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[Elizabeth]

Both men tried their best to reassure Elizabeth that their night was not ruined, and was perhaps even better, though Elizabeth believed otherwise. How could starting a brawl (unintentionally), causing Cosimo to use a mystic power, and finding her way to yet another alternate reality have made anyone person's night was beyond her. She believed in this moment that they were doing as anyone who at least 'liked' a person would do. Stay positive, reassure and move past the unfortunate events that transpired.

Myk presented the same question, or set of questions Elizabeth had running through her mind, while Cosimo offered some ways to 'fix' the problem of the missing chess piece. She smiled at both men, while her fingers played with the others. "We could go back to the tower." At the mention of the tower, Elizabeth wondered when the last time she had seen either male at the tower. Myk, perhaps more frequently than many others, while Cosimo...not before her trip to the America's if she recalled. She suspected that was the time the male had made his own 'stand' and forged his own 'destiny,' not something they discussed or even mentioned. It was likely that when he did this, Cosimo's tome had vanished from the tower. It was the only explanation Elizabeth could muster up as she thought about why he never came 'home.' Outside of his beloved Athena, but even then...Elizabeth had seen sign of the male before her trip.

Not wishing to make anyone feel potentially uncomfortable about not having their tome to the tower, Elizabeth just shook her head. "But I have not the supplies needed to make one that would be fitting enough." She would lay the blame at her own feet, so that no one would feel anything over the potential destruction of any tome. "However..." Elizabeth pondered slowly as she recalled hearing whispers of another 'queen' in the city. She lived in her own tower of sorts, surrounded by magicians, knights and other body guards. "All is not entirely lost." She said, the slow smile of her lips reaching that of her eyes. "I suppose neither of you brought any weaponry of any sort, yes?" She inquired, her head canting ever so slightly. While Elizabeth appeared to be unarmed, looks could be deceiving. Especially in today's day and age. While she may not be in possession of anything powerful, she still had something upon her persons, tucked away in a spot that might require seeing more skin than she would be comfortable showing. Then again, if the person ended up dying, who were they going to tell?

[Myk]

Things were constantly taking an interesting turn this night. First they were simply enjoying the nightclub, and then very suddenly, violence had corrupted their perfectly peaceful night. Sure, Elizabeth had sort of initiated the fact – perhaps, for Myk hadn’t actually seen what had happened to cause the blonde to react by smashing a chessboard over a young man’s head – but it was just a spark in a gasoline plant. Apparently all this talk of Vampires in the media had made the Human populace a bit jumpy, so, without any provocation as to their undead identities, the denizens of the club had declared war on the Telepaths and the Mystic. This had resulted in said Mystic summoning an earthquake and destroying the venue, and their mass exodus. They had lost Elizabeth in some unexplainable paranormal event and now that they had returned to each other – in a café of moonbeams and flowers – there was this sudden talk of weapons. Myk stepped out of the close hug he had shared with the others, wondering just what was on the Lady’s mind. Was she about to encourage them to go rob a museum or antique store for a unique chess piece to replace the one she had lost tonight? He wasn’t opposed to such an idea, but, he was curious as to why they would need to bother when all three Vampires were seemingly quite handy in creating their own replacement Queen.

“I didn’t bring anything,” Myk answered the Lady’s question. “But then, I never really need to…” While there was foreboding to his voice, it paled in comparison to the dark premonition which swept up his spine, turned his skin to gooseflesh. He moved again, a step backward that was as subtle and elegant as a dance move, positioning himself behind the chair he had been seated in previously. He had to ask just what she was planning on doing with this knowledge. “Why are you asking in any event?”

Despite the white-haired man’s chaotic nature, appearance, and behaviour, he didn’t openly seek to conduct himself in a hostile manner. Certainly he did incite such a thing against himself, but it was because he wanted to see what would happen – and often thought it was funny. Pain was not something that had ever deterred him because he enjoyed pain, he enjoyed the wounds and the reminder that something had happened to him. Likewise, he enjoyed the feeling afterward; the serenity of the high when the aching and the stabbing and the pounding would fade away. Myk rubbed at his own wrist at the thought, where the handcuffs had chaffed uncomfortably and left a rosy band across his pale flesh. Even after his transformation, the body seemed to react the way it had always done; leaving marks that would last for hours, maybe days, and flooding his brain with endorphins to make his body feel. Those happy little chemicals, endorphins, interact with the opiate receptors in the brain to reduce the perception of pain, acting similarly to drugs such as morphine and codeine. So it was obvious that Myk wouldn’t refute an opportunity to get a free high, even if it seemed that he was physically retreating from it.

[Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)]

At first the Italian thought that his idea would be accepted; they would all return to the tower and to the forge within, and he would be able to pick a metal that would do Elizabeth justice and she would soon have a Queen that rivalled the one she had lost. Instead, Elizabeth seemed unsure, something was churning behind her eyes and Cosimo wanted to get through to it. But of course, that was not possible.

Her cheery, almost mischievous questions seemed to put Myk on guard. The blonde skirted away from the others and Cosimo wondered if he was missing something. Elizabeth and Myk did share a past, more than either of them shared with Cosimo (through no one’s fault) and there might have been a shared experience that Myk, in memory, now responded to. The Italian nodded.

”I have weapons,” he said. He had gone to the club to deal in weapons. People who bought weapons were, most often, unsavoury sorts. Of course he had weapons. But who needed weapons when one could bring a building down without having to even think about it? He almost paled. Could have, if he’d had the blood in his skin to do so. He pushed the thought from his mind.

”What supplies do you need? I might have them,” he said, though wondered if it was not an excuse on Elizabeth’s behalf. She did not want a handmade Queen – either that, or she did not trust Cosimo’s ability to do it justice. Not prone to pessimism or self-questioning, however, Cosimo merely assumed that Elizabeth would prefer something else – or she would prefer her former Queen. He did not take it to heart.

”...unless you have something you would prefer in mind,” he said, a non-questioned enquiry that echoed Myk’s. What, exactly, did she have in mind?

[Elizabeth]

Was Elizabeth surprised that Myk didn't possess a weapon on him? A little. How did he manage to avoid confrontations? Something she would inquire about later. Perhaps he just avoided people typically, or fled a scene before it got to be too heated for either party. People, including herself, should take a page out of his book, if that were the case. Perhaps if she and others had many years ago, the city wouldn't be in the state it was in. Too late to think about those things now.

Myk wanted to know what was spinning in the wheels of her mind, but Elizabeth waited to reveal anything, including her decision, until Cosimo spoke. And yet, she was surprised again. Not only did Cozi have a weapon, but he had 'weapons.' Plural. What had he expected to get up to tonight? Something she would ask at a later point in the privacy of just the two of them.

There was a lot to weigh in this moment. Myk didn't seem the type to like to fight, it appeared. Chances were, what had been greasing the cogs of her mind, would be something he was none too interested in. As for Cozi-perhaps she knew him not enough to suggest such a thing. Even if he carried weapons, it did not mean that Cozi went around looking to use those weapons. Perhaps he had them only to defend his persons?

"If you think you have what you need to make a new one..." Elizabeth said slowly, before rolling her shoulders. "Perhaps it would be better to take that route, than the one I had pondered earlier. The idea of seeing a matriarch may be a bit overwhelming and requires a great many skill sets." Elizabeth could pry and see what the other was capable of, but she decided against such a course of action, knowing all too well that people of this time valued their privacy greatly. "Besides, what she has would be gone in an evening, where as a craft that was made, could last a great many life times." She smiled at Cosimo, before looking at Myk. "Do you require a summons, or have you brought your tome, at least?" She believed he had it, even if he had no weapon, and felt it the wiser choice to ask Myk such a question, as to not draw attention on Cosimo, should he no longer have his. Perhaps if Myk needed a summon, than he would come forth and ask such a thing, since Elizabeth had offered to summon Myk. Why would she not summon Cosimo?

[Myk]

Suffice it to say, Myk was lost. It seemed as though his Lady had some nefarious desire in her head, but was reluctant to share it with them, was reluctant to even go ahead with her plan. Perhaps it was his fault, perhaps he had given her the impression that he did not wish to assist because he was not appropriately armed – he never had been very good at communicating. He could speak two languages fluently, muddled through with a third, and dared a couple more; he had been the patient and the doctor in many rounds of behavioural therapy; he had the whole world’s knowledge at the end of an impulse because he could browse the web via telepathy; he could even read minds, and yet he still couldn’t seem to communicate effectively. The extent of his failures was enough to make a grown man weep out of exhaustion, and yet, his face remained still and wide-eyed – positively doll like. His pale hands gripped the back of the wooden chair, fingers splaying over the frame like an eagle which had captured its prey. In place of dark gleaming talons, however, were pearly pink nails filed into cat claws. They tapped an idle rhythm on the wood as Myk considered the events transpiring around him; Cosimo making suggestions, offering his aid, and then Elizabeth changing her mind and offering to take the Italian up on his offer at last. Practical as it might have been to simply forge a new Queen out of whichever material she desired, the Telepath couldn’t help but feel that their night was going the way of the dogs… the sleeping variety.

He didn’t fail to reply to Elizabeth’s direct question, however, even if his brow furrowed slightly out of the peculiarity of the situation. “I have my tome.”

Since when would he not carry his tome?

Did he give such an impression?

And, more to the point, was he always representing such awful notions?

Oh, the failure canons were firing on all parameters tonight, it seemed.

Of course he would always have his tome with him. Though, it was true that Myk rarely visited when he himself was in a dire situation, and was frequently so distracted that he never stayed for long when he did visit. The Telepath was often hesitant to arrive at the Tower, knowing that he was always more trouble than he was worth. He never wished to bring the family in on his own follies, never thought they deserved to deal with his problems. If he were to be hunted – which was quite likely these nights – then the last place he would go was to the Ivory Tower. It would be like leading the foxes back to the warren. No. He would rather die than do that. He felt a sense of loyalty toward those wonderful few people in the Deux Corbeaux, a loyalty unlike any he had felt with anyone before. Even his own parents would be laid down upon the sword if he had to sacrifice their lives for the happiness, prosperity, and protection of his true/i] family. Though, Myk would likely sacrifice his blood family for anything in actuality; money, freedom, power, even a scrap of paper… Perhaps it was best to explain then that he would not sacrifice those in the Deux Corbeaux instead – not even for all the world’s glitter and crafts supplies!

“I don’t suppose it would take all three of us to recreate the Queen,” Myk said, his voice a murmur of sound. “Perhaps this is a project best left to the both of you: the Lady to commission, and the Italian to create. I hardly see the requirement of a clown in such a situation. I’m better at… entertainment.” He grinned and straightened his back so that he was no longer arching over the chair. “Unless you’d like for me to juggle while he works, that is. I fear it could be… distracting however,” he sang in a devious tune.

Oh, and wouldn’t it be a shame if poor Cosimo became injured and Myk had to nurse him better.

“So, unless you want rid of me so quickly…” Pewter eyes twitched between the pair like a cat’s. “What else would my darlings like to do tonight? I’m not opposed to visiting some matriarch,” he said, eyes on Elizabeth. “Just because I’m not armed now, doesn’t mean that will always be the case.”

And then the Telepath laid his hand flat, palm facing the ceiling. With a thought and a blink, Myk summoned his most treasured blade and as soon as he felt the weight of it, long, fine fingers closed around the kukri’s handle. Of course, this wasn’t the best weapon on the market and it was easy to argue the benefits of a firearm over a dagger, but this was his very first weapon since becoming a Vampire. He had worked hard to afford it – so many pockets, so many buildings had been squandered for the purpose – and so, given the option, he would summon a possession that meant the most to him rather than any old gun he could fashion. After flicking his wrist so that the sheathed blade no longer faced outward, toward his company, Myk decided to fasten the weapon to his belt.

“It doesn’t look like much,” he informed them, his Parisian accent growing thick as he was finishing the tie. “But it’s more of a last resort.” Once he was done, he addressed both Elizabeth and Cosimo with a deliriously happy chuckle. “Now. What is the plan for the evening? I am up for anything!”

[Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)]

The curiosity was eating at Cosimo. Elizabeth still did not give away what she’d had in mind beyond suggesting they go see a matriarch. Was there a matriarch in Harper Rock city that Cosimo was not aware of? Or was Elizabeth suggesting that they get on a jet and go to some place where they would find one? Full brow arched, Cosimo held Myk’s eye for a good few long seconds, wondering if he had any ideas.

The blonde turned around, however; where he had seemed wary of what Elizabeth had vaguely suggested, now he was all for it, keen as a bean, even summoning a flashy weapon out of thin air. The magic trick had Cosimo chuckling, admiring the ability. The Italian had yet to fully explore the things that he was capable of. Earthquakes aside, he did wonder whether he would be capable of anything slightly less… destructive. The amusement caused the dimples in Cosimo’s cheeks to deepen, long fingers pushing the hair from his face.

”I do have my tome,” he said. He’d never got rid of it. Had never had the need to, nor any ability to make a new one even if he did have a need. Walking and driving to where he needed to go was just as easy. He’d just not used his tome as much as he had; he had his own place now, within which lived his love. Athena, who was not part of their bloodline, and who did not have a tome to the tower. It made sense that he would live with her elsewhere.

And besides which, Elizabeth had been out of town. She had left the city. Most of the family had gone with her. What reason did he have to hang around an empty tower?

”And you would not be delegated to the joker,” he levelled at Myk, because he felt that the blonde required reassurance. Going back to the tower to forge a new Queen while the others stood around and watched seemed not to be the order of the evening, however. Cosimo could already feel the tides shifting.

”What is it that you have in mind, Elizabeth? It seems as if we are in agreement to go searching for an elusive matriarch…” he said. He was free as a bird, ready to go anywhere and do anything.

[Elizabeth]

Elizabeth nodded her head while listening to Myk. She believed him when he claimed that he had his tome, and had suspected he even may, but never wanted to outright ask him or anyone of such a thing. Not that she suspected they would do something nefarious with the tome; but she knew that not everyone held the tower as a place of importance or one that was often frequented. Everyone was becoming independent, stronger and self sufficient, which was always a good thing, but often times...Elizabeth was saddened by this recognition.

When Myk seemed to almost be excusing himself, her eyes widened. It would not be terrible to be alone with Cosimo, quite the opposite, Elizabeth suspected, but she did not wish to exclude anyone from being part of the night, since it seemed they were all destined to meet and spend it together in one form or another. "Save your juggling for the other lady in question, perhaps." Elizabeth mused, a gentle hand placed on Myk's left shoulder, so her eyes could make contact with his own two. "At the very least, it could provide a much needed distraction." Elizabeth said with a nod, before turning to Cosimo.

There was a look of surprise thrown in his direction as Cosimo claimed to still have his tome. It was difficult to not hide the surprise, she assumed once he made a claim to stand on his own and break away from the Radacini lineage that he would have replaced the tome with one of his own. Perhaps to a place he shared with Athena or with his childre. She was not upset over it, it just seemed to be the natural progression of things. Elizabeth tugged at her blonde hair that was resting against the back of her neck and on her shoulders, revealing an earring that the two may be familiar with. The earring that whispered of events going on in the city; events that dealt with the constant turmoil and struggle of power between the species.

"She is not so elusive." Elizabeth said quietly, a broad smile upon her lips as her eyes flitted to both males. "It may require a bit of effort on all our parts and using whatever skill sets we can use, and even perhaps moving past our boundaries of comfort too." She said with a roll of her shoulders before she pulled out her tome from its place of hiding. "If either of you are interested in seeing where she is, and perhaps taking what she possesses, then I shall see you at the tower's roof." Elizabeth unrolled the tiny piece of paper that she pulled from a leather wrist band around her left arm, and read the fae language off, before vanishing before both men. There was a lock box of items she needed to attain before they went this route.

[Myk]

“Oh, but I do wonder what your boundaries are, my Lady!”

Myk couldn’t help but cackle in response, going so far as to throw his head back slightly; white hair flicked back like a wave. Although, when he realised that Elizabeth would not likely understand his little joke, he looked to the Italian. He reached to pat a hand on the flank of the other’s male arm, and then spoke with a dark smile and a telling wink.

“Don’t worry darling, I am plenty interested in seeing yours too.”

And while the Telepath was busy cracking salacious jokes, Elizabeth had announced her goodbyes – of sorts. He heard the end of her words, of course, but by the time he’d turned his head to question it, to ask her to repeat herself, she had already winked away. Humour pulled out of his features like taffy, paling to a look of complete befuddlement.

“Oh no. She’s gone,” Myk said flatly. He turned directly to Cosimo at that moment. “Well then. I suppose we should follow… Though I’m thinking we should start calling Elizabeth Carmen Sandiego what with the way she just keeps vanishing!” A weak laugh followed the joke as Myk very much suspected that Cosimo would be about as familiar with the 90s cartoon show as the Lady had been with his earlier innuendo. “Anyway… Let’s go.”

Myk was not as unaccustomed to using the tome he’d been given as some might expect. Certainly, he did not use it so often and at such times that allowed the others to see him frequently, but, whenever he needed to go somewhere that made him feel safe and wanted, he would use his tome. The Ivory Tower felt about as much like a home as anything could to a wanderer like Myk. When cold, artificial light and scenery bled away to reveal the lush, fragrant, and multi-coloured landscape of the rooftop, the Telepath felt warm and fuzzy in the core of him. He followed the blonde’s cue, tucking himself close behind and yet to the side of her. Both hands were clasped behind his back, his neck craning just slightly so that he looked like an excited child peering over the shoulder of a parent wrapping Christmas presents.

“So where do we start?” he pestered. “And what roles should we take? Presumably you are going to be our leader tonight.” He sidled a little closer and whispered, “And you know I would follow you wherever you wanted to go… yes?”

Myk hadn’t wanted to make a big deal out of it, but with the way Elizabeth seemed to be acting, it expressed that she felt somewhat detached from her own family members. Whatever the reason for those potential feelings, Myk did feel compelled to reassure her that he at least was still on her side. Of course, that proposition came with many terms and conditions. For instance, Myk couldn’t always promise to be anywhere because he wasn’t often in control of such matters. He failed to keep hold of memories so frequently that his mind could be considered porous; full of holes. He was a sponge, but, while Myk absorbed a lot, they did eventually dry up too. Myk could take in a whole hell of a lot of information, but, retaining it was a whole other matter!

[Elizabeth]

Elizabeth had started procuring items from one of the many lock boxes in which she possessed when her thrall, Elise made her way up to the garden's roof, with a gentle ping of the elevator. Elizabeth's gaze wandered over to the elevator, knowing it wasn't either of the two gentleman she had just been with seconds ago. The thrall nervously approached Elizabeth, her face red and blotchy before she stopped walking her way over to the woman and just looked at the blonde haired telepath. Nervous fingers twisted together at the front of her body, a sign Elizabeth knew all too well. Slowly, Elizabeth stood and moved away from the lock box and approached her thrall.

"Elise, what has happened?" Elizabeth asked with a tilted head, her brilliant blue eyes on the brunette thrall; her most beloved thrall yet. Her first thrall had been loved, it was true, but Elizabeth had formed an attachment to the thrall, unlike that of her first thrall. Her thrall sniffled, then rubbed at her eyes. The girl at your shop...I forget her name..." Elise started, then dropped her eyes from Elizabeth. "Melissa, or do you mean Emerson?" Elizabeth asked, approaching her thrall to close the space between the rest of the way. "Melissa. Elise said with a slow nod of her head, that bounced repetitively; too much for Elizabeth's liking. It seemed unnatural. "The police came to the shop tonight..."

"Yes?" Elizabeth asked, suddenly feeling slightly apprehensive as she heard someone arriving from behind her, but didn't have her gaze veering from her thrall. She trusted it to be either Myk, Cosimo, Ramsey or even Alexandrea. All friends and family; and those that could be entrusted with whatever was to be said in the next few moments from Elise. "They've found her." Elise said slowly, Elizabeth starting to smile as she replied, 'Well, that is wonderful news. Unfortunately, her position has been terminated, but she may apply again for a part-time position, perhaps." Elizabeth knew that Melissa and Elise had spent a lot of time together and had probably befriended the other; but business was business and she had left Elizabeth in a bind. Thankfully, it had all worked out with Emerson.

"They found her dead. With her throat ripped out. They said they'll be by the shop tomorrow to ask you some questions..." She trailed off, quiet tears streaming down her face. Elizabeth snapped her mouth shut, then narrowed her eyes. Police. Something she needed to not deal with, but since Elizabeth did not know anything..."I see." Elizabeth said coolly, before embracing her thrall. "I am most sorry for the loss of your dear friend." While she said it, it might have been difficult to believe. Elizabeth was sorry, but this was something she was all too familiar with and had formed a callous of rough 'skin,' so to speak about those that disappeared and never came back for a variety of reasons. "We will get to the bottom of this." Elizabeth assured her, with narrowed, beady eyes as she released her hold upon her thrall. The thrall nodded her head, dabbed at her eyes with a tissue she pulled out of her pants pocket. Elizabeth had to be assured that this 'attack' wasn't an attack against her or her business, so she would be asking her own questions tomorrow evening when the police arrived at her shop's doorstep.

Slowly, she turned to look at Myk, who seemed to have missed some of the conversation, and offered him a small, sad smile. "I think perhaps, another night." She said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Something has happened...I need to take care of a problem." Her eyes moved to Elise, as Elizabeth moved to a forty-five degree angle to more or less let Myk know what it might entail. "Perhaps, you may follow me another night, for a mystery that needs solving?" She asked, while her hand dropped and she took a step away from him. "Please tell Cosimo that I had to go...and I deeply apologize." She dipped her head, then headed towards the elevator, to go to her penthouse. There were some data bases she needed to poke around in tonight....

[Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)]

The suggestion that Elizabeth made was one that Cosimo was more than ready for. It sounded like a mission of stealth, of theft, more than one of useless and overdone violence. Weapons would be required in case they were discovered, in case they needed to defend themselves – at least, that was how it sounded to Cosimo, and the Italian was growing more excited by the prospect. It would help to alleviate the anxiety about the mess he’d made at the club, about the witnesses, and how shaken he was by his own capabilities. Earthquakes. Who could have known?!

There was a mention of boundaries, and a pat of a knowing hand on Cosimo’s thigh. The Italian understood, of course; the beginning of the night felt like eons ago, but his memory remained intact. It took him a couple of seconds to catch up, but whatever his reaction might have been it was whisked away and replaced by the surprise of Elizabeth’s sudden disappearance.

The decision had been made and Elizabeth was on a mission; Cosimo hastily pulled his own tome from where it was kept even as Myk suggested that the two men should follow. It was what Elizabeth expected, and their adventure awaited.

”You will later have to tell me who Carmen is,” Cosimo said. As suspected, he did not know who Myk was talking about. 90s cartoons were not his forte; he’d not had a television as a child. He’d gone fishing, or he’d helped his mother in the kitchen. Or he’d played soccer, a pastime which he sorely missed. It wasn’t long before Myk had followed Elizabeth. Cosimo had his own tome held out, ready to read, when he was interrupted. A warm hand grasped his arm and he turned to see a face twisted in equal terror and excitement.

“Did those two people just disappear?!” the girl asked. She had her phone in her hand, like she was ready to take a video. Or a picture.

”No, no,” Cosimo said, pulling his arm away and shaking his head, smiling broadly as he backed away. The girl looked like she was going to chase after him, no matter how far he went.

“They totally did! They were vampires, weren’t they? Are you one? This is so awesome…” she said, turning to her friends as if ready to wave them over, to tell them the news. Cosimo took the opportunity to turn and briskly exit the establishment, and once out on the street he ran. He sprinted until he was safely around a corner and into an empty alleyway. Only then did he read the words on his tome, arriving at the rooftop several minutes after Elizabeth and Myk.

Except, Elizabeth was not there.

Cosimo turned to Myk, brow arched in question.

”I am sorry I am late. Are we waiting for Elizabeth?”