[IC] Ember Grove - Reboot

[FunnyGuy]

Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Alexander's Private Quarters, New Paeonia
Interactions:

Alexander sat comfortably on one of his sofas as he watched Maeve's video message with a grin of amusement. He adored her performance so much so that this was his third time watching it as he sipped on a tall glass of fresh blood. Straight from the farm. Maeve's mention of Vivian was the only unpleasant part of the video. He was sure the witch had eyes on him. It was the nature of her kind. The more knowledge they could gather, the more formidable they became. Vivian was his very vulnerable human teacher. He had thought on how to respond each time the message ended. Killing Maeve came to mind only once among the different actions he thought of taking.

I shall make amends this time. I've come to enjoy the game of billiards… and Vivian has turned out to be good company despite being a human. He chose not to risk the life of Vivian while it still held some value.

A sigh escaped him as he had to put thought into how he would apologize to Maeve. Unfortunately, his thinking would be interrupted by Olivia's silent entrance. He did not have to turn to her to know she was unhappy. He could hear it in her shallow breathing and her tightened hands.

"Alexander… is it true you walked into the enemy's ambush alone?" Alexander barely turned his head to look at her with a small grin. He knew she and many in his clan might have been worried. An ambush was what eliminated his siblings after all.

"Walk would not be the best word to use. I ran." Alexander stood up from the sofa with his glass still held in his right hand. His expression now neutral. At the same moment, Olivia loosened the grip in her hands as she felt a tinge of intimidation in herself. There were moments when she knew Alexander was capable of anything. His relaxed nature that could hide his intentions made him all the more terrifying. "I needed to show Trotter that despite my recent activities, I am not an easy target. I understand that you might be worried about my recent antics, but I must get to know the place I plan to conquer." Alexander made his way over to Olivia and handed her his half-drunk glass of blood. She accepted it but did not drink it until he nodded towards the glass. She would be foolish to refuse. Once she drank the quality beverage he continued.

"It is exactly how Rokstova established his sanctuary of a bar. Such a disgusting establishment, yet no one would dare break the pact made there by the powerful within the area. He knew the players and he knew what they all wanted. A safe haven from the hunters. All were welcomed as long as there was peace. Breaking that pact resulted in your demise. I could do that, but a whole settlement… How could I be subtle in that? Hmm?"

"I do not know Alexander. Perhaps, opening multiple establishments based on what you know the local population would cling to. It would hide your hand and appear legitimate." She caused Alexander to smile once more.

"What a fine idea, but that would never be successful. Keep thinking about it, my dearest warden. Let us move to a topic that has recently piqued my curiosity. The child." Olivia gulped and gave a swift nod.

"I will need to show you. I think you will be more than satisfied with what we found after interrogating our newest prisoner."

[Potter]

Nikolaus

Time: Noon - 4pm
Location: Alexei’s parking Lot > OH Hospital
Interaction: n/a
Mention @princess Angel

Niko had left the bar shortly after Alexander had departed. He’d keep an eye on the girl, Vivian, for now and report it to base. There was something wrong with a human wandering into Drake’s territory unaware. He was going to make sure she stayed safe,even if she didn’t know it. Niko had waited around fifteen minutes before going outside. Once he had, the hairs on the back of his neck tingled. His jeep tires were slashed and his car now graffitied. AS soon as he had run inside, a hand had grabbed his head and smashed him into the brick wall of Alexei’s. Niko grunted in pain as the voice hissed, ”Not so fast, Trotter.” Niko shoved the vampire off of him with a grunt and with coldness in his eyes. He noticed the man was bald with familiar brown eyes. Niko had memorized them and glared; this man had taunted him for years. His name escaped Niko, but he thought it was Eric. It didn’t matter, the bastard would die soon. Behind him stood two other vampires. Niko growled as blood pooled at the surface and pain rushed in. His eyes teared from the pain but he blinked away the tears. There wasn’t enough time to care for it now. Why couldn’t he have healing as a side effect?

”Why not?” Niko finally quipped as he backhanded the vampiress on his right. He took out his stake from his back pocket, and then jumped backwards onto a nearby car to avoid Eric. He hopped off of the car once clear and prayed it wasn’t Elias’ car. At the same time, the blue-eyed vampiress grabbed him by the arm, causing Niko to kick her ten feet backwards. Her grip loosened and nearly pulled his rotator cuff out of its socket, causing anger to rise inside of him. She collided with a garbage can and hit the ground stunned. The garbage can bent and toppled over her as well, adding salt to the wound. He had to live. He had to see her again….

Niko wiped blood from the back of his head finally. The third vampire had paused to stare at him with bewilderment. This man, Niko recalled, was named Dexter and was a bastard of a vampire. He’d prey on whatever he could find, including a homeless shelter where he’d murdered everyone. From this moment on, Niko had dubbed him a personal target and nicknamed him Dexter after the serial killer. Niko took advantage of the moment and rushed at Eric. He jumped back, which was what we had hoped for: Niko swiped his leg out and caused him to fall. He regained his balance and drove the stake into his heart. The bastard yelled out in pain and then became quiet. Niko turned to look at Dexter and grinned at the rage and hatred in his eyes; the sweet feeling of contempt caused his adrenaline to pump faster.

He used his super strength and caused Dexter to tumble to the ground. Niko rushed at him and began punching him repeatedly in the face. It worked, up until the vampiress grabbed him and thrust him into his jeep. Niko yelled out in pain as he rolled over his jeep and smashed through the window. The glass shattered loudly and pieces flew everywhere. Dazed and disoriented, Niiko tried to move and found his back in splitting pain. He twitched as he tried to move fruitlessly. Dexter grabbed him by the feet and thrust him into the wall. He cried out in pain as he smacked into it and fell onto the ground. Gasping for air, his vision blurred and his body aching, Niko scrambled back to his feet. The vampiress began punching him repeatedly and too quick for him to react. He flinched in pain and raised his arms to protect his face. Fury rose inside of him as the possibility of dying here filled his mind. Her cruel laughter fueled his contempt as he blindly struck back. It took a few hits, but he heard her cry out. Next, he grabbed her head and smashed it into the wall. Her skull cracked audibly and she crumpled to the ground.

Blinded by pain, Niko grabbed Dexter and bit into his arm savagely. He tore his teeth out and severed part of her arm. He regained a small field of vision and stole his stake from Eric’s body and turned it to stab Dexter next. Niko kicked him backwards and turned to the vampiress who had climbed back onto her feet. With blood dripping from his mouth and rage in his eyes, she did not approach.

”Go.” Niko growled menacingly as he raised the bloody stake and wiped his face off with his hand. He charged at her threateningly and she bolted away. Niko watched her escape and began to catch his breath. Once he was able to stand up and breathe, he began hiding the bodies in a nearby dumpster. He wished he had matches on him, but it would have to do for now. Next, he called for backup and sourly explained what had happened. He was shaking with rage as he understood he was screwed.

---

Operation Humanity Infirmary - 4pm

One hour later and he was in the infirmary for examination. He’d been thoroughly examined and then patched up. He had bruises all over his body and his right eye was swollen shut temporarily. His head would recover, although he’d be sore for now and under concussion protocol. Niko ignored everyone’s comments and concerns, unable to care. Niko was furious he had to stay and be examined for a concussion. The infirmary would only make it more awkward and uncomfortable when Trotter came. Cursing mentally, he stared at the wall. Niko shut his eyes and began envisioning her once more, and felt his mind begin to drift peacefully.

That was until the door opened and he heard the Colonel’s voice in a disdainful, enraged hiss: ”Nikolaus.”

[princess]

Time:Noon --> 4pm
Location:Operation Humanity HQ
Interactions:@Potter@FunnyGuy

Shay had not been keen to give up much information, but Angel saw through her act. She knew there was something she could get out of her, but being that Angel was not sure what the witch was capable of and also empathized with her spot, she'd let it go for now. It was only so long ago that people had tried to badger her for information after she was fresh from a traumatic situation. Trotter would display her head on a stick outside the HQ if she did not get back before noon. She ended up dropping Shay off at Holiday Inn with some money and told her to call her if she needed help. Angel also called her a bitch for not telling her anything but that's besides the point.

Angel had driven by the dump with intent to pick up Remy, but did not see her anywhere. She knew it was very possible Remy got a ride home, yet she felt her stomach sink. Texting and calling Remy had no result. She texted Sean asking if Remy was at the HQ before continuing her journey back. Angel immediately moved to Remy's bedroom, peaking inside. Still, no Remy. Angel chewed her lip but figured she could take care of herself wherever she was off to. She was more resourceful than anyone she had ever seen. She knew they'd question her on it and wrestled with the idea of covering for her as the two had always done for each other. It had only been noon anyway.

For the hour after that, Angel threw herself into running on the track. She felt like hurling afterward, but immediately threw herself into weight training to keep avoiding growing apprehension. Then she practiced her swordskills. Others in the room noticed she was a bit more vicious today and had cleared out the space nearby her. After a shower and change of clothes, she was then running out of distractions. It was 4pm.

She found herself pacing in the hallway, dressed in a tank top and black sweatpants. Trotter suddenly bolted out of his office as she was idly procrastinating going in to talk to him. Angel froze up in surprise, expecting to be yelled at for going off the premises, but he did not even notice her. The man started moving with a vengeance in the other direction.

He was pissed off at someone other than her? It was a miracle.

Angel let him go a bit ahead before following him curiously. He was heading to the infirmary. The guy was going to go yell at sick people. He never ceased to keep surprising her with new and fun ways to become more of an asshole. She leaned against the wall once he went inside a room.

”Nikolaus.”

Yup. Trotter was going to tear him a new one by the judge of his tone.

Nikolaus was one of the other few experiments. He was a bit older than her but closer in age to her than most of the hunters. They had got on well as kids but he had gotten more serious and weird over the years and she had isolated herself for her own reasons. They talked and trained still but it was all business between them now. Still, the thought of him being hurt brought back a nostalgic feeling, and she could not help but need to know what was going on. She moved herself closer to the room to eavesdrop. Besides, whether she liked it or not, she needed to talk to Trotter and tell him Remy was missing possibly.

[Pink Khione]

---

---

Time: 4 PM
Location: Alexei's
Interaction with:

“Alright, an old fashioned coming up!”

Vivian tapped the order from one of the regulars into a point-of-service machine by the bar. She was giddier than usual thanks to Alexander’s hospitality earlier that day, though it would be fair to say that additional shots of alcohol did the most to influence Vivian’s mood. She decided to buy a few more after her benefactor left, in celebration of her new wealth. The afternoon remained leisurely as usual for the most part, with the unusual exception of a daytime brawl happening in the parking lot outside the establishment. Vivian had been playing more pool to kill time before the start of her shift and didn’t give it much thought. Bar brawls were a normal occurrence at Alexei’s either way.

Vivian quickly reached for the different ingredients for the old fashioned cocktail and set them in front of her. It was early in her shift and she could still feel an alcoholic buzz fogging her senses somewhat, so she decided to avoid a showy display of bartending tricks. She began assembling the cocktail by placing a glass on the bar counter and dropped in a sugar cube, along with several dashes of various bitters. The ingredients were quickly muddled together with a pestle before being stirred with whiskey and ice. Despite the robotic way Vivian carried out the steps after having made so many before, there was still a fluidity to her movements as she crafted the drink. A sliver of lemon peel was rubbed against the rim to release its essential oils and gently submerged into the beverage as the finishing touch.

The patron seemed happy to receive their drink so quickly after they ordered it. The thin crowd of the afternoon made it easier to give better service, but new groups of customers rolled in as the day inched closer to night, and Vivian became inundated with additional orders.

[FunnyGuy]

Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Sub-Level 2 Operation Humanity Base to Operation Humanity Infirmary
Interaction with: Angel @princess and Nikolaus @Potter

---

For the past few hours, Sean had his eyes glued to a monitor screen. Every now and then he would make a quick trip out to grab a snack or a cold beverage. During these trips, he would check for any messages received or keep an ear open to any of the latest happenings.

His reply was a bit late to Angel's message regarding Remy's whereabouts due to his phone not being allowed within the SCIF and being on one of the sub-levels where the reception was poor. It was a simple…

Not sure

16:00

Sean noted the time displayed on the bottom right corner of the screen and made the decision to log off. He heard word of Nikolaus ending up in the infirmary after a skirmish with a few vampires outside of a local bar. He heard a few different spins on the story, creating some awful rumors. The worst one was that Nikolaus was an alcoholic trying to get his fix early in the day, but got jumped by vampires and is now in critical condition. Despite all of the odd rumors, there was one thing that was true. Nathaniel Trotter was pissed.

He made his way to the infirmary to debrief Nikolaus so he could find out what really happened and possibly retaliate against the human-shaped leeches that jumped him. After reading a bit of the disturbing shit in the files for the experiments, he was itching to kill a few monsters. His calm expression hid his mild disgust for this organization. He got lost a bit and actually managed to walk by Bruno Blonsky's room where there were at least a dozen agents there to hear him blab about being a lone survivor. Sean had always found him and his voice obnoxious, so he kept moving.

Rounding the last corner he slowed almost to a stop. Shit. Sean let out a quiet sigh as he saw Angel just outside what he assumed was Nikolaus' room. After their last interaction, he wanted to have a bit more space before approaching her again. He could simply walk away. She was not facing his direction and was… snooping?

Interesting. Sean raised an eyebrow and kept his footsteps light, his own curiosity piqued. As he moved closer, he was positive Angel was remaining hidden while eavesdropping on whatever was being said inside. He heard the faint but definitive voice of the colonel, which made Angel's actions make a lot more sense. He leaned his back square against the wall a foot beside her before quietly chiming in.

"Is he getting grounded or is it just his allowance this time?" Sean smirked as he thought of the last time his father scolded him as a teenager. He also figured if he started off lighthearted with Angel, she would forget the fact he just crept up on her.

[13org]

Time: Morning => 5pm
Location: Ember Grove Diner => Alexei's
Interaction with: Millie @princess, Lucius @Ithradine, Vivian @Pink Khione.
Mentions:

---

Ylva raised an eyebrow as she heard Luke's words. Since she first time she met him, her instincts told her that there was much more on that man than what he was just showing them. It was almost imperceptible but it was something in his eyes, the way he stared back at her without stepping back or even reacting was a dead giveaway that her instincts were indeed, right. That said... The warning she wanted to give him was already delivered. As long as he minded his own business and didn't make any hostile move towards her, they wouldn't have any problems.

As Ylva, Millie and Luke got out of the diner, Millie asked Ylva and Luke to tell more about themselves. Ylva restricted her stories mostly to the small town she lived in. Ordinary talk to anyone who lived in a small town, nothing suspicious about it on the surface, although it was clear that she didn't say the exact name of the town she lived and didn't talk much about her own past. Unsurprisingly, Luke also didn't give out much about his own past or about what he was hiding. Despite that, Millie didn't seem to catch on the strange atmosphere between Ylva and Luke or if she did, she still managed to maintain an adorably cute smile and cheerful attitude.

After a few minutes of chatting around though, they finally went their own ways. Not before Millie sharing her cellphone number with both of them though. Even though it seemed like Luke had understood her message, Ylva felt like it was still worth giving Millie a small warning about the man in question, which she did so by cellphone, sending her a brief message.

With that brief but interesting meeting over, Ylva was once again on her own, without much to do. Fortunately, she had a very good idea of what she was going to do that evening. She had yet to go exercise or do some hunting since she had arrived on the city and all that time without running freely like she used to do on her hometown was already making her feel a bit stressed. That said, there were a few preparations that needed to be done before she could go to the forest after the camping grounds. She merely had to go home and get a small backpack, the kind that most people would usually take when they went hiking. Small enough to not hinder her movements but spacious enough for her to take a hunting knife and a few things such as a small lighter and another few stuff for an evening 'picnic' that she was planning for her. The first one in quite some time.

With that done, she needed one last thing. No hunt would be complete without some alcohol, of course. Both as a tradition, a way for her to honor her ancestors and to make the lonely evening a bit better. Fortunately, she did heard some people talking about a good place to get some alcohol and that had a good variety too. A place called "Alexei's", Apparently a well known place around the town, something of a hot-spot for the older and younger generations alike. While it might be easier to just go to any small shop and buy a bottle of vodka, she still had some home that the place would have something a bit more... familiar to her, due to the rumors about the variety of drinks it served. That and since there was still some free time before the sun started going down, it was a good opportunity to go to the place and get to know it a bit better. After all, if they indeed had the type of alcohol she was searching for, she would almost certainly become a regular.

Arriving on the place, Ylva could quickly feel that Alexei's was indeed quite a cozy place and the number of patrons inside was a testament to how popular the place was. The rowdy atmosphere, while might be a turnoff for some people, made Ylva feel a bit more at home, as brawls were quite common in fasts and festivities back on her clan. As she made her way to the bar, Ylva approached a black haired woman that had just finished serving a drink to another patron.

"Hey, do you guys have some mead or some akevitt here? Bottle, not just a glass." Ylva said to the woman with an amicable smile as she approached the bar. Her strong accent and the foreign beverages she asked, a clear indication that she wasn't from these parts.

"Figured that I would have better chances of finding them here than in the shelves of a small market or something." she said with a chuckle.

"Other than that, I would also like something to drink. Feel free to recommend me something." she asked, looking to the black haired woman behind the counter.

[FunnyGuy]

-

[Potter]

Nikolaus

Time: 4pm
Location: OH Infirmary
Interaction: Nathanial Trotter & Angel briefly
Mention @princess Angel & @FunnyGuy Sean

“Nikolaus, I expected better of you.“Trotter started disappointedly, shaking his head as he moved into the room hands folded behind his back. He continued after an exasperated sigh. “Going off on your own in the daytime? Paying a guard off? Really? I’ve had this issue with Angel and Remy, but from you? And now look at what it’s done to you. You could have died!” Once the man had started, he couldn’t be stopped. “You deliberately disobeyed me. Do you know how much importance your life is? I will have to revoke privileges from all of you! Oh and then apparently you ran into Drake and did not immediately report it to the HQ!” He stressfully sat down in a seat near the bed and put his face in his hands. After a pause, he mumbled the following question into his hands, separating his fingers to look at him, ”Was it Angel or Remy who got you to do this?”

Nikolaus watched his father begin his rant and stoically stared ahead. Disappointment, huh? He’d expected him to be angrier, and the dissatisfaction began crawling in. Still, the man wasn’t done yet. Niko fought to remain impassive. The guilt burned at the edge of his mind which he too ignored. The thought of him being upset at him dying piqued his interest. He tilted his head to one side and raised an eyebrow. It was short-lived, however, as his ranting began forming into anger. Then Niko felt his blood begin to boil as he clenched his fists. His heart monitor began beeping loudly. How dare he bring Angel into this? He emitted a low growl and resisted the urge to bite his tongue, as the fangs would draw blood. He turned away and thought he saw movement outside indicating people eavesdropping. This only increased his annoyance. He listened to Trotter and fought to remain silent. His mind was racing with retorts.

Niko turned to glower at him once he’d finished. With daggers in his eyes, Niko began his retort. ”I had low expectations, but damn.” Niko glared him down and wished looks could kill. ”You’re blaming this on Angel and Remy? The child you manipulated into this mess, and the other one you permanently screwed up? You’re blaming my actions on them?” He clenched his fists which began turning white. ”Maybe if you weren’t so blinded by your war on the supernaturals, you would take the time to notice it was my own actions and no one else’s. When’s the last time I spoke to those two, huh? Oh, wait. Fucking never, because you won’t let me near them but especially Angel.” Niko let his words sink in as he pushed on with venom in his voice.

”Maybe you should start seeing your assets as people instead of just your toys to use. I’m fucking sick of your training. Do you want to know a fun fact? I nearly broke my back the other day, and Emily told me to rest, but you pushed me to go on. What kind of a person does that to their son? Huh? You. Go screw yourself, Trotter.” He then picked up a bottle of water and almost whipped it at him. He sucked in a deep breath and drank some water. One finished, he set it down and glared venomously. He drank some water and awaited the waves of fury that would emit from this son of a bitch.

Trotter did a double-take, blinking. He let Nikolaus finish his rant and gave him a cold stare. “This isn’t about those girls. I just did not expect this behavior from you and being that the two have a track record, I came to that conclusion.” He got up suddenly and stood over him. “Son, I did not raise you to react in pure emotion. You need to think critically here. Your feelings are not important right now. You ran into Alexander Drake. The creature is responsible for hundreds of deaths. Even the deaths of Angel’s family. Yet you are making this about you being upset because you don’t get to hang out enough with the girls and you had a hard training session? This is nonsense.”

He stood up suddenly and waved his hand as if to wave off the conversation. Nikolaus was going off on a tangent in his eyes and not giving him the answers he needed and the boy seemed unnecessarily fixated on Angel just as he had been in his youth. ”Nevermind. Clearly you are covering for her... Nikolaus, I need you to explain to me what happened with Alexander.”

Nikolaus listened to him and felt his fury rise. The man's assumptions were wrong and he went to interject. However, the Colonel did not waste time and continued. He clenched his fists. The beeping of the monitor kept increasing, and it was likely his blood pressure rising. Dizziness was making the room spin, and he felt as if he couldn’t focus on Trotter. Unfortunately, it did not tune out his voice. He let go of his fists and felt his stomach churn. He fought his reaction and took deep breaths to slowly relax. Stress would only make his conditions worse. Sadly, there wasn’t any fixing it right now. The man had the nerve to pin it on Angel? Why was he surprised he wasn’t listening? Niko gritted his teeth and began to draw blood inside. He spat it out on the floor callously and turned back. He hated his fangs. The guilt was rising and he felt helpless and powerless as he had numerous times in the past.

Once he’d finished, Nikolaus glared vehemently. ”Blame Angel one more time,” He began low in a menacing tone, ”and I will make sure that the trip to Alexei’s look like a fucking field trip.” He sat up and shook his head as he began laughing sourly. There wasn’t humor in his laugh or eyes. He sat up and coughed hard. Briefly, he remembered his ribs had been bruised the nurse had said. He ignored it. A bruised rib wasn't enough to hold him back. ”Nothing happened with Drake. On the bright side, he was much nicer to me than you are, and he tried to have me unsuccessfully killed. If you wanted someone without emotions, you should have hired a robot.” He said nothing more and waved him off as he had done so previously. ”I’m done talking to you." He swallowed hard as not to show emotion and laid back down. His monitor was beeping loudly, and he was trying to take deep breaths to control it. He glanced at his blood pressure; it was higher than normal. Niko growled and faced the other way to avoid looking at the Colonel.

Trotter was silent as his eyes traveled to the heart monitor whilst listening to Nikolaus threaten him. He wasn’t sure how to get through to him and reach any understanding. The conversation was apparently stressing him out to an extreme and adding to his irrationality. To have his own son threaten him in such a way disturbed him and his own limit was getting pushed. His face reddened when Niko went as far as to compare him to Drake. Trotter had contained his composure this long, but Niko was to find out that his father was not a robot either.

His countenance indicated that he was ready to smack Nikolaus across the face, but he didn’t move to. He was glaring him down as he fought against his rising anger and instead concentrated on trying to pinpoint what was lighting this fire in Nikolaus, his usually rule-abiding son. The problem was clear from Nikolaus’s fixation in the conversation and she conveniently walked right into the room as if the universe was answering his question.

”Remy’s missing.”

Trotter stared as the young woman moved swiftly into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed, changing the topic and inviting herself in as if nothing else had been happening.

Niko watched as the angel herself strode into the room. Shocked, he watched her stride in casually and then take a seat nearby him. His heart monitor which had been slowing down, was now picking up again. Damn it. He began fidgeting with the cord until her words registered. Remy was missing? Oh God. He stared at her with wide eyes. ”What?” His voice was filled with horror.

[princess]

Time:Afternoon
Location:Operation Humanity
Interactions:@Potter@FunnyGuy

Angel had been focused on hearing what was being said between the father and son when Sean crept up on her, so she had jumped in reaction, startled. She glanced at him as she regained her composure, answering, "I don't know what even happened to be honest. Trying to get the four-one-one now." After stepping to the side, she gestured for him to join in on eavesdropping. "I know you are pretty straight-edge and all, but you're welcome to listen for yourself."

However, it did not seem to even be necessary for Sean to press his ear to the door as the conversation became loud in volume quite fast. She caught on to that Nikolaus had also gone off-grounds today and had run into Drake. Angel made a face at that idea. She had snuck off so much in the last year and the art gallery had been the only time she had ever run into that thing. Nikolaus snuck out finally for whatever reason and easily came across him in a personal setting.

She focused more intently as she heard her name get mumbled. Nikolaus was luckily nice and clear for her to understand. Trotter was blaming her and Remy, which was no surprise. They had become the go-to scapegoats of the HQ. At every school, when a fire alarm would go off, one kid's name always would arise to mind as the culprit in everyone's head. Angel and Remy were those kids here. What was surprising was Nikolaus's defense of them and that he apparently wasn't even allowed near her. It got better the more Nikolaus went on, especially when he finally told him to go screw himself.

It's about time someone said it.

Trotter replied predictably, the point of Nikolaus's words flying above his head like a game of monkey-in-the-middle. The subject at hand didn't matter: this was just a frustrated son wanting his father to be his father and a father who wanted his son to be his perfect soldier regardless of what the son actually wanted. Angel wished she could knock sense into Trotter. She would have given anything to keep her father alive and in her life, and he hadn't been perfect either. Her father had put similarly too much expectations on Noah and the two often butted heads, but she knew from Noah's expression as they had sat in that cage that he would have done anything to hear their dad's voice again. If either of the two knew what it was like to lose each other for good, this conversation would had never happened.

Angel let go of her thoughts before it became too much of a trip down memory lane. She listened as the man tried to give up on the conversation and cut it off on the point that Niko was covering for Angel, which she did not understand why he thought Nikolaus would put that much effort into her. The two barely talked anymore and she figured he wouldn't care whether or not she got in trouble.

”Blame Angel one more time...and I will make sure that the trip to Alexei’s look like a fucking field trip.”

"Yow... Wow. Okay." Angel reacted in shock and looked at Sean as the situation got worse, escalating to Nikolaus comparing Trotter to Drake. "He's a dead man." She said, only exaggerating a little. Trotter always got heated when it came to Drake, the two being as sworn enemies as Batman and Joker. Angel had to wonder if Nikolaus was suicidal making this type of move. She clenched her fists and said to Sean, "Okay. I'm doing it. You can have my laptop if I die."

Angel pushed open the door and moved over to the bedside to sit on it. Her first impulse was to meddle and give Trotter an earful, but the sound of Nikolaus's rising blood pressure convinced her to just change the topic. She also decided at that moment to not reveal she had been eavesdropping."Remy's missing." She proclaimed. This was important and an emergency anyhow.

Apparently, the statement was a conversation killer. The room got real quiet. She wondered if Sean was going to barge in too; it would definitely make things less awkward for her. Nikolaus finally spoke up and she glanced at him. He was badly bruised and looked like he had most definitely bruised up his rib. Her gaze traveled to the blood on the floor and then back up at him. Her expression softened, but she couldn't find the words to express what she felt. Nikolaus was arguably a better fighter than she was; he had to have been ambushed badly.

Trotter cleared his throat to get their attention and asked, "When was the last time you saw her?"

She glanced backward at him, "This morning. She went to the dump and I went to go pick her up and she wasn't there. Came back here this afternoon and haven't seen her here since. I know you chipped us so go track her." Her tone got rather intense without her necessarily meaning for it to. The idea of Remy being gone put her on edge and as had listening to that argument.

"Don't take that tone with me, Angel. You two are not to leave the headquarters. I will look into Remy's location immediately. I need to have a meeting with you two later regarding what your privileges here are. Let this be a lesson that you cannot just go about the town as others can. You are gifted, like it or not and they will target you. "He stated, turning away from them as he spoke. Angel had rolled her eyes at his first statement, but she picked up on pretty quickly that Trotter himself seemed even more on edge after hearing that Remy was missing. She glanced toward the door, and perhaps that was her mistake as he followed her gaze and noticed Sean.

"Mr. Stone. Care to join us? Impeccable timing. You will watch that these two remain put tonight. Notify me immediately otherwise." Trotter addressed Sean, turning to face the doorway.

[FunnyGuy]

Time: Afternoon
Location: Operation Humanity Infirmary
Interaction with: Angel @princess and Nikolaus @Potter

---

Straight edge? Me? Sean did not have a chance to retort to Angel's claim due to the escalating back and forth happening within the room. From what he could hear, it sounded like a full-on, no holds bar, hardcore episode of Jerry Springer. Even had the beeps.

Sean was waiting to hear the hint of a fistfight as Nikolaus' heart monitor beeped rapidly. But…

"Okay. I'm doing it. You can have my laptop if I die."

"Wait no…" Angel already entered. He let out a sigh, assuming things would only get worse inside. Instead, Angel revealed news far more pressing than Nikolaus' day-drinking adventure. Remy was missing, but was she really? Sean was aware Angel would know better than anyone. They were notoriously known as partners in crime amongst the other hunters, and Sean could not agree more. Even then, it was Remy they were talking about.

He entered the room, almost unnoticed as Angel and Colonel Trotter had an exchange that was filled with disdain, but that was normal in Sean's opinion. When Trotter's gaze landed on him, he gave a silent nod, his expression neutral.

"Mr. Stone. Care to join us? Impeccable timing."

"Always." Sean replied smugly.

"You will watch that these two remain put tonight. Notify me immediately otherwise."

"Can't. I need Angel for a hunt tonight since your pride and joy got his ass handed to him." Sean's expression was cold now. He hated the babysitting gig. Trotter stared at Sean, not sure about his going around his authority.

"If she's busy, she can't wander, right? Besides, there's no need for everyone to overreact about Remy not checking in. It's Remy. She's probably sleeping at an orphanage again."

"Fine. That might be just what she needs. Work. And I don't expect Nikolaus to go off on his own again with his injuries." Trotter said as he started toward the door, but he was not done speaking. "Then again, I'm not sure I know what to expect from him anymore."

[Crusader Lord]

Charlotte Wardwell

Time: ~4pm
Location: Long Alley between the Hospital and Church and such other buildings in that area.
Interaction: n/a

---

Today was not going so well for her.

"Get the hell back here you bitch!" the man growled, his eyes faint with a yellow glow as he darted into the alley after her.

...Really not well, actually. The kind of not well you get when a visitor in town asking for directions turns out to be a werewolf with a hate-boner for witches. The kind of not well when you are running for your life, trying not to expose yourself to the general public the day after a domestic terror attack on her University. So far she'd made it down the street and into a long alley before bolting, and her pursuer only picking up the pace after getting into the alley as well. Between the Church and the Hospital and alleyways between the buildings there was, of all places, perhaps one of her worst choices to flee...though depending on things might not be the worst idea for a place to be found dead in terms of sheer, raw irony.

"Fuck you!"

She did her best to telekinetically toss a few things in her pursuer's path, including some bags sitting near an open dumpster as she ran past. It wasn't much of anything to deter the man, however, as he seemed to just get angry and tear them to the side or apart as he seemingly now began to shift.

Crap.

She'd only moved here a couple months, trying to get herself settled more before college kicked in next spring. Online classes were the way to go in her book, at least in making it easier to lock herself away and get cozy or otherwise multi-task with her spell training. Likewise she was thinking of trying to get a part-time job at least somewhere in the local area, maybe as a cook in some place? It seemed more appealing than some kinds of jobs, at least, but she'd yet to look after the exhausting move left her just trying to get comfortable here and in her apartment. But no, she had to move to the insane place where campus got attacked before she could even begin classes and now a werewolf from out of town had stumbled in and was trying to kill her!!!

'You know you could ask us for help, yes? Please don't be one of those other lives that died very young.'

'Our latest self doth inherit it from thine side of the family! Back in mine day our might wouldst have already turned this dastardly beast into naught but ash!'

'And exposing yourself in public by using blatant magic is an ok thing to do here? This isn't a tribe of ancient Bretons you can just mystify and lead on, you idiot! Even if she survived it'd probably lead to her death by human hands.'

'Says the one who got herself beheaded in France during the Revolution.'

'Don't hold zat againzt her! Vee are goink to be dyink' if you cannot stop zee bickering und help!"

Ah. The usual chatter within her skull had been somewhat ignored as the threat of impending death was looming over her. However that one past life with the German-French-Russian accent (she could not tell which even after 6 years) did have a point. She didn't want to die, and the bickering wasn't helping anything either. Plus she had yet to properly hit the right skill level with the 'fire' spell either.

'Do any of you have an actual ideaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh ssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttt!!!'

Distracted for a moment as she tried to internally talk to the past lives in her head, literally so, she was looking back at her pursuer before running body-first into the hood of a parked car. Wait, what kind of idiot parked their car in an alley like this?! No matter, as it sent her bowling over to the side and onto the ground before she clutched her stomach briefly. Yet even from her position she could undoubtedly see her pursuer running over with a bloodlust in his eyes and mouth already baring fangs to take a chomp.

There wasn't time to run. There wasn't time to get back up. Her mind scrambled for an answer as even the voices also tried to debate what to do, time slowing down before her eyes seemingly...until eventually something cut through the noise seemingly out of the blue. It was familiar to her core, and yet at the same time foreign to her like some kind of long-forgotten memory. As calm as a peaceful, cloudless day, and yet with the subtle power of a mighty storm.

Even the other voices immediately shut up when it rang out from the deepest confines of her self.

'Please use this.'

Charlotte didn't even think twice as the past life shared its experience with her in the form of a spell, the information seeming to seamlessly flowing in like a smooth liquid honey. Her hands rose up off of the ground as she did so, as if she'd done this a thousand times before, and a certain familiar yet alien sensation of self set in. It wasn't a new thing to experience this info-dump from a past life, and yet at the same time it felt...older, more primal in her hands right now. Like she could smell dusty plains, and the damp shores of rivers, and feel the heat of the sun baking the ground beneath her feet for the briefest of recognizable moments.

Then, without a single word uttered, the car and power lines nearby arced with electricity as it was forced out from it. Like a wellspring of Zeus' fury it poured forth from around them both, catching her pursuer in such surprise his eyes could only widen in the moment before-

'CRACK!'

'BOOM!'

...As her breathing slowed back down, the tiredness began to hit her body in a familiar dull ache. From the intensity of the feeling she'd really let loose something this time, as it wasn't this draining before to make use of the knowledge/experience sharing with her past lives before. Yet as her senses began to return in the aftermath of the knowledge sharing, at the point it became clear her body froze cold as she looked at the scene that lied before her. A cold sweat formed all over her back in an instant, and the thumping of her heart began to ring in her ears.

What...ah...what was left intact and not covering the walls and ground and car and even her clothes was a nightmarish scene straight out of a horror movie. No words except 'charred and uncharred all over the place' came to mind, and resisting the urge to retch she scrambled up to her feet in haste. Without a second thought she bolted away, running as fast as her tired body could manage. By the time she rounded the corner and stuck herself to the wall, she heard a couple of doors open and a shrill scream of terror go out into the air. At least one person, for better or for worse, had just come back to check what in the hell had happened...and come upon a scene Charlotte was loathe to even look back on.

Dammit all. Ok. Ok. No, she could handle getting out of this. She could take a hot bath after getting back to her apartment. She would have to use Cloaking to hide, and Change to try to turn the blood spatter on her into something that could be passed off as paint or such. Simple stuff, yes.

With that, the 19 year old silently cast her first Cloaking spell of the day and began to dart away towards the right in the direction of the area to the south that the Arcade was in. It would be a while before she got back to clean up properly and get rid of these clothes to be safe, but she prayed that nothing else supernatural and menacing would have noticed it. Especially other witches.

---

Valya Karaznov

Time: ~4pm
Location: Park
Interaction: n/a

---

It wasn't that the flight here had been terrible, but more so that the need to get out into some open air was even greater after she arrived last night. Ah. Of course with the news telling about a 'domestic terror attack' and the lingering smells of so many 'off' things it was easy to tell it was a hub of some supernatural activity. Vampires. Werewolves. Witches. Probably Hunters as well based on how she'd seen things go in other places. It was equal parts frustrating and exciting, tantalizing and yet troublesome. So of course her old friend had moved here into such a place yet again, whether intentionally or not.

She'd heard from the girl's parents that she'd moved here, and that had been enough of a lead to go on so far. Had taken her far too long to even find her family, much less anyone from that secretive coven that would spill the beans or knew. Far too long. Years too long, and yet it was fine all the same. She was here now, and she would be able to at least see how this incarnation behaved and was like. Hopefully friendly enough to actually have a chat, unlike...four lives ago? No, three, it was three incarnations ago that was somewhat of an asshole for a while. Regardless, whether they were active friends in this life or not she had to see her at the very least...she'd promised.

"Another lovely day," she mulled quietly aloud as the edges of her lips drew up every so slightly, all whilst her arms and legs crossed as she sat on the park bench in a lovely dress.

Her eyes were drawn up toward the sky, looking out in the blue void for a moment before letting her eyes close. It always looked the same since those days. Always had been the same all around the world, and she liked that just fine in her opinion. Could almost taste the dates in those 'cakes' they'd eaten back then. Heh.

But still, this place would be interesting. All she had to do was find her main goal here, and then she could look for some mischief or action to watch...maybe get involved with even~

If nothing else, the clubs and bars would provide ample basic entertainment for her regardless.

[Pink Khione]

---

Time: 5PM
Location: Alexei's
Interaction with: Ylva @13org

The atmosphere in Alexei’s steadily picked up as the sun receded and more people passed through the doors. The crowds filled the air with chatter and sounds of merrymaking, accompanied by the smell of warm meals and booze. In the background, the clacks of swung pool cues and colliding pool balls sounded rhythmically.

A lone patron greeted Vivian at the bar. She had a unique, memorable appearance that stood out from typically plainly dressed Ember Grove-ians, but Vivian appreciated her uncommon features. It reminded her of the years she spent working in hostels and New York City’s underground bars, frequented by all sorts of colorful people and subcultures. There was a ferocity in her appearance and presence as well; the stranger exuded a confidence that Vivian found appealing.

Vivian smiled at the guest’s request. “Akevitt… Hmm, not a popular drink around these parts, but you’ve come to the right place! We might actually have some. Give me a moment.”

She shuffled around in the lower cabinets for their extra stock of alcohol. The owner of the place seemed to have a knack for collecting unusual liquors, from exotic asian wines to spiced varieties from central and south america. The european stash seemed to be stowed in the lower left side of one of the cabinets, and it didn’t take long for Vivian to take out a bottle of the scandanavian spirit.

“Here it is, a whole unopened bottle.” She placed the bottle in front of the patron along with an empty, chilled glass for her to pour the drink into. “I can also make a custom cocktail for you out of this if you’d like.”

Vivian’s curiosity nabbed her to ask the customer more about her unusual request. It wasn’t typical for someone to order a whole bottle for themselves, unless it was wine. She predicted a conversation with her would be more interesting than the mundanities of most customers who have lived in this local bubble their entire lives. She smiled again at the fierce woman, “Are you new to Ember Grove? I just moved here myself a few months back, so it’s nice to see another outsider.” Vivian gestured at the bottle of liquor and lightly chuckled. “Looks like you have something to celebrate today.”

[13org]

Time: 5pm
Location: Alexei's
Interaction with: Vivian @Pink Khione.
Mentions:

---

Truth be told, Ylva was already expecting them to not have Akevitt or even Mead and was starting to think about a substitute but when the black haired woman told her that they actually had some, an entire bottle at that, she couldn't help but let out a surprised smile and a chuckle. To make it even more surprising, the particular bottle she had was one Ylva particularly liked.

"Hey, didn't think I would see one of those so far away from home." Ylva said with a chuckle as she looked at the bottle.

"And this one happens to be one of my favorite ones." she said with a satisfied smirk.

When she heard the woman's offer to make her a custom cocktail for her, Ylva raised an eyebrow with a curious expression. She had still some free time until it got dark enough for her to head to the woods. Plus, she was certain that her ancestors wouldn't mind if she took a small sip before the small ceremony and the offering.

"Hm... That would be interesting! Surprise-me." Ylva said with a smile, accepting her offer as she slid the still unopened bottle towards her and sat down in front of the counter.

"Oh and yeah, I arrived just a few weeks ago. You probably noticed by now but I'm Norwegian. Not exactly hard to notice, I know." she said with an amused chuckle.

"Hm... In a certain manner..." she replied when the black haired woman mentioned that it seemed like she was celebrating something.

"It's an old tradition, to share a drink in memory and respect for your ancestors and to those that passed away." she explained.

"Normally, it is a huge feast, with alcohol, food, meat, which is also usually hunted and slaughtered on the spot." she said, reminiscing about the previous feasts that she had with her clan.

"It's honestly great. Totally different from what most people think when they hear the words 'old tradition' or 'ceremony'. Drink and eat all you want, friendly spars and drunken brawls, dancing and singing soon after... The only bad part is the hangover if you're not a local or if it is your first time." she continued with a smile and a chuckle.

"It won't be much of a 'feast' this time though. At least not compared to how they were. Still, even though I am by myself, I still plan to honor my ancestors with a smile on my face and a drink in my hand." Ylva said, gently knocking on the Akevitt bottle with the back of her hand with a half smile.

"That said, It seems I found myself quite a nice place. I feel quite at home here. You guys do have Akevitt and I suppose Mead as well and even the occasional brawl!" She said with a laugh as she saw two guys brawling in the back.

"Might not party as rough as my kin but I certainly will become a regular." Ylva said, looking to the black haired woman once again. If she paid enough attention, Vivian would notice that the way Ylva referred to her people was a bit... different than normal.

"I am Ylva by the way." she said, extending her hand towards the black haired woman with an amicable smile. Should Vivian accept the handshake, she would feel a firm and strong handshake from Ylva. In a certain manner, exactly what one would have expected from her, due to her rather strong physique for a woman.

[FunnyGuy]

Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Ember Grove Diner
Mentions: Shay @Potter and Charlotte @Crusader Lord

Shay.

A name that had become quite popular this weekend, gaining all sorts of attention in the hidden world of the supernatural. Dante, the silent warlock enjoying a delicious chicken wrap, pondered the woman himself. From what he gathered was that she had escaped New Paeonia and that Alexander wanted her dead. So much so, others were being targeted the Sanguine Moon in grisly attacks.

Does she know something? It would have to be damaging to the Sanguine Moon if she is such a priority.

His faithful companion and familiar, Ash sat on her hind legs next to his stool at the counter. Despite allowing Dante's "service animal" in the diner, they place him and his pet far away from others at the far end of the counter. It was easier to isolate him since he was by himself.

He and Ash shared a look before he smiled and gave her a soft pat on her head. Familiars had deep connections to their companion witches and warlocks. They served as guides, guardians, and even just friends. Dante and Ash knew each other best. She was aware he wanted to go after this Shay woman as acquiring her would help the Circle of the Ancients greatly.

It was settled. At least until a thunderous sound boomed from outside. People within the diner were unsettled, try to see if what had made the sound was visible through the many large windows of the diner. Ash simply barked once, which only proved the sound to be from the use of magic.

Dante sighed as he walked from the counter with a plate of fries and a half-eaten wrap with a few bills beside it.

What he saw in the alley as he came upon the scene was horrific. A charred unrecognizable corpse lay on the ground with bits of it spattered about. There were already people snapping pictures and recording the still steaming remains. Ash barked once more seemingly picking up something from the scene, a culprit to follow. She tugged against the leash attached to her harness to lead the way.

Shay can wait.

[Potter]

Nikolaus

Time: 4pm
Location: OH Infirmary
Interaction: @princess Angel & @FunnyGuy Sean
Mention @Pink Khione Vivian

Nikolaus was shocked into silence. Remy was missing. He’d gone out for his own selfish reasons and now the poor child was missing. A chill down his spine intensified his fears that she was in the Devil’s camp. He scowled as he listened to Trotter. Despite his fury, he managed to give him a faint and begrudging nod. ”Screw you,” he thought bitterly. Niko sighed as he watched the exchange. He felt as if there was a weight on his chest. Remy was missing, and now he couldn’t help search for her. One glance at Angel after hearing her tone told him enough. She was going to lose it. He sat up and bit his lip. What could he do to help? His mind wandered momentarily then returned back to Trotter and Sean. Niko rolled his eyes at his commentary. Whatever Sean thought was his business.

When it seemed as if he’d finally leave, the Colonel made a comment that caused Niko physical pain. He managed a scowl and hid his reaction. Niko remained silent the entire time until the Colonel had left. When the coast was clear, he gestured to Angel or Sean to shut the door. Once the task was accomplished, he turned to them both. ”I have news as well. My escapade was worth it.” He cleared his throat and slowly sat up. He winced but continued, ”Alexander is learning billiards and had a human at Alexei’s teaching him. She’s about our age. Also, he invited her to come to New Paeonia.” His tone was serious as he glanced between Angel and Sean. ”This human seems rather innocent and naïve to what he really is. I don’t want her ending up in his hellhole and becoming one of them.” For whatever reason, he felt compelled to protect the innocent. Maybe it was knowing that sweet, hyper Remy was in danger and was bringing it on. That poor child…

He cleared his throat again as he glanced at his heat monitor. It was beeping consistently although his blood pressure had dropped. Perhaps it was because the Angel herself was in this room, lighting it up with her beauty and grace. He kept trying not to stare at her as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye instead. ”Are you okay, Angel?” He tried to remain impassive as he inquired casually. Or tried too, at least. He scowled in pain from his ribs and sighed. ”The bastard sent three vampires and it still wasn’t enough.” He chuckled to himself.

[Milkman]

Location: Sorrel’s apartment / Alexei’s
Time: 5pm
Interacting with: @taeSorrel @IthradineVolvango @13orgYlva @Pink KhioneVivian
Mention:

Finn gobbled up his breakfast like there was no tomorrow. Volvango’s sausage and eggs were a delicious treat that at least partly took away the anger he felt after talking about his father. Just thinking about that man made Finn rage inside, as if it ignited an inferno of pent up emotions. With a hard bite the young wolf finished up his breakfast. It was clear to everyone that Finn had talked about topics that he does not like to talk about. He let out a sigh and looked around. “Thanks for the breakfast Volvango, it was delicious. Finn paused a bit before he continued to speak. ”I really appreciate it that you let me stay here for a while Sorrel, I hope it’s not too much trouble. I’m going out now. There are some places I still need to visit. I’ll be back for dinner I guess.” With those words spoken Finn left Sorrel’s apartment.

It was party true that there were still some places he needed to go. There was this girl, Maeve who gave him her card and had some tea shop or something that he lost in the fight last night. And ofcourse he still wanted to talk to the campus police some time but not really now. The truth was that Finn needed some time alone, some space to clear his head and also someone to serve as a punching bag.

Without his cellphone to guide him around, Finn quickly became lost in Ember Grove. Once more the young wolf realized how annoying it is to not have anything except the clothes he was wearing. No money, no cellphone and only a place to stay as a charity. He could not keep relying on Sorrel to supply him with a roof, food and clothes forever. It just felt wrong. As if Finn was not good enough to take care of himself.

Annoyed about getting lost the young wolf kicked against an empty beercan that was lying on the sidewalk. He watched the tin can fly through the air and crash into the back of the head of some tough guy standing in front of the local dive bar with a few friends. Angered the pumped up man, covered in tattoos turned around and stepped towards Finn with big passes.

“You’re looking for a fight, kid? Don’t you fucking no who I am?” shouted the man in front of Alexi’s as he pushed away the much smaller and lighter Finn.

”Who you are? Some drunken nobody who has taken way too many roids. Why don’t you go take a hike before you humiliate yourself in front of your homies even more?” Taunted the young wolf as he remained unintimidated by the big man in front of him.

Finn knew that he could just wolf up and rip these humans apart and gobble them down like breakfast but that would be no challenge. No, he was going to clobber these guys the human way. He had finally found his punching bag.

Before the young wolf could throw some more nasty remarks towards the guy he saw him take this huge haymaker. The kind of swing all these amateurs make. The ones that you could see coming from miles away and are far too easy to duck under and counter. And that is exactly what happened. The arm swung over Finn’s head, hitting nothing but air. Quickly the young wolf countered with a punch to the big guy's chin however the man was unstirred.

It didn’t really matter who’s face Finn was redecorating when he felt like this. He was just angry. Angry at the world, his father and himself. And fighting was the only way he knew how to let his anger out. Even though the young wolf knew deep down inside that it was just a temporary relief and no real solution to the inner demons that haunted him.

As Finn and the big drunk were exchanging blows, both men realized too late to stop it. A loud bang and the sound of breaking glass filled the air as both combatants came crashing down Alexei’s door, tumbling over the ground and landing in full view of the bartender and patrons. Quickly the young wolf punched the lights out of the big drunk and spoke quickly while grabbing the head of the unconscious guy and making a nodding movement. “My pal here is going to pay for all the damages. See, he’s nodding in agreement.”

[Ithradine]

Time: Afternoon
Location: Ember Grove Mall
Interaction:@princess - Emelie
Mentions:@13org = Ylva
Jams:

---

Lucius had just entered the mall after taking care of a couple of chores. The walk with Emelie and Ylva was surprisingly uneventful as he unfortunately did not find an opportunity to reveal more of his true-self. One front at a time. The hour was nearing and his followers were putting on the final touches and getting into positions. His eyes swept through the crowd, spotting familiar faces every so often. Speaking of which, Lucius spotted what appeared to be Emelie sitting across the way. A brief glance at the watch on his wrist and he shrugged. Now it was a matter of flipping through the various spells in his head.

His shoulders dropped, his steps slowed, and he beamed brightly as he finally moved into her sightline "Millie? Didn't expect to see you so soon again!" He enthusiastically said, still bearing his Luke persona though its time was running out by the minute "Mind if sit next to you?" The voice was polite, but Lucius did not wait for even a moment for a response. With a few inches between them, Lucius inhaled deeply looking out towards the crowd and not once at her "Luna tacet." He turned his head towards her "A bit of an outdated spell, but it should keep our conversation to ourselves." Every word dropped in tone and lost its previous owner's luster "I had wanted to talk more earlier, but the little puppy wanted to play as well." A light chuckle left his mouth.

Lucius has had a small number of 'apprentices', enough to count on his hands, through his life. Their lives tended to be volatile, but their services have been incredibly valuable during that time. The political climate of Ember Grove was deteriorating, and fast, even without his direct intervention. Emelie had drawn his interest enough that he considered her a possible candidate. If anything, it was interesting to see what these new witches could do with his knowledge. Routine is the enemy of progress after all and no person was innocent of its crime.

[Crusader Lord]

Charlotte Wardwell

Time: ~4pm A short while later
Location: Apartment #405, Northern Residential Area (East of the University)
Interaction: (Soon) Dante @FunnyGuy

---

If she could do anything about, she would be a couch burrito for the next few hours.

Such was what Charlotte thought to herself as she sat on the old couch in her apartment, donning a baggy sweater (Note: See her profile pic) black-and-white-striped sweater and wrapped up right in a thick, warm, tan blanket with white edges to ward against the cold. To her the whole arrangement was like a thick layer of comfortable heat, the sort of sensation she got when the bed was warm and she had to get up early in the morning. The kind of comfortable that made the body untense and relax, enveloped in sheer comfort and kind of radiating warmth that people had to ultimately give up to go about the day. It was the least she had tried to do, after putting a cup of comfortable lukewarm hot cocoa into her fresh out of the microwave albeit, after the whole incident and how tired it made her feel. It was like someone had sapped the strength out of her limbs by the time she got back, and frankly the prospect of a nap was enticing and yet too late to give into at the same time.

In front of her the TV was on, and at that currently playing some kind of mindless reality show. Something about a Bounty Hunter? Probably was a re-run, footage seemed early 2000s to boot, but it was something she knew would keep her mind busy and off the crap still prodding at the back of her head.

'We are all still right here, you know, and if anyone got trail of that 'accident' then you won't be alone for too long.'

'Zis' is true, preparations or at least a circle would be good at zee' least, though do please continue to take your time. If anything eez' on your tail zehn'-"

'Stop, all of you! Let the poor girl rest for a moment. It has been a rather long time since 'she' spoke up, and a few of us at least know how draining taking something from her can be. Or from the rest of us at that.'

That one voice did have a point, or rather she simply wanted to agree with her at this point in time for the sake of her exhaustion. Meh.

Whatever that one voice that had lent her something back there, however, she was different than all the rest by a long shot. So quiet and simple, and yet so soft and tender she'd almost wanted to cry. Like an understanding mother, of all things, who was trying to offer assistance without all of the fuss or bravado some of these voices could have. It was...ah...how should she compare it? Like the other voices were rays of sunshine, all tied back to the root of it all that was the sun. In that case, the voice was more like the sun, even farther back in time than the others. She hadn't heard some of the oldest voices much if any, though all were equal parts draining to tap into when they gave her some kind of 'help', but while she couldn't pinpoint this one's point in the 'timeline' of her past lives she could tell it was among the oldest. Such was the sway she felt it had back there, one which had a magnitude of respect and reverence that almost commanded it despite its nature.

As much as she tried to mindlessly watch a bit of TV and let the cocoa soothe her nerves, this question more than the other weighed on her. Sure there was the raw anxiety and panic and fear, but that was another matter she was trying to remedy at the same time at least...er, somewhat. It was a mess, and she'd already burnt those old bloody clothes in the bathroom and used plenty of smell-eliminating aerosols to try to not smell up her whole apartment with fire. Or in other words, she had taken the painstaking anxious route to try to rather hastily and quickly clean up after the mess out of raw worry that some other werewolf would be coming after her soon.

Though with the attack on the University, that was perhaps the least of her problems if there were other forces at work here on 'that' kind of scale.

...Maybe she should make herself another packet of cocoa?

[Helo]

Time: Late Afternoon
Location: Ember Grove Pawn
Interaction with: Mac (pawn shop owner)

Eli used his break time to head over to the small pawn shop which sat conveniently right near both Axelei’s and the local bowling alley. A bright red sign read Ember Grove Pawn, while numerous smaller signs promised ‘fast cash’ and ‘we buy gold.’ The windows were lined with bars, and the sturdy door chimed as he entered. The shop's owner was a large bearded man with an expression that told you he did not tolerate nonsense. Camera’s tracked his movement through the shop, though Eli knew that the security measures one could see were not the full extent of the measures that the owner, Mac, took to prevent any sort of theft in his place of business. Like most things in Ember Grove there was more than meets the eye to the pawn shop as well. For those who knew how to ask there was more than just the second hand jewelry and collection of pawned goods that could be bought here.

“I’m looking for something a bit more peculiar.” Eli said as he approached Mac who gave a single nod before leading him to the back room.

The back room of Ember Grove Pawn held a collection of goods that would only confuse the local authorities but held things that many of the supernatural creatures of Ember Grove would find dangerous and even deadly. A dusty locked cabinet contained a variety of potions, many of which were likely outright banned by various covens. Other displays held a variety of cursed and enchanted objects, most of which were beyond what he could recognize and held little interest to Eli. A pair of werewolf pelts were hung on the wall, and Eli noted that the last time he’d been back here he was almost certain he’d seen three. Eli briefly wondered who’d bought one, and for what purpose but like many things involving shady dealings, he figured it was probably better not to know. He certainly knew better than to ask.

Based on the few times he’d seen Mac handle silver bullets he was confident the man was not a werewolf, but beyond that whether he was a supernatural creature or just a human with connections remained a mystery. It didn’t seem to matter anyhow, Mac held no allegiance to any faction within Ember Grove, other than to himself and to money. He knew of Mac and his backroom from years ago, Holy Saviors often bought guns from him. None of the guns sold at the front of the store, or course, for those were all legal and traceable, but for the right price Mac was always able to get just about anything a customer requested.

“What’ll it be, kid?” Mac asked with his usual gruff tone.

“UV rounds.” Eli replied doing his best not to let his gaze wander the collection of oddities any longer.

“Again? You know with all those vampires you’ve been hunting you could make a nice bit of cash if you bring me back a few teeth.” Mac said as he slid over the box of ammunition. Eli picked up the box, taking a second to slide it open and glance at the soft blue glow the UV rounds emitted before closing the box. He took the money from his pocket and handed it to Mac.

“Thanks for the tip, but I’m not one for taking trophies.” He said, refusing the offer, not for the first time. Much like the werewolf pelts that hung on the walls, Eli also never asked what one would even want vampire fangs for. There were only so many glimpses into the darker side of the supernatural world that he could process at a time for the sake of his own sanity.

“You know some of Xavier’s boys were in here asking about you not too long ago. Seemed a bit upset that you’ve been in town for so long without stopping by to see ‘em. Told ‘em I’d pass that along if I happened to run into you.” Mac added.

“What’d you tell them?” Eli asked, the box of ammunition clanked slightly as it gave away the slight tremor in his hand as he fumbled to slide it into his pocket.

“You know I don’t discuss my customers. But, if you decide you need anything a bit stronger than those UV rounds, I’ve got a few things I’d be willing to part with. Maybe for some fangs, or a nice wolf pelt, or something more valuable. Just something to think about, next time you’re out hunting.” Mac said, a further extension on a long standing offer.

“Thanks for the tip, but I’m not sure I’m up for the extra work.” Eli said before heading out, declining the offer as amicably as possible.

What Mac really wanted was another hunter willing to help him add to his connection in the backroom. It was an offer Mac had made to Eli when he’d first came back into town stocking up on hunter gear. Mac wanted trophies from supernatural creatures, and if Eli should ever find himself back in the witch hunting business, Mac wanted mystical items as well. The offer was easy to turn down, at first, but the longer he stayed in Ember Grove the more it felt like unseen threats were constantly looming, and the more it seemed like just a gun and a handful of special bullets wasn’t anywhere close to enough. The longer he stayed in Ember Grove the more tempting the offer became, the more obvious it became that Mac certainly had things that could prove more useful than glowing bullets. Even as the temptation grew the fear of what agreeing to such an offer would cost him kept him from accepting. How much more of his humanity could he afford to lose?

Eli kept his mind focused on all reasons why Mac’s offer was out of the question as he walked back to Alexei’s. He stopped about halfway there to smoke a cigarette near the bowling alley to calm his nerves. It wasn’t the money that made the offer more tempting this time, it was the thought that there might be some way to either stop Father Xavier or at the very least keep him and The Holy Saviors far from him that made such a disturbing offer more appealing. There was also the fear that he was powerless to stop something he had once helped grow into the horrible thing it now was, or even worse that he would fall back in with The Holy Saviors, and the knowledge that if he did he certainly didn’t have the strength to leave twice.

[Pink Khione]

---

Time: Early Evening
Location: Alexei's
Interaction with: @13org Ylva, @Milkman Finn

Vivian observed the foreign customer with a satisfied smile as she gleefully inspected the bottle of Akevitt. There weren’t many chances to use the more exotic choices of alcohol stored in the cabinets—they seemed to be stored for the purpose of having a collection and the rare occasion like this one where a customer requests an uncommon drink. The menu excluded these options, but there was still a pricing system for them in place.

Upon receiving approval from the customer to create a custom drink, Vivian smiled and grabbed the bottle from the counter. “You got it.”

As Ylva continued to speak, Vivian kept her attention on the conversation while multitasking on the cocktail. The story about her people’s festive traditions sounded pretty intriguing, particularly on the detail about how the main dish of the feast would be slaughtered then and there. Vivian reacted by chuckling, “That’s metal as fuck,” she commented. It was something she would be interested in seeing in her lifetime.

“Call me Viv, short for Vivian. Come by again with more stories, they’re great.” By then, Vivian was already halfway through crafting the Akevitt cocktail. She decided to take the fruity, refreshing route for the concoction, mixing an ounce of the Norwegian spirit with bitters, grapefruit juice, and simple syrup. It was topped off with herby tonic water and served in a tall glass with ice.

Vivian put a coaster in front of her guest, and placed the drink on top. “Here it is, a grapefru-”

A large crashing sound interrupted Vivian’s words. Her head shot up, pinning towards the source of the disturbance, just in time to see the last shards of glass land on the floor from the impact, and a young man grabbing the head of the larger one. The collision was followed by a throng of gasps and whispers that rung throughout the establishment.

“Jesus christ-”

Vivian often turned a blind eye at normal brawls between patrons—she couldn't care less if they wanted to beat each other up. Property damage was another issue. Vivian was on the clock, which meant she had the responsibility of dealing with the debacle. If her attention was taken away from filling orders, there would be less tips for the shift. She sighed.

As the initial shock dissipated, it occurred to her how bizarre the scene was. A brawny man laid unconscious on the floor, and the likely cause of his inanimate state looked like he was barely out of his teenage years. From appearances alone, the odds of the battle seemed stacked towards the brute’s favour, but there he was, unconscious anyway. She made a mental joke to herself that she should ask the blonde kid for self-defense lessons.

“That’s not exactly how you use a door,” Vivian chuckled, now standing in front of the pair, gazing down at their forms. She took out a pad of paper and a pen from her apron that she used for writing orders. She decided to take down their details and let the other, more experienced employees handle the rest. “I’m still going to need ID and some contact information though.”