What Shadows Fear [VtR, Montreal, IC]

[TheCountAlucard]

The man does not shudder at the cold; alone on the street, he strides purposefully into nighttime Ville-Marie, eyes peering about as though looking for something. Dressed in a charcoal-gray waistcoat and trousers, he would be an odd sight in the midst of this January ice-storm, had anybody been on the street to see him. He finds his target, the new building, and walks up to the cheap aluminum fence that had been erected around it. Seconds later, he is on the other side of the fence. He smiles.

---

Though the weathermen had promised sunny skies and higher temperatures, Mother Nature seems to have disagreed. The sky has maintained the same cloud-covered, baleful look since before noon, though at least the freezing rain has stopped.

JohnJust because the rain has stopped, though, does not mean that the subzero temperatures have lifted. Thus, the homeless shelter is particularly crowded today. Rachel, one of the kind-hearted souls who volunteers each week, is almost overwhelmed with keeping on top of things. She looks like she might be on her last nerve, but nonetheless manages a smile as she passes by.GastonThe sputtering heater is doing its best to combat the low temperatures, but it is clearly fighting a losing battle. As Gaston is making lunch for himself, a knock comes at his door.

"Hello? Gaston, are you in there? It's me, Laura!" The familiar sound of his neighbor's voice makes its way through the door.RomaThanks to the inclement weather, Roma's classes today have been canceled. Her roommate has a paper due in a few days, but has given up hope of making any progress on it today, and now sits in front of the television, changing the channel every minute or so. "Think any of the rental places are open?" Sarah asks, bored.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"Laura?" Gastons calls back, setting aside his half made lunch and heading to the door "Is something wrong?" he asks while reaching for the latch, fumbling slightly as he pulls back the stiff icy metal to open the door

[Benson]

"Mmm, come again?" Asked the currently bottle blue Roma. She was currently lounging on the couch eating some potato chips in pajama bottoms and a tank top.

[Cashius]

"Rachel, do you need any help around here" John smiles, "looks like you could use some."

[TheCountAlucard]

GastonLaura looks concerned as Gaston opens the door. "Oh, Gaston," she says, "it's about my daughter. She's been acting strangely for the last two weeks or so; I think she's been sneaking out at night." She sighs. "You know how teenagers are... do you think you could keep an eye on her tonight, get an idea of what she's doing?"John"Oh, thank you, John," she says, "you're an angel." She hands him a box of blankets to help distribute to the chillier corners.

As John works to help Rachel get caught up, he observes that one of the older men seems to be cradling an injured wrist.Roma"I kinda feel like watching a movie - do you think any of the rental places are open?" Sarah sits up, and then climbs slowly to her feet. She leaves the TV on the same channel, wandering over to the kitchen and staring into the fridge. After a few seconds, she leans forward, and though the refrigerator door blocks Roma's line of sight, she can hear her roommate noisily eating.

[Benson]

"Mmm, maybe?...What you want us to head down and see what they got? Oh...!...Maybe we can rent Sleepaway Camp haha," Roma lightly chuckled and popped a chip in her mouth. She watched her room mate pig out scooped up a handful of chips, almost feeling encouraged to gorge herself a bit here.

[Cashius]

Calmly, John walks through the crowd passing out blankets to those who need them and upon reaching the old man hands him a blanket, "Here this should help with the cold, you ok there old timer."
John trys to position himself to get a better look at his wrist, "Does someone need to look at that wrist of yours?"

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"Of course, i'm happy to help if you need me to" Gaston replies seriously before coughing in the cold air "Would you like to come in and tell me more about it? What exactly has she been doing that has you concerned?"

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaSarah makes a muffled reply from behind the refrigerator door. As she straightens up, still chewing, she says, "Hm? What'd you say?"

Her face is spotted with blood and bits of raw meat, and the bloody plastic wrapper for a pound of ground beef lies on the floor. She doesn't seem to be aware of it.John"You must be mistaken, John," quavers the old man, securing himself and his wrist under the blanket. "I'm just fine." Unable to get a proper view of the limb, John can't make any sort of diagnosis.GastonShe steps inside at Gaston's invitation, her eyes flicking briefly to his incomplete lunch.

"Thanks, Gaston - the truth is, I don't know for sure what she's doing - she keeps slipping out of the house late at night, money's been disappearing from my purse."

[Cashius]

John places his hand gently on the old mans shoulder, "There's no reason to worry old timer. I just want to help. So, how about you to tell me what wrong."

[Benson]

Roma

"Ew...did you just eat that...raw?" Roma asked incredulously and grimaced at the rather groady sight of her room mate's face with raw meat and blood. She was going to make burgers later. Darn inconsiderate room mates.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"Hmm the money disappearing started after Collette began sneaking out at night?" Gaston muses "Thats not a good sign" he looks at Laura and gives a reasurring smile "Well i'm sure its nothing too serious, just normal teenager problems"

[TheCountAlucard]

John"Just some old pains of mine," says the old man, "that the weather's gone and irritated. I'd appreciate some aspirin, if you've got it." He slowly draws his arm out from under the blanket, revealing that the limb in question is uninjured.Roma"Eat what?" Sarah replies, confused. She looks down at the floor, bewildered. "What just happened?" she says, her expression turning a tad queasy as her roommate's words dawn on her.GastonShe seems more than a little stressed as Gaston talks. "Do you think she might be in trouble?" she asks, concerned.

[Benson]

"Really?...Ya don't recall just scarfing down...raw meat..seconds ago?" She asked feeling confused here.

[Cashius]

"Sure?..... I think I got one or two" replies John, patting his pockets trying to find the bottle, "Here you go. My last two......I hope it helps."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"No more so than any other Teenager i'm sure" Gaston replies firmly before looking to his unfinished meal "Would you like some lunch? I was in the middle of making it when you knocked"

[TheCountAlucard]

Roma"I... what?" she says. One hand reaches up to touch at her face, feeling the mess still smeared there. "Oh, I..." She suddenly looks very ill, and barely makes it to the sink in time. "Ugh, oh, God," she groans, washing her mouth out after she finishes. "How did I not know I was doing that?" she murmurs.John"Thanks. Sorry about the trouble; I bet it's them flourescent lights, played a trick on your eyes." He gives a glare to the buzzing light bulbs overhead. "Never really took a shine to them, myself."Gaston"I'd love some," she says, "but I can't stay long." She nonetheless decides to stick around for a few bites, pulling up a chair at the little table.

[Benson]

Roma


"Hon....you really don't remember at all? Want me to get you some Pepto bismo? Something for your stomach?" She asked moving over to her friend.

[Cashius]

Seeing how he was done passing out blankets and with nothing better to do, John takes a seat next to the old man. John stares up at the lights, "Huh, I guess so. Still pretty amazing technological feat how were able to ignite a gas into a efficient source of light. Although, now that I think about it"

Looking back down at the old man, "Progress always comes with a cost."

Offering him his hand "Names John Jones, I've seen you around but I'm afraid I haven't gotten your name."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston smiles and busys himself with making two plates of bacon, eggs and beans placing one infront of Laura "There you go." sitting across from her "I'll keep an eye on Collette for you tonight, what time do you think she'll be leaving?"

[TheCountAlucard]

Roma"Thanks, a little ought to help settle my stomach," she says, washing her face off. She gives a disgusted look at the sink, then turns and says, "I'm sorry - I'll buy you another pound of beef when we go out tonight."John"Russel's the name," he says. "Been living here since the thirties, but I really only fell on hard times about ten years ago. You're that guy what worked for the city, aren't ya?"

He shudders a little, and pulls more of the blankets about himself. "Decent of you to have helped out Rachel like that," he says.GastonShe eats, though her concern seems to have stymied her appetite some. "Most likely," Laura says around a mouthful of eggs, "around 20:00."

She pokes at one of the still-steaming eggs with her fork. "Thanks for the food," she says, effecting a smile for her neighbor.

[Benson]

"That's alright, I may just start considering a vegetarian diet, its very zen and all," She smiled and gave her room mate a playful wink. She comfortably rubbed her mate's back and then walked over to the fridge. She winced at the bits of raw meat and drops of blood on the floor, she'd have to clean that up. Blargle.

She shifted through the side shelves until she grabbed that bottle of pink liquid. Grabbing a tea spoon from the drawers she walked back to her mate and gave her the Pepto Bismo.

"Here ya go hun," She said holding it out for her. Of course this was all very weird, and rather disturbing, she couldn't help but wonder if her friend here went a little...mad for a moment. But freaking out over it wasn't going to help her mate. Two freaked out persons wasn't going to do anyone any good.

[Cashius]

"Nice to meet ya, Russel." John smiles, "Ya, I used to work for the city but I"

John pauses for a second and then continues, "I left due to a workplace disagreement. We didn't agree eye to eye on how things should run as it were."

John sighs and then turns and looks to Rachel fantically do doing her work, "Rachel does a great job here so I make it a point to help out when I can."

"I can't say the same about our city though. There are whole buildings that could be used as cheap or free housing so we wouldn't have to huddle together at a shelter just to keep warm but they are just sitting and rotting away because of some bogus law or bureaucratic excuse. If I had some power I would show those damn bureaucrats....."

John stops and looks at Russel and lets out a laugh, "Sorry, sometimes I get in a rant."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston says goodbye to Laura and potters about his home until the evening.

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaThe distressed roommate takes the pink liquid gratefully. "Don't worry," she says, gesturing to the mess, "I'll get this." She manages a brief smile to Roma, and then ducks down to grab some cleaning supplies.

It's not long after before the kitchen is back to normal. "You wanna go ahead and go now?" Sarah asks, looking at the door. "The movie'll be my treat, too, 'kay?"John"Call it a rant, but I'm inclined to agree with ya," the old man says with a nod. He then leans in a little closer. "Don't tell no one, but if you need a place, I've managed to jimmy open the back door on one of those empty buildings. Been there for a few days now. You can stay there with me, if you want."GastonGaston's heater manages to sputter to life once more after a few minutes, allowing him some comfort as he awaits sunset. Of course, the largest indicator of its approach is the clock, as even with the passing of hours, the cloud cover does not abate.

Finally a street-lamp flickers dimly across the street, throwing a few twisted shadows across the icy sidewalk outside.

[Benson]

Roma


"Uh yea, lemme just go put on my pants and shoes, so, two minutes, tops," She said putting her bag of chips away. She put on a smile, a simple mask to pretend that what her roomie did earlier...was just some sort of...something that didn't happen. She headed over to her bedroom and put on her skin tight black leather pants and boots, and grabbed her purse. She returned to the 'living room' if one wants to call it that.

[Cashius]

"Thanks, I was looking for a place to stay. The last place I was staying got raided by the cops." John gets up from the seat next to Russel, "Just let me see if they need any more help around here and we'll head out after, ok."

Afterward, meeting back up with Russel, "Mind if I bring a couple of guys with me. They were in the same boat I was and I'd rather they not sleep outside with the temperture as bad as it is tonight."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston hauls himself up from his chair and headsout the door into the night, stepping into a shadowed doorway across the street to keep an eye out for Collette.

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaWhen Roma steps into the small room, Sarah is also dressed and ready to go. She tugs at one of her shoes, and then opens the door. "Brrr, let's make this quick," she says, giving a shudder as the wind blows in.

Luckily the nearest video rental place is open despite the earlier inclement weather. As promised, Sarah rents the movie, and even buys a couple of movie snacks.JohnRussel thinks about it for a few seconds, and then nods. "The apartment ain't big, but there's room for a couple more. You all need to be careful, though, and not come in 'til after dark, eh? Don't wanna be seen and whatnot." The old man proceeds to give John directions to the place; it's a bit of a walk, but not unmanagable.GastonGaston takes shelter in the shadows. It doesn't take long for the teenaged daughter to emerge from the apartment, dressed to the nines. However, she doesn't seem to notice Gaston hidden in the dark, and begins walking down the street.

[Benson]

Rental Shop

Roma huddled up towards her room mate and friend peered at the movie selection. "Aww...I guess a horror film wouldn't be palatable right now...I kid, I kid."

[Cashius]

Alittle before dark, his group of a few guys and himself head out to the building as directed by Russel. Upon ariving at nightfall, the group and himself steathily enter the building. Once inside John turns and addresses the others, "Alright guys, you know the drill. Pick a spot in the building to sleep but don't wander off to far. We don't know whats lerking around in here."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston steps out of the shadows and begins to follow Collette down the street.

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaAs the two leave the rental shop, Sarah takes a moment to bundle up to protect against the night air. As she pauses to secure her jacket, she mumbles something to herself, and then says, "So, Roma, why don't you take the movie home while I get those groceries?"JohnAs John brings his fellow homeless in, clearly happy at the prospect of somewhere to stay for the night, he can't help but notice that Russel seems a little uncomfortable.

"You're a little early," he says. "I should-"

"Oh, it'll be fine," a voice says, startling Russel. The old man jumps a little as a pale hand reaches from behind and clasps his shoulder. "The more the merrier," the owner of the hand says warmly. He steps forward, a man in his early thirties, with slick black hair and simple clothing. "Why don't you come outside with me, Russel, and chat for a bit?" He gives John a cheery smile. "I'll leave you and your friends to get settled in." Russel shudders briefly, but steps outside with him.GastonAs Gaston follows after the girl, he has to make effort to remain unseen by her; she doesn't seem to realize she's being followed, but that doesn't stop her checking every now and again. Finally she reaches a smallish bar, greeting the man at the door with a friendly smile and a flash of (fake) ID, saying something quietly. He nods and admits her in.

[Cashius]

"Ok....." John gives Russel a skeptical look as he walks away, "if you say so."

John looks around for a place close to the center away from any windows or cracks to escape the cold and settle down for the night.

[Benson]

Roma

"Oh, ah, alright then, you be careful alright?" She smiled at her friend/room mate and put the rented vhs in her purse. She gave her friend a hug and then remembered something. 'Oh right, could you get me a two liter bottle of dr pepper?" She dug through her purse bag and held out a small coin purse. She pulled out two dollars and gave them to her friend. "This should more than cover it."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston walks up to the man and tries to enter.

[TheCountAlucard]

JohnThe place is laid out in a fairly Spartan fashion - little furniture or decor is present to make it appealing. Nonetheless it is in surprisingly good maintenance; obviously someone cares for this place. The men gathered manage to find places to hunker down for the night, bundled up with their few belongings for maximum warmth.

After a few minutes, Russel returns; his clothing has a few rips in it, and he looks somewhat shaken, but he does not appear to be hurt. He slumps down next to John and sighs. "You okay, John?"Roma"I'll see what I can do," the roomie says with a smile. She then begins walking in the direction of the grocery store.

On the way home, a stray dog begins following Roma. It gives an urgent little whine when she meets its eye.Gaston"Not so fast, old man," says the tough, stepping to block the entrance. "There's a certain... ambience we try and maintain here. I think your attire would clash with the atmosphere we have established."

However, Gaston can see also him subtly rubbing the fingers of one hand together.

[Cashius]

"Um...great, how you holding up Russel? You look a little worn out." John hesitantly replies, "Is eveything ok?"

[Benson]

Roma kneels down on one leg and carefully reaches her hand, palm side up, inviting the dog to lick her hand. "Oh...hey there....you following me home? I'm sorry but the dorms don't allow for pets." She tilted her head giving the dog a wan smile and acting friendly towards it.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston mutters darkly to himself before reaching into his wallet and pulling out a handful of bills, pushing them into the mans hands before saying "Is that enough?"

[TheCountAlucard]

John"I'm fine, I'm fine." He sighs. "That was my son," he says, "he likes to check up on me sometimes. He was just upset that I risked my place here for all of you."RomaThe dog deigns to nudge her hand affectionately, its cold nose wetting her palm a little; he then barks and dashes off down an alley. It returns a moment later, staring intently at her, before setting off down the alley again.GastonThe tough spends a moment judging the bills in his hand, and nods. "Come on in," he says in a low voice.

The bar's interior is spacious and darkly-vibrant. A posse of French-speaking college students converse at one booth; two older gentlemen sit on stools and nurse their drinks while conversing in low tones. A set of stairs is cordoned off with a rope and a notice stating in French and English that only employees may proceed down said stairs.

[Benson]

Roma


The bottle blue college student looked at the dog with an awkward and confused expression. "Uhh.....you want me to follow you?....Oh boy....this is starting to look like the beginning of a bad horror film...." She glanced around and against her better judgement followed the dog, walking carefully. Honestly, she was expecting to find something dead.

[Cashius]

"Ah, I hope it wasn't too much trouble and I can't thank you enough for taking us in." John pats Russel on the shoulder, "And don't worry about the others I'll keep them in line."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston walks up to the bar while casting his gaze around looking for Collette.

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaThrough numerous twists and turns and across a couple of streets, the dog urgently leads Roma to a construction site; a hole is present in the chain-link fence, just wide enough for a human to slip through. The dog passes through the hole, and then turns and looks at Roma, before going further inside.

Only Roma and the dog seem to be present in this ill-lit construction site; dark girders loom above the student and into the night sky.John"Thanks," Russel murmurs. "Now, get some sleep, okay? We need to be out of here before sunup. I found a clock-radio earlier today, so I've got an alarm set." He takes the cracked device out of his pocket and sets it on the floor next to his rucksack, then bundles up his blankets some more.GastonGaston does not see her yet; however, as he looks about the area, the bartender asks him, "Can I get you something, stranger?"

[Cashius]

"Alright, see you tomorrow morning" John replies before lying down for the night.

[Benson]

Roma


There was just something, tugging at her curiosity having had walked this far, a sort of rail she was following, curious to know what was at the end. She looked around and clutched her bag as she ducked under the gap and came upon closer to the construction site.

"..Ack...boy..girl...whatever gender you are...don't go to too far," She quietly called out to the dog as her footsteps crunched against dirt. Admittedly, her heart was beating, in a mix of fear and excitement.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"Just your cheapest Beer" Gaston replies while continuing to look for Collette.

[TheCountAlucard]

JohnHours later, the alarm goes off, and Russel stirs. The sun has not yet risen. He nudges John before he gets up and stretches, wincing a little. "Good morning," says the stranger from before - Russel's son? - who stands by the doorway, holding a couple of cups of coffee. "Here," he says, handing one to the old man and one to John. Russel takes the coffee appreciatively and says to John, "All right, let's get moving."RomaThe dog gives a low woof from further in; when Roma finally reaches him, the stray sits amidst a mass of loose soil. It appears that some older structure has been unearthed by the construction crew, part of an ancient stone building. The markings on the stone resemble nothing from any history classes Roma had taken.GastonThe bartender shrugs noncommitally and slides him a longneck bottle of dark amber liquid. As Gaston continues to scan the bar, he hears the muffled sounds of activity downstairs.

[Benson]

"Oh wow...this is..." Roma muttered to herself as she walked over to the partially unearthed ruins and squatted down, running a hand over the markings.

[Cashius]

John takes the coffee in earnest, "Thanks I needed this, by the way where are we going? Its not even light out yet." John asks as he goes around the room nudgeing the rest.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston sits at the bar sipping his drink and waiting for Collette to appear.

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaThough the studious Roma spends long minutes studying the ruins, she cannot identify the civilization from which they came. Still, the more Roma observes the strange glyphs, the more certain she is that she has seen them before, somehow. Perhaps on the pages of an occultish book, clutched in the hands of one of her more unusual classmates?John"At the moment we just need to go. But I think Rachel's got the shelter open, and she's got better coffee than we do here." Russel chuckles, but his face remains serious. The younger fellow moves toward the bedroom. "I'll check in here," he says, "make sure there's no stragglers."

As Russel leads John and the others out, something catches John's attention, something that wasn't like that the night before; the rusty old Dumpster outside has had its front caved in, a dent that's almost man-sized.GastonOver an hour passes as Gaston nurses his drink and maintains his vigil. People come and people go. No one engages him in conversation. Then he feels the sensation of someone tapping him on the shoulder from behind.

"What are you doing here?" slurs the voice of Collette; when Gaston looks at her, she is pale and lightheaded, swaying about a bit as though drunk. However, while her initial expression was that of anger, it turns to desperation in a mere moment. "Can you please take me home?" she mumbles pleadingly.

[Benson]

Roma

Well this was admittedly very interesting, really, but she didn't know where togo from here. She took the image of these ruins to her photographic memory, she could later go to a library and see if she could learn what they were, as they did seem like something she saw before. She then looked around the construction site to determine if she could find a name, like maybe a name of the construction company working this.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"Of course. Lets go" Gaston starts out the door with Collette leaning on him. As they get about half way back to the appartment building Gaston says "Your mother is worried about you"

[Cashius]

As they walk to the shelter John keeps rolling the image of the old dumpster in his mind, "Something’s not right here" he mutters to himself.

The level of force needed to create such a mark would have either seriously injured or killed the person but there was no body or blood, “Weren’t Russel and his son outside near there last night” he thinks to himself.

John looks up to Russel and then to his supposed son with a worry some look in his eyes.
“Something’s not right here”, he mutters “Something not right at all.”

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaThe dog, bored, wanders along with Roma for a bit, before wandering away.

During Roma's scan of the area, the primary name she finds is that of "Montreal E.C.," a locally-centered construction company; she recalls it being involved in several such projects over the last few years, mostly skyscrapers and other large buildings.

The area is silent for a few moments before a voice sounds near Roma. "Hey, uh, 'scuse me, ma'am... oh, I hope you speak English..." A somewhat-heavyset guard shuffles over to Roma. "Um, ya ain't really s'posed to be here, ya know... looks like you didn't do nothin', so I'm willing to overlook this, but I do need ya to leave..."GastonNo one speaks to either of them as they leave the bar. When Gaston speaks to Collette, she smiles weakly. "I didn't mean to worry her," she confesses. "I just made a mistake." She seems grateful for the support he gives her, as though worried she might not make it home by herself.JohnWhen John reaches the shelter, Rachel is there to open the door for him. "Good morning, John," she says with a smile. "Want some breakfast? Some nice fellow bought ten gross of eggs for us, so we might as well put it to use."

Everybody gets 5 XP. :smallsmile:

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"What kind of mistake?" Gaston asks after a short pause while they continue onwards.

[Benson]

Roma

"Oh...yes, of course mister, I was just about to. I'm sorry, I know its a little weird, but there's just something magical about construction sites at night," She said with a lopsided smile. "That sort of skeleton structure of the machinations of mankind. I'll be taking my leave." She started to walk away backwards.

[Cashius]

His worries are put to the side for now as the prospect of eggs for breakfast quickly override any theories of the unusual happening last night.
John smiles, "That's great news, this day seems to be getting better and better. Do you need any help with the breakfast?"

[TheCountAlucard]

Gaston"If you don't mind," she says, "I don't want to talk about it." She looks down at the ground as they continue on, lost in thought.Roma"Ahh, no worries, I understand," he says with a smile, waving in a friendly fashion as she backs away. Roma soon finds herself on a familiar street; the dorm is only a short walk away.John"You know I never turn down a hard worker," she says with a smile.

"You know," she says as she starts getting out the cooking utensils, "it looks like the weather's going to be better, too..."

[Benson]

Roma, unless hindered by anything, would continue on her way to the dormitory.

[Cashius]

"That's good news, can't say I'll miss the below freezing temperatures at night, " laughs John.

John helps her get ready for the morning breakfast and has a seat once she starts cooking. He would have offered to help with that but he was never much of a cook.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston walks the rest of the way without saying anything more until they reach the apartment building.

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaRoma's journey is uneventful from that point; when she reaches the dorm, her roommate greets her warmly. "Hey," she says, patting the couch, "have a seat. I've already got popcorn popped and everything." After Roma settles down, she hands over the popcorn bowl and asks, "So, how was the walk? Didn't think I was gonna beat you here..."JohnJohn's other homeless friends trickle one by one into the shelter, none too late for a hot breakfast. Russel is one of the last ones to arrive. "John," he says, clasping him by the shoulder, "I have a bit of a proposal for you. A business deal that might be right up your alley."GastonIt's not long before Collette is home; her mother gives a grateful look to Gaston, and once Collette is inside, murmurs, "Do I owe you anything?"

[Benson]

"Oh, it was a fine interesting walk," She said with a smile and grabbed some popcorn for herself to eat. "Did you get my dr pepper?"

[Cashius]

"Really?" in both a questioning and excited tone, "That's great to hear, what is it?"

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston just shakes his head and says "Goodnight Laura" before heading to bed.

[TheCountAlucard]

Roma"It's in the fridge," she says with a nod.

After the movie finishes, the roommate stretches and yawns. "Well," she says, "I'm going to head to bed."JohnJohn feels one of Russel's elbows dig into him. "Hush up!" he mutters. "I can't give you all the details here. Meet back with me at the apartment tonight."GastonMorning comes, much warmer than the previous day. Sunlight streams in gently through the windows of his apartment. A note folded up by his door invites Gaston up to Laura's for coffee as thanks for his help.

[Benson]

"Ah...alright...sleep tight....actually...hey..how are you feeling? You know...from since...that earlier...thing?" Roma asked.

[Cashius]

"Alright, I'll see you there."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

After eatting breakfast Gaston heads over and knocks politely on Laura's door.

[TheCountAlucard]

Roma"Thing?" she says, confused. "Oh, that!" she exclaims after a moment. "You know, this is going to sound weird, but I almost forgot about it just now..." She still looks confused, however. "I don't know what happened to make me do that," she admits.JohnLater that evening, Russel is waiting for John outside the apartment. When John approaches, Russel looks about nervously. "Look," he says, "when we go in there, I need you to play it cool, okay?"GastonLaura answers the door promptly, looking much happier than the previous day. "Hello, Gaston," she says brightly as she leads him in. "How do you take your coffee?" She walks into the kitchen, where Collette sits at the table, sipping at a glass of dark red juice. She does not look at him.

[Cashius]

"Ya, I will. This isn't something illegal is it?" John questions.

[Benson]

Roma grinned and poked her friend with a finger. "Maybe you''re secretly a werewolf and you don't even know it." She laughed, bringing a balled hand to her mouth.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"Black, 2 sugars please" Gaston replies as he follows Laura into the appartment, seating himself across from Collette.

[TheCountAlucard]

John"No more so than spending a night in some empty apartment," Russel says as he walks inside.

"Come on in," says an unfamiliar voice.RomaSarah does her best to make a predatory growl before breaking into a fit of giggles. "Can you imagine?" she says, "I'd have to spend even more on razors! It would be horrifying!"

She yawns and heads to bed.Gaston"Sure." Laura hands him the coffee and sits down slowly. "Ugh," murmurs Collette, "I still feel like crap."

Laura looks at her daughter, a concerned look on her face, before placing a hand on Collette's forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever, but you are looking a little pale... do you want me to call the school?"

Collette slowly nods, and Laura heads over to the phone.

[Cashius]

John swallows hard, unsure whats going going and he walks in.
"Hello, names John", John reaches out and offers his hand to the unfimilar voice as he steps inside.

[Benson]

Roma

She waved to her friend in good night with a tired smile of her own. Being out and about in the streets, wandering into spooky construction sites at night, really took a girl out.

Tomorrow in class, she would have to ask that class mate of hers about their book, yes, tomorrow. In the meantime, she'd curl up with one of her own occult books, one about werewolves.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston looks concerned "Should a doctor take a look at you?" he asks Collette.

[TheCountAlucard]

JohnThe hand that shakes John's is cold. "Welcome." The owner of the voice is a man with piercing blue eyes. He is dressed in a crisp, unwrinkled suit, and his blonde hair has been meticulously styled. A gold pin winks on his lapel.

"Indeed," voices Russel's son as he closes and locks the door, "have a seat. Russel has given you special mention, you know that? 'Given power, he would change things,' he said. You know what that makes you, John?" RomaRoma devours about twenty pages before she hears a solid thump, followed by footsteps. A glance outside reveals that Sarah seems to be sleepwalking; she has wandered out the front door dressed in her nightie and slippers.Gaston"It might be for the best, but Mom's car is in the shop," Collette says. "Do you think you could take me?"

[Cashius]

John takes a seat and looks back at the locked door then at Russel's son.
With a worried look on his face he replies, "I guess that would make me ambitious."

[Benson]

Roma looked in wide eyed confusion until reality settled, she immediately put on her own slippers and began to pursuit Sarah, dropping her book on the floor with a soft thud.

"Sarah!" She called after her and then ran up to her from behind putting her hand on her shoulder. "Sarah..! What..what are you doing?"

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"Of course, let me just go and get my keys" Gaston says standing up and heading out the door to his apartment. He returns a few moments later "Ready to go?" he asks.

[TheCountAlucard]

John"It makes you a hero," he answers. "In the mythological sense. Gilgamesh wasn't just a man with power; he was a man who used it. Tell me, John, what would you do with power?"RomaThe roommate ignores Roma's touch, listlessly moving forward in her somnambulate shuffle. She walks to the street-corner, where a man stands waiting, illuminated in the moonlight.Gaston"I'm ready," Collette says, stepping outside with him. Once she's in the car, however, she turns to him and says, "Can you keep a secret?"

[Benson]

Roma

Uh...okay. Who was that? Oh gosh..don't tell me....she's....uuuuugeh.. "Sarah, come on...listen to me darn it..." She warily glanced at the stranger on the street corner before moving in front of Sarah to slap her across the face to snap her out of whatever...this all is.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston thinks for a moment before replying "yes." he then starts the car and begins driving to the local GP's office while waiting for Collette to continue.

[Cashius]

John looks at the man with a serious look and replies,
"I would change the way things are around here for starters. I would make sure the money goes where it is needed and not just were it is wanted. Then I would use the property and land that just sits there unused."

John pauses and then smiles at the mysterious men before him,
"But most importantly I would use it, not sit on it like some socialite trying to hold on to some vestige of power that is doomed to disappear just because they are to scared of change."

[TheCountAlucard]

Roma"Excuse me," says the man, walking up to Sarah and Roma, "can I help you two?" He smiles charmingly at Roma.Gaston"I was, um, with a guy last night." She blushes a little, and then says, "I passed out during, though." She looks like she's going to cry, and then says, "I never even got his name."John"Excellent," he says. "With your help, we can change the power structure around here." He locks eyes with John and smiles; the next thing John knows, he is kneeling at the man's feet, his lips firmly attached to the stranger's bleeding wrist, the taste of blood on his tongue.

"You're on your way," he says, pulling his uninjured wrist away, and then playfully pats John's head, as though he were a favored pet.

[Benson]

"What?..." She looked at the man with the charming smile. 'I.....I think...my friend is sleep walking....I dunno." She thought it weird in the first place he just happened to be there in a waiting-ish fashion, with the moonlight dramatically illuminating him, to her.

[Cashius]

John looks around and then up at the man confused and scared, "Whooo are you?

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"I see, was last night the first time you'd met him? or had you see him before?" he asks her while pausing at a red light.

[TheCountAlucard]

Roma"Sleepwalking?" he replies, looking them both over. "Maybe she's got an appointment," he says jokingly, looking left and right. "Any creepy denizens of the night around?" he calls out. "A werewolf, perhaps?"John"For now," he says, "you can call me Marcus. I suppose, though, that such is less than the explanation you desire..."Gaston"That was the second time," she admits, sounding a little hurt. "It's weird - I've never let a guy get that close to me before that."

[Benson]

Roma

"A werewolf?" She froze for a moment, nah, just a coincidence. "Hahah...I wonder what made that your first thought...haha...heh..."

[Cashius]

Still confused John stands and trys to collect himself. Then responds in a hesitant voice, "Ya, like why was I sucking on you wrist for starters?"

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston continues driving in an uncomfortable silence for a time until he says "If you're concerned i could try and find out more about this man"

[TheCountAlucard]

Roma"The moon is pretty bright tonight," he says, amused, "and vampires are no fun." He waves his hand in front of Sarah's eyes. "I guess she really is sleepwalking," he says. "Need some help?"John"Power, John," answers Marcus. "There is wonder-working power to be had. I bestowed you with the least grade of it, and in time, you will possess it in greater measure. One night, you might command the beasts of the earth, and bend the wills of others to your own."

Russel's "son" also takes a moment to speak. "This power, John, is in the blood. Tonight we give it freely to you, but you shall only receive more if you prove yourself to us."Gaston"I... don't know," she says, her expression betraying a sense of worry. "If you do, please be careful."

[Benson]

Roma

"Ah...its fine, I think I got it..." Roma said with false certainty in her voice. She then stood in Sarah's way and grabbed her shoulders with both hands and gave her a shake. " Come on...snap..out of it." A bit more shaking.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"You don't know his name?" Gaston echos with a confused expression "That is not a good sign, when you first met him was it at the Chantant Claret?"

[Cashius]

John's curiosity is raised, "Ok, what do you need me to do?"

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaSarah gives a jerk and a grunt, stumbling forward as she wakes up and tumbling into Roma. "Whoa," she says, confused, "what just happened?"Gaston"Yes," Collette replied. "My friends and I went there the other night, too - he was there, and he asked if I'd come by myself last night."John"There exists a Prince in this city," he replies, "a corrupt old thing who squanders the influence he's gathered on useless self-indulgence. With your help, we will work to oust him from his roost."

[Benson]

Roma

Roma caught her by the wrists and gave her a faint smile. "Uh...you were sleep walking...yea..I know..weird."

[Cashius]

John couldn't explain why he was going along with this or why he seemed to like Marcus so much even though they just met. Still, the promise of power, real power, was very alluring to John, "Alright, I'm in. I always wanted to make a difference."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston frowns at Collette "It sounds like you've been drugged, what does this man look like?"

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaSarah continues to express confusion, but nods. "Sleepwalking?" She looks around blearily, and the man gives a small wave. "At least," he says, "that's what it looked like. By the way, my name's C.J." He offers Roma his hand to shake.John"And make a difference you shall," he muses. "Before we get much further, let's explain how this all works. Our blood, freely given, will protect you from the ravages of time. You may call upon the precious sang, the vitae with which you have been imbued, and use it to grant yourself strength or resilience, or heal injuries, but doing so uses it up."

The other pipes in at this point. "While you shouldn't be using our gift frivolously, there's no point in hoarding it, either, as the power will run its course in about a month, after which you will need another gift of blood."GastonCollette looks distressed at the prospect. "He was about 2 meters," she says, "heavy-set, with red hair. Maybe twenty-five?"

[Benson]

Roma

Roma stares for a moment at the man and then at his hand before reaching over to shake it. "Roma." She keeps her other hand and arm around Sarah protectively close to her. "Yes, sleepwalking, we can talk about it when we get back to the dorm."

[Cashius]

He looks at the three men and gives a nod, "I understand, is there anything else I should know in this new world I've been initiated in?"

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"I see." Gaston says as they pull up out side the doctors "Would you like me to wait for you?" he asks Collette

[TheCountAlucard]

Roma"All right," Sarah mumbles, taking Roma's hand, "let's get out of here." She begins wakling with Roma back to the dorm.John"Oh, certainly," Marcus replies. "One, this is a secret - not just the 'usurp the Prince' thing, but the whole damn shebang. Blood powers, immortality, commanding animals, all of it. Two, don't come to us during the day; this is a nocturnal operation, as it were. Three, don't take blood from anyone else but us - even if freely given."

Russel's "son" fishes a ring of keys out of his pocket and tosses one to John. "Here," he says. "Now that you've gotten your feet wet, the apartment is yours. Bring your homeless friends over if you want, but like Marcus said, don't let anyone in on our secret. I'll know if you do."Gaston"I would much appreciate it," she says as she climbs out of his car. An hour or so later, she comes out holding a scrap of paper. "They're not certain what it is," she says, "but they're taken some blood samples."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"I see." Gaston says as he drives off back to the apartment building "What's that bit of paper for?"

[Benson]

"Right, come on sweetie," Roma guided her friend back down the sidewalk. She took a moment to turn her head and look at this CJ fella' with inquisitive eyes.

[Cashius]

"Got it, you can count on me, " replies John pocketing the keys inside his coat. "So, what now?"

[TheCountAlucard]

Gaston"It's just the doctor's number; I'm supposed to call if anything else happens." She sighs a little as she climbs into the car, leaning the passenger seat back a few inches.

After a minute or so, she speaks. "They said it didn't look like I was drugged," Collette says, tears in her eyes.RomaAs her head turns to observe where C.J. had been, she is able to see that he is no longer present. "Can't believe I went out like that," Sarah mumbles, "and dressed like this, even." She tugs at the hem of her nightie, embarassed.John"Now we have some business elsewhere," replies Marcus. "Russel will stay here if you want, and help you get settled in. We're also going to give you a thousand dollars. An allowance, as it were."

Russel's "father" hands John a clip of folded bills, and then opens the door for Marcus. "Stay out of trouble, you two," he says before stepping out as well.

[Cashius]

John stands amazed and in silence eyeing the folded bills in his hand. Only a few minutes ago, he didn't have cent to his name and now he had a thousand dollars to spend as he wished. John places the thousand in his jean pocket and look over to Russel, "I not entirely sure what just happen but how about we get something to eat, my treat."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

"I see" Gaston says quietly when Collette finishes and he drives the rest of the way back to the apartment building without saying anything "Here we are, i've got some errands to run so i shall speak to you later, alright?" he says after pulling up outside.

[Benson]

"Heh, well, we can talk about this when we get back in the dorm room," Roma smiled masking the eerieness of that CJ fella from moments ago to just be...gone.

[TheCountAlucard]

John"Sure," says Russel. "Say," he asks with a smile, "you fond of poutine? There's a casse-croûte a few blocks from here, open late and everything. Won't be able to talk there, but you'll feel better about all this once you've got a good meal in your belly."Gaston"Go ahead," she replies as she gets out of the car. She walks up to the apartment, where her mother lets her in and waves to Gaston.Roma"All right," Sarah says, holding firmly to Roma's arm as they return to the dorm. Once inside, she hangs her head. "I'm starting to get really worried," she says softly.

[Cashius]

"Poutine? Ya I could go for some, " John dosn't say much on the way there his thoughts replaying the events from earier. Once they arrive at the place, John orders two poutine with beer for the both of them, his with extra gravy, and eats his meal in silence.

"I not sure of this enternal life and blood stuff it seems a bit out there," he thought to himself as he took his last sip of his beer and gets up to leave.

"We need to talk Russel, " his voice stern and serious.

[Benson]

Roma


"Yea, me too hun? Uh..was there any weird things you did...prior to the eating of the raw meat?"

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston waves to Laura as he drives away to the local market to buy food, returning the apartment a few hours later.

[TheCountAlucard]

John"Thanks for the food." Russel eats his food with gusto, paying little heed to the napkin at his side until the last bit of gravy has been daubed up and consumed. "Sure, we can talk," he says between sips of beer. He takes one last swig, and then gets up to leave as well. However, he remains silent on matters supernatural until he returns with John to the apartment. "Okay, I suppose there's a lot you want to know," he says.RomaSarah ponders the matter slowly. "I didn't do anything that I know of," she says, "but I did have an odd dream last night." She shudders.GastonWhen Gaston returns, he finds the front door of his apartment slightly ajar, open just a half-inch or so. The lock doesn't appear to have been forced.

[Benson]

Sarah ponders the matter slowly. "I didn't do anything that I know of," she says, "but I did have an odd dream last night." She shudders.

"Oh...do you want to talk to me about it?" Roma asked as they walked into the dorm room and she shut the door behind her, and locked it.

[Cashius]

"You think," John replies in a sarcastic tone, "We cam start with what they are and how are you involved in this."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston steps up to his door and pushes in open suddenly, hoping to surprise whoever might be inside.

[TheCountAlucard]

Roma"Well, I was sitting in my room, and I saw these red eyes staring at me through the window." She rubs at her arms a bit before fishing a cup out of the cabinet. "I couldn't even move, just sit and watch as the window opened, and the eyes came closer." She fills the cup with water from the sink, and takes a few gulps. "I guess the dream ended then, because then I woke up in the morning."John"I'm not sure what they are," Russel admits. "Marcus, André, they refer to each other as 'Kindred' or somesuch."

He sits down, gesturing for John to do the same. "They don't age. It's probably obvious to you that André isn't my son; the truth is that I've known him since I was a kid, and he hasn't grown a day older."GastonThe door opens smoothly with Gaston's sudden push; inside, the old man sees a long-haired cat, curled up on his favorite chair. It raises its head and mewls at him, staring intently at Gaston.

[Benson]

Roma"Well, I was sitting in my room, and I saw these red eyes staring at me through the window." She rubs at her arms a bit before fishing a cup out of the cabinet. "I couldn't even move, just sit and watch as the window opened, and the eyes came closer." She fills the cup with water from the sink, and takes a few gulps. "I guess the dream ended then, because then I woke up in the morning."

"Red eyes? Whoever it was oughta sleep more often than stalking girls," Roma put on a smile and playfully nudged her room mate trying to lighten the moment up. "Mmm, what did the red eyes look like? They have crazy pupils?"

[Cashius]

John hesitantly takes a seat across from Russel, "You've known him since you were a kid? Well, I guess some of what he was claiming is true...... wait, if thats the case are you not taking their blood as well?"

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston tuts and looks annoyed at the feline "Where did you come from cat?" he mutters while he walks over to pick it up and carry it outside.

[TheCountAlucard]

Roma"The eyes had normal pupils, but still, there was something inhuman to them."John"I certainly am," he replies. "Been on it for decades. Problem is, if you go off the stuff, those borrowed years start to catch up to you, and quick."GastonThe cat jumps down and mewls again, rubbing its long body against Gaston's leg and purring. The cat then dashes into his kitchen, and meows loudly.

[Cashius]

"Well that's good to know, " replies John, "What do you know about this Prince they were talking about?"

[Benson]

Roma

"Inhuman?" Roma frowned and lent a comforting arm around her roommate. "Would you like me to sleep with you on your bed? Help keep you from engaging in any more shenanigans, like sleep walking? I don't mind."

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Irritated Gaston goes after the cat, picking it up and taking it outside before going back to his apartment.

[TheCountAlucard]

John"I've never met him," Russel admits, "but from what I've been told, he and his council pretty much control the city. They get to decide which of their kind gets which territory, who can 'join' our ranks, and who gets the axe."

He shudders a little and rubs at his own neck. "Of course, they're not just influential with their own kind," he continues, "they have a lot of people in their pockets."Roma"All right," she says, slipping into her room and kicking off her slippers. She flops clumsily into bed, and holds the sheets open for Roma. "But if it turns out I'm a werewolf, it looks like you might be my first victim."GastonThe cat yowls a little when Gaston picks it up, but doesn't fight him. As soon as it's outside, the cat gives him an annoyed look and saunters off.

It's only after the cat is out of sight that Gaston hears the sound of his bedroom window slamming shut.

[Benson]

Roma"All right," she says, slipping into her room and kicking off her slippers. She flops clumsily into bed, and holds the sheets open for Roma. "But if it turns out I'm a werewolf, it looks like you might be my first victim."


"Very well, just do your best to clean up afterwards, don't want to invite vermin and what not, " Roma replied with a small smile. Inwardly, Sarah's words did make her hesitate a bit. She took a small breath and crawled under the sheets after kicking off her own slippers. She stared at the ceiling and under the covers placed her hand on her room mate's wrist in a reassuring manner.

"Can you imagine all that back hair you'd have? Hahah," She said in a joking manner to lighten the mood about werewolves and what not.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston curses and hurries back inside to see whats happened.

[Cashius]

"That explains a lot actually, no wonder hardly anything gets done when you got immortal creatures controlling everything for their profit," John looks at Russel with a concerned look, "Your friends want to change who is in power in this city. What would that mean for everyone? What would happen?"

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaSarah has already fallen asleep, her chest rising and falling slowly. With the warm body next to her, the roommate's smile is serene.GastonAs Gaston hurries inside, he can see the stocky frame of a man who has climbed out his window. The man picks himself up off the ground and begins to run away.JohnHe shrugs, then spends a moment or two thinking. "Well, as best I can tell, once the leader is dethroned, their next goal would be reform. Change the system so things don't stagnate again."

[Cashius]

"I can get behind that but for now I need all this to sink in. If you need to find me I'll be at the building, " John grabs his coat and heads out of the apartment picking up a bottle of Jack Daniels. John returns to the apartment some time later drinking away the night until he falls asleep.

[Burnheart]

Gaston

Gaston looks about inside his home to see what the man did.

[Benson]

Roma


Roma turns her head and smiles at the sleeping girl. She eventually closes her own eyes and drifts off to sleep.

[TheCountAlucard]

John"Take care," Russel says. When John returns, Russel is gone. The booze tastes strong and sour, taking only a little to bring a familiar buzz to John's head. When he finally passes out, he has no dreams.

John awakens to the sensation of sunlight; it stabs painfully through his eyelids, adding to the already-present headache. Before his eyes can become adjusted to the light, he hears the swish of a piece of paper sliding under the front door.GastonHis quick look shows no evidence of tampering; as Gaston searches, the man finds his stride and begins to sprint away with the speed of a professional runner.RomaWith Sarah's warm body snuggled up next to her, Roma finds herself dreaming; she sees her own psyche, youthful and energetic, expanding beyond the confines of her body. Then something approaches; an ancient mind, with threads of web stretching from it to connect to myriad other things. One by one, silken strands begin to attach to Roma's mind, the other mind becoming increasingly interested in her.

It is then that she awakens. Sarah, already having slipped free of the sheets, mumbles something about getting a quick shower before class, and then heads to the bathroom.

[Benson]

Roma groans a bit, what weird dream, the sort of... daydreams she used to get when she used to smoke pot with ex number 3, who was a weird hippie fella'. She sat up and glanced around not finding her room mate on the bed.

She looked over at the clock to see the time.

[Cashius]

John slowly gets up from the floor and attempts to cover his eyes from the light. Slowly he picks up the piece of paper from the ground.

[TheCountAlucard]

JohnOnce John's vision clears, he sees a handwritten note:

"A good friend has asked me to provide you with a new wardrobe; stop by my place for some respectable threads."

The note is unsigned, but has an address included with it.RomaThe red digital display reveals it to be 9:35 AM; Roma can hear the shower running.

[Cashius]

John takes the note and pockets it in his coat. After locking up the apartment John walks to a near by coffee shop and grabs a cup of coffee before continueing down the street untill he sees a taxi, in which case rides the rest of the way to his destination.

[Benson]

Roma groaned. 'Nnnngh....great.......I got like fifteen minutes to get ready and then....got get across campus....woo...." Sarcasm dripped from her voice as she got up. "Guess I'm skipping out on that shower."


She would put on extra deodorant and body spray this morning.

[TheCountAlucard]

JohnJohn arrives at an old-fashioned clothing shop. Though its features are well-worn, the place is not without customers; men and women browse the aisles, comparing one pair of slacks to another, or checking blouses against their bodies. A sharply-dressed woman in her thirties hails John. Though he has never seen her before, she smiles as though greeting an old friend.

"John, dear," she says dearly, hugging him, "you've come just in time! Let's catch up in the back, shall we?" She adjusts her business suit, at which point John notices a name tag on her chest; if it is hers, her name is Harriet.RomaIt is as though the various forces at work are at once conspiring to stymie Roma's efforts; people bump into her on the sidewalk, a careless driver nearly bumps her as she is crossing the street, a chatty professor stops her to speak about an upcoming essay. Somehow, though, as if by miracle, Roma reaches her class with a minute to spare. However, none of her classmates are present, and a note on the blackboard says simply, "Class canceled today, family emergency."

[Cashius]

"Sure thing....Harriet, " John replies and then follows her into the back.

[Benson]

Roma

"Really now?....That's just....great and I say heavily laced with sarcasm," She sputtered noised and sighed. She decided to go to the library in the meantime, to kick back and maybe do some light reading on werewolves if she could find a book in the library. She turned to leave to set out and do that.

[TheCountAlucard]

JohnHarriet smiles and leads John into a smallish office. When the door closes, the sounds from outside cease entirely. "All right," she says a little more sternly, "so you're the new guy. Any chance you know your measurements?"RomaThe library is only a short walk away; Roma reaches her destination inside of five minutes. Within, a handful of anxious-looking students hurriedly pore over books, scribble notes, or rifle through references. A few, very few, seem to be reading recreationally, and one twenty-something man with a wispy beard seems to have fallen asleep amidst some Tolkein.

[Benson]

Roma



The bottle blue Joan Jett look a like wannabe walked around the library for a moment, watching her fellow students in an observant manner, at least until she got to the section of the library she was looking for.

Well, the little smudge that was the sort of non fiction horror that may have had books about supernatural beings...

speculative fiction, there we go.



(Fyi, I don't have access to my laptop or skype anymore for who knows how long), so until otherwise, let me know in either here or the OOC about when I need to make rolls)

[Cashius]

John looks down at his loose assortment of cloths, bundled together with no sort of plan other than to keep warm,"I'm afraid not"

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaRoma finds a handful of books on werewolves. One discusses Bisclavret and Dumas' The Wolf Leader. Short stories about the creatures are bound up in one tome. The Werewolf of Paris sits on the shelf, almost seeming to smile at her.John"So I see," she says simply. Gathering up some measuring tape from the desk, she begins to size John up. "You're in luck," she says. "We have several outfits that are either in your size, or are close enough to work." She opens a box sitting against the wall, rummages through it for a moment, and hands him a black suit-bag. "This should cover formal occasions reasonably well," she says.John, RomaHappy Halloween. :smallamused:

2 xp

[Cashius]

John opens the suit-bag and examines the contents. "I wonder how long it's been since I've worn a suit," John thinks to himself while running his hand over the nice material.
"How much do I owe you," asks John.

[Benson]

Roma sat down and looked into reading Dumas 'The Wolf Leader', she did glance at The Werewolf of Paris and squinted her eyes. Maybe she'd check that one out to read at home.



Also, yay, Halloween candy xp ;3

[TheCountAlucard]

John"We'll get to that in a bit," she says with a knowing look. "You're not done here." She crosses her legs and folds her hands into her lap. "So," she says, "what does Marcus want from you?"RomaAs Roma flips through the words of dead men, she finds a strange leather bookmark amidst the pages. The symbols thereon seem oddly familiar to Roma; it takes only a moment for her to recognize them from the strange place she had found the night before.

[Benson]

"This....is a weird coincidence..." She mutters and picks up the leather bookmark and examines the back to see if there are symbols or something on that side as well.

[Cashius]

John looks around nervously, "I'm not sure he hasn't told me what he wants me to do. I'm guessing he just wants some more help or something."

[TheCountAlucard]

RomaOnly faintly in the light can she make out a marking, etched perhaps with an idle thumbnail. The name Benoit can be made out, albeit only barely.John"He'll certainly need it," she says worriedly. "Anyway, one other thing dear Marcus has asked of me is to provide you with tutelage. Specifically, how to command the powers you have been given."

[Cashius]

"That would be nice, he told me I had these powers but no idea how to use them. In particular the ability to bend the wills of others to my own."

[Benson]

"Benoit?..." She thought long and hard about this, but drew a blank. It was a name here, maybe the name of whoever this book mark belonged to. Well if it were a hand made book mark. She took out a notebook and pencil and copied down the runes.

[TheCountAlucard]

John"I'll teach you to command like a leader," she says with a smile. "Take care with this, though," she cautions. "No matter how powerful you become, you cannot use the art of domination on one who cannot understand you."

She gestures for him to look into a mirror mounted on the wall. "It also requires eye contact; when dealing with others of our kind, you'd best keep that in mind."

"Now, feel about inside you for the power," she says. "Grab ahold of it, and command."RomaThe markings, while similar to the ones she has observed, have only one or two of the same characters; as she works, a student librarian approaches. "Is there anything I can help you with?" she asks with a smile.

[Cashius]

John looks at himself in the mirror and stares into his eyes. Doing as she instructs he says, "Sleep."

[Benson]

The markings, while similar to the ones she has observed, have only one or two of the same characters; as she works, a student librarian approaches. "Is there anything I can help you with?" she asks with a smile.

"Huh? Oh..ah...not really, just doing some research here," She said casually trying to imply it was for school or something. "...Actually.......ah..no nevermind, pardon me." She put on a smile.

[TheCountAlucard]

JohnJohn feels a strange, sudden rush within him as the words leave his lips, his eyes captivating themselves in the mirror. He does not sleep, however. "I've never gotten to get it to work through a mirror," she admits, "but practicing in the mirror gives you something to focus on."

"So," she says after a few seconds, "did you feel it? For now, you'll only be able to issue one-word commands; it'll take lots of tutoring from a more talented teacher than I to let you do the more complex stuff."RomaThe librarian gives her a puzzled look. "All right," she says softly after a moment, her expression changing to a smile, "well, when you're done with these books, let me know so I can reshelve them."

[Cashius]

John stares at her through the mirror, "And who might that be?"

[Benson]

"Actually..wait yes...ahem...do you by chance... have any bells rung when you hear the name Benoit?" She asked not really expecting to get any real answers here. It was a long shot.

[TheCountAlucard]

John"Probably Marcus, when he feels you're ready to learn it." She stands and presses the suit-bag into his hand. "I know this all must feel so surreal," she says, "but it's very serious, John. Be careful."Roma"Well," she says, tapping at her temple absently, "I think there's a student or two going by that name; I think a 'Benoit' has checked out a book or two in the last few days..."

[Benson]

"Really? So Benoit is a student here....hmmm...," Roma wondered if she should look in the student directory...its a thing right?. She looked back at the student librarian. "Mmm, thank you for assistance there."

[Cashius]

"Thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to tread softly, " John takes the bag and heads back toward the apartment building.

[TheCountAlucard]

Roma"Okay, then," says the librarian, who begins reshelving one of the sets of books on another table, leaving Roma to go about her business.JohnOn the way home, John bumps into Rachel. "Hi, John," she says with a smile. "What have you been up to?" She carries a pair of bulky-looking paper bags, one in each arm.

[Cashius]

"Not much, I found a part time job of sorts, " John looks down at the bags Rachel is carrying and throws the suit bag over his should grabing one of the bags in her arms, "So, where we going?"

[Benson]

Hmm, so now she had a possible name. She just needed to figure out in the meantime how to get that knowledge. Leather book mark. She tried to remember if there were any leather working workshops that happened on school campus.

[TheCountAlucard]

John"We're just gonna drop these off by my house before I head back to the shelter. It's great to hear that you have a job, though," she says, her smile like a gentle ray of sunshine. "Would you mind telling me more about it?"RomaNone that Roma can recall; the girl is suddenly interrupted by the surprisingly-loud burbling of an empty tummy, the not-so-subtle reminder of her missed breakfast.

[Cashius]

John smiles back at her as they walk, "I guess I'm kinda an exaggerated errand boy more or less. At least the pay is good for now but can't say for sure. I haven't actually started yet but don't think you've gotten ridden of me that easy. I still plan on swing by the shelter to help out now and then."

[Benson]

And so it would be she would find herself hungry, so she set out to the school cafeteria for an early lunch.

But not before checking out those books, Bisclavret and Dumas' The Wolf Leader. She also caved in and checked out The Werewolf of Paris as well. She headed over to the check out counter.

[TheCountAlucard]

John"Errand-boy?" she replies, puzzled. "This isn't anything illegal, is it?"RomaCheckout proceeds uneventfully, after which Roma finds that the cafeteria's special for this day is a spicy taco salad; other options exist, of course, but are not priced as cheaply. She finds that her roomie is sitting at one of the tables, enjoying a slice of pizza.

[Benson]

Roma went with buying the spicy taco salad, she was feelin' the Tex Mex and she wanted to go cheap to save on the munnies. After purchasing it she snuck herself into sitting in front of her roomie at the table.

"Heya there." She said as she opened up the filmy plastic wrapper holding her spoon, fork and napkin.

[Cashius]

"O no nothing like that, " John replies hastily. "I'm more like an assistant than anything."