ad meliora

-Closed RP Writing Blog for Wicked's Rest- I'm Vic, the HOA president of your dreams! Contact me for lawn height regulations, approved front door colors, and appropriate occult ornaments. Otherwise, go away.

[natusvincere]

[pm] Hi Colleen! [....] The last blood was somehow better than the one before. Thanks.

[pm] Be wary of the effects of enjoying it too much. Are you spacing out your stash? Are you taking your time? Perhaps we should start to slowly taper off how much you’re getting a week, so you can learn to control your hunger.

Also, how are you feeling?

[natusvincere]

Personally, anything described as ‘honkin’’ is cause for alarm. I figured that was common sense. Actually, pasteurization and antiseptic was invented to kill germs. Soap just washes them away. I prefer them dead. Regardless, they’re definitely something to fuss over. Have you ever experienced the common cold?

The plastic is less childish because it’s the less selfish option. You see, messing with bones that belong to someone else is inherently immoral. Does that make sense? Clearly not a lot, but I appreciate you recognizing my superiority.

[junkyardjoel]

You afraid of geese, too? Mm, no. I'm healthy as a horse. Ain't ever been sick. Probably on account of all that dirt I ate as a kid.

Ain't plastic bad for the environment? That feels pretty selfish. How can a bone belong to someone? The critter who owned it is dead. You don't own nothing when you're dead, lady. No, it does not make sense.

[natusvincere]

I’m not afraid of anything. Alarm signifies a need for action, not fear. Are you afraid of common sense and dignity? Oh, you don’t understand how much that explains.

Recycled plastic, then. Funny you talk about being selfish and then ask such a question. Maybe they don’t belong to anyone anymore, but there was once flesh, and a soul and a mind for that matter, connected to those bones. They deserve to be honored properly, instead of stolen and used for some juvenile decoration. And I plan never to die, so I suppose I’ll own my mansion forever.

[natusvincere]

[pm] Another one of those events where people lose control is happening today.

[pm]I’ve noticed. I was away for a spell, on a ‘trip’, since I love relaxing, but now I’m back. What sorts of things are we dealing with? Anything we need a crew to clean up after?

[natusvincere]

@cairnivore

[pm] I was staying by the lake. But I don't think I should stay there anymore. You mentioned once… a shelter?

Cairn--- when you say by the lake... are you meaning outside?

I mentioned there are shelters in town, yes, but my understanding is that they're not always consistent.

Are you in need of a place to stay? Perhaps I can fund a hotel room for you for a few weeks.

[cairnivore]

There was an abandoned structure... But I've moved deeper into the woods since then. I was taught how to insulate my encampment. I don't... need a place. I'm used to the woods. I just wanted to know if I had... options.

[natusvincere]

You have plenty of options. [d: you could even move in with] You just have to let me help you. The weather is far too cold to be in the woods all night, I don’t even care how well you’ve insulated. Wouldn’t you rather be comfortable?

[natusvincere]

Do you own this establishment you’re calling ‘the arcade’? Is the machine yours? Your best bet from here on out is to change it so people can’t put such profanities in for their high scores. It’s actually your responsibility at this point. I mean, think of the children.

[25centimental]

I do own this establishment. Only the modern games allow profanity filtering, but a lot of the retro machines have such small computer brains inside I can't do that.

I am thinking of the children! That's the whole point here!

[natusvincere]

Okay, but I’m sure modern technology exists that would allow you to enhance those tiny computers to fix this very grave error. You can’t trust that just asking the hoodlums that occupy your establishment will be courteous enough to stop the profanity. That’s like asking 11 year olds to explain their fascination with counting to 67.

So then, what are you planning on doing about it. Should we put together a committee to start to find solutions for this problem?

[natusvincere]

They don’t sound very lovely if you feel sorry for your friend for feeling them deeply. That’s why I stopped feeling them, actually, because they were miserable to feel. And that’s the truth. Perhaps your friend would benefit from doing the same.

I loathe the feeling of a nap- of not being productive, of loafing, as they say. Is your friend okay with that feeling? Unsure- it’s hard to get any rest with a 4 year old around. Perhaps she will want to play ‘spa’. I saw that on the internet once.

[mollyhiatt]

I'm sure they'd love to stop feeling so much and so deeply, even just for a few days. I guess I'm glad that you were able to stop feeling them. Feelings can get pretty miserable.

I can't say that I loathe naps, but I don't take them very often, unless I'm sick. I think my friend is the same way. But you're right, with a four year old around that would definitely be a challenge! You should convince her to have a spa day, where one of her "jobs" is to make sure that you get a nap, even if that nap is actually just her playing quietly nearby while you enjoy some peace.

[natusvincere]

Well, they have to make a concerted effort to stop. It’s hard at first, of course, but with enough perseverance, anything is possible. Also, we’re not actually talking about a ‘friend’, are we?

I don’t know, I worry that feels sort of selfish. Selfish parents raise anxious, insecure, codependent children. I don’t want to screw up her future as a productive member of society just because I’m craving a nap.

[natusvincere]

There are too many sad things here to name. Firstly, is this the 50s? I don’t think any ‘cool teenagers are hanging out at the skating rink these days. They’re out having their vape parties, or something. Certainly too busy to watch you and a complete stranger fall over yourselves both physically and socially. And where’s your independence? You need someone else there to have fun?!

But I think the costumes are the last straw. There’s no need to make a fool of yourself more than you already are.

[pagingdoctorhart]

I'm starting to get the impression that you're not a huge fan of me :(

First off, you can totally have vape parties at a skating rink. Maybe. I haven't read the rule book or anything but people vape everywhere nowadays! Also! I very rarely fall, and I can also help my partner not fall as often. We can balance each other out. Also also! I totally could go by myself, but it's so much less fun if you're not with someone. I like doing things with people. If that makes me codependent then well... okay well I'm probably a little codependent. But there's totally nothing wrong with wanting to be around people! Do you do everything by yourself???

It's a costume party. I think. That's what the event implied at least. Plus I don't believe in shame.

[natusvincere]

It’s about time. Don’t take it personally. I’m not a huge fan of anyone. Its not like you’re special or anything. Maybe you can, but who would want to? That would be totally menacing to every other patron there. Those things look just like kazoos! Half the rink would have a panic attack just trying to figure out if they're about to faintly smell eucalyptus or hear an annoying chorus of ‘Mary had a Little Lamb’ every time the raised those things to their lips.

You seem very confident in your abilities. That’s so interesting! Considering, well… you know.

I’ve spent most of my life doing everything by myself. It suits me. And the town, honestly, so no whiney babies have to deal with me telling the truth. Want to know what a more fun activity would be? Judging people’s lawns. Have you ever thought of joining an HOA? Now there’s a fun group activity.

Oh, that explains so much. Costume parties are a threat to public safety. Has anyone bit at your couples costume idea?

[natusvincere]

So, then you need to get to the bottom of this raucous behavior. If you’ve not done anything to elicit a musical being written about you (ie. fame, success, etc.), then those who are responsible must be held liable in a civil suit. I mean, this is your name they’re dragging through the mud! What if they mess up the iambic pentameter?!

Oh, you do do you? I am an artist who takes commissions, if you’re ever in the market. So you don’t wish to be portrayed as heartbroken… would passionately in love work, then?

[echoingmuse]

Oh, of course! I do not much love the human court system judicial system and going to court seems dreadfully exhausting. It is not that bad that I wish to sue a local theatre company, though I definitely will be getting to the bottom of this all. If they mess up the iambic pentameter that is dreadful, but all we can expect from amateurs.

I could be interested in commissioning, though not a piece of myself. I appreciate your forwardness. What kind of art do you make?

[natusvincere]

Excuse me if this comes across as rude, but what an incredibly lazy response. You can’t whine on the internet that people are writing musicals about you and sullying your good name, while in the next breath claiming proper action ‘sounds exhausting’. Anything worth doing is exhausting! Haven’t you ever considered that?!

Who are these awful people that are naming musicals after you, anyway?

My medium is painting. I’m an expert at foliage, gardens, that sort of thing, but I dabble in painting people as well. Ugly people are relatively fascinating to document.

[whimmortal]

TIMING: 30 December PARTIES: Jade @highoctanegem, Vic @natusvincere and Jenny @whimmortal LOCATION: Jenny’s house SUMMARY: Jade & Vic deliver some blood to Jenny! CONTENT WARNING: None

Jenny was not sure how to be any more. The confines of her home were restricting but a poor cage for a creature like her. Ever since she’d come home from Henri, she’d seen little of the world outside the walls, aside from driving to Baz’ place to drop off Edward and his things. Her car had smelled wrong as she’d driven, reminding her of the way she’d cleaned all the blood off a few nights before.

There had still been a fleck or two on the dashboard.

And now Jenny sat at home. She showered and bathed and showered again. She tried to slather her skin in expensive lotions and to comfort herself with scrub gloves and head massages. She tried to feel clean but failed to, so resorted to sitting on the couch and staring at the television, blasting animated films as they impacted her hunger least. There was the promise of blood coming to her soon, with Jade and her associate coming by, but the anticipation until they would be at their door was making her restless and frantic.

Eventually the doorbell did ring, the night already started, and Jenny turned off the television and moved down the stairs with haste. She had tried to look presentable, having put some make up on her face and exchanging dirty pyjama bottoms with somewhat more stylish yoga pants. She was still hiding most of herself in a big Yale hoodie, though. She opened the door and inhaled sharply, a human habit not yet dead. She stared out for a moment before remembering her manners, “Hi.”

—

There was dread filling Vic up, and then emptying out at the same moment.  Truthfully, she didn’t know how she was meant to feel.  Even after her conversations with Jade, there was still an air of unease between both of them.  Usually in their endeavors, there was a strong chance that either of them would be overconfident, assuring the other in that snippy way they liked to speak amongst themselves.  But now, with both of them on edge, Vic’s unabashed confidence was nowhere to be seen.  She had taken all the precautions she needed for safety.  Rosie was safe at the nanny’s house (the nanny who, thank god, never asked questions about why the HOA seemed to occupy so much of Vic’s time).  They had arrived in a rented vehicle, one that couldn’t be traced back to her.  Sure, they had floated the two of them riding there on Jade’s bike, but ultimately, Vic was concerned about the safety of that as well (and maybe she was also a bit concerned about looking ridiculous riding on it).This girl, Jenny, would not know Vic’s real name, nor would she know exactly where she lived.  That way, if things went sour, Vic would be able to back out without risk of retaliation.  

As she and Jade walked toward the door together, Vic knew all these things to be true, but they did nothing to quell her nerves.  On the other hand, what they were doing was good, right?  To offer a helping hand to someone who wanted to do good- to possibly prevent her from the decades of carnage that might have awaited her if they didn’t?  It actually might have been more immoral to leave well enough alone, right?  That was why, with one last resounding breath, she finally had the courage to reach forward to ring the doorbell.  She looked over at Jade as they waited for her to answer the door, but offered no quips or silly remarks.  Just a look shared between friends, and a hope that they were doing good.  As the door opened, she adjusted the bag over her shoulder, taking the girl in with pursed lips.  She looked… harmless.  “Hello”, she said after a moment, looking to Jade again to gauge her reaction.  “You must be Jenny.  My name is Colleen.”

—

Vic always had a plan Z. (And a plan alpha and beta and… whatever other alphabet she needed to have as many solutions as possible). That was just how it had been since the moment Jade ambushed her at the park. (But who needed to remember that? Pft. Definitely water under the bridge). And it was a nice balance, actually, as far as team ups went. Cause having a plan A at all was uncharted territory that she was only recently stepping into. (As it turned out, you could sustain a career like this on vibes alone) (So you know… growth!).

So you know, she totally went along with renting the vehicle and agreeing that Vic would use a fake name, and whatever else was needed to keep her (and her baby) safe. Jade figured Vic was covering all the bases possible (but again, Jade had long term planning blindness). She trusted it. And that was it, they were off to see Jenny, not much of the usual quippy chatter passing between them. All that fun replaced by a tense silence. (Understandable, Vic was probably going through her plans list) (She was busy thinking about food, and the snack she was going to reward herself for being totally brave about this) (Cinnamon rolls were claiming the top spot at the moment). 

Vic’s knocking on the door redirected her focus, giving a few precious seconds for Jade to prepare for what was on the other side of the door.

It made some difference, at least. Jade clenched her jaw, schooling her usually lively expressions into something blank the moment she laid eyes on Jenny. The girl looked… about as crappy as she had that day in the coffee shop, but a little more worn down. She also smelled. Nope, stank of shampoo and body lotions (like maybe she had been trying to cover up the stench of blood) (or worse, rotten bodies). It made her sensitive nose protest. Jade blinked, her always juicy eyes ready to show that they didn’t agree with all this fragrance wafting in the air. (Honestly? She didn’t mind it, on account of how much of a distraction it was for her Spidey sense not to be the loudest thing screaming inside her body).

Jenny and Vic exchanged greetings. (And did that mean they could be done, then?) (Could she grab Vic’s container and plop it onto the ground and peace out?) (No? Wait, Vic wanted to do the whole vampire 101. Wanted to drop her business card, or whatever). She cleared her throat, glancing between the two women, shuffling closer to Vic. (Not only cause of the safety and familiarity) (But cause her bracelet was doing its job of fooling Jade’s undead sense, so at least one of them felt… not dead). And hold up… what was that name Vic gave? “Right. Jenny, this is Colleen!” She fully turned toward Vic, blinking in confusion. A quarter of a “what were you thinking?” expression took over her face. “Not to be confused with that one romance writer terrorizing the New York’s Best Seller,” And fine, it was a smidge better than Gertrude (which she assigned as a petty joke last time), at least.

But enough about fake names and perfumes and all the other fluff. Jade adjusted the slayer mask once again. “So, this is all of us, here,” she swallowed, taking the step back Jenny had taken as a come in. (She figured she wanted this to be over ASAP, too). And so Jade went in first, cause walking into the lion’s den wasn’t even second nature. It was her essence. “The door stays open,” She instructed Vic, who followed close behind. And yup, this was the part of the scene where the audience leaned forward in their chair, warning alarms firing off. 

Don’t be fooled by the ghosts of her past failures. (That could probably fill three cemeteries, fine!). Here, Jade understood the risk. Not in that superficial way she used to, back when she, Onyx, and Ruby would gather post physical training to debrief and analyze dangerous situations. (Back when all she wanted was to put on some cartoons and get a snack) (And be left alone to cry) (So she just shouted the answer that would make Onyx grin and Ruby roll her eyes to make it all go faster. Not actually considering her options). She internalized the risk now, like tendrils spreading along her muscles. She let the weight of it conduct her in a measured manner. 

That door was just as much of a potential way out for her and Vic as it could be a way to unleash Jenny on the world. Yes. Jade calculated the risk, believed (if nothing else) in her stubbornness to stop the second outcome from ever becoming real. She was also, in a more hubristic way (Amber would chime in), confident that no one could swing a knife faster and with more pinpoint precision than she could. It would pierce Jenny’s throat, if she willed it. It would, at the very least, delay an escape attempt. (She did feel… a little strange) (Like someone had given her the script for a different Jade, seasons away) (She wasn’t gonna argue with the vision, though) (Cause she rarely got to show off her aim anymore, what was up with that?)  

Jade did a quick scan of Jenny’s depression core interior design (not really trying to judge a girly too much) (cause of the dying and all) (who cared about wrappers and a little mess?), and spotted the windows that would also come in handy, should they need a way out. Honestly? She and Vic had once escaped through a vent, if things went south, a door or a window sounded way cozier to make a quick exit anyway. In a little white flag waving moment, she slid the bag off her shoulder, something heavy setting on the ground. She’d brought her crossbow (that let’s be serious, she had no intention of using, but it was a cool intimidation tactic). She was left with only two (three) knives in her person. And the stake she’d tucked in the lining of her coat. 

“Hello,” she breathed out, glancing at Jenny. Her mouth would just not agree to a smile. (Dark timeline). She reached for Vic’s transport box, and she positioned herself as in between the two vampires as possible. Vic wanted to know about Jenny, sure. Good for her, socializing and stuff. (It was her right to choose how much she wished to help the poor girl) But Jade had insisted on frontlining this whole thing. She crouched down and started unzipping like she meant business. (She was a total pro at unzipping things, obviously). And she was gonna cut to the chase, there was no point in torturing and making Jenny hungrier and antsier. 

“We were thinking weekly drop-offs, you know… in case you struggle to portion at first and all that, so you won’t be…” tempted to tongue someone, she almost said. She glanced up at Vic, who likely had questions about control and other vampire-related experiences that Jade had never really… questioned too much. (Or rather, cared to question). “It’s not like, set in stone though… It’s a bit like, playing it by ear, figuring out the best subscription plan.” Her eyes drifted to Jenny, a smile still resisting her, but her eyes softened.

—

She looked between Jade and Colleen for a moment, somewhere glad that Jade was making the comment that had been snaking into her mind. The fact that she was still making such connections – relating every day names to pop culture – meant there was still something inside her that was her. A small comfort. “Nice to meet you, Colleen. Not-Hoover,” Jenny said. She did not smile, but the thought of a smile was there. “Come in.” 

She did not mind leaving the door wide open. It was a good suggestion, considering the the Henri’s arm of it all. She was not feeling as frantic as she had felt that day, but there was still something inside that was hungry. Something that kept looking at the box that Colleen was carrying, that moved to Jade’s hands. She knew that the thing she longed for was right there, just an exchange away. She’d tried to prepare her bathroom for it, figuring that the best place. She watched Jade kneel down, unzipping the bag and imagining this to be a movie scene for a moment, where they were shady criminals making a deal. Except Jenny had no suitcase of cash in exchange, and her home was a poor scene for something like that to happen.

“Alright,” she said. “That … I agree with that. That seems smart. I …don’t want to binge, like I said, and end up with nothing.” It wasn’t like this was a roll of cookies that she could easily replace through a doordash order, after all. This was blood, with an unknown source. Something that should tide her over for a while, to keep situations like Henri’s or the woman in the alley from happening. Her throat was straining. She didn’t think Jade would kill her any more, which was a poor comfort but one all the same. 

Jenny wrapped her arms around herself and looked at Colleen, intrigued by the stranger with a supply of blood. Was she a vampire too, or just a weirdo? “And you … what do you want in return? I can pay you, of course.” Considering the nature of the world, she figured there were plenty of people offering black market blood. Even if vampires didn’t exist, she was sure she’d be able to buy it somewhere. But this might be better. 

—

Vic ignored Jade’s pointed look, and all of the accusations that came with it, because Colleen was one of her most completely palatable pseudonyms.  Certainly better than Missy Spitz.  Colleen was forgettable, too.  And she lived in Ohio, or something.  She followed behind Jade into the house, ignoring her instructions about the door (because obviously), and didn’t let her eyes leave Jenny as they entered.  She watched her, wondering just how monstrous an upior could be up close.  She was sure she had betrayed dozens of them, but had she ever met one before?  “It’s Coover, actually. Colleen Coover.” Shit.  Was that too obvious of a fake name?  All the best real names were alliterative, right?  She didn’t want to look at Jade to see her response.  

She let Jade take the box from her and set it down, still watching Jenny carefully.  “The goal, despite how unrealistic it may be, is to stop you from binging.”, she said, her eyes flicking down to the box.  “But you’re going to be tempted to, at first.”  Everything she knew about upiors was all hearsay and rumors.  Did Jenny think she was talking out of her ass, or did the cool air of superiority float around her like it was meant to?  “It seems like you’re in an okay state of mind right now”, okay must have been rich, but she didn’t have another word for it.  “So I want you to understand the gravity of what could happen if you do binge.  If you run out, and you become desperate enough, you put the people of this town, people I’m sure that you love and care for”, she paused to look at Jade, but the moment was barely brief enough for anyone to notice, she was sure, “...you put them at risk for dying extremely painful deaths.”

Her voice was not cruel, nor was it condescending, but laced with a matter-of-factness that few could accomplish.  It was the truth, and it was out there, so Vic only let the veiled threat linger before she decided to move on.  “Jade will accompany me with the drop-offs, at first, since I don’t live in town and don’t know my way around very well.”  She paused, in case Jade wanted to add anything to these stipulations and explanations before she continued.  “And do not ask where I live”, she said curtly.  There was something that felt awful about being so cold to this girl, someone who she already saw so much of herself in.  She could relate to the desperate need to fight against the new monster inside her, the one that was telling her to kill, feed, destroy.  But there was no cruel sire here, no one to mock Jenny as she reluctantly gave into the whims of her new self.  Apathy had to be better than cruelty, for now, and then warmth would come once Vic was sure Jenny could be trusted.  

“Don’t worry about payment.  Not yet”.  Not ever, actually, would Vic be accepting payment for any supply that she offered to Jenny.  But people always seemed content with the promise that payment would be accepted, even if that promise was never fulfilled.  “When you’re more stable, when you’re able to integrate back into the world, then we can talk about payment.” Colleen Coover only lived in a one bedroom apartment, after all.  These deals were crucial to her.  Vic, on the other hand, could have supplied the whole town with blood and wouldn’t have batted an eyelash.  

—

It was a true testament to her professionalism (yeah, that’s right), that Jade kept her head down, focused on the transport bag when Vic finished fully introducing herself as Colleen Coover. She didn’t snicker once! The part of her that always wanted to make everything about herself (so like, most of her, really), wondered if Vic was sprinkling on some bits of comedy cause she knew how much this was affecting her. She was clearly the one who was suffering more here, obviously) (But then, that would imply Vic knew who Colleen Hoover was, which didn’t sound very likely) (Regardless, she really appreciated it). 

The good thing about bringing Vic for this meeting (other than the obvious good she was providing), was that she came in with the kind of tough love everybody needed from time to time. As she began talking to Jenny, she made no attempts to sugarcoat what was going to happen, or her expectations. Jade figured it was way better if Jenny heard it from one of their kind instead of one of the members of the other team, who had been tasked with their extermination. (Jenny didn’t need to know that said vampire was at one point a double agent and betrayed hundreds, if not thousands, of her own) (Tiny details) (Everybody needed a few character flaws, or something) (Let’s ignore the fact that she thought that was the coolest thing about Vic, yup). 

Jade moved their conversation to the background of her mind (at the right time too, cause why was Vic dropping Colleen lore?), and instead opened the box. It was probably like, the equivalent of opening a cartoon treasure chest, but instead of a ray of gold light shooting up the sky and blinding all of them, it was just transparent bags of red elixir. “You can pop this on your fridge or… your freezer, maybe.” They might make decent popsicles, Jade mused, without knowing too much about blood preservation. (It didn’t matter, Vic had attached a post-it with all the info Jenny might need) (Plus… Google). “It wouldn’t hurt to get one of these, actually,” she tapped the transport box. It might make the restocking process easier, faster, less personal. (Which was a good thing in her opinion. This once, and this once only). Not every drop off had to be something that dragged on for minutes. (She was sure Vic would insist on visiting and catching up with Jenny, though. She had that whole maternal instinct about her already fine tuned) (But maybe that desire for face-to-face interactions would come back to Jade eventually as well) (Maybe). 

Jade debated whether she should be the one handing the bags of blood to Jenny, with the possibility she might be drooling for them already, or let her pick them up herself and risk her going to town on them like they were Capri Sun. But by Vic’s assessment, Jenny seemed to be in an alright state of mind. And Jade trusted the assessment of the woman who got turned into a vampire in the Stone Age and therefore had eons more experience with this. She stood up, her boot pushing the box forward, sliding it toward Jenny. Her thumbs hooked in her belt (reasons unknown).    

“Any…uh, other questions?” She wondered. And while she was mostly addressing Jenny, she still wasn’t sure Vic was ready to simply be done with this, so she had to confirm. 

—

Any other time, she might have said something about the name and how ridiculous it was. But Colleen was not holding back in everything else she was saying, and so Jenny found no sass or wit within her. There was no part of her that could argue it either, as she was salivating at only the thought of what was in that box. She was tempted to eat it all in one setting, the thought of t becoming heavy in her mind as Colleen even mentioned it. But the longer she went on, the more her hunger seemed to grow bitter in her mouth. It was coming onto New Year’s soon. She did not want to enter the new year with another corpse to feel responsible for. She wanted to be able to spend it with Baz.

“I will try,” she said, not bothering to pretend she had any grand allusions about her control. She would usually fake such things, the way she had faked her way through confidence, expertise and even talent before. But Jenny understood that there were lives on the line. “Because … I don’t want that.” Not again. Her eyes closed for a second, a little longer than a blink, and she saw Henri and his arm. She opened them again and looked at Colleen. “I’ll really try to pace myself. But in the case I don’t … is there any room to receive more?”

The way she demanded privacy and separation was a little startling. She had not encountered such a thing before, but that was before she’d become something of a monster. “I won’t ask,” she said, “That seems best.” She could imagine it, her showing up at Colleen’s door and banging on it endlessly to ask for more. She would like to think herself better than that. But then there was Henri’s arm. 

There was a part of her that wanted to argue, that she could pay right now, but she kept her jaws wired. She clenched them even harder when Jade opened the box. The blood was enough to make Jenny feel like something was thrumming under her skin, even if she could not smell it due to the plastic. She moved her jaws to bite her tongue, trying not to bite it too hard so that she’d taste her dead blood. “Okay.” She ground her jaws shut again. “Will order one.” 

Jade slid the box forward and her eyes tracked it cautiously. She felt like a hawk watching prey move, except she was one that was pathetically biting her tongue and noticing an increased amount of saliva in her mouth. Jenny moved to close the thing with a slam. She felt her skin itch. She wanted to rip it open and dig into one of the bags with her hands, rip it open and do what she’d just said she didn’t want to: drain it all. With a strained voice, she muttered: “No more questions.”

—

Jade, for her part, was being impressively professional.  She had seen it before, but Vic couldn’t help but be impressed every time her counterpart was able to pull it together when she needed to.  She nodded along as Jade added more information as she saw fit.  Truthfully, she used the opportunity to make note of Jenny’s home.  The more information she could garner about this girl, the better.  But there was not much her mind could focus on.  Not on the girl in front of her, one who was, on the outside, momentarily okay, but on the inside, reeling.  Part of Vic wanted to abandon protocol (the protocol, of course, that she had created in her head on the drive over)- to run forward and hug the girl, and tell her it would be okay.  Truthfully, there was no way of knowing if it would be okay, so instead, she stood solidly in her place.  

“No”, she answered Jenny’s question quickly.  “No, there’s no room to receive more. There are 7 here now.  One for today, and once a day until we return.  It’s your decision on how you want to scatter each bag throughout the day.   I live very far away, and you must learn to pace yourself.  You cannot give in to the urge just because you think more is easily accessible.  If you do, you’ll always be as you are now”.  That reasoning was the truth behind why she would never be restocking Jenny early.  It was important for the safety of not only herself, but the rest of the town, that she build up a tolerance for the hunger.  She needed to learn to deal with it.  Vic knew she was not the expert.  She just hoped this method would work.  

There was a beat, and then she spoke again.  “I’ve heard rumors… about using your senses if things get bad once you’re reintegrated into society.  If you’re desperate…”  Truthfully, Vic didn’t know much about the rumors, but admitting ignorance was never her strong point.  “If you’re back out in public and someone gets a papercut or something, I mean, if you’re about to lose control, there’s some sort of failsafe that maybe sometimes works for some certain upiors.  If there’s a certain scent that evokes a strong reaction from you, it might shake you out of whatever fervor you’re about to act upon.”  She paused a bit before continuing, “But that may just be a rumor.”

For Jenny’s sake, and for Jade’s sake, she hoped it wasn’t.  Perhaps this rumor was something that could take hold, something that could save her in the face of completely freaking out.  When they came back next week, Vic would suggest testing this rumor out with different strong smells.  She might even suggest some sort of pseudo-therapy session where the three of them could explore deeply to find whatever strong smell might evoke such a reaction out of Jenny together.  Or maybe such an invasive conversation could be saved for week three.  Either way, she turned to Jade, signaling silently that she was ready to go.  Whatever else was going to happen over this first week, it was in Jenny’s hands now.  Despite herself, she turned to the girl one last time.  “I don’t believe in luck.  But I believe you have the gumption to get through this.  You just have to trust yourself.”  Vic had learned, over time, that people were appreciative of misplaced optimism.  Sometimes, this misplaced optimism even turned into a sort of self-fullfilling prophecy. 

[natusvincere]

2 Naked 2 Afraid || Rory and Vic

TIMING: Directly after the events of Naked and Afraid, pt. 1

PARTIES:@incatsclothing @natusvincere

SUMMARY: Vic comes back to the woods to give Rory some clothes, and maybe some subtle accusations, too.

WARNINGS: N/A

Somehow, standing in the woods in a kid’s t-shirt that just barely kept her chest contained and nothing else made Rory feel even more naked than standing in the woods wearing nothing at all. She’d crossed and uncrossed her arms close to a thousand times, trying to find a position to stand in that felt comfortable. Nothing really did. Perhaps part of it was due to the fact that Rory wasn’t particularly patient, either; Vic had only been gone a few minutes before she was considering just finding her own way home, ass out. She was weighing the pros and cons when she spotted headlights, relaxing as the newly familiar car pulled up.

“Hey,” she greeted as Vic climbed out of the driver’s seat. “I was starting to think you’d ditched me here.”

—

During the drive to her house, the search through her wardrobe, and the drive back, Vic asked herself at least 50 times what she was getting herself into.  What she was trying to do here couldn’t have been safe, and no matter how much she thought about it, there seemed to be no logical, safe end-goal to what she was doing.  Help a random girl in the woods discover if she was a murderer?  Assist in covering up said murder in exchange for a promise of ‘behavioral rehabilitation’?  What did that even mean?!

As she climbed out of the car, she hoisted the duffle bag she brought over her shoulder, plopping it unceremoniously in front of Rory.  “Sorry”, she said, unzipping the bag, its contents nearly popping out.  “I wasn’t sure what occasion you wanted to dress for.  I brought options.”  And options she sure brought.  Inside the duffle bag had a plethora of clothing items from blazers to sweatpants to miniskirts.  It didn’t touch nearly a quarter of Vic’s full wardrobe, of course.

—

Options. There was something a little funny about it, and Rory blinked as what seemed to be an entire wardrobe sprung forth from the duffel bag Vic had brought for her. She was weirdly touched, which seemed to be par for the course for her interactions with Vic thus far. She doubted anyone else would have brought her options, if they would have brought anything at all. It was this that kept the sarcastic remark balanced on the tip of her tongue instead of bursting through her lips. She scanned the options Vic had brought, grabbing a pair of sweatpants that looked comfortable and a plain t-shirt to go with it. 

“Thanks,” she said, pulling the clothing articles on and feeling some of the tension in her shoulders release as a result. Rory was used to being naked in the woods, sure, but up until very recently, she’d had the added benefit of her mother waiting with clothing after the fact. Having a stranger happen upon you in such a state was a different feeling entirely. “Um, did you still want to look for the squirrel I killed? Because, like, full disclosure, there might not be any of it left. I’m pretty sure the ocelot had a meal, because I feel pretty full.”

—

Vic pursed her lips at Rory scanned through her clothes, wondering what might be going through the other woman’s head.  It was strange, laying out a fraction of her wardrobe for a stranger to see.  She knew it was fashion forward, obviously, but the youth of today (the Genzies) were entirely too judgemental about clothing for her taste.  She pulled the bag back as Rory settled on an option she deemed acceptable.  There was a nod, quick and kurt in response to the gratitude, and that’s about all Vic was going to do to acknowledge it.  Even after all this time, she still didn’t know how to accept certain social niceties.

She let out a nervous breath at Rory’s question.  Morally, there was no way she could go back now, not with everything she knew.  If there was something more, she needed to help take care of it.  Because really, what was the head of the HOA for if not to cover up supernatural crimes against humanity?  “I think we could at least look for evidence of something.  If nothing went wrong, I’ll give you permission to say ‘I told you so.’  I was planning on a walk in the woods anyway, at least now I’ll have a companion.”

She gestured toward the spot where she first found Rory, her eyes expectant and questioning.  “Is that right where you woke up?  Why don’t you lead us where you think you might have come from?”

—

There was something about the way Vic was looking at her, like maybe she was anticipating that sarcastic remark that Rory was busy biting back. She figured that probably meant Vic had some experience with people her age — maybe she worked with young people? She had a daughter, she’d mentioned, but the clothes she’d offered Rory were way too small to belong to anyone older than a toddler. In any case, she was more than willing to repay Vic’s kindness by giving her a little slack.

And by humoring her with a walk in the woods. Rory, of course, knew that there was nothing to find. No matter what taste she woke up with on her tongue, Penelope wasn’t big enough to do any real damage. She might have scratched someone or killed a small animal, but it wasn’t anything Vic would find interesting. Still, Rory nodded. If Vic needed to look around just to ease her mind, Rory would go with her to do so. “That’s fine,” she agreed. “And, hey, probably better to walk through the woods with backup, anyway, right? No telling what weird shit is out there. I saw somebody online say they saw bears out here before.” She’d seen people online say all kinds of things about the woods in Wicked’s Rest, of course, but bears seemed the safest thing to recall now.

Looking to the spot Vic indicated, Rory shook her head slightly. “Nah,” she replied. “I woke up a little further into the woods, but I came this way to make my way back into town. I figured there’d be less people to spot me naked if I came this way.” She flashed Vic a smile that was almost sheepish. “I guess that didn’t quite ring true. But I came from this direction.” She started into the woods, gesturing for Vic to follow.

—

How many times had Rory woken up alone- naked and possibly leaving behind a trail of destruction?  A naked trail of destruction. If she were a writer, it might make an interesting teen horror movie, but in real-life, it just felt horrible.  Vic scoffed at the bear comment, a small smile playing on her lips.  “I saw someone online say there was someone out here offering ‘free hugs’.  Now that’s horrifying.”  Truthfully, most of her time in these woods was spent without backup.  Was that a mistake?  Was she setting Rosie up for the loss of another caretaker by being overzealous and reckless?

It was strange, seeing someone so nonchalant about losing themself to another creature.  When she was first turned, the thing that made Vic feel most monstrous was her complete lack of control.  She still felt like herself in so many ways, but she was goaded (both by her new, disgusting instincts and her sire) into doing the most unimaginable things that she couldn’t stop.  It felt like the few good things about her had been ripped out, replaced with a sort of destruction she didn’t even know she could possess.  Perhaps there was solace in not being able to witness your own monstrosities.

“Smart”, she commented, glad that Rory was socially mindful enough to worry about offending other people with her nakedness.  “Perhaps it’s lucky we found each other, in a strange way”, she said, noting the irony in Rory’s confession.  “This way, you get some cool new clothes, and I get to get rid of two of my rather unfortunate wardrobe pieces.”  If Vic’s words were insulting, she didn’t notice.  She was too busy watching Rory’s reaction as they rounded the corner, too worried about what they might find there, too scared of the consequences that might unfold.”

—

She let out a little laugh at that because, honestly? Free hugs from a stranger in the woods probably were scarier than a bear. At least bears belonged in the woods (though maybe not in Maine; were bears supposed to be in Maine?). “Okay, that’s definitely the scariest thing in the woods. I can’t think of anything worse than that. If we run into that guy, you should… fine him, or something.” Could Vic do that? Rory didn’t know what sort of authority, if any, she had here.

It was a little embarrassing, the way her chest felt warm as Vic deemed her smart for her decision to avoid allowing anyone to see her naked. It shouldn’t have mattered, because Vic wasn’t a shifter and therefore it should make no difference what she thought of Rory. And yet, it felt good to win over some sort of approval, no matter how small. It felt good for a stranger to think her intelligent, even if it was for something as obvious as avoiding the public eye while nude. “It does feel like a good thing,” she agreed, snorting when Vic went on to call the clothes Rory had picked unfortunate. She wasn’t offended; she’d been going for comfort over style, anyway. “I was going to give them back, by the way.” She felt bad just stealing Vic’s clothes… although maybe she shouldn’t, if Vic didn’t like these clothes, anyway.

She led Vic through the woods, passing where she’d initially woken up and following the trail of broken twigs and rustled leaves absently. “Looks like something big might have come through here, too,” she observed, pointing at some of the higher branches above their heads, which seemed to have snapped as something taller ran by. “Either before or after me, but probably not at the same time. I didn’t wake up feeling scared or anything. If something happens while I’m shifted, I usually do.” She had when she’d shifted trying to save her family and woken up alone miles away. 

“But there’s probably…” She trailed off as they rounded a corner. It looked to be the remains of a campsite, though it was hard to tell for certain. What remained of the tent was little more than shredded fabric, with trash strewn around. And at the center, a bloody mess that must have once been a person, though Rory couldn’t tell anything more about them than that. It could have been more than one person, even; there were parts of the body strewn all over just like the trash, blood splattered on the trees and the ground. Rory’s eyes widened, stomach churning as she felt vaguely sick. She turned to Vic with a desperate look in her eye. “I did not do this,” she said quickly. “I’m — I weigh, like, twenty pounds when I’m shifted. This wouldn’t even be possible for me. You know that, right?”

—

Vic noticed it before they even rounded the corner.  That sickeningly sweet, enticing smell of blood.  It was fresh, and it was-... she forced herself to cover her nose with her shirt before she was able to dwell on any more monstrous thoughts.  Vic was glad she was watching Rory’s face instead of setting her eyes on the destruction first.  This way, she had a chance to hide the horror and the disappointment that often followed when her instincts to distrust were founded.  When she finally looked, she was at least ready for what she saw, and she could fix her face into one of apathy, instead of the swirling whirl of terror that threatened to spill from within her.  She felt her breath quicken as she took in the scene, her mind slowly formulating a plan.

But Rory, apparently dumb as a doornail, was still in denial.  “How do you know?”, she asked bluntly, her eyes not traveling from the scene in front of her.  Whoever had been ripped apart here had most likely had a family, and people who loved them.  Maybe they even had plans for the future.  They deserved to have their last moments honored with acknowledgement, at least.  “You keep talking about how you’re not with yourself when you change… how can you possibly know how much you weigh, or…” She stepped further into the scene, her breath catching.  “Or what you’re capable of?” 

Would it have been better to pander Rory?  To let her continue to think that she was incapable of such destruction? What would happen, then, when the other shoe dropped- when years down the line dozens of more campers were ripped apart.  No, it was better for her to know now, so that she could formulate a plan so it wouldn’t happen again.  Her eyes traveled back to Rory, to the blood spattering her neck.  She looked desperate, and worried, like the inkling of the truth was threatening to burst through the surface.  Vic’s expression melted with sympathy before she spoke.  “Is it so out of the question to even consider the alternative?”

—

Vic wasn’t quite as horrified as Rory might have expected her to be by the sight they were met with. She wasn’t sure if a more horrified reaction would have made the situation better or worse, though it felt strange to imagine it as the latter. This was bad. It was really bad. Someone — maybe more than one someones, though it was hard to tell for sure given the scene — was dead. And while Rory knew that she wasn’t responsible for it, she could acknowledge that, from Vic’s perspective, it probably looked bad. Whatever had done this, whether it was another shifter or some kind of monster that lived in the woods, wasn’t around to take responsibility for the scene before them. All Vic could see was Rory, and that made Rory the most tempting target. She’d never seen Rory shift, after all, had no idea what she looked like. She could hardly blame Vic for assuming she was trying to cover her own ass.

She didn’t like the way Vic was going about it, though. The idea that Rory didn’t know anything about herself felt like something of a sore spot. If she were better at partial shifts, she could put the argument to bed right here and now, could flip Vic a middle finger with a clawed paw just to be showy. As it was, though, she couldn’t prove anything. She couldn’t show Vic that she was telling the truth, and it was frustrating. Logic was the only thing she had on her side here, but it was hard to take a stranger’s logic at face value. Rory knew that.

“Yes, it’s out of the question. I might not know what I look like when I shift, but my mother did — does. She’s the one who used to take me out into the woods to train, and she told me what I look like. And — And I have siblings. Six of them. And I know what they all look like, and what my mom and dad look like, too. I mean, genetics play a part in this sort of thing, you know? If two twenty-pound ocelots have six twenty-pound ocelot kids, there’s no way their seventh kid would randomly be something big enough to do…” She trailed off, gesturing at the scene around them and feeling vaguely nauseous at the sight of it. “...this. I get that you don’t know me, but I know me. I know what I am. And what I am couldn’t have done this.”

—

Vic’s mind was racing.  There were thousands of what-ifs dancing within her- about morality, her own and Rory’s, about what could have happened here, if it wasn’t due to the girl covered in blood, and about what was supposed to happen next.  Rory, it seemed, was a non-starter.  She was deep in a delusion that, as a stranger, Vic wasn’t going to be able to break.  But she couldn’t in her conscience sit idly by and wait for this to happen again.  

She wanted to laugh- to scoff at the idea that family members were incapable of lying.  Did Rory’s mother and siblings tell her lies to protect her from her own monstrosities?  Or was Vic being ridiculous, blindly following an idea when she had nothing more than a gut feeling to prove it?  “I don’t pretend to know how any of this works, Rory.  All I know is what I see, and that the most logical answer is usually the right one.  This?”  She gestured around them, throwing up her arms.  “It’s fresh.  Did you see a bear or any other wild animal that might have been capable of this in the time when I was gone?  And tell me- if it left this carnage behind, why would it leave you be?”  Maybe she was being too accusatory, wasting her chance at convincing Rory, but the words were pouring out of her before she could stop them.  

“There are things that I did a long time ago that I never thought I’d be capable of doing.  They were out of my control, but I still did them.  And now, hundreds of-... so many years later, I’m left dealing with the consequences.  You might not want to admit it, but this is going to weigh on your conscience unless you figure it out for good.  Even if you have always done so, your mind is no longer going to let you blindly trust the words of others to verify what you become when you’re gone.  Not after seeing this.  You need to find a way to prove to yourself once and for all  who you are, because otherwise, the what-ifs are going to eat you alive.”

—

“But me doing this isn’t the most logical answer!” Rory insisted, voice coming out a little more shrill than she’d meant for it to. It wasn’t her fault, really; she was being accused of murder here, she figured a little shrillness was excusable. (Falsely accused. That was important, too. Falsely accused, because there was no way Penelope could have done this. It was literally impossible.) “How is it logical to assume an ocelot did this? It’s not. There’s no way. It would have taken days to do this kind of damage, and unless you’re about to tell me it’s been weeks, I’m pretty sure I didn’t have that kind of time!” 

Frustration bubbled, along with something a little like panic. If Vic thought she did this, what would she do about it? Surely she wouldn’t just give Rory a ride back to town and forget about it. Would she call the police? Rory wasn’t even sure what they’d do about something like that, because it wasn’t as if the story made much sense on a human level, either. “These woods are huge,” she pointed out. “If a wild animal did this, it probably took off in a direction away from human voices. Or another shifter did it, and they ran when they heard us talking. And I can climb, when I’m shifted. I was probably up in a tree while it happened.” To her, that explanation made more sense. Penelope had hidden away in a tree while the massacre occurred, then came down when the threat had passed and trailed through the blood to get to the clearing where she’d woken up. It certainly made more sense than what Vic was implying.

And yet, Vic was insistent. “Okay, so you’re projecting,” Rory accused stubbornly. “Just because you did bad shit and regretted it after doesn’t mean I did anything like that. Sorry that you were a shitty person or whatever, but that has nothing to do with me. This,” she gestured to the carnage around them, “has nothing to do with me!” She didn’t need to figure anything out. She already knew. She might not know what she looked like shifted, might not be as good at it as her siblings were, but that didn’t mean anything. She knew who she was. She knew. “There are no what-ifs. It sucks that somebody died here, but I didn’t do it. I think I know more about myself than someone I met, like, thirty seconds ago.”

—

At this point, all Vic could do was press her lips together and watch.  It seemed like nothing she said was going to convince Rory that there might be another truth than the one she’d known her whole life.  And really- she couldn’t blame the girl.  Not when she spent centuries so set in her beliefs that a conversation like this would have sent her over the edge like, twenty minutes ago.  If anything, Rory was taking her veiled accusations surprisingly well.  She stayed stoic while Rory shrieked- intending to remain a calm figure while the woman across from her was experiencing a storm, but probably just appearing like a condescending asshole instead.

“A wild animal without inhibitions finished off a campsite, heard other voices, and decided to run away?  Where’s the logic in that?  Fervor is fervor, Rory.  Beasts don’t just become satiated from one attack.”  Her logic, for some reason, was inching scarily close to the kind she used back when she was betraying vampires for money.  She needed to pull back, probably.  And then, suddenly, the accusations were being put back on her.  Projecting?! No, she was helping.  Warning, before Rory’s gut had to go through the same torture hers did.  

“I was not a shitty person, Rory, I was out of fucking control!  And I didn’t even realize it until way too many people were affected!”  So many whole clans, lost to slayers who’d pay anything to get their bounty, all thanks to Vic. “Don’t you understand?  This is bigger than your ego, Rory.  This is real fucking lives.” 

She shook her head, realizing this was going nowhere.  “Look. I’m going to call the authorities.  Tell them that I was on a walk and happened upon this mess.  It’s the least thing a decent person could do, so at least the families are notified and no one else has to happen upon this carnage.  If you want to leave, then go.  But I’m not letting a mess like this spoil the town without at least taking some action.”

—

“Or maybe there wouldn’t have been voices yet!” Rory pointed out, feeling a little victorious at the disparity. She needed to do whatever she could do to disprove Vic’s claims. She knew that what Vic was implying was ridiculous, of course, but she needed Vic to understand it, too. She didn’t want to be held accountable for a stranger’s crimes, even if the stranger in question was another shifter. (Which they might not have been, actually — any kind of animal could have done this.) “Maybe whatever did this finished up before I ran into you, and ran off in the direction of someone else. It could be eating another camper right now. Maybe we should be focusing on that instead of whatever this conversation is.”

There was something building up inside of her the more Vic spoke. Anxiety, maybe, or dread. If she couldn’t convince Vic of the truth — that she was innocent of this massacre — what happened next? What would Vic do about it? Surely she wouldn’t just walk away, wouldn’t think nothing of someone she thought to be some kind of monster incapable of controlling herself. 

She scoffed as Vic insisted that her own crimes were due to a lack of control, because that wasn’t Rory, either. Sure, she didn’t remember Penelope’s antics, but that didn’t mean they were due to an absence of control. There was a difference between that and instinct. And Penelope’s instinct would be to hide unless threatened. “My ego? You’re the one who cares more about being right than you care about the truth. I’m telling you, this couldn’t have been me. It’s literally not even possible. Do you really think an animal that weighs twenty pounds could do this!” She gestured to the carnage around them, scoffing once more. 

At least Vic was right about one thing — this camper’s family probably ought to know some wild animal had torn them into pieces. This far out, it would be a while before someone else stumbled upon the scene; calling the authorities was the right call. And yet, there was a hint of quiet anxiety still thrumming in Rory’s chest. “What are you going to tell them?” If she left now, would Vic throw her under the bus? Tell the police that Rory had done this, let them come… what? Arrest her? It would be difficult to prove this sort of thing in a human court, but it wasn’t as if she had an alibi a human jury would believe. I was in the area, but I was an ocelot at the time. I weighed twenty pounds, so I probably didn’t eat this guy. Yeah. That would go over well.

—

Vic didn’t know what to say, because there was clearly no chance of the two of them coming to an agreement.  They could sit here and argue (clearly- Rory seemed like she would go to the ends of the Earth with her stubbornness), or they could just end it.  Vic needed a plan, though.  Because letting a potential untamed monster out to the town just felt irresponsible.  There was a chance that this mess had happened before, but Vic would not let it happen again.  She knew she had enough sleuth in her to keep tabs on Rory, all she had to do was figure out a bit more about her.  Should she offer a ride home?  Ask what neighborhood she lived in?

She shook her head, pressing her lips together.  “I feel like you want to fight.  Do you want to fight me?”, she asked, beginning to feel offended by the accusations being thrown her way.  “Actually, don’t answer that. Maybe you should just watch your tone”, she said with a pointed look.  “I’ve told you what I really think, it’s clearly not aligned with anything that you’re thinking.  Rory was past the point of listening.  And frankly, so was Vic.  

“Unless you want to stay, I’m going to tell them that I was walking, alone, and I happened upon the carnage.  I’m not going to mention any animals or creatures, not even when they question me.  Omitting information from the authorities is barely a moral thing to do, but I think considering the circumstances, it’s entirely necessary.  I’m incredible at pretending to be an aloof normie, so you don’t have to worry about me breaking.”  For the first time since she’d been subtly accusing Rory of some intense monstrosities, Vic’s face softened.  She was being honest about not tattling, even if she believed that there was more than met the eye where they stood.  And she wanted Rory to know that she meant it.  “I wouldn’t even mention you were here, naked, like some common hoodlum.”

—

“I don’t want to fight you,” Rory snapped, though she knew it was untrue. She might not want a fist fight, but she didn’t want to relent if relenting meant offering any kind of wiggle room on this. What Vic was saying wasn’t just wrong, it was dangerous. If there was any truth to it at all — which there wasn’t, of course — it meant everything Rory knew about herself was categorically untrue. And Rory couldn’t accept that; she didn’t know anyone who would. “I just want you to admit that maybe, I don’t know, maybe I know myself better than some stranger I met ten seconds ago!” It didn’t matter what Vic thought; what mattered was the truth. And Rory knew the truth. She knew what her mother had taught her, knew that she was exactly what she was supposed to be. She just needed to figure out how to do a better job at being it.

Rory studied Vic’s features, trying to determine if what she was saying was true. Would she really claim to have been alone? Rory wouldn’t think of it as covering for her, because to think of it as such would be to imply that she had done something that needed covering. She hadn’t. Whatever happened here, it wasn’t her who had done it. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that was it; that was all. But… Vic thought otherwise. And Rory needed to know, for certain, that she wouldn’t share those thoughts with someone who would use them to put her into a worse position. 

Vic’s expression softened, though, turned into something a little closer to what it had been when she was offering Rory clothes and helping her out, and Rory decided she could believe the woman for now. With some hesitation, she nodded. “Yeah,” she agreed. “Okay. You can tell them you were alone. I don’t think I should stick around.” She desperately needed a shower, at the very least. And some mouthwash. She blew a sharp exhale through her nose, something that was almost a sound of amusement. “Nobody says hoodlum in real life,” she said flatly, wringing her hands together absently in front of her.

—

Vic, ever stubborn and unrelenting, watched Rory carefully while she considered her words.  Rory couldn’t see past her own self to realize that this wasn’t about knowing oneself or not.  It was about accepting the fact that reality, when told by other people, had the potential to be warped.  Not that it was warped, mind you, that it had the potential to be.  After a beat, she shook her head, her expression remaining unchanged.  “I don’t make a habit of making admissions, Rory.  And I’m not about to change that to soothe your need for validation.”  Why did it matter to Rory so much if Vic believed her? Was she trying to prove it to herself instead?

She nodded, again with finality, when Rory finally conceded and decided to leave.  It was all well and good.  Well- it almost was, till she threw a Jade-level quip her way.  “I just did.  Is this all pretend?”, she replied, her expression curt.  She was annoyed for now, sure, but if her growing to love Jade’s quips was a part of some sort of larger pattern that she hadn’t realized yet, perhaps she and Rory might become great friends one day.  

There wasn’t much more to do after Rory left.  She waited until she was sure she was far enough away- half an hour before she even pulled her phone back out of her pocket.  She had years of experience manipulating others- playing the shocked, traumatized single mother happening upon a tragedy was no big deal.  After she was questioned and dismissed, her expression switched back to the stoicism that she knew so well.  The goal, now, was shifted.  Now she would find Rory- or at least find out everything she could about her before something like this happened again. 

[highoctanegem]

[pm] We should question the rules, a little bit. We should break at least a third of them. Like, imagine if I had questioned everything a little more before To be cringe is to be free, Vicky. You can't get rid of my cool auntie swag.

[user gets a big knot in her throat about this] Right. Something something the road paved with good intentions. I'm not... ruling out killing her completely. I just Don't w We're not friends We Sorta It's complicated You don't look for blood for people you don't I doubt it. Some folks were searching for upior curses like, a couple weeks ago. The news zoom in a place like this.

Okay, okay. UGH. Fineeeee. I get it. Your social security number was 1 or something. You rode back home on top of dinos, fine. (Was it the big necky one?) My middle name is careful, actually. [user thinks of Emilio, she thinks of Henri. She might not be lying about this anymore] Together then. I'll DM Jenny (that's her name) to let her know you're tagging along.

Her home? Where... you know, there are tons of people living nearby? Where it's tiny and cramped and full of objects that could turn into weapons? If her tongue doesn't get to us first, that is. Look, I'll do what you think is best, but... I don't like this! [...] I'll have to bring extra weapons, just in case. Why would you come with What about [user grumbles] It's kind of you. To wanna guide someone like her. Maybe it's true after all. What we said in the Tee ball field. We do this right this time

[natusvincere]

[pm] We should question the rules, sure, if we're prepared for complete and utter chaos. Do you want Rosie to grow up in a world more chaotic than it already is, Jade? Let's stick to the rules of manners before we attempt anymore civil disobedience, please. Yikes, that's all I can say. Is cringe a state of being now?

Now you're understanding my intelligent superiority, nice. Wait- do you think there's possibly a chance that there was someone with a social security number of 1? We should look into that. I rode home on many long neck dinosaurs back in Sweden. We created saddles for the very occasion. Of course, we had to sit side saddle, so it wasn't as adventurous as you might think. Interesting, I always thought your middle name was the kissing face with smiling eyes emoji. Jenny. Is that her actual first name, or a nick name? Government name would be more convenient for surveillance purposes.

There are tons of people living nearby everywhere in town, Jade. Even if the layman doesn't want to admit it. Even in the woods, we run into the risk of some sort of creature mulling about. And we're not taking her to your cabin, that would be too high-risk for my liking. No situation is ideal here, but if we're going to do this, we need to think long-term. I'd like to keep an eye on her in case anything goes wrong. The best way I can do that is if I know where she lives.

It's not kind, it's... well it's just something I think is right, okay? Morally, or whatever. It's right, right? For us to help her?

[natusvincere]

@cairnivore

[pm] I was staying by the lake. But I don't think I should stay there anymore. You mentioned once… a shelter?

Cairn--- when you say by the lake... are you meaning outside?

I mentioned there are shelters in town, yes, but my understanding is that they're not always consistent.

Are you in need of a place to stay? Perhaps I can fund a hotel room for you for a few weeks.

[highoctanegem]

[pm] The rules are dumb anyway, see... even you think it's silly not to thank you, and I'm totally aware I'm benefitting, I love it. Mwah! I was raised in a middle-class house, by the way. The older I get the less I understand how my parents could afford four kids Maybe that's why they didn't vibe with their fi It's okay, I trust my cool auntie swag to convince her. I totally should've guessed you would delay Home Alone shenanigans. Maybe it's for the best. That little girl's way too smart to meet Kevin. I LOVE peppermint in my choc, thank you <3

Once. The kind that was far too gone to [...] That's supposed to matter, right? According to That she doesn't want the villain role. That she just wants to lead the most normal life she can now? She approached me, she knows there are ways to feed that don't kill h

Okay. Good. Cause I don't want you to get more involved than necessary [user continues to read] Wait Oh that's not I'm not sure you should Babe, I'm not liking this plan very much :/ Or at all. I'm trying to keep you safe here Rosie needs But [...] I respect that you want to make sure your resources are not like, wasted. I But what if It's not safe to We can go together. But if stuff goes south... you need to promise me you'll skedaddle. I dunno when it happened, she just kinda sprung this on me. I saw her not too long ago and she wasn't [user starts doing some math in her head] Wait. Someone I know asked about upior cures... Probably around the beginning of December. [user feels a little sick knowing she might have known about this before she actually did]

I don't know that...either. I'll take a stab in the dark and say nope. What are you thinking about, woods, bunker? I still have my cabin, that's as far away from civilization as I can think of.

[natusvincere]

[pm] The rules are there for a reason. Do I know the reason? No! Is it my job to question the rules? Also no. This is simple, Jade. And there's no getting around it. Please do not ever utter the phrase 'cool auntie swag' in my presence ever again. It is, as the youth say, making my body feel like attempting to cringe. You should have, I'm actually almost appalled you even suggested it.

If you would have asked me ten years ago if it mattered, I would have said it wouldn't. Perhaps you would have said the same thing ten months ago. It's good that you're questioning this. I'd say the fact that she's concerned about it is a good sign. But from what I've heard about upiors... it might be easier said than done. It might take more than gumption and well meaning will power to overcome. Are you the only friend of hers that knows about this?

I'm involved. There is no necessary. Like it or not, Jade, I have literally centuries of experience with this sort of thing on you. I'm not going to let you put yourself in danger alone. I've learned in Wicked's Rest not to make any promises. I can assure you that I will not be reckless, but only if you can do the same for me.

I'm assuming she lives in town. It might be beneficial to know where she lives, so I can make sure she doesn't suddenly lose control. What about her home? Would she be willing to complete the exchange there?

[natusvincere]

@highoctanegem

[pm] I wish :/ [del: there's nothing to reference for this] [del: tongues are ruined] [del: at least for the next ten minutes] [del: then we're so back] I'm gonna need a beat before I can start adding material to my routine. And your concern is sweet, but I'm totally fine. [del: except for the part where a girl died and we all failed he]

YAY <3 I'm glad you did. Getting presents from rich people is the best. [user smiles for the first time since she left A Latte to Love] Okay, maybe we can convince Rosie to switch it up for Home Alone or something. Or how about Elf? [user knows she's trying to postpone the question]

Okay. A girl died. [del: she was my] [del: we were fri] [del: sorta] [del: I kinda blew it]. Came back as a vampire. An upior, to be precise. With the tongue. Ever heard of those? Anyway, she doesn't want to kill people. So she came to me and... I dunno. I dunno wh me. I should've killed her. [del: But I don't want t] [...] We could help. Not make this so traumatic for her. [del: I know you had a rough] [user is idle for a while] I need some blood, is the favor. Like... from the storage you have. But I would handle it. You never have to meet her if you don't wanna. I wouldn't wanna risk Rosie's wellbeing. And that would be a huge IOU. I'll hand out all the flyers you want me to.

[pm] It’s not sweet. It’s pragmatic. Don’t add meaning to my concern, Jade.

Please. Were you raised in a barn? Some people might find that an incredibly rude thing to say. You’re not supposed to reference my wealth or how happy you are to benefit from it. I don’t know why, I don’t make up the rules. However, please be aware that you will be greatly benefitting from my wealth. I would rather she not be exposed to the graphic but humorous violence depicted in Home Alone just yet. I will settle for Elf, but you might need to wear her down. Do you like peppermint in your hot chocolate?

I’ve heard of them. They’re… I’ve heard of them. [user pauses for a moment to collect herself] You shouldn’t have killed her, but I’m not going to lie and say that this sort of thing is no big deal, Jade. Have you dealt with upiors before? She may not want to kill anyone, but… [user hesitates again, thinks back to when she was first sired]

Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. This girl is not going to know my name, and she’s certainly not going to know where I live. You are not going to meet with her alone until she has a reliable food source. You’re definitely not dealing with this alone. I’ve been stocking up extra because of all the surges, I have more than enough to spare, but she’s going to need to learn to control herself. We will go together to give her a first batch. I don’t know much about her kind, but I’m worried that if we give her a large supply at once, she’ll waste it all in one go. When did this all happen?

Is she in a safe place? Away from humans?

[natusvincere]

[pm] [user stares at her screen for ten minutes. She thought this was gonna be a lot easier than it actually is. She considers whether she should tell Jenny that Vic didn't agree to the plan since she has no way of knowing the truth, then remembers what that could mean for the people who might stumble upon a hungry Jenny. User paces around grumbling about this for five more minutes till she pulls the plug]

Habibti. How ar I need a favor. [user counts on Vic noticing how straight to the point she's being] Like a real one, not for you to fine the lady across the street cause I saw her wearing cargo pa Also, I have Winnie's and Rosie's and your gifts, I'm coming over later tonight. You better have hot choccy with marshmallows.

But first. This.

[pm] No quips? No innuendos or ridiculous references that only you would understand? What’s wrong? Are you in danger?

You did not need to get us anything. But we have yours as well. Come on over, we’re on our 4th rewatch of the polar express. I could do the hot chocolate dance, but don’t ask me to.

Tell me.

[pagingdoctorhart]

I'm begging someone to go to Wicked Wheels with me for this holiday skate. I'll even touch you to skate if you don't know how. And then we can show off and embarrass those teenagers that are usually showing off and making adults feel bad about themselves there.

Seriously. Hands and knees for this one. I'll even let you pick the winter themed costumes! Though bonus points if we go as La Befana.

[natusvincere]

There are too many sad things here to name. Firstly, is this the 50s? I don’t think any ‘cool teenagers are hanging out at the skating rink these days. They’re out having their vape parties, or something. Certainly too busy to watch you and a complete stranger fall over yourselves both physically and socially. And where’s your independence? You need someone else there to have fun?!

But I think the costumes are the last straw. There’s no need to make a fool of yourself more than you already are.

[25centimental]

To whoever keeps tagging the arcade high score tables with 'ASS' and 'TIT', I'm honestly very impressed by your ability to dominate so many of these games. But could you cool it, please?

[natusvincere]

Do you own this establishment you’re calling ‘the arcade’? Is the machine yours? Your best bet from here on out is to change it so people can’t put such profanities in for their high scores. It’s actually your responsibility at this point. I mean, think of the children.