Metronome

Stranger Beetles

"What's with the dog?" A man with a copious amount of tattoos slunk from somewhere down in the tunnel. He smelled of smoke and cheap booze. "And the child?"

A younger woman emerged from the ticket booth, where the windows had sheets strung across them. She crossed her arms and looked the two of them over with a silent, judging eye.

Beetlejuice took this as his cue to shift back into his normal form. "Some times I just like getting away with being naked in public, you know?" He said with a shrug and a grin.

This elicited a howling laugh from the tattooed man. "Whoa! I like this guy, Igs. Can we keep him?"

"I hope we'll be keeping both of them," Iggy turned to Lydia and Beetlejuice, smiling.

Stranger Beetles

I posted my gang members :D

Stranger Beetles

Name: Ricky "Riff Raff" Garner
Age: 31
Gender: Male

Personality: Being the oldest of the group certainly does not make him to the most "grown up". Ricky lacks a good sense of judgement, and perhaps good sense in general. He's playful, reckless, and a bit of a trouble maker.

History: Riff Raff was involved in 'real gangs', as he puts it. This is what earned him the nickname. He was found by Iggy and Nina after he'd been shot and left for dead when a drug deal went south. They took him back to their hide out on the condition that he cleaned up his act and promised to behave himself. He has, for the most part, kept that promise. He's been clean ever since joining the family, and he only gets in trouble with the cops once every few months, usually when he decides to hook up with his crazy on again, off again girlfriend.

Stranger Beetles

Name: Nina Hathers
Age: 23
Gender: Female

Personality: She's aloof, suspicious of new comers, and slow to trust. But, once she's warmed up to you, she's clearly the 'mom' of the group.

History: She was found by the gang after running away from a crazy, abusive boyfriend. Nina was homeless, had no money, and was just barely getting by. Iggy ran across her one day and offered her a place to stay. She's been family ever since.

Stranger Beetles

Iggy led them a few blocks from the downtown area. It was starting to look like a rough neighborhood. She stopped at what looked like an underground entrance to a subway. It was gated with a solid iron gate, but Iggy produced a key to unlock it.

"This was part of a subway system they never built," She explained, letting them in and locked it behind them. "The tunnels go on for miles. But the part we claimed is right down here." She led them down some stairs, and into what was clearly an unfinished subway station. Neon signs and lamps made a soft, colorful glow against the dark walls. Parts of the hide away had been sectioned off with plywood and other assorted things to make rooms.

"It's not much, but it's home, you know?" She smiled. "Hey guys, come meet the new girl!"

Stranger Beetles

Beetlejuice growled softly. So it was true...Ash did have a human. But, he reminded himself, this also proved that they probably had nothing to do with the facility. His ears fell back.

"I'm...sorry about earlier," He swallowed his pride enough to apologize. "I can explain when we get wherever your kid is taking us. If Lyds wants to go, that is," He looked up at Lydia.

Stranger Beetles

"Beetlejuice, huh?" The girl looked down at him and smiled. "I have a place not to far from here. My family and I are a little on the eccentric side, but we take care of each other. We could take care of you two, too."

She glanced around. "Ash?" She called.

Stranger Beetles

The girl noticed her eyes and smirked a bit. "You have the powers, too, huh?" She looked at Beetlejuice, who was pulling on the hem of Lydia's shirt, trying to remind her to calm down. "What about him? What can he do?" The demon dog looked at her and huffed. "Look, I didn't know there were others out there like me, and I wanna' help. You two seem...new to the streets." The girl paused. "I'm Ignacia. But my friends call me Iggy. What about you?"

Stranger Beetles

"But he's not an animal, is he?" The girl leaned in a little. Beetlejuice's hackles raised. What was this girl's deal? Why was she so pushy? The girl straightened up and looked at the booth with an eyebrow raised. "You have all that power right there," She gestured at the demon. "And you make a lemonade stand? Why didn't you rob a bank or something?"

"Told you," Beetlejuice muttered under his breath.

Stranger Beetles

A girl a few years older than Lydia marched up to the stand. Her punkish attire stood out from the normalcy of the crowd around her. She smacked her gum and looked Lydia up and down, as if sizing her up.

"Cool dog," She said flatly, "Where'd you get it?"

Beetlejuice stood and growled softly from under the table.