Meeting of the Minds [Vampire Meeting]

[Alexandrea]

"That's not a bad idea." The blonde said with a warm smile directed at the gifter of chairs. The clipboard/talking stick was obviously unneeded or wanted so Alexandrea lightly tossed it onto one of the empty chairs as she addressed the small gathering.

"I'm Alexandrea Quartermaine, business owner and co-founder of the Daughters of the Triple Moon. AKA Robyn Hood. And I want to thank everyone for being here!"

There wasn't anything more that needed to be said in Alex's opinion, her objective from the beginning had been to just get everyone talking again when she had 'bumped' Doc's old thread on Crownet. And she happily took her seat again, anxious to hear what everyone else would have to say.

[Caligrace]

When she caught sight of a familiar face, her expression instantly changed from wary to delighted, her smile for Baptiste genuine. Without speaking, though, she winked at her employee and friend as he took his seat, her hands disappearing back into her jacket pockets. It was better this way, than to stay under the dark haired man’s - Levi, as she came to find - cold and distant appraisal. In those few seconds after she introduced herself, to the moment he spoke, she had learned almost all she needed to know about the man from his eyes alone.

Of course, that was only in her head, that checklist of hers.

Cold.
Disapproving.
Distant.
Rude.

Perhaps he hadn’t meant to be the last one, but when he spoke, the way the words rolled off his tongue and the statement that they needed him - someone she had never heard of, and from the looks of it, no one in attendance had - he had come off as arrogant. It caused her to chuckle, but she knew better than to dwell on it. Instead, she kept Mortll in her sights, her earlier statement surprising her. She had expected her to come in, attitude in hand and guns blazing, and with good reason. However, she only asked for them to begin, and she sighed.

She had heard the story a thousand and one times, as had anyone that had ever asked, if they just listened. She was naive to think that this time would be any different, but she still held onto the hope. Either way, it would be interesting to see how Every answered it this time.

For now, she just kept that smile in place, ran her fingers through her red curls, and shrugged, her introduction short and sweet.

“I’m Caligrace Norgard.”

[Every]

She wasn’t surprised by Mortll’s suggestion in the least. After all, hadn’t the events in the throne room been the entire reason the woman had attacked her consistently over the year? “I can do something better and project the events of what happened telepathically for those that are willing.” She looked at the dark haired woman pointedly, “And, it will clear of the lack of communication. While I doubt it’ll clear up any hard feelings, at least you’ll have the full story before your assumptions can run wild again.” Silently, she added as she looked away to the others speaking in the room, “And before you can become an insufferable twat, again.”

“Introductions, huh?” What were they running, some high school function? They hadn’t been needed, not immediately at least. It could have been something said and done as they all spoke their piece, if wanted. Her gaze drifted from one face to another, committing them to memory if she hadn’t already. With the exception of Caligrace and Alexandrea, Every wasn’t in a room with people that she was friendly around. Mortll had shot her more times than she cared to count, earning the woman title of dumb twat for many years to come. The most she knew about her previous to the bullets had been how she’d seemed incapable of keeping a stance on anything for too long before CrowNet had fallen. Baptiste was a familiar face at Thrive, an employee of Caligrace’s, but she didn’t know him well enough to feel one way or another towards the man whom had been called the epitome of sunshine. Although she was friendly enough when she forced herself to be, Every didn’t like crowds. Then again, she didn’t like many people, either, even before everything.

Her gaze landed on the man that introduced himself as Levi D’Amico. She didn’t know him, nor the pale individual that had asked about the roster. He was more familiar, however, a face she’d seen on the streets a few times. Every folded her arms in front of her chest, each introduction that followed ones she’d already known while she shifted her weight. Her usual smirk played across her lips, “Every.“ Although the pronunciation fell from the Californian as Ee-ver-ee while she spoke, her surname was kept to herself, “Eve will suffice. I’m a broker by trade.”

[Myk]

While Every and Mortll just wished to get down to business, there was one in attendance who preferred much more in the way of structure and he wasn’t shy about demanding it either. When the authoritarian words hit the air, dressed in a fine suit of an Italian-American accent, Myk craned his neck to see the Shadow standing behind the back row of chairs with a very surly look on his grizzled featured. Myk had understood from stories told to him that Vampire Paths were very often dictated by a number of diverse and obscured circumstances, but it was certainly well understood that specific personality traits were more aligned with one Path over another. The lone wolf with the dark, oppressing aura had clearly fallen onto Destiny’s sword upon his turning, and while Myk couldn’t read all of the details that lay there, he understood the outcome well enough – his Appraisal powers helped his inquisitive mind reveal the hidden truths in most things.

As ever, Alexandrea brought the light back to the room with her sparkling voice and Myk was relieved to be able to turn around and focus his pewter eyes back to the front. Her introduction was as effervescent as she was and Myk raised his hands beneath his chin to provide a small round of applause by patting the tips of his fingers together. The smile he wore spread from ear to ear and his eyes closed momentarily, his chin lifting, to perform a very cat-like look of approval. There were many that might think that titles and the like were very pretentious, but Myk found them to be very honest and respectful. He preferred it when people were willing to take that first step and put their heart on the line, wear it on their sleeve, and perhaps present it even on a silver platter. But, that was the predator and scientist in him that spoke. The Human in him would never dare suggest they give so much of themselves away, which is exactly why, after Caligrace and Every had said their piece, that Myk followed up with the short introduction of his own before sharply changing the subject.

“And, I am Myk,” the Telepath added, standing and addressing Levi with a wolfish smile before speaking to the rest of the room with a ballerina twirl. “This is Baptiste,” he said, pointing to the blonde Shadow beside him as if he were presenting a potential prize to be won at a TV Quiz Show, before he then swiftly span on the spot and pointed to the Necromancer of the group. “And that is Mortll.”

There were far more delicate ways to handle the situation, but then Myk was far more intrigued with the meat of the beast and not its skeleton. Structure was important – of course it was – and now that it was in play, they could move on and focus on just what Every had been talking about. So, before sitting down, Myk bobbed his head as if to courtesy and finished with a low voice and a bit of a chuckle, “I did say I was impatient.”

[Alexandrea]

"well if everyone who wanted to introduce themselves has finished... ?"

The blonde wanted to be as polite as possible, as not everyone in attendance had yet to speak. But Alexandrea strongly felt that enough time had been given and continue to wait was simply unfair. Besides, not everyone had come to the meeting to speak. Some had come only to listen. And there were always those introverted sorts of people who became shy at the idea of speaking up in front of a group.

Or whatever the reasons could be, as far as she could see it was time to start trying to make some kind of progress...


She waited again after speaking up, just in case there really was someone who hadn't spoken up yet still wanted the chance.

[Levi DAmico]

It was true what was said about him, or rather, what they’d muttered about the Italian behind his back as they ducked away or tucked their tails between their legs, hoping not to cause a fight: he was a miserable, insufferable ******** with a fuse too short for the bomb it was wired to. Levi didn’t much appreciate being surrounded by people whom he assumed were his lessers and Levi pretty much assumed that he was better than everyone simply because he’d been born that way. However, that was not to say that his birth parents had been the type to grace him with any significant divinity in terms of genes - as he liked to think of it - but because once in a while you’ll have yourself one of those blips in the evolutionary cycle that then goes on to define the superior race before everything else either fades into obscurity or gets wiped off the face of the ******* planet.

The Italian could feel the cold heat of extinction’s breath lingering in the air around them even as his umber eyes pressed on the other Vampiri in attendance - or rather, one in particular as he’d noticed. Because he felt his skin itch when that…thing... spoke and with the way its pewter eyes flickered in the low light was making his stomach churn. Levi’s lips curled into a grimace, and it was just as well that the white-haired creature sat down after introducing everyone with some pretentious flourish that the nauseating spell Levi was under broke before the Italian could let out a low growl. And then it was the blonde woman’s turn to speak again; the Alexandrea of several names that Levi had already mostly forgotten. Instead, he focused on her face - on turquoise eyes amidst honey curls - his features growing still and calm so quickly that the maelstrom which had possessed him just moments ago might feel like some nightmarish dream.

He took a deep breath in, let it settle in his dead lungs, and then breathed out.

Silence had taken a strangle-hold of the situation, crushing and pressing on that last glint of patience that had remained in him. It seemed that they were waiting again. The heat of anger was gnawing at him and it was probably because he hated indecisive people. Levi didn’t like stillness and hanging about and wasting time; he preferred having things to do, something to keep his mind entertained – maybe to keep his body from giving in to rigor mortis. The urge for a cigarette was rising. Reaching into his breast pocket, the Vampiro retrieved the red and white box of cigarettes like it was a tiny first aid kit. After lifting one out and setting it between his lips, he focused on lighting it with his supernatural gifts. He committed to the fire in his heart; let it roar down his veins, fill the capillaries of his hand, and set light to the end of his cigarette until it burned a sweet cherry red. After the first lungful of smoke erupted into the air, spilling from his nostrils and throat like the afterglow of a dragon’s flame, Levi was already starting to feel better.

The Italian considered the situation they were in and what he had come to understand so far with their assistance. There wasn’t much gleamed in terms of actual, definitive information, but it was clear to him where the allegiances and blame lay. Mortll and Alexandrea stood as a pair on one side of the room almost perfectly perpendicular to Every and Caligrace. As far as everyone else was concerned, they fell somewhere in between, but Levi got a taste of familiarity between the one that called itself Myk and the Alexandrea-Mortll team. It wasn’t just a simple case of being a nosey ******* Telepath with no manners, the white-haired one was just too damn comfortable with outing his compadriates, Baptiste and Mortll, not to have connections to them. Being left as the seventh wheel didn’t really sit well with him and he almost felt a loyalty toward Every and Caligrace just on a basis of sheer numbers.

“Grazie,” Levi offered to the room. “For the introductions. I appreciate that. It helps keep things… civil. So. Can you go on with what you were saying?” he said to Every, his umber eyes directed to her. “Personally, I prefer the old fashioned way of speech and I can decide for myself if I believe you.”

Being as low and deep as it was, his voice could be described as husky, gravelly, and smokey, but more commonly came off as vicious and grouchy. Those people weren’t technically wrong. That Boston-Italian accent could also grate on the ears, create a hostile impression, almost to the point that if you weren’t convinced he was Mafia before, you were now. The only thing that tripped that implication up was what Levi said. Mostly the Italian spoke very little, sharing words like they were gold, and being basically ******* Smaug. Levi was quite selective with the pieces of information he gave and he was quite satisfied either way if it made him look like some knuckle-dragging thug. The less people expected of him, the easier it would be to pull their world out from under them when the time came.

While sometimes Levi forgot his own rule about judging a book by its cover, he had this feeling that Every wasn’t about to lie to them. There wasn’t much to be gained by fabricating evidence telepathically or bullshiting to their faces. She was here for a resolution and she looked like she had at least two brain cells in that head of hers to rub together, so, she must have understood that lying to them was sabotaging her own goal. The Italian had met some crazy ******* Vampira in his time - some who’d seemed perfectly nice and normal on the surface - so it wasn’t completely out of the bounds of possibility that Every was insane. Still, he had a hunch and he was willing to put a bet on this one.

[Every]

Every had never been much of a people person even before her death. Their minds had been what interested her due to her degree choice of Criminology, but she’d preferred the steady waves of water crashing upon shore to conversation, the rising and falling of them beneath her board. When Levi spoke, her gaze drifted back to the man and her eyebrows furrowed. She understood it. Most didn’t like telepathic invasion - she was one of them. But, she also knew that she didn’t lie, nor did she ever feel the need to. Although, she also couldn’t, but that wasn’t something she particularly enjoyed getting into. The insufferable itch that happened at the back of her throat, the pressure that she likened to potentially vomiting up the information. Yes, honesty was always best.

“That’s fair.” She stated, lifting a hand to rub at the back of her neck as she exhaled while making a bit of a face. During her time in Tytonidae, she’d been at least charismatic, but the distancing of herself from anyone that wasn’t in her own faction, as well as the constant attacks had lessened it. “For those that aren’t in the know, an ancient vampiress was indeed set free. Sometime ago, the Administrator gave a heads up that the sirens were digging for something. Most of us went looking,” She gestured to her adoptive childe and best friend, “Caligrace’s sire and I found a set of keys through a trick wall that led both to it.”

As she spoke, Every removed a photo from her pocket of the treasure she’d found and unfolded it, before offering it to anyone that wanted it, “I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been curious in regards to gathering information. Mysteries, puzzles.” Another gesture, but she didn’t continue on her rambling as she contemplated sitting down. “We were each summoned, beckoned. I can only compare it to how a vampire could call their thrall. I couldn’t refuse, I couldn’t deny it. During my search for the key initially, Prudence mentioned that she was searching for a heart. It wasn’t until after we - myself, Freyja, Amalea, some man I’d never met, and Ariadne - used the keys to open up a massive door that I even remotely had an idea what she meant. I could be wrong, but I believe she meant the heart of vampirism. Both due to the sheer dark sensation that I felt, but the power that the vampiress named Theodosia produced.”

Every paused, allowing a period for the collective to catch up to what she had said.

She didn’t dwindle long before she decided that pacing, even slightly, would be easier. She hated sitting still, she hated standing still. However, as she spoke, Every made sure not to turn her body or face away from those in the room. She didn’t want, nor did she need, anyone to claim that she was doing it to avoid telling the truth. “Right off the bat, Amalea appraised her and received a massive headache. We could tell she was old, but how old,” A shrug was given, “Most of the communication from us all was telepathic, but her mindspeak… it was different. It was… almost as if a claw raked through me, multiple voices at once, but it was similar to what I can only describe as organized chaos. Memories, ideas, concepts pressing into my mind. Overwhelming.”

The recollection made her frown. A chill ran down her spine, but she merely tried to concentrate as she tried to figure out if she should skip or pull through. It had only taken a couple of hours, but as she looked back on it, it had felt as if it were days. She decided on the cliffnotes version and if detail was needed, she could always elaborate later. “From Theodosia, she told us it was written in the stars, a destiny.” Even still, Every didn’t believe her. There had been no hide nor hair from the ancient vampire and she merely shook her head. “We were all offered questions to ask, and given answers. We all had differencing motives, desires, wants. Freyja wanted the ancient free. Amalea was unsure. I, myself, was unsure, and I wanted to learn more before making my decision,” She’d gone back and forth on it, frequently.

“I appraised her, like Amalea, as well as Bancroft’s owner, Bancroft. Their auras are similar, but different. I’m unsure on how, if they’re sire and childe, if they’re from the same generation, but they’re old. Both of them, and Theodosia seemed by her own admission to the creator of this,” She gestured amongst the collective individuals. They all came from different walks of life, but they all shared the same trait of vampirism. The elders were all connected, too, that much she was almost positive. Was it possible that Bancroft’s master was their sire? Was Theodosia? In retrospect, Every thought she should have appraised Crow, as well, but she fell silent as she allowed for more time for it all to sink in.

Her lips pressed together as she considered it all. There had been a lot of misunderstanding, time where they could have discussed it further had it not been for Freyja’s impulsiveness. “In short, Ariadne shot at the ancient and it was revealed that she had a shield surrounding her of some sort, Freyja went to aid Theodosia and Ariadne attacked Freyja. I don’t know when Theodosia’s guards had begun moving, caging us in and I don’t care. I wondered why, if she could summon the five of us, as well as command them to move, she hadn’t asked for her to kill them for freedom. I didn’t know if the rift reached that far, as if I were trapped and knew, I would have allowed myself to die and return,” Every shook her head as she said, “I acted on impulse to stop Ariadne and try to stop Freyja as the blood didn’t work. Nevertheless, I still summoned my thrall, Locryn. Was I wrong? Perhaps. Maybe I was, and maybe I wasn’t. I disagreed with Freyja, but if her death was going to be permanent, I wouldn’t allow it. And, to put it clearly, I still didn’t know what to do then, but had I not died, I would have left after crippling both of them.”

At that, Every stopped to make sure she looked them into their eyes, her voice firm.

“Through Locryn’s eyes, I was able to see what happened. I had instructed her to listen to Amalea. Amalea, who I will remind those in this room, that has always stood by our kind and was more than just a friend to myself at the time. She’d watched someone die that she cared about, suffered a breakdown and has since attended therapy. If you want her to describe it to you, you’ll have to invite her here,” She frowned, “But with Locryn’s aid, the ancient was released and she’s done jack **** since then aside from gradually opening the rift - something I imagine would have happened again. With that in mind, I’ve clearly come back,” She gestured at herself, “Although I sure as hell am not the way I used to be, I’m originally a shadow, but,” She removed a knife, slicing open her forearm to revealed red blood, “I’ve since become a mystic." She tucked her knife away, but allowed the blood to continue to roll down her skin, before stating, "Now, with that in mind. Were the events great? No. Do I regret my actions? No. Do I wish things had turned out differently? Yes. Do I care if you like me? Absolutely not. But, playing the blame game, attacking me and mine for the thousandth time, and being absolute cocks to each other isn't going to fix anything.”

[Mortll]

Mortll gritted her teeth as she listened to Every speak. That unknown other had been her childe Llangort and he had chosen to move on due to the events that had happened ... she had to stand there and listen to Every moan about hers ...and make more excuses. It was always a excuse with her. Sure let the ancient out give her the blood she needed to make the zombie apocalypse happen ... Get rid of every human in existence... It doesn't matter it was going to happen anyway ... Jesus ******* Christ she could shoot her again right now. Instead she stood there listening to it all once again ... She wasn't here to Blame anymore she was here to solve things ... and like it or not the cry baby that always found a excuse and never wanted to loose was probably the only way things were going to be settled Like it or Not Mortll was going to need their help. So she stood there and bit back her anger and resisted the urge to throw a curse at Every. Instead she looked out over the few people that had shown up and smiled as her eyes gauged the looks on their faces .

[Myk]

Given the choice between storytime and a telepathic dream sequence, it probably wouldn’t have surprised anyone in the audience to learn that Myk would have preferred to experience the latter. Not that he didn’t think the brunette had a lovely voice or that she didn’t have a certain je ne sais quoi to her storytelling. It wasn’t even the fallibility of eyewitness testimony that coloured his favours. Myk simply wanted to see for himself what it would have been like to be there, to feel it and to live it and to know it. Because at the moment, this all meant next to nothing to him. His life hadn’t changed because Theodosia had been released from her sleep or because the mortals knew what they were or because the undead were causing such fret and panic. He didn’t care much for anything other than sating his desires and this meeting had become a project for him; something to be entertained by. As much as it affected those around him - those he felt a certain alliance to - Myk’s brain was too pragmatic for its own good and told him that they would be fine even if the sky fell.

In short, his motivation for being here was fleeting. Curiosity in a creature such as Myk was both powerful and perishable. If they were going to continue to keep his service - and in fairness, the Telepath could be endlessly resourceful when he paid attention - then they would need to keep his interest. Fortunately, it appeared that Every was well equipped to deal with short-attention spans as she produced a visual aid for her presentation. The white-haired man was happy to take the photograph and study it for a time as she spoke. It didn’t mean much to him at the time, but he decided that he would keep a copy for future reference; storing a photograph on his phone. Perhaps this was something Rutherford could help him look into as well - if the Wraith would be so charitable...

After passing the photo on, one look at Mortll’s expressions suggested that the woman was not at all happy with the story Every was delivering. Myk couldn’t determine whether that was out of spite or suspicion, however. Probability and psychology suggested that it was both and Myk sighed to himself under his breath. He might have made a song and dance of his displeasure if she had been more vocal, but since they were all behaving themselves right now, there was no need to be so obstinate. Still, he couldn’t help but feel like something was off. It was like staring at a picture for too long, trying to dislodge the error in the print quality, but the details had melted into the minutia. He felt the strain in his entire body, but none more so than in his head and in his eyes. It was as though those pewter orbs had suddenly been pierced by lances made out of the purest sunlight.

The Telepath drew a pale hand to his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut. The room appeared to go quiet in that time, which was the perfect opportunity to allow his thoughts to vent. The words broke from his lips in a cool, controlled sermon delivered in that rich English accent.

“Well, she is certainly capable enough to be a threat. If she can open the rift of her own accord, blind us to her existence, and summon infinite zombified creatures from an unfathomable distance… We do have every reason to be worried. But.”

Myk paused, his eyes fluttering open. As he continued, the strength of his voice wavered and its character and accent were more Parisian in nature.

“But, we’re all pretty capable of doing monstrously powerful things by Human standards. And anyone skilled enough can make a toothbrush as dangerous as a knife. So. It comes down to intent. What does she want? And should we waste time worrying about that or deal with the immediate, more obvious threat of Humanity?”

[Caligrace]

Her fingers trembled as she slowly began to unwind them from the leather of her jacket, the material making the slightest of sounds when it began to settle back into place. Drawing comfort from the smallest things, the allurist pulled her lower lip between her teeth, the flesh becoming gently abused while she took another moment to follow the direction in which Myk spoke as he gave his introductions. There was a touch of amusement in her ember eyes as he introduced Baptiste, and she gave the blonde a wink before her attention shifted, gaze settling momentarily on the brooding and distant Italian. It took a nano-second for her to drink him in once more, his anger and impatience palpable to her enhanced senses, threatening to burn her if she dared to step too close. It was for that reason alone, she told herself, that she kept her distance, even as she kept him locked within her peripheral. Something about him kept her on edge, and she wasn’t one to ignore the signs, despite how often she found herself drawn into the most dangerous of situations on a weekly basis. That was just sheer bad luck - not her intelligence at play.

The scent of smoke from his cigarette caused a brow to arch, and she felt her fingers twitch, itching to dip within the pocket of her jeans for the tin that suddenly felt far too heavy. Before she had a chance to succumb to the craving, however, Every stopped her with a simple cutting glare that she felt in her gut. A touch of guilt darkened her eyes, and she released the hold she had on her lip on a sigh, slender arms instead coming to cross across her stomach as she relaxed her stance. A bitter taste coated her tongue, and she tried to focus on the brunette’s voice as she began to speak, instead of the way the plethora of emotions within the small room danced turbulently in the air around her.

Anger, malice, curiosity, grief.

It was all too much, and still, she kept her ground, manicured nails digging into the pale and freckled skin of her arm as she tipped her head. A lock of red fell, obscuring her vision for a second before she blew it free, only to find her gaze locked on the raven haired woman that had become the bane of her existence since this entire ordeal had begun. Most of the emotion she felt was coming from that side of the room, and though she couldn’t quite be certain it bled from the woman, her honeyed smile gave her pause. She found it hard to believe that she was sitting there as quiet as a mouse with her eyes practically peeling the flesh from her best friend’s bones. This was the very woman that - in her mind - led the charge against her sire and her family. The woman that took it upon herself to attack her on sight, when she hadn’t a place in this battle other than being the reason they had been within the Labyrinth. She had been an innocent, but that hadn’t mattered to the others.

They saw themselves as the only victims in this, when they had been the very reason her sire had fled the city to escape their torment. She knew that her siress had been far from innocent, and while she had understood her reasoning, she had never agreed with her actions. Freyja wanted power - she never denied that. She wanted to protect those that she loved, she wanted to achieve the ultimate goal of being everything that they could be and more.

Anyone who took the time to get to know her, knew that.
Those that didn’t, believed what they wanted of the Norgard matriarch.

She had once believed they cared nothing for the truth and were only concerned about themselves, but as Mortll remained in her seat, her gaze flittering from face to face, she began to wonder what had changed. If she was willing to try, then she could let go of the bitterness and anger of the past and focus on their future. After all, that was what this meeting was about - these issues were far more than their own personal vendettas. If they had any hope in saving their city, their race, they needed to work together - not tear each other apart, even if it was within their own minds in her case.

And so, she took another deep breath and released it on a sigh, tampering down on the anger that had been brought on by the overwhelming energy crackling throughout the room. Controlling her emotions - as well as others - was still a work in progress for the allurist. With a melodic hum, she gathered her thick tresses into a fist, bunching them at the nape of her neck as she focused on Every once more. It was because of her that she had remained within the city. Her sire might have escaped, and while she originally hadn’t had a bone to pick in this fight, she did now. She wouldn’t leave the city in shambles, especially when her creator had a hand in the chaos. With a smile directed to the brunette when she finished speaking, she allowed her attention to drift to Myk, the anger she had felt already forgotten as she remembered what she had gained from all of this.

“I agree,” she spoke, her voice quiet but strong as she flashed the room one of her charming and genuine smiles. “While she is a threat, it’s not as if we are mere rabbits.” With a chuckle, she lifted her shoulder in a shrug, her gaze unwavering from the man that had spoken as she tilted her head in thought. “It was my thirst for knowledge that led my family on this path, so of course, I want to know what she wants. I want to know everything I can about her, but that’s not what matters the most right now. Figuring out her intent will mean nothing if we lose ourselves - and our city - in the process.”

---

Permission granted by Every for brief control.