Welcome to the Dark Side. Cookie? (Dominique)

[Zodiac]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

<Zodiac>: She sat in a lotus pose with her eyes closed in meditation. Her thoughts reached out to Jennifer softly who was working in another part of the shop. 'Did you text Dominique for me as I asked?'

"Yes I did," the girl laid her mind open so her employer could see her responses. "So, tell me. She finally getting the axe?"

'Why do you ask that?' the mystic was curious now.

"Why? She is never here despite the schedule you have her on. I am usually the one stuck filling in for her. I mean, I like her and all. It's not that, but I do have a life beyond covering for Mini." the girl answered carefully.

'Perhaps I have been too lax on this subject' Zodiac admitted. 'When she arrives, bring her back to me, please.'

<Dominique>: Dominique walked into the shop and looked around. It seemed she had barely left and that is when it hit her. She pretty much had just left. It was how she should feel if she actually showed up routinely for work. That was a whole other issue. She moved through the front of the shop and looked around waiting for Jenn or Zo to appear as she glanced at the various assortment of items that appeared to be new since she last spent a full eight hours actually working within. Zodiac had the patience of a saint and if Dominique was genuine on getting some sort of direction on where she would begin her awareness the least she could do in turn is start to actually show up for work and earn the daily pay she received. No more hospital stays interfered with that. Her hand pulled off her backpack that had trinkets and whatever else she thought may help in this first meeting. Stuff she knew others seemed to always be asking for but she still wasn't to fond of the animal feet inside the plastic baggies. It reminded her of her grandfather gnawing on those pickled feet. times sure had to be hard to be jarring up left over parts of what didn't make it to Easter dinner table. She shivered at the thought and moved around to the back of the counter. "Hello?"

<Zodiac>: Jennifer stepped out of the work room when the buzzer first sounded and was walking down the hall when she heard the woman cried out. The girl paused, took a deep breath, and continued to the front. Her boss dealt with a lot of weird types since she met her and she still wondered why this woman was so special to things. Calmly she approached the counter area. "Hello, Mini." she kept her voice calm. "Darth Zoey said to bring you on back when you got here."

<Dominique>: Dominique watched the woman appear and she smiled somewhat relieved. If anyone had been tolerable of her when she was around it certainly was Jennifer. "Heya Jenn." She pulled the backpack off her arm and let it hang in front of her with her inked digits holding it loosely. As soon as Vader was mentioned her brow shot upward and her head inclined to peek around the ginger haired female in front of her. Zodiac was having a Star Wars moment? Tea carrying a bigger kick than ever? She now wondered why she left her Darth Vader helmet back at the house. Who knows what the woman had planned in the back room. She sighed. "Well then lead me to her royal darkness please." With each step she started to wonder just what the hell she would be walking into.

<Zodiac>: The girl shrugged slightly and motioned for the woman to follow. Without a word she opened the door, allowing anyone who stood there a view of Zodiac in her meditative pose. This in itself would not be a uncommon sight, but the nearly 12 inches of space between her backside and the top of the workbench would indeed cause some concerns to most casual visitors. "The Empress will grant you an audience now," Despite the anger she felt at Mini, she could not resist falling into part. "Behold, the merest fraction of the power she displays..."

A soft snoring noise was coming from the gypsy now.

"...when she sleeps." Jennifer concluded.

<Dominique>: Dominique moved into the room slowly as if she was perhaps about to be in the presence of someone unexpected. that is when her dark wide eyes found the woman, her boss rather sedate in first appearance. She set down the black backpack and moved closer with soft steps. Her dark head darted back and she looked at Jenn. then back to Zodiac who she discovered was not only sleeping but in the middle of the air. Mini leaned in stretching her arm out so that HOPE moved in a fast sweeping motion beneath Zodiac and above the surface of the workbench. A spin of black hair and her petite body had her looking at Jenn. "What the hell?" She mouthed with her back to Zodiac.

<Zodiac>: Jennifer fought the urge to break out into laughter. Instead she gave Dominique a look of mild acceptance. "How many times has she told you she was a witch and you just blew it off like you seem to do everything else? If you were around here just half the time you were supposed to be, you'd see crap that would make this look like nothing but a trick." she answered softly. The girl leaned against the doorframe and spoke louder. "Excuse me? Your padiwan has arrive, my Lady."

Zodiac blinked at the sudden intrusion of sound. Her eyes focused on Jennifer and the figure with its back to her. She stretched a bit and nodded. 'And so she has.' she grinned. If Dominique was anything like Jennifer was when she first saw her doing this, she was sorry she missed the woman's reactions. 'Welcome to the Dark Side, Mini butt.'

<Dominique>: Dominique stepped back. She had fought with those that had moved lightning fast and left a blur of color behind or seemed to disintegrate into the air. She even found a wolf coming at her where a vampire was prior. Dominique had never seen a person just float while sleeping. She stayed in place with her feet but leaned back as if the wind was blowing at her when Zodiac opened her eyes. "What is this power? Hover ***?" Dominique felt a mild amusement at her own question. Perhaps they wouldn't but at this point she either could find it amusing for as unexpected as it was or leave and never come back. The latter was not going to happen. She was done running. "I wonder how long I can float."

<Zodiac>: 'You? Float?' Silent laughter escaped from the girl's mouth. 'You are a fledgling barely able to crawl and already you wish to fly. Learn what your feet are for first before you consider wings.' Zodiac made a motion in the air and drifted in the direction of the former paladin now. 'I have something for you from a mutual associate of ours.' she nodded. The gypsy looked to her manager and nodded her head. 'Thank you, Admiral Hayes. That will be all'

Jennifer laughed a bit. "By the way, my Lady. If you gonna float around the room for awhile, could you grab the dust mop and do the tops of the shelves in here? They are over due for cleaning but the one who is supposed to do them never seems to be here." she gave Mini a pointed glare before stepping out of the room and closing the door.

<Dominique>: Dominique watched the relaxed woman float while Jenn announced dusting was being neglected in her own subtle as a brick-in -the-face way. "Gotcha there Jenn." She winked as the door closed. "Call me curious and inspired. I have watched Matrix and am not opposed to busting a few fast moves." She rocked back on her heels and turned to drop her backpack on the chair she found empty. "So what do you have? If it is a bill or for damages on something you can send it right back." She joined her backpack in the small space left and leaned back rather comfortable for someone who was conversing with a person who was floating around the room.

<Zodiac>: 'You know, I need one of those round snow saucers kids use to sled on. Then I could be Rygel from Farscape' she cackled softly, then got serious. 'No bills or such, padiwan. Your 'father' and I had a discussion about you. He asked me to give you this. I am assuming it is something that belongs to you' she pulled the small box from the pocket of her skirt and handed it to the woman.

<Dominique>: Dominique wasn't sure about Farscape but she was more than happy to go hunt down a saucer for her. She was sure she owed the woman that much. Her head was full of Zodiac as the woman went on that what she had for her was not a bill. Her father? This caught her by surprise and her attention went fully on her boss who was still floating as she handed over the box. She didn't waste time opening it. "Where did you find this?" Her grandmothers rosary was safely resting inside. Her chest felt tight, her eyes burned and she thought of how much the one she carried in her right pocket that Verne gave her and this one meant. She was sure it was a sin for her to have possession of either one now but the fact they were in her care at all she took seriously. the world was going to hell but she would be damned if she lost sight of what should be viewed as sacred. She couldn't lose the last fragments of decency and faith she had left. Her eyes lifted to Zodiac's. Could she? Her fingers lifted the rosary from the box and pulled it out. Each digit curled slowly around the beads and then gripped them tight into her palm. "Wait...father?" She remembered the term and thought of Kenlie and she felt alarm and growing panic. He was dead. Wasn't he? She swallowed hard.

"What about my father? He is dead. isn't he? The last one to have this was.." She caught her next word on the tip of her tongue and went silent.

<Zodiac>: She watched the woman as she opened the box. An eyebrow lifted as she finally saw what was inside and could tell this was something quite significant to her. It had a bit of a temptation to peek, but she had not. 'Father is a suggestive term, I would guess' the mystic did a final turn in the air and focused as she unfolded her legs and 'stepped' down to the floor to be standing once again. 'Doctor Nilson gave me that. How it came to be in his hands I can only guess.' her mindspeak was soft now in Mini's thoughts. 'But he asked me to give this to you. He is the one who turned you into being like himself and I, so father, creator, the one who damned you. Take your pick of terms.' she shrugged.

<Dominique>: She held tight to the rosary as she slipped it into her left pocket. At her right and left both would always be and she would never surrender them from her care again. Father, creator? The term killer didn't surface. Now it made sense why. She was not done with her journey of existence yet. She had been delivered into the walking hell by the man himself. "So he is considered responsible for me?" Her mind was already spinning on the thought. "Who is responsible for him? Do you know?" She was careful to sit slowly as it started sinking in.

<Zodiac>: She pulled a chair over and sat as well. 'I do know who turned the Doctor, but I do not them personally. What had possessed her to change such a man I cannot say. There is a lesson in vampires for you, my dear. Not everyone who has fangs begged the vampire before them to change them. You are un-dead proof of that, as am I and a half a hundred others I could name if I chose to. Vampires are people. Some good, some bad, some insane and some who want nothing more than to be left alone.' The gypsy considered for a moment. 'If you are considering striking out against the Doctor by going after the one who made him, I assure you that's a very bad idea. You would be trading the wind for the whirlwind. She does not mess around and a good percentage of her creations are quite loyal to her.'

<Dominique>: Some much for that plan. She nodded figuring Zodiac was right. She had enough on her plate of bad karma. Last thing she needed was another helping of smack down to top it off. It was fact she sure didn't ask for the turning but her actions sure as hell didn't help her any either. If anything she made it all that much easier for it to happen. "I am sure I am not the first and I know there must be more than a few who didn't get caught up in the romance of eternity and possibility of sparkling more than the moon dust lotions at Bath & Body Works and were changed forever by some unexpected bite. I pushed just as much as he pulled. He was stronger and I took on more than I could ever handle alone. I think everything caught up with me and I was lashing out." Her eyes went back to Zodiac's after taking a tour of the room they were in. "Has she created many?" Dominique imagined this woman had to be strong and powerful to have taken down the likes of one like Doc. He was not one to underestimate. She learned that much.

[Dominique]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--


<Zodiac>: 'I am not sure of the number exactly.' she admitted. 'Some vampires are like rabbits. Making more of themselves like crazy while others resist on the subject totally. '

Hesitantly, she reached across and petted Dominique's hand for a moment. 'I know you was lashing out and I had a suspicion it would lead you to two points. This or the grave itself. I tried to advise and warn you but you would not listen. I am not trying to sound like I am rubbing your nose into that fact, but it's the truth. However, you had to follow your own road to its conclusion and see for yourself.' she sighed while considering how to continue. 'I have seven myself,' Zodiac altered the subject. 'Seven little vampires of my own, of which four are still up and about and doing things. I am not their mother by any stretch of the imagination, but I do a mother's job with them. They have questions, I find the answers. They need advice, I give the best I can. And all the rest that comes with it.'

<Dominique>: "How come I don't have fangs?" Her tongue went to the top row of her teeth and caressed the sharp edges that were void of any noticeable points. "Also, I can eat food and drink. I don't get sick but I can't taste anything. It sucks." She really missed those Monster drinks. She missed breathing and feeling warm to the touch too but she was in no position to complain. She was pretty sure the man could have sealed her fate six feet under and been done with her had he wished to be.

<Zodiac>: 'No fangs?' She was curious now. 'Show me please.' Zodiac peered into Mini's mouth for a moment as she opened it. 'Mine are hidden unless I want them to show.' She opened her mouth to show a set of white, normal looking teeth and then willed four fangs, two on the top and two on the bottom, to suddenly force themselves into view.

'As far as being able to eat, some of us have their own unique quirks. You are not an allurist, but can eat. You do not taste the food, which I find odd, but not totally unexpected. All of us have them. Little things. Like my floating you found so amazing. Not many can do it and it is not a condition of any specific type of vampire to learn at will. Personally I think some of these random 'powers' develop due to who we were before. Think of it as personality traits manifested into actual abilities.' She sat back in her chair and shook her head. 'The fact you do not have fangs probably reflects the fact of your loathing of vampires. I am just guessing, but some of them do make sense in a weird way for most I have talked to on the subject.'

<Dominique>: Dominique's lips parted and her mouth opened as she looked back and forth confused as to why she felt like she was in the dentists office. Zodiac retreated and her lips met once again as her mouth closed. Fangs then no fangs. It seems that the woman could do more than float around if she chose. The fangs retracted and she was back with a set of human teeth. Mini leaned forward while sucking the tip to the upper row of teeth in her mouth. A soft sound slipped from her as she gave what Zodiac explained some thought. So perhaps her lack of fangs is something related to her strong aversion to vampires to begin with. A issue she had to likely resolve if she was going to ever get anywhere with what she was now. She palmed her face and rubbed the hands slowly up and down then quickly pulled them away. A soft slap of each landed on her lap and she looked to the woman with the answers she needed. "So what else can you tell me? What powers are possible for me to gain? Can I send someone to hell by sneezing or what?"

<Zodiac>: Bubbles of telepathic laugher danced in the woman's head as Zodiac laughed. 'Nothing so drastic, but, '

She leaned forward and looked Dominique directly in the eyes. 'I can teach you how to melt the flesh right off of someone's face, human or vampire. With a touch bring pain, disease and poison a person to the point they wish they were dead. How to hide in shadows and not be seen, how to make yourself where tracking you would be nearly impossible, and to move silent as death itself.' Zodiac smiled a rare wicked grin. 'Can help you summon monsters, spirits, and even allies and friends in times of need. Heal your wounds as if nothing happened at all, and.........' She leaned back in her chair for effect. 'How to restore your own blood so you never have to feed again.'

<Dominique>: Dominique felt her relaxed body slowly rise as each muscle tightened up with interest and attention as Zodiac leaned forward. Burn flesh, be able to move without notice and heal her body? She noticed how she healed slower than ever. then she heard the one thing that stood out above all else possible. Her eyes stretched wide and her jaw nearly dropped. "I never feed. I never will and haven't tried. I have relied on a ritual but it is costly for the items and the risk it would bring to those I care about I have moved on to those plastic packs." Her face instantly soured at the thought.

"How do I learn these powers?" She could save so much trouble if she never had to rely on anything again to prevent the weakness that always plagued her when she didn't drink.

<Zodiac>: 'That is where I come into this' she replied. She didn't have to read Mini's thoughts to guess what she was thinking at all. 'Teach you, I can' she slipped her mental voice into an impression of Yoda again. 'Easy trip, not will be.' then she stopped and went back to her own voice.

'In all of this, you have to remember the analogy of the gun. Powers are guns. Some of the things you may need to learn to get to your goal may confuse or shock you. I will help clarify and explain the goods and bads in all as we go forward in this. And I am sorry. Any bright idea you have about learning how to blood heal yourself and say screw everything else? Doesn't work like that, doll face. I will show you.' In a fluid motion, Zodiac stood up and continued upwards. Her feet hovering over the floor as she drifted to a bookcase in the corner.

<Dominique>: Dominique's eyes tracked Zodiac as she hovered towards the bookshelf. Healing was her interest but she was giving more and more thought to the other perks of having some of those powers that could be useful. Her paladin powers were gone from what she could tell and she couldn't even steal a lollipop from a child since she crawled out of that abandoned warehouse whistling through her sliced neck. Her fingers went to her inked throat and lightly brushed her fingertips there. "I don't have to be in debt or do anyone's bidding? Pay union dues or show leg to Harry Potter to get them do I? Because that is not going to happen."

<Zodiac>: 'There is payment and there is payment,' the gypsy replied as she drifted back with a red binder in her hands. 'And the only bidding that would be expected of you is to have your *** in here to work when I schedule you to be! As far as your legs go, wear the Batgirl costume for maximum effect.'

She crossed her legs and again, hovered in the air next to Mini's chair. She pulled a large folded bit of paper from a pocket in the folder and opened it. Laying it on the table so both of them could see it. The drawing showed six distinct 'paths' forming a hex pattern. In between them were six crossing points that linked the original six together. 'This is the roads you will have to travel, dear one. '

'Myself and others have created this to help newer members of our 'club' to understand things as far as growing in powers and abilities.'

<Dominique>: Dominique leaned in and looked at the paths. It was a lot to absorb. It meant it was far more advanced than just a death bite and had a bad overbite that couldn't be cured. there was different types and she was still not sure what she was or if she was just a fluke of some sort. An experiment gone wrong perhaps? "Can you tell me where I am on this?" She looked at Zodiac then back down to the paper. "How do I know where I am?"

<Zodiac>: Zodiac turned the paper about and pointed to one of the paths that was labeled in Zodiac's handwriting 'The Path of the Shadows'. 'This is what you are. You are a shadow vampire by creation. As in all six types of us, we have our strengths and weaknesses. One of the more notorious weakness of a Shadow is they do not heal as easy as the other five do, so that should clear up one mystery for you.'

Her finger then pointed to where 2 of the side roads 'crossed' the Shadow Path. 'When I was first made, we could only learn of our own 'path'. That is, until what we call the Wraith Guides emerged from the Shadow Realm.' Zodiac tapped two names that separated the roads from the path in question. 'These two, when approached, will teach you the proper way to step off your own path onto these bridges. Along them you will learn other powers. This is how some of us seem to have skills of several different types of vampires, despite the fact what we started as, we will always be.' She paused to make sure her newest student was grasping the facts so far.

<Dominique>: Her head tilted and her body shifted to see where Zodiac was pointing. She was a shadow. Luffy noticed it and pointed it out when she was wounded. Out of the six types she for some reason was a shadow. "What is he?" Her mind whirled with curiosity. Did it make a difference? She never saw him coming at her half the time when they fought and she remembered that he had that black beading from his wounds like she did. She realized she had never spoke of him with anyone until that moment. Not like this.

<Zodiac>: 'Like father, like daughter. He too is a shadow vampire. It does not mean all he is capable of creating is more shadow vamps. Any one of us can create any of the six types. Why? My guess again is it has something to do with the personality and such of the one being turned. Perhaps subconsciously you wished to be like him so you could beat him at his own game?' she shrugged.

<Dominique>: "Well that seems to not have happened." She was about to settle back and give what she was learning a chance to sink in. "What are the weakness of a shadow? How do I know I can do something?" She was truly confused. Thinking hard about being to hover like Zodiac was failed to produce any results. She was still sitting on her *** in the chair beneath her.

<Zodiac>: 'Don't you also want to know what their strengths are as well?' the mystic's eyebrow raised. She turned to a page in the red binder and read from it. 'Shadows are primarily vampires who can use the darkness like a shield or a weapon. However, it is a matter of healing and the amount of damage they can take in a fight that marks their weaknesses.' She considered again. 'Tell me, in your encounters with the Doctor, did you ever seem to be having the upper hand in things once you managed to hit him? I know you took one of his legs off the night you were turned. Anything else like that happen before?'

<Dominique>: "That explains not seeing him until it was too late." Her head hurt instantly just thinking about it. He came out of thin air and had her before she could clear the lobby doors. "I managed to get my master blade deep into his skull but he is strong and even the air around him seems to cut like sharp blades. Of course I want to know the strengths and abilities. I want to know everything I can."

<Zodiac>: She nodded her agreement. 'That is the pro and con of a shadow in a nutshell. They sneaky bastards. Hard to hit too, BUT when you do hit them, they take an injury harder than say even I would. It also takes them longer to recover from such injuries unless they have bridged and learned other healing powers from other paths to help them. In my early days, I knew a Necromancer who lost her hand to the faes in the woods. Day by day I would stop by to see how she was healing. I watched the bones slowly reforming, muscles and tendons coming back into place and finally flesh growing over the entire mess. Gruesome, yet amazing all in one. Shadows don't do that at all. When you loose a limb? Damn thing breaks down into that black mist like their blood does, and when their missing limbs comes back its like watching a photograph slowly developing. Like a ghost growing solid. Creepy!'

[Zodiac]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--


<Dominique>: Dominique pulled her backpack into her lap. the small beads of the rosaries pressed into each hip as she folded her legs to cross in front of her on the seat beneath her. She planned on keeping her limbs and other parts if at all possible. She was a huge fan of the Black Knight and though she shared his tenacity for the fight to the bitter end she was pretty sure she didn't want to lose anymore fights anytime soon. Only cure for that with the limited abilities she was possessing was to pick her battles wisely. "I think I will be keeping my limbs. Makes getting around much easier if you have the choice." There was mention of faes in the woods. She almost missed the mention of it but not entirely. "Faes? In the woods?" She saw a lot of wildlife but fae whatever was not on the list.

<Zodiac>: At first, the mystic looked at the woman as if she had grown an extra appendage, then smiled a bit. 'Oh that's right. You would never have noticed them before back in your 'Hey, I'm Mini Crocket-Queen of the Camp Outs' time. The Fae are something of a mystery. From what I gathered so far they are another race of beings that was once plentiful in the world just as vampires were. They never bother the living, but they hate us and will attack if we stay out in the woods and wild places for too long. In your camping in the woods time they probably passed right through your camps several times and you never noticed. They are invisible most of the time and when they hit you, you will know it. Lesson here: Fae don't play around. They tore my throat out several times when I was out collecting plants and herbs. One day when I do a ritual I will have you watch.' she nodded. 'You may have seen some of your paladin buddies do them. In the process, a demi-fae is summoned and is quite visible. It will give you an idea of kinda what they look like. Mad little bastards demi-fae are and will attack if you loose control of them in a ritual.'

<Dominique>: Dominique was at home wherever she rested. When she first arrived she was finding any place she tried to rest, relax or whatever ended in her waking dazed and confused. More often than not she was opening her eyes on the other side of town feeling dizzy and less than ideal. She figured it was not her imagination or anything she was over indulging in and was quick to notice after a night of camping out in the woods she woke there without issue. It inspired her to buy a rather large multi room tent and camp out for a few nights. Each morning she woke in the tent and despite it being damp without a mat beneath her for insulation she was feeling far more rested than ever. It was her conclusion for whatever reason whatever was responsible for her being dazed and confused had an aversion to the wilderness. This was a good thing for her. She hit the library and gathered up what she needed to know as well as so packaging that would be easily tied up in trees so that none of her food and whatever else Yogi and Boo Boo wanted to get their paws into wouldn't be easily reached. She felt rather proud as she reflected on why Zodiac referred to her as she did until throat ripping was brought up. "Humans can's see them?" She swallowed hard. "So they don't like vamps either?"

<Zodiac>: 'Nope.' She shook her head, causing her own black locks to fly about. 'It is all based on something from the past. Something between them and the original vampires I think. A war between species perhaps. They are not against humans, but I imagine they are not too happy with what humanity has done to the planet either. That is why they will attack human ritualists just as quickly as vampire ones.'

Zodiac grabbed one of Mini's hands and gave it a friendly squeeze. 'I know this sounds overwhelming in ways, and I am not trying to make it seem so. Point is, there is a lot going on here and you will not learn it all in one night. Hey, I been at this for almost three years and still keep learning new stuff, so don't think it is all hopeless.'

<Dominique>: A slide of her body forward was followed by the discard of the backpack from her lap. The back of her guide pants clung briefly to the chair until she unfolded her legs and leaned forward so that her elbow supported her on the surface of the table. The other hand was the recipient of a reassuring squeeze. " I don't. From what I understand until the world burns all that is responsible for this happening there will be a lot of time to figure it out. I have more of that then ever before." Her face was not radiant in her expression. She figured she always made the best out of whatever was set before her and she would do it again. "I am a firm believer of what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Now is the time to learn what strengths I have since self-discovery is a endless process."

<Zodiac>: 'As in life, so as in un life' Zodiac nodded. She let go of the girl's hand and drifted off again to the small fridge all of the more human employees used. She drifted back with a can of energy drink and sat it in front of Mini. 'One of your left overs I think. I know you said you can't taste it, but if you are like me you still drink them for the same reason I still smoke a cigarette on occasion. It's the actions themselves that help you feel somewhat 'normal' again.'

She did a grand display with her arms and eased herself back down in the chair. 'I so have yet to get bored with this.' she giggled, then became serious again. 'So, back to powers. We seem to be wandering here, but one question is leading to another and another and it cannot be helped.'

<Dominique>: Her lips pulled at the each corner of her mouth. HOPE took hold of the cold can which made her feel briefly warmer than ice water. Small things like that were constant reminders even if she could drink, eat or look healthy in her complexion it was all an illusion. The slow hiss of carbonation escaping from the top of the can sounded. "I now do it for the dance of the bubbles going down or the warm burn of the liquor. Generally stay away from the liquor though." She sipped the drink then quickly pulled her hand back to rest it and the can on her lap. "That is another thing I wanted to ask about. I went out and had a couple drinks at a bar with friends. Nice place by the way and the owner is cool about the mix of our crowd. Anyways, I drank because I seem to be able to. Something odd happened. I was in sore shape after. talk about a few days and nights of holy throbbing and gut wrenching hell." She winced thinking about it. "I smoked and thought I was going to be numb in the head forever. Stayed indoors and talked to Rufus until it all went away. Why does that happen? I know I was never a drinker but I know how I handle it and that was a rough lesson something was not right."

<Zodiac>: 'I would give anything to get flat on my ***-wake up in Tijuana wondering what the hell happened drunk again.' She smiled as she waved her hand in Mini's direction while focusing her thoughts. She appraised the woman innermost qualities silently and without notice.

'I think,' she began slowly 'You and I share what some consider a curse. To me in my own ways it is a blessing in disguise. Some of us seem to have limits to how much our vampire natures can handle, especially when it comes to things of a toxic nature. Alcohol, something I cannot even begin to drink, still stays in your system long enough to do its original job. Now, most vampires can shake off such things in an hour maybe less. But in people like you and me, the effect hangs on for awhile. Translation: The buzz keeps on going. You are gonna have to drink, smoke, whatever in moderation now if I am right, or else you gonna feel the downside of things more often.'

[Dominique]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--


<Dominique>: "So there is some who can drink and get sick as a dog afterward even if they aren't that type or whatever it is that has some able to drink and taste? Yes, the effects are so much worse and I hate to tell you it is more like a curse once you finally pull your face from your own carpet three days later looking at your pissed off turtle. there is shame and then there is self-induced humiliation. Rufus is my witness. It took a lot of greens to apologize and make things right with him." To cement that reminder she took a sip of the energy drink and swallowed. The bubbles popping and the fizz at the back of her throat never were that mean to her. "That explains the several hard days nights that I woke up feeling like a dying dog. Now how come I don't look like death eating a cracker as they say?" She eyed Zodiac then bit her lip hoping it came out as she meant it. "Vampires in general are rather pale. Kind of stands out in the general population if you know what you are looking for."

<Zodiac>: 'Despite being Romany, I was always light in color.' she began to explain. 'Most of my long term mortal clients know I suffer form an allergic reaction to sunlight, so my appearance does not bother them. Again, I would say it is a quality of yourself that asserted itself when you were turned. No fangs, still eat, normal colorings. Basically still giving the solid illusion you are still human. If I didn't know better, I would mistake you for human till I got a feel of your aura. That marks you as a vampire.'

<Dominique>: Dominique knew that was all it was. An illusion. She nodded and floated her eyes to the left and gave it some thought. She appeared human and that wasn't all bad. "Will I ever be able to be out in the sun again? I heard some can walk during the day."

Her eyes shifted back to Zodiac as her body wiggled to get comfortable. She was prepared for the answer and it was going to mean her days of running in the afternoon were gone for good. Full moon was close enough if the sky was clear.

<Zodiac>: 'Yes, some actually can.' she sighed wistfully. 'I have been working for nearly three years to be just close to leaning it. If the goddess is kind, before summer's end that ability will be mine, but I went through a lot of learning and working to get there.' Her index fingers touched the row labeled 'The Path of the Mystic' and followed the 'bridges around and stopped just shy of a row called 'The Path of the Killer' . 'I am there, Just a couple more pushes of myself I will be in the spot where I can learn how I can dance in the sunshine again.'

Her eyes grew sad. 'I miss the sun. I miss so many things still.' her metal voice sounded off suddenly, Filled with emotions and sadness.

<Dominique>: Dominique felt the weight of what the woman expressed fall upon her own shoulders until it seeped into the spot in her chest where it throbbed until she was reminded that she would never be warm to the touch of a human hand again. She could not get over how something that used to be fun to do to the unsuspecting could now be one of the things that she hated the most. Having a cold hand and running it playfully down a lovers bare skin when they least expected it was fun. Warmth if nothing else always returned. Now it was in her every contact and she knew it would no longer be temporary. "There is no power that will make you warm to the touch..." She felt her jaw tighten at the truth that likely would be delivered in Zodiac's reply. "Is there?" She didn't want to get into why this was constantly standing out in her mind but truth be told it was likely the one thing that stood out the most. the confirmation in another she was cold and it would never change.

<Zodiac>: She shook her head sadly. 'You have never been to my home, else you would have wondered why the fireplace is always working even in summertime. It never stops...' her thoughts almost sobbing now. 'The only time I feel warm is standing in a room like that or in the bath when I have the water to scalding temperatures. If there is an answer for that, trust me, I would have used it by now.' She stood up and quickly tried to compose herself.

<Dominique>: There it was. The truth. She nodded and instead of being defeated by the reality no power would make those without a pulse warm as a human again, she was relieved. There was acceptance setting in. Her dark eyes engaged Zodiac's own and after a few nips at the inside of her bottom lip she shrugged. "I knew it was not possible."

<Zodiac>: She looked at the girl with concern then suddenly slapped her. Zodiac grabbed the girl by the shoulders and shook her hard. 'Do NOT ACCEPT IT! DO NOT!' she screamed in Mini's thoughts. 'I have a theory about why we are still cold. I do!' she calmed down and quit shaking the girl. 'Remember I told you once how hard each night I try to keep what I was before a part of me? Remember? After three years, why am I not like the rest of them? Most I know could go out in a blizzard in a bikini and not even blink an eye, but not me. Why? I will tell you.'

She took a seat and continued. 'I feel cold because I refuse to accept it. Is my best guess on the subject and if you are cold then you are the same way. So lesson here, padiwan. Every night you awaken, you remind yourself who you are and what you are all about. You only step into the darkness enough to get what you need to survive and accomplish your goals and never accept it.' The mystic grew silent for a moment. 'Because I have decided that the night I no longer feel cold will be the sign that I am truly gone inside. I will have been lost to this and what will be standing in my body will not be me anymore. So suck up and stand up and no pity parties. You fight it like I do! Cold means you are still in there!'

<Dominique>: Zodiac was right. She would just spend extra time in the hot tub and savor the hot summer nights. If that would not make up for it then so be it. She was crawling out of one shitstorm after another so there was a reason she was not gone like the ashes on a strong wind. She was pretty sure she had it figured out. Her fight had only begun. She nodded with the message in her head. "You are right. It's time to stand up and fight." Her body lifted from that chair and she was ready to give it all she had to make it happen. the first step was to empower herself with the knowledge and use it.

<Zodiac>: She stepped forward and hugged the ex paladin tightly. 'I'm sorry I hit you, but I think you understand why I did.' she looked up at the taller woman and levitated up to look her more in the eye now. 'One thing about this new trick? I don't feel like I am standing in a hole talking to people anymore.' she smiled softly. 'So, Padiwan, are you ready to begin your training? As I promised, I will show you the pros and cons of everything I have learned. How you use what you learn will be up to you, but you will not be able to say you did not know as an excuse for misuse.'

<Dominique>: "Yes. It will and I am pretty sure I get the general idea what happens." She eyed Zodiac as she levitated. Was she ready to begin her training? The young woman gave that a final thought then brought her hands together in front of her and rubbed them slowly as if that would be all that was needed on her part to be prepared. A clap sounded with the firm meeting of one to the other. "Let's see what you got. I am ready."