[Feb. 6, 2003]

AgujaCabra (9:55 PM): The music trickles out into a slow, haphazard ending, as Katlen adjusts the strap on her dress self-consciously, and reaches out to filch the beer from Jarvis. She fingers the bottle absently for a moment, before taking a short swig, and grimacing. "That's disgusting.. I don't know how you drink that shit," she laments with a small snort; forcing the bottle back at him, and beginning to wander off towards the bar-- likely to find something
AgujaCabra (9:55 PM): more to her tastes. Jarvis shrugs to himself as she goes, and continues to nurse the bottle with occasional sips. Š Quickly, picking up the tempo, a lazy, reverberating guitar riff cuts through the stagnant club air. Kids, mostly decked in black, begin to dance and socialize.. the crowd will continue to swell as the night goes on.
NerwenGreen (10:00 PM): Maria glances disinterestedly at Stephan as he approaches the table, then with a slight shrug, follows after Katlen. Reaching the bar, she pulls her way through the last of the crowd with a hand on the counter and climbs onto a stool. "Screwdriver, on the rocks," she calls to the bartender. She begins to search through her purse for some crumpled bills to pay for the drink.
AgujaCabra (10:14 PM): [kind of back?]
NerwenGreen (10:14 PM): [welcome back ;)]
AgujaCabra (10:14 PM): The bartender: a man in his mid 20s, dressed in jeans and a simple black t-shirt, nods shortly to Maria over the gathering crowd, and moves off to fetch her drinkŠ twirling a bottle for another customer's benefit, before sliding the scotch across the countertop in a shimmering, pale green glass. Katlen, dawdling slightly behind Maria in ordering, casts a
AgujaCabra (10:15 PM): short, disengaged glance at Maria from her own stool at the bar, before sending a wilted smile to the bartender, and requesting a raspberry cooler. She taps her nails lightly on the surface, absently reading the labels on the liquor bottles as she waits.
AgujaCabra (10:15 PM): [we can fast-forward some here.. ]
NerwenGreen (10:15 PM): [sure ;)]
NerwenGreen (10:17 PM): Maria shoves the cash across to the bartender as he hands her the drink. She gives him a quick, small smile that fades instantly after she leaves the bar area. She goes back to the table with Stephan and Jarvis, idly stirring her drink as she walks.
AgujaCabra (10:19 PM): [okay.. .if I flash over conversation here, and talk about the night progressing.. is that okay? ]
NerwenGreen (10:19 PM): [fine by me ;)]
AgujaCabra (10:19 PM): [hehe]
AgujaCabra (10:23 PM): Stephen smiles quietly to himself, as Maria returns to join them at the table; pushing a chair out lazily with his foot for her to take, while attempting to keep an idle conversation going with Jarvis. . As the night progresses, the small club begins to teem with young patrons, and older busybodies. a dull hum of conversation and music fills the still, slightly tepid air, and many tabletop discussions dissolve into fits of melancholy dancing.
AgujaCabra (10:23 PM): [um... I could intro something 'real'.. or I could wait for your next response]
AgujaCabra (10:23 PM): [^.^]
NerwenGreen (10:24 PM): Maria takes the chair that Stephan indicates and spends the evening chatting with her friends. After an hour or so she gets bored and starts eyeing the dance floor more.
NerwenGreen (10:24 PM): [nothing important in my response ... fire away ;)]
AgujaCabra (10:24 PM): [haha.. pooh. ]
AgujaCabra (10:28 PM): The dance floor has become a loose mass of bodies in black; mostly moving casually and continuing to socialize, without paying too much attention to the actual musicŠ After a few moments of watching, she could notice someone approaching her table, from within the throng of miscellaneous dancers. A thin man standing just shy of 5'5", weaves his way stealthily through the surrounding patrons, with an unnerving, but visually
AgujaCabra (10:28 PM): entrancing; deliberate, slinking step. There is something vaguely reptilian about him; from the cadence of his step, to the sheer, black pvc of his eccentric wardrobe [which includes long coat-tails, and black rubber gloves]. His face is a white mask, tinted by black eye shadow, and a horizontal, black line follows the bottom curve his lip; giving him the queer appearance of a perpetually sour joker's smile. Exacerbating the 'joker'
AgujaCabra (10:28 PM): image, limp, dark green hair dangles wetly onto his shoulders; clinging about his neck, and resembling molded plastic more than human hair. His arms are bony; studded from his wrist to his elbow with 2-inch, thick metallic spikesŠ a metal cylinder also pierces his chin, and a narrow bar pinches through the nose bridge, directly between his pale orange eyes. Several thick rings dangle from each ear, and there are obviously three metal
AgujaCabra (10:28 PM): disks implanted beneath the skin on his forehead. Flashing a mischievous, toothy smile [in which Maria can see that his teeth are filed to sharp, jagged points], the man steps up towards her in a bold move.. "Maria, isn't it?," he asks rhetorically, with a cold flicker in his eye.

NerwenGreen (10:28 PM): [wow .. lots of text]
AgujaCabra (10:29 PM): [... this is why I do not pre-write... but uh.. his description had to be long]
NerwenGreen (10:29 PM): [what's why you don't pre-write?]
AgujaCabra (10:29 PM): [because if I pre-write... my responses are inevitably much longer than they would normally be :p ]
NerwenGreen (10:29 PM): [well, just give me a minute to read it all =)]
NerwenGreen (10:37 PM): Maria smoothly tilts her head up at the man as he comes to stand next to their table, her eyes meeting his in a steady, unblinking, unintimidated gaze. Casually reaching an arm out to lean against the next chair, she shifts slightly away from him in her seat. "Yes?" Her voice betrays no trace of surprise and, although not actively hostile, there is a hint of defensiveness in her tone.
NerwenGreen (10:37 PM): [man .. I wish I could just show you her posture and tone :p]
AgujaCabra (10:38 PM): [haha.. um. call and give me the tone ? ;p ]
NerwenGreen (10:38 PM): [hahaha]
AgujaCabra (10:45 PM): His returning smile is positively wicked, with an unmistakable hint of playfulness tugging at the corners of his lipsŠ Glossing back the side of his hair casually, the man steps around Maria to carefully take the empty seat at their table, and rest his elbows gently against the surface. Stephan's posture becomes ridged as the man sits, and he lowers his head almost defensively: reaching over to take Jarvis' latest beer, and playing
AgujaCabra (10:45 PM): with the bottle as the man adjusts himself. Upon sitting, he turns his glittering, pale eyes back upon Maria. ".. Don't mind me, please," he intones with an icy, saccharine sweetness, "I was wondering if I could.. ah, take the liberty of buying a pretty lady a drink, however?"
AgujaCabra (10:46 PM): [hey.. you can't have my number any more :P ]
NerwenGreen (10:46 PM): [no? I'll stop doing dumb things like calling :p]
AgujaCabra (10:46 PM): [haha.. well. I don't really mind. Its pretty funny, actually]
NerwenGreen (10:47 PM): [hehe]
NerwenGreen (10:48 PM): [where's everyone sitting in relation to everyone else?]
AgujaCabra (10:48 PM): [Its a circular table. Stephan is across from Maria, and Jarvis is to her left side. The new arrival is on Maria's right]
NerwenGreen (10:52 PM): Maria shifts in her seat toward Jarvis, frowning at the new arrival with a look of undisguised disgust and a faint hint of unease. "Uhh ... no."
AgujaCabra (10:58 PM): The smile drops immediately from his face at her dismissive response, and he fingers his gloves in a short fit of agitation, before standing up again crisply, and scowling at Maria. After a slight pause, he smiles again coolly; ".. very well, then. .. I'll just leave you to your .. stimulating conversation," he says drily; turning his attention directly to Stephan. "Stephan," the man practically hisses, and Stephan raises his head slowly to look him in
AgujaCabra (10:58 PM): the eye.. "can I see you for a moment? It won't take any time at all." .. Pushing the bottle back to Jarvis, Stephan begins to get up quietly from the table.
AgujaCabra (10:59 PM): [:;eyeroll::]
NerwenGreen (11:00 PM): Maria watches Stephan get up with some confusion. "Stephan, what are you doing?" she calls up at him sharply. "You don't have to go anywhere with him."
AgujaCabra (11:04 PM): Hesitating, Stephan looks over cautiously at the man, and then lets his eyes trail back to the table silently. "Its no trouble, dollie," he replies with a shy smile, "I've seen the guy around before... he's a creep, but not so bad." Shrugging a little, Stephan raises a hand to wave halfheartedly at Maria and Jarvis. "I'll be a minute.. keep my seat."
NerwenGreen (11:08 PM): Maria looks suspiciously at both of them, frowning in displeasure. For an instant she looks like she might get to her feet and follow after him, but then she shrugs with an air of unconcern. "Fine," she retorts.
AgujaCabra (11:12 PM): Without saying another word, the man turns and whisks off into the throng of dancing figures; his coat-tails fluttering slightly in the draft with a faint hissing noise... Stephan follows behind him slowly, until both are lost within the many faces of the club. After they have gone, Jarvis takes a ruminating sip of beer.. "That was fucking weird," he remarks thoughtfully.
NerwenGreen (11:13 PM): Maria sinks into a slouch in her seat, beginning to sulk slightly as they walk away. "Yeah," she agrees, fiddling idly with her empty glass. "Who was that guy?" She props her feet up on Stephan's empty chair, then glances around the club a little. "Where's Katlen?"
AgujaCabra (11:16 PM): Jarvis shrugs unconcernedly; rolling the end of the bottle in a slow circle on the table, and then letting it go to sit back in his seat. "Don't know... and .. Don't know," he says with a lazy half-grin, beginning to look around the club as well.
NerwenGreen (11:18 PM): Maria pushes her glass across the table, watching it coast to a stop near the edge. "I'm getting another," she says sulkily as she gets to her feet. "You want anything?"
AgujaCabra (11:21 PM): Jarvis considers this briefly, before ruefully shaking his head. "Naw.. I've still got some of this one," he taps the side of the bottle lightly, and picks it up to take another small draught. "You go ahead. I'll keep the table warm."
NerwenGreen (11:22 PM): "Yeah," Maria replies offhandedly over her shoulder, as she begins making her way through the crowd toward the bar again.
AgujaCabra (11:26 PM): On her way to the bar, Maria almost bumps into Stephan, who is making a path back to the table.. He appears slightly flustered, but his expression is quiet and generally composed. There are two drinks in his hand, and one bottle of straight beer under his arm.. When he notices Maria, he pauses, and casts an almost relieved smile to her.
AgujaCabra (11:26 PM): "Running off on us?," he calls in a coyly hurt tone, lifting the glass of scotch to her invitingly... "I got us some fresh drinks. It looked like we were all drying up.. "
NerwenGreen (11:29 PM): "Oh, right," she responds, eyeing him with suspicious concern as she accepts the glass of scotch and also grabs the bottle of beer from him. She turns to follow him back to the table. "Who was that guy? What did he want?"
AgujaCabra (11:35 PM): Stephan snorts a quiet laugh, grinning as Maria takes the drinks from him, and beginning to lead the way back to the table. "Oh, hell... he just wanted your number," Stephan replies with a vague air of disgust, shaking his head slightly, and stepping around to claim his seat again. "His name's Erik, and I think he's a little hard up in the girl department," he concludes simply, with a shrug, stretching his legs out under the table a bit, and starting to turn the glass around slowly.
AgujaCabra (11:43 PM): [miw?]
NerwenGreen (11:43 PM): Maria responds with a short laugh. "He was a total creep," she returns impetuously, rolling her eyes. "Who did he think he was - just invading our table like that?" She takes a quick sip of her scotch, then follows up with a larger gulp.
NerwenGreen (11:43 PM): [sorry! ... was trying to find the right adjectives ...]
AgujaCabra (11:44 PM): [that's okay :P ]
AgujaCabra (11:49 PM): Stephan laughs nervously, and quickly downs a portion of his drink as well.. letting the glass clatter lightly on the table when he puts it back, and then staring for a moment into the dingy liquid. "Hey, well ... unfortunately, you'll find some of them at these clubs," he returns softly, "Hopefully he's got the message now-- go find a girl who digs porcupines .. "
NerwenGreen (11:52 PM): "Yeah, not my type," Maria agrees adamantly with a vague half shrug as she settles back into her chair. She slides the beer across the table at Jarvis, then takes another sip of her scotch. Eyeing the dance floor again, she asks "Okay, so, does anyone want to dance?"
AgujaCabra (11:56 PM): Catching the beer lazily, Jarvis waves a hand dismissively, in way of bowing out. He appears to be watching some men socialize at the bar, rather than paying attention to the table conversation. There is a slight pause, before Stephan pushes his drink conclusively towards the center of the table, and offers another sly smile. "Sure. I'd love to squeeze a dance in."
AgujaCabra (11:57 PM): [bleh]
NerwenGreen (11:57 PM): [hmm ... did I sidetrack the whole plan ?]
AgujaCabra (11:57 PM): [what? no.. I just don't like my plan]
NerwenGreen (11:57 PM): [oh.. okay..]
AgujaCabra (11:58 PM): [::frantically trying to figure out details :P ::]
NerwenGreen (11:58 PM): [hmm ... sounds normal ;)]
NerwenGreen (11:59 PM): Maria gives him a small smile with no particular warmth to it. "Great, let's go then." Downing the last of her scotch, she pushes herself up from the table. She waits for Stephan to get up before she begins to head for the dance floor.
AgujaCabra (12:05 AM): Stephan slips out from the table easily; bending to pick up his glass again as he stands, and taking another small sip before following her out onto the floor. A couple of girls cast licentious glances in his direction as he steps close to them, but he pays them no attention aside from a shy look or two, that go entirely unreturned. Once on the dance floor, he begins to move naturally to the tempo... falling into rhythms similar to the other dancers.
NerwenGreen (12:06 AM): Maria follows suit, ignoring the looks from the other girls, and begins to lose herself to the beat as she dances with Stephan.
AgujaCabra (12:11 AM): A rough, industrial edge bleeds into the eerie gothic beat; kicking up the tempo and reverb a notch, as the sultry lead singer hisses dreary, poetic lines into the microphone.. Stephan is an instinctive dancer, if slightly reserved, and his gaze traces curiously across the surrounding goths, as he moves to the music.
NerwenGreen (12:14 AM): A small, melancholy smile gradually spreads over Maria's face as she continues to dance. She keeps her eyes almost closed as she moves to the beat. After awhile she is only dimly aware of her surroundings, though she stays close to Stephan.
NerwenGreen (12:14 AM): [she's going to stay on the dance floor for most of the night if nothing else happens]
AgujaCabra (12:15 AM): [gee.. good stamina :p What's most of the night?]
AgujaCabra (12:15 AM): [I'll tell ya what happens, once I get a time frame ^^]
NerwenGreen (12:16 AM): [umm .. maybe an hour before she gets tired I guess? she'd take a short break then, but get back to the dance floor after resting for a few minutes.]
NerwenGreen (12:20 AM): Her movements become gradually more elaborate as she settles in with the music.
AgujaCabra (12:21 AM): Stephan opts to sit out the following dance, but Katlen has returned to the table by the time they come to take a breather. She has begun to hold a rather one-sides conversation with Jarvis about the club music, and he responds occasionally with a lazy nod or mumbled comment. . After Maria has been dancing for awhile, a creeping weariness begins to come upon her.. and she starts to feel unusually tired, very quickly.
AgujaCabra (12:21 AM): [*one-sided]
NerwenGreen (12:27 AM): Her steps falter as the weariness creeps over her, and she gradually slows to a stop, blinking as her awareness comes back to the hard reality of the club. She walks back over to the table and returns heavily to her seat, muttering under her breath, "must've had more vodka in those screwdrivers than I thought." Then she shrugs, picks up her glass, and finishes the rest of her scotch.
AgujaCabra (12:33 AM): Stephan looks up curiously as Maria approaches, a flicker of concern entering his expression, as she sits down. Katlen continues to prattle on to Jarvis, pausing intermittently to assure herself that he is listening, before lapsing into another eager tirade.. Stephan ignores her, and continues to watch Maria quietly. After a few moments, he pipes up softly, ".. You all right, hon? You're lookin' a little tired."
NerwenGreen (12:39 AM): Propping her head on one hand, Maria leans heavily on her elbows against the table. She uses her other hand to idly flick at the condensation on the side of her empty glass. She looks up at Stephan. "Yeah, I'm fine," she assures him tiredly, a casual note in her tone. "Must've lost track of how much I had tonight." She reaches with her free hand to dig through her purse for a cigarette.
AgujaCabra (12:45 AM): Responding with a thoughtful nod, Stephan returns his attention to the stagnant liquid within his own glass.. pushing on the edge of it lightly, and watching tiny ripples scatter across the surface; crashing in small waves against the glass' side. A vague furrow has found its way onto his pale forehead, and he will continue to sit silently unless spoken to.
NerwenGreen (12:51 AM): Maria tries to listen in on the conversation between Jarvis and Katlen, but gives up after awhile when her mind refuses to cooperate. Shrugging, she resigns herself to focusing on her cigarette instead. She glances back at the dance floor a number of times wistfully. After another half an hour, she abruptly gets to her feet. "Okay dudes, I'm out," she says. She begins to make her way to the front door.
AgujaCabra (12:59 AM): Shaken out of his reverie, Stephan looks up distractedly as she stands to leave; looking for a moment as though he might follow her out, before settling back into his seat stiffly. Katlen and Jarvis both pause to wave 'goodbye,' and Stephan, slowly catching on, casts a small smile to Maria; lifting his glass to her in an informal salute, while issuing a fond, "Goodnight."

Walking to the door, Maria begins to feel increasingly heavy on her feet.. The warm air outside will do little to startle her senses.
NerwenGreen (1:03 AM): Maria pauses just outside the door to lean against the side of the building, breathing heavily and shaking her head, trying to clear the weariness. "Whoa," she mumbles to herself, "What's wrong with me..." She begins to stagger in the general direction of her car.
AgujaCabra (1:09 AM): On the way to her vehicle, Maria's head begins to revolve slowly, with a chill, numbing dizziness.. .the ground slopes out dangerously beneath her, and the edges of her vision become slurred and indistinct. It feels as though she might pass out, or become ill... After she walks a short distance from the club, a figure in black canvas slinks out smoothly from the crook of a darkened alley. His orange eyes flicker dangerously in the pale light, as he takes a quick step towards her..
NerwenGreen (1:11 AM): Maria staggers backward in alarm, away from the alley, barely keeping her balance as she throws out her arms to grab at the air around her. "What-" she manages to call out, blinking blearily.
AgujaCabra (1:12 AM): [:./ no condition to fight.. shall I just go, or do you want dice rolls?]
NerwenGreen (1:12 AM): [I think we can pretty much just write it up ;)]
AgujaCabra (1:12 AM): [hehehe]
AgujaCabra (1:18 AM): When Maria staggers backward, Erik swoops forward hastily to grab her firmly by the upper arm.. His glove locks unkindly onto the skin; the black rubber stinging slightly, as he steps up close to her. . "No no, let me walk you home?," he says with a smart grin.. "I think you have had too much to drink." The lights waver, dim, and extinguish, even as he is speaking...
AgujaCabra (1:19 AM): [ew]
NerwenGreen (1:19 AM): [?]
AgujaCabra (1:19 AM): [just ew?]
NerwenGreen (1:19 AM): [umm ... she's blacked out now I assume?]
AgujaCabra (1:20 AM): [yeah.. dumb drugged stuff]
NerwenGreen (1:20 AM): [hehe okay ;)]
AgujaCabra (1:20 AM): [I don't wanna do.. this is icky]
NerwenGreen (1:20 AM): [I won't mind ;)]
AgujaCabra (1:20 AM): [when do you need to go sleep?]
NerwenGreen (1:20 AM): [hmm .. whenever?]
AgujaCabra (1:21 AM): [puff :p ]
AgujaCabra (1:28 AM): Gradually, sensation starts to creep back into Maria's body.. Her joints ache, and the effects of the drug continue to blur her vision slightly; slurring her thoughts together less and less, as it slowly fades. The first thing she sees is a white wall, or perhaps a ceiling, with a metal ventilation grail fastened at one corner... a cold, hard surface meets the curve of her back, and her limbs seem to be restrained somehow, although
AgujaCabra (1:29 AM): she cannot sense any binding ropes or cords. An indistinct conversation is taking place in the room... one of the voices is familiar: Erik... the other voice is soft, and descriptively female.
NerwenGreen (1:30 AM): Maria blinks slowly as consciousness returns to her. Weakly, she tries to turn her head. She starts struggling against the restraints, trying to get up.
AgujaCabra (1:40 AM): She is able to turn her head, although it aches slightly to do so... Looking around the small enclosure, Maria can discern that she has been fastened to a metal table, to one side of a square, white-tiled room. A low, metal countertop lines the opposite wall, and a series of macabre cutting tools line one end of the surface... In one corner, a spidering, cocoon-like creation, that appears to be partly human, and partly.. something else, shivers and sucks at the half-decayed body of a teenage
AgujaCabra (1:41 AM): boy. Dark blood stains grease the tile beneath the creature, but do not spread far... At the edge of her vision, she can see Erik and an incredibly pale woman, who bares such an uncanny resemblance to a porcelain doll, that it is unsettling to watch her move. The two are discussing something quietly-- Erik is seems frustrated with the woman. ... Maria's wrists are restrained by cords stretched from her own skin, and she is tightly bound to the table.
AgujaCabra (1:41 AM): [ew .... ::frowns:: .. . very soon, we are hitting fast-forward again]
NerwenGreen (1:42 AM): Maria begins to struggle vigorously when she catches sight of the creature on the other side of the room.
AgujaCabra (1:43 AM): [she can speak, btw :p her mouth hasn't been sealed up yet]
NerwenGreen (1:43 AM): [yet? :p]
AgujaCabra (1:43 AM): [errr... ]
NerwenGreen (1:44 AM): She's not going to say anything right now. ;)
NerwenGreen (1:46 AM): Well .. actually, when she notices that her own skin is being used as her restraints, she's going to start screaming.
AgujaCabra (1:46 AM): [haha .. uh. yeah]
AgujaCabra (1:51 AM): "Fine... fine," Erik spits viciously at the woman, and spins irritably away from her to stalk sulkily across the room. "I can do whatever you want with Vicissitude.. Just.. give me some direction, would you?" He pauses momentarily beside the cutting instruments, and sadly gathers them into a drawer; an act which the woman observes with detached disapproval. When Maria begins screaming, he flinches and instinctively raises his hands to his ears in an attempt to cut out the noise. . He
AgujaCabra (1:51 AM): swivels to look her over critically, lowering his hands to smoothly remove his coat and place it across the countertop. "Well.. " Erik begins to approach the table slowly, ".. we have a screamer.. "

"This is not for play, Erik." The woman notes in an icy tone.
NerwenGreen (1:53 AM): Clearly terrified, Maria begins to scream a bit more vigorously as Erik approaches, and she tries to back away from him.
AgujaCabra (1:58 AM): Her skin binds her tightly to the table, although she can struggle slightly within the confines of the surface... if she pulls too much, it will become very painful; a fact which she may realize, while attempting to back away. Erik smiles sourly as he stops by the side of the table; reaching down to lightly flick at a piece of Maria's hair,
AgujaCabra (1:58 AM): before speaking .. " We will give you drugs again soon; don't worry about the pain. . For now. I don't want to listen to... that noise, particularly. " He begins to reach a hand towards Maria's face.
NerwenGreen (2:00 AM): She continues to scream and try to retreat against the wall, ducking her head away from his hands.
AgujaCabra (2:00 AM): [heh. okay. I guess there's no good reason for me to pause right now :p ]
NerwenGreen (2:01 AM): [she's a bit too panic-stricken to do anything coherent :p]
AgujaCabra (2:07 AM): Scowling at her thrashing, Erik struggles only briefly to get a grip around Maria's mouth... at which point, the skin quickly fuses itself together, and pushes in to bind her tongue; reducing her screams to a muffled, but not muted, noise. He steps back from her quickly after that, and turns his attention back to the woman... "That's better.. . ah, we can drug her, right?" The woman pauses for a long moment, before
AgujaCabra (2:07 AM): nodding faintly. "This is your experiment, Erik. I have put one minor restriction on you... if the drugs are necessary, then make that decision."
AgujaCabra (2:07 AM): [should I just um.. hit fast-forward? :p ]
NerwenGreen (2:08 AM): [keep going ... she's not going to be doing anything coherent at all :p]
AgujaCabra (2:08 AM): [erk... I know... ::hide::]
NerwenGreen (2:08 AM): [I'm entertained, though ;)]
AgujaCabra (2:09 AM): [gah! you should not be entertained by your poor character getting caught by tzimis :P ]
NerwenGreen (2:09 AM): [well ... I was just thinking that we seem to have suddenly begun playing Call of Cthulu ;)]
AgujaCabra (2:09 AM): [really? :p I've never played]
NerwenGreen (2:09 AM): [me neither]
AgujaCabra (2:18 AM): Erik nods uncertainly, and steps over towards the cabinets again, to open a separate drawer. Sorting through the contents, he returns shortly with a clean syringe; filled with a clear liquid. After searching for a vein on Maria's arm, he injects the liquid quietly.. an almost guilty look crossing his face as the pinprick pain shoot down her arm. . Things are going to get hazy again for Maria. She has the sensation of having
AgujaCabra (2:18 AM): her torso opened, before going under again. There is no real pain.. just an odd, indescribable sensation. .

Over the next few hours, or perhaps days, she will be only vaguely aware of her surroundings. In her brief moments of consciousness, every part of her body is in rigorous pain, and she knows that changes are being made internally.. maybe
AgujaCabra (2:18 AM): externally, but its all very unclear. . The first time that she becomes 'conscious', she is surrounded by darkness, and enclosed in a small, confining space.
NerwenGreen (2:19 AM): hmm
AgujaCabra (2:20 AM): [yucky... I like the fast-forward button, though? I can get her closer to talking with real people this way :p ]
NerwenGreen (2:20 AM): [sure, keep going ;)]
AgujaCabra (2:21 AM): [hah. do you want me to keep going now?]
NerwenGreen (2:21 AM): [well ... up until she has the ability to choose to do anything ;)]
AgujaCabra (2:31 AM): [ack ack.. having trouble :p ]
NerwenGreen (2:32 AM): [?]
AgujaCabra (2:33 AM): A small, rectangular slit of light opens above her.. and she can see the ceiling of the room again. Her body aches, but not as much as before, and although it is still impossible to move, her mouth has been unsealed to allow for speech. Outside, in the small section of light and ceiling, she can also see part of an unfamiliar face. It seems to be a man, with dark brown eyes, and a slight, South American tint to his
AgujaCabra (2:33 AM): skin.. She cannot see any additional details of his appearance. After a small pause, he seems to realize she is conscious, and begins to speak in a soft, slightly dry voice.. " Hello Maria," he begins in a serious tone, that somehow seems casual, and reasonable at the same time... "My name is Javier, and we have not met yet."
NerwenGreen (2:37 AM): She numbly peers up at him, squinting against the light. Distantly, her mind tries to pierce the fog with a coherent thought. Her mouth moves without sound for a few minutes, an expression of confusion flickering over her face. Finally, she gets out a hesitant "What--? Who?"

AgujaCabra (2:46 AM): After the fog of disorientation begins to fade slightly, she can tell that she is contained within a suitcase-sized container, lying on the floor of the lab. The man listens to her quietly; continuing after she has finished, with patience.. ".. I realize that the drugs they gave you were strong. Don't tire yourself trying to move... it is not possible yet, " he remarks calmly. "... As I said. My name is Javier... one of your friends told me that you were being kept here."
NerwenGreen (2:49 AM): Maria tries to move anyway for a few seconds. Still confused, she narrows her eyes at Javier and asks "... where?" She also tries to turn her head to look down at herself.
AgujaCabra (2:56 AM): A hint of a smile crosses his face, but it fades quickly. "This is part of a Tzimisce's facility... it is normally used for interrogation I understand, but you were the subject of a crude test. . " His expression hardens slightly, as he looks down in thought. "The Tzimisce in charge of your treatment is not talented, and you have not been permanently damaged. " In the faint lighting, Maria can kind of tell that her limbs have
AgujaCabra (2:56 AM): been fused to her torso with skin.. she could roll if she had more space, but not move functionally.
NerwenGreen (3:00 AM): A look of shocked horror comes across her face as she notices her present condition, and she begins to hyperventilate. She clamps her teeth resolutely over the involuntary scream, letting out more of a soft, piteous mewl instead. She begins to struggle to move her limbs again.
AgujaCabra (3:05 AM): ".. Calm down," Javier instructs quietly; a faint tone of approval in his voice, although its source is certainly undefined. "All of this can be fixed.. it is not as dire as it might seem to you." He continues to sit outside the box, patiently waiting for her to regain her composure [however long that might take].
NerwenGreen (3:12 AM): After a few minutes, she tires from the vain effort to move and stops, panting in exhaustion. She firmly shuts her eyes and continues to take deep breaths for a few more minutes, leaning against the side of her box and listening to Javier's calm voice. Still keeping her eyes closed, she manages to speak intelligibly after about ten minutes. "Who did this to me, and why?" she asks in a forcibly calm voice with an undercurrent of sharpness.
AgujaCabra (3:22 AM): Javier watches her intently, though not intrusively.. showing another fleeting, indistinct smile, once she has spoken an intelligible sentence. "Erik Reynes is responsible for your condition... I believe you met him at a club. " Javier checks for a sign of recognition, but does not wait for it before continuing.. "You were intended to be part of his creation rites: a demonstration that he is ready to be completely
AgujaCabra (3:22 AM): Tzimisce. However, his talents are not what he claimed them to be... this has been a disappointment for his sire."
NerwenGreen (3:28 AM): A look of disgust flickers over her expression at Erik's name, followed by an expression of fury. "That creep!" she spits out. "When my father finds out about this..." She trails off her threat as a look of confusion returns to her face. "What's a creation rite? ... Wait, what's a Tzimisce?"
AgujaCabra (3:33 AM): One thick eyebrow raises faintly at her exclamation, and falls back into place after a thoughtful pause. "A Tzimisce is a designation of vampire," he responds quietly. Stopping to gauge her reaction to this, before attempting to address the other inquiry.

NerwenGreen (3:36 AM): Still keeping her eyes closed, she says nothing for a moment, her face betraying a multitude of quickly passing emotions. "Vampires don't exist," she states firmly.
AgujaCabra (3:40 AM): Javier looks at her steadily. "That is an.. expected reaction," he remarks with a very faint note of amusement, which he quickly suppresses. "However, it is one you will need to grow past quickly."
NerwenGreen (3:42 AM): She turns to look at him, opening her eyes for the first time since discovering the condition of her body. Careful to avoid looking down, she returns his gaze. "They don't," she asserts. "There's no such thing."
AgujaCabra (3:48 AM): Staring at her for a long moment, Javier eventually lowers his gaze in thought, rather than in any show of defeat. Softly, he counters her assertion.. "At the moment, you will take my statements as falsehoods, if that is your choice. However, it will be easier for you later, if you trust me now."
NerwenGreen (3:54 AM): "What do you mean, later?" She frowns at him, though her gaze has wavered a bit uncertainly. "And why should I trust you now? Who are you, anyway?" She pauses to glance down at herself again, barely stifling another wave of panicked screaming. "Oh God," she finishes softly to herself.
AgujaCabra (4:01 AM): "I have said that the damages done to your body can be repaired. This is true. I can have it done, without any difficulty. . " He returns her look evenly, without a flicker of doubt entering his composure. "However. If you would like to have .. any justice over your captor, it will benefit you to believe in vampires. . and to earn my respect, in order to become one yourself."
NerwenGreen (4:11 AM): She closes her eyes again and composes herself once more. "Okay wait, stop," she says quickly as Javier finishes speaking. Drawing a deep breath, she carefully opens her eyes again to look at him. "Fine, so vampires exist, and Erik was a vampire?" She looks confused. "What does that have to do with me?"

[Feb. 7, 2003]

AgujaCabra (11:14 PM): Javier leans against the side of the box slightly, continuing to stare down at Maria evenly; his expression neither unkind nor particularly compassionate, although it is patently gentle. "Erik is still a vampire, although with demerits. He can repair you, as can his sire.. At which point, you may be given the right to deal with him however you see fit. Would that interest you?"
AgujaCabra (11:14 PM): [icky]
NerwenGreen (11:20 PM): Maria says nothing, turning her head slightly to scowl at the ceiling for nearly a minute, though her face shows that she is thinking hard. "Yeah," she says finally. She looks abruptly back at Javier. "Yeah, it would."
AgujaCabra (11:28 PM): A thoughtful smile glitters within his steady gaze, as he nods slowly to her response. Javier shifts his arm a little on the box lid, which she can hear as a soft scratching, and then replies on a quiet, almost somber note; "Then we are back to being interested in vampires."
AgujaCabra (11:30 PM): [oh pooh. that didn't make sense, did it? food is here.. ]
NerwenGreen (11:34 PM): Maria looks steadily at him. "Sure," she agrees skeptically, "if it'll get me put back together right, I
NerwenGreen (11:34 PM): believe in vampires."
NerwenGreen (11:44 PM): [?]
AgujaCabra (11:44 PM): [I'm sorry :/ ]
NerwenGreen (11:45 PM): [just checking to see if you're still there ;)]
AgujaCabra (11:45 PM): [yeah. I'm having a hard time with roleplay tonight]
NerwenGreen (11:45 PM): [ :/]
AgujaCabra (11:48 PM): Javier chuckles softly; a note of chiding forbearance in the gesture, although it seems good-natured. Cracking a light smile, he does not remove his gaze from hers for a long moment.. "Good," he replies simply, continuing after a beat, "Trust will be important in getting you put back in order.. and surviving that procedure will take a
AgujaCabra (11:48 PM): slight leap of faith on your part. . Though I can promise you, that if you are willing to make that leap-- the faith will not be unfounded."
NerwenGreen (11:54 PM): She continues to look back at him, though her gaze has begun to waver uncertainly again. "Okay," she replies after a slight hesitation. "What do I need to do?"
AgujaCabra (11:59 PM): Javier pauses briefly before continuing; having observed the uncertainty in her gaze. His look continues to hold confidence, and when he speaks again, it is more gently than before. "Do you think that you can let Erik correct your body, without the aid of medication? "
NerwenGreen (12:03 AM): She recoils at the thought, shrinking away from him toward the bottom of the box. "I thought you said he did a bad job the first time," she objects intensely, some of her previous ire coming back into her tone.
AgujaCabra (12:07 AM): Lowering his gaze as she recoils, Javier sits calmly beside the box.. removing his arm from the top after a moment, as he turns his eyes back towards the small rectangular opening. "I find what the Tzimisce have done to you deplorable ... but understand that saying Erik did a 'bad' job, means that his changes will be simple to correct."
NerwenGreen (12:07 AM): "Why him? Why not someone who knows what he's doing?"
AgujaCabra (12:13 AM): "In order for his sire to release you to me, she would like to see that you are stronger than Erik... " He pauses, adding quietly, "Any details that he cannot repair.. I will see that someone properly trained takes care of them."
AgujaCabra (12:25 AM): [prum-prrum?]
NerwenGreen (12:26 AM): A look of outrage slowly comes across her face as she thinks about this, and she begins to struggle to move again, this time clearly with anger rather than panic. She draws in a deep breath and looks as if she might scream, but then, with a sidelong glance in Javier's direction, she clenches her jaw instead and makes more of a "hmmph" noise. Her attempts to move subside after a moment. "So," she says with deadly calm, "that means I have to be awake for it."
NerwenGreen (12:26 AM): [okay okay :p ... might as well stop staring at it]
AgujaCabra (12:33 AM): He nods again slowly, observing her shifts in attitude first with analytical curiosity and then a look of subtle approval. Javier moves to place his arm back on the box again, watching her eyes through the slit.. "The only changes have been to your skin.. the repairs will not be any more painful than Erik decides make it, and you will be free to use his indulgences against him later."
AgujaCabra (12:33 AM): [hey. all of your responses are looking really good.. don't worry about it :p ]
NerwenGreen (12:35 AM): "How much later?" she asks sharply. "What's to keep me from just jumping up and strangling him on the spot?" Her face twists into a grimace at that thought an instant later. "Maybe all those spikes," she adds in a low mutter.
AgujaCabra (12:38 AM): A moment passes, and Javier looks at her seriously. "How much 'later' will depend upon your preference.. but it will not be possible for you to kill him, if that is what you choose, until you are stronger than he is."
NerwenGreen (12:42 AM): She thinks about that, her breath still coming out in angry hisses for a few more minutes. "When do we start?"
AgujaCabra (12:46 AM): A small smile almost touches his face, but he pushes it aside and continues in his usual, calm manner; "Erik and his sire, Jenna, can come back in as soon as you are prepared."
NerwenGreen (12:51 AM): She closes her eyes slowly, then opens them again. Turning to look directly at him, she says with an air of challenge "Bring it on."
AgujaCabra (12:57 AM): Javier's eyes flicker slightly with something akin to respect, as he begins to stand up from his position beside the box. As he rises to his feet, he adds almost reassuringly, though it sounds more like a statement of fact; "I will speak with you again soon," and turns to walk towards the door.
NerwenGreen (12:58 AM): Maria relaxes back into her box as he leaves, chewing on her lower lip nervously as she waits.
AgujaCabra (1:09 AM): Several long minutes pass, before she can hear crisp, impatient footsteps approaching, and the door swing open on oiled hinges. The sharp report of hard-soled shoes sounds on the tile; behind them, softer footsteps follow, and the door closes again quietly to encase the room. She can faintly see Erik's figure pacing across the length of the roomŠ he seems distracted and irritable, as he begins to arrange a series of wire cords at the table. .
AgujaCabra (1:09 AM): the metal wires rustle together noisily, as the steady hum of a small motor begins to fill the room. It sounds slightly like the motor on a dentist's chair, that raises and lowers a patient into a desired position. Dropping the wires, Erik begins to approach Maria's box in a professional stride.. grabbing a handle on the end of it, and starting to pull it towards the table. "Would you get the drug for me while I deal with the baggage?" he calls to the
AgujaCabra (1:09 AM): unseen figure, who entered behind him. The same woman's voice from before cuts in sharply; "We are not using drugs today, Erik. You should be capable of today's lesson, without medicating the girl." He snorts contemptuously at that suggestion, and unfastens the lid of the box with a distinct 'click'.
NerwenGreen (1:12 AM): Maria watches and listens to the activity in the room nervously. "Where's Javier?" she demands, her voice quavering slightly.
AgujaCabra (1:24 AM): Pushing the lid open roughly, Erik glowers down at her with a distinct expression of disgust. His brow furrows in confusion as she mentions Javier, and he addresses her coldly.. "I don't know what you want with himŠ this doesn't have anything to do with Javier." Erik reaches down into the box to hoist Maria out, and onto the table. He is wearing black rubber gloves again, but the canvas outfit has been replaced by a black
AgujaCabra (1:24 AM): medical smockŠ snaking out from underneath the smock, a bony, prehensile tail lashes irritably on the floor behind him.

The woman; dressed in a simple, but elegant white doctor's coat and gloves, stands in a position of observation beside the door.

AgujaCabra (1:24 AM): [erk. I was going to say more, and decided it was too long... um. so it took awhile :p sorry]
NerwenGreen (1:30 AM): She returns his look with equal disgust, which fades into something between revulsion and horror when she catches sight of his tail. "Fine," she replies tersely. "Just get on with it."
AgujaCabra (1:36 AM): Erik begins to fasten Maria to the table with the firm metal cords, tying the knots off clumsily before turning back towards the woman. "All right. What did you want done with her tonight?," he asks brusquely; obviously tired of the project, and antsy to move on to other things. Jenna blinks at him woodenly, and steps forward slightly from her position by the doorŠ still keeping a long distance between herself and the table.
AgujaCabra (1:36 AM): "Tonight, you will be reconstructing her original shape." Erik scowls immediately at that, and begins to protest, when she cuts him off sharply: "Stop questioning me, and perhaps we will be done with this more quicklyŠ Reconstruction involves a precise application of Vicissitude; the natural shape is more difficult to model than the eccentricities we have been toying with thusfar." Waving the woman off silently, Erik turns to Maria, and
AgujaCabra (1:37 AM): removes one of the thick gloves by its fingers setting it aside on the table, and then reaching his bare hand towards her, with the intention to begin workingŠ
AgujaCabra (1:37 AM): [ffd? :p ]
NerwenGreen (1:38 AM): [go ahead .. she'll cringe but bear it ;)]
AgujaCabra (1:52 AM): Erik's fingers dig sharply into her skin.. kneading the flesh out and softening it, as he begins to sculpt. He is quick in fashioning the essential shape; pausing to adjust the cords occasionally, to keep her securely bound. . Jenna continually reminds him to adhere to the original detail of Maria's figure, and circles the procedure like a vulture eying an abandoned kill. The pain of the procedure is not severe, insomuch as it is grotesquely
AgujaCabra (1:52 AM): unsettling: Maria's muscles tire as Erik adjusts the surrounding skin, and he stops several times to take a draught of what appears to be fresh blood, from a thermos that he transfers back and forth to a mini-fridge underneath the cabinet. .

Hours later [there is no clock in the room], Erik steps back from the table with an attitude of finality. "There. Does that satisfy you?" he asks Jenna .. fatigue heavy on his tone
AgujaCabra (1:52 AM): There is a long silence, while Jenna begins to circle the table again. When she crosses behind Erik, he flinches self consciously away from her, and she reaches out swiftly to wind a hand around the flashing tailŠ Pushing her other hand around and into his neck, she holds him securely still as he thrashes, and viciously rips the tail out from his bodyŠ bone snapping as it disconnects from his pelvis. When she releases him, Erik screams and
AgujaCabra (1:52 AM): collapses to the tile in a defensive posture. . staring up at her wide-eyed. "You do not lie to the Sabbat; least of all meŠ" she hisses sourly, "That is the first thing that I taught you, and you have disgraced yourself. Get up, and go to wait in the other room."
NerwenGreen (1:55 AM): Maria cringes in horror away from the violence, but makes no response otherwise. Tiredly, she tries to look down at her body and experimentally move her limbs.
AgujaCabra (2:01 AM): Maria appears to have been suitably repaired; although obviously, she cannot see her face, or certain portions of her body. The restraints afford her some movement, and her limbs also seem to move normallyŠ although they are slightly sore from the poor treatment. Skittering away from Jenna on the floor, Erik painfully gets to his feet and limps out through the doorŠ He casts a wicked glance back at Maria before leaving, but
AgujaCabra (2:01 AM): says nothing further; smartly keeping his mouth shut. Jenna closes her eyes as he goes, and looks down at the tile floor with a definite expression of disappointment. . She glances over at Maria distractedly. "I suspect Javier is still here. He should be in after a moment."
NerwenGreen (2:03 AM): Maria looks over at Jenna, narrowing her eyes slightly as she tries to adjust to her strange features. Hesitantly, she asks, "Can I get up now?"
AgujaCabra (2:04 AM): [Maria looks like she did originally. Erik was forced to do a good job ]
NerwenGreen (2:04 AM): [yay ;)]
AgujaCabra (2:08 AM): Jenna's gaze traces over her expressionlessly, and she quickly steps out of the room through the door, before responding to Maria. After a few moments, she returns brusquely; carrying the slightly tattered dress that Maria had been wearing at the club. "Yes. He will be here soon," she states matter-of-factly, stepping towards Maria to begin unfastening her arm restraints. "He wants you dressed before he comes into the room."
NerwenGreen (2:14 AM): Maria looks relieved to hear this, then her expression fades into irritation as she considers the state of her dress, cursing under her breath. "I had to special order that dress," she says sourly.
AgujaCabra (2:18 AM): A quick, artificial smile flashes across Jenna's face, as she unhooks the remaining cords and steps back from the table to allow Maria some space. "Yes well. Erik did not think you would be needing it againŠ" she retorts quietly; a natural, feminine charm returning to her composure, "How fortunate for you that he was mistaken."
NerwenGreen (2:22 AM): Maria tiredly pulls the dress over her head, then scoots off the table to her feet. She spends a few minutes adjusting the dress to fit. Looking back up at Jenna after deciding that she's acceptably presentable, she says "Okay, I'm ready."
AgujaCabra (2:31 AM): Jenna waits beside the door as Maria dresses; disinterestedly observing the messy, digestive track of the misshapen ghoul [still fastened to the far wall], and critically assessing the state of her lab after Erik's invasionŠ She glances back to Maria once she has clothed herself, and smartly turns to open the door for Javier. A moment or two passes, before a man dressed in an unassuming pair of black jeans, and a long-sleeve grey
AgujaCabra (2:31 AM): suede shirt steps into the room. He walks with a very faint limp on his right leg, and is missing his pinkie and ring finger on the same hand. His black hair is cropped short; barely grazing his ears where it falls longest, and his skin tone would indicate a blend of Spanish and Native American blood. Javier's deep brown eyes gleam approvingly, as he looks to Maria.
NerwenGreen (2:32 AM): [the .. umm .. munching critter was still there?]
AgujaCabra (2:33 AM): [er.... ]
AgujaCabra (2:33 AM): [we can say he's kind of hidden :p ]
NerwenGreen (2:33 AM): [ewwwww...]
AgujaCabra (2:33 AM): [Let's say there's a curtain drawn, so Maria can't really see him.. but Jenna knows its there, so she's looking intentionally]
NerwenGreen (2:35 AM): [okay ;)]
NerwenGreen (2:35 AM): [how tall is Javier compared to Maria?]
AgujaCabra (2:35 AM): [Is Maria 5'6"? ]
NerwenGreen (2:35 AM): [yes]
AgujaCabra (2:36 AM): [He is slightly taller, but not by much. Perhaps 5'6" 1/2 , or just shy of 5'7"]
NerwenGreen (2:37 AM): [ok]

[Feb. 10, 2003]

Maria gives Javier a quick, small half-smile and she walks over to him, wincing a little as her muscles protest the movement. She stops in front of him and looks him over appraisingly for a moment, then glances toward the door. "How long have I been here?" she asks.
AgujaCabra (9:21 PM): Javier watches her approach quietly; a pale flicker of contemplation in his characteristically steady gaze. He seems perfectly at ease, despite the situation, and remains silent until she has asked her questionŠ Considering momentarily, he regards her with an even, unwavering look; replying calmly, "This is the beginning of the fourth night, since you were taken from the club."
NerwenGreen (9:24 PM): [hmm .. my turn to work up a response really slowly :p]
AgujaCabra (9:24 PM): [hum? what? :p ]
NerwenGreen (9:25 PM): [trying to get in character, hang on ;)]
NerwenGreen (9:25 PM): [and get rid of some conversations :p]
NerwenGreen (9:31 PM): "Four nights," Maria repeats in an intense, soft voice. She looks down at herself, then around the room urgently for the purse thing she had before, then toward the door again. "Shit, my parents must be frantic by now. I gotta get home." She begins to head for the door.
AgujaCabra (9:35 PM): As Maria moves hastily towards the door, Javier falls into a natural step beside her. His hand pauses on the brass knob for a moment, as he turns to observe her again; a slight agitation in his attitude, although it is carefully put aside under a veneer of consideration and civility. "Would you allow me to drive you home?" he asks plainly, without any evident favor towards 'yes' or 'no'; "It would be faster, and there are some things that I would like to discuss with you."
NerwenGreen (9:40 PM): Maria stops abruptly and turns to look at him with an indecisive look that passes after a few seconds. "Yeah, sure," she replies, a note of open curiosity in her voice. "Where's my car? and my purse? and my shoes?"
AgujaCabra (9:45 PM): [hrm.. let me get your opinion on something :p .. Would her car have been taken by the police for evidence and such, after they found out that she'd vanished?]
NerwenGreen (9:45 PM): [hmm.. probably. Either that or her folks would have it back by now?]
AgujaCabra (9:45 PM): [actually.. nevermind]
AgujaCabra (9:45 PM): [hehe.. I think somebody took care of it :p ]
NerwenGreen (9:46 PM): [err .. okay ..]
AgujaCabra (9:51 PM): A cautious smile touches Javier's face, as he turns the knob and tugs the door open for Maria to pass through. Casting a short glance to Jenna, he replies after a moment of thought; "I believe your shoes and purse are in the hall closet-we can pick them up as we leave. Your car is parked Š elsewhere at the moment. However, there will be no trouble retrieving it." Jenna takes a short step towards the door, when Javier opens it..
AgujaCabra (9:51 PM): observing him coldly, though without any open hostility. After he stops speaking, she adds crisply "I'll get the girl's thingsŠ I will not have either of you sorting through my closets."
NerwenGreen (9:55 PM): Maria glances distractedly at Jenna as she joins them, but is clearly preoccupied with leaving as quickly as possible. She shoves through the door as soon as it is open.
AgujaCabra (10:08 PM): The laboratory door opens into a small section of clean, beige tile, which quickly evolves outwards into small, but neatly arranged sitting room. A somber, blue light touches everything in the room with a hazy, Victorian quality; each of the four wooden, ornamental chairs, which enclose the area, seems to hover lightly in a comfortable, close-knit circle ideal for conversationŠ a similar, wooden couch with a tight, blue velvet
AgujaCabra (10:08 PM): cushions, sits along the back wall, and a faux fireplace graces the opposing oneŠ On top of the white mantel, the upper body of a girl child sits, in perfect, almost porcelain stillness. A narrow hallway to Maria's right is guarded by a thick swag of dark blue fabricŠ however, she can see the exit door plainly; positioned in a tiled, half-room beside the sitting area. As Jenna steps out from the lab, she looks distractedly in the
AgujaCabra (10:08 PM): direction of the disguised hallway; calling sharply "Emily! Fetch the girl's shoes and purse." A few moments later, light, padding footsteps can be heard in the hall. A girl of perhaps 12 or 13, emerges from the hallway carrying Maria's things. She has perfectly curled brown hair to the middle of her back, and a perfect white and blue Sunday dress. The girl cautiously hands the items towards MariaŠ a deadpan expression on her face.
NerwenGreen (10:14 PM): Maria comes to a sudden stop after taking only a few steps into the sitting room, startled at the sudden contrast with the lab she has just exited. She looks around uneasily, staring at the girl on the mantel for a long moment with a look of quiet horror, then avoids looking in that direction again. She watches as the child approaches with her things and carefully accepts.
AgujaCabra (10:22 PM): Emily vanishes quickly behind the fabric swag, after Maria accepts the items. Her footsteps make a quiet but steady rhythm on the carpet, until falling silent after a door opens and closes.. While he does not exactly seem uncomfortable with the sitting room, Javier does not spend any time appraising the room, or the child; stepping out from the laboratory, he moves steadily towards the door once Maria's things have been returned.
AgujaCabra (10:22 PM): When he begins to open the door; Jenna interrupts him again, quietly reminding, "I want to see you later tonight." Javier nods tonelessly to her, and motions for Maria to join him in leaving.
NerwenGreen (10:24 PM): Maria pauses to hastily shove her feet into her boots, then follows Javier across the room, studiously looking at the floor as she passes the mantel.
AgujaCabra (10:36 PM): The stiff, lukewarm night air flows in through the half-opened door; cutting through the room's stagnant, slightly antique atmosphere with a slow-moving breeze. Javier steps out before Maria, onto a second story, concrete balcony, overlooking a diesel-stained parking lot. Jenna's home is evidently part of a two-story apartment complex, somewhere in the lower-class section of town. The beige-coloured building forms a squared-off C around
AgujaCabra (10:36 PM): the parking lot; in which a small collection of mostly battered, or paint-deprived vehicles sit idlyŠ Across the lot, a supplementary 3 story building interrupts the view of the street. The brown ceramic tiles crowning its roof shine dully in the moonlight, and the dry leaves on a few bordering oak trees blow together quietly in the wind. Javier begins to walk towards a staircase, that leads down into the lot.
NerwenGreen (10:37 PM): [that was an apartment?]
AgujaCabra (10:37 PM): [yep]
NerwenGreen (10:37 PM): [I guess they don't let the maintenance guys in very often :p]
AgujaCabra (10:38 PM): [.. sabbat own the entire building]
NerwenGreen (10:38 PM): [oh... I see. ]
AgujaCabra (10:38 PM): [^.^]
NerwenGreen (10:39 PM): Pausing only briefly to take in the scenery, Maria follows behind Javier. She digs through her purse to find her watch.
NerwenGreen (10:41 PM): [cue to figuring out the time ...]
AgujaCabra (10:44 PM): Javier descends quickly down the steps, heading towards a dark green, Ford pickup truck parked at the side of the lot. A fine layer of pollen sits on the paint, which is only cracking in a few places near the hood. Fishing in his pockets, Javier brings out a key to unlock the door. He steps up into the driver's seat, once the door is opened, and leans across casually to unlock the passenger side for Maria. [Once Maria finds her watch, she can see that it is 1:05 AM]
AgujaCabra (10:44 PM): [I caught that it was a cue :p]
NerwenGreen (10:44 PM): [hehe okay ;)]
NerwenGreen (10:47 PM): Maria follows Javier to the truck, moving around to the passenger side to wait for him to open the door, once it becomes obvious which one he is heading for. She climbs in without hesitation and settles carefully into the seat, reflexively reaching around to fasten the seat belt. She digs out a pack of clove cigarettes and a lighter from her purse. Pulling one out, she pauses to look over at Javier. "Care if I smoke?"
AgujaCabra (10:52 PM): Neglecting to put on his own seatbelt, Javier clicks on the headlights after pause, and reaches to shift the vehicle into reverse. He casts a quick glance to Maria as she settles in; shaking his head slightly, with a curious glint in his eye. "No. Not at all," he responds immediately, pulling out of the slot and heading for the open road. He seems a little stiff driving; as though he is not completely used to it.
NerwenGreen (10:53 PM): Maria lights the cigarette and shoves the rest of the pack and her lighter back into her purse. She begins to give him directions on where she lives.
AgujaCabra (10:55 PM): Javier nods patiently after each direction; carefully following her instructions, although he never pauses to ask about the directions personally. After a little less than a minute driving, he comments softly, "I was impressed with your behavior tonight."
NerwenGreen (11:00 PM): Maria leans her right elbow on the window, holding the cigarette over her head, as she turns to look at him. "My behavior? What was so impressive about that?" she asks distractedly. She continues after a beat in a stronger tone. "What the fuck was all that stuff that they did to me?"
AgujaCabra (11:06 PM): His eyes shift in her direction; holding the stare for just a beat too long, before hastily returning to the road. "There are not many humans who would voluntarily sit through Tzimisce procedures -- even if it were a way to save their life. . You behaved bravely; while Erik, despite his training, acted like a child. " He stops for a moment, eyeing the thin lines of traffic distractedly. ".. What they did to you was called Vicissitude. It is one of the more.. disgusting and self-indulgent powers that
AgujaCabra (11:06 PM): vampires posess. I could teach you to do more interesting things."
NerwenGreen (11:15 PM): "Oh, back to the vampires," Maria murmurs nearly to herself, taking an indulgently slow drag of her cigarette as she idly watches the traffic. "I've got friends who would be thrilled about that." She turns to look at Javier again after a moment, with a more serious expression. "Erik is really a vampire? How do you people control him?"
AgujaCabra (11:21 PM): Cracking a slow smile, Javier resists looking back over to her; instead concentrating on the road as he mulls shortly over her comments and questions. His left index finger taps thoughtfully on the wheel, pausing hesitantly, as he does cast a quick glance in her direction. "Erik is not difficult to control," he says quietly; the smile fading from his expression, as he smoothly extends a hand in her direction. ".. Take my wrist for a moment.. tell me if you can feel a pulse."
NerwenGreen (11:26 PM): Maria stares at his outstretched arm for a beat, then reaches out with her left hand to grab his wrist. "You're not going to tell me," she says in a vehemently disbelieving voice, "that you're a vampire. Are you?"
AgujaCabra (11:29 PM): His expression remains toneless, as he allows her to take his wrist. The skin is unusually cool and still; without the beat of a heart to sustain a constant blood flow. "I am most certainly a vampire, " he replies steadily, "I have been for almost 90 years."
NerwenGreen (11:36 PM): "Get out!" She stares at him in disbelief for a long moment as she searches his wrist for a pulse, gingerly at first, then with considerably more attention when she fails to find one. "Really?" She suddenly drops his wrist and eyes him uneasily, shifting slightly closer to the door.
AgujaCabra (11:36 PM): [::giggling::]
NerwenGreen (11:36 PM): [hehehe so am I ;)]
AgujaCabra (11:41 PM): Javier manages to suppresses another slight smile, as he retrieves his arm from her, and replaces the hand tranquilly upon the steering wheel; as though conversations about vampires were as natural and ordinary as discussing the weather. "Really," he replies seriously, raising an eyebrow a bit as he gives her a probing look. "Š I am not the same kind as Erik, however. I have no plans to hurt you."
NerwenGreen (11:45 PM): Maria doesn't exactly relax, but there is a glint of relief in her eyes. She takes another long, slow drag of her cigarette, still staring fixedly at Javier. "So, you drink blood? Have fangs? Go around wearing a black cape?"
AgujaCabra (11:51 PM): Chuckling softly to himself, Javier adjusts his grip stiffly upon the wheel, and flashes his turn signal once to scoot into the correct lane. "Some vampires dress in capes," he admits somewhat grudgingly,".. but it is not as common as stereotypes suggest. The fangs and the blood are true. "
NerwenGreen (11:57 PM): Maria slowly relaxes back to a more natural sitting position, though she continues to eye Javier warily. "What about Jenna? Was anyone in that apartment not a vampire?"
AgujaCabra (12:01 AM): Glancing occasionally at Maria, Javier relaxes slightly as she does; but seems to be content keeping his eyes where they ought to be, rather than constantly checking on her. "Jenna is a Tzimisce, like Erik," he confirms steadily.
NerwenGreen (12:03 AM): She thinks about this in silence for a few seconds. "What are you?"
AgujaCabra (12:05 AM): One eyebrow twitches slightly; not quite raising at the question. He looks at her in the rearview mirror [where she could notice that his reflection does not appear], saying quietly, "I am a Lasombra."
NerwenGreen (12:06 AM): [if she's in the passenger seat, she probably doesn't have a clear view of the mirror]
AgujaCabra (12:06 AM): [well, meh.. not clear. I'm just noting, in case she did get a look-see in]
NerwenGreen (12:06 AM): [okay]
AgujaCabra (12:07 AM): [she doesn't see :p ]
NerwenGreen (12:12 AM): Maria glances at the mirror as he looks at it, then makes a sudden, small jump backward in her seat, quickly stifling a slight, surprised yelp. She tries for a moment to peer into the mirror without getting any closer to Javier, then reaches into her purse to dig out a compact instead and experimentally turn it in his direction. She begins edging toward the car door again.
AgujaCabra (12:15 AM): Javier eyes Maria somewhat suspiciously out of the corner of his eye.. When he notices her glance stray to the mirror, he relaxes and waits patiently for her to finish with her experiments.
NerwenGreen (12:21 AM): Maria remains speechless for a several seconds, staring at him with amazement as she leans against the car door. "I need a stiff drink," she finally comments. She distractedly glances out the window to note their present location relative to her house, and manages to fumble her cigarette to her lips for another drag.
AgujaCabra (12:29 AM): Javier offers a rigid smirk, as he allows his gaze to trail curiously in her direction again. He hesitates, considering his words, before speaking again softly, ".. It must be a lot to take in at once. ."

Outside; bright lights glitter from surrounding clubs and taverns. Lingering tourists and partygoers lace the street-corners, and everyone seems to be having a pleasant time of it. Maria recognizes the district: it is still several blocks from the upscale neighborhood in which her parents reside.
AgujaCabra (12:31 AM): [grr... I am making him way too nice. ]

[Feb. 17, 2003]

AgujaCabra (9:57 PM): Outside. Two and three story brick buildings, judiciously decorated with plaster molding and lazily supported by an occasional classic Greek column; house cheap night clubs and other small shops locked for the night. Pedestrians wander under cloth canopies; some with bags, others toting alcohol. Almost no one is empty handed, and most travel in small groups. Shallow pools of light hoving down from old
AgujaCabra (9:57 PM): fashioned lamp posts lacquered in tacky black paint, create eddies of gold-brown luminance... the dim light flickers on the dusty windows of Javier's truck, as it passes by on the cracked concrete pavement.
AgujaCabra (9:58 PM): [hehe. crap description ::ducks and hides::]

NerwenGreen (10:07 PM): "Yeah, you could say that," she retorts, though her tone is not insulting - more a mix of amusement and amazed respect. She continues to stare at him. Clearing her throat after a pause, she asks haltingly, "So, umm, what did you mean, you could teach me to do interesting things?"

AgujaCabra (10:20 PM): Adjusting his hand on the steering wheel, Javier turns his head again to look at Maria.. his dark eyes shine with a subtle, but ubiquitous, sense of introspection, as he hesitates between observing her or the road. Turning back to the traffic stiffly, he flashes a half-smile to her question, replying smoothly.. "Oh, there are a number of interesting things that I would enjoy teaching you... If you would accept my offer to become part of the Vampire society yourself. "
NerwenGreen (10:27 PM): Maria bursts into a fit of coughing. Her eyes widening in shock, she manages a stunned "What? Me?" Clearing her throat again, she adds a bit more calmly after a moment, "Whoa. Really? Why me?"
AgujaCabra (10:31 PM): Javier's smile broadens slightly at her reaction, and he comments quietly, after a moment of thought, "You are one of the strongest humans that I have met in many years... As I have said, you impressed me tonight. And that is not an easy thing to do. " He stops again for half a secont, adding "..You also do not strike me as someone who settles for being controlled, when you could be in charge. "
NerwenGreen (10:31 PM): [hmm, that looks familiar ..]
AgujaCabra (10:32 PM): [well... he's the same character... I can't change every stinkin' thing that he'd say, because it'll sound stupid. ]
AgujaCabra (10:33 PM): [oh bother.. I don't know when to have stuff happen. I don't want to axe their conversation off at this precise moment. ]
AgujaCabra (10:33 PM): Javier turns at the next light, crossing beside a classically decorated, but nonetheless obvious, adult club, and into a low-rent apartment district. In the distance, a dog begins to bark, and sounds of footsteps, running fast on the sidewalk, interrupt the low club music. As he continues to drive, the surrounding foot traffic begins to thin quickly.. there are very few people outside, and those that are still walking, seem to carry a distinct uneasiness.
NerwenGreen (10:36 PM): She blinks at him. "Well, maybe so, but," she pauses to take another quick puff of her cigarette, then continues somewhat reflectively, "what the hell else was I supposed to do to get out of there?" Turning suddenly to look at him directly, she adds in a more intense, incredulous tone, "Vampires have a society?"
NerwenGreen (10:37 PM): [hmm .. I'm beginning to think Maria would work great as a live character ...]
AgujaCabra (10:41 PM): Javier watches the pedestrians curiously, noting their uneasiness and slowing a little to peer down an alley, where perhaps the footsteps had gone.. He picks up speed again after a moment, and nods a little to Maria's question. "Yes, but the organization is slightly too complex to discuss here... Why do you find that difficult to believe? "
AgujaCabra (10:42 PM): [I'm beginning to think that Javier doesn't work in a car... ahh. tell me when would be a good time to interrupt :p ]
NerwenGreen (10:42 PM): [umm, anytime I guess?]
NerwenGreen (10:43 PM): [I guess after she gets to respond to the question maybe ..]
NerwenGreen (10:50 PM): Maria simply blinks at him in a daze. After a moment, she breaks into a low, sardonic chuckle, turning away to look out the windshield. "Vampires didn't exist at the beginning of this car ride, never mind societies of them," she finally replies. "It's just ... a lot to take in."
AgujaCabra (10:55 PM): Javier looks at her thoughtfully for a beat, ending in a light nod. He cracks a slow, wry smile, and begins to say something in response.. when suddenly, the truck impacts something large, but unseen in the road. There is a flicker of a human shape in front of the vehicle, that dents the hood and collapses with a sharp, barking yell, to the
AgujaCabra (10:55 PM): street in front of the grill. The truck jolts to a quick stop, as Javier promptly applies the brakes .. and even as he attempts to peer over the dash at the object; a small, clawed hand grapples with the metal hood.. ripping into the surface, and beginning to tug a lean, wiry figure from the ground onto the hood of the car.
AgujaCabra (10:56 PM): [mer. that was weird timing, I think.. oh well. Um. the figure is going to do a lot of things quickly, but Maria can react to it if she wants to :p]
NerwenGreen (10:59 PM): Maria watches the action outside the car, stunned speechless.
AgujaCabra (10:59 PM): The figure, huddled up onto its knees, is of a 17 year old boy.. his limbs are tightly muscled, but thin as flagpoles.. lean and hard as steel. A shock of pale orange, black-streaked, and motley hair hangs wildly over the boy's head: draping into his eyes slightly. A squared-off goatee of the same strange colour clings to his narrow chin, and his nose seems to be unusually small for his face... The boy's wild, cobalt
AgujaCabra (10:59 PM): blue eyes stare through the windshield at Maria and Javier for a beat, before he scrambles hurriedly over the roof of the truck, and into the shallow bed. Knocking swiftly on the window, he calls out in a shrill, breathless sort of voice,

"Would'ja get this thing drivin' here? Glad I found you here, Javier.. Who's the girl?
AgujaCabra (10:59 PM): Come on, just get this bucket of bolts movin' again.. " He shoots out in one long stream, pounding on the back window for emphasis once he's done.
NerwenGreen (11:01 PM): "What the fuck?" Maria squeals, reflexively ducking her head away from the back window and putting her arms up slightly as she stares at the boy.
AgujaCabra (11:02 PM): The surprise fades quickly from Javier's face, and he seems to recognize the boy.. Shooting a stern look at him through the back window, he asks coolly.. "Dallas, weren't you running errands tonight.. "

"Yes, Yeah," The boy cuts him off. "I was lookin' for you, and found something else first.. but seriously, put your foot down.. I got Brujah on my ass"
AgujaCabra (11:03 PM): The boy waves coyly at Maria as he spots her looking at him. "Hiya chick."
NerwenGreen (11:03 PM): [wow, cool ;)]
AgujaCabra (11:04 PM): [::groan:: he's excitable :p ]
NerwenGreen (11:05 PM): "Umm, hi?" Maria responds uncertainly, slowly lowering her arms again and peering through the window at him with narrowed eyes. "Who are you?"
AgujaCabra (11:07 PM): "Dallas," he responds immediately, almost overlapping her question as he extends a lean, clawed hand through the window. "Careful with the end pieces there, I'm pointy. "

Javier casts an observant glance across the street, and up to the surrounding buildings, before starting to drive off again.
AgujaCabra (11:07 PM): [the window is a bit open :p ]
NerwenGreen (11:08 PM): Maria hurriedly backs away from his hand, as far as her seat belt will allow, and she stares suspiciously at the Dallas's claws. "Are you a Tzimisce?"
AgujaCabra (11:12 PM): His face falls somewhat, and he crinkles his nose at her a bit. "Shit, what are you smokin' chit? No I'm not a Tzimisce, I'm Gangrel-- that's where the claws come in, and the mange." Dallas scratches irritably at the base of his neck with his free hand; dislodging a few peach colored scales in the process. He flashes a crooked smile, "What? Got something against the fiends? "
NerwenGreen (11:15 PM): "Yes!" Maria responds emphatically, a look of disgust crossing her face. "Tzimisce suck. But if you're not one of them - " she reaches out with a hand and gingerly grabs his, careful to avoid the claws, and shakes it, "- I'm Maria."
AgujaCabra (11:21 PM): Dallas' eyes widen as Maria takes his hand, and he sniffs the air curiously. "Whoah, Javier!" he barks in surprise, holding onto her hand a little tightly [though not rudely].. "This one's still warm!"

Javier chuckles a little, albeit dryly, still keeping an eye on the street. "She's not for you to eat, Dallas.. don't even consider it. "

NerwenGreen (11:23 PM): Maria quickly withdraws her hand (or at least tries to), staring at Dallas with sudden uneasiness. She glances at Javier for reassurance.
NerwenGreen (11:25 PM): [has Maria had anything to eat or drink in the last 4 days?]
AgujaCabra (11:26 PM): Dallas releases her hand willingly enough, and sits back restlessly in the bed of the truck with his mouth open a little-- tasting the air.

Javier is paying more attention to the exterior scene, than to Maria at the moment, but when he catches her look he flashes a reassuring smile.
AgujaCabra (11:27 PM): [Um. yeah. she has.. she might still be a bit hungry/ thirsty]
AgujaCabra (11:27 PM): The low rev of a motorcycle engine shakes the night air, and even before the truck has gone a full block, the shadow of a figure cuts across the street... Both Javier and Dallas turn to look, as a tightly muscled black man steps out from between a pair of buildings. He has a head of dreadlocks cut off short and slicked with gloss; A black
AgujaCabra (11:27 PM): leather coat hangs heavily over a dusty Bad Religion T shirt, a pair of black jeans, and polished army boots. His hand is already wrapped around the handle of a sawed-off shotgun, and as he begins to raise the weapon.. another shot, close by, takes out the power transistor on a telephone pole across the street. Blue electricity sparks, as the lights click off down the street...
NerwenGreen (11:30 PM): Maria turns to look at the man outside as Javier and Dallas do, and lets out a short terrified scream when the shots ring out and tries to duck underneath the dashboard.
AgujaCabra (11:37 PM): From Maria's perspective; the sound of a compact force hitting the bed of the truck, shakes the aging framework of the vehicle. Dallas howls in a ragged mixture of pain and malevolence, as he and another figure struggle in the back... Javier turns half-way around to look, but still seems to have his concentration on the black man across the street. "Stay down for a minute.. " he instructs Maria calmly, glancing at her position beneath the dash.
NerwenGreen (11:41 PM): Maria fumbles her way out of the seatbelt and slips into the space between the dash and the seat, then peers up at the back of the truck nervously. "What the fuck is all this?" she demands fearfully.
AgujaCabra (11:44 PM): Javier's eyes glitter, as thick, tendrils of shadow begin to wrap around the man assaulting Dallas. "I am not sure yet what Dallas has gotten into... but I can give you an unexpected demonstration," he responds with a grim smile. Looking out at the bed of the truck, he narrows his eyes at the tentacles a little.. and they constrict
AgujaCabra (11:44 PM): around the man, who struggles against them with an ineffective grunting noise. Another shot is fired, and Maria's side of the truck drops a little as the tire pops...
NerwenGreen (11:50 PM): Maria squeaks as the tire deflates. She stares, transfixed, at the shadow tentacles in the back of the truck. She gives Javier a quick, suspicious glance, then a longer, very strange look as she catches on that he might have something to do with the tentacles.
AgujaCabra (11:55 PM): Dallas slashes at the restrained man with his claws; leering at him with a manic, but almost playful gleam in his eye.. The man hisses at Dallas through clenched teeth, as he continues to lean against the tentacles.. reaching for the long, sinister-looking knives he'd dropped, as one of the shadowy cords shifts to tightly restrain his hands and squeeze again; long and hard. Flashing a knowing look to Javier, Dallas leaps
AgujaCabra (11:55 PM): adroitly out of the truck, and dashes towards the black man instead.

As he jumps, a bullet shatters the side window, and tears through the cabin into Javier's shoulder. He flinches backward from the impact, but otherwise makes no reaction.
NerwenGreen (11:57 PM): Maria lets out another small scream as the bullet hits Javier and she involuntarily ducks her head in reaction. She looks at Javier's shoulder anxiously.
AgujaCabra (11:59 PM): About this time, the man in the back of the truck collapses... The tentacles hold onto him testingly, but also relax to the bottom of the truck. Javier's concentration shifts away from the man once he's unconscious, and he quickly turns to look after Dallas instead.. A small amount of blood drains from Javier's shoulder; staining the grey shirt a darker crimson. After a moment, the wound begins to knit itself together slowly.
NerwenGreen (12:01 AM): Maria continues glancing at the back of the truck, then stares at the shoulder wound in disbelief. She inches upward, trying to peer over the dashboard at the action in front of the truck.
AgujaCabra (12:08 AM): Dallas and the black man are in the midst of an awkward, but swiftly executed struggle across the street. . Tentacles surround the black man, but only one has wound itself around his ankle.. The others grapple for a hold, as he fends them off with the butt of his shotgun. Dallas' clothes are now ragged with knife-wounds, and every time he attempts to get closer to the black man, a silencer pops, and a bullet
AgujaCabra (12:08 AM): tears through another part of his body. Snarling in frustration, Dallas finally leaps onto the man; clawing at his head. with the same frentic enthusiasm as a cat wrapped around a ball of yarn.

Javier leans over into Maria's side of the cab a little, looking for the hidden sharp-shooter.
AgujaCabra (12:10 AM): [Maria can vaguely catch sight of a figure on the rooftop.. it looks like he might have a gun]
NerwenGreen (12:13 AM): Maria watches the action taking place outside apprehensively, curiousity spurring her to edge her head slightly higher over the car's window ledge. She looks up at the rooftop figure when she notices it, narrowing her eyes. "Shouldn't Dallas be dead?" she asks.
AgujaCabra (12:19 AM): Javier leans forward a bit more, when Maria begins to look upward.. craning his head to catch a clean glimpse of the figure. "No," he replies tensely, concentrating on the figure as the shadows on the rooftops begins to swell and take shape.. "they're only bullets-- they won't do anything but knock him out, barring a very lucky shot." Struggling to avoid Dallas' claws, the black man manages to tug at a flare gun in his
AgujaCabra (12:19 AM): belt, and discharge one of the capsules into the attacking Gangrel. . Dallas screams as his clothing catches on fire, and he collapses on the ground rolling before running off madly into the alley.
NerwenGreen (12:25 AM): "Only. Bullets," Maria repeats, glancing at Javier with an incomprehensible look. She looks back over at Dallas as the flare gun goes off. "What about flares?" she asks ironically.
AgujaCabra (12:25 AM): [heh. is this going too long? I'm planning on just a couple more thingers.. :p ]
NerwenGreen (12:25 AM): [nah ;) ... I'm kinda wishing Maria could actually do stuff though :p]
AgujaCabra (12:26 AM): [yeah.... pooh to not being a vampy yet]
AgujaCabra (12:26 AM): [she could take the guy's knives.. ?]
NerwenGreen (12:27 AM): [and do what with them? run out and get killed?]
AgujaCabra (12:27 AM): Javier's eyes widen in surprise, as the flare rips into Dallas. "Fire is another matter," he replies hastily, watching Dallas dash off in frenzy. Free of one distraction, the black man pulls the flare gun completely from his belt, and loads another round as he aims it at Javier's truck. . Tentacles begin to grip at the man's arm, even as Javier starts to back out of the vehicle quickly. "Maria-- follow me out of the truck, please"
AgujaCabra (12:27 AM): he requests quietly .. "stay on my side. You'll be out of the line of fire.. "
AgujaCabra (12:27 AM): [nope nope... she'll be mortally wounded, and Javier will make her a vampy :P ]
NerwenGreen (12:27 AM): [erm ..]
NerwenGreen (12:29 AM): Maria quickly ducks back down and crawls over to the driver's side, following Javier out of the truck. She stays low behind it, watching Javier nervously and looking for somewhere else to hide.
AgujaCabra (12:35 AM): There are some trash dumpsters stacked to the side of one building, on Maria's side of the street. . She could also select another parked car to hide behind, if she decided to make a run for it. As the black man discharges the flare, a tentacle pulls his arm down, and the flare skitters brightly across the pavement... Javier squints his eyes at the blazing light, and shields his face slightly as he looks back up at the figure on the roof. A tendril of shadow loops around the tall, wiry figure, tossing him
AgujaCabra (12:36 AM): off the building easily... and onto the sidewalk, where he lands roughly, but on his feet. The sniper is a tall, painfully skinny man with short glossy black hair and dangerous eyes. A pair of binoculars are pushed up onto his head, and his black clothing would have been difficult to see in the dark. An emerald class ring glitters on one finger, and the man is ready to shoot at Javier the moment he hits the ground.
NerwenGreen (12:39 AM): Staying low, Maria darts toward the dumpsters to hide behind.
AgujaCabra (12:42 AM): Chuckling in disbelief, Javier stares directly at the man and speaks to him in a quiet, but somehow commanding tone: "Access/ Directive/ Pandora", he says so softly, that its not immediately clear whether the man could possibly hear him or not. . There is a slight pause, before the tall man's expression becomes completely blank.. and he phases out of sight. Growling, the black man summons the strength to push
AgujaCabra (12:42 AM): free of the tentacles, and begins to run at Maria as she heads for the dumpsters; fingering a knife out of his pocket as he comes.
NerwenGreen (12:44 AM): [hmm ... which is closer, Javier or the dumpsters?]
AgujaCabra (12:44 AM): [um. at this point.. probably the dumpsters]
NerwenGreen (12:46 AM): Maria continues to run toward the dumpsters with a muffled yelp, skittering to a halt as she puts the dumpsters between herself and the black man and looking for somewhere else to go.
AgujaCabra (12:47 AM): The black man sneers through the hot blood staining his face, and steps forward in pursuit of Maria... Before the man is able to touch her,however, the sound of a silencer goes off with a muted crack to his side.. As the bullet rips into his cerebral cortex, the man's head is severed messily at the neck.. and he crumples to the ground in a heap. Appearing suddenly, with his arm extended in firing position; the tall man stands rigidly beside his decimated partner.
NerwenGreen (12:52 AM): Maria gapes openly at the body of the dead man, in shocked horror, unable to tear her gaze away for a long moment. She backs away until she runs into the nearest wall.
AgujaCabra (12:58 AM): Lowering the gun slowly to his side, the tall man looks down vacantly at his dead friend. A stiff, cruel grimace tugs at his lip, and he turns his head away abruptly.. singing in a sweet, soft voice.. "I'll show the world, that the name to remember.. the name to remember... " he trails off within the first line, and looks drearily at the concrete. Coming over from beside the truck, Javier confidently steps in front of the
AgujaCabra (12:58 AM): man; who glances over to him with an empty stare. "Forget, and revert," Javier commands firmly. .. The man begins to wander off down the street.
AgujaCabra (12:59 AM): Once the man starts to leave, Javier begins to look for Maria.
NerwenGreen (1:04 AM): Maria continues to lean against the wall heavily, looking numbly from the body to Javier and back again. After a few minutes, she blinks and pushes herself away from the wall.
NerwenGreen (1:04 AM): [and ... midnight distracts me from coming up with something better :p]
AgujaCabra (1:04 AM): [gak! :p what's he ranting about?]
NerwenGreen (1:04 AM): [his job interview that he just came back from]
AgujaCabra (1:05 AM): [ah.. did he do well?]
NerwenGreen (1:05 AM): [apparently ... sounds like he stands a good chance of getting it]
AgujaCabra (1:05 AM): [spiffy]
AgujaCabra (1:11 AM): Javier extends a hand toward her gently as she approaches; flashing a small, almost relieved smile. "I had hoped we wouldn't run into a situation, until you are able to wield shadows also," he comments quietly. . Slowly, limping badly, Dallas emerges from the alley he'd vanished into; looking rather sheepishly at the ground. He hops over to the black man's body, and drags him over to Javier's truck -- tossing him
AgujaCabra (1:11 AM): painfully into the bed. He then tugs a plastic tarp out of a metal box in the back, and pushes the tarp over both bodies. Dallas looks around at the surrounding buildings warily-- perhaps wondering if anyone bothered to phone the police.
NerwenGreen (1:16 AM): Maria stands next to Javier and watches, clearly shaken, as Dallas cavalierly throws around the bodies. "Okay," she finally says warily, drawing the word out a bit. "What just happened?"
AgujaCabra (1:24 AM): Dallas musters a broad smile, as he finishes arranging the bodies. Speaking quickly, and almost rushing over himself, he begins in a hushed tone "Oy, kay... these two, or three-- I didn't see the other bum before, but I guess three, guys I caught cleaning out our open haven in the frenchie district.. " He turns a serious look at Javier, and adds as almost an afterthought; "Right. I was comin' to tell you to get another hole arranged-- because that one is definitely not safe anymore." Javier stops him
AgujaCabra (1:26 AM): with a slight gesture of the hand.. "You were a witness, so they wanted to--"

"Keep me from namin' names, sure." Dallas finishes with a nod. "Oh well. That mess is dusted up nicely."
NerwenGreen (1:29 AM): Maria listens to them, dumbfounded. "That's not what I meant." She pauses. "I don't know what I meant. Never mind." She pauses again. "So do you guys do this often?"
AgujaCabra (1:34 AM): "Shit-- not with this skin," Dallas scowls at his burn marks, picking irritably at the charred skin with his claws. "I think I'll take a breather for a night or so, as soon as we get some wheels out of here-- the truck's toast, unless you've got a spare," he laments with a look back at the flat tire.

Javier glances at the truck as well, and pluck a thin cell phone out of his pant pocket. "Call Spence," Dallas pipes up, "I was meeting him anyway." Javier nods to that, and looks to Maria before dialing.. "It
AgujaCabra (1:35 AM): depends on the night," he replies with a short smile.
NerwenGreen (1:40 AM): Maria cocks her head at Javier in response, with another very strange look. She shakes her head after a moment, blowing out her breath, then turns to look at Dallas. "Those were all .. Brujah?" she asks him. "What's the difference between all you guys?"
AgujaCabra (1:48 AM): Dallas' gaze flashes wickedly for a beat, and he hoists himself up to perch in a rather feline pose on the side of the truck bed. "Chick, I think you need to be one of us, before I chatter with you too much... Come talk to me when you're pointy, eh? " He smiles sweetly at Maria, and adds "Gangrel are the best, but I won't hold it against ya."

Javier, meanwhile, has a short phone conversation. From what is overheard, it sounds like a ride and a tow truck are on their way.
NerwenGreen (1:56 AM): After a moment, Maria returns a small, fleeting grin. "If you say so," she replies. "How many different kinds are there?"
AgujaCabra (1:57 AM): [way too many to be realistic :p ? ]
NerwenGreen (1:57 AM): [hahaha]
AgujaCabra (2:02 AM): Crinkling his nose slightly, Dallas looks to Javier questioningly. "I've never counted them myself... " he trails off a little, adding with a shrug, "A shitload more than there should be."

Javier raises an eyebrow to that, but nods anyway in assent. . apparently agreeing that its a fair assessment. "Some of the old lines no longer exist; and others are just forming.. I cannot give you an exact number, but approximately 20 are common lines."
AgujaCabra (2:03 AM): [meh. no talking vampy stuff on the street :p ::shoos them into the car that's coming::]
NerwenGreen (2:03 AM): [hehe]
NerwenGreen (2:06 AM): Maria nods neutrally. "Oh. Yeah, that's a lot," she agrees. She turns to Javier with a slightly sarcastic smile. "So .. what's the difference between all you guys?"
AgujaCabra (2:11 AM): "We can discuss that later... and perhaps not in the middle of the street," he comments drily, as he looks up at the surrounding buildings with a wary eye. Dallas turns around, and begins poking a little at the tarp. He grunts hungrily, and bounces into the bed of the truck.. where he promptly peals a corner of the tarp aside, and begins drinking from the headless corpse.
AgujaCabra (2:12 AM): [this is sorta down in the bed.. so if Maria doesn't want to see, its pretty well hidden]
NerwenGreen (2:17 AM): Maria turns to watch Dallas as he jumps into the truck, then hastily averts her eyes and takes an involuntary step away when he begins drinking. "Um," She comments distastefully. She moves a little closer to Javier, eyeing him curiously. Quietly, she says "What did you do to the sniper dude? That made no sense at all."
AgujaCabra (2:22 AM): A playful smile touches Javier's lips, and he leans close to her in order to speak queitly. ".. Lasombra can control weaker minds, though asserting their own will.. I happened to know exactly what would affect his, from a prior meeting."
AgujaCabra (2:24 AM): Presently, a polished black limosine pulls smoothly around the corner, followed closely by a standard-issue tow truck. The limo pauses at the side of the street with its engine running, while the tow truck takes a position in front of Javier's vehicle.

[Feb. 22, 2003]

AgujaCabra (10:09 PM): As the limousine slides into sight, Dallas glances up from the body with glittering eyes, and hops down adroitly from the bed of the truck; strides in clean, quick steps towards the vehicle. He mops the blood from his mouth offhandedly with the sleeve of his shirt, before reaching out to open the side door and sticking his head inside.

"That's our ride," Javier comments to Maria; motioning lightly for her to follow him, as he begins to walk towards the limousine.
NerwenGreen (10:10 PM): After a brief hesitation, Maria follows Javier to the limo.
AgujaCabra (10:10 PM): [ack!]
NerwenGreen (10:10 PM): [?]
AgujaCabra (10:11 PM): [there's a grammar typo in that... :/ It should be *striding]
NerwenGreen (10:11 PM): [or "he strides"]
AgujaCabra (10:12 PM): [yeah.. either would work]
AgujaCabra (10:16 PM): Dallas hops into the vehicle with a slight bounce, scooting inside quickly and leaving the door open for Maria and Javier. Casting a look back at his truck, Javier steps into the limo as well, and stoops a little under the low ceiling, as he finds a comfortable seat. The interior of the limo is spacious, with white leather seats lining three of the four walls... the fourth has an included wine cooler, and a small television set. There
AgujaCabra (10:16 PM): is no one else inside the limo, aside from driver sectioned off behind a sliding window.
AgujaCabra (10:19 PM): The driver glances back through the window, opening it a bit to talk to his passengers. "I'm taking Dallas to see Mr. Jackson, and then I'm at your disposal, Mr. Santos," he addresses Javier drily, and Javier responds with a slight nod.
AgujaCabra (10:20 PM): [done :p ]
NerwenGreen (10:20 PM): Maria follows Javier into the limo, taking a seat opposite the other two of them, near the door, then reaches out and jerks the door shut in one quick motion. After the driver, finishes speaking, she looks questioningly at Javier and asks "What happened to my car?"
AgujaCabra (10:24 PM): The limo begins to pull away once Maria has shut the door, and Dallas hops up restlessly to shuffle through the wine cooler. . Ice rattles as he digs around. Javier looks to her with a short smile "It's parked in a garage.. we can pick it up tonight, if you like."
NerwenGreen (10:28 PM): "Oh," she replies. "Yeah, that'd be good." Another thought occurs to her, and she follows quickly with another question, as if it were an afterthought, "How did you know that the Tzimisce had me?"
NerwenGreen (10:28 PM): [man ... I need to get into character :p]
AgujaCabra (10:34 PM): Dallas shoots Maria an openly curious look, as he tugs a small wine bottle out of the ice, and scuttles back over to his seat; kicking his legs up on the leather. Javier glances at Dallas a trifle uncomfortably before responding simply, "Stephan informed me."
AgujaCabra (10:34 PM): [yeah.. me too. Javier is gonna ask her to be a vamp tonight really soon.. but I need a moment where it makes sense :p ]
NerwenGreen (10:36 PM): "Oh," she answers, glancing at Dallas as Javier does. She gives Javier a puzzled look but decides not to pursue it right at the moment. She turns to look at the wine cooler curiously, then reaches over to rummage through it.
AgujaCabra (10:37 PM): [gah! don't rummage in a vamp's wine cooler.. ]
NerwenGreen (10:37 PM): [well .. he sort of already asked earlier .. she just never got around to responding]
NerwenGreen (10:37 PM): [well, she wants a stiff drink? ;) ]
AgujaCabra (10:39 PM): Dallas cracks a sharp laugh, fixing his eyes on Maria as he uncorks his wine bottle with a dull pop. "I don't think you want any of this yet," he notes casually, taking a sniff at the dark red liquid before downing a shot.
NerwenGreen (10:43 PM): Maria pauses to turn and look at Dallas, momentarily confused before she figures out what he meant. "Oh. Right." With a slight grimace, she goes back to looking through the wine cooler hopefully. "Aren't there any real drinks in here?"
AgujaCabra (10:48 PM): Dallas crinkles his nose distastefully, and takes another slow sip of his drink without responding. He seems thoroughly put off by the idea. "Actually," Javier comments after a beat, "There might be something to your tastes ... depending on who's used the car lately." Dallas snorts petulantly at that, and presses his face to the window to peer out.
NerwenGreen (10:49 PM): "Yeah? Where?" She turns to look at Javier.
AgujaCabra (10:53 PM): Javier comes over to the bar in an easy stride, rolling up his left-hand sleeve before plunging his hand into the icy water. He fishes for a moment, until there is a slight 'click' from a plastic latch, and his hand returns with a thin bottle of scotch. "I'll restock later," he comments to himself with a smile, and offers the bottle to Maria. "..Maria, have you given any consideration to my offer?"
NerwenGreen (11:06 PM): Maria flashes a quick, grateful smile as she takes the bottle from Javier, opening it without hesitation and taking a swig as she settles back into her seat. With a small, contented sigh, she takes another, slower sip, then looks back up at Javier with a more serious expression. "Yeah, I'm thinking about it," she answers. "You guys must lead freakin' exciting lives. It's like you're a bunch of superheroes or something. Or supervillains." She pauses to watch Javier's reaction to that last, arching an eyebrow sardonically.
NerwenGreen (11:06 PM): [grargh]
AgujaCabra (11:07 PM): [hehehehe]
NerwenGreen (11:07 PM): [my cursing sucks :p]
AgujaCabra (11:07 PM): [haha]
NerwenGreen (11:08 PM): [I couldn't figure out how to phrase it properly at all :p]
AgujaCabra (11:15 PM): Dallas chokes on his drink, tittering uncontrollably for a minute, and mopping at the ring of blood around his lips. Javier also looks passably amused, as he steps back over to sit down again, "Superheros.. no," he says with a smile, "Some of us do have a purpose, and it is not malevolent; despite what it sometimes looks like .. " Arcing an eyebrow at Javier, Dallas mutters to himself; "Yah. bein' a superhero is frikkin' hard work," and takes another drink.
NerwenGreen (11:16 PM): [how tall is this limo?]
AgujaCabra (11:17 PM): [um. its standard limo tallness? Javier has been stooping when he walks around]
AgujaCabra (11:20 PM): [if there's a good time to fast-forward a little... tell me? :p I can at least get Dallas out of the car]
NerwenGreen (11:22 PM): Maria snickers in response to their reactions. "Still. Must be exciting." She takes another sip of her scotch, then looks over at Javier with a curious smile. "And you think I'd make a good superhero?"
AgujaCabra (11:25 PM): Javier nods to her quietly, regarding her with a semi-serious look, although a sparkle of humor still hangs in his eyes, "Yes. I do."
AgujaCabra (11:25 PM): Slowing down gradually, the limousine pulls over to the side of the road. Dallas jumps up almost immediately, and opens the back door to shuttle himself outside. He lifts a hand to wave to Javier, and pauses; feeling his pants pocket distractedly, and pulling out a half-charred floppy disk. Scowling at the disk, he tosses it to Javier with an apologetic shrug. "I'll get you another. No problem". Dallas slams the door shut, and dashes off from the limo without another word. Javier turns the disk over in his
AgujaCabra (11:25 PM): hand, and then slips it into a pocket.
NerwenGreen (11:26 PM): Maria turns to peer outside as Dallas leaves, narrowing her eyes slightly as she tries to figure out where they are.
AgujaCabra (11:29 PM): Maria recognizes this as a touristy section of town, close to a large public park. It is relatively lively during the day, but does not support much constructive nighttime activity. The streets are only sparsely populated, and pedestrians linger around one indoor/outdoor bar on the street.
NerwenGreen (11:32 PM): After a moment, she shrugs and turns back to Javier, with another, almost-shy smile. "Could be fun," she replies with the same semi-serious, faintly humorous tone. "How do I sign up?"
AgujaCabra (11:36 PM): Javier regards her curiously; resting his hands lightly on his knee as he replies "It is a process, more than something I can explain... if you are at all familiar with vampire legend, it is not that dissimilar." He pauses, adding thoughtfully "I have time tonight, if you are interested in enlisting. . "
NerwenGreen (11:44 PM): Maria steadily looks back at him, clearly intrigued, not saying anything for a long moment. "Yeah, I'm interested."

AgujaCabra (11:54 PM): Showing a soft, approving smile, Javier slides over to the driver's window to issue a short set of directions. The limousine pulls away from the curb momentarily, and slips back into the light traffic. "I thought that you would be interested," he comments as he turns back to Maria, without quite losing the smile.
AgujaCabra (11:54 PM): [meh. go get embraced.. ::pokes them::]
AgujaCabra (11:55 PM): [mm.. no more conversation. ::hits Javier::]
NerwenGreen (11:56 PM): Maria responds with a small smile of her own, suddenly nervous. "So," she asks hesitantly, "What do I have to do?"
AgujaCabra (11:56 PM): [uhm.. die?]
NerwenGreen (11:56 PM): [hehehe]
NerwenGreen (11:57 PM): [that wouldn't be terribly reassuring :p]
AgujaCabra (12:02 AM): He looks at her steadily for a moment, considering her question as the scenery scrolls by outside.. "It's a process of changing species, essentially ... part of it is painful, and part is intensely.. profound. " He smiles at her reassuringly "We are driving to a place where it will be private, and I can step you through it."

AgujaCabra (12:11 AM): The modern architecture fades into an assorted collection of older river homes and narrow, curving streets with badly filled potholes and cracked pavement. They pass alongside a small library, and an adobe-style church with a genuine steeple and polished brass bell, where a homeless man takes refuge in the triangular space between the building and the short stair. After driving for 10-15 minutes, the limousine
AgujaCabra (12:11 AM): stops beside a low wooden fence, overgrown with twisting vines and persistent green weeds. Large Oaks stand regally beside and around the fence, looming over the road in a protective stance ... casting long shadows on the already dark pavement. Rough-hewn stones lay on the opposite side of the fence, and a few stone crosses indicate that this is an ancient graveyard.
AgujaCabra (12:11 AM): Further back behind the undergrowth stands a small two-story house, once painted white but now cracking and pealing with the passage of time. Its plantation-style windows are shuttered tightly, and closed against the weather. The second floor banister buckles downwards at the center, and it seems as though the entire building may soon collapse in upon itself.
AgujaCabra (12:12 AM): [it won't be a cliche soon.. I promise :p .. sort of :p ]
NerwenGreen (12:12 AM): [hehehe]
NerwenGreen (12:16 AM): Maria peers out of the limo at the passing scenery, growing more uneasy as it stops in front of the dilapidated property. "Creepy," she mutters under her breath.
AgujaCabra (12:19 AM): Javier cracks a small smile. "We are stopping here for a section of the property -- not the graveyard," he comments as he stands up to walk to the limousine door.
NerwenGreen (12:20 AM): Maria follows him out of the limo.
AgujaCabra (12:27 AM): Javier passes through the partly open gate, stepping around the perimeter of the small graveyard and towards the crumbling house. An occasional polished stone appears underfoot; the remnants of an old cobblestone path, mostly worn and knocked away by either weather or man. He follows the path loosely, which winds through a short thicket to a spot behind the house; the long, outdoor

porch is barely visible through the tree trunks and assorted undergrowth. Javier
AgujaCabra (12:27 AM): pauses to push aside a thick tendril of snaking, grey moss... and as the natural curtain parts, a small grassy circle; oddly devoid of weed or snaking grass, appears in the fence of trees. . Within the circle, shadowed beneath a hammock of oak-branches laden with Spanish moss and buzzing softly with night-time insects, stands the white marble statue of a female figure-- hooded and poised at the foot of a shallow rectangular basin, with a smooth marble bowl cradled in her hands. Water pools
AgujaCabra (12:28 AM): within the bowl, overflowing and cascading down in ribbons to the enclosure below.
AgujaCabra (12:30 AM): Javier holds the moss aside for Maria, and steps carefully towards the statue with a softly meditative expression.
NerwenGreen (12:31 AM): Maria follows nervously behind Javier, pausing at the edge of the circle to take in her surroundings, before hesitantly approaching the statue after him.
AgujaCabra (12:32 AM): [aah.. now comes the hard part.. ]
AgujaCabra (12:38 AM): The muffled chirp of crickets interrupts the tranquility of the circle.. and the distant sound of traffic can be heard only as though immersed under water. Indeed, once the moss closes behind Maria, this clearing feels intensely separate from the remainder of the property-- a simple, peaceful waiting hangs in the still air. "Maria," Javier speaks softly in the overwhelming quiet, "when you referred to us as superheroes earlier, that was not entirely wrong. Our methods are seen as drastic by some,
AgujaCabra (12:38 AM): because they do not understand what the battle is for... " He runs his palms in the slender waterfall, cupping some of the liquid and running it back through his hair with an almost religious movement. "We compare ourselves to water-- adaptable, and able to flow around any obstacle to meet our goals."
NerwenGreen (12:42 AM): Maria stands quietly beside the statue, wordlessly watching his movements and listening to him speak.
AgujaCabra (12:42 AM): [she doesn't have to be all quiet :p ]
NerwenGreen (12:43 AM): [does it look like he's expecting her to make a reply in some way?]
AgujaCabra (12:43 AM): [well, no... ag. I don't know how to do all this weird embrace stuffs ]
NerwenGreen (12:44 AM): [keep going .. it's really good so far ;) .. ]
AgujaCabra (12:54 AM): A thin, whistling murmur runs through the tree branches overhead, and a small glint of moonlight begins to swell softly within the pale marble bowl. Javier dips his hand back into the illuminated water, and glosses his hair with it again slowly. "Becoming one of us, you will also learn to flow into any shape-- to use any tool, in order to achieve your goals, but more importantly in order to guard and serve the sect..."
AgujaCabra (12:54 AM): Taking a portion of the water within his cupped hands, Javier turns back to Maria with a kind, but steady expression. "Lower your head," he instructs gently.
NerwenGreen (12:58 AM): Maria takes a cautious step closer to the bowl and bows her head over it, her hands folded in front of her. Her fingers fidget nervously as she gets ready for the water.
AgujaCabra (1:03 AM): A very faint, ephemeral smile touches his face, as he allows the liquid to drip between his fingers, across the top of Maria's head.. releasing the final few drops so that they slide down to the base of her neck. He puts his hand gently on her shoulder after the water falls, indicating that she may step back. "While we resemble water," he continues softly, " we depend upon another liquid-- we are bound to it, as we are strengthened by it." Javier kneels on the grass beside the pool, which is gleaming
AgujaCabra (1:03 AM): and alive with pale white light... Placing his fingers into small indentations at the base of the statue, Javier slowly pries out a slender stone drawer. Within the drawer lies a graceful silver dagger, which catches the light of the moon into a thousand tiny glittering points; and as Javier lifts the dagger, it throws a pale light upon the serene face of the statue, which for a moment looks almost expectant despite its stony
AgujaCabra (1:04 AM): composure. Javier slowly runs the blade through the water, letting the liquid flow around the sharp edge as he murmurs something in Latin.
NerwenGreen (1:04 AM): [this is really freakin' cool ...]
AgujaCabra (1:04 AM): [I'm glad you like it ]
NerwenGreen (1:08 AM): Maria stifles a small gasp as the water runs down her face and the back of her neck. Stepping back, she quickly runs her hands over her face to remove the excess water and shakes her head slightly. An uncertain look crosses her features as Javier lifts the dagger, and she takes another small, involuntary step backward as she watches him wash the blade in the bowl.
AgujaCabra (1:18 AM): Turning the blade so that the statue's serene face reflects within the smooth metal, Javier cuts a slender line into his hand with the dagger, and places his palm into the basin; letting the water churn pinkish with his blood. The red tinge dissipates as the water leaves the bowl, and remnants of it pirouette delicately in the shallow pool below.There is a low, erratic whispering in the surrounding glen, and a scattering of
AgujaCabra (1:18 AM): fallen leaves kicks up into a quick, rustling spiral as the wind hastens "Hello Lucy," he says quietly with a small smile.. "we approach as friends, and agents of the Sabbat... " As Javier speaks the air becomes slightly alive with a tingling, pleasant electricity.. the wind curls around Maria and ripples the still water. Slowly, the water begins to thicken, and the pink deepens into a dark, rich red... soon, fresh blood
AgujaCabra (1:18 AM): overflows into the shallow pool; staining the white marble a shocking crimson.The smell is rich and potent; mingling with the softer scents of the trees and grass..
NerwenGreen (1:19 AM): [whoa ...]
AgujaCabra (1:20 AM): [if she doesn't completely freak out, I can type a little more for him]
NerwenGreen (1:20 AM): [she's not going anywhere ... you can keep going while I write about how she's not moving :p]
AgujaCabra (1:20 AM): Javier moves into a half-kneeling position, and lowers his head briefly beneath the flow of blood. The dark liquid runs over his neck and shoulders, wetting his shirt and his hair. Sitting back from it, Javier slicks his hair back smoothly and turns to Maria. "Kneel beside the pool," he requests softly.
NerwenGreen (1:26 AM): Maria stands stock still, gaping speechlessly as the waterfall runs with blood. At Javier's soft request, she hesitates for a few seconds before stepping closer to the pool. Looking at him for reassurance, she kneels beside him.
AgujaCabra (1:42 AM): Javier observes her steadily through his dark eyes; her reflection repeated in their abyssal depths, and within the slick crimson pool that churns in slow expectation at her feet. The clearing is eerily quiet again, stirred faintly by the lingering tendrils of breeze that twirl and extinguish within the tight overlay of leaves and shadow... Moonlight tints the cascade of blood in a delicate, golden aura, and falls leisurely down the statue's face across the quivering, green grass. As Maria kneels, the
AgujaCabra (1:42 AM): marble rim is slightly warm against her knees, and a distant, rhythmic pulse throbs within the core of the insentient stone.. Placing his hand lightly upon her shoulder, Javier steps easily behind Maria. "To a body that does not produce blood, the fluid is as precious as gold or silver-- it preserves us, it fuels our powers, and lends us the strength to overcome... But we cannot be a slave to any substance." Javier bows his
AgujaCabra (1:42 AM): head close to Maria's neck, "And we must sacrifice blood, before learning to control it."
NerwenGreen (1:48 AM): Maria watches Javier nervously out of the corner of her eye as his head draws near, stiffening in anticipation and moving her head slightly to one side to allow him closer to her neck. She clasps her hands tightly against each other.
AgujaCabra (2:02 AM): Two sharp points puncture the skin of Maria's neck; the initial pain subsumed instantly in an invigorating trickle of pleasure. A slow warmth flows from the stone, connecting her down to the earth, while the electric sting of Javier's fangs draws her blood upwards... and as the two vie for dominance, a numbing, languid euphoria tingles at the slender extremities of her veins... Around her, the oaks strain at their
AgujaCabra (2:02 AM): roots, and the low murmur swells again, expectantly, urgently, within the shadowed recesses of the circle.

In time, her ears buzz softly as the sounds begins to fade.. sensations drown beneath a thick blanket of water, and while she can still feel the intense point at which Javier draws her blood, she is also aware of her heartbeat struggling against a
AgujaCabra (2:02 AM): smothering lack of fuel... Pain shatters through her chest, and throbs in all the empty points that her heart attempts to draw blood from. Her lungs fail to find air, although the wind rushes around her cool skin... groping like fingertips, searching for something within the final moments of her life...
NerwenGreen (2:08 AM): Maria gasps as Javier drains her, panting and trying to cry out weakly as the pain grows gradually more intense, overpowering the sensation of pleasure. Her hands reach out in front of her, grasping futilely at the air, as she slowly dies.
AgujaCabra (2:21 AM): Pinpricks of awareness light delicately on her cold skin... there is no concept of time, and no memory of being completely dead. Warm liquid, tacky and fueled by a prickling, living energy, touches her legs... the frigid embrace of wind folds at her back, and slowly her body becomes aware of the moonlight striking it, filling it, and burning within the dead cells of her arms and neck... Now that her heart is silent, the exterior world pounds in upon it; alive, and riddled with an ethereal glow. Despite it
AgujaCabra (2:21 AM): being night, the glen teems with light so brilliant it nearly blinds-- colours are more vivid than they have ever been, and the presence of Javier behind her is more real than any other person she has ever known.

After a few moments, a few hours, the initial euphoria begins to fade, and the world returns to its natural shades. Replacing the ecstasy of awaking, a blazing hunger builds within her until she can see nothing but bloodlust... And standing close
AgujaCabra (2:21 AM): enough to smell, is a porcelain-pale girl in her mid teens, with pale blonde hair cascading slightly past her shoulders, and curled loosely at the ends. A touch of youthful plumpness still lingers in her cheeks, but it is obvious that the girl would have been a beautiful young woman. A thin, white dress falls lightly from her shoulders to the ground; trailing within the autumn leaves, and she carries a white straw hat in her hand. Her eyes shine as smooth and lifeless as clear polished glass.
NerwenGreen (2:23 AM): [umm ... she's standing?]
AgujaCabra (2:26 AM): [the girl is standing, Maria is kneeling in the fountain.. Once the girl becomes visible, Maria can no longer see the fountain or Javier... The glen is less dense than it is naturally, and the porch steps in the distance are a brighter shade of white paint]
NerwenGreen (2:26 AM): [which is more likely .. she attacks the girl, or drinks from the pool?]
NerwenGreen (2:26 AM): [oh]
AgujaCabra (2:26 AM): [hehe]
AgujaCabra (2:26 AM): [the girl is the pool :p ]
NerwenGreen (2:29 AM): Maria launches herself at the girl, knocking her to the ground. Instinctively, she bites into the girl's neck and begins to drink deeply.
AgujaCabra (2:36 AM): The girl opens her mouth to scream, but a serene smile catches on her lips instead and she does not struggle as Maria drinks. Her glassy eyes stare out happily at the branches overhead, which creak together in cloistered trepidation... As Maria's hunger begins to subside, the girl droops lifelessly against the soft grass, and a figure approaches behind her-- rapidly. Before she can move, the shadow of a shovel raises behind her head and... Clean, pure water cascades over her head and neck.
AgujaCabra (2:36 AM): She is kneeling in the fountain, bowed beneath the waterfall which has returned to its natural, crystal clearness. The water cleanses the stain of blood from hear hair and face, taking it down into the pool where it eventually dissipates. Javier kneels to the side of the fountain; the crest of his hair still lightly stained with blood. The girl is nowhere to be seen.
AgujaCabra (2:50 AM): [you got my stuff, right?]
NerwenGreen (2:50 AM): Maria blinks, staring down into the pool as her mind re-orients to the new heightening of her senses. Tilting her head up slightly, she looks with calm amazement around the glen, drinking in its deep, twilight beauty. The soft sounds of the evening reach her ears with sharp clarity in unexpected contrast to the silence within her own body. After a moment, she rocks back on her heels and cautiously stands.
NerwenGreen (2:50 AM): [yes ... man, I don't know how you manage to write all that in only 20 minutes!]
AgujaCabra (2:51 AM): [ :P ]
AgujaCabra (2:59 AM): The chill air of the circle hovers delicately upon her skin, and fine droplets of water slide off her legs as she stands; creating tiny ripples in the basin that fade outwards in lazy circles. As the wind droops and extinguishes itself in the autumnal canopy, Javier tilts his head to look up at her; remaining for the moment, in his crouched position before the fountain. He carefully captures a string of water in his hand;
AgujaCabra (2:59 AM): calmly washing the blood from his forehead. . The trees no longer murmur, and the faint sound of crickets returns tentatively to the quiet air.
NerwenGreen (3:07 AM): Maria takes a step back from the fountain and lifts her hands in front of her, studying them for a long moment. She turns around in a slow, ponderous circle, quietly observing the nighttime stillness. Looking up at the moon, she lets out an experimental hum - then cuts off abruptly as her voice breaks the silence.
AgujaCabra (3:14 AM): Dipping his hands into the shallow pool, Javier slowly washes the blood from his fingers and palms with the clear water... the pool barely takes in the pinkness of the blood this time, retaining its purity and gleaming as clean and glossy as the idyllic, empty shine of the girl's vacuous eyes.. Murmuring something to himself in Latin, Javier returns the clean dagger to its hold at the foot of the statue. He touches the base reverentially, and rises smoothly to his feet.
NerwenGreen (3:17 AM): Maria steps toward Javier as he rises, looking at him questioningly with a faraway look in her eyes.
AgujaCabra (3:28 AM): Javier's eyes gleam with a mixture of unspoken curiosity and understanding as she turns towards him. Showing a small smile, he offers a hand to her questioningly. . hesitating before he speaks, as though he too is unwilling to break the perfect stillness of the circle. "Now, you are living by blood; but not for blood... this first night, I am sure you can sense that there is... much more than feeding, to experience.."

NerwenGreen (3:33 AM): "Yes," Maria agrees softly, as she absently takes his hand. "It's ... a lot different than I thought."