#sckol

MAX: You’re shorter than me, you have no room to call anybody a hobbit, Smurfette.

GEMMA: When I get down from here you’re getting turned into a rat too! MAX: If you can get down from there, why do you need me to call off “Lurch”? [he smirks smugly, perking a brow in her general direction.] 

WOLFGANG: [As Gemma continues to struggle in her attempt to free herself, he tips his head to the side thoughtfully as if he’s suddenly noticed something, setting her down perhaps not as gently as he could have before he leans in to get right in her face, narrowing his eyes into an uncomfortably keen gaze that catches her off guard a little.] Huh…

GEMMA: Ec– Hey. Excuse you? [She blinks a few times in utter confusion, leaning back a little bit to put some distance between them.] Is there a reason you’re invading my bubble or –?

WOLFGANG: [Snickering with a roll of his eyes, he shakes his head at her question, turning around momentarily and reaching out to grab her phone out of Max’s hand before he offers it back to her.] I guess I have to call you something besides killer-bait now.

GEMMA: Because you suddenly remembered that I have an actual name? Did I accidentally kick you in the head or something?

WOLFGANG: Because your eyes are green, smart-ass. Like… there’s some brown there, but still, mostly like dark green.

[July 9, 2023. Cut to the interior where Damien and his closest friend and roommate Akira are inside, working out – Damien practicing boxing, Akira on one of the treadmills nearby.] 

AKIRA: – So reverse-stalk her work schedule and show up when you know she’s not gonna be there, dude. Switching up our spot, that we went to before you even met her, is bullshit. Coming all the way out to Moony Loony territory when we could have just literally walked a block to a really nice place that doubles as MILF Heaven is also bullshit. – Look around, Charm, there are zero luxurious cougars doing yoga, it’s a hairy dude sausage party in here and it blows.

DAMIEN: What is your fucked up obsession with yoga moms? [He wrinkles his nose in mock disgust, perking a questionable and curious brow.] Do you need to talk about it? Not with me, I don’t wanna hear that shit, but like, with a professional?

AKIRA: I read in one of those women studies books Grace left laying around one time that they hit their peak in their forties, plus, from personal experience, they either have to keep it casual ‘cause they’re already married or they’ve been-there-done-that with the whole commitment thing so it’s all just for fun, you know? None of them take me seriously, I don’t have to take any of them seriously, it’s the ideal situationship if you know how to game the system.

GEMMA: [Quickly ducking back behind the building to get out of the line of sight, she frowns as she pulls up her iMessage chat with Rohan.] it’s official, we hate cinderella barbie, her bitch sister is audrielle ernest of all people. [a series of nauseous emojis]  also i may be banished to tartosa for the rest of the summer, idk yet, my aunts are following me around but we have somewhere to be first before i get whisked away into exile. be ready tonight by 10.

ROHAN: Ready for what?? [skeptical emoji] Can’t be anything more exciting than a trip to the convenience store or something right our summer curfew’s 11:30. Also yikes… sorry about Audrielle, hope the wedding is off forever.

GEMMA: yeah about that, when I get home I’m gonna look up the doppelganger spell which will take care of the curfew problem but anyway we’re going to sneak into the werewolf bar in moonwood mill. idk max wants us to come for some reason.

ROHAN: As in Villareal?!?! MAD MAX?!?! This isn’t even about the bar which is also a dumb idea and I shouldn’t have to explain why it’s a dumb idea even if the Duplicato plan is kinda genius but why tf are we going ANYWHERE with Max?! The only reason I’d ever willingly be in the same room with HIM is to perform an EXORCISM. 

GEMMA: idk bro he’s really hot and it makes me wanna do whatever he says [tongue out emoji, followed by the sweaty emoji and a heart eyes emoji.]

[There’s a panel of Rohan’s visible disturbed confusion before cutting to a shot of Max grinning, texting from Gemma’s phone while Wolfgang has her slung over his shoulder, gripping her tightly in both arms to keep her from wiggling down to attack him like she did at the coffee shop.]

KYLE: There’s no hard feelings about all the shit talking by the way, we just do this to blow off steam and besides, I can respect the fact that you may be a fuckin’ moron, but at least you’re not a pussy. It was fun, with some training you might actually be really good, I’ll talk to Marcus about it at some point if you want. 

DAMIEN: [He groans a little and shakes his head, the idea of mixing alcohol with an already splitting headache not appealing in the slightest.] Even if the bar was an option, I’d have to rain check on the afterparty but I appreciate the gesture, man. I’ve got a second half of this stupid plan to implement, and it probably needs to happen before I pass out again –

AKIRA: About that– [frowning as he reaches the top of the stairs, he purses his lips uncomfortably.] I got Em on the phone finally, but uh, turns out I was way off base because there wasn’t much sympathy to be had – all she said was “take him to the Healers in the Vale.” She’s packing for some kind of trip, and no, I didn’t get, like, the specifics of what’s going on there  but…yeah, long story short, you’re on your own and SOL. Sorry, dude… I mean, we can still go over there if you want, but I don’t think it’s gonna do much.

MORGYN: There was no need for you to intervene and even less of a need for you to knock them both out, Caligari– I had it. 

CLIONA: You’re ever so petulant when you don’t get to do everything your way. [She smirks at him, lightly and teasingly pinching his cheek before kneeling down and turning her attention back to their unconscious quarry.] Which would be halfway bearable if your way didn’t take so damn long; not all of us enjoy being out amongst the civilians, Ember, nor do we find pointless dueling with the skill-impaired to be even remotely entertaining. It’s a simple Memoria Quaerere that should have taken two minutes. 

MORGYN: You would think then, if your primary concerns were efficiency and time management, that you’d be searching the minds of the actual busy-bodies in the sewer tunnels instead of their look-outs.

CLIONA: The “look-outs” aren’t covered by legalities, which you would know if you’d bothered to ask: Pries’ mother, like all Casters of Mischief, has an iron-fisted mastery of loopholes and is no slouch when it comes to looking after her own; Erwin and Sigworth are protected under Independent Investigator licenses filed on their behalf, they have … something of a right to go digging, as long as they don’t get in our way and they turn over anything they might have found once it’s been photographed for their records. Why do you think they weren’t apprehended before they got down there? … Are you going to interject at some point, Sabine dearest, or are you just going to stand there until The Aether freezes over while you wait for us to stop talking?  SABINE: Sorry... I just wanted to let you guys know I found residuals from the casting of a Quaeromancy spell and it seemed kind of relevant…? To the discussion you were having?... Do you think there’s anything to find?