A Second Helping [SVR]

[Charlie]

WEARING

Yer neh ae corpse, Charlie assured herself.

The reflection in the mirror was unsightly, even with her natural disposition towards looking healthy. The make up had shifted across her marble skin, allowing the mirror to reveal her nature. She stared scrutinisingly at it as her fingers fiddled with the bleached locks. Her hair was due for a colour and wash, though in her drunken state the realisation only acerbated her confusion. If she was dead, like her sire, then how was it that she could digest food and get drunk and dye her hair as it continued to grow?

On the edge of the sink, her phone pinged. Gathering the hair into a messy bun atop her head, the allurist resigned herself to her inexplicable existence and wilting appearance. Meeting her next match might prove a good boost to her morale, and more importantly, someone to share her thoughts with. Swalled as she was, Charlie's tongue was ever so loose.

Whether the headache was due to the excess drink or the sheer weight of her thoughts, there was only one course of action that could remedy it: blood. The bar beckoned and, gathering her things, Charlie made her way out of the restrooms.

Phone in hand, she navigated her way to the nearest counter, and slid into a stool. Her fingers made quick work of the digital keyboard, message sent to her next match before she had the time to fully consider her words: Blond wit blac shep fer top by the wheel bar.

That Wyatt boy had infected her with wildness, and now, separated by the nature of the game, she waited for her next match. Her expectations were high, and to be ready for another whirlwind of fun, she ordered a second glass of blood to chase the first. With any luck, the time it’d take her match to decipher the message would be enough for the blood to curb her drunkenness.

[Charles Crafter]

Charles swirled the drink in his hands, merely a hot chocolate...that was almost certainly spiked. He was not a drunkard of any kind, though he had nothing against having alcohol either. Just, it was probably best to avoid getting drunk with it. He knew people could take advantage of that because if you were a business individual, he might have been one of the people to do so. People tend to let out secrets they shouldn't when intoxicated. They also tend to treat you with more ease if they find you casually drinking without appearing easily angered or with a too easily changing mood.

Quite the situation this is. Speed dating, what a peculiar notion. Still, it's not like it's the craziest thing. Heh, yeah, definitely not the craziest thing. Vampires, sorcery, fae, absurdities, speed dating is one of the most normal things Harper rock has. He thought to himself.

His phone pinged and he looked at it and grinned, "Guess it's time to put on the charm...heh." he joked to himself. Charles was an expert manipulator, he did it regularly, or used to anyway. More recently he'd become a lot more...moral perhaps? He'd played a persons heart more then once to get them to do things, reveal secrets, or...for fun. But when it came to legitimate relationships, things that didn't just last a month or so until he got his goal, he didn't know what in the world he was doing. Lies were easy, the truth was hard.

Another ping from the phone,

Blond wit blac shep fer top by the wheel bar.

Charles cocked his head, "Blond with black...shape? For top...of the head? By the wheel bar." He said to himself trying to figure it out. Little uncertain if she had just grown up with an odd accent or was basically using text speak.

He walked to the bar, his eyes searching around, Black shape? Maybe just look for someone with a hairdo on top or a hat. he thought craning his neck until he finally smiled, Probably them. he thought walking over to Charlie and smiling, "Hiya, I'm Charles, are you Charlie" he asked putting emphasis on the names. He had to admit he had a bit of amusement on that matter.

[Charlie]

“Aye, that’s a me. Me friend call me Charles, though I think we shoulda skip the twin act,” she responded, smiling doltishly at him. The fresh blood and intoxicated state had brought colour to her cheeks. It was odd this biology of hers, truly. Contrary to Jesse, she’d inherited a human-like disposition. Whether it was due to her allurist path or simply an extension of who she’d always been, there was no denying that it came in useful with her job.

Cocking her head to the side, she regarded him with a scrutinising expression.

“Are you in trouble with the law, by any chance?”
He looked… well, familiar.

Immediately shaking her head, Charlie waved her hand dismissively and added, laughing: “Ye very well might by the time this is ov’r and it’ll be entirely my fault, no doubt.”

[Charles Crafter]

"Yeah maybe, kind of makes things confusing don't it." He said rubbing his head about the little matter of identical names. It was normally amusing, though it did pose a problem with new people when trying to make friends. He could make jokes about it, repeatedly, but wasn't sure that was the right move, so to speak.

He cocked his head as she mentioned that he might be in trouble with the law after this was over and smiled with a somewhat confused and amused grin, "Well, I'm certainly not a model citizen so to speak. But sshhh," He held a finger to his mouth, "Don't need everyone else knowing that."

Charles had to wonder why she thought he might be in trouble with the law, and just as much why she seemed to be interested in getting them in trouble with the law. He committed quite the number of crimes over his life, he just happened to almost always get away with them. He often even took enjoyment in the little...unwelcome guest moments in offices or warehouses. Sure the results were often great, but the thrill was too.

"...Did you have something in mind?" He said grinning, actually visibly hopeful that this might turn out to be a lot more interesting then expected. He expected just people looking for other people, which while perfectly acceptable, wasn't always as enjoyable.

[Charlie]

Charlie had considered keeping records. She’d gone as far as purchasing a notebook and pen for that express purpose. But her determination to document every instance she came across on law enforcement servers had waned. Hacking had become second-nature, and as all habits, she pursued it with diminished attention. The names she came across were divided into two categories: those she knew, and those she didn’t. When distracted, her photographic memory faltered. As she looked at Charles, she wondered whether he struck her as familiar because she’d crossed paths with him physically or, in a sense, virtually. After all, being a bartender turned many strangers into familiar faces, features unconsciously archived in some part of her brain.

“Eh,” she replied noncommittally. She stretched her leg and toed at the empty stool before her, pushing it away invitingly. “How ‘bout we do a twenty questions to give me brain a chance of clearing up. I’m ashamed to say I’ve had a few too many and am waiting for it all to…” she motioned with her hands, ineffectively completing her sentence. What she meant was, this stool was home until her head no longer spun. “Would ye like a drink?”

[Charles Crafter]

Charles knew it was assuredly possible that she had somehow noticed him on criminal databases. Though he was never there permanently. But still, it was not the best of signs, whether or not for her individually or just because it meant he wasn't careful enough.

He shrugged and sat down, shaking his head at the mention that she'd had "a few too many", that happened. Sometimes on purpose sometimes not. He slipped over the cash for the bartender and ordered a simple ale for now, he knew he was far from having had enough to cause him any problems so it wouldn't really hurt, "Twenty questions then. Hmmmm." he said furrowing his brow trying to think of something.

"Could go straight into one of them and ask what made you want to do speed dating? Or if that's not a good question, what brought you to Harper Rock?" He asked turning to look at her.

[Charlie]

Charlie leaned into the back of the stool as Charles sat across from her at the bar. After he’d placed his order, the bartender glanced in her direction, silently questioning whether she wanted another. She shook her head in response and asked for tap water. While she had no trouble drinking blood out of a glass (after so many months of serving it too others at Serpentine), doing so when faced with someone made it a little too uncomfortable.

“First Valentine’s I’ve had off in… years, I wanted to have some fun, meet some people,” she replied. “I came to Harper Rock as a backpacker, got a job, and the rest, as they sae, is history. I don’t get out much,” she explained with a self-conscious laugh. She really didn’t. Nodding in thanks to the bartender when the glass of water was placed before her, Charlie shifted in her seat.

Before taking a sip, she asked a question of her own, “You a local?”

[Charles Crafter]

He nodded as she answered his question. Backpacker hm. Well each person did have their own hobby or ways to go about things. Don't get out much though, well, with all the nuttiness that goes on in this place, would that really be expected? It ranged from bizarre to chaotic once you found out the truth.

He looked at her for a moment in thought as she asked him if he was local, and nodded, "Yeah, I grew up here, don't quite remember if my family had moved here or if I was actually born here though. But in any case I only found out about all the nuttiness around two years ago. Though, not like my life was calm before that, I was not really a perfect child." Charles shook his head smiling but added, "But I only occasionally actually got caught." he added.


He thought about that for a moment, "What was your reaction to all this...craziness, like vampires, and the fae, and the paladins and so on? Mine was mostly interest, I rather took to the idea of supernatural stuff. I didn't want to be a vampire really, though I do admit they seemed pretty cool, but sorcerers seemed pretty fascinating and they didn't really endanger me any more then I already was."

[Charlie]

The water helped inasmuch as it sloshed about her empty stomach and cleared her palate. If she’d been human, a kebab would’ve been in order. Whilst she could still digest food, digestion would detract from the waning of her symptoms. The blood was already working, and in a few minutes she’d surely recuperate all physical function, if albeit remaining tipsy for many hours to come.

It was just as well Charles was capable of holding a conversation all by himself. It sure made it easier for her to consider her response before answering. That is, if she answered. He’d given far too much away, sprinted past her entrance point, and Charlie had nothing to gain from backpedaling.

“I’ve not met many sorcerers,” she replied, setting the emptied glass onto the countertop. “—that I know of, anyway. I wouldn’t know if someone was one lest they were tole me or started sporting pointy hats. I have seen Harry Potter though. I don’t doubt magic has its dangers.”

Charlie chuckled at the thought.

[Charles Crafter]

Charles smiled and clapped his hands together, "Well voila, you met one now for sure." He was glad that at least he had some topic on hand now he could 'show off' so to speak, "Well there might be, but I'll tell ya what, the efforts were worth it. Compared to blood thieves and paladins, it's a whole lot safer. Plus, I can shoot lightning, how cool is that?" he chuckled to himself "Actually, the best thing has to be the ability to heal wounds. Might surprise you how often that is useful. Or not, I don't know what crazy stuff you do yet."


He furrowed his brow, and took a sip of his ale. "Kind of talking a lot aren't I? I do have a tendency to do that if someone else doesn't pick up the conversation. I'm good at talking a lot, but just not so good at making the conversation legitimately go very far. You gotta carry it somewhere or I'll just talk about myself and Harper Rock." he added. He wanted to ask another question. But he wasn't sure if he'd talked to much already so he just sort of turned his head and hoped she'd pick up the conversation or respond in some way about herself since he'd already spoken much about himself.