World of Darkness: Attrition - Drink of the Weird (Fin)

[Jeremy]

LA Amphora pounded with the sounds of loud activity, both conversation and from the east end, loud music from the Emerald Lounge, the room reserved for UCLA students. They formed the core clientele of the bar, and many were spread into the main bar area, chatting, watching the TVs, and generally carousing.

That section was more like the average bar, with some booths and tables, the bar itself, seats aligned at one end, and smiling bartender Jeremy Noctis at the other end.

His blond hair was straight and well-combed and his green eyes sparkled with the same merriment that many of the patrons were experiencing. He complimented, laughed and conversed with them, intentionally stoking their happiness and the fulfillment of their desires for drink. Why not?

Unbeknownst to all others in that bar, Jeremy was a changeling. He had been abducted at eighteen, and forced into a role of brewing very noxious and foul drinks for his Keeper. Usually, he took a forced bath in giant vats of these, when he got things wrong. The taste of disgusting liquids moving into your mouth, up your nose, the pain in your eyes...

Jeremy threw that memory away. After he'd gotten out at age twenty-seven, circumstances regarding the regular world having passed only two years ended his hopes of an old life. It had been several months since then, and he had one of the best legal identities possible under this new name. The freehold in LA was lacking in numbers, but very influential.

To him, after all the indignities, it had been best to drop the past as much as possible, and frankly, could his Keeper truly see him if Jeremy didn't show any sign of being that same servant? Not in his mind. And while he was at it, why not extend that cheer to others? In any case he had joined the Spring Court in LA.

So here he was, working happily at the LA Amphora bar, soaking up all the glamour- not that he expended it often -that one could have, happy, making others happy, it was wonderful. Then a crash sounded from the Emerald Lounge, and he scurried off to investigate, and likely, clean up the mess. All in a relaxed manner of course.

[Adrian Moss]

For Adrian, there was always the fear that came with going to a new hunting grounds. That is what clubs really were for him and his kind. Here the people, the alcohol, and the desperation and need gathered in the right cocktail that caused people to trust near total strangers enough to let them into their homes, if not a dark alcove. All of this cumulated in the Feeding. Feeding was the critical link in a vampires life.

The LA Amphora had been brought to his attention by someone on CalNet, a worker there. It was a college hang out, and Adrian's ID was only a semester old. He wasn't sure if his City College ID would suffice and didn't want to put up with the ridicule. Besides, his Drivers Liscence said he was old enough, so what more did he need?

The Mekhet was dressed a step above the normal student hitting the club, but it didn't stand against him. He was lucky enough to run across someone from his Pre-Law course. They guy was flying wingman for three students from another class. He asked Adrian what he was taking this semester. Adrian thought about lying, but instead bent the truth.

"Working on my PI liscence at City College. That way I can make some money while I come back for Law School."

"Didn't know you had money problems."

"Old man insists I make something of myself first," Adrian replied. All the while he was locking eyes with the cute brunette to his pseudo-friend's right. She blushed then took the initiative.

"Care to dance?" the girl named Sandra asked.

"Later all," he responded taking her hand and heading to the Emerald room and the music.

"Figures he would go for the older one," joked bitterly the pseudo-friend. He had an eye on her, but he still was with her two friends. He suspected there was something up between him and their instructor, or maybe the other way around. Perhaps that was why he wasn't at UCLA this semester - a pissed off TA.

Sandra danced with him closely due to the pack of bodies. He smelled of mint an subtle aftershave. He was easy on the eyes and made her spine tingle whenever his hands brushed against her. His intense eyes, though not always on her, made her feel special, as if she was the focus of his whole night. They danced for thirty minutes.

"Let's go talk some," Adrian said, but his whole aura said he wanted to do much more than talk. Sandra began leading him out, him nuzzling her neck and her occassionally leaning back into his insistance.

"Not outside - now."

Sondra angled for a dark corner not too far from the bar. She didn't want anyone to think she was a slut, right? They got to the darkened corner. He pressed her against the wall. The thought that people might watch them writhing in the shadows was a hell of a turn on. He kissed her on the lips, biting her lip as he pulled away. He went for the cut of her chin then under the chin at the top of the neck. She turned her head eagerly. She didn't see the ivory white of his fangs as they came out. She was totally exposed to him and he made ready to drink deeply of his nightly prey.

[Jeremy]

It was getting late now, not that it bothered Jeremy. The bar was open till midnight. Of course, it was that once a week day where his major shift ended early.

He moved out the employee side entrance to the alleyway there, and froze in shock. He clearly saw a young woman interacting with a similarly aged man, only the guy had fangs. And the vampire was drinking from the woman's throat. He froze with shock.

He couldn't take on a vampire, even with his Glamour, so what should he do?

Click to reveal..

6d10.hitsopen(8,10) → [9,2,4,2,5,8] = (2)

[Adrian Moss]

Blood coursed down his throat and filled his hunger, calming the Beast. He licked the wound and sealed it with a kiss. Sandra slumped against the wall and whispered a,

"Whoa."

"Are you feeling okay?" Adrian asked softly, barely audible over the music's bass.

"A little ... little light headed."

"How about I get you a taxi home? You look a bit pale. I'm so sorry about this."

"Oh," Sondra continued feeling a bit more like herself, but obviously fatigued, "not your fault. Maybe I drank too much earlier. I'm not normally flaking out like this."

"How about you give me your number and we get together some other night?"

"I would like that," his victim slurred.

Adrian moved her along the bar and out of the club, taking care to move people out of her way and making sure she stayed on her feet. There was no sign of his feeding upon her neck.

Adrian came back in five minutes later, alone and headed back to listen to the music. He seemed oblivious to the fact that he'd been seen ... or maybe he didn't care.

Click to reveal..

Perception Test: (17:45:57) ChatBot: (Adrian) rolls 9d10 and gets 2,7,1,1,5,4,5,2,5 = 0 successes

[Jeremy]

Jeremy watched as the vampire finished and walked back around the corner, ostensibly to head back inside. His mouth firmed. By golly, he couldn't have vampires around here, especially feeding on the clientele.

After returning inside, Jeremy spotted the vamp back in the Emerald Lounge, listening to the music. He moved behind the young fellow and tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me sir," Jeremy whispered dangerously calm, "would you come with me?"

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and nodded. He wasn't one to make a scene.

"Sure, what seems to be the problem ... um bartender?"

Adrian didn't come for a fight. He only had his pistols on him, 'quieted' so as not to bring attention to themselves.

The frightened Jackrabbit inside of him begged for Adrian to just vanish, but it was a small voice and not really appropriate to the Requiem. Part of him wondered if he could have possilbe missed someone seeing him feed, though the thought it highly unlikely. Now, if this was a club associated to a kindred not yet known in the city ... and odder things had happened then he was about to get a reaming out of biblical proportions. What were the odds of that?

He followed Jeremy quietly in a rather loud room, eyes observant.

Click to reveal..

Perception test if needed: (18:11:05) ChatBot: (Adrian) rolls 9d10 and gets 7,9,5,8,8,9,10,7,10.

(18:11:22) ChatBot: (Adrian) rolls 2d10 and gets 7,8 = 7 successes!

[Jeremy]

Jeremy checked to see that the young vampire was behind him before heading back out to the same spot where he had been before.

Well. The bloodsucker was actually scared. That might help. Jeremy spoke in a voice that suggested compliance was the best option. "Listen, I know your kind needs to feed on blood, but don't you dare feed around my bar or on the patrons!"

Click to reveal..

Wits + Empathy for Adrian's emotions (specialty): 7d10.hitsopen(8,10) → [[10, 8],4,4,7,3,8,4] = (3) successes

[Adrian Moss]

[Fear]

"What ... what are you talking about? I don't know what you mean, honest."

Adrian hesitates for a moment,

[shifts to curiousity]

"But even if I did and I'm not saying that, did someone get killed or something? Besides, I'm a patron here. Who are you to tell me what I can and can't do, as long as I stay, theoretically, within the lines."

He didn't grab the cops or the witchunters. No, he grabbed me and is reading me the riot act. What the hell is going on here? If he was a member of someone's entrouge, he would have told me. That would have made things simple.

Now, how do I handle this?

[Jeremy]

Jeremy sighed. Perhaps some suggestions could convince the vamp to stop. "Because I frankly don't like vampires, or their feeding habits, especially at my bar, for the amount of time it's been going on!"

"And," he added ferociously, hoping to press on the sucker's fear, "I don't want to muck with your mind!" Perhaps the hint of the use of a contract could convince the vamp, like Growth of the Ivy.

Click to reveal..

Manipulation + Subterfuge for vamp lie: 1 sux

Wits + Persuasion for mucking w/ Adrian's mind (in a way, Jeremy can do this): 2 sux

,,

[Adrian Moss]

Visions, no nightmares, of Lucien Hunt coarse through his mind and Adrian is afraid.

Until he picks up on a nervous tick.

Click to reveal..

Wits+Empathy Burning a Willpower for +3dice(20:23:24) ChatBot: (Adrian) rolls 7d10 and gets 6,10,3,8,8,5,4 = 3 successes

Willpower (20:26:01) ChatBot: (Adrian) rolls 6d10 and gets 3,9,10,7,9,8

(20:26:34) ChatBot: (Adrian) rolls 1d10 and gets 10

(20:26:43) ChatBot: (Adrian) rolls 1d10 and gets 4 = 5 successes

Adrian tilts his head for a moment then the vampire snarls.

"Tell me who the hell you are, to threaten me? I'm not messing with you and you are busting my chops. Forget about it. I know real mindbenders and they don't ask - they do."

"Now, if you want to tell me who you are and why it is you know what you know, maybe I can help you out, because you should know that I'm far from alone."

Adrian's eyes narrow at his threat.

"I'm a nice fucking guy. You are being an ass and maybe you have a reason, but you either tell me it, or you get out ... and stay out of my face. I don't deserve this."

[Adrian thinks he's telling the truth]

[Jeremy]

Jeremy definitely figured fighting wasn't a good idea. This guy was on the edge of it, so tact would be the best option. Jeremy spoke in what he hoped would be a manner of calm reason. "I don't deserve vampires messing with my patrons. It's not that hard to avoid this place, or not feed here you know."

"Besides," he added as an afterthought, "I think keeping from being noticed would be what your friends would prefer, rather than a noticeable fight. I too don't seek mortal attention, at least regarding my true identity, kid."

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian blinks at him for a few seconds with dead eyes - appraising eyes.

"Dude, I'm not your only frakking problem. You advertised on CalNet to bring students in. Who do you think is going to be following along? There are a lot of us - A Lot."

He straightens himself out a bit now that the conversation has started on a different track.

"Mortal means not Mortal, as in you are not one. You don't look like one of us, so what are you? After all, I know a bunch of different folks. If you are new to town, maybe I can help you. By the way, I'm Adrian."

The offer was clear: Adrian helps out Jeremy and Jeremy cuts him some slack in his place.

[Jeremy]

Oh dear. This vampire did have a point, but he could be lying.

Click to reveal..

Wits + Empathy + lying specialty: 8d10.hitsopen(8,10) → [6,8,[10, 1],5,2,7,6,[10, 2]] = (3) sux

No. Adrian clearly wasn't trying to trick him. But his open discourse... Well, the freehold was too darn small. He would need help from other supernaturals. Not that there was a problem right now. But planning always helps.

"I've been here for several months without trouble. My name is Jeremy Noctis. Have you heard of the stories of the faeries who kidnap people, Adrian?"

[Adrian Moss]

His eyes got wide then they got wider.

"You're they guy who put this place on the map. You're that Jeremy Noctis."

He looked away, working on a lie no doubt, because he wasn't very good at that.

"Okay, I know something," he told the truth. "It's not something I can talk about, but I can put them in touch with you. Did it happen to you ... or did you get away?"

[Rorx]

Moss had entered the bar about an hour ago, slowly looking around getting the feel for the place and the clientele, keeping an eye out for anyone he knows (not to mention an ear and a nose). It had been a quiet couple of months for him. Have failed to get anywhere helping Oneca, he had concentrated on finding accomodation and work for a while. In the end he had managed to keep his word and was out of Amber's place by the end of Febuary, having got work as a live in gardener/odd job man at one of the empty mansions not far outside of Declans territory.

Since then he had seen the others occassionally and had maintained his offer of help at anytime, but for him at least it had been a quiet time. He had spent his freetime cruising the city, although obviously concentrating on those areas closest to his home, checking out the Shadow landscape and population.

Here in the bar he had spotted people he recognised from around the university, although so far none he knew well enough to talk to. Walking through into dance area he paused in the entrance way to get accustomed to the noise and light level when a familiar smell came to him. Spotting over to the alcove it seems to be coming from he stops outside and turning back towards the room he knocks on the wood surround of the alcove, "Knock, knock, that you in there Adrian." his english accent alone would tell the Mehket who it was.

[Jeremy]

Jeremy smiled. Now they were getting somewhere at last. Could you believe it? "Whoever it is, if they're of us, chances are I'd know them. There are that few of us. We changelings are those who got kidnapped and escaped. Furthermore-" A loud knocking sound, and a voice calling for Adrian surprised him. "Who's that? Friend of yours?" He turned around.

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian looks to No Moss and the relief shows in his face. He motions the werewolf to come closer.

"You may want to hear this."

Looking back to Jeremy,

"He's a friend, but hes not ... family, if you know what I mean. He also knows about what we are trying to talk about."

"If you are an escapee, could you find someone still held and help them escape? Could you at least talk to someone who had soemone close to them grabbed? Do you and your ... buddies do that thing?"

[Rorx]

Moss steps into the alcove and is just about able to make out the familiar form of Adrian, along with a member of staff.

At the phrase "escapee" Moss gives the staff guy a more careful look over.

"Adrian? You want to fill me in?"

[Adrian Moss]

"This is Jeremy Noctis, they guy who posted up on CalNet about this club, which is probably why both of us are here."

"Jeremy, this is Moss ... which is sort of a funny story, but later."

"Moss, this is a guy who got away from 'Them'. He's not like the one we've been watching, but the one that was replaced. Maybe we should ask 'Her' if we can set up a meeting. Maybe he can help her and she can help him. Seems he has a bit of a kindred problem," Adrian grins. "We might be able to help with that."

Looking sincerly into Jeremy's eyes,

"Honestly, we have a girl in trouble, if that appeals to you. If you deal in favors, we can deal with that too."

[Jeremy]

Jeremy nodded. Another changeling in trouble was something important, if she had a problem. "Alright. 'She' just get out?"

[Rorx]

Moss gives the two of them an appraising look before answering.

"It's more complicated than that, but I think we should contact the lady in question and let her decide where to go with this. Adrian do you want to step outside and call her, or should we leave her a message for another time?"

[Adrian Moss]

"I'll go out and give her a call. She'll want to know about this as soon as possible."

Adrian heads over to the bar, skims past it and heads out the door.

Click to reveal..

"Yeah, I want to talk to Oneca. I'm Adrian. This is important."

"I know she's busy, but if you would just ..."

"Okay, take a message then. Here's my number xxx-xxx-xxxx. Tell her its important and the news is good."

"Okay, you too."

Adrian comes back in and walks over to the two supernaturals.

"I left her a message. She'll get in touch soon, and I'll get in touch with you. Sorry, but she's gone through a lot of pain and we don't want to put her through anymore."

[Jeremy]

"I'd expect." Jeremy agreed. He suddenly realized the time that had passed. "Well gentlemen, sorry but I'd best be off." He shook hands with them before departing.

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian turned to Moss,

"Well, that could have gone worse. At least I'm not banned and next time I know to be more careful. In a way I was lucky it was him and not some ... well normal type. We all have our secrets we like to keep hidden."

"So, what do you have planned for the night. I've finished with what drew me here - all filled up."

[Rorx]

"You know me, just cruising around and checking on the landscape and population on the otherside. Heard about this place and thought I'd check it out."

Taking a pull of his beer and sitting down he continues, "Anyway, you been up to anything interesting you can talk about? I've been a bit out of the loop getting settled into my new place and job, so I haven't seen much of anyone for a bit."