Log:Carpenter Back on Duty

2019/12/17 Night Marshal|Carpenter Grimm 1

Grimm sends Carpenter a text to check up on him. <>

Carpenter responds back. << I'm feeling a bit better. Several days off helped a lot. >>

Grimm responds after a few minutes. <>

Carpenter responds back, << Yeah, about that...I'm working again already. >>

Grimm responds way faster this time. <>

Carpenter texts: << Um...okay. Where do you want to meet? >>

Grimm replies <>

Carpenter gets off the Maglev and responds again, << How about the Main Street Tavern? >>

<> Grimm is soooo close to finishing her essay. Long blinks will have to wait. If Carpenter's on cases again, she has to let him know. She saves her essay, covers a yawn, and goes to slip on shoes and her jacket.

The Main Street Tavern is a friendly, if somewhat dark and dank local hangout with a look of the past to it. The smoke hangs heavily in the air, mixing freely with the scents of alcohol and frying grease from the short order grill, a not completely unpleasant odor.

A long bar runs half the length of the side wall, with several barstools pulled up to the foot rest that runs along the bottom of the bar. Behind the bar is a large mirror hung above a long counter. The mirror is covered in a plethora of promotional stickers from the alcohol distributors, as well as some clipped comics from the daily paper, which while still funny lose some of their significance if you are unaware of why they were placed there. A cheerful if somewhat overworked bartender minds the bar, mixing drinks from the large selection of bottles on the rear counter, or pouring a pint or two from the 'on-tap' selection from the kegs stored beneath the bar, which to the patrons delight is kept at a chilly 37 degrees. As usual a few of the regulars keep him busy while they argue about every call by the referee in the game being played on the television above the bar

Several booths line the wall opposite the bar, with a few tables occupying the floor space in between. Atop each table is a built-in automated menu with a touch-pad that fits into a slot in the middle of the table for ordering. Orders are prepared in the kitchen and are brought out by robots which are little more than mobile tray holders with extra sets of manipulators for moving food.

A sign beside the doors to the kitchen indicate that the bathrooms are located down the hallway to the back. Oddly enough, the back looks to be occupied by some kind of game room, but the bathrooms must be back there somewhere...

Carpenter is seated at a booth when Grimm walks in. He's checking some police reports on his PDA to pass the time.

Grimm gets there not long after. It took her a few times. Teleporting while sleep deprived isn't a great idea. The cool air at last helped wake her up halfway there. She looks around before spying Carpenter, waving as she heads over. She offers him a smile. "When'd you get back on duty?"

Carpenter smiles. "This morning." He looks at her, "You look exhausted."

Grimm takes in a deep breath and sighs it out as she sits down. "It's been a crazy few weeks. We've had a bit of a mystery at Starguard...that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Also, someone else in the hero community sent some of her lackeys to try and convince me to, oh, you know, go to Hell to retrieve some guy. As you do," she rolls her eyes.

Carpenter raises a brow. "Uh huh. Well, what is it you wanted to tell me?"

"Have you heard about the incidents with some giant mutant bugs?" Grimm asks.

Carpenter nods, "Some recent reports, but that's it."

Grimm takes another breath as she rubs the bridge of her nose. "Well, I read the mind of them that we have locked up at Starguard. We're still waiting for someone to confirm a theory, but from what I saw and felt...I think these bugs were people once. Something's been turning people, animals...into those things."

Carpenter takes a deep breath. "Hrm. Okay. I didn't see that in the report. I bet Starguard has it in one of theirs, though."

"It has what I saw, but it's not hard evidence for them," Grimm explains. "It's mind was animal-like. Just hungry. But deeper down, there was a swirl of all these memories. Some were definitely human. Some felt like a dog...they were all different people," Grimm shudders. "No sense of self anymore. Like it was melded with a lot of others."

Carpenter nods. "It sounds possible. Do you know of a way to turn them back?"

Grimm shrugs and looks worried. "We...don't know yet. I talked to a, uh, specialist. He's going to come to Starguard and see if he can figure out anything." She finally lowers her hand from rubbing the bridge of her nose, looking up into his eyes. "If something is out there turning people into these things, I thought I'd make sure you knew so you could be careful out there. Let the department know. We have no idea what did this or how yet."

Carpenter nods. "I'll make sure they know. Thank you." He looks at her with some concern on his face. "You need to sleep. I can see it."

Grimm sighs and nods, sagging into her seat. "It's been hard to get sleep lately. I keep getting woken up by nightmares." She shrugs. "Just as well...I need to be awake to finish my final essay and help track down the thing or person behind the bugs."

Carpenter raises a brow. "I don't know the timing on your essay, but you won't be in any shape to fight anything if you're like this when you find it.

Grimm sniffs once. "I got to finish it by tomorrow night. I got an extension already from my professor." She smiles tiredly. "I'll make sure not to fight it alone."

Carpenter nods. "How much more do you have to write?"

Grimm winces a little at that. "Uhhh...like...Nnnnnnniiiine?" she says, not too certain about that.

Carpenter tilts his head, "Nine...what? Pages?"

Grimm nods slowly.

Carpenter chuckles. "You sound unsure. Go. Sleep. Then write your paper. Or like...find some other dimension where time moves at a different rate to get it done in time."

"I don't have time to find some slowmo dimension. Besides, I prefer to spend my time in sync with my friends when I can," Grimm smirks. "But fine...I'll take a powernap and finish my paper. And hopefully nothing else bad happens."

Carpenter blinks slowly. "You're not going to do so, are you? Or am I reading you wrong?"

"I'm going to get some sleep," Grimm replies, though Carpenter reads past the lie.

Carpenter shakes his head, "You're full of it. Actions have consequences. If you're not rested, someone can get hurt. Probably you."

Grimm's eyes widen as she's called on her BS. "How did you...? Okay, fine, fine. I'll really try to get some sleep." This time, she's sincere. She just doesn't believe she can get a full night's sleep, or even a good hour in before the nightmares wake her again.

Carpenter nods slowly. "Good. But you're not sure you can, I'm guessing. Just...try."

Grimm sighs softly as he reads her pretty well. She offers a small smile. "Yeah. But I'll still try."

Carpenter nods slowly. "Maybe there's another meta who can help you sleep? Or...just some kind of medication that might help?"

Grimm blushes a bit. "There's another person who could help, but they're unavailable. Maybe meds. They make me feel like a zombie afterwards, but whatever helps, right?"

Carpenter smiles slightly, "Considering what I said last time we met, I think you don't need to be embarrassed."

Grimm rubs the back of her neck, smirking to cover up the blushing that's still there. "It isn't a meta power anything. I just sleep better when I'm not alone."

Carpenter stares at her for a moment. "If it'll help, I'm willing to crash with you. Or you can crash at my place. No funny stuff. Just...giving you the comfort you need to sleep."

Grimm is caught off guard by the offer. She squirms a little in her seat, uncertain what to say. Though the idea of being able to get some real sleep is enticing. "I...I couldn't ask that..." she says shyly.

Carpenter chuckles. "You didn't ask. I offered."

Grimm winces a little in chagrin. "Yeah, you did. I mean, you just went through some rough stuff is all."

Carpenter nods, "That's true. It would be good for me too, to be honest."

Grimm blinks, having not thought of that. She mulls it over for a moment before agreeing. "Okay. Sure. Since it doesn't sound like an inconvenience for you," she smiles gently.