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One would hardly think the weak slap fights and the passive aggressive behaviors worth combating for such a short time. Where do you usually reside if not in London?
[The question catches her off guard. Not because she wasn't following but because she finds it rather easy to follow. His framing makes it incredibly easy for her to grasp. Have others not? A sip of Turkish coffee washes away the sticky sweet of the pastry.]
Of course, please do go on.
[The question catches her off guard. Not because she wasn't following but because she finds it rather easy to follow. His framing makes it incredibly easy for her to grasp. Have others not? A sip of Turkish coffee washes away the sticky sweet of the pastry.]
Of course, please do go on.
"Don't need to eat." It's clearly avoiding the question but D is more focused on trailing after Adrian, keeping his head tilted down to avoid the light that glares too brightly and makes his eyes ache.
It doesn't help that currently he's on his own in this conversation, although he doesn't imagine that the parasite would be as helpful as he'd like.
"Don't need you to worry either," he sighs. "Just rest. Hunger won't kill me."
It doesn't help that currently he's on his own in this conversation, although he doesn't imagine that the parasite would be as helpful as he'd like.
"Don't need you to worry either," he sighs. "Just rest. Hunger won't kill me."
It’ll do.
[Hector looks through a few more cabinets until he finds a bottle of wine to steal. He’s not getting through this evening without some sort of social crutch.]
What do you do for fun around here? Cards, chess, dark hunts for increasingly more challenging quarries?
[Hector looks through a few more cabinets until he finds a bottle of wine to steal. He’s not getting through this evening without some sort of social crutch.]
What do you do for fun around here? Cards, chess, dark hunts for increasingly more challenging quarries?
[ Shit.
This is familiar. The smell of smoke, the crowd of people. The cold, dead body next to him as it all happens. There are more shouts. Jeers. Calls of 'that's her, with the frenchman' that send Trevor looking around for Sypha before he realises that there's just smoke in their eyes and it's Alucard they mean. ]
She's- shit, she's in the- [ He swallows, and the air is already thick enough with smoke that it burns. The thatch is damp, producing a horrible, choking amount of the stuff. He doesn't know what the fire will do to the castle. He doesn't know what will happen if it doesn't have a shell of a building to inhabit anymore.
He doesn't know what will happen to Sypha inside the castle if something happens to it. ]
Leave! [ He slams the door shit as he speaks, hoping that that'll be enough to indicate to the castle that he's talking to it and not to the people outside. Despite all appearances. God, he hopes that the castle understands his less-than-perfect English. ] Go somewhere else! [ And then, narrowing his eyes at the nearest man, the one holding the torch- ]
-We'll find you, wherever you go. When you think you're safe.
[ How to threaten a crowd and communicate an escape plan to a castle at the same time, a tutorial by Trevor Belmont. ]
This is familiar. The smell of smoke, the crowd of people. The cold, dead body next to him as it all happens. There are more shouts. Jeers. Calls of 'that's her, with the frenchman' that send Trevor looking around for Sypha before he realises that there's just smoke in their eyes and it's Alucard they mean. ]
She's- shit, she's in the- [ He swallows, and the air is already thick enough with smoke that it burns. The thatch is damp, producing a horrible, choking amount of the stuff. He doesn't know what the fire will do to the castle. He doesn't know what will happen if it doesn't have a shell of a building to inhabit anymore.
He doesn't know what will happen to Sypha inside the castle if something happens to it. ]
Leave! [ He slams the door shit as he speaks, hoping that that'll be enough to indicate to the castle that he's talking to it and not to the people outside. Despite all appearances. God, he hopes that the castle understands his less-than-perfect English. ] Go somewhere else! [ And then, narrowing his eyes at the nearest man, the one holding the torch- ]
-We'll find you, wherever you go. When you think you're safe.
[ How to threaten a crowd and communicate an escape plan to a castle at the same time, a tutorial by Trevor Belmont. ]
[That's her--
Fuck.
Alucard's always looked like his mother. He used to take pride in it, but now? Oh. Oh, that's a horror to hear, and his instinct is to transform into a wolf. Tear out throats, because he isn't his mother. He'll defend himself, even if there's no point in life right now. He's...
Sypha. They still have to find Sypha.
Leave! and the ground beneath them both rumbles. The castle's replied, and oh, oh it's moving. It has Sypha in it and it will go.
But that seems to have solved the problem, and the smoke clears just enough for Alucard to skulk behind trevor. Gold eyes peering out of the dark. Saying nothing, because Trevor said not to.]
Fuck.
Alucard's always looked like his mother. He used to take pride in it, but now? Oh. Oh, that's a horror to hear, and his instinct is to transform into a wolf. Tear out throats, because he isn't his mother. He'll defend himself, even if there's no point in life right now. He's...
Sypha. They still have to find Sypha.
Leave! and the ground beneath them both rumbles. The castle's replied, and oh, oh it's moving. It has Sypha in it and it will go.
But that seems to have solved the problem, and the smoke clears just enough for Alucard to skulk behind trevor. Gold eyes peering out of the dark. Saying nothing, because Trevor said not to.]
[ The problem with disguising your instructions to the castle as a weirdly worded threat, especially in the context of that threat being followed by the ground rumbling ominously, is that you're not going to get very far afterward trying to play nice. Which leaves one really awful, very regrettable, not very good option.
The crowd murmurs, reconsidering who the witch might be. Oh, they were expecting a woman. That's why just a little smoke in their eyes led to them mistaking Alucard for one. But Trevor is the one whose yelling made the earth actually shake.
The man with the torch backs away, so fast that he falls backward and scrambles on his and buttocks. ]
Right. Yes. I did the shaking. [ His English is so good okay. ] If you leave, now, I won't do it again. Otherwise-
[ He's interrupted by a shot, and a girl in too many skirts to effectively do anything is thrown back by the impact of using the gun she's carrying. Trevor is knocked back, too, by the force of it. He hisses out air through gritted teeth and grabs Alucard by the throat. There's the smell of blood on the air. It's hard to process where exactly he's been shot, hard to process anything other than the sudden pain. ] -shit, else you'll all disappear, just like her.
[ He can't communicate his plan any further than 'disappear'. Mist. Please tell him that you can do mist, Alucard. He really, really needs to convince these people that he can make people vanish if he wants to scare them off without getting shot at anymore. ]
The crowd murmurs, reconsidering who the witch might be. Oh, they were expecting a woman. That's why just a little smoke in their eyes led to them mistaking Alucard for one. But Trevor is the one whose yelling made the earth actually shake.
The man with the torch backs away, so fast that he falls backward and scrambles on his and buttocks. ]
Right. Yes. I did the shaking. [ His English is so good okay. ] If you leave, now, I won't do it again. Otherwise-
[ He's interrupted by a shot, and a girl in too many skirts to effectively do anything is thrown back by the impact of using the gun she's carrying. Trevor is knocked back, too, by the force of it. He hisses out air through gritted teeth and grabs Alucard by the throat. There's the smell of blood on the air. It's hard to process where exactly he's been shot, hard to process anything other than the sudden pain. ] -shit, else you'll all disappear, just like her.
[ He can't communicate his plan any further than 'disappear'. Mist. Please tell him that you can do mist, Alucard. He really, really needs to convince these people that he can make people vanish if he wants to scare them off without getting shot at anymore. ]
[Make out with the Belmont and the Speaker duh????
Alucard doesn't begrudge Hector the wine. Instead he focuses on cleaning off his hands, and contemplating well, snack options all things considered.]
Reading. Housework, as there's many more repairs left to do. Cataloging in the Belmont Hold. Running with the local wolf pack.
Alucard doesn't begrudge Hector the wine. Instead he focuses on cleaning off his hands, and contemplating well, snack options all things considered.]
Reading. Housework, as there's many more repairs left to do. Cataloging in the Belmont Hold. Running with the local wolf pack.
Don't need to eat is, technically, the answer Alucard was looking for anyway. He does need to ensure the capsules are present, or if they aren't, start figuring out supply lines but that's for Later Alucard. Present Alucard is focused on D, and with the comment about worry, Alucard simply shakes his head.
"That ship has sailed, I'm afraid. Come on."
Alucard doesn't start walking. He moves behind D instead, as if to nudge him forward like some kind of animal nosing at it's young. "Inside. Now."
"That ship has sailed, I'm afraid. Come on."
Alucard doesn't start walking. He moves behind D instead, as if to nudge him forward like some kind of animal nosing at it's young. "Inside. Now."
I don't have a usual residence yet. Being so freshly removed from Romania, it'll take me time to decide where to stay in the longest terms.
[Alucard waves one hand over his own coffee cup, letting the steam accumulate on his palm. There's a purpose there, to make sure his body temperature still feels human.]
The matter of turning is also where the other hierarchy comes in - that of age. Usually the younger undead is, the less powerful they are. As a result, they have far less in general - less territory. Less respect. Fewer hunting skills. If the vampire who turned them is invested in their well-being, that may change quicker.
But there is where most tales cease to agree.
[Alucard waves one hand over his own coffee cup, letting the steam accumulate on his palm. There's a purpose there, to make sure his body temperature still feels human.]
The matter of turning is also where the other hierarchy comes in - that of age. Usually the younger undead is, the less powerful they are. As a result, they have far less in general - less territory. Less respect. Fewer hunting skills. If the vampire who turned them is invested in their well-being, that may change quicker.
But there is where most tales cease to agree.
[Everything is happening too fast. Alucard wants to scream or tear throats out, but Trevor? If he doesn't have a plan he at least has the sketch of one in his head, and Alucard has to trust him to take lead. There's no other way about it.
So even with the scent of blood in the air (fuck. Fuck, he's hungry) he lets Trevor keep going. Looks terrified, but then Trevor has him by the throat and--
--he can't do mist. The wolf is a risk. And so with a squeak, Alucard is a bat.
A bat flying away, but only so far as he needs to. The Belmont has to leave too. That's the rule. He'll do whatever's required to prevent another witch burning.]
So even with the scent of blood in the air (fuck. Fuck, he's hungry) he lets Trevor keep going. Looks terrified, but then Trevor has him by the throat and--
--he can't do mist. The wolf is a risk. And so with a squeak, Alucard is a bat.
A bat flying away, but only so far as he needs to. The Belmont has to leave too. That's the rule. He'll do whatever's required to prevent another witch burning.]
He liked it better when Adrian was walking in front of him. That had at least given him the idea of slipping away to his room where he could properly collapse without being observed. The fact that now he's being shepherded is galling.
"This is why I didn't tell you," he murmurs. "You have more important concerns than me."
Still, it's blissfully cool inside the castle and he can't quite hide the sigh the escapes him at the sensation. Adrian isn't likely to let him off quite that easily, D imagines, so he follows wherever the younger dhampir directs him without further protest. Although once they seem to reach wherever Adrian was aiming for, D drops heavily into the nearest chair.
"Happier now?"
"This is why I didn't tell you," he murmurs. "You have more important concerns than me."
Still, it's blissfully cool inside the castle and he can't quite hide the sigh the escapes him at the sensation. Adrian isn't likely to let him off quite that easily, D imagines, so he follows wherever the younger dhampir directs him without further protest. Although once they seem to reach wherever Adrian was aiming for, D drops heavily into the nearest chair.
"Happier now?"
[ Okay, so maybe dhampirs don't do mist. Good to know. But the air is full of smoke. Hopefully the bat is close enough to vanishing that there's no clear difference. He gestures at the empty space where Alucard was. ]
So. The lot of you fired one shot, and I got rid of one person. [ It hurts less if he breathes shallowly. He can keep this act up a little longer. ] The what the fuck do you think will happen if someone fires a second?
[ The woman with the gun stands again, taking aim once more, but a man near her pushes her arm down and snatches her pistol away. That's all he needed. He doesn't need to scare the shit out of all of them. Just enough of them that the group turns on each other. It's the same awful manipulation he hates others for doing, but it's survival. ]
Right. We don't need to find out, do we? You get away from here, now, and you only have to see me again in your nightmares.
[ Please make them go. Please make them go, before his legs give out. A few ran when the castle shook the earth. A few more gather around the woman now and leave under the pretense of 'getting the poor girl somewhere safer'. It's enough. The group disperses, and Trevor holds on until the last is a little way up the road before moving the the far side of the cottage and falling to lean against one of the chicken coops, clutching one side below his ribs, breath coming in and out in pained, shuddering bursts. ]
So. The lot of you fired one shot, and I got rid of one person. [ It hurts less if he breathes shallowly. He can keep this act up a little longer. ] The what the fuck do you think will happen if someone fires a second?
[ The woman with the gun stands again, taking aim once more, but a man near her pushes her arm down and snatches her pistol away. That's all he needed. He doesn't need to scare the shit out of all of them. Just enough of them that the group turns on each other. It's the same awful manipulation he hates others for doing, but it's survival. ]
Right. We don't need to find out, do we? You get away from here, now, and you only have to see me again in your nightmares.
[ Please make them go. Please make them go, before his legs give out. A few ran when the castle shook the earth. A few more gather around the woman now and leave under the pretense of 'getting the poor girl somewhere safer'. It's enough. The group disperses, and Trevor holds on until the last is a little way up the road before moving the the far side of the cottage and falling to lean against one of the chicken coops, clutching one side below his ribs, breath coming in and out in pained, shuddering bursts. ]
[The bat has simply hung onto one of the chicken coops, watching. Waiting to enter the fray if needed, but the crowd goes. It takes an eternity, but they go, muttering and defeated for now.
They have until nightfall to leave. A matter made more complicated by Trevor's injury, and at that, Alucard flies over. Flies over and becomes a man again, his nostrils flaring dangerously.]
Belmont?
[There's a hand on Trevor' shoulder and Alucard bends down, all cold confidence only because one of them has to be confident for the other's sake.]
Let me take a look.
They have until nightfall to leave. A matter made more complicated by Trevor's injury, and at that, Alucard flies over. Flies over and becomes a man again, his nostrils flaring dangerously.]
Belmont?
[There's a hand on Trevor' shoulder and Alucard bends down, all cold confidence only because one of them has to be confident for the other's sake.]
Let me take a look.
Yes, our mutual friend mentioned that you were in flux. How did you happen to end up in London, so far from home, Mr. Tepes?
[Vanessa has worked out a system of small nibbles, brief sips and quick short hand in order to catch more of the pressing facts.]
These younger creatures, these newly formed. Do they possess any supernatural powers, or can they be redeemed?
[Vanessa has worked out a system of small nibbles, brief sips and quick short hand in order to catch more of the pressing facts.]
These younger creatures, these newly formed. Do they possess any supernatural powers, or can they be redeemed?
Since the start of the century, Romania has been the subject of invasion and revolution. Even now as a Kingdom, things are not settled. My family's age, at the moment, is against it. There are distant friends here, and so it felt safer to be on an island for a bit.
[Alucard's honestly impressed by the system, even if he says nothing of it. The pause allows him at least a moment to sip his own coffee. Then all but drain it.]
Redeemed as in returned to a human state? [He shakes his head no.] Undead is still a form of dead.
[Alucard's honestly impressed by the system, even if he says nothing of it. The pause allows him at least a moment to sip his own coffee. Then all but drain it.]
Redeemed as in returned to a human state? [He shakes his head no.] Undead is still a form of dead.
Shit. That could have gone a lot fucking better.
[ That's it, the last of his bravado. None left. It takes him a few seconds to remove his hand from his side, but he does. The puncture is low enough, at least, that the lack of punctured-intestine-smell means that it's probably been polite enough to be survivable. No exit wound. Survivable or not, it's still a bullet hole, and that's not a pleasant thing to happen. ]
Hurts.
[ He says it as if it's useful medical information. ]
[ That's it, the last of his bravado. None left. It takes him a few seconds to remove his hand from his side, but he does. The puncture is low enough, at least, that the lack of punctured-intestine-smell means that it's probably been polite enough to be survivable. No exit wound. Survivable or not, it's still a bullet hole, and that's not a pleasant thing to happen. ]
Hurts.
[ He says it as if it's useful medical information. ]
[The Vanessa Ives brow furrow is in full effect here as he shares a bit of his backstory.] I am sorry to hear that. I hope that peace returns to your land so you can return as well.
[As for the juggling, everyone has to have some talent. Things calm down a bit when the coffee is finally finished but before the caffeine takes full effect.]
Ah. Yes, that is what I was curious about. Is there any way to save a person from the vampire's thrall?
[As for the juggling, everyone has to have some talent. Things calm down a bit when the coffee is finally finished but before the caffeine takes full effect.]
Ah. Yes, that is what I was curious about. Is there any way to save a person from the vampire's thrall?
Shit. We need the castle.
[Alucard moves his own hand to cover the wound. Applies pressure as carefully as he can.]
I'm going to carry you. You can't be walking on a wound like that.
[Alucard moves his own hand to cover the wound. Applies pressure as carefully as he can.]
I'm going to carry you. You can't be walking on a wound like that.
That is very kind of you. We'll have to see where my countrymen direct our collective fate.
[It is very hard to tell, truly. But the matter returns to the real purpose of Vanessa's visit, and Alucard tuts softly.]
If they haven't been turned into a vampire, yes. But the quickest way to release that hold is to kill the vampire. [Moreover...] You're asking for practical purposes.
[It isn't a question.]
[It is very hard to tell, truly. But the matter returns to the real purpose of Vanessa's visit, and Alucard tuts softly.]
If they haven't been turned into a vampire, yes. But the quickest way to release that hold is to kill the vampire. [Moreover...] You're asking for practical purposes.
[It isn't a question.]
Didn't really think that one through, did I? No idea where it might have gone.
[ The horror of the whole mess is finally starting to sink in, but he rests his hand on top of Alucard's. He's not alone, this time. Nobody died, this time. The cottage is much more on fire than it probably ought to be, but he's not alone, and that makes everything different. It hurts, shit it hurts, and his voice is still weak, but he's not alone this time. ]
Can you- I don't know. Feel it, or something? I don't know how castles work.
[ The horror of the whole mess is finally starting to sink in, but he rests his hand on top of Alucard's. He's not alone, this time. Nobody died, this time. The cottage is much more on fire than it probably ought to be, but he's not alone, and that makes everything different. It hurts, shit it hurts, and his voice is still weak, but he's not alone this time. ]
Can you- I don't know. Feel it, or something? I don't know how castles work.
We're not dead. We're not dead, it's...
[It isn't fine. Alucard's mind is thinking of centuries ago, and it's a miracle he's managing sentences right now.
With Trevor's hand on his. Alucard leans over, and his face buries in Trevor's hair for a moment. He takes it, gathering himself. Deep breaths.]
No. Is there a field near by? It'll be easier to ask it to come to us, then have it carry all of us away.
[It isn't fine. Alucard's mind is thinking of centuries ago, and it's a miracle he's managing sentences right now.
With Trevor's hand on his. Alucard leans over, and his face buries in Trevor's hair for a moment. He takes it, gathering himself. Deep breaths.]
No. Is there a field near by? It'll be easier to ask it to come to us, then have it carry all of us away.
[Maybe a small noise of derision there. Fate in the hands of men, how poorly the world fares.
Well, damn.
She should have been more on guard, more careful with her questions, paid closer attention. Less attention on him and more on her asking. Maybe too much coffee, she can feel her heart race the jitter starting there and radiating outward. Maybe it's just fear for her friend. For any desperate hope that they can save Mina.
Vanessa regards him steadily, searching for a read, for anything. Because vampires aren't real, obviously - ha ha ha...]
That would mean these monsters were real...
Well, damn.
She should have been more on guard, more careful with her questions, paid closer attention. Less attention on him and more on her asking. Maybe too much coffee, she can feel her heart race the jitter starting there and radiating outward. Maybe it's just fear for her friend. For any desperate hope that they can save Mina.
Vanessa regards him steadily, searching for a read, for anything. Because vampires aren't real, obviously - ha ha ha...]
That would mean these monsters were real...
[Well, that's not really an option for Hector, is it? It would totally be an option if it was up to Hector.
He sighs.]
Anything I can help with? I am not good at sitting quietly to pass the time.
He sighs.]
Anything I can help with? I am not good at sitting quietly to pass the time.
Yes. And folklore comes from places of truth.
[Alucard's response is cool and measured, giving nothing away. Making sure his fangs are well hidden.
He leans over, placing his coffee cup back on it's tray. When his eyes meet Vanessa's again, they're still cautious. Curious.]
Even if vampires are not real, someone believes they are effected by them. So that much qualifies as a reality in my mind.
[Alucard's response is cool and measured, giving nothing away. Making sure his fangs are well hidden.
He leans over, placing his coffee cup back on it's tray. When his eyes meet Vanessa's again, they're still cautious. Curious.]
Even if vampires are not real, someone believes they are effected by them. So that much qualifies as a reality in my mind.
[Pretty sure Trevor would veto that one, sorry buddy]
Would be better if I was a wolf?
[He's offering to let Hector pet the woof.]
Would be better if I was a wolf?
[He's offering to let Hector pet the woof.]
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