Canon is Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines

[ventruly]

Yes, by now I think everyone knows there's going to be "a sequel", but be reasonable. It's still at least a year off. That's a long wait, for someone with your lifespan, and this place is beyond inefficient for us both.

You remind me of Grout, trying to "cure vampirism" for decades on end, and letting what you want to be true guide your attention rather than ascertaining what is necessary to secure an objective. You don't even have an objective.

I can help you, if you just ask. That's what my clan are best at: redirecting fruitless energies to a better, more unified cause.

Comments

[tungwag]

Kine can get pretty excitable, huh? I'm sure they'll calm down eventually. A year is a long time; they'll burn out on the wait after a while and then come back a few months before the game drops pretty much frantic. Let 'em have their fun, it's harmless enough.

[ventruly]

You always were patient. That ghoul you have defies description.

I think we both know there's no chance of anyone but Beckett being involved, from Los Angeles. I want to say Jack is dead, as well? But I am hazy on those details. Call that wishful thinking.

[tungwag]

Who, Knox? [grinning] Sharp kid. And I can't exactly fault the enthusiasm.

Dead, or a pirate, something like that. Whatever, he's useless. Unless he's the one going around mass Embracing, which would definitely be like him, but I get the feeling he's not.

I'm betting Beckett does make an appearance, though. Wouldn't be too shocked if Jeanette did, either. Maybe that Nagaraja, or Isaac's Childe, but I'm betting it'll just be a couple big fan-favorites and everything else would be new. Having it stand on its own would be the smart move, anyway.

[ventruly]

I'm sure I prefer my ghouls more sedate, and seasoned, not excited about every aspect of being a "vampire". [Also grinning, though.] To be young again, hm?

A pirate again? What a retrogressive little man he is. I could see him doing that too, however. Caitiff, chaos, and disorganized suffering is his heartsong. Despicable!

I would myself prefer a clean break, I admit. But I am much happier with the mundane's current track, and with the loyal fledgling, and with you. It's productive, and I.

I deserve it, as well. At least, I think so.

You get out all right, and don't mistake me, I'm glad of it. But I feel in those universes that matter, I failed the entire community.

[tungwag]

Sure. We all have preferences.

Ugh, I wouldn't want to be thirty again, but I'll admit it's nice having some contagious eagerness around. Really makes me remember why I got into all this in the first place.

Let's not dwell on Jack too much, though. He'd just love to know you're standing around hating him while he's off scot-free somewhere.

[Well, ouch. After everything they both know, standing here, happened/is happening/will happen (fourth wall break time is weird)...]

Look, sweetheart, you didn't fail anybody. You did what you could with what you were handed, you were doing nothing but scrambling around trying to salvage things. If anything, the Kindred community's failing itself. You know, my own mun was looking into things when they picked me up, and your successor doesn't manage any better than you did. Maybe worse. The whole West Coast is a mess these nights.

[ventruly]

Ennui so soon? You're not an ancient Elder, by any means. Tell me if you start feeling particularly bored and lifeless, I can find something for you to do. And I don't mean favors for me. I'd just sooner you weren't in voluntary torpor for centuries, for a little while yet.

When you put it that way, who were we talking about? Thank you, Tung.

...I'm not familiar, what happens to the Prince after I died? How long did they last?

[tungwag]

[chuckles] It's nothing that serious. It's just nice to have a little harmless excitement around for a change. New ghouls are usually pretty good for that. Mercurio was already pretty seasoned when he came over to you, right?

It's not a problem, sweetheart. Don't mention it.

Well, for one thing, it was Prince Tara Kearney. You know, the former Anarch, Prince of San Diego? They've had a hard time finding out how long she was Prince of L.A. for, but apparently it wasn't too long before she got betrayed by an advisor, shot at by a bunch of Anarchs, and knocked off a skyscraper.

Funnily enough, I'm not even sure it was local Anarchs. They were being led by one of Jack's childer, and she had made a lot of Anarch enemies from the San Diego area.

[ventruly]

Oh, naturally. Yes. I understand harmless excitement. [LaCroix knows fun...] I adopted Mercurio quite accidentally, after the scandal with his protection of that Elder during the "Sabbat" assassination attempt. I have my own theories on what happened, but I do think that the local Camarilla was not quite as impressed as I might have been that the "Sabbat" were foiled in their aims by a single ghoul.

I am fortunate to have you. And I'm not saying that only because Gary Golden is worse than worthless.

...Terrible. What was she, Brujah? But very few Princes deserve that.

How many of our kind will Jack kill before the Justicar consign him to death? This is ridiculous!

[tungwag]

Do you? I was a little worried you haven't run into anything harmless in a while. [Lacroix... ;;] I heard about that. I'd be interested to know your theories, but I have a pretty good idea what they might involve already... That was impressive work, though.

If you were saying that just in comparison to Gary Golden, you're really be damning me with faint praise. [Tung is obviously amused by that assurance.]

Brujah, yeah. She's not a terrible Prince, from what I've heard. Scrambling, but not treating the Kindred in her city badly.

That's the really ridiculous thing: Apparently never. He was killed by a thin blood Caitiff while trying to make sure Gehenna happened. At least it was a Nosferatu who took him out.

[subcircuits]

You sound a lot like someone I know. She's very focused.

[ventruly]

I'll take that as a compliment. Was yours also hand selected for her leadership skills and dedication to public service?

[subcircuits]

Good, that's how it was meant. --Hmm, does it count if she selected herself?

[ventruly]

Then, thank you. I suppose it does, although it is much harder to be objective about yourself, isn't it.

I haven't had the pleasure of an introduction. I'm Sebastian LaCroix. And you?

[subcircuits]

Well, I can't deny that. Gov did have to ratify her claim before they let her found the freehold, though, so at least someone out there found her fit to lead.

I'm Devero, lately of Valdana's Freehold. It's a pleasure, Mx. LaCroix.

[ventruly]

...Freehold? You're a changeling? [That amuses the mun, at least, which is always the most important thing.] How large is this freehold?

Yes, the, pleasure is mine, Devero. In either case, you aren't Kindred, so there's no need to stand on formality, you can call me Sebastian.

[subcircuits]

[This mun is amused too, but dear Dev is canon-blind.] A what? I am a hi-tek, but if I'm a changeling, no one's seen fit to inform me.

Sebastian, then, and I'm starting to get a feeling that I'm missing something here. 'Kindred' is new to me as well.

[ventruly]

It isn't often in this place that I'm completely out of my depth, but we can trade vocabulary all night, if you'd like. What's a hi-tek?

I don't know much about changeling society, only the basics (and even then, with the way our various communities interact, a goodly amount of that is likely exaggerated). Kindred, however, are what the general public refers to as 'vampires'. But I gather your freehold is something else entirely.

Late tag from a H:tV muse but you, good person, rock.

[radioarchive]

["Vampirism". Well if that isn't a magical word to any self-respecting member of Network Zero.]

Buddy, you have no idea. A year can feel like forever. My writer's been freaking out for, like, a solid week now about it.

[No, Asta isn't surreptitiously trying to snap photos to share with the rest of her cell. At all. Ignore the flash from her smartphone. That's just a trick of the light.]

Never late, I was so pleased to see this!

[ventruly]

[And that must be a big part of why Kindred avoid the V word. Whoops.]

I don't think I've had the pleasure of an introduction... It's LaCroix, if you will. And you are?

But, I know the feeling, mine has been unmanageably excited, even without the possibility I'll make an appearance.

[As for that phone, is LaCroix going to have to sic an EMP wielding Nos on Asta, goodness!] I wasn't aware I was a celebrity, but if you want my autograph, you only have to ask.

[radioarchive]

[At least there's no torches and stakes getting broken out?]

-Oh! Oh, uh, geez, yeah, that was kinda rude of me. Uh, Macauliffe. Hi! Nice threads, dude.

Yeah, well, it's only been- how many years? 15? Kind of a long wait, but what's one more?

[The extended warranty doesn't cover EMPs. Oops.] Huh?! [Busted.] Ah shit. Can you blame a girl for wanting to snap pics for photographic proof?

[ventruly]

[There is that. LaCroix can't help but be mildly amused.] Is it Ms? Miss? Something else? Thank you.

No time at all...

Ordinarily I would say never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake, but I'll give you some free advice, here, Macauliffe - advice I wouldn't give you if you and I were in a place that isn't so 'meta'.

It's very dangerous to interfere with secret societies and monied powers. You may think you have noble intentions, but those inclinations won't protect you.

[radioarchive]

It's, uh, Miss. Or, y'know, just call me Asta. Makes it easier.

Just don't look at the calendar. Makes it go faster! Or at least it makes it feel like it goes faster, anyway.

Is that Napoleon you just quoted? [Wait, off-topic.] Believe me, I know. Folks like you? You're way outside my class. And half the Compacts I know of would default straight to 'kill on sight' with you all and never give it a second thought.

The Network's in it for the long haul. It's about getting that one story- that one video- that'll blow the lid off the whole thing in one fell swoop. It's just hard not to go for the gusto even when this weird meta thing means it'll never stick. You know?

[ventruly]

Asta, then. If you'd like to be on a first name basis, I suppose I'll let you call me Sebastian.

Hmmn. Who is your mun most eager to see, or are they just generally excitable for 'new content'?

Pithy quotes are all he was good for, believe me. [LaCroix doesn't particularly want to teach a class on What Not To Do, As Demonstrated By My Human Boss From Long Ago.] Does that ever bother you? The idea that some of your fellow witch hunters are as merciless and bloodthirsty as the worst of our kind?

You're obviously dedicated. I wouldn't dream of trying to talk you around. [But there is the Ventrue flavored inclination to do just that.]

[radioarchive]

Think I'll stick with LaCroix. Sounds fancier.

I think they're mostly just excited for new stuff. And who wouldn't be? Seattle's cool. Not as cool as LA, but, y'know, still cool.

I'll take your word on that one, man. [Said in a tone of "I Do Not In Fact Believe That At All".] Depends on how 'round the bend they go. Can't exactly blame them for wanting to light a candle and carry on the Vigil. Your lot can be- well, you're not exactly on the up-and-up, either, if I gotta be honest.

Journalistic integrity and all that. [Give or take a low Resolve score, anyway.]

[ventruly]

Whichever you prefer. As long as you make an effort to pronounce it correctly. You're American, aren't you? Not to worry, I can overlook it.

I don't know anything about Seattle, admittedly. The nearest civilized territory to my own is Las Vegas. But it can't be as much of a nightmare to wrangle as Los Angeles, 'cool' as it may be.

No, we are not. And in an ideal world, I'd pound stakes into certain Kindred with my own two hands. [LaCroix might be fishing for how much she knows about killing them. Partly. Some Kindred really are that annoying.]

My mun is telling me we shouldn't 'do this' here, whatever 'this' is. I imagine it might refer to serious in depth roleplaying. But I do find you interesting, so I don't see the harm in indulging you, or your integrity.

I think you think you're doing the right thing, Miss Macauliffe. Believe me, I do.