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| Topic Started: Friday, 3. August 2012, 12:16 (382 Views) | |
| Aleksei Steniatyn | Friday, 3. August 2012, 12:16 Post #1 |
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And there it was. Not much to look at, the store front was quite literally crumbling, but perfectly suitable for a haven. Aleksei looked up fondly at the fluorescent sign that bore the image of a crucifix. It hung over the entrance to the building. A little crooked, it's own weight growing to be too much, it was the first and last testament to the dilapadation of this individual church and the Anglican church as a whole. Getting.... Old. Unlike some of us... the Tzimisce thought to himself miserably as he recalled the monastery where he had taken shelter with his Salubri mentor, and lover. The pattering rain was becoming an annoyance. Aleksei slipped into ponderings of why he was here, of what had pulled him to this place. His thin veil of wild imaginings was broken by the clatter of of a trash can being knocked to the ground. He looked down the Hackney street where a group of rowdy teens were walking out of an alley, some with their jackets pulled up over their heads, some with their hoods up. One stopped to spit on a passed out man lying on a sewer grate clutching a beer bottle in a paper bag. The group laughed and stopped to point, cheer and kick at the rough looking man. Aleksei looked to the other end of the street and saw two people under a street lamp exchanging money for drugs. Across the way was a man exchanging money for the time of a younger one. Street teen obviously, looking to make a little money on the side. The place was going to need some serious cleaning up. As Aleksei wondered just exactly what could be done to bring the rif raff to heel a figure opened the door underneath the church's neon sign. When he heard the squeal of the rusted hinges Aleksei snapped to attention and locked eyes with the man. He was young-ish. Early thirties most likely, with piercing blue eyes, rough stubble and unkempt black hair. His aura was one of someone deeply fatigued. "Spending too much time in prayer?" Aleksei called out, breaking the silence between them. The minister, for, dressed in his black pants, shirt and white collar, he could surely be nothing else, looked confused. Before he could speak Aleksei added, "I'm your new neighbour. Third floor." He held up his small black suitcase to emphasize the point. "May I come in?" After a somewhat subdued greeting from the priest, who stated his name was Christopher, Aleksei was taken inside and brought to the main room. The interior was entirely exposed brick on all the walls except the back one where the altar was. Rows of chairs made up the seating for the few faithful that attended services there. "The Deacon will want to meet you," Christopher mumbled as he left the room. Aleksei was somewhat taken aback when Christopher returned. Instead of the crotchety old man he was expecting, the fiend was confronted with an energetic woman. Her dark brown hair was shoulder length and fell in curly ringlets. "Marlise," she said in an accent that spoke of North Irish origins, held out her hand. Aleksei shook it and gave her his name. "My goodness," she said with a warm grin. "Your hand is absolutely freezing. Can I offer you a cup of tea?" "It's a shame that the church can't afford to use the whole building," Aleksei said as Marlise brought him up the steep stairs that led to the third floor. They had an pleasant conversation a few minutes before, but Aleksei was determined to keep it brief. "Yes," she replied. "But perhaps it's all a part of God's plan for this place. I'm glad we found a decent tenant like yourself. Christopher was so worried we'd be sharing the building with some sort of hellion." "You don't say..." Marlise turned the key in the lock of the door at the top of the stairs. There was a small landing, but only of a few feet. Anyone standing in front of the door was in serious danger of falling backwards if they stood more than an inch or two away from the door itself. The lock clicked and Marlise removed the key, handing it to Aleksei. "Breakfast is at five a.m. if you're interested in joing us," she said as she shimmied around Aleksei to make space for him to go through the door in the narrow stair well. "That's kind, but I always work at night," the Tzimisce replied. "But for tomorrow..." "I'd just like to get settled in and sleep." "Yes. Well, you've got the front and back door key there as well," Marlise said, a little flustered. "Thank you. I will see you at the evening service tomorrow," Aleksei replied with a smile as he closed the door. "Good night Deacon." He turned and surveyed his new haven. One large room, two small bathrooms, formerly male and female counterparts, and another smaller room on the north side of the building, windowless. The paint was chipped and peeling, the floor boards were old and scratched, but recently cleaned, presumably by the Deacon and her assistants. In the large main room that the door opened on to there was a single metal frame bed with a mattress and fresh sheets. There were marks in the floor where several other beds of exactly the same make had been previously. The bookshelves and their musty books had been left. The thick curtains that hung on the two tall windows at the front of the building on that floor were open. Aleksei could see the moon through the left one. He flicked the light switch and a fluorescent bulb sputtered to life in the ceiling fan, which began to move slowly, churing the dust that hung in the air. Aleksei approached the bed and unceremoniously picked it up and carried it through the door to the smaller bedroom. A crucifix hung on the wall over a small desk and a wicker chair. He placed the bed against the far wall and tossed his suitcase underneath it. He picked up the bible that was neatly placed in the centre of the desk and was about to throw it out into the hallway. He looked it over. Old thing. Frayed cloth edges, dog-eared pages, it had certainly seen better days. You and me both Aleksei thought. With a sigh he put it down and patted its cover appreciatively, though he felt foolish for empathizing with an old book. Or empathizing at all. Some Tzimisce I am... He stepped back out into the main room and look out the window down to the street. I wonder just exactly what this night will bring next. |
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| Renard | Sunday, 5. August 2012, 08:44 Post #2 |
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There was not really much going on out in the streets, especially as the rain got worse and worse. Most of the people Aleksei had been waching or noticing on his way to the new haven had already disappeared, or were in the process of doing so. The rain soon formed some kind of thick curtain, preventing the fiend to see most of the surroundings, except when the first lightning illuminated the scene, followed by the clap of thunder after a short time. The howling wind completed the inferno. To say it was raining cats and dogs would be a gross understatement. In times like these, not even dogs were kept outside. And that was where the small rat came into play. Most vampires didn't matter getting wet that much, but staying outside was still not one of the tasks one was preferring over sitting inside in the warm building and relying on the weather to hinder intruders. Especially the younger vampires still thought very human in regards to things like that, and combined with the very low visibility of almost anything farther away than about sixty yards this was a perfect chance to see what was about in Hackney. Not that there was much to see, thanks to the weather, but it was a good cover for getting in without too much attention or risking to expose the little passages used for this. Therefore, Henderson was on his usual route once again. The rain bothered him, but having experienced his fair share of monsoons, he knew there were worse things possible, and as he couldn't drown anymore anyway, he could at least put mother nature's little powerplay to some use. But after a while, things became quite... boring, as most things worth seeing were inside the buildings. So he decided to wait for the weather to get a little better and walked towards the neon sign that appeared at the end of the road. That was the moment when Aleksei saw the figure appearing between the beads of rain, although he couldn't see more than a cane and an umbrella. Quickly, it became evident, that the person in question was heading for the building the Tzimisce had just moved into. After a while, the person left Aleksei's field of vision and the shutting door was the final signal, that someone had just entered. |
| Verba docent, exempla trahunt ! | |
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| Aleksei Steniatyn | Sunday, 5. August 2012, 15:37 Post #3 |
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"Well that can't be good," Aleksei said outloud as he heard the sharp grinding of the rusty door downstairs closing. "Of course maybe I'm just being paranoid," he remarked, pulling on his leather jacket and walking down the steep stairs to the main floor. "But then again, there's no reason for anyone dressed that nicely to be coming in here." He paused at the bottom of the stairs to look in the mirror found on the wall. He quickly ran a comb through his hair, stood up straight and adjusted his tank top just to show that extra little bit of skin. It was easy enough to tell from his gait that Aleksei was meeting a man, and regardless of whether or not he was an attractive Cainite, Aleksei still wanted to make a good impression. He smiled, showing off his bright, white teeth and turned to walk into the next room with the most confident stride he could muster. This was his Haven and his new neighbours, damn straight he was going to show off that Tzmisce hospitality. As Aleksei crossed the threshold into the main room, he saw exactly who he was looking for, cane and all. He stood still in the centre of the room in front of the alter. He placed his hands behind his back and cleared his throat. "Welcome, to my home," he began politely. "Are you one of the neighbours?" |
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| Renard | Monday, 6. August 2012, 10:13 Post #4 |
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Henderson had closed the door after entering the building. He placed his umbrella beneath the door and put his coat on one of the chairs. He wasn't too surprised to find the room empty, but then, this didn't mean there was noone there at all... He nodded at the altar as a polite way to give thanks for the shelter and sat down. It had been some time, but if he recalled correctly, there should be at least one clergyman somewhere in the building. But then, perhaps the Sabbat had already replaced him with one of their own or made him one of theirs. Being cautious wouldn't hurt. Sooner than expected, someone was coming down the stairs. Henderson wasn't too incined on having some folks throw a welcoming party for him, but from the sound of it, it was a single individual, if he was wrong, still not more than two or three. So he kept looking for the person about to welcome him. Aleksei didn't exactly look like a member of the clergy. This and the fact that he called this place home this casually at least hinted at the possibility of this man being Sabbat. The person Aleksei was confronted with was a short young man in his late twenties. He had short brown hair, a long neck and a big nose, that made him resemble a vulture, if Aleksei was willing to scrape the needed imagination together. He was wearing a green turtleneck with dark trousers and used his cane to rise from his seat with some effort as Aleksei entered. "Well, thank you for your hospitality, then, I guess. As for the neighbours, I guess you could say so, Mr. ... ?" |
| Verba docent, exempla trahunt ! | |
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| Aleksei Steniatyn | Monday, 6. August 2012, 11:40 Post #5 |
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Aleksei threw the man a charming smile. "Aleksei Steniatyn," he said, by way of finishing the sentence. "Awfully wet night for anyone to be out and about. Are you here to see the Deacon? Or perhaps you were just looking for a snack?" Aleksei grinned and crossed his arms in front of him while letting just a touch of malevolence seep into his smile. Of course, he had no intention of starting a fight, but he wanted to make it clear whose turf this was. "Ah, but forgive me," he added casually. "I don't even know your name and I'm asking you questions. Care to..." There were footfalls and Aleksei paused, his cordial veneer fell immediately. Out of the doorway to Aleksei's right stepped Father Christoper, still dressed in his black attire and white collar, his hair still a bit messy. "Enlighten me?" Aleksei finished, his eyes locked with Christoper's. The priest swallowed hard and felt unable to look away from the unnatural green eyes that confronted him. "I... Umm..." he stammered. "Came to see what... er.. who... w..who was here." Aleksei smiled at him, and Christopher quickly looked towards the guest. "D..Do you need something, child?" "Funny," Aleksei added, quickly moving back into a cheeful mood. "I was just about to ask him the same thing Father. Minus the "child" part of course." |
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| Renard | Tuesday, 7. August 2012, 01:37 Post #6 |
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"No disrespect intended, buddy, but out there it says something like church, so I guess, as long as you're not the deacon, which you are obviously not, asking things like this without being in charge o this place registers as rude in several ways. Therefore, I'd prefer if we'd keep things civil, a noble goal which the padre most likely is also sharing, what do you think ?" Henderson leaned on the cane, his gaze wandering from the padre to Aleksei and back. He wasn't here to draw too much attention, but this also included not showing too much weakness by backing down instantly. "Nothing at the moment, thank you padre ! Would you mind to let Mr. Steniatyn and me for a moment or two ? I'm sure you have more important things to handle than two men playing strongman in here..." he replied with an ironic smirk and waited for Christopher to leave. "Jim Wolfe is the name, and what exactly is your standing here to ask questions like this in an official shelter open to all, buddy ?" |
| Verba docent, exempla trahunt ! | |
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| Aleksei Steniatyn | Tuesday, 7. August 2012, 02:06 Post #7 |
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Christopher didn't feel the need to respond. He nodded sheepishly and left, wringing his hands as he went. Something felt very wrong in that room. He closed the door leading into the back of the building behind him. Have to tell the Deacon. Yes, must tell the Deacon. he thought anxiously. Breaking into a speedy walk he made a beeline for the Deacon's office. He tried to open the door as quietly as possible and the sight he saw nearly stopped his heart. Aleksei watched as Christopher left and turned back to the guest. "Civil?!" he sneered, already having burned off some blood to read the aura of the guest. Well worth it, in his mind. "I can smell a lie a mile off. Don't toy with me as if I'm the new kid on the block." He chuckled despite himself. Too much emotion. Taking a second to level off his tone he began again. "I only ask, because you are clearly not in need of shelter, and this isn't mealtime, not for you, not for anyone." He emphasis on the last word was genuine. Aleksei was not about to let any Kindred, Sabbat or otherwise, torment the faithful of this church. Aleksei took a step towards the guest. "Let us try this again, Son of Caine. Why are you here?" |
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| Renard | Tuesday, 7. August 2012, 08:00 Post #8 |
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"Civil. Smell for lies as much as you want, that doesn't change the facts." Wolfe/Henderson replied calmly. "And I take offense to that one, buddy ! Our condition doesn't mean that I'm ready to get soaking wet just because its unlikely that I manage to drown accidentally while outside. I may not exactly need shelter, but it isn't that unwelcome either. So as things stand, what I'm here for concerns our higher-ups, but it definitively isn't any of your business. I wonder why the Archbishop allows folks like you here. Have you even seen him yet ? I very well hope so. You know what happens to folks who fail to get an audience ?" he asked, still with the same, well..., civil tone. Henderson's/Wolfe's aura showed that he was knowing more than he was letting on, but then, who in this city didn't ? Aleksei couldn't find any discernible lies. Just a little unsincerity when he said that it wasn't Aleksei's business, but this was possibly due to the fact that he didn't know and decided on that matter for himself. Edited by Renard, Tuesday, 7. August 2012, 08:45.
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| Aleksei Steniatyn | Tuesday, 7. August 2012, 11:01 Post #9 |
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Aleksei sniffed indignantly. "For all you know, I could be the Archbishop." His brows furrowed. He didn't know what to say next. "I..." he drew in a breath. It was a habit he couldn't seem to kick, even after a hundred years. "Am not," Aleksei continued. "You should know, and can take this to your Prince if you like, that he has disapeared. And not just as some Lasombra party trick either." Aleksei shook his head and looked at his boots. He may have just given over more information than he should have, and he was prepared to keep going. The Sabbat was gone. Evaporated into thin air. Aleksei didn't need the protection of some translucent mirrage when it could only be in name. He wanted real Cainites, for company if nothing else. "Look, regardless of your affiliation, I'm sorry for my... Fiendish behaviour," Aleksei said. "This is all Tzimisce know. Having pissing matches whenever your neighbour comes over is standard protocol, but to be honest, I hate it." He held out his hand to the Nosferateau. "Mr. James Wolfe, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Can we start again?" So there it was. All the cards on the table. Aleksei waited expectantly for the gesture to be returned. Maybe it would bite him in the ass, and maybe it wouldn't. Of course he was pretty sure he could take the scrawny Mr. Wolfe if that was what it came down to. |
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| Renard | Tuesday, 7. August 2012, 21:43 Post #10 |
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"You're not." Wolfe answered straightaway. "And if you think you can call me one of those retarded Cam butt-kissers one more time without having me blow your ashes through this structure personally and on an instant, you're mistaken ! So think twice before jumping to conclusions here, buddy... I'm your neighbour because I'm from Barking, where the trenches are, if you haven't known previously. And I'm not running around between here and there to let anyone call me Cammie. Clear so far ?" Aleksei could tell, that Wolfe started to become agitated. "So, now we have settled this, what do you understand by 'start again', Cainite ?" |
| Verba docent, exempla trahunt ! | |
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| Aleksei Steniatyn | Wednesday, 8. August 2012, 01:43 Post #11 |
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Aleksei withdrew his hand. "I... Apologize. I was only assuming... Our temple is empty and the..." He shook his head. "I've never seen a Nosferateau go again the Camarilla. London must be a very strange place." He held up his hand. "And I am capable of seeing through your obsfucation, for the most part. Are you sure you don't want me to try to fix that?" Aleksei indicated Wolfe's nose. In the back of the church, Christopher was on the phone, speaking with some people he didn't know. Behind him, Deacon Marlise was loading a bolt into a crossbow. She called the people on the phone "hunters," said she needed backup. So there was Christopher, answering strange questions about the appearance of the two men in the front. Eventually the voice on the other end said, "That's all we need. Sit tight." |
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| Renard | Wednesday, 8. August 2012, 01:56 Post #12 |
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"You should watch out concerning those assumptions, buddy. Most folks I know would have dusted you for that one alone. Its a place like all else. Just because you don't see us doesn't mean we aren't there." Wolfe looked at Aleksei's finger for a short while before answering. "Let's assume for a moment that I think my condition, as we shall call it for the time being, needs fixing. What makes you think you're up for the task ? Ever tried something like this before, buddy ?" |
| Verba docent, exempla trahunt ! | |
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| Aleksei Steniatyn | Wednesday, 8. August 2012, 02:14 Post #13 |
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"I turned a man into a woman once," Aleksei replied. "I think I can handle a nosejob." He somewhat doubted his ability to fix a Nosferateau, but it would have been impolite not to offer in the first place. Out of nowhere a long piece of wood tipped witha steel arrowhead went flying past Aleksei's shoulder. He whipped around to see Deacon Marlise loading another bolt into her weapon. "What the fuck!" he yelled, covering his head, attempting to play a human. "Deacon! What are you doing?" "Be silent vampire!" she shouted from the doorway behind the altar. She raised the crossbow to take aim. "Mother, have you lost your mind?" Aleksei cried, dropping into a crouch and shielding himself with his arms. A flicker of doubt played across the Deacon's face, but she steeled herself. The bolt flew by, this time grazing the side of Aleksei's head. The wound startled him, but quickly healed. Cover blown, Aleksei tossed himself aside as a third arrow stuck itself in the floor. She wasn't much of a shot, but outside Aleksei could hear the approach of more humans, presumably armed and better trained. Aleksei shot a glace to Wolfe, looking for direction on what to do next. |
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| Renard | Wednesday, 8. August 2012, 02:24 Post #14 |
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"I guess you have some..." the first bolt interrupted his tract quite effectively. "Seems you have fallen out of grace with your flatmates. Care to leave ?" he asked. It looked like there was still hope in the prospect of getting the Sabbat out of Hackney. He would just have to get out in one piece and keep an eye out for the inhabitants of this place. Henderson made a mental note for this and then came back to the task at hand, which was getting out of here in one piece. Therefore, he swiftly grabbed umbrella and coat and made his way to the door. If the Sabbat guy wanted to follow him, he could, but if he didn't, well, this would be his problem. |
| Verba docent, exempla trahunt ! | |
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| Aleksei Steniatyn | Wednesday, 8. August 2012, 02:45 Post #15 |
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"No! Wait!" Aleksei shouted to Henderson/Wolfe. Through his Auspex he was seeing at least half a dozen human auras on the outside of the building. Aleksei rolled to the side as Marlise fired another shot. He was on his feet in seconds and charged straight at the Deacon. Before he could reach her the door burst open and a volley of thin, wooden stakes flew through the opening straight at Wolfe/Henderson. |
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