The NNPack Steps Out

Featuring: Fallon, TBD, Lucia, Ang and Nitenurse

Time: Tuesday 11/9, about 10 pm

"Hey, anyone have an iron?" Nitenurse leaned out of the bedroom door,
hollering at anyone who would listen. The theater had grown quiet as
most of the Pack was either setting up the computer system or out
playing.

"Try one of the dressing rooms downstairs," TBD responded, stepping
into the hall. "What do you think?" she asked, smoothing her black
leather skirt.

"Oh, my... that looks great on you.  Trying to impress anyone?"

"We-e-e-ll," she hesitated. "I have always wanted to meet Janette,
and I know the Ravenettes appreciate quality clothes."

"That's why I have to iron my jacket. You know how linen wrinkles.
The silk pants steamed out fine, but the linen didn't. Twenty hours
on a train didn't do wonders for my clothes. Hey, you want to check
on Ang? I think she was working on the computers."

"Sure, no problem," TBD nodded. "I think Lucia was going with us,
too. I'll make sure she's back from wherever she went."

***
(Twenty minutes later)

"Hey, y'all ready?" Nitenurse slid a back and white boucle jacket
over her black silk tank.

"Oh, I love your boots," Ang gushed.

"This is as stylish as I get," she laughed. "My usual high fashion
statement involves monogrammed scrubs or old jeans. Trust me, I don't
get out much. I call this Texan cowboy chic. Hey,
check out Fallon's dress. Wow, she'll turn heads with that."

"I guess we're trying to blend into the crowd," TBD commented,
noticing that five of them were all wearing varying shades of black
or gray. "The Ravenettes must be a bad influence."

"Is the car here?" Lucia said breathlessly, arriving in the lobby
just as the other ladies were putting on their coats.

"Hey what's everyone else doing?" Ang asked as they piled into the
car.

"Susan talked about a Sinatra concert. I'm not sure who went with
her." Nitenurse answered, shivering abruptly. "Jeez, it's cold out."

"Not really. It's only aroung 40," Fallon observed. "That isn't
really cold."

"It was 80 degrees when I left Dallas yesterday. Yes, this is cold
for me."

"You'll survive," Ang teased. "Didn't you grow up in Ohio?"

"I know, I just packed stupid for traisping around the woods in
Canada."

"I bet we can hit a mall before we need to go searching for the
rock."

"Oh, yeah, shopping is good." TBD agreed as the car pulled up to the
mansion. This was the first time any of them had been to the UF
mansion. They could see a crowd had already formed in the party room.

"Wow, what a crowd," Fallon murmured. "Does anyone see Janette?"

"I think she's over there," Lucia pointed to the other side of the
dance floor. "Gonna kick up those boots and do some dancing,
nitenurse?"

"I might," she grinned. "Depends if I hear some dance-worthy music.
First, though, I think I need a drink. Who's with me? I'll get the
first round. Y'all like B-52s?"

"I thought you drank beer," Ang commented.

"I do, but we tortured the bartender in New Orleans last summer by
ordering B52s so I thought we'd start with that in honor of all the
Pack members who couldn't come to Toronto for the War."

They all nodded their assent, and took their drinks  to a table at
the edge of the dance floor to see who else had made it to the party.

"This isn't bad," TBD said, craning her neck to see over the crowd.
"Did Miklos harass you about fancy drinks?"

"Nope, but he did ask if I wanted an umbrella."

"I didn't think was really a tropical drink," Ang replied. "Just for
that, we'll have to do something even more exotic next."

"Sounds like a plan," Lucia said enthusiastically. "Ready to dance,
nitenurse?"

"Sure," she agreed and the two sauntered out to the edge of the dance
floor, dancing their way through several songs.

"hmm, that's really odd," Lucia commented as they came back to the
table.

"What is?" Nitenurse asked.

"I don't see any of the Natpackers. I thought for sure they'd be here
flashing new manicures or something."

"You sure? I thought I saw them hanging with the Ratpack," Nitenurse
responded. "Fallon, can you see over by the door?"

"I can see over there, but I don't know who's a Natpacker or a
Ratpacker. This is my first War."

"Oh, you'd recognize the Natpack. They're very bouncy," Ang
explained, looking over toward the door. "Maybe they're still getting
their hair done and want to make a grand entrance." She kept staring
and finally started to laugh. "I think someone got the Ravenettes
mixed up with someone else."

"Why do you say that?" Lucia asked, setting down another round of
drinks.

"Look over there. I think that's a possum she has on her head."

"What?" the others asked in unison.

"Yeah, I see someone wearing a hospital gown with a possum on their
head."

"I think I've had too many drinks," Nitenurse replied, shaking her
head. "I'm seeing things. Knew I should have stuck to beer."

"You aren't seeing things, unless we're all seeing things."

"Wars are a strange thing," Ang  commented. "You never know what odd
things you'll see."

"Way too philosophical," Fallon laughed. "I think it's time for
another round. My turn."

*****
The theater was dark and quiet when the NNPack returned in the wee
hours of the morning. Of course it didn't stay dark OR quiet for
long....