12595/A very late Christmas present!

A very late Christmas present!
Date of Scene:	29 December 2020
Location:	The Blue Lady, Fort Joseph
Synopsis:	Buffy meets Nick and Nolan as her memories slowly return. Gifts are exchanged.
Cast of Characters:	Buffy Summers, Deadwatch, Phantasm (Drago)
Tinyplot:	Who's Who

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Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers had slowly recovered from the near fatal wounds that a mistaken Spawn had inflicted on her. Enough so that she was actually up and about a few days later, wandering about the club, but hesitant to leave with all the various people who were out for her blood.

Tonight is a quiet night, being in the middle of Christmas and New Years, although it seems the Blue Lady is never truly completely dead. She had wandered towards the tree, staring at the various packages, some of them addressed to 'Buffy', others with various Scooby names that should be familiar to her but weren't.

"Being amnesiac sucks.." she mutters aloud, heading to the bar for a drink. Yes. Drinks fix everything. Even if you're an amnesiac slayer stuck in a vampire's body.

At least now she's had a chance to shower and change into fresh clothes, borrowing some of Buffy's - her own - clothing, which today consists of a comfy black sweater and cute pink jeans. What a nice change from Tiffany's largely revealing and decidedly slutty wardrobe!

Deadwatch has posed:
No, the Blue Lady is definately /not/ dead. The Building has been around for well over a century and in that time has accumulate much of a spirit of it's own, as well as become the home to the souls of many Lost who have not crossed over. To Nolan, as he passes the Armed doormen (who give him a sort of stink eye as he drops a cigarette on the ground just outside and stamps it out with the tow of his shoe), he enters an echo of the past. He see's it's past as it is exists in the dark. Like a black and white movie overlayed on reality. People in 1930's attire walking among (and through) moderm day patrons. He sees antique telephone booths. A cigarette and newspaper booth. A shoeshine booth complete with kids in floppy hats. You get the idea. Nolan nods to the ghosts he passes, some who nod back before being surprised that they can be seen by him.

Amidst this muted world, Buffy stands out in full color. Well Stripperella Buffy, anyways. Luckily he is seeing the illumination of her soul, not that he could forget what she looks like in this body. *cough*.

His own ghostly entourage mostly split off from him, to explore or chat with the local ethereal inhabitants, allowing the crippled Pyschic to limp up beside Buffy, then lean on his forearm-crutch.. "Meeeeery freakin' christmas." he says cynicaly to her, though looks at the tree.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Ah. What a good point of time to be in. With the chaos caused by panicky Christmas shoppers and the wave of returns occuring the day after. Now seemed like a good time to leave the apartment. And, it just so happens he ended up have business over at the Blue Lady today.

The musician isn't given any issues at the front door, nor any funny looks as he steps in, not wearing the attire he wears when playing there. Nope. It's back to the knit cap.

Heading towards the bar area, Nick doesn't give much of a glance over towards the bodyswapped slayer. The perils of living in another city. You're out of the loop a lot.

Nolan, on the other hand, he does get another look. Head tilting curiously to the investigator's presence.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers frowns softly as she peers at the presents, and is already reaching for one of them - Nick's present - that had her name on it. "Huh, I don't even know who Nick is.." she glances over at Nolan and smiles softly.

"Hey, how've you been? It's good to see you again, although I didn't expect to find you here, of all places. Y'know, you kinda struck me as the type to hide in quiet empty rooms full of ghosts." Why, she almost seems back to her old self.

As Nick arrives, she glances at him curiously, not really remembering who he is, but..He does seem a bit familiar, somehow.

"I really hate this whole amnesia thing..It's like, I could be standing right next to someone I know, and not even know it.."

Deadwatch has posed:
Okay, /that/ description causes Nolan to snort and the ex-con medium shakes his head. "I'm not a shut-in. I'm out all the time." he informs her. "But I guess sometimes I get a bit agoraphobic. I spent 13 years in a 7 by 10 foot cell."

He reaches into his jacket and pulls out an old fashioned pewter flask and slowly twists it open. "But thats not important. I /am/ doing as fine as I can be.. but.. I thought I'd come and check up on you. Make sure you're doing okay. I take it the memories hav't started coming back since you're talking about how much amnesia sucks..." He shrugs and takes a swig of the bourbbon and then closes the flask.

"It shouldn't take /too/ much more time for the memories too be returned... But it's an inexact prcoess so..."

He looks over his shoulder as she looks to the passerby, Nick.. and he uhms, and looks to his blonde companions. "Speaking of people you know..." he murmurs. "Do /any/ of your friends know what ius happening?" he asks slowly.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Buffy has Nick at a disadvantage in one way. Unlike him, Buffy doesn't look like she normally does. Which does make for a hard time identifying her, even with the similar clothes that don't quite fit the body type. In his head he's got a general imagination that explains it away as some bar mishap leading to that woman having to borrow spare clothes. And Buffy's was probably the most readily available.

But then there's that psychic. Maybe more of a supernatural thing that happened near the club and she's -

Nah. That's a reach. If that was the case, then wouldn't the woman see a bit more upset than she currently looks, while picking up a VERY familiar looking present.

The hell?

What's it still doing wrapped?

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers smiles rather apologetically, "Okay, you got me there. I mean, to be fair, I don't even know you that well, I suppose. But still, it's good to see you out and about." she does frown a little at the jail reference, recalling one of the sadder memories he had showed her from his past.

By this time the barmaid has mixed her a white sangria, and she reaches for it, taking a cautious sip before glancing back at him. "Thanks, I appreciate it. I kinda feel like I left in a hurry the last time, before I even got a chance to thank you properly..But it seems that Buff--I mean..You know, I, had acquired a gift for you before this whole mess."

She glances towards Nick and smiles and shrugs, "Well, I think the memories are slowly starting to come back, maybe? At least certain places and people are starting to feel familiar, even if the attached memories are not. Like him..?"

Buffy glances down at her present then back at him. "Nick huh. wonder who Nick is. Apparently he knows me.."

Deadwatch has posed:
Whooo boy. As the barmaid delivers Buffy's drink, he leans over to the woman. "Can I get a Vodka paralyzer, Please?" he asks, and when she nods and walks off to get his drink, Nolan looks back to Buffy and shakes his head.

"I don't feel like I qctually /deserve/ a gift." he admits, shifting a bit uncomfortably/ "I wouldn't really worry about it. Truly, I.. I'm good."

Then he looks sidelong at Nick again, whom is looking in their direction. "Nick is the dude you just smiled at." he murmurs to her... And then he waves to said Nick. "Nice ta see ya, man!" he calls out. "Happy Holidays!"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick blinks as Buffy smiles to him before giving a smile back. As Nolan calls out to him, he waves back. Opting to come towards the pair rather than to call back.

"Happy Holidays." He returns, looking to the older man. "Nolan, right?" His attention shifts over to look to the body swapped Buffy. "I have a friend who would probably love your outfit."

Well, its not a lie, is it?

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers smiles at Nolan, "Sorry, too late..Besides, if you've helped her--me out before like you did the other day, and I didn't even pay you then you totally deserve it!"

She puts her own gift down temporarily and reaches for Nolan's, a perfect cube of a gift about big enough to hold a grapefruit sized object, adorned in silver holographic paper with little green Christmas trees all over. And she hands it to him.

"Here, take it. I'm pretty sure whatever it is, you deserve it."

Turning to face Nick, she laughs rather nervously, "Oh, oh you're Nick? Heh, speak of the devil..Uh..Nice to meet you, I'm..Uh...Buffy..Kinda?"

Deadwatch has posed:
"Yah.. Nolan. Thats me. And you're Nick." he says, fairly confident he's got the name right. And then looks to Buffy, sighing at Nicks comment. "You have no idea how right you are man..."

At that moment Buffy hands him the medium-small box. of course he has only one available hand so he lets out an off as it is not as light as he thought, almost dropping it before he clutches the wrapped box to his chest. "Thanks..?" he says. "Though I'm always a bit wary when someone hopes it's something I deserve..." he says.

When She (re)-introduces herself to Nick.. and Nick probably just stares at her (because thats what people tend to do when something like that is dropped on them) Nolan coughs once. "Uhm.. Ta-Daaaaaa! Merry Xmas?" Then sighs. "Before you freak out dude, she's telling the tructh. This /is/ buffy. The same one you came to my place with. You, her and the Vampire?" he reminds him. "Anyways, somehow she got her spirit switched with a vampire stripper and has had some of her memories eaten by tiny demons, which I sort of tainted so they should be getting memory poisoning AAAAANY time now and her memories should return and you know what I think I need a DRINK right now..." he trails off just as his vodka paralyzer arrives... and he has no free hand.

Sigh

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick's brow lifts as Buffy uses a line long established as code for 'just talking about you' which is odd for a guy he just met and a woman he never did.

The rocker turns his head looking over to Nolan at his comment and then looking back to Buffy. As the explanation is given the musician takes in a deep breath and lets out a drawn out sigh. "...Of course it is..."

Honestly Nolan could have said that the woman had the ghost of Abe Vigoda in her and he'd probably roll with it. It's been that type of year. "Like a russian nesting doll of possession."

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers nod-nods in confirmation to everything that Nolan says, "Okaay, I know it sounds like a really weeeird, overblown, totally unbelievable story, but it's tr--Wait, there's another vampire involved too? You mean the White Court Vamp, or someone else?"

Oh, he's running out of hands, "Here, let me help you, there's a little side table over here.." she takes his gift and rests it on the side table next to the tree before turning back to Nick.

"Sooo..Yeah, I guess we kinda know each other already? Umm, nice to meet you, again?" she's already working on unwrapping that gift he gave her.

Deadwatch has posed:
Thankfully hands off the gift so his one availaboe hand (the one not clutching his cane) so he can get his drink. "I dunno if one is involved with /this/" he admits and sips his drink.. Mmmmm. He loves how a vodka paralyzer tastes like a melted rootbeer float yet there is no root beer involved. "THe first time you visited me you showed up with an unafilliated Vamp. Angel." he tells her then looks to Nick.

"I wouldn't say a nesting doll. trust me, totally different supernatural problem. But.. YEah.. it's sorta screwed up. ANd I am doing my VERY best not to make bimbo jokes right now lest when she TOTALLY gets her memories back and switches back and desides to cripple me.. more.."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick gives a slight nod, answering Buffy's question with the movement. "Yeah. We kind of know each other." He adds unecessarily as he glances to her opening up the present.

The side of his mouth twisting up slightly to the bimbo joke before the expression levels off. "So, what you're doing is going to take care of the mind demons... Is someone else working on the spirit swap?"

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers smirks at Nolan, "But don't think you're getting out of openning that gift..Hey, why don't we grab a seat, get some munchies? I mean..I guess I don't really *need* to eat, but like, the food's pretty good here, so are the drinks."

Anyway, she's finished unwrapping the present and her eyes widen at the different cocoa samples. "Ooh, this is really nice, thanks Nick!" although she does eye the no bats thing a bit warily, "So uh, did I not like bats orr something?"

She shrugs helplessly as she moves to pick up Nolan's gift, pointing to a nearby booth, "Hey, we can sit over there if you like? And..Yeah, Nolan actually did some magic mojo to...Taint? the memories those little mini demons stole from me, sooo I guess I just have to wait for the queen to reject them and hopefully release them rather than just destroy them. It's a bit stressful..I hate waiting."

Another shrug is given as she heads to said booth, hopefully the others are following. "And yeah, looks like..Tiffany, the blonde bimbo whose body I'm inhabiting, used some sort of magical finger trap looking device thingy to swap our minds, but she deliberately destroyed it after she shifted into my body..Apparently Harry and Willow are working on a reconstitution spell to fix it.."

Deadwatch has posed:
Nolan Voight grumps as Buffy makes it very clear he is going to have to open the present in fromt of her. SO he liumps after her, towrds the booth, conversing with Nick as he does so. "The memory eater problem will work itself out now. As for the spirit swap.." he shrugs. "She doesn't know who did it. And I don't know anyone who does. And It's a complex process to begin with if one doesn't know the method which was used. The swapping of minds isn't just a simple spell or ritual, and the method used is very individualized per the caster. If I don't know the exact procedure they utilized I could lose both parties if I attempted to undo it. I need to use the same road map the original ritualist used." he says, then points at Buffy as she explains what happened. "Just like her two collegues are apparently doing.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick looks to the mug, reminding himself of the design, "Oh, it's just being silly. Camp horror films. Bats and vampires..." He lets the description die away on his lips as he lets the quiet set in. "He glances over towards the booth as Buffy makes her suggestion and he shakes his head. "Nah, I can't. Just here to run an errand then I got to head back to NYC to prepare for something in a few days." He looks between Nolan and Buffy, "Well it sounds like you guys got things covered so that's good. Hopefully next time I see you two, Buffy will be back to normal.

He gives the pair a final wave before he heads towards the area set aside for the musicians to relax in. Now where the $#2943$ is that bookbag?

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers is bloody persistent when she wants to be, and right now she very much wants to be. But hey, at least she's doing it for a good cause. "Well..To be fair, I *didn't* know who did it or how, but it seems Thomas and them figured it out already, soo..Like I said, I just have to wait for them to fix the metallic gizmo thingy and then we can swap our bodies back.."

She sighs, "Apparently my *real* body is upstairs somewhere, it's all so very surrealistic, you know?" And there goes Nick. Buffy pouts a bit but waves to him. "Awe, that's too bad, guess I'll see you later. At least, now that I know who you are!"

And once Nolan is all comfy and seated, she smiles, pushing the present towards him. "Soo..."