Finding Strength (CLOSED)

"He knows things" Katherine said with a chuckle before cracking open another beer. She knew that Ryan likely wanted to keep his identity a secret, so she didn't say anything. She shook her head slightly, trying to figure something out. "Wait, ex-conman? What are you doing now? When did this happen?"

Julian shrugged. "Just kinda did.
Felt like turning my life around and start fresh. I still got some funds to sit on for some weeks until I get a job. Kinda got a bad rap with the dealer and then ninety percent of everybody else. New me, y'know.". He let out a exhale, cracking open a beer and taking a drink.

"Well shit... I hope you didn't get a bad rap because of that shit between me and the Dealer." Katherine raised her beer, in somewhat of a toast, a huge smile on her face. "Glad you're making a fresh start, Julian. Good on you." Katherine took a sip of her beer, smiling happily.

Julian shook his head, taking the toast with Ryan. "Nah, you were only a part of why I got a bad rap. I went to the dealer again and described him as the guy I wanted a card on, I swapped the merch between some stands a lot,
and taunted a lot of the fighters in the rings mid-match. Felt good, too. Oh, by the way - how's Charles? He's one of the few guys I'm on a good side with. I assume you took the contract for his old man?"

"Oh yeah, Charles... Great guy, really bad sense of humour though. I took the contract on his grandfather, gonna actually do it soon." Katherine took a sip of her beer, smiling a bit. "Thanks for putting me in contact with him" Katherine said with a smile, "It's a good way to keep the money coming." Jinx and Huntress were having a conversation with Meekara not too far from the group about some or other new breed of cat.

Julian shook his head, chuckling. "Yeah... He lives life completely seriously. Only time I've seen him smile is with his best pal Joseph, and that's cause they were childhood friends if I remember right.". Ryan noticed the group of three near them, waving at them with a smile on his face. He wanted to seem friendly to everybody, and get to know essentially everyone in this bus.

"Ah Yeah, we met Joseph, Ryan fought him. Good fight, actually." Katherine looked to Ryan for a moment, smiling slightly before turning back to Julian. "I had to stop Draco from killing Ryan's pet rat" Katherine said with a chuckle, remembering the rat incident at the cabin. Meekara and the girls soon approached Ryan, friendly smiles on their faces.
"So, um, I'm Jinx, sabotage specialist."
"Huntress, hitwoman."
"Meekara, the blind Assassin. We figured we should introduce ourselves, just be polite and friendly."

Ryan's eyes shined a bit as he stood up, smiling lightly. "Well, as I said earlier, name's Ryan. Pleasure to might you all. Needed more friends, honestly.". He laughed a bit, Michael smirking as he looked over to him. He was happy for Ryan, an just glad he gout out of the Assassin's HQ while he could.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ryan" Huntress said with a smile.
"I have to ask, how do you know our dear, sweet Katherine" Jinx asked excitedly.
"We are not the Spanish Inquisition, girls."
"Slug and Lettuce up ahead" Selena shouted from below. Katherine chuckled a bit before taking a sip of her beer, she was really quite excited to go to the Slug and Lettuce as she had only ever heard about it.

Ryan chuckled a bit at Meekara's comment, and said, "I'm a friend of Cal's. Not like him at all, though. Been hanging out with her for a bit now -
great person, honestly." . Michael perked up a bit at the name of the place they were approaching - the name sounded familiar, yet he couldn't quite place it.

"Alright, grab your house robe, and head inside." Katherine immediately grabbed a Hufflepuff robe, and raced down the stair leading to the pub, and bolted inside excitedly. She had been waiting for this for so long, and going to the Slug and Lettuce on her birthday was the best gift ever.
"Best birthday EVER!" The Slug and Lettuce was decorated in all manner of Harry Potter related things, from books to tapestries, even prop replicas. Katherine immediately grabbed a seat, looking at the tiny empty cauldrons in front of her with a huge smile.

Michael took a seat beside Katherine, smiling a bit. He ordered three shots of whatever he saw first and one shot of whatever was strongest as he planned - Julian and Ryan sat nearby, idly chatting until Julian smirked and mentioned something. "Ya know, playing Girls Just Wanna Have Fun on a constant loop would really fit 'ere. Know what I'm sayin'?". Michael smirked, looking over to Julian.
"Ah come 'ome, in tha middle of the nigh'- he began in a singing voice as Ryan cut in,
"-my mother says 'when you gonna live your life right?". The three of theme grinned at each other, breaking into their own cover of the song, despite their Scottish accents or deeper singing voices.

Katherine sang along between shots, becoming slightly more unstable in her chair with each shot. Strange's serum was working, perhaps a little too well.
The rest of the night was a blur to Katherine, and she tried to phone Calum at least four times, with the girls wrestling the phone away from her each time. At some point, there was a unicorn, or rather a horse dressed as a unicorn, which Katherine loved. She also developed a habit of flashing her boobs at passing cars at some point in the night, occasionally shouting, "I'VE GOT TITS!"

Michael, Ryan and Julian were all exceptionally drunk themselves, finding it hilarious everytime Katherine mentioned she had tits. Michael had started a rousing chorus of 'what do we do with a drunken sailor' with Julian and Ryan, however it was a bit off, as they merely said that line repeatedly and not finding a problem with it.

Katherine tried to join in on the singing, but she couldn't get a word out properly. She ended up passing out with her head hanging out the window of the bus. Meekara, being the only one who was completely sober, and pulled her back in. Katherine let out a mumble before passing out against the window, occasionally waking up, looking to the guys, and smiling.

Michael smiled a bit, looking at her. He was handed a good few beers by Ryan and Julian, the two of them picking up in volume for their chanting. Michael downed it all, recieving loud cheering from the two and joining in himself. Michael laughed a bit, stumbling lightly. "'eyy, what did ah seh now 'ere? Ah damn know ah coul' down tha 'ole lot of tha...". Before he could finish, he began tilting over, faliing on his side and passing out cold. This made Julian and Ryan laugh, making them grab a couple more beers for themselves.

When they got back to the house, Bane carried Katherine inside, while Selena and Jinx pushed the giant unicorn plush through to Katherine's bedroom.
"Besht birf'ay EVER! I-I love you two soooo much" Katherine slurred.
"We love you too, Kitty." Bane helped Katherine into her room, and Selena got her into bed. Katherine rolled over and started talking to herself, a huge dumb smile on her face.

Ryan and Julian were supporting Michael up, shambling insife after everybody else. "One extra large southern Scot -
who ordered 'im?" . This made the two laugh, Michael drunkedly laughing through out it.

"Meeeee..."
"No, Kitty, you ordered a scotch, not a Scot" Selena said with a sigh, tucking Katherine in. "I suppose we should get him into his room, which is... I don't know where." Bane had made his way back to the bus, along with the girls while Selena sat down on Katherine's bed for a moment.

"Ah wanna go tah m'bed... 'n' jer' o-"
"Ah, save it for yoursel' ya large drunk...". They shambled up the stairs, passing up Katherine's room laughing for essentially no reason. "Eyyy, Ka... Ka... You...
Grea' nigh'...". They moved on, Michael eventually getting onto his hed in his bedroom, the three still laughing a bit.

"Mikey, I caaaan help to look wif dat" Katherine slurred loudly as she tried to get out of the bed, only to be pushed back down by Selena.
"No, Katherine! Go to bed. You already got involved with one of the Butchers, and look how that worked out!"
"But..."
"No buts, Katherine, just go to sleep" Selena said with a sigh before leaving the room.

Hearing even the slightest of comparisons between him and his 'brother', Michael sprung up off his bed, being held back a bit by Julian and Ryan. They didn't try much, as Michael was struggling to just stand a bit. "Don' - Don' evah compare meh to tha' no-good, feckin traitor!".
"Calm it, Mikey... She's jus' lookin out fer K... Kat..."
"Bu' ah'm bettah than 'im! He's go' no righ' tah be similar tah me..."
"Christ, man - jus' go to sleep...
I'm damn tired..."

"Yeah! You'd notice that your girlfriend has left" Katherine shouted from her room, one eye closed. "And I really did like him too." Katherine wiped some tears from her eyes, and tried to force herself to fall asleep. Selena joined the guys, looking down at Michael.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to compare you to him, I just don't want to see her get hurt again. I don't want to beat her again" Selena said with a sigh.

"Ya think I wouldn' treat 'er righ', eh?
Wha' makes ya think ah woul'-" . Ryan, the most sober (more so least drunk) interrupted him.
"Mikey, calm it - she's just lookin out for Kat. You wanna look out for her too, yea? That's her way of doin' it.". Michael calmed down a bit, laying on his bed.
"Y-yeah... Fair nuff... Ah'm bloody tired, now..."

"Right, well I've given her her meds, so that should last until her healing factor kicks in in a few hours." Selena looked between the two, and hung her head slightly. "Well, whoever she ends up with, if she does decide to get involved with anyone again, I hope they treat her right. Any way, cheers guys." With that, Selena quickly left, heading off with the others.

Katherine had finally managed to fall asleep, and was snoring loudly, only stopping to talk occasionally. It had been a long night, and she was mentally and physically drained.