The Universe's Mixer

Her bar had been taken over by a vampire bar. Or rather, it had been smashed into a vampire bar. There were no words for how upset Jo was about this. She wanted to hit something, shoot something, and possibly set something on fire.

Unfortunately, she'd checked around and there was nothing to hunt at the moment. She considered calling Ted, but she really didn't want to become that girl that went running to a guy whom she'd only been on one actual date with.

So instead she found a bar. Not her bar, but some dive bar that was devoid of vampires and had the most delicious aroma of pizza wafting out the door.

Pizza and beer wouldn't make things all better, but it was a start. Jo ordered a large pizza in spite of being on her own and she told the bartender to keep her glass filled. She didn't really know where she'd sleep tonight, but it wouldn't be the first night she'd made her bed in a motel. She could deal until she could find some way to fix the bar situation.

His encounter with Lestat had left him wondering. He had not seen the other vampire since to ask him if there had been changes in his own life. Eric had not discovered any new powers himself yet. It would make him very angry if he'd done all that and gone through the pathetic and annoying moments of lust for nothing.

He supposed he was going to have to test things.

If he was going to test things, he would need Baba there, just in case. Not to mention, she would probably have better ideas of what to test.

For now, though, he was taking another day just for the sun. Things were back to normal, it seemed. As normal as normal could get in this place, anyway. There had been no threats to his person, despite what Baba had told him, and he hadn't been able to happen upon Hank himself to ask or explore other options.

In his stroll through the park, Eric discovered a strange thing. There seemed to be a celebration going on, complete with a temporary pizza cart. There was a big, but portable oven, and a counter on wheels. The crowd seemed to be excited by this, as there were many of them crushed up in a haphazard line. Pizza in the park. It was amazing the things that humans found fun.

He began to turn toward it, to get closer to the crowd to observe them.

If anyone could say that he had taken to life in the City without batting an eyelash, it was Toot. He had friends, he had a steady flow of work Harry, he had his fellow fae to look out for, he had pizza, and donuts, and even the occasional coca-cola. Life was good.

In fact, he was quite sure that it couldn't get any better, as he sat on the rooftop of Harry's office building, munching on leftover pizza and sipping a caffeinated soda--couldn't get any better, that is, until he noticed a young lady heading down the block, with wings and hair as bright pink as his own were sparkly purple. Win!

"Hey, Lady!" he called unabashedly as she passed by. He was just caffeinated enough that he could probably fly into a wall, and explode in a shower of Skittles. "I like your hair!"

Dinah was thrilled to have Zatanna in the City. She might have had her reservations about her old teammate's methods, but she was glad to have a friendly face. After everything that had happened over the past few months, she was really glad to have someone to just go out dancing with. Unfortunately, Harry couldn't exactly take her to a club-not unless they wanted to risk him shorting out the sound system or something along those lines. For that matter, she hadn't seen all that much of him since they'd patched things up. It wasn't that she didn't want to see him, but they were both busy and a part of her was still proceeding with caution until Murphy was moved out.

But tonight she wasn't going to worry about that or anything else, if she could help. She'd left messages for Fred, Jennifer and Barbara inviting them out. She'd even left a message for Murphy. It might have been an awkward thing to do, but she was still trying to make amends and smooth over the rocky start they'd gotten off to. For that matter, she owed Harry's best friend a thank you for pushing her to talk to him. Not that she was sure that the thank you would be well-received, but she was grateful.

Dinah entered the bar with Zatanna at her side. The two had gotten ready together, and of course Zee looked fantastic in her little black dress, but that was par for the course when going out on the town with the mystic.

OOC note: Dinah left messages inviting Fred, Jennifer, Barbara, and Murphy BUT that doesn't mean those characters have to join, nor does it mean that it only has to be those characters. As they're out at a bar, anyone, male or female is welcome to join. Also, let's just keep this thread as a free for all instead of worrying about posting orders :)

(After This)

Rufio strolled through the park, sword over his shoulder, looking around as he patrolled for anything that might be harming the trees.

Of course, after a while he was distracted, and flicking at some of the branches, wondering if the fairy would come back if he hurt another one. Not that he really wanted to anger her, but he had felt better once he'd seen her. Even if she was awfully big for a bug.

Still, as he lashed out at animals that were chewing or peeing on the trees he felt the need to see her again slipping out and his attention on his task wavering. He still didn't think anything of the powerful need to please the fairy he'd felt after she'd touched him, nor did he question why he was feeling so loyal to a woman, even a fairy, who he didn't know. Rufio's mind was just sedated and working on instinct, for the moment, swinging his golden weapon at anything he felt like and enjoying watching most of the furry things running for their lives. And those that didn't… well, a quick slash across their nose convinced them that it was better to leave.

The field sprite most commonly known as Toot-Toot flitted through the City mostly unseen, in spite of his growing...talent. It had been six months--had it been six months? or had it been longer?--since the last time he had heard that familiar tugging at his magical senses that was Harry's summons. Six months of silence, while he fought to keep Chicago safe for his younger, smaller, weaker companions and followers. Three whole seasons of forging new alliances in order to feed his rapidly growing 'family.'

It wasn't just vanilla mortals, or small time magic-users that were disappearing. It was the lesser fae as well; being captured and forced into servitude as they once had, before the great 'Za Lord had deigned to care for them. Oh, the crazy wizard's friends did what they could, but they had their hands full looking after their fellow humans, and it just wasn't the same.

And then it happened. A whisper, a brushing at the back of his mind. A tingle between his shoulder blades. A wish. He had to follow. He'd slipped through the veil into the never-never in a twinkling, and somehow emerged in this place between what, when, where, and who. And why? Because Harry needed him. Harry wanted him.

But now that he was here, the wishing had stopped. Was he too late? No, no, no. This was the right place. Never mind that it changed, seemingly with the lightest of light breezes, such as the one that his dragonfly wings made as he beat his way above--and sometimes below--the streets. He just needed to learn its Ways.

He would gather information at a pub--that's what he would do! Mortals liked to congregate and gossip at the pubs. And they had pizza...