Owner	Pose
Mercy Thompson	The smells from Mercy's garage are an odd mix, antifreeze, brake fluid, dust, rust, gasoline, diesle, and everything in between. Mercy herself is slid under a Rabbit, fixing up a transmission that decided to eat half the gears. She's got a transmission jack in place and slides out, wiping her hands on a rag. It'll hold for the moment. There's a plate of breakfast sandwiches balanced on a toolbox, several opened and sitting there. Mercy's not too worried, the fans are going full speed and she's got her covderalls and work boots on. Plus, she's got her work face on. She's Mercy the Volkswagen (and German car) mechanic. She pulls herself upright and sets about bolting the door back on. It's funny, she had to take the door off to get to the transmission. The bay doors are open, and it's not hard to hear Mercy at work. Or the fans kicking in, or the radio, too, it's playing soft rock.
Ivory	Ivory doesn't have a car, but there are ads out for cars in the newspapers, and they look up some of those at the time. Can't hurt to have a car somewhere, right?. One of those ads is Mercy's obviously, as they turn up at the open bay, jeans, T-shirt, scarf, jeans jacket and an umbrella. "Hello?" they ask into the darkness of the garage, using a hand to bang twice against the gate to try to get attention through the noise of the shop
Mercy Thompson	Mercy looks around while bolting the door in place. That done, she's got a wrench in hand and finally looks toward the door. Shutting off the fans. "C'mon in. What can I help you with?" Mercy asks twirling the wrench in one hand as she looks over and actually smiles. "Welcome" she says and bang sthe wrench against the Rabbit, and sends it up on a lift. Mercy then looks a lost les threatening, somehow, with a wrench and her martial arts training. "So what can I help you with?" she asks with a gentle voice.
Ivory	"I saw the ad in the papers. The one about used cars. That's you, right?" Ivory asks, slowly stepping into the workshop, carefully making sure not to sink their converses into a puddle of oil. "Just looking for the moment, I mean, trying to figure out what kinda car one actually could use in this place of a traffic jam. But I might need to get to meetings outside at times, so having a vehicle..."
Mercy Thompson	Mercy raises an eyebrow. "Used cars? Oh, you mean my ones I restore and sell. Alright. What?" she asks and sounds enthused. Oil, transmission fluid, grease. There's a lot to sink feet into. A lot of puddles too. Old cars leak....a lot, but Mercy skilfully moves her way to the front desk office part and sits behind it. "So, looking for what exactly?" she asks and gestures to take a seat. It's like she's aying hey, they might be here a while.
Ivory	"Oh, nothing specific, but I was hoping something mildly eco friendly. I mean, not a green car per se, but somethign that isn't a huge, gasoline swallowing engine with too much power like an SUV. And best smaller, unless it's like... a van or something. I mean, a compact or something van-like would be perfect." Ivory elaborates after they follow, looking around for a spot to stand on safely with those fabric shoes but then taking the offered seat. "I'm not deep into cars or something, just looking for the moment."
Mercy Thompson	Mercy taps her fingers on the desk. "Hm. Small, good gas mileage, eco friendly" she muses. "I do have a Vanagon outside in the lot that's looking for an owner" she says with a nod. "It's a Westphalia as well. Or there's the Rabbit or Beetle" she says and nods. "Both small, neat, and cheap to run cars. We're talking late 80s, early 90s Vanagons, Rabbits and Beetles too" she says with a nod. "Both are very efficient and not too damaging to the environment" Mercy offers, thinking what else she could offer.
Ivory	"I'll have to look at them. 80s... are we talking with this cat or whatever it is called? I mean, to get the exhaust cleaned up some?" Ivory inquires, tilting the head a little.
Mercy Thompson	Mercy smiles. "They meet current standards. You want to look at them now?" she asks, not moving from her seat yet. She's waiting on a yes or no. Finally she gets up, wiping her hands. "C'mon, let's take a look at the cars, see if any catch your eye" Mercy points out gently.
Ivory	Ivory shrugs a moment as they contemplate the offer, then nod. "Sure, why not?" they finally ask, getting up to follow Mercy along. "Meeting the standards is good. NY or California ones? I mean, I heard that California is the toughest one on standards."
Mercy Thompson	Mercy nods and leads the way out to the front of her garage. "Alright, Vanagon" she says, gesturing to a silvery-gray VW Vanagon, "Rabbit, or Beetle. Don't let the Bug fool you. Under that rust it's pale greenish" she nods. The Rabbit's an 89 model. Mercy's restored it, and it's sitting in a dark red. The Vanagon's rebuilt, silvery-grey and the Bug....is from the 60s. Mercy's carefully rebuilt that too, sky ble as she steps back, looking around with a smile.
Ivory	Following outside, Ivory tapped the chin as they marvhed aver to the small gathering. "Those look like they are missing the summer of love paint," they tease as they point to the bus and the bug. "Or a race stripe, but then it should be... eggshell colored? no, it wasn't eggshell... pearl white?"
Mercy Thompson	Mercy laughs. "Or a Mystery Machine paint, too" she offers. "You buy it. You paint it" Mercy ads with a grin. "That's how it is. You buy it. Your responsibility" Mercy adds with a wry grin, patting the Vanagon. "So, where are we off to solve a mystery today?" she adds with a grin, then looks to the Bug. "Nothing a bit of tape can't fix. The personality however? That's a whole other mattr. You missed out the poor little Rabbit mind..." Mercy says moving to the Rabbit and patting it lightly. "Then again. I'm struggling too"
Ivory	"Well, they are cute, but what's the price point? I mean, those are classics. Old ones. So what's the catch?" Ivory asks, carefully eying between the Bus and the Bug. "And what about the extras? I mean, I don't expect heated chairs, but having some amenities would be interesting..."
Mercy Thompson	Mercy looks amused. "You get an 8 track and heated seats. Okay the Vanagon has a busted electric window on the passenger side, the Rabbit's got no power steering, but that's just a case of a new pump and tighten up the belts and screws, the Beetle's got no supports in the back for seat belts" Mercy says. "ALl three are going for....let's see. Rabbit? $4500. Vanagon T2? 650, Bug? $3500" Mercy offers. She's hinting it's a you get what you pay for idea. "Rabbit's got the most luxury, the Vanagon's got a bed mind, but you need to drive that a certain way. Bug's just basic but reliable" Mercy observes with a smile.
Ivory	"650? That's a steal... what's the catch with the T2? No power steering I guess, as it's crazy old, but besides one side having no window opening... what's really wrong with it?" Ivory asks pointedly, getting closer to the T2 in question.
Mercy Thompson	Mercy shrugs. "Vanagon? Engine in the back, the bed's not very secure and you need to power the stove from an outlet" she says, with a laugh. "Oh, the bed's got no springs, and the fridge has no fuses in it. Aside from that....she runs, oh the van has power steering. Or did, before it leaked everywhere driving to Jersey and back" Mercy admits with a shrug. "And the Wasserboxer engine tends to rattle a lot and not start that much in the winter. But aside from that....good van. I'll even throw in a repair manual and a set of chains, and a full gas tank" Mercy offers.
Ivory	Ivory says, "Hmmm, and what'd it cost to have it fixed? I mean, not the fridge and bed, those might need to go anyway as I don't look for camping but more as a transport. I mean, it has space, allowing to get a whole collection from a to b, which the bug and rabbit don't allow... Oh, let me think... it's manual, isn't it?""
Mercy Thompson	Mercy laughs, "Yeah it's a four speed manual, but you'll need to keep it wound up to get anywhere. Put it this way. I just keep my Vanagon foot to the floor, in fourth...and only doing highway speeds, too. You know it's bad when you get overtaken by people on driver's ed clases and they point and laugh. Then realize oh no, I just made a fool of myself" Mercy points out with a smile. "You know, the fridge works as a cupboard if there's no power. Same for the bed, use it as a shelf" Mercy points out. She's not about to say it makes a good spot for a coyote to nap, either. Mercy looks amused hough. "What's wrong with manual?" she asks folding her arms.
Ivory	"I can work with it, but a lot of people can't. It's like... you got to think extra." Ivory notes, peering into the car. "I mean, the price is interesting, but I am not really a mechanic so I could fix it up. What would be the tag for those necessary repairs you mentioned? I mean, getting engine to start reliably, fixing the fridge and the steering?
Mercy Thompson	Mercy shrugs, "Few hudnred" she says waving a hand at the Vanagon, "It's just changing the starter and wires" Mercy nods with a laugh. "It's just a simple fix. The electrics can be done in half an hour" Mercy nods keenly. "Anything else....that'd take a bit more time" she says and looks pleased. "Six fifty, and I'll work on it" Mercy offers, looking amused at the idea then settles back on her heels. "Want to test drive the van?"
Ivory	Ivory hmmms a little, then nods. "Never buy a car you can't drive, aye? So better see how it drives, aye?" they say, checking the doorhandle if it's open. "I mean, I am not gifted with future sight so I can only guess..."
Mercy Thompson	Mercy opens the door and steps back. "I'll get in the passenger seat" she offers and slides in neatly, like she's done this before. Mercy shakes her hair out and settles in, clicking the belt into place as she puts her feet on what the front bumper of the Vanagon is. As she settles back, looking over dangling the keys at Ivory. "So" Mercy nods, "Take your time" she adds with a grin.
Ivory	Ivory stretches before getting into the car, seeking a good position before she reaches for the keys. A trained movement brushes their hair back, then they reach to buckle up. A little they take their time to sort out the padels before putting in the key and starting the ignition, forcing the old machine to try to start. "Let's see what we got here..."
Mercy Thompson	Mercy shakes her head as the engine does in fact start. "Okay, good. it starts. Though if you turn it off and on again" Mercy shrugs. "Good luck with that. Especially in the cold and snow" she opines and laughs softly. "It's funny, I built this thing from a frame. It's got a mind of its own" Mercy adds with a wry grin. Like she's enjoying this too much, she pats the Vanagon, as it still runs. "Oh, I se how it is. You don't start for me. But the moment somebody else shows up, you show off" Mercy says, debating kicking the footwell of the Vanagon. That thought does cross her mind a few times, but she smirks. "See. I like my old cars. Try her out, see if you like this Vanagon enough to buy her" Mercy adds with a smile.
Ivory	Ivory shrugs as they shift into first gear, then slowly let the clutch come to try to get the car to move. "Well, I have no idea why. Maybe it works now and then breaks down the moment I shut it down?" they tease, ever so carefully getting the Bus to move and to the way to the road. "Didn't you say it has something about the cooling or something?"
Mercy Thompson	Mercy gives Ivory a look, the sort of look that says she'd better hope not. "Nah, this won't break down. At least, not yet" Mercy adds with a shrug as she watches, the Vanagon moving smoothly. Mercy's on edge a little, this is going too well for her tempramental German cars. Looking over, Mercy grins. "You got this. You so got this" she says herfully. Less 'used car saleswoman' and more 'PTA mom' type. Or 'supportive mom' type too. "So what're your plans with the Vanagon?" Mercy adds with a nod.
Ivory	"I need 4 wheels to get me to people in other cities so I can discuss stuff with them. Like business, but I also need to sometimes transport a lot of clothes for those, so a van would be a good idea." Ivory notes, carefully getting the car into traffic to actually start the test drive. "It's a little loud... Is there a way to put some kind of sound dampening thing between the engine and the cabin?"
Mercy Thompson	Mercy laughs, "Alright, that answers that. Traffic. Vanagon. You're doing great....watch it..." Mercy addss, directing the last bit of the sentence at a biker on a crotch rocket who decided to try shaving the paint off with his elbows then flipped them off before zooming off. Mercy takes note of the flashing lights. "Karma" she decides with a smirk.
Ivory	Ivory winces at the biker, carefully shifting into second and then third gear, not going further yet as the engine hammers and pulls the car in the traffic. "So far it drives, only a little loud." they note, reaching to the radio to see if that works.
Mercy Thompson	Mercy grins, "Yeah, but you put some rubber or something in there. You sort that out. Keep your foot down and don't let up when you get into second or third" Mercy adds andd looking worried. She's more used to driving than being a passenger. So far she's alive, thankfully. There's that, as Mercy nods to the radio. "It works. I just don't listen to it much, really. Yeah you gotta watch for traffic around here" Mercy adds as there's a yellow cab tailgating them and the driver flipping them off. Mercy looks over her shoulder as the taxi goes to pull out and finds a mailbox. "I swear if my father's involved in this...." Mercy says with a shrug. "I'll have words with him"
Ivory	Ivory almost shrieks as the taxi runs down the mailbox, seeking the next chance to get off to a different road that has less traffic. "I... People are crazy today... what's that about your father?" they ask, more concentrated on the traffic than the discussion. Because with people this crazy...
Mercy Thompson	Mercy sighs. "My father's a trickster. Coyote. yeah. That one" Mercy huffs shaking her head, "He likes to make life....we....interesting for hiss children. Unfortunaely...." Mercy says waving a hand. "Or fortunately, nobody's being too out of line today bar that biker and cab driver" Mercy shrugs and looks amused then shakes her head, "You're doing good mind...but yeah. I don't think a busy road's a good idea. There's little side alleys that work just as well" Mercy says agreeing on the 'being on a busy road is bad' thought.
Ivory	Ivory blinks as she sets the blinker to get to the indicated road, shaking the head a little. "Coyote? Sounds like a codename. Can't refer to him by hhis real name, hmm?" they ask as they ponder about the direction to try to get the car back to the garage in some minutes. "Does he pay people to try to kill you or why do mad people show up?"
Mercy Thompson	Mercy shakes her head. "Try Native American deity" she says with a serious look, then nods "Yeah there's a thousand ways to get back around to my garage. Pick one. Pick one that won't get us killed by crazy cab drivers" Mercy adds with a shrug. "Or anything, really. I like living, though...that's the thing about Harlem. It's strange. It's very very strange at times"
Ivory	Ivory suddenly slams the breaks at the claim, luckily having already been in that small road without much traffic. "You're like a demigod and you are not in the Avengers or Justice League or something?! I thought all the gods and demigods would join one of those teams!" they exclaim, turning to look at Mercy. "I mean, divinde heritage powers or such."
Mercy Thompson	Mercy shakes her head. "I keep my head down, I do my own thing, I don't go around screaming I'm Coyote's daughter. That brings trouble. And I've only so many times I can slip out of trouble before it starts wearing on me. Besides, if I stay out of the spotlight, it's less trouble, right?" she adds, sitting back in her seat. "Be glad this van's got working brakes. The Rabbit's got no front brakes, the Bug's only got one brake on the front and the parking brake. Which comes off if you snatch it too hard. Ths thing? Got brakes alright. You found them" Mercy adds with asmile.
Ivory	Ivory blinks a little as they started to drive again, aiming to get back to the workshop now. "Uhm... It's still... I mean, you have a literal god for a parent... And you really want me to buy this car, as much as you tell about the errors of the others..."
Mercy Thompson	"Yes" Mercy says. "Yes to both, mostly since I got to keep a roof over my head, and keep the lights on. Plus it frees up a spot in my garage to work on the Rabbit more...without trripping over vanagon parts every so often" Mercy adds with a smile.
Ivory	"If you do some work on it - I pay for that - I might be convinced to get it..." Ivory notes as they slowly turn the car onto the yard of the garage. "I mean, it runs, it has space, and if those errors are fixed, it might be a quite reliable car..."
Mercy Thompson	Mercy grins. "Deal" she says quickly. "bring it into the garage. I'll have it done in...about half an hour or so" Mercy says gently, nodding keenly. "You made my day" she adds with a happy litle grin. "You bought my Vanagon I rebuilt. Sweet!"
Ivory	"A running car for under a grand? A steal." Ivory notes with a grin as she drives to the bay door, trying their best to align the large car with the lift without breaking off the mirrors. They have to break and take a roll back once, but in the end the engine shuts off over the working spot. "Take your time, I go and get a cheque... or you want cash?"
Mercy Thompson	"Eitther" Mercy offers and hops out, scrabbling down in the pit and snatching up her tools. It's a simple fix. A screw here. A bolt there, drain the oil, add a bit of rubbber to the engine bay....^R Mercy's good at this, she's got the bolts tightened up in a few moments, and she's cutting matting to fit in the bay after a few more minutes. It's the measuring out and ensuring it won't get too hot or melt that's the problem she's dealing with. She's trying to figure out how to sort that one, and has various bits of rubber mat cut out. She's also got other materials too, just in case rubber would melt.
Ivory	Ivory uses the time to get to her bank, retrieving cash and getting back, the envelope feeling heavy in their jacket pocket, especially in the worse parts of town. As they return, there's still some time to spare, so they wait and watch, once more trying not to step into a puddle of... something.
Mercy Thompson	Mercy's measuring bits of material to fit around the engine as Ivory returns. She looks amusedd at the array of materials, everything from rubber, to bits of egg box. Mercy found a use for those eggs she bought after all. She looks over to Ivory, "Oh hey, want to help out with your soon to bee new van? Which do you think would stop the engine rattling and still keep it cooled enough to run?" she asks.
Ivory	"Uh, I'm not an engineer, but maybe some kind of foam? I mean, it's light and thin while swallowing the sound. Maybe one can stick the isolation to the inside of the car? I mean, under the bedplate?" Ivory asks. "I mean, you said the mattress needs to be replaced anyhow..."
Mercy Thompson	Mercy nods quietly then looks thoughtful, clicking her fingers. "Yeah that could work. But....that could definitely workk if the foam's the right thickness" Mercy opines, inspecting the engine bay of the Vanagon, poking around it as she's studying it for a moment orr two. Setting dwn the foam, Mercy's pacing around the van with a smile. "Yeah this may work.
Ivory	Ivory watches Mercy do those few fixes they had talked about, finally chiming in. "You had mentioned something about... a liquid or something... refilled that already?" they ask, pulling out the envelope with the pay in the meantime. "Because if it is ready, I can take it off your hands for these presidents.
Mercy Thompson	Mercy nods. "Yep, full gas tank" she says with a nod. "Okay, your new van's ready to go" Mercy adds banging it with a wrench. Looking over the van then to Ivory, Mercy wipes her hands on a rag, reaching a hand out for the envelope and nodding at it.
Ivory	Ivory pulls the envelope back a little. "And the paperwork? I mean, got to get the car all registred and such, so I need the papers too." they reminded as they walked to the little desk.
Mercy Thompson	Mercy nods, "It's on the desk in the office all ready for you" she nods and looks pleased. She's got this, as Mercy looks from the van to Ivory. "Shall we?" she asks, putting away her wrenches and stepping toward the office slowly, avoiding the puddles that she'll clean up later.
Ivory	Ivory nods as they open the envelope, counting the cash for Mercy before tucking it back into the envelope and putting it onto the table next to the sales papers Mercy indicated. "Here's your cash..."
Mercy Thompson	Mercy slides back into a seat and gestures to the paperwork. "It's all there, bill of sale, registration, history of the van, repair manual's under the driver's seat. I've made notes so you can follow along" Mercy says with a keen nod, tucking her hair back with a smile. "Easy to fix. It's one of those step by step manuals, too" Mercy says with a nod.
Ivory	Ivory picks up the bill of sale, filling in their contact information as needed and signing it off before checking if it is all signed by mercy, then gathering all the things together. "Or I hit up a trusty garage like yours to fix some stuff for me once in a while." They're not a mechanic after all.
Mercy Thompson	Mercy grins. "Of course. And...." she says getting up, returning with a tray of home baked cookies. "These, too." she says, having left the office for a few moment. She's brought the cookies out as a way to show her appreciation, too.
Ivory	Ivory smiles as they pick up the items they have to take with them, then add the cookies atop. "Thanks a lot. Might need to get a decal comissioned some time, but well, that comes with time." Moving to the car, they smile as they open the doors, putting the paperork onto one of the side seats. "See you for service then?"
Mercy Thompson	Mercy waves, "Just remember it's a Synchro, and keep your revs up" Mercy offers and grins, putting the money safely away. She's done good, that girl.