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The lives of the infamous Wrecking Crew

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Ria Graziano
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Post by Ria Graziano »

Ria was at a table in one of the seedier dives in Rhydin, kept company by a half-eaten burger, a mound of steak fries, and a beer. The place was a little hole in the wall, seating a grand total of 20 people at one time. Dust from its not-so-affluent patrons (to term the men charitably) crusted the floor and three flickering lanterns served as the only illumination in the place.

Two years in RhyDin working on connections for intel gathering had its benefits. More often than not, if you were looking for someone, for the right amount of money, you could find them. That's what had Candy slipping into dive bar number four, several steps inside and a slow intake of her surroundings. It was instinctual to know where exits and people were. This time she saw the person she was looking for. Candy wore a leather jacket over a white tee and jeans with the usual boots. FireStar, as always, was on her wrist. No abnormal heat came from her. She lingered several steps from the door to see if she would be noticed.

It seemed like green and black were meant to become Ria's standard colors because she was in exactly the same outfit choices she had been at the Overlord match; black jeans and leather jacket and green t-shirt. The green might have been a little more on the mint side, though. And Candy's arrival went unnoticed as Ria plucked a fry from the pile and lifted it … but instead of eating it straightaway, she let it dangle limply between her fingers. It seemed her eyes were on someone too, someone already there. A gross pudge of a man, chomping noisily on his greasy concoction of meat and bread.

She followed Ria's line of sight, taking in the man and he gorged himself. A decent distraction, it didn't seem like he planned to stop the horrific show any time soon. Without a word, Candy signaled for two more of the same that Ria had--not Candy's usual--exchanging them for the price and a tip. Two beers in one hand, she made the path over to Ria's table without hesitation and set the beers done across from the woman. Not bothering to take a seat yet. Standing would prove easier to keep the woman from making an instant getaway. "Y're a hard woman t'find."

Whether it was the voice or something else, the words out of Candy's mouth started her swearing softly. Hazel eyes turned up toward the intruder before shifting down to the beers so suddenly placed on her table. Back up those hazel eyes went until they met Candy's gaze. “F*** off.” That had to be an improvement, right? She actually was speaking *to* Candy, not about her to someone else!

"Inna bit." A tilt of her head, considering the woman sitting there. The green more appearant than the brown in her own eyes. Her boot slid over to the seat that sat opposite Ria, nudging it out enough for her to sit when it didn't seem like Ria planned to make a go for it. Still, Candy didn't make herself so comfortable that she wouldn't be ready to move. Sitting and quiet for the moment as she watched the other.

She wasn't drunk, that much was obvious. In fact, it almost looked like she hadn't had any of her beer (despite the fact that it was open). Ria snorted at the response and returned to her goal - whether goal was spying on the man or eating the french fries it was hard to tell because she finally put that poor limp fry out of its misery by bringing it to her mouth and chomping down. “'m busy.” She finally added after swallowing the remains of the fry. “…got nothing to say. Go play with your Crew bitches.”

Indifferent to Ria's statement of being busy, Candy remained where she sat. A light smirk and low chuckle followed the other statement. "Crew bitches? Didn' know I had any... " A shift forward and she picked up one of the beers. A short glance at the greasy man and then down to her beer. She made a face at the unopened cap before taking a quick drink. Not her usual. The bottle found a spot back on the table, closer to where she sat.

The silence was going to get awkward very soon. She was determined to ignore the uninvited guest at her table. She had serious business to conduct - namely, a man to watch. Her fingers began a tuneless tapping on the table, however, betraying her nervousness at the proximity of Candy. Must not give her the pleasure of acknowledging her more.

Patience. For the time the opal didn't overwhelm her, didn't inspire her actions. No anger or desire near at hand for it to manipulate. One boot shifted up, resting lighting on her knee. A look to the tapping nail, Ria's face, then toward the man. She played silent, unwanted, observer. A minute going by before she picked up the beer again for another drink. Another glance toward the guy, unable to pick out what might interest Ria about him. "Mr. Carter planned t'go ren' should he 'ave been successful... " Of course, he hadn't been successful.

She tried not to react to the offered bite, but there was a little jerk of her head at the news. Her gaze flicked to Candy and then back again, but she forced herself to meter her reaction. “That's nice.” She spoke as if she had no interest in the matter, that it was all past. “What the f*** do you want?” Her voice remained pitched low, eyes returning to her target.

A glance back toward Ria at the end of her statement, she picked up the little jerk. It didn't tell her much more than Ria had a stronger reaction than she let on, for good or bad. Candy took another pull from the beer, a longer slower drink before setting her beer down. The boot came off her knee so she could put both feet on the floor. Matching Ria's low voice when she shifted to lean forward. "T' take y'up on y'r offer.... for help..... not t'f*****' off one."

That got her attention, and she turned fully to look at Candy. “You're f****** kidding me, right?” She outright stared briefly, then barked a laugh. “You're f****** kidding.” The second time was statement, not question. She obviously didn't believe the sincerity of Candy's 'request'. “F*** off.”
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Ria Graziano
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Post by Ria Graziano »

"Put a lot o'effort int' findin' y'for a joke." There's a shrug and she leaned back, picking up the beer again. No response to being told to f*** off again, but the fact that she remained made it clear she wasn't leaving. Ria's interest in the man made it seem like she wouldn't be leaving just yet either. Candy tipped her attention partially toward the guy.

“You're just enough of a sick f*** to do it.” She spat the words out, snatching another fry and pinching it until the end was mush under her fingers. The remains of the fry dropped back into the pile. “Why in the flying f*** do you think I'm gonna help you now? You can f****** burn for all I care.” Well, she knew what offer Candy was taking about, it seemed...

The insult slid over her, expected. She remained as she was, partially relaxed in the chair opposite of the woman that had reasons enough to be angry with her. The angry words hung there for a long time. Candy didn't jump into a response, but took another drink as though Ria hadn't spoken as she did. Finally, a singular shoulder rolled in a shrug. "Shot inna dark. Y'might not care if I burn... but maybe y'care if someone else does." Her gaze on Ria judged the woman's reaction. Candy set her beer down and lifted her hand to scratch at her jaw.

The cold logic made her swear because Candy had her pegged perfectly right. And if the hate hadn't festered so long, she'd never have wanted Candy to burn either. The pig, she belatedly noted, was almost finished with his trough and was fidgeting, starting to return to awareness of his surroundings. “F***,” she repeated, the word of the day. It likely encompassed both the former Overlady's words and the man she was spying on. “Not here. Ya gotta go, now, and we'll meet somewhere in 10 minutes.”

She didn't immediately buy Ria's words that they could meet later, but a glance at the man showed him reanimating into the world beyond the meal that had been before him. A short exhale. "Where?" She refrained from pointing out she'd managed to find the woman once, giving Ria the benefit of the doubt.

“Anywhere. Name it.” She obviously needed Candy to be on the move as soon as possible - she was being that agreeable. “Can even be here after he's gone.” She finally acknowledged the man outright, canting her head in that direction before looking again to Candy. “Don't give a s***, just need ya out right now.”

"Here then." Stay put. The choice quickly made, no reason to linger. She pushed out of her chair, taking both beers with her. The subtle look to the man, curious. Candy left the table and headed out of the place.

Ria breathed a sigh of relief as Candy acquiesced enough to take herself out of the dive. Once she was gone, Ria was able to return to her obvious scrutiny of the man, who had finally finished and was peering about. Candy's timing had been perfect; he had missed the other woman occupying Ria's table. He frowned, recognizing the woman at the table, and rose to confront her. They had a short but heated conversation before he scuttled out of the dive. Ria scowled darkly after him but stayed put (as she promised), attacking the fires with renewed interest while she waited.

The man left the dive, witness by Candy from the spot she'd found out of the way. She didn't look like someone people wanted to mess with, so those few that went by gave her space. With the possible target gone, Candy pushed off the wall and headed back in now with only one beer. Two steps inside, she reassessed the interior of the dive before moving over and claiming that seat again. "Y'r friend looked anxious."

“Editor-in-chief of the Northern Territory Daily News.” She explained in answer, as if expecting Candy to know what the rag had done to her (or more correctly, her sister-in-law). “I let him know I was interested in meeting one of his writers … for an …” Cue a dark, haunted look. “… exclusive interview.”

Interesting. Ria's comment kept Candy quiet for a time. She wasn't into readins any of the rags they published and usually only found out about being in them when someone--some unfortunate someone--told her about it. "Dun' much bother with th' papers... nohin' ever good in 'em. Rarely anythin' real." Candy didn't know anything about Crew's troubles beyond they needed a win.

She shrugged, finally (after all this time) picking up the beer and taking a short drink. Her nose wrinkled in disapproval almost immediately. “F***, I hate beer.” She muttered under her breath, then shook her head. She had business to finish with the lady across from her. She seemed to have calmed somewhat after Candy's favor. All the guy needed was to see her and Candy sitting at the same table - another f****** article would be printed and more trouble would be caused if that were to happen. “So.” She waited expectantly for Candy to resume the earlier conversation.

Leaning back, one boot lifted to rest on her knee. "Y'said y'could help me with th'rock. Talked t'th'Old Man 'bout it.... now I'm talkin' t'you." Since Ria, at least for the time, seemed to be willing to listen and talk. Candy kept the beer in hand but didn't take a drink, watching the woman across from her.

“The only way I can help you now is by telling you to get rid of it.” She snorted. “You're too f****** angry, you're too f****** easy for it…” never 'him'… “…to take control, to make you *want* it. And you waited too f****** long, secure in your own f****** ability.” She lifted her right hand to jab the air in front of her. “You need to quit all that s*** you just went through, dealt with. F****** become a monk or some s*** like that.”

"I'm t'angry?" The beer found a place on the table before her and she gave Ria a look. Ria, who she had only recently seen storming around and generally in a bad mood. A slow sigh, she glanced to the rock on her wrist. "Can't give it up..." As happened now, she thought about it. The thought seared through her mind and a voice that was her own, yet not her own said they were one... like it or not. A slow exhale. "That what y'did? Quit it?"

“No. Had it taken from me. Either they saw I was headin' down the path or just needed it themselves.” She paused, then shrugged. “He ran off with it.” She wondered inwardly if that gave Candy any insight as to why she originally challenged; that had been her intention that first time - to take it from her and hide it from the world. “Second time I was holder in name only, actual Opal was gone.” She sighed, picking with her left hand at the bun of her grease-slathered cold burger. “Want some?” She meant the fries, nudging the plate that contained her pile more toward the center. “Cold but still edible.”

"People try... it dun' seem ready t'leave me." She looked at the fries, debating before reaching out. Before her hand even got to them they were steaming again. Hand stopped. Reheating the fries hadn't been her intent. Short snort. She picked up a fry and ate it anyway. "Th' Old Man suggested some... self... introspective.. zen s***. Find a balance. Said I couldn't quiet it... just had t'make my will stronger." Picking up another few fries and gesturing as she spoke. "Course the damned thing seems t'amplify my will..." Odd the casualness of the conversation. The Words come easier with Ria than they had with Matt. Maybe because Ria had actually -held- FireStar. There was a look to the woman from across the table, wondering if any of her experiences matched Ria's.
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Ria Graziano
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Post by Ria Graziano »

“The damned thing feeds off your will, twists it, and makes it its own. The only way to make your will stronger is figure out how to put something between you and it so it can't whisper in your ear, so it can't tickle your senses into lighting that small fire.” Hazels flicked down toward the newly-warmed fries, a damning example of what she meant.

“The worst part about it is the power it offers; all the others, they offer more subtly. That one … it was brash, as bold as the fire it commands - not you command. You can try the zen s***, but how long is it going to work before it finds a point where it can make you give in, a little?”

She let herself give in to the Opal before; her hair had been fiery to match the opal's influence outwardly and she had reveled in the power. And when it was taken from her by Beck, when she lost it, she had been burned. Badly. In fact, even worse than Candy had ever done to her, and a little of that remembered pain echoed in her hazel eyes.

Candy well understood Ria's words. She'd had a long time with the opal now, over a year. Seemed to be her constant companion, understood her anger, wanted to help her. Wanted her to help it. She flicked salt from her fingers and pushed her hand through her hair. Two conversations and nothing sounded good on her horizon. "I'm not goin' back inta' swords." Maybe one of the few things she could do. "Can't handle gettin' cut. Bad memories." A look toward the opal on her wrist, "Brings out t'worse..." Attention focused on her beer. "Had a... wall or whatever up. It broke. Could feel it given after that night... wit'th' other opals." She battled over the suggestions as she sat there thinking and just talking. "I'm sorry... for.. " Nearly killing you. "Wasn' what I wanted."

F***. Candy apologized? That brought out another swear. Maybe that was all Ria needed to hear, maybe this was just a long overdue talk they needed to have happen. LONG overdue. Following the swear came a sigh. “I'm sorry too.” For what, she didn't say, likely it was more of a blanket apology. “Look, Candy …” She said her name?! “It's less about a wall against it and more a wall around *you* so you never forget who you are. You're a badass bitch but you're not *the* badass bitch. Others are worth time too. Train with them. LAUGH with them. F****** make good memories.”

To the return apology Candy shrugged, a gesture of her hand to say it wasn't needed. Any beef she had she'd gotten over it with the taking of the Overlord title. Maybe petty, but it worked for her. Candy thought back on the days that followed the crack in her guard. The fight with Dillon had helped burn off the opal's energies without giving into any full destruction. And it had been most idle until Rakeesh came after her. "Wasn' doin too bad til the f*****' Lion."

“The f****** lion needs to die.” She bluntly answered, picking at a warmed fry. They had gotten a little too hot for her to handle so she had to wait a short time before resuming consumption. A moment to chew and swallow her bite before she resumed the conversation. “'s about all I can tell ya. I gotta ask, though. What're ya gonna do when ya lose it? The day *will* come.”

A short nod of her head to the statement that the lion needed to die. Likely there would be few that disagreed with such a statement. Candy couldn't say it in exact words, but she didn't trust the lion's intentions. She couldn't go after him, not without risk to herself and those around her... but she knew it'd only be a matter of time before someone did. That helped keep her calm. Only a matter of time. Picking up her beer, a moment taken in thought. "Keep goin... gonna be my only choice." That strength there. Her own.

She paused long enough to take a short pull from her own beer. “Gonna go back for it?” The question seemed casual, conversational. Ria seemed to be relaxing in the presence of her present company.

There's a flexing of fingers, a glance to the rock at her wrist. "Can't say that I won't..." Maybe she should be able to, but the connect she has with it tugged at her. "Can't say that I will either.... had no interest in 'em until I did..." Them being the opals in general. First ShadoWeaver, then Firestar. Candy had to wonder if ShadoWeaver would have been as difficult to hold. For all of Matt's words... for herself, she wouldn't bet aganst FireStar.

She grunted softly, the only indication she might not have liked the answer. “Well, jus' be careful wit' it all.” For the first time in almost a week, the affected accent slipped back into her speech. That was the most significant sign she wasn't much angry with Candy at this point. There might be relapses of the anger but at least Ria no longer wanted her to burn. “Sorry I can't be any more 'elp. Anythin' else though?”

"Gave me somethin' t'think on... f'r all that I enjoy thinkin' over bein' able t'jus' do somethin." A last glance to the fries, but she decided to leave them. Hunger left her for the time. She pushed to her feet, readying to go. "Y'.... need anythin'.... let me know." Not the Overlord anymore, but sometimes it's better to not have a title. Gave you more room to work with. Even with the apology accepted, Candy saw she owed the other a debt. The lazy two finger salute of a wave and she headed out.

“Candy?” She called to the retreating back. “One more thing. Ya do someone else cuza FireStar, I *will* take it next time.” Her original threat had been that she would kill the lady, but she tempered it. She even offered a half-grin to the woman's back as she watched her go. Then, she set about finishing the fries.

A stiffness for a moment before it passed, she bobbed her head in a nod. She might not grin, but there was acceptance of the woman's statement before she vanished through the door.

(( Adapted from live play! ))
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