Dichotomy

[Storyteller]

Ariadne
settled down in a booth with her tablet and a glass of "wine".

Amalea
It was a new night though the conversations of the prior one ran amuck in Amalea's head as she descended the stairs. She could probably do this blindfolded by now but didn't dare on the off-chance Mortll changed the layout on a whim. Waving to Ari, she headed to the bar to snag her usual glass of red wine. Detouring to the jukebox on the way to her usual table, she selected a song that had been playing in her head all day. (( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sENM2wA_FTg ))

Ariadne
just sort of eyed Amalea as the redhead entered the room, her fingers pausing over her screen as her hazel eyes took in the woman's movements as if she was trying to analyse a complex formula, or perhaps break down a particularity vexing bit of code.

Flynn
practically hopped down the stairs to the basement, much like a child might after receiving goodies from the candy store. His good mood had no particular cause, and questioning it seemed counterintuitive. A rather popular song filled the silence, to which he nodded his approval, if it wasn't requested.

Amalea
"Evening, Ari," she smiled as she settled into her chair. "How's things at the Winery lately?" Amalea blinked as a newcomer, at least to her, seemed to hop down the stairs. That was something new...and strange. "Good evening," she greeted him just the same.

Doc
Doc went down the stairs to the lower level of the Voodoo. He had been here a lot of late. Was it a good thing? Or was it.. him returning to the past? The thought gave him pause.. as he stepped into the room below. He needed to think on this. Why was he returning to the past?

Flynn
wasn't used to being greeted by strangers unless he found himself in a bar. The fact that this woman called out to him was different...and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He prefered blending in, as it kept him out of trouble. Usually. "Evening, ladies..." he greeted, tone low and controlled in comparison to his rather giddy and uncharacteristic display of emotion.

Doc
Doc paused, his gut wanted him to move toward and to Amalea's table. But that could be overbearing.. and something she didnt want .. but was to ******* nice to tell him. Especially since she was talking to a guy.. He was the last thing she needed, him to interrupt her evening.

Ariadne
felt her nostrils flare slightly as the sound of a voice and her name cut through her processing. A little voice reminded her that it was polite to engage with other in a social setting, so she shoved the partially finished equation into the back of her mind. "The winery is very well, thank you."

Doc
Doc heard Ari's voice and was saved. Moving to her table, he sat without asking. Making himself comfortable. Laying his journal down, opening it, and attempting to .. write.

Amalea
"Evening, Doc." Amalea smiled at him, glad to see him out after prior night. She eyed the newcomer curiously, this one wasn't the usual sort. "Feel free to grab a drink and take a seat." She nodded at Ari, "That's wonderful to hear. It's a lovely line of products." Seeing Doc head over to sit with Ari, she smiled inwardly; those two needed some time together.

Flynn
Flynn lifted his gaze to the newcomer before he even made a sound. A tension settled across his shoulders, his teeth clenching as the hairs on the back of his neck rose. One of them was hardly reason for concern, two of them was a mild annoyance due . It wasn't that he feared for confrontation. He knew how to keep himself in check. That did not stop his instincts from kicking into overdrive, however. "A...drink sounds great," he admitted, heading for the nearby bar

Flynn
-due * >.< ]

Doc
"Evening Kid.. Hope your day was well?" Doc gave her a genuine closed lip smile, before looking at Ariadne. "Evening Ari.. " He pulled a pen from his pocket and pulled the lid off. The blank page stared back athim,

Ariadne
sifted her gaze between Doc and Amalea, a puzzled look crossing her face as Doc sat at her corner table instead of joining the others. Vexing code indeed. Not wanting to disturb his process, she simply nodded to him and poked her bottle of wine over towards him.

Doc
Resting the pen nib on the paper.. truly intending to writing something.. only.. just an ink blot happened. He frowned. This was supposed to be ******* therapeutic. How the hell is it therapeutic if he couldnt think of what to write.

Amalea
"Well enough," she smiled lightly. It had gone decently well if she left out the part where she was up most of the night thinking. She nodded at Flynn, "You got a name? I'd hate to have to make one up for you."

Ariadne
slid some side eye towards Doc's book as she tapped away at her tablet. She sighed as she deleted another evidence file from the HRPD database and recorded the information that she'd found, and kept her voice low to keep it away from others. "You know, I disconnected the monitoring devices i had on your phone. I thought you'd like to know."

Flynn
He laughed, a rather dark sound for someone who appeared as cheery as he did. "I would love to hear what you come with, though...

Flynn
Flynn scoured over the bottles at the bar, glancing at the woman over his shoulders. "But, as it so happens...my name is Flynn. And who might you be?" Grabbing for a rock glass and a bottle of top shelf bourbon, he poured himself a generous amount with a satisfied smile.

Doc
Doc looked at Ari, "I had nothing to hide.. " He laid the pen down. He was about to ask her why. But then, he forced himself to look at it from her point of view. He needed to this to .. to be a better person. So He looked at it from Ariadne's point of view. And at first he didnt see it. The reason. But as he worked through the iterations, he realized how this must have been a burden to her. A burden he expected her to shoulder. A burden he should not have expected. So, he did not say what he was going to. He nodded in acquiesce to her comment. "Thank you for the time you did give me."

Amalea
Amalea laughed lightly at the challenge, "Well, Hey you has a nice ring to it; can't really give you a proper name without knowing you better." She was amused by this one even if he was a bit unusual and a definite unknown. Granted, she knew he was a human, but beyond that, nothing as she didn't want to use the powers she currently possessed. She wanted to make her own observations. "Amalea. Nice to meet you, Flynn."

Ariadne
raised her eyebrows. Hide? That was an odd comment. "I never assumed that you did... however I figured that you might appreciate some privacy. As for the time..." How could she put that into words? Her feelings felt like a jumbled knot in her back, so she did what she did best and pushed it down in favor of a more logical explanation. "I believe that we both knew from the onset that it would not last. I did quite enjoy the events that we attended though. It is important to get away from work on occasion."

Doc
Privacy? When had he had privacy since becoming a vampire. Vel reads his memories. Chub reads his memories. Does anyone.. truly appreciate how ******* hard it is to hide **** when everyone and thier ******* brother' uncle, nephew, and cousin can read your memories? Do they? Do they knowhow ******* focused he had to be all the ******* time?! Too ******* focused! -a pause- Doc took a deep breath. He counted. He looked at things from Ariadne's point of view. She didnt know he was .. doing what he was doing, because he was hiding it. However, now she wants it to end. He gave her an even look. "I enjoyed them as well." He stopped. "But as you said. Things change." that was a ******* understatement. He looked at her, "Tell me the truth. Do you regret it?" He paused, "The truth."

Flynn
Rather than settle himself at his own table, Flynn sat himself at the bar and leveled Amalea with a guarded, but genuine smile. "Well, Amalea...the pleasure is mine," he said in official greeting, lifting his glass to her before taking a sip. It burned the back of his throat in the best way, to which he sucked in a breath through his teeth. "You are welcome to try and learn what you can, though I make no promises that my answers are 100% truthful." She seemed a pleasant sort, the kind of woman that could hold her in in an intelligent conversation. Unlike those women generally found at the bars.

Mortll
had made the Voodoo a second home as of the last week maybe it was the company she didnt really want to be alone. She surveyed the room as she came in her eyes instatly going to the one person she didnt know. She could tell instantly he was human. Well maybe he was Amaleas friend she approached the bar "Hello Amalea Hows it going my dear ?"

Amalea
Amalea shifted in her seat as to make for easier conversation with Flynn. It was unusual for her to be able enjoy the company of a human without worrying about whether or not they lacked common sense. She nodded with a soft smile, "Well, that will make things more interesting, won't it." Spotting Mortll, she waved, "Evening, Mortll. Pretty well." Glancing between her and the male leaning on the bar, "Mortll, this is Flynn. Flynn, this is Mortll, she owns Voodoo."

Flynn
And then there were three. A death grip kept Flynn's drink in his hand, and he wasn't sure he could be any more aware of his increasingly weakened odds. Though he had given none of them a reason to suspect him, if they were to learn of his chosen path in life, they may feel a little less hospitable to him being in their presence. At the introduction, he cleared his throat with a nod of greeting. "Ah, the owner of the fine establishment. The pleasure is mine, Mortll." It was wonder he kept his voice in check. "Amalea and I were just getting to know each other."

Ariadne
signed and closed her tablet. The code could wait. "The truth is easy. No, I do not regret it. In fact, I wish it would have continued, but I understand that I have been very isolative of late and that you have your own plans for your tenure in the city. I may not fit well into it and I understand that as well. Although, if you even need a prominent city business person to attend events with you, I would happily oblige."

Doc
Doc looked at her evenly. He wanted to ask her if she thought he had complained. But this ******* effort to look at things from the other point of view.. stabbed him. It wasnt a huge stab. It was a pinprick. Maybe less. But it was Ari. She closed her computer. Doc noted that. She only did that when she was ******* annoyed. Doc searched his brain for the correct reply. ****. Nothing stood out. So after a prolonged silence.. Doc finally answered, "Thank you." Deep down, he felt hat twas ineffective and unnecessary. But anything else would have been,,. wrong.

Doc
((battling))

Mortll
smiled and looked at the man She quickly used her abilities to asses him she raised a eyebrow then purposly went over to the bar pulling down a clear wine glass and pulled out a bottle of Priest Arbor blood and poured herself a glass she brought the blood t her lips Looking the Paladin in the eyes . She sat the blood down "So what brings you to Harper Rock Mr Flynn ?"

Amalea
"We have," she agreed, "or rather, we were just getting started." Her nose twitched, hoping this wasn't about to go south in a heartbeat. She sat back, putting her feet on the edge on the chair. Leaning her chin on her knees, she sipped her wine as she waited for his answer.

Flynn
Flynn didn't miss the shift in Mortll. The way she gave him a once over, like a bug she might like to squash under her foot. Refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing him flustered, he simply took a sip of his bourbon before answering. "I have always been a Harper Rock resident, actually. Just...newly adventurous, I guess you could say," he offered as a means of explanation. So, it wasn't the whole truth...but he wasn't lying, either. "Have you always owned the Voodoo, or a new acquisition?"

Ariadne
sighed. It took all of her effort not to read his thoughts and figure out what was really going through that head of his. Non-verbal cues had always been a weakness for her, and Doc gave off fewer than most, which made her job that much harder. The 'thank you' felt somewhat flat after their years of friendship, but at least it wasn't outright rejection of some continued relationship. "Are you thanking me for our time together, or for one of us finally acknowledging that we seem to be done?"

Amalea
"Newly adventurous?" Amalea tilted her head at him. "Sounds... mysteriously vague." It was a bit of a challenge, seeing if he'd offer up further information without being asked.

Doc
Doc looked at her, his eyes narrowed. To the casual onlooker, it might look like he was judging her. the truth of the matter, however, was that he was confused. He was trying to see things from her side. She stopped keeping tabs on him. that meant she was done. So why the **** is she asking if they are done?

Doc
Doc wanted to answer her. But .. how the hell was he supposed to answer that?! That was a no win answer. He was fucked if did.. and he was fucked if he didnt. Being silent.. was the best option.. right?

Flynn
Flynn cast his attention to Amalea, nodding in agreement. "Yes, I know. But, you were looking for a challenge, were you not? What fun would it be if I just told you everything? You wouldn" He gave the woman a charming smile, letting it disappear behind his glass a moment later.

Flynn
You wouldn't have the chance to jump to conclusions* ]]

Ariadne
poured Doc a glass of the summer stock and slid it over to Doc. "We could take this elsewhere?"

Amalea
Taking a sip from her glass, Amalea eyed him carefully. "Challenges are what keep things interesting, are they not?" She smiled sweetly, "So, what is it that you do for work?"

Mortll
If he was telling the truth he wasnt one of those die hard fanatics that they had sent for her recently. Maybe he was just a wayward soul trying to make sense of Vampires and gotten led astray of Reality by a little power. Mortll was still going to keep a close eye on him. "I bought the Voodoo a few years ago and renovated it for our needs. It wasnt easy being a Vampire and keeping it secret so i made a place for us to be ourselves "

Doc
Doc took the glass. What?! Ariadne never suggested some place else. Part of him wanted to agree. However.. this was out of the norm for her, and he was trying to change. Ah ha! She was trying to be accommodating for him! Yes. That made sense. so he said, "No.. here is fine." He smiled pleasantly.

Ariadne
took a sip of her drink and shrugged. "I'd still like an answer to my question though."

Flynn
"I have two jobs, actually. By day, I work as an office clerk for a law firm. By night...I work security at the hookah lounge. Keeps things spicy," he replied with Amalea, rather proud of his very different choices. And hell, he didn't have to come up with a lie that time. He just..left out other various work experiences. It was Mortll's blatant use of the term 'vampire' that he looked at her, again, eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Well, I do suppose everyone needs a place for peace, hm?" Even if it did make an excellent spot to ambush, if enough vampires gathered here. Especially in a basement. Not that he was about to say as much.

Doc
Doc frowned.. "I said.. Here was fine?" What was he missing?

Flynn
With a nod at Amalea, he asked, "And, since we are sharing...what about you? What do you do for living?"

Ariadne
"The previous question. Were you thanking me for our time together, or for one of us finally acknowledging that we seem to be done?"

Ariadne
"Though, if we choose not to be done..."

Amalea
"Hookah lounge?" It was a question of curiosity given it was the second time today she had someone tell her 'the lounge'. What were the chances it was the same one? "I manage to keep busy running several businesses and keep coming up with new ideas."

Doc
"I was thanking you for giving me the time .. you did give me." Doc frowned. "What is it you want to end?"

Flynn
Nodding his head in response to her question, he circled around the bar once more to refill his rock glass, adding several ice cubes to it this time around. "Yes, the hookah lounge. Aysel tells me there are two in the city, but I would be lying if I said I had ever been to the other." It seemed a bit like cheating on his own job, if that was a possiblity. "Several business you said? How do you find the time to come to a place such as this, then?" he asked, gesturing to the basement of Voodoo. The question was twofold really. How did she find the time, and why here?

Amalea
Amalea blinked, well hell, the odds of that were unheard of. "Well, that explains which lounge Aysel was telling me I needed to visit earlier," she laughed. "Hadn't realized she owned it too." Nodding in amusement, "Three currently, at least two in the pipeline." She glanced around, idly wondering about the pair in the corner though she was staying out of whatever that was. Turning back to Flynn, she smiled, "I don't always make it. I have good staff, but some days things just go to hell. But, it's a familiar place in an uncertain city, one of a few, really, which is always nice after a long day."

Doc
Doc pressed his lips together. Well ******* hello. Try to be acommodating.. it gets you ******* no where.

Doc
Doc watched Ariadne leave. Her last comment for his ears alone. He wanted to blast a ******* hole in someone. However.. the whole part of being a better person overall .. meant .. NO HOLES in People. Doc rolled his eyes. Why did he think this was a good thing?

Mortll
"Managing multiple business is easy if you have good people and you like what you do Amalea here is always good with challenges "

Mortll
saw Ariadne leave and the look on Docs face was quite telling ... She grabbed a bottle of Scotch and a glass and walked over to the table she sat them both down gave him a look then turned and walked back to the bar, She knew he didnt want to talk about it ... But he knew where she was if he wanted to just talk about anything.

Doc
Doc took the bottle of scotch, filled the high ball glass until it was filled to brim. Then He chugged the full glass. Then he did it again.

Amalea
"It is easy with the proper people," she agreed. "And I do like what I do." Her eyes silently followed Mortll's path, cringing slightly at the conclusion. She glanced at the woman, "When your life depends on being good at them, you learn fast."

Doc
Doc raked a hand through his hair. Why the **** were females so ******* hard to understsand?! She said.. she stopped monitoring him. Ok.. cool... she didnt want to anymore. But no.. she made it sound like HE was teh ******* issue. Didi he tell her to stop? No! Did She? YES.. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Why? Because she thought he wanted her to. Where the **** did that come from?! Ne never said that! But she assumed it. Women were ******* Hell!

Flynn
"Well, imagine that. It must be sign. You will have to go, now," he said with an easy going grin, offering her a shrug in the process. His gaze followed her own as she turned, but quickly looked away. Vampire or not, another man's business was far from his. "Well, having reliable people makes all the difference. And a little stability goes a long way in a city like this..."

Doc
Now that he had more than a fifth, he wasn't feeling so angry. Confused. **** yes. Was it bothering him? Only until he could find another bottle of scotch.

Amalea
"I will," she acknowledged. 'Had I known she owned it, I would have visited a long time ago." That might end up being an interesting visit given their past....her past...and the different paths they ended up upon. "It does, particularly when things get crazy. I'm lucky my staff takes anything weird in relative stride. Stability is a wonderful, rare, thing."

Mortll
watched the Scotch disapear quickly. She eyed him and wondered what had just happend he was acting ... like someone had just kicked him in the nuts and broken up with him Whatever it was it wasnt good So Mortll pulled out another bottle and sat it on the bar against her better judgment. He didnt need chided right now something told her he had enough of that.

Doc
Doc closed his journal. **** him. This tool that was supposed to help him be a better person. It did ******* ****! He pinched the bridge of his nose... and counted to 100. By the time he got to 100 in the count.. he was ready for another drink. Pouring the liquor into the glass, he counted,. Then as teh glass was full, he tipped it and swallowed it all.

Mortll
walked back over to the table where Doc sat with the other bottle in hand ... "You remember when we went to my cabin and had that huge fight you chopped a whole cord of wood ... I think you need to come with me lets get the hell out of here and We need to just do some damage to something " She glanced back at the two humans sitting at the bar Amalea was cool but she wasnt going to say That he needed to ******* kill something in front of a stranger

Amalea
Amalea had caught enough of Mortll's comment to get at least a vague idea what she was suggesting; it helped she knew the woman fairly well. ~Go...I can keep an eye on this one if anyone else comes in,~ she urged the woman mentally.

Flynn
Flynn smiled at that, shrugging up a shoulder as if he disagreed. "As rare as it is...I don't always do things to find it. I tend to take risks...gamble a little bit, you know?" He couldn't gauge enough about Amalea's character to know if she would understand that line of thinking. Then again, his 'little bit' of gambling...was actually quite a lot. Some might say it was even a problem.

Amalea
"Living in Harper's Rock is to take a high-stakes risk daily," Amalea pointed out with a soft laugh. "Particularly as a human." She was fairly certain he meant risks beyond that, but playing the life-death-undead game daily was quite the gamble in the city. Perhaps not as much as it had been when she first came to the city, but there was always the risk.

Flynn
Flynn lifted his rock glass and drained the last of the dark amber liquid within. He shuddered at the lingering burn, knowing he would be feeling its effects on his way home. "You face risk no matter where you are, doll." He smiled and held out a hand. "And, as much as it has been a pleasure, I have to be headed back home for the night. I have a dog waiting on me. Maybe I will see you at the lounge?"

Amalea
Amalea laughed light, "Fair enough, though I'd argue more so here." Setting her feet on the ground, she leaned forward to take the offered hand; her handshake was firm yet gentle. "I should be headed out as well, I suppose. With any luck, given now that I know who owns it, I'll have to pop by, at least periodically." Standing, she picked up her glass and set it on the bar. "Shall we?" she queried, gesturing to the stairs.

Flynn
Given that she seemed to be a regular here, he assumed she was going to be the last to leave the area, rather than leave him behind to snoop. Offering the woman one more smile, he nodded and headed for the stairs. "I'm not sure Mortll would be too fond of me hanging around here much, but we will see. Have a good night, Amalea." With that, he went up the stairs to head for home.

Amalea
"She needs some time to get used to having a new face; as long as you don't plan to start any problems," Amalea grinned as she trailed behind him. "Have a good night, Flynn and if I don't see you here, I'll just have to head over to the lounge."




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This thread was submitted via a live roleplay chat in the Voodoo Cybercafe Basement area. Participants and rewards were: Ariadne earned 840 RPP. Amalea earned 1520 RPP. Flynn earned 1794 RPP. Doc earned 1571 RPP. Mortll earned 713 RPP.