[video]

[shifting]

All right. We're havin' an event at Merlotte's. It's been too damn long and I've missed the big ones, so I'm decidin' right now that one's happening. ....Wednesday. There, it's decided. M'callin' it "Take Back The Night". There'll be live music and drink specials and all sorts of good times. Just for fun, it'll be a semi-formal theme.

We're also still hirin' for a number of positions, and I'm in need of an assistant manager in a pretty bad way. Come on in for an interview any day this week between 2 an' 4.

[reaching over to shut off the monitor. Stops. Squints.]

...And I'd just like to say to certain unnamed parties that I taste just fine, so fuck you.

[click]

Comments

voice;

[shifting]

You'll heal.

voice;

[manofthenorth]

Always.

What do vampires smell like to you?

voice;

[shifting]

[he glares like he's about to refuse him out of spite - but he'll be the bigger man.]

Blood. Most of it old. And earth, and ash. And sometimes there's a little bit of rot, but that comes and goes. ...I think it's only when you guys haven't fed in a while.

voice;

[manofthenorth]

So not 'cheap cologne'?

voice;

[shifting]

Haven't smelled you recently. Can't make that call.

voice;

[manofthenorth]

Your boyfriend seems to be an expert on the subject, perhaps you should ask him.

voice;

[shifting]

He's not. ...To either one.

voice;

[manofthenorth]

Oh?

And what happened?

voice;

[shifting]

We're roommates, Eric.

voice;

[manofthenorth]

You don't bicker like roommates, but nevermind. I'm only really interested up and to including you making him watch his mouth.

Voice; private

[shifting]

Why? What's he sayin'?

Voice; private

[manofthenorth]

[ He replays Edgeworth's voice. ]

But you do bathe regularly. What would it matter if some oversexed, condescending idiot whose only claim to fame is making even worse this city's already-hideous nightlife said otherwise? Frankly, he probably would not know a good smell if presented with one clearly labeled and categorized, as he's no doubt spent a long time now with cheap bad cologne in his nostrils.

[ And now his own. ]

Watch his mouth for him, Merlotte. We are friends after all, and I would hate for a friend of my friend to come to some kind of harm.

Voice; private

[shifting]

Don't you fuckin' threaten him. [low and deadly serious.] I'll ask him to keep it civil, but if he wants to mouth off about someone, I'm gonna assume you're old enough to be able to handle it without comin' after a friend of mine.

You touch a hair on him wrong and I promise you'll pay for it. Friend.

Voice; private

[manofthenorth]

We both know what that man can do with his mouth, Merlotte.

Ask him to keep it civil, and I'm sure nothing will come of it, after all there's nothing in what he said that would so much as stir the hair on my backside. But I have seen blind hatred at work, and I will defend myself, just as you would. Clearly I would rather it didn't come to that.

Voice; private

[shifting]

He wouldn't slap a mosquito. He's harmless 'less you come tryin' to feed on him. ...Or make mouth comments like that.

It's probably all just him lookin' after me anyhow. Like I said, I'll talk to him.

Voice; private

[manofthenorth]

It's appreciated. And so there's no bad blood between us, I really did only mean it as a civil warning. I'm in a precarious situation here, Sam.

Voice; private

[shifting]

Fine. I know. He's just no part of it, you understand?

...As for the rest of it, maybe you should close the club a night or two.

Re: Voice; private

[manofthenorth]

I understand.

As for closing the club, no. I won't succumb to such pressures unless I have no choice.

Voice; private

[shifting]

And what would "no choice" mean in this case?

Voice; private

[manofthenorth]

If I were dead, or the building burned down.

Voice; private

[shifting]

...Fair enough.