Voodoo Insanity

[Storyteller]

Kaelyn
grumbled a bit as she headed down the stairs into the lower part of voodoo. She knew she had done wrong, but still didn't like to be chewed out...even lightly. Kae brought herself to an empty booth and climbed into the seat, chin coming down to rest on her hands.

Amalea
Amalea quietly crept down the stairs, wondering who would be present tonight; after the past couple nights, she was going to be cautious. Peeking her head around the corner, she waved at Kaelyn, before descending the remaining steps. "Evening, Kaelyn," she greeted the woman.

Kaelyn
let her fingers extend from under her chin and wiggled them towards Amalea "Evenin. How are you?"

Amalea
To say Amalea was surprised by the younger woman's greeting was an understatement. Typically Kaelyn was bouncy and had Amalea wondering if Kae was going to need to be peeled from the ceiling. With a frown, she nabbed her usual wine from the bartender and after a quiet request, a glass of blood for the woman. Approaching the booth, she slid the glass in front of the woman and took a seat near the edge on the opposite side. "What's wrong?"

Kaelyn
watched the woman make her order and then make her way over to her table. Kae picked up the glass, taking a sip. Shoulders lifted in a bit of a shrug. "Got chewed out. Papi wasn't too thrilled with a poor choice I made. Well, honestly it's a choice I make frequently, but don't usually get caught or stopped."

Amalea
"Ah," Amalea nodded lightly. That certainly explained the change in attitude; she wasn't going to press for specifics. Far safer to allow them to be offered up if so chosen. "He doesn't want something bad to happen to you."

Kaelyn
furrowed her brow a bit "I don't think it's really that. It's more of a violation of how we are supposed to be with humans and getting in trouble and all that stuff. He probably thinks I deserved this." She pulled her hair to the side a little to show a bandage near the top of her forehead." Got shot in the head. It's healing up nicely though. He probably wouldn't have helped me if he knew what it was from in the first place."

Ariadne
looked up from her tablet and eyed Kaelyn's bandage. "To be fair, if you're not being careful, you probably did deserve it."

Kaelyn
tipped her head a bit, noticing Ari. A smile tugged at her mouth. "Honestly, I did. I shouldn't feed from those who are not willing."

Amalea
"Oh, is that why you were wondering if I could heal the other day?" The red-head couldn't, but she had offered some blood. "That would do it," she commented lightly. "Don't forget he wants humans to recognize vampires and extend them protections. If he spear-heads this venture, he and his spawn will be under scrutiny from both sides." She smiled at Ari, "Evening."

Kaelyn
nodded some "Yeah. I've had it for a few days. I think it only needs a few more to heal. I've been pretty good lately. I stay out of the people's eye. I've hardly been around really. But I miss it. I miss seeing people. It feels like there has been a lot of change and a lot more will be changing."

Ariadne
made a small noise in her corner. So that's what he'd been working on while she'd been lost in her own world. Not a terrible idea, she supposed, but it would put those connected to him under more scrutiny.

Kaelyn
Ari, do you want to join us?

Ariadne
eyed the redhead and cleared her throat. "I think I'll stay put for now. I'll likely have to leave soon anyway..."

Kaelyn
dropped her smile some "Oh...ok. Maybe another time."

Amalea
Amalea nodded, "Head wounds are nasty business. Usually, I can't heal, but I can at least help out with blood loss, if you wind up in a jam again." Now that she thought about it, she really hadn't seen Kaelyn in a while, at least until the other day in the Sunken Cathedral. "There has been a decent amount of change," she agreed. "It is inevitable as humans and vampires learn to co-exist and come to terms with a balance they can hopefully both be happy with." She was silently curious at Ari's refusal to join them; her and Kae seemed to get along pretty well- didn't they?

Kaelyn
chewed her bottom lip for a moment as she looked at Amalea and then over to Ari. She took another sip of her blood. She definitely needed it. "I guess so. It's not really something I think about much. Which oddly it should be. It should be a top priority to me since...Stagger."

Amalea
Amalea quietly sipped her wine, wondering what she was missing. Perhaps she should leave; she would have gauge that as the conversation moved - or didn't. "In theory, it should," she agreed. "However, didn't you say that he had a five year plan? Perhaps you don't consider it due to that.?"

Doc
entered the basement. He paused at the the bottom of the stairs, and glanced at the group assembled. He waved in their general direction, and moved to an empty table. He wasn't in the mood for idle chit chat. Hell he wasn't in the mood for company really. But here he was, journal in hand.

Kaelyn
shrugged yet again and nodded. "The plan is so he can continue living his life. I don't want to take it from him til he's ready. Even in 5 years if he isn't...I won't pressure him." Eyes flashed towards the stairs as she saw Doc making his way down. She nodded towards him and took another sip.He sat on his own. He clearly didn't want company right now.

Amalea
Amalea nodded, "Which makes sense, but you know he's considered it. So if things turn to the worst, he may consider moving those plans forward." It made sense in her mind though she couldn't be certain her thought processes worked for everyone. She returned Doc's wave, glad to see him out and about after the prior night. It was a bit surprising to her that he would choose Voodoo given he didn't seem to want company, but whatever worked, she supposed. Idly, she wondered if he had gotten further in his book.

Doc
Doc sat down. Opened the book, and wrote a song lyric. He stared it, and then flipped back a page. It was the same.

Kaelyn
chewed on her bottom lip. He didn't want company...but she requested an audience the other day but they ended up busy and it didn't happen. He was there now. Glancing up to Amalea, she smiled a bit. "Excuse me for a few, please." She slid out of her seat and moved across the room, taking a seat across from him. "Hi..."

Doc
Doc pulled out his cell and texted the chain. Then he he laid the phone the down on the table, to wait for a text he knew would never come. He gaze moved from the phone to Chub "Evening Kid."

Kaelyn
fiddled with her hands under the table a bit. "You ok?"

Doc
"Yes. Are you?" He eyed her. "You look nervous."

Amalea
"Of course," Amalea smiled lightly; she had a good idea where Kae was heading. Her phone was pulled from her pocket. Fiddling with it, she opened the music app, silently cursing the fact she left her headphones at the lodge. Setting the volume to low, she hit play. Satisfied that it wouldn't bother the others, she flipped to the notepad app.

Kaelyn
furrowed her brow a little as she looked at him. "Uh....not overly nervous. I'm ok." Maybe she was a little nervous. But she already knew what he was going to say...and if he didn't say it, she knew what he was going to think. However that wasn't the only thing on her mind. She had also just been done talking to Ari a little before he had walked in.

Doc
Doc Nodded. "Then all is good." He gave the silent phone a brief look and then attention was back on Chub. "So you are ok.. I am ok.. the world is ok."

Kaelyn
brought her hands to rest on top of the table. There was a very visible diamond ring on her left hand. "It will be soon enough with everything you are working on." She didn't say a word. He would notice.

Doc
Doc noticed. He was surprised it took this long. Except, he didnt see the accompanying band. Ah ****. She didn't elope. That means that he has to go to another ******* wedding! He hated Weddings! Wait... Doc looked at her pointedly. Then looked at her hand, then looked at her face, and whispered, "You should elope."

Kaelyn
blinked a few times. Nope that was definitely not what she had expected. The whole 'You're too young blah blah blah' stuff. Or the whole marriage ends in divorce speech. But he was encouraging her to elope? Her eyes narrowed as she looked him over. "Nope. I'll have a moderate wedding where you will walk me down the aisle and wear a suit and everything. You wouldn't want to crush my dreams would you?"

Amalea
Amalea paused in her notes to glance at the pair; it was too quiet. They were there and there wasn't any blood splatter so she had to assume whatever talk they were having was going ok. Shaking her head, she went back to poking her phone.

Doc
Doc looked horrified. Walk her down the aisle?! No! If he had to attend.. it would be in the back of the room. Where his pained bored looks of abject horror would be less likely to be caught on camera! If Nix were around she would tell Chub.. what a bad idea this was. Amalea! She was there! Doc sent Amalea a telepathic thought. ~Remeber Nix' wedding? You should tell Chub.. tell her every ******* gorey detail. please?!~

Kaelyn
looked at him with an encouraging smile. "I know you know how to put on fake smiles and be on your best behavior. You have to do this every day of your life now while you're working on your political stuff. This will just be another one of those scenes. Plus think about it...vampire marrying human...you could use it somehow. Show the world we can work together." She was trying to work a side that might persuade him.

Doc
Doc gave her baleful look. "Elope." He stared at her. "Seriously. Elope." More staring, he was about to be brutal. "You know what happens when you plan parties.. last one .. Jesse tried to ******* kill me. Do you really want a memory like that on your wedding anniversary?"

Amalea
Well, that explained what Kae wanted to talk to him about, Amalea thought as she looked up and at Doc with a raised eyebrow in response to his mental poke. "Him and weddings don't go hand in hand, remember that discussion from the other night?" She flipped to her music app and shut it off. There was no point in it now that she had been brought into the conversation at hand. "Nix's was an utter, *******, disaster. I think I bored him with the ceremony and he left shortly into the reception." She shook her head, "You'd also really have to consider your guest list.... Nix's reception was ruined when a couple of the guests balked at the idea of a human being present."

Kaelyn
dropped her smile entirely. She remembered. She lost her family due to it. Kae suddenly looked really sad. Planning parties and getting people together was something she had truly enjoyed until she realized all she ever did was make a mess. She spoke quietly. "I'll have Ari plan it."

Doc
Doc grudgingly had to admit, Ari did know how to do things well. "She would do an excellent job,. if you let her,, and didnt become a bridezilla.. Because I will ******* shoot you myself.. "

Amalea
"If you really want a wedding," Amalea sighed, "keep it to the friends and family that you know aren't going to fight. And dear god, don't go big." She sipped her drink, thinking for a moment, "It's more for you and Stagger anyway. Even if you elope, you could have a reception or party later to celebrate."

Doc
Doc pointed ath Amalea, "There is an idea!"

Kaelyn
gritted down on her teeth. "If I want to invite the entire city, hell the entire continent, I will." She didn't like being told what to do or what not to do.

Amalea
Amalea raised her hands in surrender, wisely remaining quiet. Idly, the red-head had to wonder if she'd take her own advice should she find herself in Kae's position. Of course, she would need to actually find someone first for that to even be a consideration, so she supposed there was plenty of time to give it thought.

Doc
"Fine. Do what you want. I will not be a show puppet for others amusement."

Kaelyn
If you don't want to come, then don't ******* come.

Kaelyn
held her teeth clenched tight for a moment, trying to rein in the anger that was building up. Better anger however than the sadness that was sure to hit later.

Amalea
That was her cue to remain in the booth. She was not about to end up between grumpy vampires.

Doc
"Thank you, I will keep that in mind." He said as he looked at his still silent phone. The one that should have a ******* spouse texting back several minutes ago..? But didnt. And Chub wanted to put herself through that ****. She thought she was special. It wouldnt happen to her. It was going to happen it will be ugly. An elopement would be easier to get over.

Kaelyn
wasn't going to elope. It wasn't ******* going to happen. Especially now that she could see that's all he was trying to push just cuz he didn't want to be there. **** that. It wasn't going to be something huge and grand. But maybe now it would be. "Jesse woudln't even hesitate if I asked him to come. But you don't even want to consider it."

Doc
"Oh Yes.. throw the back stabbing .. sorry.. back SHOOTING ******** at me. You want him. Go for it."

Kaelyn
What I want obviously doesn't matter.

Doc
You wanted to be engaged. You are. Obviously It matters.

Kaelyn
I expected too much.

Amalea
****...Was there a safe place to hide here? It didn't take an oracle to know that it had gotten ugly and she really didn't want to be caught in the middle. Well, she could go hide behind the bar, she supposed.

Mortll
suddenly materalized To Docs voice saying" back shooting ******** " her hand almost instictivly moved toward her gun but she stopped herself as she saw who he was talking to. Mortll cringed as she realized what she had poofed into and was debating on poofing back out when she spotted Amalea and walked over to her " Hey chica how long they been going at it >" she said in a quiet voice

Kaelyn
I've always wanted you. I chose you as my family.

Amalea
"Not long..." Amalea sighed. "He know's she's engaged now. He suggested eloping...it's kinda snowballed to..." She waved a hand towards them, "this."

Doc
Doc's voice was flat. "Do you see that?" He pointed at the cell phone. "I have called and texted.. my wife for the last three weeks, almost everyday,.. Have I gotten a response? No. You do not need to get married. Its ******* piece of paper. Once you make legal **** changes. The more emphasis you put on it.. the more it eats away at you. Do yourself a favor. Be with him.. through thick and thin. Without .. a license."

Mortll
shook her head and sighed and looked at Lea " Dont know why they are arguing none of this will matter in 100 years ."

Kaelyn
stares at him a long moment. "I'm not getting married because of a dare. What I have is real. I nor he are off chasing others. Neither of us are interested in others." Her hands clasped together. "If in the end it does not work, there are things called divorce. If he chooses to stay human, then in the long run I'll lose him anyway. I am not an idiot to think all marriages are perfect. In fact, I doubt any marriage is perfect. There will always be struggles. I am willing to work on them. As is he. Everything won't always be peachy keen. I'm not an idiot, Doc. This is what I want. If it's not a forever happy, at least i'll have a temporary happy. And in this life...that's enough for me."

Mortll
"Look at Elizabeth do you think any of the times she got married and had a husband before the holocoust if they were to pop back up now after 200 years would matter because of a piece of paper Its all just a thing or ceramony to celebrate more than anything. Sometimes even the stupid ritual bonding goes south for inexplicable reasons and no longer exists "

Amalea
Amalea shrugged, "They're both stubborn as hell... I get it... I see both sides." She cringed as Kaelyn pushed on. "I was just debating where the best hiding spot was in here," she admitted quietly.

Doc
Doc nodded. "Alright." Youth. Always so optimistic. He tried. Perhaps he could have gotten through to her if he hadn't been.. already so angry.

Kaelyn
flashed her eyes towards Mortll. Why was she butting into this? "It's not about the ******* piece of paper. It's the promise behind it all. It's the sentiment." Back to Doc. "I won't require you be there. You obviously don't give two shits about it. In fact I'd prefer if you didn't come at all! You would sour the entire thing."

Mortll
smiled "well you can aleays come with me into the cooler and make out " she said it loud enough the others could hear and winked at the woman

Doc
"Alright."

Amalea
Amalea bit her lip to keep from laughing; she knew the woman wasn't serious but it was still amusing, "Well, that might be safer."

Kaelyn
closed her eyes a moment. The anger was slowly seeping away, being replaced with stronger feelings. "I miss Victor. He would have hated it...but he would have been there."

Doc
"I am sure Jesse would love to take his place."

Kaelyn
I chose you. And even if he would...I don'st deserve it.

Mortll
"Just hide behind me if they go to shooting i heal faster and my *** isnt that bad of a view either " Mortll laughed .

Doc
Doc drew a long slow breath. "Fine."

Kaelyn
Fine what?

Amalea
The red-head snickered, " Certainly sounds better than hiding behind the bar."

Doc
"You chose me.. because.. you dont ******* deserve Jesse. Fine. "

Kaelyn
No!

Kaelyn
I chose you because I wanted you. I wanted you as my family. Because you were always there for me. You supported me, cared for me. I chose you because I love you.

Kaelyn
I don't deserve Fforde because I left them for you.

Amalea
The red-head gave Mortll a look that clearly said she thought things were going from bad to worse as she finished the remnants of her wine. Christ, she thought the eclipse had been a week ago, surely it still wasn't reeking havoc?

Doc
"Kid.. this.. " he gestured, "this is why I dont want you to do a ceremony. It drags up old ****." He looked at her, "You dont deserve Fforde? That is ******* ********! They do not ******* deserve you! You need NO ONE. Everything you need is within you. A license .. a ceremony.. its nothign. You only need You. And everyone else that accepts you .. as YOU> .. is better for it."

Kaelyn
I don't need it. I want it. You're trying to make me choose what you want instead of what I want right now....you are trying to make decisions for me.

Mortll
looked at Amalea She had heard most of this before it was nothing new to her they would deal with it as usual " Hey i have a new wine in from Italy i need a opinion on it you want to be my Guiena pig ? Do a little taste testing ?"

Amalea
"With pleasure," Amalea replied with a bit of desperation evident in her voice. Christ the two of them could really get going once they got wound up.

Doc
"No.. I am trying to make you think.. outside your bubble." He sighed. "That is all. Big wedding .. small wedding .. elopement. It all ends the same. I like Stagger. I think you two are good. But Stagger is loner.. like me. What would he want? Does -he- need a big ceremony? And .. *he looked at her pointedly* Is that best for him? To have him labeled as a vampire sympathizer? Even married to one. This is more that just YOU.

Mortll
Mortll poured the wine for Amalea " Have you ever heard of anyone trying to preform the bonding ritual on non vampires ? Will it even take on humans I havnt ever tried it and i dont know of anyone that has come to think of it ... This would be totaly new territory "

Kaelyn
sighed and leaned back in her seat "He and I haven't even discussed the arrangements of things. I don't have any idea what we will be doing. Hell we could be eloping. That is between me and him though. I don't need everyone else trying to decide for us what is best. He and I are completely capable of handling ourselves. I don't even know when it'll happen. A year? Two years? Three years? We are in no rush. The only thing I wanted to share with you was to let you know that I am happy. He has made me very happy. That's the only place this conversation was supposed to go tonight. I've been wearing this since February. I have given it plenty of consideration before bringing it to you. He and I alone will choose what is best for us."

Doc
Doc laughed. "Kid.. I knew that.. I have known that All along. I have known it since I met him. Do you honestly think I would sit by and letyou spend time with someone that wasnt worthy of you? Do you think I am that ******* lame?"

Kaelyn
No, but I still think you are sitting here trying to decide what is best for me and him. When you do not know. Not for sure. You don't know what will happen. None of us do. You can guess and make predictions...but in the end, none of us know. He and I will choose what makes us happy.

Amalea
"No," Amalea shook her head, " I haven't. The only other couple I knew that was mixed was that crazy-*** Batman and his vampire. And I think he ended up turning?" She settled back in the booth, leaning against the wall, one eye on the pair. "I'm not sure if it would, honestly. The fae like humans better than vampires, sure, but it's an eternal thing and humans aren't immortal. It's not something I'd want to be a guinea pig for."

Mortll
grinned ear to ear " Ohhh come on i can bond you to a lovely single Vampire from that biter app "

Doc
"Which is why I said .. 'fine'

Doc
Doc picked up his journal; his silent.. cell phone; and after a bow, that one did when exiting a sovereign, he left the voodoo.

Kaelyn
sighed as he got up. "Love you. See you later."

Amalea
Amalea eyed the woman, "Thank you, but no. I'm still not sure what I think about that app, honestly." She leaned forward to snag the glass that the woman had poured her, catching Doc leave from the corner of her eye. "Goodnight," she raised her voice slightly given they'd been keeping things low.

Mortll
"I totaly think it could be used for the wrong reasons and some of these fledges are going to get themselves into a mess being hunted. It would be way too easy for hunters to take advantage of it and some of these people have their heads burried in the sand or dont know the full extent of human hate for us "

Kaelyn
ran her fingers through her hair, careful of her bandage. "I think I'm going to go home." She slid back from the table and stood up, heading to the stairs.

Amalea
"It's a decent concept, but the execution is sloppy," she shook her head. "There's really no secure way to separate vampires from vampire-hating humans from vampire-friendly humans in an online arena. Hell, even in person, it can be difficult to judge a human's feelings about vampires. Some people can act too well.

Mortll
'We can sign you up and test it out " Morll snickerd just a bit

Amalea
The red-head just stared, "My luck, I'd end up with some crazy-vampire-hating paladin with a chip on their shoulder. Or some vampire that just wants a quick meal or childe."

Mortll
"We could fix the latter quite easily "Mortll winked " But seriously i know you have thought about it what is keeping you from becoming one of us i know you have been made offers many times "

Amalea
Jesus, she had just had this same conversation with Doc on her birthday. "For one, the timing is all wrong. There's far too many benefits to remaining human given everything going on lately. And really, I'm not sure I see a huge difference between a Blood Thief and a vampire. One has issues with food and sun, and the other lacks the strength. It's a draw, I think." Amalea sighed lightly, "Too many offers. And I suspect many only want a trophy."

Mortll
"Thats a horrible thing to say .. None of my childer are trophys they are unique individuals. Some a little to unique Some of them you will never meet they are loners. I dont sire lightly and you are the type of independant individual that i look for or you wouldnt be getting a offer from me at all "

Amalea
"Many, not all," Amalea shook her head. "I know you don't want a trophy... Many of the others though, it's as if they want to be the one to claim that they turned the human that had resisted all efforts for years. They aren't looking at suitability for their family; they just see the status it could bring. It's unnerving, unsettling."




------------------------------
This thread was submitted via a live roleplay chat in the Voodoo Cybercafe Basement area. Participants and rewards were: Kaelyn earned 2341 RPP. Amalea earned 2100 RPP. Ariadne earned 122 RPP. Doc earned 1280 RPP. Mortll earned 749 RPP.

[Mortll]

Mortll shrugged her shoulders "As I said you are the strong willed Independent type . Most of my childer are they don't socialize much or even work together having 3 of them in Voodoo Dragons is quite a shock to me but then you don't really see them working together even there much. I don't expect a thrown together instant family I never had one growing up and I guess this is how I treat my relationships now. What I expect is for you to be who you are because that is what I want preserved ... Not some effort to conform to what me or anyone else believes. I just have basic rules for the sake of the city. I doubt that I would have any trouble out of you with them you know them better than most vampires. Its just basic common sense and you have plenty of that. My role as a sire has always been support. " she paused " And well kicking someones *** if they messed with you before you could handle it yourself "

[Amalea]

Swirling the Italian liquid within the glass, the red-head considered the woman’s words. Independent she could agree with as she had learned that from an obscenely young age. She supposed she was rather stubborn; that had to come from living in the city for so long. Thinking about it, she couldn’t recall a time outside a battle that she had seen Lan and Kitty together though she wasn’t sure who the third was, not that it mattered. Why any sire would expect a tossed together group of people to get together right off the bat was beyond her, especially if they weren’t selective about their childer.

Her rules and role made sense; if she was in the market for a sire, then Mortll would certainly be a top contender. She just wasn’t ready for that step. Finally taking a sip of her drink, she smiled, “This is wonderful. Well-chosen.” Pausing for a moment, she collected her thoughts before continuing, “It’s not that I don’t appreciate the offer, because I do. It’s just not the right thing for me at this point, I think. I’d rather take my time and be sure than rush forward.” She sighed softly, “Ever since I was little, I had this dream of finding someone special, having that fairy-tale wedding and then maybe having rugrats some day.”

[Mortll]

" Dreams are nice ... Don't Procrastinate ... and Lea if that is what you want you wont ever become a vampire... at least not until they are grown that will be years from now. I will still be around and you will be different You may not ever consider it if you go that route... Things change and plans change ... and I wont stop asking just because of that Persistence pays off but I wont do it unless we are totally sure that is what you want. " Mortll smiled "Take a bottle of that home with you its on the house "

[Amalea]

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live*,” the red-head quoted quietly, staring down at her glass. “It’s a near impossible dream, now, honestly.” She paused a moment, lost in thought. Raising her head, she smiled at the woman, “Things do change. Which is good, given life would be boring and mundane otherwise. Besides, what fun would it be if you didn’t keep trying? Thank you for understanding …. And the wine.” She laughed softly.



*Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone