16478/So What Did I Miss

So What Did I Miss
Date of Scene:	13 August 2024
Location:	Club Lux, Melville
Synopsis:	Spawn does his best Jefferson impression
Cast of Characters:	Phantasm (Drago), Spawn

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Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
While there's a bit of busyness going on in the club below, the only hint of the activity on the hotel hallway is a dull repetitive thump sound. There's typically few to complain about this as most hotel residents are the result of too much partying down below.

But as the elevator door parts to admit a ballcap wearing ponytailed rock star turned actor-

Well there are exceptions to the rule.

Taking advantage of the safe haven reputation the club offers, Nick is...mostly at ease.

Mostly. There's a glance to either side of the hallway to quickly confirm the lack of people to determine which room is his. Appeased, he pulls out a keycard and scans the door.

Spawn has posed:
As Nick approaches the door to his room, there's a disturbance on the surface of it. It starts with what looks like sickly-green smoke in the shape of a man who's a foot taller than the door but still short of the ceiling, putting the height of the thing at seven feet tall. The glowing green eyes and endlessly-crawling white-on-black of the armor suit emerges first, then the blood red cape that seems to flow out of the skulls affixed to his collarbones and up over his back like a waterfall. It only takes a second for Spawn to phase through the door and stand in front of the incognito-costumed rock star.

The giant demon stands there, staring down at Nick from those eyes that burn with Hellfire, the flames licking up where the eyelids should be and the smoke pouring out of the corners like tears that stream up instead of down.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
You know...There's just something about someone flowing through a door that just is not right. And it's very rare that Nick is on the receiving end of it.

It was the motion that triggered the response. It's always the motion. A sudden surge where one was not expected that causes for an instinctual reaction. Some freeze. Others run away. As for Nick, in the hallway that until just recently only contained him. He mirrors.

No, he doesn't imitate Spawn's actions. In fact it's more of a leap back. But as he does so, the features seem to shift. What's right is left, what's left is right. And there's the slightest inkling of a shadow pooling from under his collar, just the slightest stretch out of fabric before something quashes it away.

The mirrored musician blinks as he looks to the man before him. "Jesus, Spawn. Quit stealing my entrances."

Spawn has posed:
Rather than apologize, Spawn just looms there like a big, dark statue. He stares balefully down at Nick for a long moment, giving the other enough time to both collect himself and issue admonishment, before he projects an auditory hallucination via telepathy. "Just back from Hell. Need to know what's changed while I was gone. Lost my phone." The projected voice is human-like, a deep, smooth basso, very unlike the croaking rattle when he physically speaks from inside the armored suit. He sounds totally serious about losing the phone, even though he's never been seen with one.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Yeah well I guess phones don't keep very well in parts of hell. Or get a good signal." Nick sighs, shaking his head before his form resets back to normal. All shadow gone, he hurms.

The sound of the thumping below is enough indication that they have time.

"Do you Need a phone? I think I got an extra burner in my bag."

No pun intended.

He scans the keycard, granting the two of them access to the room. Off to the side of the room a TV is running, playing some drama with a mirror positioned to face it.

"Sorry Millie." Nick comments, throwing a sheet over the mirror, "We got a guest." A fumble for the remote is made before he extends it to the tv, pausing the show right there.

Nick looks to Spawn. "Right. So...How long were you gone for? So I can get an approximation. Because the short answer is 'A lot.' "

Spawn has posed:
Spawn doesn't bother to duck under the doorframe, so in spite of having it opened for him he phases through it again. "Thanks, but no thanks," he answers the offer of being gifted a spare phone, still broadcasting telepathic hallucinations rather than speaking aloud. "I'd only put it where I keep my guns, the battery would die, and I'd never hear it ring anyway." There's an after-image broadcast with that remark, amounting to a full-sensory hallucination of a guy staring at his empty contacts list and feeling terrified of who might call him.

Immediately following that, the answer to the last question about how much time to catch up on is relayed as another hallucination. This one is the total loss of equilibrium, the utter disconnect from physical reality, and the inability to tell whether the few minutes in Hell consumed a few hours or a few years on Earth. Spawn is kind enough not to include the agony of burning in Hellfire along with the memory of what it's like to be there and return, just the unvarnished reality of how ill-equipped he is to answer the question. When the imagery has played out the answer to the question, "What's with the mirror?" is asked.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Ok fair enough. You're kind of like Harry." Nick comments, "He's horrible with electronics. He fries them. I just break them."

The musician pauses as he gets the lengthy equivalent of 'Idunno' in response to his time. "Ok then. A lot happened."

When the attention is brought back to the covered mirror he smiles, "Oh uh. Lucifer and Nathaniel took me to a market and a magic mirror sort of ...bonded with me. Seems Millie prefers it here than in the penthouse or storage."

Probably because he lets them watch tv while he's out.

He pauses,"If you're asking to be caught up with the Scoobies...I don't know EVERYTHING that's been going on with Buffy and the others because I went through a lot of shit the past few years that required me to keep my distance but...Um. Chicken Freeze demon. Fish demons, dream demons...SHIELD confiscated Buffy's Scythe and I had to ask them to give it to Faith. Hellequinn's kind of mellowed out. He's got aways to go but he's getting better. Willow and I accidentally time traveled. And uh...Oh some high up vamp put a bounty on almost all of the group member's heads. Plus the Winchesters. I managed to avoid the list. Probably because I had the sense to hide my face most of the time."

Spawn has posed:
Spawn stands there, looking between Nick and the covered mirror while Nick answers him. Apart from the movement of his head, and the rather gruesome look of the way his cape and costume remain in eternal motion in the properly lit room, he might be a piece of immobile furniture.

"What are the current issues then?" he wants to know, settling his attention fully on Nick. "Demons, relics, or, uh, not sure what to call some of that."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick tilts his head in consideration. "...Honestly they don't really call me unless they need numbers in a fight. But...I think the scythe and the hit list would be the most recent things. Thomas might have a more up to date list. The slayers are... closer to him."

Spawn has posed:
"Thank you for your time," Spawn's hallucinatory voice rumbles in Nick's mind. "Anything you need from me?" He falls back a single step, indicating his intention to depart.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Uhh..." Nick pauses, "Not that I can think of at the moment. But... maybe later?"

He shrugs, "Either way, welcome back."