itching? My shout for the new initiate and all."
Marie-Ange pulled her fingers away from where she was about to scratch at her arm. "We should take a night to have powers brainstorming. Even if it just at Finnegans and we can make silly ideas. A capalla Beatles is a very silly idea, but it saved Mark from jail." She shoved both hands into her jacket pockets, in order to keep her hands -away- from her arm. "And yes, please. I need to stop thinking about the itching long enough that I forget it should itch."
Reviewing the report she'd written up for Remy had rededicated Marie-Ange to the plan she'd come up with months prior. And she knew if she didn't get someone to make her stick to it, that she would find some way to put it off.
And the next time they might not get so lucky as to avoid being caught.
And so, as the work day came to a close, Marie-Ange made a point of stopping at Amanda's desk. "I need a favour," she asked, once she had Amanda's attention.
Looking up from the pile of files she was trying to work her way through, Amanda gave Marie-Ange an almost grateful look. Statistics were never interesting and she'd hit numbers event horizon. "If it gets me away from population figures in New Jersey, I'll do it. Even if it's shoe shopping," she replied, making with the puppy eyes.
"I never understand why Remy just does not have Doug do those. Doug enjoys the numbers assignments." Marie-Ange said, and then waved a hand out the door. "I need to go get that tattoo before I talk myself out of it again. Because I have done so..." she paused thoughtfully. "Six times already, and if I do not I am just going to keep avoiding it."
"Remy decided my week 'off' in LA meant I needed more work," Amanda said wryly. Her eyebrows rose at the request. "So you're finally gunna do it, huh? You got a place booked or do you want me to call in a favour with the place I get the piercings done?"
Marie-Ange spread her hands and shook her head. "I do not know even where to start to find a place that would be good." She pulled a folded piece of paper out of her shoulder bag and opened it to show Amanda a repeating design of the four symbols of the tarot. "I know what I want to have, and where, but ... I do not know the questions to ask and how to tell if a place is good or bad, and the internet is not very helpful except in telling me what not to do."
"Well, this is why you know me," Amanda said with an expansive gesture. "Because I have friends in seedy-yet-sanitary places, and I can also get you in somewhere for after work today, if you want. Much better than the internet, tho' we won't tel Doug that in case his world view collapse." She winked at Marie-Ange, before taking the paper. "These look good. A little tricky, but that's why I'm gunna call Carmen. She's a whizz with a needle, and she'll love these. Likes the artistic challenge over doing hearts with 'mum' in 'em."
"Doug is going to have kittens." Marie-Ange said quietly. "But yes, today please. I keep talking myself out of it, or putting it off." She covered her eyes at the mention of hearts with names in them. "I have to wonder if somewhere, that the artists have a list of the ones they hate to do because so many people get them. Because hearts sounds like one of those."
"It really is. 'S a bit like pub bands always being asked to do Beatles songs. Or Oasis," the witch replied, glancing towards the server room housing Doug. "This is gunna be one of those 'agree to disagree' things, isn't it?" she asked, digging through her top drawer for her address book - she was still rebuilding the contact list lost with the destruction of her phone. "With Doug, I mean."
Marie-Ange nodded. "I do not think he is going to be too upset, but he will not like it." It wasn't as if Doug didn't tolerate tattoos on his friends. And she hoped he would understand that it was practical. Looking somewhat sheepishly at Amanda, Marie-Ange added "I have a question that may sound stupid... How much is this going to hurt?"
"Your skin, your choice. And if it saves our arses one day, all the better." Amanda found the number and used her finger to mark the place whilst she answered Marie-Ange's question. "Weeeell, it basically feels like someone jabbing you with a needle over and over. It really depends on what you get and where you get it done - the bonier the bit, the more it hurts, but if it's somewhere sensitive, that'll hurt too. The one on my arm wasn't too bad at all, but the ones on my stomach hurt more. But it's mostly just for the time you're under the needle, and even then, after a while the endorphins kick in. Later's a bit more painful, but not much more than a sunburn."
Marie-Ange poked at her arm experimentally, first with a fingernail, and then with a letter opener from Amanda's desk. "Hrm. It cannot be too bad then. My arms are not -that- sensitive." She frowned, glancing again at the door to Doug's server room. "If I go now, perhaps I can avoid having to explain -before- I go..."
Amanda was already getting up, address book in hand. "If you lend me your phone, I can call Carmen on the way there. This time of day, she shouldn't be too busy."
"Yes, please." Marie-Ange said, handed Amanda the phone, and only then added. "We really need to have Remy stop destroying phones. They are annoying to have to replace."
***
"So, that wasn't too bad?" Amanda asked as they left the tattoo parlour, blinking in the transition from dim room to bright sunshine. Carmen had, as predicted, loved Marie-Ange's designs, and it had been difficult to extricate the French girl from the extremely-tattooed woman's enthusiasm.
"That was very not bad at all." Marie-Ange said, poking experimentally at the bandages on her upper arm. "It itches a bit, and I think I am going to have to wear shirts with very loose sleeves for a day or two.." She'd elected not to cover it, since it was in a location where she would have it covered with shirt sleeves unless she needed it.
"It'll itch while it heals - whatever you do, don't scratch it, or you'll scratch off the ink and it'll be all blotchy," Amanda advised. "At least with the Trenchcoats we don't have a uniform, so you don't have to worry about modifying it to get at it." She grinned. "Unless you want to try that velcro flap idea any way."
"I am not ruining a perfectly good jacket that I had to -buy-." Marie-Ange protested. "Most of my shirts will hide it unless I want to show it off. And if need to get to it... I do not wear tight sleeves very often anyway." And most importantly, it couldn't be dropped, knocked out of her hands, or removed in a search.
Amanda chuckled. "Maybe I should start thinking of a back-up emergency powers thing myself. Maybe carry a bit of New York asphalt with me wherever I go?" she joked. "But seriously, it's a bloody good idea. And it looks good. Wouldn't be surprised if Carmen started a run on tarot card design now."
"Would that work?" Marie-Ange asked. "I suppose you could -try- it..." Amanda's powers were more confusing to her then her own were sometimes. "Mark ran out of his batteries in Uganda. It is part of why I was reminded about this. Having something to back up our powers with is too useful not to do, yes?"
"I have no idea. I think it's more 'n that, tho', more's the pity. It'd come in handy in places where the vibe isn't right for what I need." She grimaced. "Like LA. I could have done with something offensive there, and I don't mean saying rude things about someone's mum."
"There has to be something we can do for you..." Marie-Ange said. "Snow globes. Something that reminds you of New York strongly. Or London, or New Orleans. Anywhere." Not that she had the first idea of what could be used.
"And I could always chunk 'em at people when I'm done?" Amanda suggested, with a chuckle. "'S something to look into, tho', even if I can't think right now what might work. Same goes with the spells - Charlie's notes have been helping a lot, giving me some ideas." She shrugged. "Work in progress. So... wanna go get a glass of anesthetic to take your mind off the itching? My shout for the new initiate and all."
Marie-Ange pulled her fingers away from where she was about to scratch at her arm. "We should take a night to have powers brainstorming. Even if it just at Finnegans and we can make silly ideas. A capalla Beatles is a very silly idea, but it saved Mark from jail." She shoved both hands into her jacket pockets, in order to keep her hands -away- from her arm. "And yes, please. I need to stop thinking about the itching long enough that I forget it should itch."
