Not yet ready but doing it anyway. (Open)

[Zodiac]

The sound of gun fire barely made her twitch. After eight years of hearing it, one became dull to it depending on the situation at hand. It was close, but nowhere near her, so she stood perfectly still as the minions of whatever debated the problem. She watched them run with Keystone efficiency to investigate, then returned her attention to the woman.

But now the woman was on the ground again as a familiar voice touched her mind. Now some of this began to make sense.

Keeping the cat in her arms, she walked across the street to join Crissy in the shadows of the alley. She certanly did not look like Crissy at the moment, but that was a mutual thing. Her normal colorful attire in a backpack. Track shoes, jeans, t-shirt, jacket. Her hair tied back and under a hat along with tinted glasses concealing her eyes. She let Ginny down to the ground so she could satisfy herself that this was a friend.

”Apparently, my greatest asset has become a liability when It comes to being unseen.” She lit a fresh smoke of her own as the cat wove it’s way around Crissy’s ankles. How long had it been? Not quite a year. The last she had seen the woman, they had been ‘room mates’ (for lack of a better term.) Crissy was trying to hide away for a time, so the gypsy had invited her to stay at a secluded property she owned. Everything seemed fine till one night– poof– Crissy was gone. The clothes and things she had brought were still there, but not a hint where she had vanished to. Zodiac had accepted it with the pragmatism that comes in time with being what they were, but she did wonder what caused the sudden departure.

”Nice trick with the money back there.” she smiled. If it had been Zo, and depending on her mood, she would have dropped the golden package right into the middle of the busiest intersection she could find. Preferably near one of the checkpoints. ”A nice way to draw attention to yourself if that was your goal.”

She kept her tone light and friendly. Of all the vampires she knew in this place, Crissy was one of the few ‘originals’ she knew that was still up and about. A group that continued to shrink in size. She had met her via Temperance, and for a moment a sting stabbed at her ‘heart’ before she buried it again. There were precious few that would get that kind of reaction from Zodiac. Tempy was one, Christina was another.

”So, what happened? Did Ginny Jr crap in your sock drawer or something?” She could not help it. Why had her friend suddenly just bolted without a word.

[Cristiana]

The curiousness of the conviently timed gunshots went silent. It was another thought lost to the whirlwinds of her mind. As fleeting a thought as her marriage had been. Really, when it boiled down to it, she'd only had a few weeks with him then he was gone. Gone between sleep and wandering but never there for her. Why had she even bothered to search for him?

Ginny circled her ankles, in one swift move she picked up the feline and gave her a quick kiss and nuzzle. Over time the two had become close. When Zodiac wasn't home and she needed an ear the cat had been around listening or as an impromtu kareoko partner into hair brush while bouncing around the apartment. It was something between them. She would sing the aim the brush at the cat and Ginny depending the mood would meow or bat the brush away.

There it was. The question. Why had she left. Why was it one day she had been there and then the next not even asnwering mind call outs. She reached into her back pocket and pulled the paper. She handed the paper of the forced divorce done without the second signature. "I have been searching. Since I exhausted all means of finding him, I had it done without him." She nodded to the paper. "But the courts say I had to put forth a valid effort."

And she had. She searched the world. There had been private detectives. Nothing had planned out. It was like he vanished or died. Either that or he never wanted to be found at least by her. That could have been it, she did not care anymore. It was done regardless. She was a free agent again. The first time in a long time. "I had to make a valid effort in seeking him. Before the judge would sign the paperwork. I even offered to give the judge a half a million but he said it had to be legit. I made it legit." Was it a good enough reason to. "Besides, I locked myself out."

[Zodiac]

She took the offered paper and began to read. She had known this had been an issue for Crissy, but was not aware how deep and serious she had taken the matter. Courts were courts no matter if you was living or not so alive. Zodiac considered how much time, effort and money it had taken the woman to finally get that signature and stamp on this thing. The legal way or how to make money off a desperate soul?

”Romany divorce so much easier,” her thoughts grumbled as she handed the paper back. Things like this was why she and her kind (when she was alive) never trusted the laws of men. Those laws always seemed to punish the victims far more than the guilty in their own ways. The ‘law’ of gypsies was quick, decisive, sometimes brutal in application, but was usually fair and to the point.

She snorted and caused some ash to fell from her cigarette when she heard the reason why Crissy had not returned to Zo’s place. A soft laughter filled Crissy’s mind now. Not mocking, but genuine amusement. ”Only you, Christiana, only you.” She smiled a real smile. It suddenly occurred to her how seldom in recent times she had actually felt like smiling. She did have moments of genuine joy at times, like the conversation she had a short while ago with her client, but for the most part there was precious little to smile about anymore.

Seeing a dear old friend qualified as well.

Zo took a final drag from her smoke and flicked the remains into the darkness of the alley. ”So? What now? Try to settle back into things here again or are you just passing through? Some of the others are doing that now. Relocating.” Personally the mystic loved the irony of the entire situation. The last thing humanity wanted vampires to do was spread out to other areas, cities, countries, but human reactions were making such things happen. In a few years more towns would be like Harper Rock, and then even more. For every nest shattered, ten more would emerge. ”Some place warm, perhaps? Do a little strut down some moonlight beach while David Lee Roth singing behind you? Hot diggity DAWG! Wooo!”

She tried for a laugh. ”But seriously, What’s next for you?”

[Cristiana]

The paper changed hands again, she slipped it into her back pocket keeping it safely tuked away. There was still a slim chance it could be contested. Slim being that he would never show his face in the town, let alone come back for the reason to claim her. She had travelled across the world to find him, searched high and low of places she thought he would be. All in hopes that she could get his signature. She had searched this town as well. Nothing, not hide nor hair of the man she married. He didn't want to be found, and now it wouldn't matter. The courts seen that she did her best to find him and he had abandoned the marriage.

She thought it over. What would she do? There could be a million answers, a million things to do but there was only one thing she really did. Work. It was the only thing in the world she was ever good at. Now the businesses practically ran themselves and barely needed her on site. She remotely issued the paperwork via the computer but that meant she didn't have to be there. The truth was she was gone for so long there was nothing holding her down in this town anymore. All except for one thing.

She rolled her shoulders shrugging, "I have no idea. Maybe just stay here,"

There was a few things she could do. Starting another business had some appeal to it but she did have enough, so many that she had taken on Zodiac as a silent partner by selling the woman a location. It was expanding out, growing. There was also the recording studio where you could go in trading in and buy all sorts of music related items. From cd's to 8 track, new and used equipment or rent it to record in the on site studio. There was the Metronome club which fronted as a jazz club but there was 2 stages where people could catch concerts for bands local and otherwise. There was just so much to do in the Metronome Club not only that but the Allurist guild being right upstairs helped too.

She looked at the woman, giving her a little coy wink, "Perhaps get a cup of tea and have my leaves read from the best and most good looking gypsy in town would be a good start. Who knows from there? Perhaps getting a key to some place.. or all places. I don't know yet. There is a world of opportunity and one has yet to present itself. What should I do?" She looked to the woman who stood around her own height, had similar body type and even the naturally same violet hued eyes. It was like the two were meant to know each other. But at least as far as they knew, they were not related. Just a weird coincidence they had the same strange eye color. She spoke out loud because the womans hearing wasn't off, "Or maybe.. just flutter about town a bit trying to cause more issues. By the way, what in the hell happened to the town while I was gone?"

[Zodiac]

Stay here?

That was a decision the mystic was having a serious internal debate about recently. The adage about pouring fresh milk into spoiled came to mind a lot. Harper Rock was ruined for any vampire who simply wanted to mind their own business and not bother the world. Even if everything chilled out, the simple fact she was what she was would be viewed as toxic. The analogy of viewing 2018 Harper Rock like it was 1942 Europe could not be shaken so easily.

When no one believed or was looking, she managed very well not to upset humanity around her. The idea of packing the bus and going back on the road was growing again. It was in her blood to wander. South! Somewhere warm like Texas or even further. Set up a new shop and live a quiet whatever this was that passed for being ‘alive’ now. Her efforts here would roll along without her easily.

The subject of tea broke her chain of thought. ”Well, if you don’t know by know you’d always be welcome, I have no clue how to convince you.” she laughed. ”I don’t even know what I want to do now, to be honest. Granted there is opportunity galore, but it depends on what direction you wish to go.” Despite the zombie issue, the black market was doing a booming business now along with bars and gun shops. She found it interesting that vice and self defense thrived even more when things got weird. She was no angel and a percentage of her affairs ran through the shadows but for the most part she kept everything legit.

What hell happened?

”Well, do you want the short or long version for an answer?” She contemplated another smoke. ”Short answer is this. Around Christmas we had some unusual guests in town. Spider people. I swear, I am not making this up. They were poking around in a labyrinth that had been discovered looking for a way to close the rift between here and the shadow realm. Others were looking as well to do the opposite and make the damn thing bigger.”

She gave up and lit another one. ”I said leave the damn thing alone, but who listens to me-right? Anyway, someone managed to reach the bottom and, supposedly, discovered a very old vampire down there. One that had been alive far longer than our ‘elders’ had been. Well, some idiot fiddled with something no one should have been fiddling with and let it loose and you now see the results of that around you. The rift got expanded and now new things are showing up plus the zombies are now appearing everywhere and not just in the QZ. The living are scared, and rightly so now and the blame for all of this is falling right on us.”

She reached out and let her hand gently caress Crissy’s cheek. ”Now we got Marshal Law, checkpoints, troops in the streets. Traffic in and out of town is being limited. We are being boxed in now in hopes to contain things. If you want to stir things up, have fun but be warned. None of these people are playing nice now.” Part of her wanted to convince the woman to just come back to the shop with her. Have some tea and relax while she did her fortune. Crissy was one of the few people she felt ‘herself’ around. A feeling she dimly remembered from childhood when she was with her tribe. She did not have to pretend around her as she had to do with too many others. ”If you want the detailed version of the story, I say we go somewhere where we don’t have to keep glancing over our shoulders to make sure no one is preparing to shoot us.”

[Cristiana]

When you don't know where to go or what to do, sometimes it is best to stay where you are. That seemed a legit notion at the moment. When Zodiac was telling her about the town, the changes she listened intently. A rift caused this??? This is insanity. Vampires were exposed, there was a rift sending out zombies. She recalled the mamoth monster in the sewers that use to stalk the town, and as she recalled it Zodiac had been there helping her fight it. They two had both chased one to the point of exhaustion.

Now it was chaos, even more than she could be bothered to do in the town. This was .... funny. The town had become exactly the storm brewing inside her. When the cold hand touched her cheek she flushed slightly. A small hand reached up covering Zodiac. She had always been torn, everything with Zodiac was always smooth. It was easy between them. Zodiac always felt like a warm sugar cookie fresh from the oven. She felt refreshing and invigorating yet, comfortable. They almost...

She looked at the woman, "Perhaps staying semi in public like tea would be best for now." She knew what would happen if they went to Zodiac's home. She knew. But right now, it was not the time. She needed to be out, to see the town and people. Maybe in a little bit they could go to Zodiac's home and relax. "I'd really like some tea, I have missed it very much." She tried to recover herself slightly. "And find out where that gunfire had come from."
One thing that had happened was not her feelings had changed, no they would always be the same for Zodiac. It was her. And she wanted Zodiac to see the differences inside her first. The raging storm brewing closer to the surface, closer than it ever had been before. Maybe the storm needed to come out... maybe...

[Zodiac]

When her hand was touched in reply, a small feeling of calm flowed through her being for a moment, but she quickly locked it down. She simply was not wanting to deal with such things currently. Too many lies, broken promises, betrayals and abandonment by too many who claimed to care to consider anything beyond the friendship in front of her. Perhaps someday. Crissy had not hurt her in such ways, but the possibility of the future was unclear. The girl simply did not have the will to endure such pains now.

She gently pulled her hand away as Crissy suggested tea. ”Well, this area of town is more your turf than mine. You know a place that fits the bill? Let’s go.” She adjusted the hat that helped keep her hair not so obviously on display. It surprised her that the woman had not commented on her lack of gypsy flair in her outfit. Not that it mattered. A disguise was a disguise.

”As for those gunshots? The cops ran about a block in the direction you was going, then turned to the South. Sorry, that’s all I got to work with.” she paused and pondered for a moment. ”But the more I think about it, they did seem a bit well timed. Was only a matter of moments before those two realized you had gone upwards and then, bang bang.”

She grinned at Crissy. ”Looks like Miss Christiana has a guardian angel of sorts. Interesting. A guardian and why were those men so interested in you? I mean, by your own admission you have not been around much at all. That stunt with the glittering money wasn’t enough to get that much attention so quickly.”

“So what have you really been up to, dear?” It was not an accusation, but a question. If Crissy knew anything about her, she knew Zodiac did not play subtle or coy games when it came to questions. Direct, to the point, and zero sugar on top. Crissy had the unhealthy attention of someone, and if the mystic was going to help, she needed truth to work with.

[Cristiana]

The gypsy knew her well, what had she really done. When she first came back into the city flying in on the helicopter, which was her own private means to travel around the city and beyond for a bit. She hadn't quite been cleared for landing, nor had she radio'ed into the local towers to enter the town. The helicopter was atop her building, Lascivious Legacy in Cherrydale. But she shrugged to the gyspy woman. "You know how cops love to hound innocent people. Especially wayward travelers such as we are."

With a motion of her wrist, she said please vacate the alleyway, only in a nicer manner. She walked quiet for a moment heading toward the very familar section of town where Zodiacs tea shop was located. "For now, let's count it as a blessing seeing as I have no angel I know of on my shoulder. If there is an angel... it's not doing the job well enough to keep me in some form of stable relationship, or for the will not to run off for a bit when things aren't ideal or perfect. Or in this case, to get the legalized version of the divorce." In a way, it was terribly sad to feel the pain of loss. She had to end things, it HAD to be done. But this wasn't like ripping a bandaid. This peticular event had taken longer than the marriage had survived to get that little paper, to have enough guts to reach out and get the paper. Legally she was a free woman. Mentally, she was a wreck unsure and uncertain if anyone in the city remembered or cared about her... except for Zodiac. There was always sparks that could ignite a forest fire in the rain forest between the two. So much it was difficult to remain focused, to remain calm. But when the hand had fluttered away from her touch it helped clear the fog between them. Maybe she was the only one who felt that overwhelming desire, maybe. She was an allurist and it did make her crazy at times.

She walked looking down between the two, neither outfit matched what they use to wear. Neither of the two looked 'themselves' and that wasn't such a bad thing. No matter what Zodiac wore, she looked too damn adorable. But the pain seering thru her chest from losing her childer, husband and what she thought was her best friend killed her. Not only did it kill her, it numbed her. She was ... a drift in the sea on a log tied boat and one by one she was losing the logs as they became unraveled.

One by One...

[Zodiac]

”Oh, but of course. Par for the course and all that.” She wasn’t buying it, but did not feel like pushing Crissy for an answer as she fell into step. The cat followed them both like some ancient shadow vamp who could navigate the shadows at will. Only appearing when it wanted to. They were on trek for Honeymead, which suited her fine. The military was there as well, but not as thick as in the main part of town. She did not like the idea of assaulting soldiers so much. Unlike the cops, who by the very idea of what they were, were corrupt and all on the take, soldiers were more balanced in their tasks. Their job was more defend the public rather than shake them down and judge innocence and guilt via dollar values. At least in the beginning. In the end, all they did was ‘follow orders’ which could be good or very bad depending on said orders. ‘Vee vas only following orders’ drifted in her thoughts in a bad German accent.

”... it's not doing the job well enough to keep me in some form of stable relationship, or for the will not to run off for a bit when things aren't ideal or perfect. Or in this case, to get the legalized version of the divorce."

Ah, now part of the truth emerged. The mystic was tempted to tell her ‘Stop preaching at the choir’. Her own nocturnal existence had been a collection of bad decisions as well, but she saw no sense in complaining about it. Would it change the past? Hardly. Would it help the future? Not really. She knew at best she was an emotional sack of damaged parts on her best nights and had long given up on the idea of happily ever after. She was needy at times but had not found what would feed that need sufficiently. Ghosts of humanity past merged with wraiths of vampire present and made the future look abysmal at best. She glanced over at Crissy as they walked along. Yes, under the right circumstances there could be an inferno between them, but things were never right to dare. Crissy was one of a handful in this place that if she came banging on Zo’s door at 3 AM, looking like she barely escaped a battle royal and the hounds of hell itself was chomping at her heels while bullets were hitting the doorframe around her, the gypsy would simply smile, pull her inside as she locked the door, give her a hug and whisper ‘Have a seat, my beloved one, while I put on a fresh pot and we’ll see what kind of a mess you got yourself into now and try to fix it’.

And mean it.

She suddenly laughed, both mentally and verbally as they walked. ”You know, Crissy. You remind me of an old joke I heard years ago. Crissy was walking down the street when she fell into a deep hole.” she began. ”Don’t ask me where these holes come from in these jokes, they just happen. Anyways, she can’t get out. In a few moments a doctor walks by and she cries out ‘Hey, I’m trapped, can you help me out?’ The doctor pauses, writes a prescription and drops it down to her and goes on his way. Next a priest walks by, Crissy calls out for help again, the priest writes her a prayer and drops it down to her. Next comes a lawyer, who in reply to her cries, writes an injunction against holes in the street and drops it down to her. Finally, Zodiac comes walking by. She hears Crissy down in the hole and replies ‘Sure thing!’ and jumps down into the hole with her. Crissy is flabbergasted. ‘You dork! Now we both stuck down in the hole.’ But Zo just smiles and replies ‘You don’t understand, love, I have been down this hole before and I know the way out, so follow me.’

Maybe it was still the wrong time to dare, but at least the woman would know she wasn’t alone in her feelings. She grew quiet again as she continued walking along.

[Cristiana]

The meaning of her story did not fall onto deaf ears. It took a few minutes to let it sink in as they neared the Honeymead market area, she looked at Zodiac. "Thank you for that. I know it sucks being the one left in the wake. For a short time you mean everything to someone, their world. One day it's all just gone leaving you to question, is it worth it to even bother to try again? Is it worth it to put yourself out there? Is it worth it for the risk?" Was it worth it? Was there meaning in living a solitude life or opening to another person and see if that void in your heart could be filled to the brim instead of half filled, or filled so much it all spilled out and knocks the heart over emptying the void again. She felt drained. It wasn't an ideal marriage, by far. And at least she could say she tried, whole hearted tried.

She looked at the woman who was the sweetest, kindest, most loving in the city. "We've had some crazy times together. We've always been there for one another, even when we were sleeping and dreaming if the need arrose. Best friends since the moment we met it seems." And this is where things got complicated. "You know me as you know yourself, so tell me Zodiac, My Zo Ho... What should I do? What is in store for me?"

The perks of being a gypsy and having the gift of sight. Very few people knew what it was to live with this blessing and curse, the sad part is the gift doesn't always work on oneself, but always on others. "Come a devenit acest?" (How did it become like this?) She spoke in romanian and yet still didn't know how it was she knew all the languages she had acquired. Hearing the fluent words seemed to awaken the language in her mind, but this was one she always knew. The slight accent was that of someone from that area, yet in all her travels she had never found a trace of her past. There had been dreams but even the most vivid was far too outlandish for her realistic mind. Traveling thru demensions, loving creatures that didn't seem real but she was a vampire and there was monsters and fae in this city. Yet that seemed more realitistic than what the dreams spoke of. It had been a moment of happiness when she actually thought for a second she might know her past, but the only past she knew was lies and pains from those she let in close to her. That wall only built up layer by layer stronger.