Kyer was nervous as she saw the Raven sign up above her head.
A bar!  She'd never stepped foot in a bar in her life... except during that
last War when Lisa had practically forced her arm and made her wear a toga
to boot for that silly picture.

For LaCroix of all people.

 Not happy memories there.  She'd felt like she'd been wearing grandma's
draperies and that photographer had not helped with his non stop snickering.

 Anyway, here she was now, returned to the Raven, leading the pack from
behind as it were and wondering if she had an excuse to just turn around and
return to the safety of the Comfy Cottage and its surround sound home
theatre.

 Hmm... That "Dress Code Enforced!' sign might be just the thing.

 "Uh... lookee!  I don't think I'm properly dressed for this.  Why don't I
 just take the cab back to the--"

 "Oh, no you don't!"  Diane and Sunny got on either side of her and held on
with a grip that would have done a vampire proud.  "If we have to go meet a
bunch of terrifying strangers, then so do you," Diane growled into her ear.

 "Okay, okay... don't wrinkle the cotton," Kyer retorted.  "And this time,
 guys--lets stick together?  I don't want a repeat of Walmart."

 So, paper bag lunch clutched firmly in hand, the Fractured and very
Paranoid Knightie descended into the depths of the Raven.

 "Oh my G(a)WD!  The place was decorated by Edgar Allen Poe!" Kyer hissed as
she spied all the fake ravens hanging overhead.  "Is this supposed to induce
us to keep moving and mingling?  I feel like I've got the sword of Damocles
hanging over head.  Worse--- at the beach with all of those kamikaze
seagulls."

 After being helpfully shown to her table, Kyer sat down and stared at the
silver place setting and expensive looking china plates, carefully placing
 her lunch bag and thermos on top.  Somehow, the red and black steel
container and plain brown paper looked a mite out of place, but no one had
said she couldn't 'brown bag' this shindig.  G(a)WD only knew what horrors
vampires would try to serve.  What did Janette or Miklos know about the
human constitution anway?  They were on an even more retricted diet than she
was!  And the Ravenettes?  Sure, they had fashion sense, she supposed (not
that anything could be more comfortable and chic than genuine Andean wear)
but that did not equate that they could cook.

 But the table sure did look snazzy.  Darn formal even.

 "McRaven's this is not," she mumbled to herself.  "I hope they don't mind
that I brought my own selection of delicacies.  Unscrewing the thermos top,
she carefully poured out her homemade drink into the crystal goblet.

 Plop!  Plop!  Man, Oh, Man... crystal sure did make a lot more of an
echoing noise then dime store ceramic did!  And did it have to sound like it
was moaning in horror?  For gosh sakes.  It was only a banana, soy powder,
baker's yeast, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, stevia, cornstarch,
arrowroot, apple slices, carob, vitamin C, almond butter, ground sesame seed
and grape juice blend.  She'd even had the forethought to omit the fresh
garlic clove.

 Oh well.  She could always drink the rest right out of the thermos.

 Which reminded her... better keep an eye on it tonight lest that Natalie
person try to snatch it away to experiment with."  Kyer eyed the other party
go'ers warily as she sipped her concoction, her mind more on the caper she
had planned for tonight than on the festivities going on around her.

 End