Path of the Vampire forum

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

(Temperance Avila): Temperance finished bringing the last christmas box in from her apartment to the one they shared in Ivy. Ten boxes total of decorations, lights, garland, ornaments, stockings. Ready to be dusted, primped, and set out for the season. The two had a lot of work ahead, but it would be done before Christmas.

(Zodiac): Outside of the Bluffs, Zodiac stacked a couple boxes onto a handcart from her mini bus and made her way down the main hall to her place. She paused at the door and hung the festive wreath up for all who walked these halls to see, then let herself in.
(Temperance Avila): As the door opened, she looked up. There were not many that had a key to the home and only one would be entering with clattering wheelcart in tow. The allurist grinned. ”Evening, darling.” She brushed dusty palms against the side of her jeans. ”I think this is all of the boxes.”

(Zodiac): ”Well hi there,” her thoughts caressed Tempy’s as she smiled. She let the cart sit and closed the door behind her. ”And I just got the new stuff over, so we should be good to go.” The gypsy approached the woman and hugged her before placing a kiss upon her cheek.

(Temperance Avila): She wrapped arms around her frame tightly for a squish. ”Fantastic. Now which should we start with. Lights, decorations, or… what time is it? Do you suppose the tree yards are still open?” With winter starting off bitter cold she had already traded in her normal dresses for a more winter-like outfit of caramel colored boots, soft denim jeans, gray star scarf, light scoop necked sweater and dress coat.

(Zodiac): A quick glance at her watch and she nodded. ”I don’t see why not. One of them should be. We can drive to several if needed. I just hope someone delivers.” The idea of the pair of them trying to wrassle a tree down from the top of the bus to carry inside was not on the list of things she could not wait to do. She adjusted her violet cloak with white fur trim and slipped the hood back over her head and grabbed her purse.

(Temperance Avila): ”Perfect.” Temperance could not image trying to haul in a tree on their own. Though their strange vampiric strength could come in handy. She grinned to herself while grabbing a warmer coat from the closet. She slipped into it’s navy blue material and fastened the belt. Her wallet and phone tucked inside its pockets. ”Do you think there is one in this town or the next over?” She had not really paid attention to any signs for Christmas tree lots as she normally used the ability of celerity to get everywhere.

(Zodiac): ”I say we try around the malls first. Usually that’s where they set up something like that. Where all the people traffic is. My best guess anyways.” The mystic slipped on her gloves and opened the door for Tempy.

(Temperance Avila): The women grinned, paused at the door and kissed Angela forehead before walking out the door. ”Honeymead Market is not far.” She added in the walk out the Ivy Bluffs building. She tucked the collar of her coat up against the back of her shorter locks to hide from the few cool breezes.

(Zodiac): She locked the door and followed. ”I am bad. I have not paid attention if anyone had a ‘tree for sale’ going on there. Been too busy in and out of the shops.” She admitted as she unlocked the mini bus and climbed in. The rebuilt relic turned over easy and purred while she put the heat up to full.

(Temperance Avila): ”Neither have I, I’ve not been shopping much to find them. I think we have everything aside from a tree?” She thought about the various boxes. ”Funny, you’d think we might have a small tree in some of those. Sooo many boxes for this time of year, but I like the festive look.”

(Zodiac): ”I’ve thought about getting a faux tree,” she admitted as she back the VW out of her parking place. ”But so much of the holidays is plastic and fake as it is without pre-decorated, pre-lit, pre-colored just open it up and plug it in trees as well. Yeah, you got to keep cleaning up around them, but at least they are real.” she turned North from the apartments and headed to the marketplace.

(Temperance Avila): She chuckled staring out the window of the van. ”To be honest, I’d not have any different than a real tree. I prefer the strong musty smell of pine. Growing up we had a few fake trees. I’d trim it with acorns from the yard and sprinkle pine incense on them. There’s nothing else like it.” She thought for a moment, ”Well and of course freshly baked Christmas sugar cookies.”

(Zodiac): ”When I was a kid, we collected pine cones. Roll them in glitter and use them as ornaments. Even the wreath I put up on the door is real.” She smiled in reflection as they drove along. ”Cookies? Agggh! Remind me to bop you later. I so loved baking things. Almost as much as eating them. Of course, I can’t do the eating part now, but the smells are to die for.”

(Temperance Avila): Laughs, ”Only if we make cookies shaped as trees with green frosting and little sugar beads! Oh look, a tree lot!” Temperance was a bit giddy now, to find their perfect tree.

(Zodiac): ”Holy crap! I drive by here twice a night and I missed that?” she turned the VW into the lot and sat the brake and looked over the rows of evergreens lined up like used cars. ”Well, we best get started then.”

(Temperance Avila): She fastened the belt on her coat and smoothed the material stepping down out of the vehicle and onto a pile of dreary earth and dead leaves. ”Sure wish we had snow though.” Temperance made way over to Zodiac and into the tree lot.

(Zodiac): ”Yes, I agree. See them all dolled up and then decide which is proper.” she slipped her arm around Tempy’s and followed her into the lot.

(Temperance Avila): ” So what kind of tree do you like and how tall? I know I like the blue spruces but also prefer pine needles that are softer and not so sharp?

(Zodiac): Personally, to the gypsy, a tree was a tree. She had always made do when growing up with what was around her, so she had never really considered the differences between types. ”Well, tall enough to look good, but not so tall we need an extension ladder to reach the top of it.”

(Temperance Avila): ”Sounds good to me.” She replied and started down the rows of the fuller trees. ”Something not tooo thin either. I love the ones we can weave the lights into and enough heavy branches for ornaments.”

(Zodiac): ”Right. A fat tree is good,” she agreed.

(Temperance Avila): She laughed. ”Okay, that one? What’s the tag say?”

(Zodiac): She inspected the tag and blinked. ”If I am reading this right, this clown wants 50 dollars for it.”

(Temperance Avila): “Only fifty?” Temperance took a step back to admire the green prickle pine branches. Weighing the smallest infraction that could drop the cost down some. They had glanced at many trees to be honest, even in passing as there were so many lined in rows, some already squished into string bags of their own with reserved tags for shoppers. The allurist knew they could get a decent sale, being this close to Christmas and this many trees left to sell. ”The branches are evenly fluffed and there are not many holes to contend with or flat sides.” She continued to inspect the tree. ” And.. less sap then some of the others we have seen. We’ve paid for relics more than this, in fact you’ve sold relics for higher.” she joked to Angela. Temperance was not adamant about ripping people off or being ripped off herself, but she knew some folks did what they did to make ends meet at their standards. ”I’m sure still we can get a deal even if a few dollars.”

(Zodiac): She nodded in understanding. ”It is a cute chubby one,” she admitted. ”And sometimes my ‘alive’ views cross into my ‘now’ views is all. Fifty bucks for a dying tree? When I was alive I would be ‘It best sing, dance and decorate itself for that kind of money’. Fifty bucks is a lot when you don’t have it.” she shrugged. ”But that was then and this is now. Let’s get it, but ask him if they deliver, please.”

tbc

(Temperance Avila): The humanity barely crossed her mind. Temperance nodded, kissed the woman’s cheek, “In that sense, my mother would have gifts, wrapping, dinner, and a tree for Fifty Dollars.” She grinned. ”Let’s see about delivery.” She snapped the ticket from the tree, waited in line patiently. Two customers later she got the man down to forty-two dollars, free delivery, and a poinsettia to go. She skipped back over to Angela, ”Delivered by eight or we get a free tree next year.”

(Zodiac): She wasn’t sure if she should cheer or smirk at her love’s statement. ”Allurists,” she laughed softly as she glanced at her watch. ”Well, that gives us a bit of time. Anything else we need finish off the mood? Tinsel? Lights?”

(Temperance Avila): ”I think we have all of that in the many boxes at home. Let’s say we head back and get started on the lighting while the tree is out of the way.” Small fingers pulled her hat tightly across her brow.

(Zodiac): ”Well, that works for me,” she slipped her arm around hers gently. ”Got some Christmas cookies and a cup of hot cocoa with your name on it back at the house.”

(Temperance Avila): She smiled brightly and kissed her cheek. ”Yum. Let’s go.”

(Zodiac): The drive back was uneventful. Colored lights and displays pointed out and enjoyed along the way. Just the general air of the season around them now working its own brand of magicks. Being what she was, she could not enjoy food as she used to, but she still enjoyed the concept of baking for those who could. Tempy often became her focus when the mood struck her. The mini bus glided smoothly back into their parking spot and the pair disembarked. On their way in, the gypsy grabbed another bundle of firewood from the pile along side the building.

(Temperance Avila): Inside, she hung her coat in the closet, remove her boots, removed socks, and wiggled her toes on the way to one of the boxes labeled LIGHTS. Someone (either of them) could have marked them as this tradition was going on a few years. They had a generous collection of stuff and the labels can down right handy. Fingers pried open the 4 corners, ”How many purple strands do we have?” She giggled.

(Zodiac): She dropped the bundle into the rack and slipped into the kitchenette to get the kettle on. Zo looked around the corner and laughed at Tempy’s question.

”Probably……..too many? I know I use a bunch with the orange lights at All Hallows. That second box of lights has the more colorful ones in it.”

(Temperance Avila): She blinked and fumbled around the strands for a moment then pulled out a black cat decoration. ”Opps.. this one is for Halloween.” She laughed. ”Suppose we could mark this better.” Temperance reached for a black marker and labeled the box just so than set it aside before opening the next one. This as Angela predicted, had many colored lights inside. ”Got it!”

(Zodiac): She went back to what she was doing and pulled out a tin of her earlier efforts and sat them on the counter before getting their mugs out. ”Remember the first time we did all this?” her thoughts found hers as she pulled a blood pack and a can of whip creme from the mini fridge. ”I think the last time I vacuumed in your place, I finally got the last pine needles up from that.” she teased.

(Temperance Avila): ”I do. Eddie and Roxy were about then as well.” She grinned in thought of family. ”The pine needles do get everywhere. OH! we should have bought one of those bags to cover the tree in. We cannot forget that.” Though a weird tradition, covering a tree in a bag was the best way to get it out of home. Though the many needles still found way to embed into the carpeting or between floor boards. Tiny remembrance of Christmas in July. She separated two strands of lights and plugged them into the nearest outlet. ”GASP, not a bulb out!”

(Zodiac): She smiled while setting the pack in to warm with the water. ”Oh yes, I remember those rascals. And Mr Pumpkin was around too. He still is.” she glanced around. Technically, ‘Pumpkin’ was more of an ‘it’ rather than a ‘he’ nowdays. She didn’t need litters of kittens happening all the time. Once things were going to her liking, she came out and went to the hall closet and checked the upper shelf. ”We got the bags covered, dear.” she showed Tempy the box of them she had. ”Why do I have them in bulk? Well… new childers have, in the past, gotten a bit….over eager with their first feedings? Easier to remove the ‘leftovers’ this way.”

(Temperance Avila): ”Good thinking.” Angela always had the details covered. She jumped to her feet and into the same closet to remove a short step ladder. Temperance was of average height and no way near the reach of the ceiling. She lined it up in the far corner of the room near the outlet. She glanced around the boxes, then over to the computer desk. She filled her pockets with tape and clips. Grabbed the loose end of the multicolored strand and began lining it against the molding and gently setting it into place.

(Zodiac): ”I need to try and teach you how to levitate again. It does come in handy.”

(Temperance Avila): ”mhm, I’m not sure I will get the hang of that. I like my feet firmly planted.” She strained a bit to reach the right spot to line the lights but once they were started it was a simple process. Stick them in place, lift the end for more rope, move the ladder, and start over until the living room was lined with bright colored lights. ”I could make these twinke?”

(Zodiac): She eyed her for a second before heading back to the kitchen. ”You can make them twinkle? Go for it, babe.” The water was boiling now so she began to prepare a mug for Tempy and one ‘less’ festive for herself.

(Temperance Avila): She made a generous leap off the ladder and landed to her feet. Quickly made way into the light box and removed a clear plastic package with staple still in tact. ”We never did use these?” It was not really a question, but a comment tone. ”Let’s try it. Neither of us will suffer from seizures." She climbed the ladder once more, found a yellow bulb in the pocket of the ceiling. Better to change one in a good spot just in case they want to swap it back again. She pulled the yellow bulb making the strands go dark. Swapped it with a red tipped white bulb which lit them back up again. She waited for the twinkles.

(Zodiac): ”You still like marshmallows?” she called out as she finished mixing the cocoa

(Temperance Avila): ” Yes. Lots!” She grinned. ”Smells good up here.”

(Zodiac): ”Alright then,” adds a healthy amount of the white puffs to the drink, then tops off with a generous dollop of whip creme. The gypsy opens the tin and lays out a small assortment of her baking. Peanut butter drops, butter stars and a couple of Dolly bars. She brings the mini feast into the living room and sets the tray down. ”For when you ready. Meanwhile, I am gonna find the tree stand before they get here.”

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

(Temperance Avila): Temperance secured the loose end of the light strand behind the drapery. Unseen unless you were really looking. She hopped down from the ladder and set it aside. Next up was the decorations.

(Zodiac): She rooted about in the hall closet searching. Since the stand was not in storage, it had to be in here someplace. ”I need to seriously empty this thing one day, I swear. A small charge of C-4 would do the trick.” She tugged at a wedged box and caused a pile of blankets to fall on top of her. ”ACK!” she shook herself free and opened the box. ”Ah-HA!” she pulled the metal stand out.

(Temperance Avila): Her eyes darted in Zodiac’s direction, she giggled hard as the blankets tumbled. ”Need a hand?” She quickly made way across the room just as the moment of discovery took place. She grinned. ”Shall we set up the tree next to the fireplace or in front of the window?”

(Zodiac): She looked up and grinned sheepishly as she held her prize in hand. ”Well, we have done both so far. I kinda like it by the fireplace. It also gives anyone looking in a wider view of it. Least I think so anyways.” She stood up and kicked a couple blankets out of her way, then reached back in and pulled the tree skirt from the box as well.

(Temperance Avila): ”Not to mention the fact that we can admire it while watching the fire.” She pecked the woman's cheek and moved to the trees destination. A large rocker sat near the fireplace, she quickly moved it away to the far wall, leaving space for the tree. She then picked up a cookie from the tin and blew across her mug of chocolate. ”Delivery should be here soon.”

(Zodiac): ”Ah, good. Prompt service. You gotta love it!” Zodiac unfolded the stand and sat it close to where it would go and laid the skirt over the arm of the chair. She ran back to the closet and returned with a tool box. From within she took out a small hatchet and a saw and laid it next to the stand. ”In case the bottom needs to be trimmed to fit. Hows the goodies?” she asked.

(Temperance Avila): ”Splen..did.” She managed to say while nearly losing half a cookie after dunking it into her coco. She finished the last bite than pushed a few random christmas boxes out of the walkway to clear a path. Afterwards, the doorbell rang. ”Quite prompt! I suppose they do not want a missed customer next year.”

(Zodiac): ”Ah yes. The holidays are not complete without some hairy sweating men roughhousing a Christmas tree into the place.” she laughed as she went to the door and opened it. She showed the lead man the receipt and pointed to the tree stand while making begging puppy eyes at him.

(Temperance Avila): ”I can do without the .. um those men.” She shuddered quietly to Zodiac’s thoughts. Hairy and sweaty was a bit of a gross combination in her mind. She hoped they would not have to air out the apartment after. ”At least it will smell like pine soon.”


(Zodiac): The man had a look on his face that said they only delivered, not set up, but the gypsy girl continued to silently plead her case with eyes that seemed to reach deeply into the man’s attentions. After a few seconds, he turned to his helpers and gruffly barked. “What are you two waiting for? Set the thing up for the ladies.”
(Temperance Avila): She lifted her cup of chocolate and watched as they maneuvered to the right spot. It had only been a few hours since they picked out this gem. It looked fantastic even on it’s side. A small trail of pine pricks was left on the floor from the doorway. They would have to vacuum anyway after all the decorations were complete. The tree looked to fit snugly into the stand. Temperance walked across the room and judged the scene. ”It’s a bit crooked, a little left please.” One of the men huffed a bit giving this look as if she was kidding. She smiled brightly and waved a few fingers in the direction.

(Zodiac): She grinned. Between Tempy’s natural charming abilities and her hypnotism they could probably have the men clean the whole apartment for them if they wanted. She would not abuse them, of course. A little nudge to get a task the pair of them might have problems with fixed was one thing. Gently she tugged on the lead man’s sleeve and handed him an extra twenty dollars and smiled gratefully.

(Temperance Avila): ”Thank you again,” She called as they turned to leave. ”See you next year!” They both glared at each other as if a warning message before they quickly exited the apartment. ”Now…” Temperance turned and started going down the list of christmas boxes once more. ”Decorations… decorations.. ah ha.. tree decorations.” The flaps burst open as they had jammed it tight last time. Lights were at the top with rest of the trimmings beneath it. She pulled a strand out and walked over to inspect the tree.

(Zodiac): ”See? I can be nice to men. Sometimes.” she laughed. She moved the step ladder to one side of the tree for Temperance while she moved to the other side and floated upwards.

(Temperance Avila): ”Oh I’d not doubt it, never said you weren’t” She stuck out her tongue. She stood at the base of the ladder for a moment. ”Are we trying this again? I always say bottom up is better. This way we can line up the outlet with the end of the strand properly.” She didn’t remember the reasoning for starting at the top.

(Zodiac): Will herself back down to the floor. ”Honestly, I have no clue. Works for me though. We need to check them as we go anyways.” She got a second string of lights out and plugged them in for a moment to be sure all of them were working properly.

(Temperance Avila): It would be the brightest, prettiest tree, she just knew it. When I was little, mom would weave the strands in and out of the branches, while we used plenty of lights, it truly lit the tree from the inside out. Ensuring every ornament had a light shining brightly near it.” She had plugged her strand into the wall and it lit entirely. She started her way from the back bottom most branches.

(Zodiac): ”We never had trees. Not like this anyway.” She moved to the side and waited for the line to come to her and then continued to weaving pattern Tempy had started. ”My lifestyle didn’t have things like this. Always thought they was pretty though.”

(Temperance Avila): She nodded quietly and waited for her end of the string. She pondered the thought of others less fortunate. It was something she despised and therefore destined to help others fulfill things as she could. ”What traditions did you have for Christmas?”

(Zodiac): She paused and thought for a moment. ”Moving from place to place like crazy didn’t let us have trees in living rooms we didn’t have, but we had our stuff too. Presents when we could. But my favorite thing of all was waking up on Christmas morning to music.”

(Temperance Avila): ”What kind of music?” She asked as they made their way quarter up the tree. ”We need another strand of lights. I can hold these.”

(Zodiac): She got up and fetched another row of lights and checked them. ”I remember waking up to my grandfather playing the violin. We’d all go outside and he would be sitting there just playing away as dawn broke. All of us children? We laugh, clap, begin to dance to his music. Others would join in either dancing or playing till the whole tribe was out celebrating the dawn of a very special day.”

(Temperance Avila): She grinned. She adored acoustics. ”It sounds so lovely, considering. I’m sure it was part of your life that was normal then though. You’ve told me about how your family did not stay still for very long.”

(Zodiac): ”Modern day gypsies we were, and as far as I know, the tribe is still moving about. You never stay in one spot for too long. Either you wear out your welcome or, worse, become domesticated. Want to settle down and be like other people.” She passed the lights to her. ”Nature was our temple and we danced in celebration of things. It was how I was raised and if I could have my own children I would do the same for them.”

(Temperance Avila): Thinking about the statement as she accepted the lights. She nodded, connected the strings together, and ran them through the branches. ”Domesticated is a bad thing?” She giggled some.

(Zodiac): ”Oh, to a free spirit? It is the worst thing that can happen. We were raised to be free. Domesticated people pay bills, taxes, obey laws, have to do things that make no sense except to someone else’s back pockets.: she laughed brightly in Tempy’s thoughts. ”Originally, this place was to be a small season of rest for me. Eventually I would have closed down the old shop and then moved on somewhere else. That is, until I had my little ‘accident’.” she pointed at her neck with two fingers. ”But then, oddly enough, being sentenced to be stuck here had blessings I never thought would be in my life.”

(Temperance Avila): ”Funny how things turn out to be. I never thought vampires existed and here we are. Certainly mysterious ways.” Half way up the tree and she now needed the ladder to do the rest. Temperance moved from her spot and climbed towards the top dragging a bit of string with her. ” I never thought I’d leave the small town I grew up in. Where we were only the rebels left town. Woman were born to be mothers, Men were raised to work hard and help the town survive.”

(Zodiac): ”Not so different from us. Men and women worked equally hard to be sure the tribe survived. We all raised each others children. The older women among us nannies so the younger women could work. The adults teaching the young what they had to know and some lessons not what you would find in a public school.” She checked another string of lights and then drifted up to assist Temperance. ”My Nana told me vampires existed in the past and I never doubted her. In the books she had me take when I left there is written proof of them. Never thought I would see them up close and personal.”

(Temperance Avila): ”Being a good Christian family, the subject was never brought up, and even movies so gory were banned from the house. So when all this first came about it was a weirdly wrapped horror story. Somehow, I blame this alluristy stuff and the mourning state I was in, I was attracted to it. I stuck around. Even with our recent plight, I’m glad I have.” She smiled back to her.

(Zodiac): ”I was raised to be a witch, so coming out as a mystic was a no brainer for me. It made accepting what happened a bit easier to cope with.” She smiled back at her. ”And I am glad my feet don’t itch for the open road so much anymore, because it would mean leaving all of this behind and the person who makes it all worth it in my eyes.”

(Temperance Avila): ”Definately worth it.” The last little bit of strands made to the top and wound just below where the topper would sit. ” I do not remember, did we have a star or angel or?” She scratched her head and climbed down the ladder to check one of the boxes.

(Zodiac): ”One year an angel, the next a star. So flip a quarter and choose.”

(Temperance Avila): ”um… do you have a quarter?” She sorted through the box and set it aside, then went over to the one which contained the Christmas lights. ”Here is the star, first found wins!” She giggled and brought it over to Zodiac to place.

(Zodiac): She reached down and took it and began to set it in place. She plugged it in and it glowed along with the rest of the tree. She drifted back a bit to look over their creation in progress so far. ”Looking good, looking good.”

(Temperance Avila): ”I agree.” She grinned pleasantly and pulled a few strung beads from the ornament box and begun to lay them out in a sparingly fashion on the branches.

(Zodiac): Reaches down and gets some of the beads and does the same to the upper part. ”Question, dear. Do you think Christmas applies to us anymore?” She looked down at the woman. ”I mean, when you think about what it is supposed to be and what we are now, it makes me wonder.”

(Temperance Avila): ”I do not think its whether Christmas applies to us but rather whether we apply at all. In death now, we know we do not go to heaven. Vampires are not made in the eye of man mimicking body of Christ and his blood. We exist, I suppose, Iike other things do.” Christian believer, Temperance never once believed in such apparitions until she was one.

(Zodiac): ”That may be true. I never put much stock in the idea of a Christian heaven and hell myself, but Christ was indeed a prophet.” She continued to work the beads downwards until they met up with the row Temperance had been arranging. ”And as I see it, all he really said was ‘Hey, it’s okay to be nice to each other.’ Words I think apply to people like us more than ever now.”

(Temperance Avila): She stepped back to admire the work, then began handing Zodiac a few ornaments to hang on the tree. ”He said much more than that. Many interpretations to sift through and many take them different ways.” She’d rather not talk about such things so she hung another ornament herself and picked up her cooled chocolate. ”We are almost done!”

(Zodiac): ”Yes, we are. After this a few decos around the place, and then the presents!” her eyes lit up as her mental voice sounded more like a child squealing in delight. She began to drift about and hang the ornaments in a pattern.

(Temperance Avila): ”Ohh presents! Indeed.” The allurist moved at a much quicker pace now, tightened a few hooks to branches, looped loose strings to a few pinecones and inserted them into the tree. Lights glistened upon every item. ”Have you finished shopping?”

(Zodiac): ”Pretty much. You know me, I been tucking away presents since July, so the bulk of my stuff is done.” Gently she settled back to the floor and looked over their creation. ”You know how to pick out trees, dear.” she smiled.

(Temperance Avila): ”I best, my family has done this nearly every year until my mother got sick.” She grinned and took a step back to admire it as well. ”I have a bit of shopping to do, without you of course.” She hinted. ”I still have time and ideas to think of.”

(Zodiac): ”Okay, that works. Gives me time to get your stuff out of hiding while you are gone and get it wrapped up.” She looked at her soul-mate for a few moments before wrapping her into a gentle hug. ”I’m just glad you here. With me for the holidays is all. Best thing I could hope for.”

(Temperance Avila): She smiled, wrapped arms tight to squish around the woman. ”It is lovely to be spending it with you as well.”

FIN

This is proof positive we CAN finish a rp thread no matter how long it takes.