paradisa | Chapter Twenty-Three

Entry tags:

richard castle

Chapter Twenty-Three

Hey. Hey. Hey. Paradisa. Do you know what today is?

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY.

No foolin'.

Come to the Death Match. Drinks and cake are on me.

[However, anybody coming to the Death March may have at least one of the following happen: 1. They will get drenched with beer (water for underage patrons) as they walk in the door; 2. They will get a pie in the face as they walk in the door; 3. Their stool will have a pie or whoopee cushion on it; 4. The normally benign peanuts and potato chips at the bar will be coated with sriracha.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Most mortals feel that way. You aren't really made for it, mentally and emotionally.

Ain't that the truth. Guess you learn how to deal with it after a while, hmm?

Of course. I wouldn't want to be anything else.

Both have their advantages and disadvantages, no doubt. [Castle moves behind the bar.] While we're here and possibly headed toward deep discussions again, want a beer? Peanuts? Potato chips?

... All of the above.

[He doesn't eat much.]

[Castle quickly pours Pitch a glass of house ale and slides it toward him, then pushes bowls of peanuts and potato chips forward.]

I think I'll be a good sport and warn you that I spiked the snacks. They're covered in hot sauce, if you're into that sort of thing.

Thank you.

[He accepts the beer, and shrugs at that second comment.]

I think I'll try it anyway. If nothing else, it should be interesting.

Might as well, right? [Castle snarfs a handful of peanuts.] It's a hot sauce from where I come from called sriracha. Heck if I know what's in the stuff, but it's delicious.

Mm, it's Thai. I think it has... chili peppers, among other things.

Sounds about right. It was a very trendy condiment when I left home. People would put it on everything, even popcorn.

Did you?

I stuck to things that made sense. Sriracha bacon was pretty good.

Spices go well with meat in general, I think.

That they do. So, do spirits eat for sustenance or just enjoyment? If you don't mind me asking.

I won't presume to speak for all spirits, but I don't have to eat. I do sometimes, but not often.

Gotcha. Kinda figured, but there are probably as many kinds of stories about spirits as there are actual ones.

That's very true. Nearly every culture has stories about me, for example. They call me by different names, tell their children I do different things...

Like all tales passed down through generations- growing and changing through the telling. So, have you read some of them? [Castle wouldn't find it weird, since, well, he DID insert expies of himself and Kate into his books.]

Of course. I like to read the things that I inspire. Horror happens to be my favorite genre.

Why am I totally not surprised? Have you hit up the library here yet?

Of course. It's an impressive one.

Holds every book ever written, so I've been told. If only I had all the time in the world...

It must go on forever, if that's the case.

It's fairly massive. But I never seem to have any trouble finding my way out.

Do you think that's the Castle's doing?

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