Path of the Vampire forum

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

<Jesse Fforde> Jesse isn't a stranger to the shadow realm. Not that he's been killed before, but he'd visited often, when he'd wanted to die. When he couldn't control the power to jump back and forth. He's not afraid of the realm. He doesn't hate it - in fact, the place fascinates him, and the silence of it is absolute bliss. He wanders, aimlessly, feeling as if the place has no gravity. Drifting, searching. Searching for the others, searching for spirits. Not really caring if he finds neither. He doesn't want to stay, it's not that. But he feels as if a weight has lifted. He knows that in a week, he'll be able to leave. And he will, as soon as he feels that he can. But here, right now, there are no obligations, no stress, no woe. There's anger, yes, but it's buried. Knowing Velveteen, knowing Tytonidae, Alexandrea will be dealt with - and he feels as if he did his part, injuring her. Despite his blindness, and his missing leg, he managed to rip a few holes through her. He is concerned for Grey - and for Fforde. Mainly for Grey. But he also trusts that Micah, Velveteen, Every - they'll keep their word. Grey will be taken care of. And so he continues to wander, aimless. Searching, but somehow, weirdly content.


<Every> She hadn’t traveled to the Shadow Realm often, visiting by her own will when Shan had died to get some answers and by death twice. Now, she was visiting it to find Jesse first to let him know that Alexandrea had been killed before he saw her, and then she would find the others. Later, after returning to the world of the living, she’d ask if Micah had talked to Grey yet and then check on her, she would then talk to her sire, and then Kirill or Aksel. Checking up on her family. Every still felt a little bad that she hadn’t told Reanna about her chance to come back as a man... but she’d be able to do that when she found her, right? She pushed her thoughts out of her head as she set her hand over the wound in her chest where Alexandrea had stabbed her through the heart. The shadow didn’t know how long she had been walking, she had always found the nightmarish place to draw out time even though it was mirrored to their normal one. Getting frustrated, she lifted her hand to her healing throat to hold it as she shouted out, “Jesse! Where the **** are you, pretty boy?!” And grimaced at the pain that throbbed through her body. She hadn’t been able to heal the critical, or any wound, to be exact.


<Jesse Fforde> In his wanderings, there are only two others that Jesse had seen, other than the spirits that he had consumed. Others that he is pretty sure that Tytonidae had killed - but he'd kept walking. Drifting, feeling as if at times his feet didn't touch the ground, but at others like his feet were scuffing at broken road and loose, dry dirt. Perhaps that is why this place fascinates him so much. It's immateriality; the way everything seems real but unreal at the same time. Constantly in flux, between two worlds. Jesse doesn't quite know how to put his finger on it. His head snaps up as hears his name - somewhere nearby. He drifts in the direction the sound had come from. He circles the source - the image seems to shimmer and shift, until he gets closer. Still circling. Until the features come clear, shimmering into reality, sharp colourless lines that form to create.... an Every. "...I'm the prettiest prince in this kingdom," he says, his voice almost smooth in this place, rather than cracked and broken. How strange.


<Every> Her arms folded in front of her chest after she finished fiddling with her wound, an eyebrow lifting when she watched someone being ripped into by another vampire. She had never liked this place and had no idea how repeat offenders could handle it. Why didn't they take their lives more seriously? It was a question that she thought every time she pulled the blade out of someone's heart or chest before they turned to ash. "Dammit." She muttered as she stumbled over a ruin before she lifted her gaze while hearing a familiar voice. And the response she received caused her to give a snorting sound. "I see your ego is still in tact." She lowered her arms to set her hands on her hips, wincing as the action caused a strong pulse of pain to wrack through her body. "You look like ****."


<Jesse Fforde> "Pretty boy. And now I look like ****? You women need to make up your mind," he smirks. But here is this person, who was not dead before. But who has a quality about her, something, somehow... she winces in pain where Jesse feels none, as if she's still tethered to a physical body. That's the only way to explain it, right? Maybe that's why he feels so great. Even... he grins. That's it. The thirst isn't there. That insufferable burning has disappeared! He breathes deep, but there's no air. It doesn't matter. He tries to school himself, tries to fix his features into seriousness. "Why are you here? What's happened?" he asks. Every had not been wounded when he'd died, had she? So she must have tackled someone... Jesse just waits for the explanation.


<Every> "You're pretty boy when you aren't messed up like this." She shrugged a shoulder, "Hadn't seen you before you turned to ash, I turned my head fast enough to watch you vanish." A concerned frown crossed her lips, "Are you alright? And no sarcastic ********, or eye roll. Genuinely concerned here." She looked around once more at the ruins, remembering how the tree had looked when she stumbled across the location she knew it to be after following the river when she had died the year before. "Alexandrea's dead. I got her through the heart after she got me. Seven on her, three on me. She missed me quite a bit, but I didn't. I didn't think I'd make it."


<Jesse Fforde> Jesse holds his arms wide and looks down at himself; he doesn't feel messed up. He hadn't bothered to look at himself. He's all in black and white, and his own form seems to shimmer even as he looks down at it. Shimmer, and then flicker into solidity. The same clothes he was wearing, tattered and torn. Blood spattering grey skin. He, too, shrugs. "I don't feel messed up. I don't feel... thirst. I'm calm. And I'm fine. I'll be back annoying people before you can blink an eye," he says. He doesn't reveal how absolutely fine he feels; how he's looking forward to finding some nook and just relaxing, like falling into a coma for a week. He grins, as Every tells him about Alexandrea. "Congratulations," he says with a slight bow. "And kudos. You finished what I could not," he says.


<Every> There was a small smile that graced her lips and she gave a nod of her head. "Good. The others..." She looked around, "are around here somewhere. Micah and Velveteen will likely be in later on this evening to check on you all. Vel feels bad, but we told her that it's fine. I was going to let Micah or Vel tell Grey..." She looked mildly uncomfortable, "as I had to break the news to Kirill already." She didn't look forward to her male childe seeing her own wounds when she checked on him later, "Thank you, but I can't take all the credit. You did damage, Jesse."


<Jesse Fforde> "I did get her a few times, didn't I?" he says with that same grin and a gleam in his eyes, which would have none of their usual vibrant colour. Except, that grin fades, that gleam dulling just a little as he thinks of Grey. He has faith that she will be okay. She'll keep herself occupied, as she did the last time he was taken away from her. That'll be the worst thing about being in this place - how long will it be before he sees Grey again? He misses her already, just thinking about it. "I haven't seen the others yet. And I am fine - I do not need checking up on," he says. Though he has to wonder - will they, only because they'll fear he'll have finally got what he wanted? That he'll stay here? They can't have much faith in him, the way he had acted not long ago.


<Every> When his grin faded, she wasn't sure what to say. Relationships in general were new again to the shadow, in every way, so she changed the subject quickly. "You're our family, Jesse." She said the words softly as she studied him quietly, gave a small snort as she listened to the area around them. She didn't like that it was so still aside from the snarls from vampires in the distance. Briefly, she remembered Shan pinning her down and ripping into her before the woman had returned to Harper Rock. "We're going to check up on you because we care about you. So either you shut up and suck it up, or I'm going to come here every chance I get annoy the holy **** out of you, trap you in one spot and make it impossible for you to get spirits." She shot him a look.


<Jesse Fforde> Jesse's hands shoot half skyward in surrender. "Okay, okay. Chill out," he says. He doesn't know whether he should be concerned about how good of a mood he's in. Yes, he has his anxieties but he also has his trust, and his faith in those that are still topside. It's nice, to be able to have such trust. It's a warm blanket. But Jesse can't tell Every that's the reason why he's happy not to be checked up on. Why he's happy, period. He's just not that great at opening up and revealing his feelings, especially mushy ones like that. The woman seems agitated, and so Jesse turns the question back around on her. "What about you? How are you?”


<Every> Her usually hazel eyes studied the man, wondering why he wasn't in misery like she had been the multiple times she had been sent there, but she wondered, briefly, if it was different for those that chose to fight it out of their own will. The first time she had died, she had been shot willing. But she had also given her sword to Micah to hold. She had fought against Robert Pratt. At his question, however, she made a small noise that sound considerably like a grunt. "My sire pissed me off to high hell before my duel because I have a lack of confidence in myself when it comes to stronger opponents. I watched you, Zoey, and Reanna die, and Nishaa was also attacked. Can't say I'm feeling the best, really."


<Jesse Fforde> "Suck it up, Every," Jesse says. Good mood or not, he's still blunt as tree trunk. Before she could slap him - though he was certain, perhaps, that her hand would go right through if she tried - he continues. "They're not dead. They're here. I get that some people don't like this place but it's only a week, and then they'll be back. Death doesn't mean the same thing anymore. We punished those who needed punishing, and we did so honourably and they can't argue otherwise. This, in my opinion, is a win. Or do you all feel like we haven't achieved anything? Did we all die for nothing?" he asks, word probably a little harsh, but he doesn't care. There's no point in moping when it's only one week. In the grand scheme of eternity, it's nothing. A mere second. "Yeah Nishaa was attacked but she's fine. And we gave back ten times worse."


<Every> "I'm going to push you out of the tree when you aren't expecting it." She wouldn't, and it was evident on her features, but her arms crossed in front of her chest once more as she clenched her jaw briefly. "I know they aren't dead dead, but it's still not a pleasant thing to see. So, you can take your attitude and blow it out your nicely shaped ***. My feelings are valid." Maybe she was taking it a little difficult, but Every didn't handle loss in any way well. Especially not when it came to her family. "Yes, we did. And we did quite a bit of damage to Madison's hidey hole."


<Jesse Fforde> Jesse smirks. He won't push the issue - he's made his point and he won't coddle, especially where coddling's not required. At least, he'll sympathise and he'll comfort if he can, when he thinks it's needed - when he feels like he gives a ****. But coddling is a whole other bucket of fish. That's helping to wrap people in cotton wool, and damaging them in the process. "Hah. I knew it," he says. Maybe trying to distract Every - he'd tried, once, to hit on her. More than once? And had been rejected. And they each have their own partners, now, but this is mindless banter, attempted to lighten the mood in this dark and heavy place. "I knew you thought I was pretty - even if it is just my ***. You can push that *** out of the tree if you like, but I've been there, and done that. And I lived to tell the tale," he says, still smirking.


<Every> Every's eyes narrowed briefly as she stared at the male in front of her, silently contemplating something to herself. Why had she turned down Jesse? She had been in a dark place at that point, she knew, but even when they didn't speak to each other often, they talked normally. Now it was almost twice in a week. Pushing the silent questions aside, she smirked. "I never said that you weren't attractive, Jesse." And then when he mentioned falling out of the tree, or had he been pushed out already, she tried not to laugh. Her lips twitched in amusement. "You fell out of the tree? Are you the owlet that hit every branch?" The latter bit was teasing as she studied him, "Maybe I'll just play you like a yoyo. Throw you off the third story and summon you back."

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

<Jesse Fforde> "That might even be fun," Jesse says. He cants his head to the side - Every must not have been there. She must not have heard. Even though there were others there who could very well have spread the story, they mustn't have. It must not have been a gossip-worthy event. Jesse shrugs his shoulders. "I don't really recall how many branches I hit? It was back when I was...having difficulties. I had a sleepwalking problem - was asleep in my bunk, and just went for a walk. Threw myself off the edge," he grimaces, then, because it dredges up memories of why he had jumped and the consequences after her woke up. It had all been Jordan's plan. Again, he shrugs - a default reaction.


<Every> "We can test it when you get back. I was thinking maybe we can sit and talk up on the branch again. It was... nice." She found the word to be strange coming in direction towards Jesse, but shrugged off the thought, "And more of use than I particularly care to admit, but oh well. What did you mean, by the way, that I'd be returning the favor?" Her colorless, normally hazel eyes showed confusion. At his explanation, she gave a nod of her head. She hadn't heard any of it. If she had, perhaps it wasn't something that she found of importance. She slept with a knife under her pillow and woke up screaming on random occurances, so she tried not to judge others. Hell, the woman had a taser in the shape of a cellphone on her at all times.


<Jesse Fforde> Jesse's face screws up. He was only teasing - he'd really prefer not to take another dive off the third tier of the Eyrie. As full of ego as he might be that he would take such a leap even given his fear of heights, and that the drop hadn't even killed him, he's not keen to try again. He opened his mouth to tease Every some more - to tell him that yes, he'd be happy to be as blunt as he usually is with her up on a branch. Or perhaps to tell her that she can do all the talking, as he'd very much thought about taking a speech sabbatical, he doesn't. Instead, his mouth closes again as his brow furrows in thought - it takes him a couple of seconds to sift through his memory. When had he said that? And then he remembers. The Crow. Why had he said that? For reasons... well, reasons that haven't come to fruition yet. "I don't know if you've been told. Velveteen's informed me that they're letting Phoenix hunt with us again. Five hunts, and afterwards voted in or out. It's a possibility she'll be staying," he says. He's still frowning. "But she wasn't at the hunt today - I was expecting her," he says, quietly.


<Every> "If I weren't sure my hand would pass through you, I'd squeeze your shoulder right now. I'm picking on you, Fforde. I know how to play." She gave him a small smile and then shifted her weight briefly as she listened to him quietly. The brunette then gave a slow nod of her head as she was told what he meant. "Yes, I know. She was there at another hunt, so now it's only four now. You must've missed it... Reanna isn't very happy about it either, and Cat straight up walked out of the meeting." She lifted her gaze briefly to the sky and then to Jesse again. "I was wondering why she wasn't today, honestly. It was probably because of the fact they made it personal by attacking Nishaa. Emeritus wasn't there either and he's on bridge."


<Jesse Fforde> "Yeah, maybe," he mumbles. He was unaware that Phoenix had been at any hunts yet. The only reason he'd wanted to be there the first time was to see how the rest of the group reacted - specifically the five that Velveteen had said were doing the voting. In other ways, however, he's happy that he wasn't there. He shakes it off, blinking away the thoughts and summoning a lighter smile. It's as if, down here, his emotions are fleeting. They themselves are ghosts, flimsy and harmless. "It's fine. I wasn't happy when I first found out, but I suppose I must have got over it. I don't think you'll need to return the favour just yet. I'll keep it in my back pocket for a later date," he says, smile broadening just a little.


<Every> She looked him over quietly, clearly not used to the cheerier Jesse. Then again, he hadn't been much of a dick the evening that she reset his bones had he? She couldn't remember. "I'm not sure how the others think about it. I'm fine with her joining because I consider it all to be a business transaction. I mean, yes, she's my friend... but..." Her lips pressed together as she considered her words. Every gave a soft shake of her head to brush it aside. She gave him a soft, genuine smile. "How about, we don't need to return the favor but just mutually agree that if the other just needs to talk, we both know the offer is always open ended? It's not as if we can hide from each other. You trust me, I trust you." It was that thought that actually amused her a little. She couldn't hide from many in Ty, especially not her sire and Vel. Actually, Every knew with that ritual she would never be able to hide from Micah.


<Jesse Fforde> Jesse presses his lips together in a tight line. This is a conversation he might have had with Every, but now he knows it's not. Not ever. Phoenix is her friend? No point, then, in explaining all the reasons why he does not want Phoenix near him. How it worries him, more than he will let on. "We can agree that, though I'll have you realise that if I think you're moping for no reason I'll tell you. Straight up. Also - I don't talk much. You'll have to do most of it," he says with a wink.


<Every> She studied his reaction, her expression almost amused before she gave a soft shake of her head and a look that said Please trust me before she pursed her lips. She wanted to explain, to give him more detail about the matter, but then bit her lip. "We'll talk about Phoenix later, alright? Or I will. You can sit there with a bottle of blood and contemplate about shoving me off our branch?" She offered. The woman then rolled her eyes, "You seem to talk enough with me here. Or when you're in pain." She lifted her lips in a soft curve of a smile, "I think I can take blunt honesty. You didn't upset me last time, by the way. I was upset with myself."


<Jesse Fforde> Jesse's eyes narrow. He doesn't nod. He doesn't shake his head. He doesn't open up much; there are only a rare few that he does open up to. Nor does he explain that he's perfectly capable of talking, he just doesn't normally talk about himself. He's able to debate, and he's able to discuss other people's problems with either bluntness or with thoughtfulness; can even talk about his own opinions. But the things that had been done to him? His own weaknesses and vulnerabilities? Not a chance in hell. Rather than continue with morbid seriousness, however, Jesse chooses instead to try to veer the subject elsewhere. "You're just trying to convince me because you like the sound of my voice, aren't you? It's smooth, like my nicely shaped ***," he teases.


<Every> She let the change of subject happen. She would bring it up again at a later date, but not now. They had done a lot tonight and it was a good thing. Madison, Alexandrea, Luffy, Reginold and Kira were dead. Sure, she had a hole in her heart, but she'd learned enough tricks that it would be gone. The others would be back in a week. "Actually, sometimes I wonder if I liked you mute better." She teased back, "There was much less sass. But," She tilted her head back and forth in consideration, "Yeah, you do have a nice voice. Don't let it go to your head though, Em's is much better."


<Jesse Fforde> "It's easy to arrange," he says. "I'll take a sabbatical. Maybe..." he pauses, face smoothing into faux thought. "...maybe this place'll have such an adverse affect on me that I'll come out, so traumatized that I'll have lost it again," he says. "There's still plenty of sass though. I just sass by action, rather than by voice. It's more fun," he says with a grin.


<Every> "Yeah, no. It was a ***** communicating with you with hunts." And then she looked around, "Although this place is our hell, so you never know. Maybe I might pop in to make sure you aren't losing it entirely." She was concerned about Reanna, though. Poor girl had a chance to come back with a penis and hadn't been warned in the least. "How is sassing me more by action more fun?" She laughed, giving a shake of her head as she considered it all. "Because I possibly couldn't understand what you were saying?"


<Jesse Fforde> "No. I'm just saying. I've always been a sass, mute or not. Though people tend to take me seriously," he says with a sigh. Misunderstanding is also an issue; again, however, the irritation and frustration he had felt seems to have lessened over time. His vow to say less, out loud and on the Crow, had diminished somewhat. And down here, he can't seem to summon the energy to care. "I won't lose it," he says with a genuine grin. Although he intends to find the others, he's looking forward to the silence. He might look like a man who's been promised a full night's sleep after being deprived for a very long time - exhausted, and yet content.


<Every> "Oh." She blinked and then pursed her lips lightly as she considered some of the things that she had seen on Crownet. "Sometimes I wonder if you're being serious when you seem to be an ***, and then I remember it's you, and even before you begun to speak," She inclined her head as she looked at him, "Your sense of humor has been a certain way. I can't always tell when you're being playful, but sometimes I can." When he said that he wouldn't lose it, she gave a soft nod of her head, "Good. I should probably get back and try to figure out how to mend this until I can heal it," She motioned at her wound, "But I will come back in a few days to visit with you, if you don't mind?" She lifted an eyebrow.


<Jesse Fforde> Jesse arches a brow. When she puts it that way, he wonders whether he should just keep doing what he's doing. If everyone else feels that way - it adds to his purposeful mystery. It's ingrained into his personality - the need to confuse people, to make them wary, to never show them his true colours. He is starting to change, however - if he hadn't, then he wouldn't have stopped to begin with. He'd have responded to people's snark with further prodding. He'd have got himself killed by Micah, no doubt. Still, he keeps it to himself. "Sure. I'll find the others. Keep your progeny company," he says.


<Every> "But you know, it's been interesting talking to you these past few times." She tapped her fingertips against her thigh, "I like it. And yes, even though I do most of the talking. It's just... easier." She lifted an eyebrow as if that were the best way that she could think of how to put it. "I'll let Micah and Vel know how you're doing. Take it easy and let them know what's up?"


<Jesse Fforde> Interesting. Jesse had heard that one before, too. He stows the descriptive away in the back of his mind - he gives a slow nod. "Yes. I'll tell them you've all thrown a massive bonfire in our honour - that there's lot of wailing and despair, and beating of breasts. Virginal sacrifices, you know. That kind of thing," he says with a smirk. And then, before she up and disappears. "And ah... make sure you invite Grey. Have someone... keep her company while I'm gone," he says.


<Every> She felt her lips twitch in amusement, "I'll be sure to do that, just because you're telling them. Although, I think we'll have to wait a little bit for the beating of breasts, some of us are a bit banged up. Or well. Maybe it's just Nishaa, Vel and I." She then could feel her life link as she begun to search for it. "I'll invite her, Jesse. Never have spoken to her much... but I will." It would be difficult, of course, because she didn't like to go up to others, but it was the least she can do because he'd keep an eye on hers. "Do the same with Reanna for me, she's going to be scared. Her sire... left her." She paused, trying to think of the best way to put it, "For the shadow realm."


<Jesse Fforde> He nods, all seriousness now. Although he might be fine in this place, the others might not. They might be scared, and though he doesn't like to coddle, he's not heartless either. He's not going to pat her hair and coo at her and tell her everything's going to be alright, but he'll be there. A presence, who is unafraid, and perhaps an anchor simply because he is unafraid. "See you soon, Every."


<Every> "Later, Jesse." She waved before leaving, pleased to no longer need to find a door to exit. Finding herself back in Harper Rock, the vampire muttered before heading off towards the Eyrie after slipping back into shadows for the evening. She still needed blood.