What's News?
Posted: 28 Apr 2018, 06:41
Jesse Fforde
Aside from the presumed zombie apocalypse, life was quiet. Jesse worked in or around Serpentine most nights, trying to keep the streets around the business clear of zombies, and adding incentive for regular punters to do the same. Free tattoos were on offer for those who brought in proof of their zombie kills; Jesse had done a few. This also brought groups of people in to drink at the bar after a long night on the hunt, which helped to keep the businesses afloat. Though Jesse didn't know what all the fuss was about; if one traveled across the river into the northern part of the city, there weren't any zombies. Apocalypse? Hardly. People were just getting their panties in a twist for no reason. He had also heard from Every about the ancient, Theodosia; he'd written everything down though any attempt to contact the ancient was a failure. All he could do was wait. And, as busy as he was, he always tried to come home at least a few hours before dawn to spend time with Clover -- or whoever else might be around. He'd seen Ursula briefly, had greeted her, assuming she would reach out if she wanted to talk. But she hadn't, which Jesse thought to be odd. So this time, after he'd showered the zombie goo from his clothing, he settled in the main area of Limbo and focused, summoning Ursula.
Ursula Wolfe
With sword still in hand, dripping with the blood of her last kill, Ursa lifted her eyes to find herself not only not in front of her kill, but in Limbo now. And before her, Jesse. She had spotted him from time to time, but she had been gone for so long, she had feared speaking to him. However, with the latest addition, she would have needed to speak to him sooner rather than later. She lowered her blade as well as her head and let out a sigh. "Hey Jesse." It was all she could thing to say at that moment.
Jesse Fforde
The way the woman sighed and hung her head, it was as if she were ashamed. As if she feared anger from Jesse, or retribution. Once upon a time it might have been true; he might have asked her where she'd been in a clipped tone, as if whatever answer she gave wouldn't be good enough. As if she should have been here all along, helping to keep Fforde a family. Jesse had calmed a lot since then, however; now, there was no sharp accusatory glint to his eye. His eyes were soft -- if such a brilliant blue could be soft -- and there was a subtle smile on his lips. "Sorry. I should have given you warning," he said, nodding to the sword. His voice was its usual husky rasp. She'd been busy. "How are you?"
Ursula Wolfe
She lifted her head at the sound of his voice, that was something she had not quite expected. With the fines of her training, she twirled the sword and sheathed it before lifting her own eyes once more to his. "To tell you the truth, I have been expecting it for a while now. And I'm..." she stopped for a moment. 'Alright' was not a fitting answer, but she was not quite ready to speak about the things that had kept her away from her new family for so long. "... fighting the good fight." She said as she wiped some blood from her gloves. "Oh, I feel I should tell you, being the head of the line and all, I have taken a new progeny."
Jesse Fforde
There was a twitch of something there, at the mention of new progeny. An aside, as if she would not have told Jesse had Jesse not summoned her here. How long would she have waited? The twitch was just a tic, however, eased as soon as Jesse's resignation could drown it. Jesse led them to the meeting area, where there were armchairs and bean bags. He dropped into one of the armchairs. Honestly, something seemed a little off about Ursula. Jesse didn't want to push it; if she wanted to tell him, she would in her own time. "Fighting is always a good thing," he said. "You let me know if ...he? she? If they need any help with anything," he then added with a low watt smile.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded as she followed him and moved with her usual grace into one of the bean chairs. Well as gracefully as one could into one of those chairs. While she was off in many ways as of late, she wasn't so off that she hadn't noticed the twitch. "I will, and it is a he. His name is Mario. It only happened, I've been giving him time to get used to being what he is now. It was sort of ironic. He was filming something... much like I had been when... Axel, had turned me." The smile eased her feelings slightly, but then, it was just when she felt things going right that something would go horribly wrong.
Jesse Fforde
Jesse did understand, despite everything. Mothers with newborns didn't immediately go to their own mothers and hand the baby over. They were given time to get to know their child, to form a bond. Jesse knew it was unreasonable to expect to immediately know and meet the new Fforde progeny. He'd always had patience, and so he would learn to have patience here, too. The mention of Axel had Jesse arching a brow; so often he slipped into thinking Ursula was his, that he had turned her. Axel had been gone so long Jesse found it hard to even recall his features. "And how's he adjusting?" he asked.
Ursula Wolfe
Axel's name on her lips often felt wrong. Even when she had been newly turned. It had been Jesse that had taken her in, Jesse who taught her things and gave her things when she needed it. She glanced to Jesse and knew he was thinking something along those same lines. She smiled, softly but far too briefly. "He seems to be taking to it fairly well, it's usually the first few months that will be the determining factor." She glanced around and noted just how quiet things were, perhaps new blood would bring back the days when they would all go around shooting each other with water guns and inflatable hammers. "I have missed this place, missed you, Jesse." She said softly, her eyes though spoke not only of worry but sadness.
Jesse Fforde
They had entered Limbo at a quiet moment. It wasn't always so quiet -- Renard and Beckett added some spice to the halls, and Jesse had inadvertently taken them under his wing, too. Marisol was around, as was Aine every now and again. Ysmir and Raegan -- tonight, they must all have been busy. "It is good to see you back, Ursula. And if you need to talk about it, you can..." he offered.
Ursula Wolfe
She glanced up at him and nodded, "I will, with time..." she said, her voice softer, as if she were talking more to herself than to Jesse. There had been so much that had gone down. She just wasn't ready to admit it yet. "Much has changed in the city, and here. I smell new scents. Tell me about them? Please?" She hoped, learning of those she had yet to be introduced to would take her mind off past horrors.
Jesse Fforde
"Mm," Jesse hummed, watching Ursula closely. At first he just peered at her, rather than answering her enquiry -- as if he were considering whether to ask her more questions. In the end, he let it go. "Yes. There's an ancient vampire, Theodosia. She's hard to track down. The short version is that she's widened the rift, which is why there are zombies out of their cage," he said with a devious grin. It was clear that he was happy with this outcome -- but anyone reading the Crownet would know that. "And here? Yeah. There's been a ... surge, I suppose, in newly sired. And it hasn't all been me this time," he said with a chuckle.
Ursula Wolfe
There was something about Jesse's smile that never failed to make her feel better. Though the news about the widened rift hadn't quite been news to her, Uncle Shadow had revealed that, as had her time in the fade. The new ancient had been an interesting fact. When he spoke of the surge in new vampires within the family not being on him, she actually let out a soft laugh. "And who do we blame this time?" She asked with the hint of a smile on her face now.
Jesse Fforde
"A bit of everyone, really," he said with a shrug. "I sired Raegan. Marison sired Ysmir. Rhett sired Beckett, who in turn sired Renard. Clover sired a couple, though they haven't been around," he said with a shrug. Again, he had to give a small laugh. "All that trouble I went to, how angry I used to get because I wanted ... well, family. And then as soon as I give up, as soon as I take my hands off the reins and stop trying to force it, it happens," he said. "I could try and organise something, soon. So you can meet everyone? So Mario can?"
Ursula Wolfe
She smiled softly, "It is often when we stop looking for something or pushing for something that what we want comes to us." She said softly and then nodded, "I would like that, and I will pass on the message to Mario so that he knows he is welcome." She knew that there was little that wouldn't be welcome in their family, at least, from what she remembered. There were some exceptions, but she no longer needed to worry about that. And with that thought, she lowered her eyes. Then she lifted her gaze to Jesse, seeing how at ease he was now, that eased her a little. Could she talk about it? She opened her mouth to try but then stopped as she felt as if someone was tearing her heart from her chest. With a shake of her head, she turned sad blue eyes on Jesse and forced a small smile. "I would like to meet everyone I haven't yet."
Jesse Fforde
Jesse nodded. He wasn't imperceptive. He could see that there was something Ursula wanted to say. As curious as he was, as much as he wanted to know if only so that he could try to help her to fix it, he wouldn't stick his nose in where it didn't belong. It hadn't worked in the past, and nor would he force it now. "Would you like me to make him a tome? You still have yours?" he asked. There were those like Kaelyn who had their tomes replaced. And others, who accidentally misplaced theirs. Jesse didn't want to assume Ursula still had hers, or that she hadn't found somewhere else she preferred to spend her time. "I think you'll like them," he said with a smile.
Ursula Wolfe
She glanced up at him and smiled, A tome for him would be perfect I think..." she stopped for a moment and looked around, he hadn't done much wandering Limbo because at the time, Jesse had it pretty locked down. Had that changed? "I thought the tome was the only way in here. At least, aside from you summoning us."
Jesse Fforde
"If you didn't know where the place was, sure," he said. "It'd be the only way Mario could get in without a key. But everyone else can use the elevator," he said. He figured that answered that question. He'd seen Ursula a few nights ago in Limbo. If she didn't think there was any other way in, she must have a tome. "I'll make him one, and give it to him when we meet," he said. As if it were set in stone, and meeting would happen sooner rather than later.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded and smiled a little more. "Last I remembered, you had this place at Fort Knox security level. That is if Fort Knox had summoned creatures to rip your face off."
Jesse Fforde
"Oh, I'm pretty sure they're still down there somewhere," he said, glancing over his shoulder. He'd got completely relaxed there in his chair, but he knew that Clover was there somewhere; he thought he'd seen her at the crafting table, but perhaps she'd gone back into the apartment. She was the one who'd kept the place Fort Knox. She'd been paranoid, and probably for good reason. "Unless someone's come in and killed them. I honestly haven't checked..."
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded again and relaxed into her chair a little more. Listening to the beans rub against each other with her movement. "I'll have to do a bit more exploring of this place then." She said and then glanced around. "Have all the apartments been claimed yet?" She had room for Mario if he chose to stay with her, but she figured a place here might be good for him when he had a tome. And maybe another place for her to lay her head if she didn't feel like jumping through fade portals.
Jesse Fforde
Jesse looked around at all the closed doors. As far as he knew, the rooms beyond (aside from his own apartment with Clover) were empty and dusty. He shook his head. "As far as I know, all but one are still free," he said. "And I'd still be careful. The stairways might still be full of traps. Just be wary of the hidden doors..." he said. Though to be fair, the secret doors one floor up led to safe place (except for the stairway). One to the green room, one to the private room where he took all his newly turned fledglings, and one that was just storage space.
Ursula Wolfe
There was the understanding there in her eyes. "Perhaps, when, and if he is ready, he could get one of those apartments? And perhaps I would get one as well if you wouldn't mind."
Jesse Fforde
"Sure," he said. "Just let me know which and I'll ... find the keys somewhere," he said with a frown. Where had he put those? Probably in one of the lockboxes still back and Larch Court. "There's Larch Court, too, still. With the bunk beds. Though that's not quite the same as having your own space..." he said.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded sagely with that last part. "In truth, I'll have to run everything past Mario before we truely decide anything. But I like to plan the 'just in case'." She then shifted a little and remembered Larch, "is it safe for exploration of the main floor there?" Again, just in case.
Jesse Fforde
"Here?" he asked, gesturing to the space around them. "Yeah. Even the floor directly above," he said, pointing to the ceiling. "There's not much there. I like to re-do the walls when bored," he said. The place was bright with all the graffiti he'd spread over the walls. And it wasn't so much when he was bored that he did it, but when he needed the space, the time to vent. When he was upset. The emotion was clear in the splashes of colour. "The main entrance up top, though, don't go anywhere beyond the front door. Just to the elevator. And stay away from any stairs," he said.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded in understanding, "actually I was thinking of Larch, I know that back in the day you told us to just use the portals downstairs because the main floor was trapped."
Jesse Fforde
"Yeah. There's a portal in here now, too," he said, pointing to the shimmering spot of energy not too far from where they sat. "It goes to ...the slums, I think," he said. Just in case you can't get into Larch for whatever reason," he said with a shrug. There should be no reason anyone shouldn't be able to get into Larch.
Ursula Wolfe
"I don't do much worry about getting in, I know that other portal" she pointed to the other spot, "goes there, even though the second tome no longer takes me there." She smiled a little, "I'm more worried about introducing Mario to Larch and wind up Swiss Cheese." She stuck her tongue out at him as she sat up long enough to take her jacket off. "I'm sure his visit to the fade would have him freaked out. At least, if it wasn't of his own choice."
Jesse Fforde
Jesse laughed. "Larch isn't trapped. That I know of. If it is... I should probably check before I assure you it isn't," he said. "We'll do our best to keep young Mario from the realm," he said. "Is he a plumber? Does he chase after a blonde princess that has a habit of getting herself kidnapped...?"
Ursula Wolfe
She laughted out this time. "He is the blonde princess." She jested as she relaxed a little more, "He seems to be rather reserved, I don't know if it's just how he is or if it's his new life getting to him. We shall see though."
Jesse Fforde
"Well, plenty of people in this bloodline aren't reserved. They'll soon knock him out of his shell," Jesse said. "Or terrify him. We'll see what he's made of," he added. He was thinking of Beckett and Renard in particular; those two lacked particular filters. But Jesse didn't see that as a bad thing.
Ursula Wolfe
She snorted a little, at one point she was just as out there. Yeah, she had her down days, but for the most part she never shied from a party. Things have changed though. She nodded and looked to Jesse. "Let's hope that it's the former not the latter."
Jesse Fforde
"He'll be fine," he said with a wink. "I have faith you'll be a good sire," he added. Had Ursula ever brought someone home before? Jesse should remember these things. But he didn't have a habit of wanting to remember those who disappeared.
Ursula Wolfe
He had faith in her, that alone made her feel more powerful, but she remembered those she had sired before. Some had walked into the sun almost the moment they found out what they were. And then there was Bartimus. Her eyes closed, around her things grew dark for a moment. Then her eyes opened as she shook away the thoughts that threatened to take her from the enjoyment of spending time with her mentor, the man she saw as her sire more than she did Axel.
Jesse Fforde
Jesse noticed the slight increase in darkness, even if it didn't last. It gathered around Ursula like shadows to a mysterious corner. And then it was gone. He cocked his head to the side and arched a brow. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked. He wouldn't ask if she was okay. It was evident that she was not.
Ursula Wolfe
She shook her head again, "you didn't mean it..." she whispered. "I'll tell you in time..."
Jesse Fforde
"Okay," he said. The tone of his voice didn't have the same kind of irritable finality in it that it might have had, once before. Last year at this time he might have snapped, might have asked her why she couldn't tell him. He might have taken it personally, might have turned himself into a victim. But everyone grew up, sooner or later. And now Jesse oozed with understanding, and he trusted that Ursula would come to him when the time was right. She knew he was there to help.
Ursula Wolfe
She lifted her eyes to him "Thank you..." she said softly as she looked into his eyes. The tone of his voice, the understanding... it helped, so much more than he'd understand right now. "For everything Jesse." She added as she turned her eyes towards her blade. The blood on it. It snapped her out of her darker thoughts, "What are the things I have been fighting at the chemical plant?"
Jesse Fforde
"The chemical plant?" he asked, thinking. "... the ah... soldiers? I don't really know who they are," he said. He'd been too focused on the rift, on the zombies. On his own little world, he hadn't really been paying much more than a glance of attention at the other things around the place. Of course he kept an eye on the military, only because he believed their focus to be misguided.
Ursula Wolfe
She hummed to herself for a moment. "I tell you one thing, they aren't mere soldiers. The way they fight..." she watched Jesse for a moment, "My Uncle Shadow, he has been telling me things about the rift, it was a bit of a shock when he met me outside of Harper Rock, inside some other little town." That had been the thing that really snapped her out of her sorrow. At least enough to drive her curiosity. "Has it really spread that far?"
Jesse Fforde
"That I can't tell you," Jesse said. He hadn't met a vampire who'd died in any of the small towns outside of Harper Rock. He'd not met any ready to test the theory, to see if the rift had widened enough to allow them to return should they die outside of Harper Rock's limits. "They could possibly be vampires, too. Sorcerers, even? I'll have to go confront one, see what I can see."
Ursula Wolfe
Her curiosity struck her again. "You'll have to give me your input on it. If my uncle can appear to me, what if I tried fadewalking? Or do we need to actually die to test the rift?" She remembered way back when being told that if a vampire died outside of the city they wouldn't come back.
Jesse Fforde
"I honestly don't know," he said. "We could try fadewalking but that wouldn't be definitive, until we talk to someone who's returned," he said. He'd hoped that by widening the rift they might have heard of more elders, but thus far the only one he'd heard of was Theodosia -- and from what he'd seen in Every's memories, she'd been there the whole time.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded for a moment. "I may not be Axel but maybe I can help you find someone."
Jesse Fforde
"How do you mean, you may not be Axel? You mean tracking...?" he asked. It had been so long since he'd seen Axel, and longer still since he'd had any help from Axel. He wouldn't be remiss in admitting that he couldn't remember what all that Axel might have helped him with in the past.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded again. "I may not have all his powers, in truth I've done very little to harness those skills, those powers, other than one rather helpful one." Bring a human were you could feed on them with no one seeing it was always a perk. "But I'd be willing to start training them more to help you track down someone to talk to about it."
Jesse Fforde
Jesse shrugged and shook his head. "I don't think it's as easy as that. We'd have to know who to track, first," he said. "It'd be easier to just ask around, though given the temperament of most people in this city, it's better to just sit back and wait for an opportunity to arise," he said. He was thinking about the public Crownet, and the fact it wasn't helpful at all but rather populated by idiotic trolls.
Ursula Wolfe
She tucked one leg under herself, "and you believe it will?"
Jesse Fforde
He gave half a shrug. "Maybe, maybe not. I just don't trust anyone to ask the questions," he said. He doubted that Every would come to him if she found out anything new; she'd not felt the need to fill him in on things until they ran into each other accidentally. Choices had been made, though, it would seem, and Jesse was not whose company Every chose to keep.
Ursula Wolfe
She licked her lips, there was the urge to ask if he trusted her. She knew, deep down, he could trust her with a lot. "Did I ever tell you what I did before I came here? What brought me here? What I was doing the night that I was sired?" And thus, the ironic full circle she had made when she sired Mario.
Jesse Fforde
"I don't think you did, no," he said. He wondered if Axel had told him the story; but so many had been sired since then, so many had been sired before. It was easy to get things mixed up. "If you tell me, maybe it'll jog my memory. If I didn't know, then I'll learn something new," he said, settling in.
Ursula Wolfe
She smiled a little and leaned into the chair a bit more. "I used to be a paranormal hunter and researcher. I was following a lead about ghosts and ghouls when I met him. That night, I saw my first zombie. And then he killed me and..." she motioned to herself like a prize girl on The Price is Right. "Perhaps I should get back into it... maybe I'll see if Mario wants to join me. Giving him something from when he was mortal might keep him from doing something stupid."
Jesse Fforde
Jesse chuckled. He couldn't really judge Axel's siring methods. His had been the same for a long time. He couldn't say that if he'd sired Ursula, that might have gone differently. "Plenty of ghouls and ghosts to track down in Harper Rock," he said. "I hear there are those who can commune with the dead. See their ghosts wandering around. Maybe you can look into that, see if there was some way they got the ability or whether they always had it."
Ursula Wolfe
She blinked for a moment. "You mean how I can talk to my uncle?"
Jesse Fforde
"Maybe. Is he the only one you can see, though?" he asked. He, too, could see wraiths, could snatch spirits up from the streets. But they were always so flimsy, metaphysical. Not so real that they could be mistaken for real people.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded "I usually hear him more than I see him. Even in death he doesn't shut up." Of course, when he had been alive, even before he had disappeared he had talked a LOT though, when she had been younger, she had enjoyed that about him. It was one thing that drove her to study voodu.
Jesse Fforde
"Mm, not the same thing," Jesse said. "There are those who can see ghosts, who can even mistake those ghosts for real people if they're not paying proper attention. I'm not sure if that's a gift I'd like to be saddled with..." Jesse said with an arch of a brow. How many ghosts had he created by slaughtering innocents?
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded, it was something she didn't think she would like either, given how many she had killed. Last thing she needed was a reminder of the monster she had become. At least, as of late. "I'll have to do some investigating then. See if I could find those with that sight. Though, I don't know if I'd want to hear what those who did want to say. And then there's the nut jobs that believe Elvis is still alive or an alien or something."
Jesse Fforde
"Maybe Elvis was visited by a vampire and IS still alive, somewhere," Jesse said with a wink, though he was clearly jesting. Vampires weren't a think back then, were they?
Ursula Wolfe
She laughed softly, "would explain his power over females. Just think, Elvis is the real first ancient." She added with a playful smile.
Jesse Fforde
"Hah, in the early days, maybe. Near the end there I doubt he as as alluring as he wanted to be," he said. Elvis had aged. There were other stars out there that fit the profile of vampirism more.
Ursula Wolfe
"Touché" she said with a smirk then stretched a little, "there's no harm in looking around though, I think I will do that with the next sunset.
Jesse Fforde
"As you please," Jesse said, glancing at his watch. Sunrise. That would be soon. "I might go. Spend some time with Clo before the sun comes up," Jesse said. Although he had the ability to stay awake if he wanted to, Clover did not. And they'd agreed they'd spend more time with each other, and now allow each other to slip into workaholic behaviours. "I'll let you know about the gathering, yeah?"
Ursula Wolfe
She smiled and nodded, standing, she grabbed her jacket and stretched a little more before walking over to Jesse, she placed a gloved hand on his shoulder "thank you again Jesse, and I promise when I can, I will tell you the full story. For now, it hurts too much. Tell Clover I said 'hi" then with a smile she headed for the Larch portal.
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This thread was submitted via a live roleplay chat in the Limbo area. Participants and rewards were: Jesse Fforde earned 4139 RPP. Ursula Wolfe earned 3341 RPP.
Aside from the presumed zombie apocalypse, life was quiet. Jesse worked in or around Serpentine most nights, trying to keep the streets around the business clear of zombies, and adding incentive for regular punters to do the same. Free tattoos were on offer for those who brought in proof of their zombie kills; Jesse had done a few. This also brought groups of people in to drink at the bar after a long night on the hunt, which helped to keep the businesses afloat. Though Jesse didn't know what all the fuss was about; if one traveled across the river into the northern part of the city, there weren't any zombies. Apocalypse? Hardly. People were just getting their panties in a twist for no reason. He had also heard from Every about the ancient, Theodosia; he'd written everything down though any attempt to contact the ancient was a failure. All he could do was wait. And, as busy as he was, he always tried to come home at least a few hours before dawn to spend time with Clover -- or whoever else might be around. He'd seen Ursula briefly, had greeted her, assuming she would reach out if she wanted to talk. But she hadn't, which Jesse thought to be odd. So this time, after he'd showered the zombie goo from his clothing, he settled in the main area of Limbo and focused, summoning Ursula.
Ursula Wolfe
With sword still in hand, dripping with the blood of her last kill, Ursa lifted her eyes to find herself not only not in front of her kill, but in Limbo now. And before her, Jesse. She had spotted him from time to time, but she had been gone for so long, she had feared speaking to him. However, with the latest addition, she would have needed to speak to him sooner rather than later. She lowered her blade as well as her head and let out a sigh. "Hey Jesse." It was all she could thing to say at that moment.
Jesse Fforde
The way the woman sighed and hung her head, it was as if she were ashamed. As if she feared anger from Jesse, or retribution. Once upon a time it might have been true; he might have asked her where she'd been in a clipped tone, as if whatever answer she gave wouldn't be good enough. As if she should have been here all along, helping to keep Fforde a family. Jesse had calmed a lot since then, however; now, there was no sharp accusatory glint to his eye. His eyes were soft -- if such a brilliant blue could be soft -- and there was a subtle smile on his lips. "Sorry. I should have given you warning," he said, nodding to the sword. His voice was its usual husky rasp. She'd been busy. "How are you?"
Ursula Wolfe
She lifted her head at the sound of his voice, that was something she had not quite expected. With the fines of her training, she twirled the sword and sheathed it before lifting her own eyes once more to his. "To tell you the truth, I have been expecting it for a while now. And I'm..." she stopped for a moment. 'Alright' was not a fitting answer, but she was not quite ready to speak about the things that had kept her away from her new family for so long. "... fighting the good fight." She said as she wiped some blood from her gloves. "Oh, I feel I should tell you, being the head of the line and all, I have taken a new progeny."
Jesse Fforde
There was a twitch of something there, at the mention of new progeny. An aside, as if she would not have told Jesse had Jesse not summoned her here. How long would she have waited? The twitch was just a tic, however, eased as soon as Jesse's resignation could drown it. Jesse led them to the meeting area, where there were armchairs and bean bags. He dropped into one of the armchairs. Honestly, something seemed a little off about Ursula. Jesse didn't want to push it; if she wanted to tell him, she would in her own time. "Fighting is always a good thing," he said. "You let me know if ...he? she? If they need any help with anything," he then added with a low watt smile.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded as she followed him and moved with her usual grace into one of the bean chairs. Well as gracefully as one could into one of those chairs. While she was off in many ways as of late, she wasn't so off that she hadn't noticed the twitch. "I will, and it is a he. His name is Mario. It only happened, I've been giving him time to get used to being what he is now. It was sort of ironic. He was filming something... much like I had been when... Axel, had turned me." The smile eased her feelings slightly, but then, it was just when she felt things going right that something would go horribly wrong.
Jesse Fforde
Jesse did understand, despite everything. Mothers with newborns didn't immediately go to their own mothers and hand the baby over. They were given time to get to know their child, to form a bond. Jesse knew it was unreasonable to expect to immediately know and meet the new Fforde progeny. He'd always had patience, and so he would learn to have patience here, too. The mention of Axel had Jesse arching a brow; so often he slipped into thinking Ursula was his, that he had turned her. Axel had been gone so long Jesse found it hard to even recall his features. "And how's he adjusting?" he asked.
Ursula Wolfe
Axel's name on her lips often felt wrong. Even when she had been newly turned. It had been Jesse that had taken her in, Jesse who taught her things and gave her things when she needed it. She glanced to Jesse and knew he was thinking something along those same lines. She smiled, softly but far too briefly. "He seems to be taking to it fairly well, it's usually the first few months that will be the determining factor." She glanced around and noted just how quiet things were, perhaps new blood would bring back the days when they would all go around shooting each other with water guns and inflatable hammers. "I have missed this place, missed you, Jesse." She said softly, her eyes though spoke not only of worry but sadness.
Jesse Fforde
They had entered Limbo at a quiet moment. It wasn't always so quiet -- Renard and Beckett added some spice to the halls, and Jesse had inadvertently taken them under his wing, too. Marisol was around, as was Aine every now and again. Ysmir and Raegan -- tonight, they must all have been busy. "It is good to see you back, Ursula. And if you need to talk about it, you can..." he offered.
Ursula Wolfe
She glanced up at him and nodded, "I will, with time..." she said, her voice softer, as if she were talking more to herself than to Jesse. There had been so much that had gone down. She just wasn't ready to admit it yet. "Much has changed in the city, and here. I smell new scents. Tell me about them? Please?" She hoped, learning of those she had yet to be introduced to would take her mind off past horrors.
Jesse Fforde
"Mm," Jesse hummed, watching Ursula closely. At first he just peered at her, rather than answering her enquiry -- as if he were considering whether to ask her more questions. In the end, he let it go. "Yes. There's an ancient vampire, Theodosia. She's hard to track down. The short version is that she's widened the rift, which is why there are zombies out of their cage," he said with a devious grin. It was clear that he was happy with this outcome -- but anyone reading the Crownet would know that. "And here? Yeah. There's been a ... surge, I suppose, in newly sired. And it hasn't all been me this time," he said with a chuckle.
Ursula Wolfe
There was something about Jesse's smile that never failed to make her feel better. Though the news about the widened rift hadn't quite been news to her, Uncle Shadow had revealed that, as had her time in the fade. The new ancient had been an interesting fact. When he spoke of the surge in new vampires within the family not being on him, she actually let out a soft laugh. "And who do we blame this time?" She asked with the hint of a smile on her face now.
Jesse Fforde
"A bit of everyone, really," he said with a shrug. "I sired Raegan. Marison sired Ysmir. Rhett sired Beckett, who in turn sired Renard. Clover sired a couple, though they haven't been around," he said with a shrug. Again, he had to give a small laugh. "All that trouble I went to, how angry I used to get because I wanted ... well, family. And then as soon as I give up, as soon as I take my hands off the reins and stop trying to force it, it happens," he said. "I could try and organise something, soon. So you can meet everyone? So Mario can?"
Ursula Wolfe
She smiled softly, "It is often when we stop looking for something or pushing for something that what we want comes to us." She said softly and then nodded, "I would like that, and I will pass on the message to Mario so that he knows he is welcome." She knew that there was little that wouldn't be welcome in their family, at least, from what she remembered. There were some exceptions, but she no longer needed to worry about that. And with that thought, she lowered her eyes. Then she lifted her gaze to Jesse, seeing how at ease he was now, that eased her a little. Could she talk about it? She opened her mouth to try but then stopped as she felt as if someone was tearing her heart from her chest. With a shake of her head, she turned sad blue eyes on Jesse and forced a small smile. "I would like to meet everyone I haven't yet."
Jesse Fforde
Jesse nodded. He wasn't imperceptive. He could see that there was something Ursula wanted to say. As curious as he was, as much as he wanted to know if only so that he could try to help her to fix it, he wouldn't stick his nose in where it didn't belong. It hadn't worked in the past, and nor would he force it now. "Would you like me to make him a tome? You still have yours?" he asked. There were those like Kaelyn who had their tomes replaced. And others, who accidentally misplaced theirs. Jesse didn't want to assume Ursula still had hers, or that she hadn't found somewhere else she preferred to spend her time. "I think you'll like them," he said with a smile.
Ursula Wolfe
She glanced up at him and smiled, A tome for him would be perfect I think..." she stopped for a moment and looked around, he hadn't done much wandering Limbo because at the time, Jesse had it pretty locked down. Had that changed? "I thought the tome was the only way in here. At least, aside from you summoning us."
Jesse Fforde
"If you didn't know where the place was, sure," he said. "It'd be the only way Mario could get in without a key. But everyone else can use the elevator," he said. He figured that answered that question. He'd seen Ursula a few nights ago in Limbo. If she didn't think there was any other way in, she must have a tome. "I'll make him one, and give it to him when we meet," he said. As if it were set in stone, and meeting would happen sooner rather than later.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded and smiled a little more. "Last I remembered, you had this place at Fort Knox security level. That is if Fort Knox had summoned creatures to rip your face off."
Jesse Fforde
"Oh, I'm pretty sure they're still down there somewhere," he said, glancing over his shoulder. He'd got completely relaxed there in his chair, but he knew that Clover was there somewhere; he thought he'd seen her at the crafting table, but perhaps she'd gone back into the apartment. She was the one who'd kept the place Fort Knox. She'd been paranoid, and probably for good reason. "Unless someone's come in and killed them. I honestly haven't checked..."
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded again and relaxed into her chair a little more. Listening to the beans rub against each other with her movement. "I'll have to do a bit more exploring of this place then." She said and then glanced around. "Have all the apartments been claimed yet?" She had room for Mario if he chose to stay with her, but she figured a place here might be good for him when he had a tome. And maybe another place for her to lay her head if she didn't feel like jumping through fade portals.
Jesse Fforde
Jesse looked around at all the closed doors. As far as he knew, the rooms beyond (aside from his own apartment with Clover) were empty and dusty. He shook his head. "As far as I know, all but one are still free," he said. "And I'd still be careful. The stairways might still be full of traps. Just be wary of the hidden doors..." he said. Though to be fair, the secret doors one floor up led to safe place (except for the stairway). One to the green room, one to the private room where he took all his newly turned fledglings, and one that was just storage space.
Ursula Wolfe
There was the understanding there in her eyes. "Perhaps, when, and if he is ready, he could get one of those apartments? And perhaps I would get one as well if you wouldn't mind."
Jesse Fforde
"Sure," he said. "Just let me know which and I'll ... find the keys somewhere," he said with a frown. Where had he put those? Probably in one of the lockboxes still back and Larch Court. "There's Larch Court, too, still. With the bunk beds. Though that's not quite the same as having your own space..." he said.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded sagely with that last part. "In truth, I'll have to run everything past Mario before we truely decide anything. But I like to plan the 'just in case'." She then shifted a little and remembered Larch, "is it safe for exploration of the main floor there?" Again, just in case.
Jesse Fforde
"Here?" he asked, gesturing to the space around them. "Yeah. Even the floor directly above," he said, pointing to the ceiling. "There's not much there. I like to re-do the walls when bored," he said. The place was bright with all the graffiti he'd spread over the walls. And it wasn't so much when he was bored that he did it, but when he needed the space, the time to vent. When he was upset. The emotion was clear in the splashes of colour. "The main entrance up top, though, don't go anywhere beyond the front door. Just to the elevator. And stay away from any stairs," he said.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded in understanding, "actually I was thinking of Larch, I know that back in the day you told us to just use the portals downstairs because the main floor was trapped."
Jesse Fforde
"Yeah. There's a portal in here now, too," he said, pointing to the shimmering spot of energy not too far from where they sat. "It goes to ...the slums, I think," he said. Just in case you can't get into Larch for whatever reason," he said with a shrug. There should be no reason anyone shouldn't be able to get into Larch.
Ursula Wolfe
"I don't do much worry about getting in, I know that other portal" she pointed to the other spot, "goes there, even though the second tome no longer takes me there." She smiled a little, "I'm more worried about introducing Mario to Larch and wind up Swiss Cheese." She stuck her tongue out at him as she sat up long enough to take her jacket off. "I'm sure his visit to the fade would have him freaked out. At least, if it wasn't of his own choice."
Jesse Fforde
Jesse laughed. "Larch isn't trapped. That I know of. If it is... I should probably check before I assure you it isn't," he said. "We'll do our best to keep young Mario from the realm," he said. "Is he a plumber? Does he chase after a blonde princess that has a habit of getting herself kidnapped...?"
Ursula Wolfe
She laughted out this time. "He is the blonde princess." She jested as she relaxed a little more, "He seems to be rather reserved, I don't know if it's just how he is or if it's his new life getting to him. We shall see though."
Jesse Fforde
"Well, plenty of people in this bloodline aren't reserved. They'll soon knock him out of his shell," Jesse said. "Or terrify him. We'll see what he's made of," he added. He was thinking of Beckett and Renard in particular; those two lacked particular filters. But Jesse didn't see that as a bad thing.
Ursula Wolfe
She snorted a little, at one point she was just as out there. Yeah, she had her down days, but for the most part she never shied from a party. Things have changed though. She nodded and looked to Jesse. "Let's hope that it's the former not the latter."
Jesse Fforde
"He'll be fine," he said with a wink. "I have faith you'll be a good sire," he added. Had Ursula ever brought someone home before? Jesse should remember these things. But he didn't have a habit of wanting to remember those who disappeared.
Ursula Wolfe
He had faith in her, that alone made her feel more powerful, but she remembered those she had sired before. Some had walked into the sun almost the moment they found out what they were. And then there was Bartimus. Her eyes closed, around her things grew dark for a moment. Then her eyes opened as she shook away the thoughts that threatened to take her from the enjoyment of spending time with her mentor, the man she saw as her sire more than she did Axel.
Jesse Fforde
Jesse noticed the slight increase in darkness, even if it didn't last. It gathered around Ursula like shadows to a mysterious corner. And then it was gone. He cocked his head to the side and arched a brow. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked. He wouldn't ask if she was okay. It was evident that she was not.
Ursula Wolfe
She shook her head again, "you didn't mean it..." she whispered. "I'll tell you in time..."
Jesse Fforde
"Okay," he said. The tone of his voice didn't have the same kind of irritable finality in it that it might have had, once before. Last year at this time he might have snapped, might have asked her why she couldn't tell him. He might have taken it personally, might have turned himself into a victim. But everyone grew up, sooner or later. And now Jesse oozed with understanding, and he trusted that Ursula would come to him when the time was right. She knew he was there to help.
Ursula Wolfe
She lifted her eyes to him "Thank you..." she said softly as she looked into his eyes. The tone of his voice, the understanding... it helped, so much more than he'd understand right now. "For everything Jesse." She added as she turned her eyes towards her blade. The blood on it. It snapped her out of her darker thoughts, "What are the things I have been fighting at the chemical plant?"
Jesse Fforde
"The chemical plant?" he asked, thinking. "... the ah... soldiers? I don't really know who they are," he said. He'd been too focused on the rift, on the zombies. On his own little world, he hadn't really been paying much more than a glance of attention at the other things around the place. Of course he kept an eye on the military, only because he believed their focus to be misguided.
Ursula Wolfe
She hummed to herself for a moment. "I tell you one thing, they aren't mere soldiers. The way they fight..." she watched Jesse for a moment, "My Uncle Shadow, he has been telling me things about the rift, it was a bit of a shock when he met me outside of Harper Rock, inside some other little town." That had been the thing that really snapped her out of her sorrow. At least enough to drive her curiosity. "Has it really spread that far?"
Jesse Fforde
"That I can't tell you," Jesse said. He hadn't met a vampire who'd died in any of the small towns outside of Harper Rock. He'd not met any ready to test the theory, to see if the rift had widened enough to allow them to return should they die outside of Harper Rock's limits. "They could possibly be vampires, too. Sorcerers, even? I'll have to go confront one, see what I can see."
Ursula Wolfe
Her curiosity struck her again. "You'll have to give me your input on it. If my uncle can appear to me, what if I tried fadewalking? Or do we need to actually die to test the rift?" She remembered way back when being told that if a vampire died outside of the city they wouldn't come back.
Jesse Fforde
"I honestly don't know," he said. "We could try fadewalking but that wouldn't be definitive, until we talk to someone who's returned," he said. He'd hoped that by widening the rift they might have heard of more elders, but thus far the only one he'd heard of was Theodosia -- and from what he'd seen in Every's memories, she'd been there the whole time.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded for a moment. "I may not be Axel but maybe I can help you find someone."
Jesse Fforde
"How do you mean, you may not be Axel? You mean tracking...?" he asked. It had been so long since he'd seen Axel, and longer still since he'd had any help from Axel. He wouldn't be remiss in admitting that he couldn't remember what all that Axel might have helped him with in the past.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded again. "I may not have all his powers, in truth I've done very little to harness those skills, those powers, other than one rather helpful one." Bring a human were you could feed on them with no one seeing it was always a perk. "But I'd be willing to start training them more to help you track down someone to talk to about it."
Jesse Fforde
Jesse shrugged and shook his head. "I don't think it's as easy as that. We'd have to know who to track, first," he said. "It'd be easier to just ask around, though given the temperament of most people in this city, it's better to just sit back and wait for an opportunity to arise," he said. He was thinking about the public Crownet, and the fact it wasn't helpful at all but rather populated by idiotic trolls.
Ursula Wolfe
She tucked one leg under herself, "and you believe it will?"
Jesse Fforde
He gave half a shrug. "Maybe, maybe not. I just don't trust anyone to ask the questions," he said. He doubted that Every would come to him if she found out anything new; she'd not felt the need to fill him in on things until they ran into each other accidentally. Choices had been made, though, it would seem, and Jesse was not whose company Every chose to keep.
Ursula Wolfe
She licked her lips, there was the urge to ask if he trusted her. She knew, deep down, he could trust her with a lot. "Did I ever tell you what I did before I came here? What brought me here? What I was doing the night that I was sired?" And thus, the ironic full circle she had made when she sired Mario.
Jesse Fforde
"I don't think you did, no," he said. He wondered if Axel had told him the story; but so many had been sired since then, so many had been sired before. It was easy to get things mixed up. "If you tell me, maybe it'll jog my memory. If I didn't know, then I'll learn something new," he said, settling in.
Ursula Wolfe
She smiled a little and leaned into the chair a bit more. "I used to be a paranormal hunter and researcher. I was following a lead about ghosts and ghouls when I met him. That night, I saw my first zombie. And then he killed me and..." she motioned to herself like a prize girl on The Price is Right. "Perhaps I should get back into it... maybe I'll see if Mario wants to join me. Giving him something from when he was mortal might keep him from doing something stupid."
Jesse Fforde
Jesse chuckled. He couldn't really judge Axel's siring methods. His had been the same for a long time. He couldn't say that if he'd sired Ursula, that might have gone differently. "Plenty of ghouls and ghosts to track down in Harper Rock," he said. "I hear there are those who can commune with the dead. See their ghosts wandering around. Maybe you can look into that, see if there was some way they got the ability or whether they always had it."
Ursula Wolfe
She blinked for a moment. "You mean how I can talk to my uncle?"
Jesse Fforde
"Maybe. Is he the only one you can see, though?" he asked. He, too, could see wraiths, could snatch spirits up from the streets. But they were always so flimsy, metaphysical. Not so real that they could be mistaken for real people.
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded "I usually hear him more than I see him. Even in death he doesn't shut up." Of course, when he had been alive, even before he had disappeared he had talked a LOT though, when she had been younger, she had enjoyed that about him. It was one thing that drove her to study voodu.
Jesse Fforde
"Mm, not the same thing," Jesse said. "There are those who can see ghosts, who can even mistake those ghosts for real people if they're not paying proper attention. I'm not sure if that's a gift I'd like to be saddled with..." Jesse said with an arch of a brow. How many ghosts had he created by slaughtering innocents?
Ursula Wolfe
She nodded, it was something she didn't think she would like either, given how many she had killed. Last thing she needed was a reminder of the monster she had become. At least, as of late. "I'll have to do some investigating then. See if I could find those with that sight. Though, I don't know if I'd want to hear what those who did want to say. And then there's the nut jobs that believe Elvis is still alive or an alien or something."
Jesse Fforde
"Maybe Elvis was visited by a vampire and IS still alive, somewhere," Jesse said with a wink, though he was clearly jesting. Vampires weren't a think back then, were they?
Ursula Wolfe
She laughed softly, "would explain his power over females. Just think, Elvis is the real first ancient." She added with a playful smile.
Jesse Fforde
"Hah, in the early days, maybe. Near the end there I doubt he as as alluring as he wanted to be," he said. Elvis had aged. There were other stars out there that fit the profile of vampirism more.
Ursula Wolfe
"Touché" she said with a smirk then stretched a little, "there's no harm in looking around though, I think I will do that with the next sunset.
Jesse Fforde
"As you please," Jesse said, glancing at his watch. Sunrise. That would be soon. "I might go. Spend some time with Clo before the sun comes up," Jesse said. Although he had the ability to stay awake if he wanted to, Clover did not. And they'd agreed they'd spend more time with each other, and now allow each other to slip into workaholic behaviours. "I'll let you know about the gathering, yeah?"
Ursula Wolfe
She smiled and nodded, standing, she grabbed her jacket and stretched a little more before walking over to Jesse, she placed a gloved hand on his shoulder "thank you again Jesse, and I promise when I can, I will tell you the full story. For now, it hurts too much. Tell Clover I said 'hi" then with a smile she headed for the Larch portal.
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