Good to See You Alive

[Molly Quincannon] After various bits of phone-tag and the sort of meeting that taciturn people probably dread (talkative nerdbomb meets ... well, Jim), a meeting has been arranged between Ashley and Molly. At least in this particular case, Molly needn't worry about how Ashley's going to recognise her. Jim would have been asked to give a description - Molly's hair is about her natural colour, but it's also long now, down to about her shoulder blades in slightly wonky waves. Haircuts are suspect; hair length in such a short time is generally a recipe for, "...naaaaaaah". Gods and little angels bless Israel's little cotton toe-socks, not to mention her Life Charms.

The meet-up's in a tea house that has, frankly, seen better days. It's probably due to shut down soon owing to lack of business. But it's nearly empty, is the main thing, and that makes it a good location for two people who really shouldn't be on too much radar meeting up; they could just be having a last cup of tea here before it shuts down for good, after all. Molly has a canvas shopping bag as well as her usual laptop, and she waits for the pot of gunpowder tea she bought in anticipation of this meeting to cool without turning to any of her logic puzzle books for a respite from boredom. She knows she gets focused; she'd rather not miss Ashley coming in. Besides, she has a lot of disgruntlement to muse through after the previous day's little altercation, and a list of data points to divulge (or not, depending on Ashley's status) to compile.

[Ashley McGowen] It took a while for Jim to set up a meeting with Ashley. She's apparently been busy: first she was in New York (it's probably not surprising that she should want to get out of the city for a little while, after what happened), and then there was business with the Hermetics. It's hard to tell whether it's vague business or whether that's just Jim, though it's more likely the latter...or both.

Ashley does not appear to have taken advantage to her connections with Life magi in the same way that Molly has. She, after all, has an impressive command of the Ars Mentis to use to her advantage. Molly might, therefore, almost miss Ashley when the Hermetic finally arrives at the tea shop. Or, rather, she might think someone else walked in. Someone with large, hungry brown eyes, someone just a little too thin or...was she blonde? The features just don't seem to stick in her mind.

Maybe that is Ashley after all.

The other woman's identity is confirmed when she wanders over to Molly's table and then sits down. "Hey," she says, with only a slight trace of weariness. "Good to see you alive."

[Molly Quincannon] Molly's done this, and she's been on the receiving end of this, and with her memory ... well, it gives her a headache. And she only recently got over the last one, too. Still, she smiles and says, "Likewise. How've you been keeping? And how was your ... erm, vacation?" She's not belittling the need for Ashley to have gone on that trip; she's just trying to be discreet. One can only hope it works.

Then she says, "I've got a few bits and pieces for you, by the way." She nudges the bag over under the table. "Leftover edibles, mainly, and some tea, and a rice cooker. The stuff people throw away when all it needs is rewiring; it's a crying shame. Anyway, I didn't know what-all you'd need for ... I guess housewarming or what have you so I stuck with basics." (There's also a good bottle of whiskey in the bag, but that doesn't need mentioning.)

[Ashley McGowen] "...The vacation was really nice," Ashley says, in a manner that is most certainly understated, because she's not the sort to gush about anything. She asks for a pot of white tea for herself (lavender and vanilla) before casting a regretful eye about the place. The sort of look that says she thinks it's a shame that such a place is closing, even if she would never voice the sentiment. "It was good to get out of the city for a while. I haven't really been anywhere for the past year and a half other than Boston."

And Boston usually doesn't end up being a stress-free trip. "Kage and I were supposed to take a trip last fall, but she's been...really busy."

Ashley doesn't linger long on absent friends. Kage is often a stabilizing influence for her and it's regretful to have her gone so often, but it is what it is; she doesn't lament it openly. And then she raises her eyebrows when Molly nudges the bag toward her. "I, um, thank you," she says, clearly surprised. She leans down to glance through the bag, pausing when she touches the rice cooker. "I don't actually have power set up there yet, but it'll be kind of nice to have when I do."

[Molly Quincannon] Molly frowns a little at the mention that she hasn't got the power on. Molly would not be a happy Molly without the electricity. But then again, Molly could and would borrow from the National Grid if she had to. "If you want to stay off-grid," she says, "I could probably whip up a portable generator or something. I mean, aren't you cold? There's at least a fireplace, right? Um ... I was also going to say that Israel's got some ways to change the look up a bit but doesn't look like you need that; still, the option's there. Also ... do you need or want ID? I've got a couple of shell identities ready to activate, though I haven't needed one for me yet - if you want one ... well, the offer's there." She doesn't push, but she clearly wants to help, in that exuberant (if a bit concerned) sort of way she has. It's the flip-side of Israel's warmth.

Then she pours her own tea and says, "I ... met up the guy who warned us, by the way. Well, Nathan and I did. That went to the weird, but I met him. He calls us 'dollies'."

[Ashley McGowen] "Well, I was in New York until Thursday, so I didn't really have to worry about it much until then," she says. "I've been using the Arts to keep myself and the dog and cat warm." Which, while it works, costs her quite a bit of effort and concentration. "It's not like I'm freezing or anything." Israel's name, and mention of Israel's help, makes a frown pull at her eyes and mouth for a moment.

And then Molly offers her identification, and there's less than a second's hesitation. "I was going to look into getting another. They picked up my Sleeper identity. I can't...do school or anything anymore, and that's something else, but it'd be good to at least be able to get power at my house and do things like get a plane ticket if I need to."

Then the mention of meeting up with whoever warned them, and Ashley raises both of her eyebrows. Clearly waiting for elaboration.

[Molly Quincannon] "Well, if you want the generator, let me know. It'd be a fun project, anyway." The frown gets a bit of a blink, but for once, Molly doesn't call Ashley on it; there's too much else to deal with. "But quick ID would probably be better, and I can handle that no problem. I've got an Eileen Donnely from Detroit and a Corrine Watts from New Jersey; take your pick and I'll get it set up. Sorry there's not much wiggle room with the names; it's easier to set up an ID and have it look like they've paid taxes and got passports and everything if you start them early, so ... they're shells, y'know?" Yes, she is actively apologetic about this.

Then there's the eyebrow-raising, and Molly's thinking about what best to say. "The meeting didn't last long, honestly. He's old school, and he's been looking for a tap-into the ... erm, community, I guess. There's some weird going on and it turns out that he's trying to get in touch with the cause. The fact that we drifted into his vision and he sent the warning flag? Sort of a combination of sheer luck, doing the decent thing and maybe getting a bit of good-will. I dunno; he's not much on people being grateful for what he did. Lucian Anders is the name he gave, but it's one of many, from the sound. I mean, he invited me to check it and everything, which means it doesn't matter if I do or not."

[Ashley McGowen] Mention of the fake identities and their hometowns draws a slight wrinkling of the nose from Ashley, the Bostonian. "Detroit or Jersey, huh?" But perhaps it was intended to cover up the (very slight) twitch beneath her left eye at mention of one of the names; Eileen Connelly had been her mother's name, and they're a bit close for comfort. "...Corrine doesn't sound too bad. I doubt I'll be using the ID for much other than setting up housing, so it doesn't really matter if there's much wiggle room."

She pauses then at what Molly offers up about the man who warned them, scratching along the line of her jaw for a moment or two. "...That still sounds kind of suspicious to me. I mean, I'm glad he warned us, but it bothers me to not really know who he is. Probably connected with the Rogue Council in some way, though, I'm guessing."

[Molly Quincannon] "He wouldn't confirm or deny, exactly," she said. "Cagey sucker. Though funnily, what of his riddle-me-this I could puzzle out tells me not so much. I really do think that it was just a serious coincidence. I couldn't get much further 'cos there was clusterfuck of the deadly variety and ... yeah, it's a mess and really not for public consumption of any kind. But the handling on this one might end up having to be mundane, unless you've got a way of keeping something from cutting you off from your Avatar." She shudders; that had been nasty. Then, apropos of apparently very little, she adds, "And at least you're likely to let me help instead of trying to send me out of harm's way and hitting me if I won't go without you. Seriously. Pistol-whipping. Chivalry isn't dead; it just comes with a gun-butt to the skull now. I don't even."

Then she grins a little, sheepish but proud that she's been able to help. "Corrine it is, then. I'll get you the relevant documentation in a couple of days. Sorry it can't be sooner. Documents en route tend to be a pain. Still, better a couple of days than never, and it'll come with relevant bank account info, previous addresses, that kind of thing. Anything I need to know that might come up in your data so I can tweak accordingly?" Mostly she means medical-records stuff. There might need to be something at least pointing in that general direction on the information of one 'Corrine Watts' ... sufficiently tweaked, of course.

[Ashley McGowen] Ashley glances up toward Molly during the explanation of what she found. There's still something suspicious there in her (shifting) features; things still strike her as a little odd. Really, Ashley just isn't the sort who likes being kept in the dark about anything. "Cutting me off from my Avatar? What?" The rest, about pistol whipping, just draws a look of confusion. "Who hit you?"

And of course, she takes a pause while Molly continues talking. Conversations with Molly are often this way - Ashley feels as though she nearly has to use the Ars Mentis in order to follow and respond to all of it. Her memory is like Molly's, though, and she manages.

Mention of her medical history draws a sidelong look and she pours herself a cup of tea now that it's done steeping. "I had a really serious head injury when I was eighteen," she says, "and I repaired some of the damage with the Ars Mentis. My mental capacity is highly incongruous with what my medical history says I should be able to do. So I'll just be avoiding the hospital. No need to worry about it."

[Molly Quincannon] Molly sighs. "Like I said, not entirely for public consumption. Maybe if we can arrange a meeting to give you those documents that's not in the least likely to have witnesses? But if you can, check the news. There'll be a local item relevant to our community interests, put it that way. But suffice to say? Whatever sparked it off walled off our Avatars. No magic. At all. I could ... feel my Will clawing the walls it set up like a..." More shuddering; it had felt awful, and worse than awful.

Then she gives a rueful grin. "Nathan hit me. He was trying to shove me in a taxi and get me away before it all went to hell. I told him I wasn't leaving without him. He pistol-whipped me." Slight pause, and then she adds, "His aim's great, but he hits like a girl. I just came away with a headache."

[Ashley McGowen] Ashley's brows knit together at the rest of this news. "I'd like a meeting soon," she agrees. "Maybe at my house, once I have power and everything set up." The place is still very empty of furniture and the like, but probably not for too long, at least. Though chances are Ashley will be quite short of money for a while.

Still, it's better than nothing, and there are chances to build something new. It could be much worse.

Nathan's actions draw a roll of the eyes from her. "Like you need him to protect you. Nathan needs the help, half the time." The comment isn't motivated by a dislike of the Orphan; Ashley's opinion about him has shifted, over all this time. But, well. He does have moments in which 'hapless' might be the best word for him.

[Molly Quincannon] Molly nods. "No problem. It's either that or my place, and mine's ... for the moment at least, it's hard to get to." It seems ironic, really. Molly's still got her name, at any rate, and her money is in safe places. She's better off than she could be, all things considered. So it seems strange that she's got the safer, trace-free place to live while Ashley's god-knows-where.

(Side note: Ashley might find that Corrine Watts' bank account, when she gets it, actually has money in it. It's necessary; nothing's more suspicious than a bank account that stands empty for awhile and then suddenly sees action, so while it looks like transactions have been made over the past few years, there's still enough to help a little, at least. That's her story and she's sticking to it, because it's the truth, if not the whole truth. Molly understands about pride, but it won't stop her helping.)

"Anyway, there's also the option of meeting up on the runabout in a couple of days; it's heated and I'll have paperwork for you, and I'll fill you in then. All the way, promise." Her grin is apologetic; she does want to tell Ashley, but ... not here. She doesn't want to be tied to a recent news item.

The Nathan thing gets a chuckle but she doesn't really have much more to say on that score. It was a thing, she may take it out on his balls, and then it'll be over. So she sticks with, "I don't want to linger too long, but I mainly wanted to offer you the ID thing. And I figured if you were still setting up, home-cooked stuff would be good. It sucked when I couldn't get a decent meal. Anything else you can think of?"

[Ashley McGowen] This has been a difficult few weeks for Ashley's pride. Most of the clothes she's now wearing came from Jarod, most of what she's now eating has come from Emily, much of the equipment to repair her new home came from Israel, and now there's identification, food and a rice cooker from Molly. She'll probably have to suffer more help before long, after the Society finds out what's happened and after Kage returns from whatever business she's gone off on.

She sighs and runs her hands back through her hair. "Thanks. I...really appreciate it," she says, and in spite of the reluctance it sounds as though it is heartfelt. "We'll meet up soon. I think that's all." A beat. "If you need to reach me you can call my dad, for now. I've had to wait on a new identification to sign up for a cell phone."

The old one had to be thrown out, of course. And after everything else she's accepted from Jarod she wasn't about to let him pay for anything like that. "I'll see what I can pick up from the news in the meantime. Thanks."

[Molly Quincannon] This is probably a first, and it may be the last time it ever happens, but Molly and Ashley are on the same wavelength. She understands about pride from first-hand experience. Atlas had nearly had to pull a Nathan to get her to move onto the Lafette, after all. So for just once, Molly understands Ashley - the reluctance, the heartfelt ... the need, perhaps, to gloss over it. So all she says is, "Anytime," and even Ashley, with her problems with empathy, can probably tell that she means it.

And that's the end of that. Molly doesn't leave people on the hook, and there's not going to be any kind of expectations coming out of this. Molly's doing what Molly does. That's all.

So instead she changes the subject; she nods, finishes her tea and says, "Okay then. I'll call indirect when I've got all the papers for you, and see you in a couple of days. But for now, I gotta go. I'm chief cook and bottle-washer on the Lafette these days and I should get back. Still, it's really good to see you." They have their differences, sure, but ... well, she is glad. It's weird. But it's Molly, so that's to be expected. "See you in a few days, okay?"

Barring anything else, Molly's out and away, with pride and general warm-fuzzies and just glad that Ashley's doing as well as can be expected. It's amazing what'll lift a mood after trampling, Avatar-cut-off and a pistol-whipping from one's crush, really.