Mommy Dearest

GM: Selene
Players: Pulse, Selene
Synopsis: Brenna's Mum comes a callin' on that slimy boxer who would be her new son in law
Date: 2070 04 26


«Pemitted to Pulse» THERE IS KNOCK AT YOUR FRONT DOOR
Medievo Penthouse 1008 - Front Room

The Penthouse is a statement of class and easy living. The large central rooms furniture offers an elegant taste, but comfortable ease to the eye and body as it circles around the large wall mounted trideo system. Plush carpets help in offering a quiet and restfull respite from the hungry dog-eat-dog world beyond these walls. This main central room offers the comfort you find in any highrise penthouse, complete with a full gormet kitchen and dining area and the touches of a home brought to you from the pages of the most exspensive magazines of decour and style.

NOTE: Type '+lhelp apartment' for help on commands.

Contents:
Pulse [Player]
Obvious exits (Current location: CAS Sector):
Hallway <H> Master Bedroom <MB> Patio <P> Out <O>

Pulse walks back into his front room, checking the security cameras in the hallway as he finishes brushing his teeth.
And another knock, this time louder.

The Cameras show an attractive older woman in a suit, maybe in her late 40's or early 50s. She is elven, and bears a slight resemblance to Selene (when she is cleaned up nicely anyway). On either side of her stands a man in a black suit, and sunglasses, hands folded at his waist. They look like twins.

Pulse sighs, and idly hits the communit to contact security. "Hello, Immanuel? There are people here to see me. Who are they?"

Immanuel replies, "the woman gave her name as Jane Quinn, her ID was Saeder corporate. The two men had similar SINS, Gregory Kellog and Zachary Beich. They were insistent, sir. Very insistent."

Pulse says "Understood. Do me a favor and have security on standby, will you? I may need them." He hangs up the communit and goes to the door, running his fingers through his hair… and then he opens it. "Good afternoon."

Jane steps forward, she is rail thin with black hair, mared by only a few streaks of grey and grey eyes. Wearing a severely cut business suit and very conservative black heels, "Mr. Lucciano?" she asks.

Pulse stares at the woman for a moment, and then he smiles. "Well I'll be damned," he says, making a leap of intuition. "If you're who I think you are… welcome, welcome." He opens the door wider, stepping back, gesturing politely to let the woman in. "Please come in. Yes, I am Mr. Lucianno. Would you like a drink? Anything to eat? There is some fantastic catering here."

The woman raises an incredulous eyebrow, and enters the apartment, followed closely by her companions in black. Jane smiles, but it does not quite reach her eyes, "Just club soda, and a touch of cranberry if you have it." she responds, "Water for these two." another gesture to her companions, "And just who do you think I am?"

The two men take up positions on either side of the front door inside the apartment, again, hands folded on front, standing ram-rod straight, and absolutely silent.

Pulse nods and walks to his kitchen. He stares at the appliances for a moment. "Club Soda," He says, and things start to prepare themselves. He looks back over. "Ma'm, I'd appreciate it if your boys eithier sat down or left. I mean you no harm, but the fact of the matter is… well, you know who I am. It's insulting. Truth be told, if you're who I think you are, I'm in love with your daughter, and I want nothing more than to get along with you." He grins, that million-nuyen smile. "Mom."

Jane steps over to the kitchen bar, that opens into the living room, and lays down a printed copy of one of the international scream sheets. The photo is large, slightly blury, and not terribly flattering. A dark haired young woman, dressed in little more than a bikini top and g-string, straddling the big man's lap - and that man is quite recognizable as Mr. Paulino Lucciano. The photo is unfortunate, more lewd than adoring. "This? Is how you love and *respect* my daughter?" Her eyes meet Pulse's, and they are accusing.

Pulse Smiles. "Hey, she picked that outfit, not me." He turns to the woman after admiring the picture, handing her her club-soda and lemon. "Listen. Your daughter's a grown woman. She makes her own choices. You can believe that, and stand a chance of seeing her again, of having a family again- or you can not, and then we'll have a problem. I understand your shock. Would you believe we were actually looking for you? You're not even listed on her SIN information."

Jane frowns, "That is Jeff's doing. He was always a sonofabitch." she looks around the well appointed apartment. "nice place you have. Your resources must be extensive." she comments, and picks up the glass of cran and soda for a sip, "Be assured, mine are more extensive. Our corporate information network indicates the place is under the influence of certain Italian families, and so are you. That is not the life I dreamed of for Brenna. It is not the life I intend to *accept* for her."

Pulse says "Your influence can get you a lot of information, but not the truth." He leans against something. "I'm not a member of any of those… italian families. I never will be. I got to where I am by the sweat of my brow. I'll tell you the truth straight-up, Miss Quinn. I don't want to be part of the families. I don't want trouble with you, but -she's- chosen her life. I can and will sit your daughter in the lap of luxury. It's what I want for her. You come between us… we'll both lose her. She'll disappear again. You accept me?" His eyes flash. "Your daughter will be wealthy beyond your dreams, and more free than you could ever hope to be. I want to be a son to you, Miss Quinn. Let me.""

Jane considers that, "Tell me about her? You know, I tried to retrieve her from her father once. That failed, spectacularly." She takes another sip, then leans with one elbow upon the bar and looks Pulse up and down. "I had wanted her to secure a good and secure career, with her talent it would have been easy."

Pulse says "Harder than you'd think," watching the woman. "She's a shaman. Bat. Wouldn't have done well with the walls. She's… a free spirit. Loves to travel. Loves to see the world… loves to be free, follow her own rules. One of the most powerful I've ever known, and one of the most loyal." He tilts his head towards her. "Looks a lot like you. It's how I knew you when you entered. And my heart lept, Miss Quinn. It lept."

Jane appears unimpressed with the flowery emotion tacked on to Pulse's words, "And what does she do then? If she were working in any way like a respectable citizen, she would have been found years ago."

The gentlemen by the door, are well trained and remain completely impassive. They stand.

Pulse says "She drifts. Does work where she can find it. The rules are a little different, here in denver." He nods to the woman. "And hard to be found when you're marked dead, isn't it? Have you looked for her since then?" He shakes his head. "She works for me, some. Keeping me alive. Other than that… I dunno. She caught a leprechaun once."

Jane gives Pulse the withering of looks, her voice drops an octave and she growls at him, "You honestly think no one searched for her after that filthy rabble botched their job?!?"

Pulse stares at the woman. "I don't know, Miss Quinn. All I know is that when I met her, she was in a sports bar managed by my brother. I don't know who she was before then, I just know that since then, we've been nearly inseparable. If you want all the answers, you don't have them. I -can- tell you that she's almost -never- been hurt, near me. No one's tried to blow her up, at least. I've protected her to the best of my ability and given her a damn fine life."

Jane laughs! "you have no idea where she came from, who she is, or what the *fuck* happened to her between when I lost her and when she showed up in some backwater shit hole of a bar - And yet! You will love and care for her? do you even *know* her?" Ah, well.. now you know where Selene got that little bit of temper.

Pulse says "Yes. I do. Do you?"

Jane presses her lips tightly together, and speaks through clenched teeth. "Take me to her." Her gray eyes flash dangerously, "Now."

Pulse says "No. But I'll call her and see if she wants to come by?" He smiles again, not bugged by the flashing teeth. "Or are you going to have your bullyboys beat on me until I reveal her secret location?"

"You think I would be so crude? They are for my protection, not your affliction." Jane states, "Is she so lost that she would not welcome her own mother? Is that how her mind has been poisoned these past 15 years?"

Pulse says "Damned if I know. She still speaks of you with affection, though. I just don't want to risk her Grade Ten wrath."

"Call her then. Invite her here. She should jump at the chance, no?" Jane says, testing.

Pulse nods, and stands up, walking over to the phone… dials a number… and then clicks the full trideo input on. Spill a drink on his head, will she?

Jane is clearly surprised that Pulse would put the communications on full trid. She waits, and stares expectantly at the screen as Pulse makes the call.

Eventually Selene's face appears in the hologram (OOC: I assume trideo is basically holographic). Deep into the trance she needs to really work, the much younger woman appears carelessly, slick with sweat, half naked, her hair a mass of tangles and her eyes glazed, "Pauly.. love.. you know I'm busy.." she starts, and then her eyes focus on the figure behind Pulse and she clutches the crappy little coffee table in her crappy little apartment tightly to keep from falling back, "Mommy?" she asks, in a small voice, the rest of the color draining from her face.

Pulse smiles. "Yes, sweetheart," he says. "Guess who payed me a little visit and demanded that I contact you? Miss Jane Quinn. Miss Quinn, I present to you your daughter, the love of my life: may she give you many grandchildren."

Jane exclaims, "Brenna! Where have you been? Let me come see you!" she demands.

Selene sits back in stunned silence. The mix of emotions on her face making the expression almost blank. Terror, love, loss, joy. She shakes her head and stammers, "no.. mommy.. uh.. I'll come there?"

Selene looks like shit. But she's clearly alive!

Pulse says "You can take your time, Brenna,darling. I'll take care of your mother till then. What would you like me to order for supper?"
Selene starts stuttering like Watson, "uh.. an.. any.. anything you like, love. I-I-I'll be there.. sh-sho-shortly."

Jane smiles warmly at the woman on the screen, "Brenna. I've looked so long. Hurry, please."

The screen goes dark, when Selene abruptly closes the connection from the other side.

Pulse looks at the mother. "Ground rules. You're not running off anywhere with her, okay? Other than that… I'll call the caterers and get whatever you want for supper."

Jane looks to Pulse, "I'll take a scotch, single malt, neat." she says, "And anything you want for dinner, I'm hardly a vegan." She smiles a little, finally, at the fit young man, "So, you're going to have children?"

Pulse says "I hope so. Ma'm, I'm Half Irish and Half italian. My mother will kill me if I don't give her grandbabies." He walks over to a console, starts ordering up a five-course italian feast. "I don't suppose you're a boxing fan? Or music? I'm cutting a country-western album in a few months…"

Jane chuckles, "Blood sport is not my cup of tea." she replies, then back to the subject of her daughter, children, and his potential life with her, "Elves are not known for fertility. They have few children, befitting their long lives. You're sure you have the right woman for you? Maybe a nice italian girl would suit you better?" She stands back and considers the man again, "You're handsome enough, for a standard human. And bold enough. I can see what she might see in you."

"I wouldn't be happy with any other," Pulse says truthfully. He prepares the scotch and sets it out. "Believe me, I've looked. And honestly, I hope my children will get to have a share in that long life. And thank you…" he says. "About the handsome bit. I tell you, Selene must have gotten her looks from you. Is there anything I can do to make this easier? I can move my advertising contract from Shiawase to… to… Saedder-Krupp, was it?"

Jane drinks like her daughter too. She picks up the scotch, and knocks it straight back, with nary a wince. Then she turns and looks levelly at the man who would be her son-in-law, "I could care less who you advertise with, or for. Let me talk with her, before we start making any deals, you and I. For now, I simply want to know what became of my little girl. And I thank the goddess that the bastard (a clear reference to her ex-husband) didn't manage to steal her talent from her."

About 30 minutes pass, that Jane and Pulse are alone with only each other's company (and Jane's stoic gentlmen friends of course).

Pulse offers them drinks?

The men in black do not drink. Just water, thanks.

But it's high-grade scotch!

There is a quiet tap on the door, then Selene carefully opens it a crack and peeks in, reluctant to walk in all the way, "Paulie? Darlin?" she asks softly through the door.

Pulse raises his glass of wine. "S… Brenna!" He says. "Sweetheart. Mom and I were just talking about the babies you're going to give me. I hope we weren't interrupting?"

Selene steps the rest of the way into the apartment. She's clearly had a good shower since you saw her on the trid. Her eyes are clear, and she's standing straight without swaying. The girl has put on her nicest emerald green silk dress, her hair is done up artfully, and she looks the belle of the ball. Selene smiles and embraces her fiance, reaching up to kiss him softly on the lips, but just a peck, before turning to both the man and the matron, "Oh, you are never an interruption love." she says first to Pulse, and then addresses her mother, "Mother… Mom.. Mommy.. I thought I would never see you again.." For the moment, she dismisses this crazy talk of children.

Jane opens her arms for her daughter, "Brenna! come here! let me look at you!"

Once Selene is inside, the men in black close rank, and once more stand before the door. Still and silent.

Pulse leans back a bit, letting the two interact… watching the two toughs a little. Just to be sure. He doesn't trust men like that.

Selene hesitantly, moves to embrace her mother, whom she hasn't seen since she was 12, more than 15 years. "Mum! how did you.. where did.. what on earth are you doing here?"

Jane smiles at her daughter, "I would ask you the same thing? You've grown!" she leans back and looks at the younger girl, similar in so many ways, "How have you kept yourself? what have you been doing? You're well? I was so worried about the horrible things that could have happened!"

Selene shakes her head, "I've always been fine, mommy..nothing awful like you think." (at least nothing awful like prostitution, or bunraku parlors anyway) she thinks. "I'm so sorry.. I could never contact you. Bat.. er.. I.. uh, it .. " she trails off, unable to fully explain how or why she disappeared.

Pulse laughs. "I've told her I've been taking care of you for a year or two, sweetheart, but she seems to think I'm incapable. Not that I blame her. I can only imagine the oaf I appear on the news."

Selene grins and looks between the older woman, and her betrothed, "Oh. Mum. He's .. " she turns to Pulse, and sighs like a bestotten groupie, "I love him, mommy. I'd give him anything, be anything, do anything for him."

Jane seems.. both bemused and distressed by this. She shakes her head and strokes her child's hair, "The apple does not fall far from the tree. Take care that you choose well, and the choice does not turn to poison in the end." That final comment, and she meets Pulse's eyes, the older woman's glittering dangerously, "I said these things about her father, once."

Pulse says "You gonna tell him we're here?""

Blunt, bold, to the point.

Jane laughs, ruefully and cold. "Oh, there is nothing in the world that could compel me to bring her back to that withered old prick." No love lost there, or love twisted and turned to hatred more like. "He stole my daughter from me. He tried to steal her gifts from her. Just for a foolish predjudice against magicians. He could never see that it was the key to a bright future."

Selene looks back and forth between Pulse and her mother, for once falling silent.

Pulse watches the woman. "Forgive me if the question's impertinent, mother, but… are you awakened?"

Jane shakes her head, "of course not. But that doesn't mean that Brenna was never tested." She tilts her head, "of course, how could either of you know?" She sits down and motions to Pulse to fill her glass once more. "I knew Jeff hated magic. But I never thought it would be a problem.. one in a thousand, or ten thousand chance of any child being born with talent? I was willing to over look it. He was quite the catch, 30 years ago." A glance between her daughter and the human man who would be her son, "Handsome, bright, and a rising star at Renraku, I was far too young then to worry about his flaws, too smitten to care."

Pulse ahs. "I was just curious," he says. "Not judging. I guess the tests work?" He shakes his head. "I'm grateful to you, you know. She's the best thing to ever happen to me."

Jane smiles at Pulse, "of course the tests work. There is no corporation that *willingly* gives up any child born to their ranks with any level of magical talent. It's too rare a commodity, and if they're able to shape it from childhood? Even better." «Fixed>

Selene smiles at Pulse, and leaves her mother's side once more to join him, slipping her right arm around his waist, and leaning in, but continuing to listen to her mother curiously. Family history she's never known or understood, of course.

Pulse looks at Selene. "Did you know you were tested from birth?" He asks, then turns back to the mother… just in time for catering to arrive with super. Lasagna, Veal Parmeggiana, salad, tera misu, all sorts of delights!

Selene shakes her head, "yes.. no.. only.. yeah, no, I didn't know. No one told me." she concludes. "Well, Bat told me, when I was old enough."

Jane frowns, "anyway, by then Jeff had considerable pull in his division, and managed to convince them that he should be allowed, unofficially, of course.. to use her as a test subject. And that was the beginning of the end for us."

Pulse says "That sounds… unethical, at the very best. Dangerous. Wrong. Monsterous." He glowers. "I am displeased by this learning."
Selene sits by, and lets the story unfold. Expressionless for now.

Jane shrugs, "I knew he was a bastard when I married him. I knew he hated magic, I thought I could overlook it, until it was my girl." She looks to Selene, "You could still have a career, taken care of, stability, benefits, protection. Working for a corporation has it's rewards." she says, excitedly.

Jane finally gets up, and refills her own glass with the scotch.

Pulse looks at Selene. "It's your decision, sweetheart. I'll follow you anywhere you want to go. Even give off boxing, if that would make it easier."

Selene shakes her head, "I think it is too late. I don't think I could play the corporate game. You think your Family has it's issues?" she gestures to her mother, "The corps make that a thousand times worse." Then she looks to her mother, "YOu're trying to warn me, mum? Pauly here is not my father. He's nothing like him. I adore him with everything I am, and everything I will ever be, including his flaws."

Jane smiles knowingly, "Oh, I said such things once dear. But you two have my support." she then looks at Pulse, dead on, "She's my girl. I won't lose her again. If you break her heart, mark my words, I have greater influence than you think, and there is nowhere on this earth a man of your repute can hide."

Jane rises, setting her glass down on the table, "I will take my leave." she turns and embraces her daughter, "Anything you need. Ever. Call me." and presses her card into her hand, then back to Pulse, "Hurt her, and death will be the least of your concerns." then she extends her hand, "Welcome to the family. Son. If the two of you need something, just call."

Pulse takes the hand… and then tugs the woman into a MASSIVE BEAR HUG. Then he releases her before the bodyguards get too uppity. "Thank you," he says. "I'm very, very pleased to meet you."

Selene smiles at Pulse and her mum, looking inordinately pleased.

Jane, laughs at the man, "Oh, italians, always so demonstrative. It was very… enlightening to meet you, Mr. Lucciano.. or may I call you Pauly?" Without waiting for a response, she signals to the men in black. One opens the door, and the other steps aside to let her through.

"Please do," Pauly says. "Mr. Lucianno's my father. Take care of yourself, mother-dear. I'll be in touch."

Jane bids a final wave to her daughter, and her chosen. "Good night. I will be in touch soon, and expecting an invitation." With that, she steps back into the hallway, the door closes, and she is gone from their lives.. for now.

Pulse looks at Selene. He grins. "Well," he says, "that went well. Give her an hour and then we'll head down to your place, so you can get back to work?"

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