Path of the Vampire forum

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

<Zodiac>: The mini bus drive along smoothly as it moved into the less populated areas of town. The sounds of crickets and other elements of spring night songs could be heard around them now. The air was comfortably warm and the windows were down, allowing a much needed breath of springtime fill their senses. ”See? Is not so bad out here,” Zodiac smiled. As opposed to her normal ‘work’ clothes she sat comfortably in shorts and flops on her feet and a bright purple t-shirt exclaiming in white letters Mistress of Midnight Margaritas!. Only her normal gaudy headbands were still in place to keep her ebony locks in place. ”We are still in town. Not far from anything, really. Is just more subdued and tranquil out here is all.”

<Temperance Avila>: It took some convincing and reassurance that her feet would still remain within the borders of Harper Rock before Temperance budged from a rarely seen uncompromising stance. Zodiac was sure it wouldn’t go against her own promise to, “stick to her roots from now on.” Her shoulders relaxed on the ride when the scenery had changed from hustle bustle city to a more rural area. She grinned over to the gypsy driving. ”It is rather nice. Crystal blues blinked admiring the surrounding area while taking in scents of freshly cut ditches and new prairie flowers.

<Zodiac>: She made a right turn and slowed down as they passed a sign that said ‘Thornside Farms’. A slight bump as the blacktop turned into gravel as the girl pulled up to a row of mailboxes and put the brake on so she could lean out and gather her mail. Zodiac flipped through the letters, then tossed the collection on the dashboard. ”You may have won $100.000 dollars every year for LIFE! Oh, I would make them cry if I did.” she laughed and stuck her tongue out. The mini bus began to advance again but at a slower speed as they drove past fence lines marking the boundaries of the properties. ”Yeah, when I said I was buying a farm, I heard all the jokes about it. I just made it into what I wanted and enjoy the time I camp out there-simple”

<Temperance Avila>: She giggled, ”Yes you would. I bet you receive many cookbook offers too! How many others are out this way?” The areas were far enough apart she couldn’t tell just how many.

<Zodiac>: ”There are 14 in this area is memory serves me right. Iris, my child owns the one that borders mine from the west. I honestly haven’t meet that many of my neighbors simply because the time I spend out here does not allow it.” She kept driving along. ”As for cookbooks, yeah. Computer generated mailings offering me the sun and moon for a price. I passed on membership in the AARP, but I did take the ‘Classic Cookie Collection’ recipe book for free.”

<Temperance Avila>: Oohh! More treats for me!” She laughed. The thought of treats made her pause to remember if she had packed the fixings for campfire S’Mores. She was pretty sure the marshmallows were tucked away with what she needed for the weekend. ”Do you own any animals or seed plots?”

<Zodiac>: ”Yes I do. I have a beautiful horse out here named Dimitri. Strong as an ox, swift as the wind and listens like a rock. The pups are here too and of course, Miss Herself is along for the ride tonight.” She glanced down at Ginny who was curled up in the spot between the seats. ”If you are wondering why I am going so slow, sometimes people are out riding. Don’t want to spook or worse, run into a horse and rider.” She snapped on the turn signal as she turned off the gravel road into a unmarked drive.

<Temperance Avila>: She nodded. ”I heard horses can get expensive. The stables, food, upkeep, and care. How do you get time for him?” No way she would ever be able to keep up with an animal such as he. Temperance was lucky she did not kill her hamster as a kid by not feeding him everyday.

<Zodiac>: ”Iris’ stable workers keeps an eye on him for me when I am not around, and yes, he is not cheap. But saddle him up and go for a ride? Is worth it.” She winked at Tempy. ”We are on my property now.”

<Temperance Avila>: ”My uncle had a horse when I was little. I used to ride her occasionally, but it has been years.” She peered out the open windows and looked across the land. ”Quite a lot of space you have.”

<Zodiac>: ”Yes, I do,” She pointed to her left where spring flowers were beginning to blossom wildy now. As they progressed along, more cultivated patches of flowers began to appear. In the distance the beginnings of crops could be seen starting to sprout up from the ground and peppered into the mix were trees beginning to bloom green. ”Just one great big empty canvas I try to ‘paint’ to suit myself. And if you would like to ride during your stay, Iris has a couple horses more beginner/refresher friendly. I am sure she’d have no problems loaning up one for you.”

<Temperance Avila>: ”Perhaps next time? I’m not sure I’ve brought a pair of long jeans to ensure safe and clean riding conditions.” Blue jean capris hit just below her kneecap as she sat in the passenger seat admiring the scenery on the long drive. She wore a black pair of ballet flats, light long sleeved top with black and grey stripes.


<Zodiac>: ”Not a problem, love. Oh look, there he is.” she pointed to the left. She waved as the van passed the black horse that watched then passing by. Now a barn could be seen. The building seemed solid and firm till they passed it where a tractor sat half in/half out of the back wall. ”I really need to get someone out here who can help me with that.” she glanced at Tempy and smiled sheepishly. ”You know I can drive a stick shift. I had that thing ready to go and something distracted me when I shifted it into gear. Popped the clutch, hit the gas, and went backwards right out the back wall. Now it’s wedged, so how to get it loose without bringing the rest of the barn down on top of it.”

<Temperance Avila>: She blinked, ”Well, its obvious you drive a manual transmission vehicle, but I’m not sure I’d get on a tractor with you?” She giggled viewing bit of splintered wood around the bottom part of the tractor. ”I bet you would have to take a jigsaw to the boards on the barn, draw a shape around the tractor, than once removed, get someone to rebuild a wall for it. Of course you could just turn that into a door as well.” Tempy was not a carpenter, but out of sheer sense that would be what she would do, if it were her dilemma.

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

<Zodiac>: ”I swear. I read the book several times before I even got on the thing. I just shifted wrong. And yeah, I need a builder type out here. I could cut it loose but not sure if I slice through any more studs if the building itself will begin to shift.” She turned with the road as it formed a cul de sack and stopped the bus in front of a two story farm house. ”Well, this is it.” she applied the brake and shut off the VW. Zodiac held up her finger ”Now, just listen.”

<Temperance Avila>: She paused, waited for the engine to die down. Her ear parallel to the open window took in nothing but birds chirping, wind blowing, fields swishing. ”I hear sanity.” She giggled. Fingers wrapped around the handle and she jumped out of the van. Ballet flats squishing green grass. ”Should we bring everything in now, or come back for it?”

<Zodiac>: ”We got some time till dawn, so let me give you the grand tour first.” she smiled as she got out. Ginny jumped out of the van and took off like a returning monarch checking on the conditions of her queendom after being away for a time. ”I warn you now. You may wake up to mouses by your shoes. Miss Thing loves to hunt out here and share her presents.”

<Temperance Avila>: Although that statement was not far from reality when exhaustion from the hunt wore her down to rest in the sewers. Temperance grimaced slightly while giving a nod. ”I’ll be sure to wear socks to bed. Lead the way.”

<Zodiac>: Zodiac walked up to the door and unlocked it. The oak doors opened and the mystic bowed and ushered her soul mate inside. ”I hope in time to decorate the place more to suit us both, but so far it’s been kinda all me.” she pointed across the foyer to the twin suits of armor standing guard across the way. ”Got those two in a auction. No one is interested in buying such a thing, so I put them here. Is nice having ‘bodyguards’ who just do their jobs.”

<Temperance Avila>: Two silver men towered over Temperance. She paused to admire the shiny metal, simple distractions, but thought enough to think of a time when men required heavy armor to protect themselves in battle. Temperance often thought it were a jest, as in “old wives tales” just like “vampires.” See was believing to the allurist. A giggle escaped, “They would make neat Halloween costumes if they weren’t so heavy to maneuver.” Hoping they were hollow.

<Zodiac>: ”I can think of maybe 3 people I know who could even begin to wear something like that. And we aren’t on that list..” she laughed softly. ”So come on in. Make yourself at home.” The mystic turned to the right and led Tempy to the ‘den’. Black leather couches sat in a pit arrangement before a fireplace. Bookshelves filled with various tales and her guitar leaning against the one sofa. ”Entertaining visitors and the like in here. Got a spare bedroom on this floor for overnight, or day, company. Full kitchen.”

<Temperance Avila>: ”My you really outdone yourself. It is quite nice, dear.” She followed her around.

<Zodiac>: ”Why thank you. Upstairs is our bedroom, the bath. A bath to die for, I must add. Also have a small library for all my witch things and a place to keep Nana’s journals safe.” she stopped and sighed. ”Some place away from all the jerks, and yet the comforts of home.”

<Temperance Avila>: Temperance grinned when she mentioned the bath, ”Never leave a home without one.” She laughed remembering how much Zodiac enjoyed them.

<Zodiac>: ”I can’t help it. But, we could swim laps in this one.” The girl had always had a cleanliness compulsion and catered to it whenever she could.

<Temperance Avila>: ”Swim laps?! um.. that’s not a bath tub. How big is this place?”

<Zodiac>: ”Not as big as you’d think, honestly. I am joking about the swimming, but you can stretch out nicely in it. I don’t know.” she continued giving the tour.

<Temperance Avila>: The allurist laughed, ”Couldn’t have hurt to ask, maybe you had one fancy architect, just think swimming indoors in our state is a must.” She followed Zodiac around getting a feel for the place. Purple touches in all the furniture and worn wood look in all the floors. Though it didn’t smell like a typical farmhouse, for that, Temperance was glad. She was not the sort to live up a weekend in a hay-filled, hog odor barn. She hopped on the drive over that it wouldn’t be that bad, unless Zodiac had taken up a new drastic hobby.

<Zodiac>: “Indoor swimming. I’ll work on that.” She began to climb the stairs up to the second floor. ”The downstairs is mainly for us and for company. Mortal or otherwise. Up here? Just us, dear.”

<Temperance Avila>: “Hrm, privacy on a private farm. What will we do to keep from boredom from settling in.” Both were always hard at work with something with little left for downtime for the two. She followed the mystic up the stairwell.

<Zodiac>: ”Well, besides the countryside to explore, horses to ride, books to read, music, movies? Is why I come here just a few days at a time. Enjoy the solitude. Relax, refocus, stay in bed all night if I choose to, or the tub, or lay in my jammies and watch bad TV or read tawdry novels. Doesn’t matter what you do out here, dear. Is a way station to help you get your inner balance again.” She unlocked the door and ushered her in.

<Temperance Avila>: Relax, Temperance was not quite sure if she could simply relax that long. It would be a test to see if she would survive the weekend without wondering what is going on in the club or in the news or other. She might even slightly miss beating up the zombies. She giggled in thought while walking through the door. ”Movie night sounds fun!”

<Zodiac>: ”Look, I know this isn’t for everyone. We got Wi Fi out here. You can check the work, the news. hack, everything all to your heart’s content. I do. I need some down time, but I can’t cut myself off totally from my babies. If it doesn’t work for you, I’ll drive you back. No problems.”

<Temperance Avila>: ”You most certainly will not. I did not mean anything by it, just that it has been a while since we’ve escaped and since I have escaped somewhere more quiet since my leave.” She grew a bit uneasy, then wrapped an arm around Zodiac shoulders. ”I’m here to stay.”

<Zodiac>: She smiled at her words. Well then, I say we save the rest of the tour, go downstairs, and I will make you some cookies. Your faves.” she grinned.

<Temperance Avila>: ”Certainly!” She beamed, ”only if I can help with the cookies.”