The Elmwood

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Title: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 - The Common Room - 9:00 PM

Paul and Vesper entered laughing, half finished Timmies cups in one hand and skateboards under the other arm. Vesper sported a pretty scrape down the right side of his face and his eye was slightly swollen. There was a cut on his forehead. He didn't seem to mind, however.

"You should have seen it," Paul exclaimed. "There he was, starting to make this killer move and suddenly BAM! There it was. This pebble comes out of nowhere and jams his wheel. We are talking some MAJOR air. Four, maybe five feet in the air. Lands on his FACE, then gets right up and back on the board. Now that's what I'm talking about. Getting right back on the board."

Michael looked up. His gaze focuses on the open wounds on Vesper's face. "You might want to get that looked at," he said. "I doubt infection or scarring will be any kind of an issue but there are those among the local nocturnal dwellers that might be interested in trying to lick you." He patted his leg. "Sadly, I am less than fully mobile, so you are safe from me. Some of the others are much more limber and able to pounce."

His hideous face was unreadable and it wasn't clear whether the was serious or indulging in a macabre sense of humour.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Sonovaditch on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Common Room - 9:01PM - Vesper Novak

Vesper rubbed at the scraped skin of his cheek with the wrist of his coffee-occupied hand clumsily as Paul retold how he'd managed to get so 'jacked up' at their day trip to the skate park. He smiled, though he felt a smidgen guilty for not admitting that for him the painful injury was more of an incentive than a deterrent to jump back on the board.

The tender, reddened flesh stung, naturally, but was beginning to smart more like a bruise. For Vesper, the raw wound was a trophy. Not only as proof of his first skateboarding experience (which would surely not be his last), but as a symbol of his newly-fledged friendship with Paul (who's name he'd finally worked up the courage to ask).

Taking Michael's warning as earnest advice cloaked in crooked humour, Vesper replied with his own peculiar brand of comedy, "If it becomes a problem, I promise I shall get it covered. But if you don't mind it too much, I think I will leave it as is. I'm curious to read from them how attractive an hors d'oeuvre I'd make." He chuckled, a rare phenomenon that was becoming increasingly common in Paul's friendly presence.

It was clear that Vesper was not put off my Michael'sâ€¦ abnormal appearance. It was questionable whether the young Bonegnawer had noticed anything off-putting about Michael at all whilst so caught up in the euphoria of the days events. Had he been in a less distractible state, Vesper might've been slightly more sensitive to the very real yearning his slow-healing wound could crop up amongst his more nocturnally orientated coworkers.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Common Room - 9:01PM - Michael Redding

Michael's warm chuckle was completely out of sync with his cadaverous appearance. "I stand corrected," he said. "I suspect Crickett might want to finger paint with it but Molly would be willing to see how you tasted. I'm still trying to figure out if there is an easy way to tell which one is present before I say or do something that one of them will make me regret."

At that moment, Nicky's voice came over the intercom. "All prisoners, report to the common room. All prisoners, report to the common room. The warden would like to have a word with us."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Personal Quarters - 9:01 pm - Samuel

Samuel was lounging comfortably with his head on one corner of the couch. A thick towel lay between the couch and his long dark hair, which was hanging off drying slowly while he half dozed waiting for it to dry after his shower.

When he heard Dundee come over the intercom it startled him awake. What the hell?!???, he thought, before he remembered where he was.

He lay back against the couch again for a moment and blinked a few times, waking up, then stood up and began tying his hair back while he kicked the towel that had been wrapped around his waist when he flopped over into the bathroom and began looking for a pair of pants and shirt.

Once he was done tying his hair back, he pulled on some jeans over his naked form, grabbed the first shirt that his hands found and headed out into the hall barefoot. As he walked to the common he grinned crookedly when he realized that the shirt he was about to pull on sported a logo for the Six Nations Police. It was old and worn thin as hell. It was also the shirt he'd been issued on his first day in the police force. It seemed appropriate somehow.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 - The Common Room - 9:02 PM - Nicky

The Australian entered the room with none of his usual swagger. He threw himself down in a chair, glowering to himself. Even though he had issued the call for all the agents to come to the common room, he gave no explanation.

"S'up Nicky?" Paul asked, feeling mildly rebellious referring to the older man by his first name, rather than calling him 'Mr Dingo'. The fact that the Bone Gnawer's last name was so amusing made it easier. He almost asked if Nicky had eaten any babies for dinner but the look on his face stopped him cold.

"Wait and see," Nicky replied. "Boss man has a few announcements and I doubt you're going to like them any more than I did."

"He must have decided to enforce the hygiene policy," Talbot said as he entered. "Looks like you might have to actually learn how to use soap and water."

Nicky shot the soldier a sour look. "I'll get right on that. As soon as you figure out how to pull your head out of your ass enough to realize you'll slit your own throat using that much starch in your shirts."

"It's called a uniform, agent Dingo," Talbot replied mildly. "It promoted discipline and unity, something a Bone Gnawer wouldn't know much about."

Nicky chuckled but it wasn't a nice laugh. "Careful, soldier boy. You're outnumbered even just in this room. You might find the Bone Gnawers know more about unity than you think."

"Play nice, boys," Michael said, his tone that of an adult chiding unruly children. "Don't make me get up out of this chair." The Nosferatu stood little chance in any confrontation with either of the werewolves, let alone both but his mocking words had the desired affect. The two Garou stopped bickering.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:03 pm - Samuel

Samuel padded quietly into the common room on bare feet nodding to the small gathering. A number of people had already arrived. Dundee and Capt. Asshole were being told to stop sniping but Dundee didn't seem to be enjoying it as he would have expected.

He wondered where the foul mood came from as he said, "I ambled here as rapidly as possible so the bulls wouldn't have an excuse to toss my cell. Any baseless speculation on what the warden wants to talk to us about?"

He wandered over to a couch and lounged down into it while giving a nod to everyone.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:04 pm - Heinrich

"The warden has an number of things to discuss," Heinrich said as he entered the room. He wasn't alone.

A woman followed closely behind him. She was close to seven feet tall and seemed to be built of solid muscle. Everything about her seemed wrong and her presence made Paul shift uncomfortably. Nicky didn't take his eyes off her. She screamed 'UNNATURAL' almost as loudly as she would have if Crickett had drawn the word on his forehead. Talbot sniffed dismissively but unconsciously shifted his weight to a more balanced position.

"This is Eve. She will be joining us on this mission, which is fortunate because we will be losing several agents, at least temporarily. Babadora and Darien will be liaising with the local vampire community. Akira is on a recruiting mission. Their replacements will be here shortly."

Michael said nothing but made note of the fact that he was the sole remaining Kindred on this particular mission, unless Molly was deemed stable enough for field use. Perhaps the department had deemed his extensive knowledge of the occult to be of more use on this mission than his vampirism would be in dealing with other Kindred.

Heinrich looked at the clock on the wall. "I'll give the others a few minutes to get here before I begin the mission briefing. Eve, why don't you take a seat with the rest of the team?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Tinker on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:05 pm â€“ Eve

Being thrust into the very center of attention in a room currently inhabited by a handful of other beings wasnâ€™t something that would ever sit well with the hulking Promethean. The heat of their gazes and the frigidity of their unease may have been concealed to the onlooker, but to her it was palpable.

Her mismatched eyes flit from face to face as the faint aroma of her disquiet teased their heightened nostrils. An odd satisfaction in the discomfort she was causing sat lightly in her chest, the path of Cobalus being appeased with the affirmation of her general â€œwrongnessâ€.

As she was instructed, she strode with an almost shambling gait to loveseat that looked as if it would accommodate her immense frame and sat with her clumsy hands folded in her lap.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:06 pm - Samuel

Samuel worked hard to conceal his tension trying to turn the sudden narrowoing of his eyes into a slow blink. The first and foremost thought in his mind was, What the FUCK is that THING!?!?!, followed closely by, What the fuck IS she?

He'd never imagined a creature like this existing. He cautiously took in as much of her scent as he could in his human form, fascinated by her. His instincts told me that this thing was most definitely NOT part of the natural order of things and therefore he reflexively wondered how closely tied to corruption.

He slowly drew himself into a comfortable position that would allow him to move quickly if the need arose. Between the Major Asshole, who seemed to have a gift for triggering his instinctive hatred of the dogs, Dundee's reaction to the she-giant and his personal instincts yelling at him that she was unnatural, he did not want to be caught by surprise.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Common Room - 9:07 PM - Michael Redding

"Good evening, Eve," Michael said, finally breaking the silence that had suddenly spread throughout the room. "My name is Michael Redding. I apologize if you are offended by my appearance. It is a curse that comes with my condition. I'm not sure what you've been told about us but in case you weren't aware, I am a vampire, specifically from the Nosferatu bloodline. I am by no means the most unusual person present." The expression his face twisted into might have been supposed to be a smile but his hideous features made it impossible to tell. "I'm sure the others will introduce themselves in due time."

"Call me Nicky," the Australian werewolf said but he didn't extend a hand. He was eying Eve with a mix of curiosity and distrust. His human nose wasn't telling him anything about her but he didn't dare shift into a form with a more sensitive nose. The tension in the room was far too thick. Just about anything could set off chain reaction that would not end well. After all, they'd only recently gotten the last of Talbot's blood out of the carpeting.

"I'm Paul," the skater said, looking like he was hoping Eve didn't bite. He took his best shot at being friendly despite his discomfort and asked what he hoped would be an innocent question. "How much can you bench? You look like you pump some serious iron."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Sonovaditch on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Common Room - 9:07PM - Vesper Novak

The grandest dilemma of Vesper Novak was found in the lack of an adequate bridge between himself as the son of a scientist and himself as a Garou. Never before had the struggle admist these two sides of himself been as radical as it was the moment Eve stepped in.

Vesper tensed. He was struck by a strong physical repulsion, a need to leave the room which he ignored on principle. As she entered, his lupine senses (though significantly dulled in his present form) were so repelled by the corrupt abomination of natural order, her terrible existence an embodiment of everything the Garou had ever loathed.

But as his eyes fell on what should have been his worst nightmare, Vespers scientific mind surged at the implications of her presence that his body's natural impulse confirmed: that this somebody was a man-made someone. And she was terrific. A Promethean sculpture of fine craftsmanship if Vesper had ever seen one. Her unnatural scent, though unfamiliar, filled him with nostalgia. She inspired him, made him long to return to days spent at his mother's hip helping her work in any little way he could.

He wanted to run with his tail between his legs and snarl her away. He wanted to run tests til he found what made her tick. He wanted to get away from her. He wanted to get to know her. He shivered involuntarily. This was not Frankenstein's monster. This was Pygmalion's creation. She was neat.

"Dobroye utro," he greeted her, "I am Vesper. â€¦ And I am also interested in how much serious iron you can pump."

"That sounds like an impressive feat," he added a little more quietly to Paul in some failed attempt at whispering.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:08 pm - Samuel

Samuel listened to the other make introductions as he watched She-Hulk. He had already used his padaa to explore this novel new creature but while it opened the world to sensations of taste and smell that a human would never begin to understand it was still weak in his current form.

His fascinated mind hurled questions at him like a runaway forest fire. What was it? Where had it come from? What was it doing here? Was it unique? How had they found it? Would it be staying? What was wrong with it? Was it a victim of Cahlash? If so, would that effect fade or was it to late for her to recover? What wondrous tales and riddles could be created from her for the next Taghairm!!

He ignored the strangely loud creak of the couch as he leaned forward ever so slightly. He flared his nostrils and drew in his breath across his tongue exercising the sensitive organ at the roof of his mouth that combined both scent and taste to turn the world into a unique sensual experience.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Goosekat on: Department 7 Headquarters - 9:10 p. m. - Tabitha

Tabitha had just left the gym and was heading back to her room for a quick shower, a change of clothes and a nap when the call to assemble came in. She let out a sigh and changed directions to head to the common room instead of the hot water her shower promised. Hoping that the others wouldn't be too offended by the musky odor her mangy coat was emitting after the two hour run she had just had on one of the treadmills. Tabby loped into the common room and stopped dead in her tracks. Something was not right here. Her hackles rose and a growl started to emanate from deep in the back of her throat. She looked around the room and her eyes stopped on the creature who's shear bulk was threatening to break one of the couches in two. Tabby's ears flattened against her head and her tail swished back and forth as she unconsciously lowered herself to the ground. It took all of her self control not to do one of two things, either turn and bolt from the room as fast as she could run or to attack the creature that was causing so much distress. Keeping her eyes on the creature she slunk around the room, keeping as much distance between herself and the 'thing' as possible, till she came to rest at Michael's feet. She wasn't all that comfortable with any of the vampires yet but they were a known factor and she felt safer with one of them near by.

(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr296/Elsbet_photos/tabitha.jpg)
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - 9:10 p. m. - Nicky

The Australian werewolf immediately dropped to all fours, on his hands and knees a full three seconds before he started to change shape. Once in his wolf-dog form, he trotted over and nuzzled Tabitha. "Peace, Sister," he said, although all those in the room who were not Garou heard only animal noises. "Just as you lie at the feet of one of the Wyrm's children, so too is our new companion of the Wyrm but they both are here, standing with us as enemies of the Wyrm. I have learned that we cannot use the old rules, the old laws and automatically assume that all that is unnatural is to be destroyed. Eve may not be our sister or our cousin but she is our ally. Just like the Bogeyman who's feet you lie at, she is here to help."

"Even the Bastet stands with their ancient enemies," Talbot chimed in, speaking English. "There are bigger issues at hand than our personal enmities and when a Get of Fenris can say that, you know the world is being turned on its ass."

"True enough," Heinrich said. "Mr Dingo, would you mind returning to human for? You as well please, Miss Monroe. I'd also prefer you to stick with a human form as well, Mr Travers. The discomfort level is high enough without people having to deal with things they aren't fully comfortable with, not that comfort is a major consideration of this job."

He set a small pile of 8x10 photos on the table. "There have been a number of graves opened recently in the Hamilton cemetery, two or three a number for the past two days. There may be more than one group involved, since there are two distinct groups of graves being raided; those filled the previous day and those filled July 26th 1851."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:11 pm - Samuel

Samuel felt the she-wolf coming before she entered the room but he only spared a glance towards the door, returning his attention to She-Hulk. She definitely caught his attention when her anxiety shot upwards and the growling began, kicking his tension level up with it.

He began easing himself slowly into a comfortable position that would allow him to take a nap or move instantly should the need arise. He was unwilling to bank on anyone else's self-control and didn't want to be caught by surprise.

Dundee then dropped to the floor and although he couldn't understand what he was saying to the she-wolf it was clear that he was trying to calm her. He liked Dundee as much as he did anyone else that he had only known a short time and by far was the only wolf he had ever known that he hadn't wanted to destroy on principle alone but he wasn't entirely certain how comfortable he was at the moment with Dundee having shifted.

The next moment it became entirely self-evident to him how comfortable he was when he felt a his jeans strain to the point of ripping and his once loose t-shirt began to tighten as he realized his body had been slowly slipping into sokto for the past few moments, the near human form of all Bastet. Once fully in sokto his senses were demanding that he pay attention to everything at once, the mounting tension of everyone there, wolf, vampire, human, it didn't matter; but overriding all of that was the presence of the She-Hulk. Everything near her seemed to be trying to pull away.

He heard Major Asshole speak but what he said was every bit as unexpected and almost as unnatural as the She-Hulk. He stared in astonishment, his eyes narrowed suspecting some sort of trick or punch line. It sounded like the setup of particularly good tale to put a young Bastet in it's place.

He waited for the hidden blade but it never came. It was the Warden that spoke instead. Maybe it was time to consider a demotion from Major Asshole to Captain Asshole.

Instead of answering he considered the request from the Warden for a moment; it did make sense. Any change was bound to make everyone else more anxious and it was certainly true that She-Hulk was disturbing enough in human form and far more than he had expected her to be while shifted.

He gave a courteous nod and relaxed into the change back to his human form.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Tinker on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:07 pm to 9:11pm â€“ Eve

The theatrics of those who apparently shared the same shadows as Eve fed her Cobalus to the point of bursting. The negativity her presence had summoned to the room with the aid of fang and claw resonated with all of the subtlety of the full chorus of bells of morning mass in Vatican City. The reactions at first surprised her, surely all here must identify with her in being that in reality, they too were all monsters? Her interaction with humans, mortals were less theatrical and yet, she was closer to something resembling this cast misfits in the unnatural order.

None the less, the fortuity of choosing the path of Cobalt shone brightly with the affirmation that she truly was, not as others.

The not so pretty vampire was the first to speak directly to her, his face a mask of grimacing horror, somehow brought her a certain comfort in the level of discomfort it would most definitely bring others.
â€œI do not know much of your kind, but your face is fine. It is not like mine or like the rest, but it brings me no fear.â€ Her voice was oddly lyrical and feminine itâ€™s simple syntax, not what would be expected to come from such a hulking thing.

The werewolf that smelled like red rock and hot dust was the next to sound his cautious voice in her direction, â€œI will call you Nick, yes?â€

The casual air that was forced around the next speaker was appreciated, and she nodded as he spoke. She readied herself to reply but her words were snatched away as the pretty one with the heart full of questions joined in his greetings, â€œThank you, men. What is to pump? I can bend, crush and break most things , but it is rare for me to do so if I do not need to.â€

When the mangy beast erupted into the room, the flavour of chaos was thick in the air. Eve had never witnessed such an entirely over the top reaction to her presence. The beast writhed and snrled as if it were in physical pain, and the Promethean was stuck somewhere amongst pity, disgust and pleasure with the torment her very being there caused this animal. She would have to keep close to this one, feed off her fear and loathing, satiate the hunger of Cobalus with the validation of her wrongness.

The atmosphere was cracked with a readdressing to the business at hand, but the ozone of the entire roomâ€™s unease was still palpable. The reveal of the photographs finally brought some clarity as to why she was here. Turned graves were something she knew a great deal about, as were the countless different reasons as to why they were disturbed.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:07 pm to 9:11pm â€“ Paul

"Pump. Iron." Paul mimed bench pressing a weight bar. "You don't lift weights? Damn." He looked as if he wanted to add more but decided to change the subject instead.

"So, Mr Faust, what about ghouls? I mean, you thought I was one for a while but maybe there are ghouls digging up the fresh graves looking for a quick meal."

"I believe I can answer that best," Michael said. "The term ghoul, as used in your case, does not refer to eaters of dead flesh. Ghouls have a specific association with my kind. Besides, the embalming process renders the flesh of the dead toxic."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:12 pm - Samuel

Samuel cocked his head to one side, glancing between Skater-Boy and Count Orlok with interest. He recalled that Skater boy had said something about ghouls but he hadn't understood it at the time. Count Orlok's answer made him even more curious.

Samuel looked at Orlok, "Could you elaborate on the differences between ghoul as related to your kind and ghouls that are not? Why do ghouls associated with your kind not eat flesh?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:12 pm - Michael

Michael's deep set eyes found Samuel. He paused for a moment, considering how best to answer the question without saying too much. The occult was one of his favourite subjects and he was quite willing to talk about it for hours but this particular subject strayed perilously close to divulging information considered confidential by most Kindred.

Still, if they already knew about ghouls....

"The ghoul as an eater of dead flesh , originates in the fiction of the Middle East. The word ghoul itself is derived from the Arabic ghÅ«l, which translates literally as demon. They are, as far as I am aware, fictional. Then again, there is no one in this room that does not break that particular condition for the average person. With the notable exception of necro-cannibals of various unrelated origins, ghouls as a distinct species do not exist."

He looked at Paul, wishing he possessed the ability to read auras the way some of the other clans could. "Kindred ghouls, on the other hand are normal humans who have consumed a vampire's blood. In addition to halting the aging process temporarily, it also grants the ability to perform superhuman feats of speed, agility and strength, as well as granting enormous regenerative powers. It is possible to regrow severed limbs but it is by no means guaranteed. There are, of course downsides. Humans were not intended to consume vampire blood and it can lead to certain aggressive tendencies and can be addictive."

Paul, who was listening with rapt attention up to this point, suddenly wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:14 pm - Samuel

He listened attentively as Orlok gave his explanation of ghouls, thrilled that The Man let him do so. He'd been half expecting The Man to cut off the question since it apparently was no longer relevant to the topic at hand.

He didn't miss it when Orlok shifted his attention to Skater Punk nor did he fail to notice that skater Punk dropped his eyes while explaining about human ghouls, even as he was thrilled with the knowledge he was gaining and his mind was buzzing with speculation and questions as he incorporated this new knowledge into his world view.

"I'm not treading on my own hunting grounds here, obviously, I don't even know how often something like this occurs, but to finish off the ghoul line of questioning, if someone were attempting to harvest vampire blood, would they have a reason to believe those specific graves would contain a vampire?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:15 pm - Heinrich

"Unlikely, especially with the fresh graves," Heinrich answered. "The graves where the dates are the same are quite obviously an attempt to find someone or something that was buried on a specific date. Vampires can be driven into what is effectively a coma, using various methods. In such a state they can be, for lack of a better word, stored indefinitely."

Heinrich looked at Michael. "Harvesting the blood from vampires isn't the safest of occupations. They tend to get a little irate about people who try to steal their blood and they are more than capable of defending themselves."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:16 pm - Samuel

Samuel shrugged, "Fair enough. I agree about the treasure hunt angle being very likely, although the idea of two different perps or group of perps in the same in the same graveyard that close together smacks of coincidence but stranger things have happened."

He cocked his head and smirked, "As far as harvesting blood from vampires being a bad idea, humans have no shortage of them and many of them would do it because it's so dangerous. The potential value of selling the ultimate drug would be incidental. For that matter, the military would love a supply of super-soldier serum."

He adjusted his limbs to try and get more comfortable, stretching out one of his legs and waited for more information mentally throwing pieces of the puzzle up in the air to see which way they would land next. It was an old habit from being a law enforcement office, although he had never tried it in a setting like this. This could be fun, he thought.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:17 pm - Michael

"Add to that, if I may, the fact that I am sitting in this room, openly, is flying in the face of sixteen hundred years of careful camouflage," Michael interjected. "My kind has what we call 'the Masquerade'. It is a system of rules by which we conduct ourselves, to make sure we are not discovered. All the recent obsession within the media aside, the discovery of the existence of real vampires would result in a very bloody purge that would likely end up with only the strongest and sneakiest of my kind left alive. We work very hard to make sure that any information about us that does reach the authorities is spiked with enough falsehoods as to make it laughable as a concept."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Sonovaditch on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Common Room - 9:17PM - Vesper Novak

Keeping his attention from the intense allure of Eve and attempting to ignore the urge to ask Paul if he was alright (an impulse caused by the young skater's sudden silence), Vesper moved to inspect the photos for himself as he listened respectfully to the other men discuss what potential evil had begun digging up the dead. He sifted through the information, sorting out what was relevant to the investigation at hand and what would satiate his curiosity concerning Vampires.

What fascinating creatures! Michael was proving himself a rich, vast well of knowledge on a number of topics, and here he was permitting them to sample some small barrel brought up from his bore's undermost depths. It was but a taste of the truth, a fleeting peek at the strangers behind the veil of the Masquerade, but its generosity was not unnoticed by the young Garou and he savoured it so.

"That makes a lot of sense," Vesper injected without looking up from the photographs, "My father knew a man who claimed he often spoke with zhivykh mertvetsov - the living dead. He spoke in whispers to most about his outrageous tales, but the goading laughter of other men made him frantic. I think my father was the only one who ever believed him. It would not have counted for much: my father believed a great many unlikely things. He even tried to write a book about the man. In the end, though, that man hung himself, so the book flopped before it was even finished."

He didn't pause long before adding his two cents about the case. His tone was different from that of when he'd been storytelling. "I have no notion of the relevance of 1851 in Canada. Unless its of some non-historical significance. But the fresher gravesâ€¦ Perhaps they are related to those filled long ago, perhaps not.. If not, then could this be not the act of a beingâ€¦ such as us, but rather a blossoming necrophile?" He spoke casually, giving less social caution to the topic of corpse rape than he did as he tiptoed around calling himself and the others "supernatural".
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Goosekat on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Common Room - 9:18 p.m. Tabitha

Tabitha gave Nick a quick nuzzle back then looked at Heinrich when he asked her to return to human form. She gave him a rather dirty look, or what would have been one if she wasn't in her current form. Keeping her eyes on the creature sitting on the couch Tabby sat on her haunches and shifted. Once fully human she slid to sit on the floor, still at Michael's feet and completely unconcerned with her state of dress or undress. The wrongness of the being called Eve was still present put not in an overly powering pervasive way. "Perhaps whomever is responsible for the desecration of the older graves is trying to find a powerful vampire that was buried on that date. Without knowing the proper name on the headstone they would have no other choice but to open as many graves as it would take to find the one they are looking for. As for the fresher graves, perhaps the are connected and perhaps not. If they are then maybe the person or persons responsible are trying to locate a direct decendant of the person from the older grave."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Common Room - 9:19 p.m. - Heinrich

"An excellent idea," Heinrich said, nodding to Tabitha. If he took notice of her nudity, he showed no sign of it. Even when Nicky plopped his head into her lap, he simply continued as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "I'll get someone on to cross referencing the genealogies of the opened graves. Michael, I'm going to ask you to check with any contacts you might have inside the Kindred community, to see if any of them have information on vampires buried in that cemetery. I realize it is a longshot but do what you can. The idea of a necrophile has been considered. We're preparing a victim profile as we speak but my gut tells me that this is not the case and my instincts are rarely wrong. In the meantime, I'm going to ask you to split up into teams to patrol the cemetery."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Common Room - 9:20 p.m. - Nicky Dingo

Nicky sighed and reluctantly removing his head from Tabitha's lap. "I'm assuming I'm leading one squad and Talbot is leading the other?" he asked. He wasn't thrilled with the idea of giving any of 'his' Bonegnawers to Talbot but to put all three in one group made no sense. They had keen instincts and looked at things in ways others didn't. To concentrate it all in one place would deprive the other group of needed perspective.

The vampire wasn't going to be useful in any kind of stakeout or dust up and he had his own assignment anyway. Paul seemed mostly human. Then there was Eve.

"Samuel covers a lot of the same skill you've got, Talbot, so I'll take him. If either Tabby or Vesper want to volunteer to go with you, it's up to them but I want one with you and one with me. I'm not sure where Eve would work best. Is your expertise in the harvesting of the freshly dead or of old bones. And it's Nicky, by the way. Not Nick."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:21 pm - Samuel

Samuel glanced at the Warden and asked, "Questions; how big is this cemetery, what's the disposition, if any, of law enforcement at the crime scene, and do we have a clear objective?"

Samuel was definitely curious and wanted to go check out the cemetery but unlike Scooby-Doo, mysteries were rarely solved by a bunch of people wandering aimlessly around spooky places and randomly bumping into trail of clues.

So far, this could be a stakeout, an interview with any beat cops that may be guarding the crime scene to canvasing any of the inevitable kids hanging around the graveyard for witnesses. Or all of the above.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:22 pm - Heinrich

"Over a kilometer long and half a kilometer wide. Heavily treed and with a number of hills that block line of sight. The newer section is in the north but there are plots of various ages all over the property." Heinrich smiled. "Local law enforcement is willing to let us take the lead on this. They've managed to keep it under wraps so far but we can only keep a lid on it for so long, so our job is to stop whoever is doing this."

He held up a sheet of paper. "This is a list of the locations of the graves with the correct dates. I'm assuming that unless the proper grave has already been located, that particular search will continue. I've also arranged for several fake graves. Hopefully one will lure our modern body thief, even if we haven't got their target parameters narrowed down."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:23 pm - Samuel

Samuel looked around the rest of the room before glancing at Dundee and Captain Ass, "So we need to check out the prior graves, stake out the honey pots you set up, anything the vamp finds out about the graves, search a half a square kilometer of land and maintain the perimeter of the graveyard; speaking as a cop, we need more than two teams guys."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:24 pm - Talbot

"Speaking as a soldier, two squads is more than enough to cover this area," Talbot answered. "Digging isn't something that can be easily hidden and it certainly isn't quick. We know what the enemy is looking for. We know where they are going to be looking. There is no line of sight from one end to the other but most of us won't need sight to notice any odd activity. As far as maintaining the perimeter, If some civilian wanders in to drop some flowers, that's fine. We're not trying to keep people out."

"What about vandals?" Paul asked, finally looking up from his shoes. "Coincidence seems to be part of life in this job, so what do we do if somebody comes by and starts knocking over gravestones?"

"Skin them," came Nicky's immediate reply. "I could use a new pair of asshat boots."

"Sadly, I am forced to disagree," Heinrich said. "We can't tip our hand and dealing with the vandals might distract us from our task. If we have time we can deal with any that are identified at a later date but of the moment we need to focus on the greater crime."

Paul didn't look pleased but he didn't question Heinrich's decision.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:25 pm - Samuel

Samuel shrugged his shoulders languidly, "All I'm saying is that we have a lot of assumptions but we actually know very little. We can't answer any basic questions like who, what, how many or why. I'd rather not count on speculation. Then again, I'm also assuming that this is a case of apprehend and arrest rather than a combat strike to terminate the suspect or suspects."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:26 pm - Heinrich

"Correct," Heinrich said. "We are to apprehend those responsible, if for no other reason than to determine why."

"How much effort is required to dig up a coffin?" Michael asked. "Alone it would take hours, without the aid of machinery or the supernatural. This isn't the sort of thing you do in large groups, unless you are involved in a fraternity stunt. It isn't an activity that is easy to disguise. Can we assume at least two persons in each raid?"

"Sounds reasonable," Talbot said. "We're certainly able to take down twice that many normals with what we've got. It will get a lot more interesting if we run into supernaturals."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:27 pm - Samuel

Samuel nodded to Nosferatu, " Exactly my point. How did no one notice all the previous graves being dug? What if it's several beings like her, " he said pointingto She-Hulk. "How long then? We really know nothing. Lets be alert."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:28 pm - Michael

"My kind have the knack of doing many things unseen," Michael said. "We can hide in plain sight. The principle involved relies on there being something more important to occupy attention. Douglas Adams referred to it as the SEP principle; Somebody Else's Problem. Actively seeking makes the system less affective. Also, given my understanding of the source of director Faust's ability, he could organize a parade in the cemetery and no one would notice until they emerged, unless somebody was actively looking for it."

"A fair enough assessment," Heinrich said, giving the Nosferatu an appraising look. "The key is active searching. It is very difficult for the average individual to detect the average deflection. An above average individual who is actively searching with defeat an above average deflection. I seriously doubt that we are dealing with a superior deflection. They tend to become obvious to those of us with the ability to detect them."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Goosekat on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:29 p.m. - Tabby

Tabby let out a small sigh. "I will go with the major," she said. She was not at all thrilled with the idea but it seemed better than letting Vesper go with him. The kid seemed more like a lost pup then a full grown wolf to her and it made more sense to let Nicky watch over him during their jaunts to the cemetery. "Would it be prudent if one member of each group was shifted. Our senses are much more heightened when we are shifted so it might be easier to detect something out of place. And it would not look too strange to anyone wandering into the cemetery if they came across a stray dog or two at night." This last bit was directed at Heinrich
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - Common Room - 9:30 p.m. -Heinrich

The lead Bone Gnawer nodded his thanks to Tabby, a gratitude that Heinrich verbalized. "Thank you for stepping up," the director said. "I prefer not to appoint people to teams unless there is specific need. You also bring up an excellent idea. Stray dogs, although not common, are not so rare as to attract undo attention. I assume it will not be the senior agents doing so, since they would be unable to fully communicate with their teams."

He smiled at both teams, a reassuring smile that would not have looked out of place on a much older man. "There will be a portfolio in each transport vehicle detailing the locations of the target graves for agent Dingo's group and the location of any fresh graves as well as our bait graves for Talbot's group. I've also included a number of micro transceivers that are essentially the bastard child of a Mike radio crossed with a Bluetooth. I'd like to see how well they translate the secret language of the shapeshifters. There has been limited success in the lab but this will be the first field test. I'd like a full report of how they perform. Unless there are any questions, I suggest you get to your vehicles and head out."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Rolecall

Who is still active?
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Goosekat on: Still here when time permits
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: I'm still around when I see something get posted and get a chance to answer :)
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Tinker on: I am still here, since my facebook goading.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Sonovaditch on: ((I am here! Took a small reprieve to work on cosplay, and before that I felt like Ves didn't have much to say. Unfortunately my character is very softspoken and though I am capable of making observational posts in lieu of speaking ones, it gets tiresome to write about your character thinking about things whilst looking unassuming - it seems so self-serving. I feel like it must be really uninteresting for everyone else to read. I mean don't get me wrong, I'll still play Ves, I still like him, and I can keep up doing what I'm doing. Just concerned, I guess...))
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - Garage - 9:30 pm

There were two vans waiting for them. Nicky was rather annoyed to discover the agents behind the wheel were refusing to let him drive. Muttering, he slipped into the back seat. Talbot claimed the passenger seat of the second van. The vehicle lurched when Eve climbed in. The Get of Fenris werewolf didn't even react. Once the others had taken their seats, it was a short trip to the cemetery.

Nicky led his team south, heading for the area where specific dates were being targeted. Talbot took his team north, to where the fresher graves were being plundered. "Look alive," the major said. "Time to earn your paycheque ladies."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - Cemetery - 9:50 pm - Samuel

During the trip Samuel took a few minutes to study the information they had been given and play with the radio that had been issued to each of them.

He was curious how this thing was supposed to translate the language of the wolves and wondered if it would work the same way with the Bastet tongue. That could be bad if it that were the case and whatever they were using to do the translation ever dropped into the hands of true humans. He also had no way of finding out if it worked that way without actually testing it.

Once they arrived at the cemetery and split up, Samuel looked at Dundee and asked, "OK, Ita' Ka, what's the plan? Who's shifting and where do you want us?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - Cemetery - 9:50 pm - Nicky

"Team leaders have to stay in human form and I'd rather have my Popo in a form I can understand, so that leaves Vesper as our designated shifter," the Australian replied. He looked at Paul. "Not many roads to skate on so you're foot like the rest of us. I'm not sure what you can do but stay close to somebody that can see in the dark. Everybody ready?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Goosekat on: Department 7 Headquarters - Garage & Cemetery - 9:30 to 9:51 p.m. - Tabby

Tabby climbed into her assigned vehicle, secured her seat belt and did her best not to fidget on the ride to the cemetery. She wasn't very comfortable in automobiles and it tended to show in her nervousness. Instead of dwelling on the fact that she was locked into a metal container that moved for how ever long it would take to get their destination Tabby read through the portfolio and busied herself with the radio device they were each issued. When they arrived at the cemetery and the Major headed North into the darkness she followed, placing the small Bluetooth like device into her right ear. "Am I to take it that I am the one to be shifting?" she asked as they moved towards their target zone. If that was going to be the case then she needed to find a relatively safe place she could stash her clothing until after she changed back at the end of the night.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Sonovaditch on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Cemetery - 9:50PM - Vesper Novak

"Who can spot me?" Vesper wondered aloud as he more slithered than pounced from the back seat of the van, the last to exit what he could only describe from his present height as a smelly, hunkering metal basket. He had been the first to enter the van, already shifted since he'd heard Heinrich's approval of Tabitha's covert dog op suggestion.

This was twice he owed her now; first, for volunteering herself over to the Major's squad (something which he himself would have done begrudgingly if not for her self-sacrificing motion for which he was whelmingly grateful); and second, for suggesting that they operate in Lupus form within their groups (a form in which Vesper felt he could provide far more use to his team).

In the darkness, Vesper's black coat and quick, light pawed movements made him difficult to detect. But for now, he sat squatly next to the Bastet man as if to say, "Here I am. I am the one who has shifted." He looked up to Nicky expectantly, wagging his tail, ready and waiting to be pointed in some direction. He was glad for the semi-familiar face as he recalled once again that it could be the Major he was faced with now. He made a personal note to repay Tabitha someday for her charity. This mission would run much more smoothly for him with Nicky as leader.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Cemetery - 9:50PM - Nicky

"There's your first answer," Nicky said, ruffling the fur between Vesper's ears. He would have taken his Lupus form as well but he needed to stay in a form that everyone could communicate with. Of course that didn't mean he couldn't use Mr Hyde.

His shape swelled, the clothing he wore growing with it as he assume the form halfway between human and full Chrinos battle form. "No sense not using something to best advantage," he rumbled. "You might as well go half cat too. Eyes and nose will be better. Vesper, you play scout for us. Sing out if you see something. I'll understand you but nobody else will."

On the other side of the cemetery, Talbot looked down at the smaller Bone Gnawer. "You're shifting. Eve can't and I need to be able to communicate. Let me know if you smell anything unusual. Not much wind tonight so scent isn't going to carry too well. Do not engage without permission. Any questions from either of you? If not, we start with a check of the perimeter and work our way into a position where we can see the fresh graves and wait to ambush anyone that disturbs them."

He seemed to have shed his asshole persona in favour of an extremely professional one. He was a soldier and this was his element. He was in command and that left no room for his usual prejudices.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Cemetery - 9:51 pm - Samuel

Samuel felt a surge of relief when Dundee told him to go ahead and shift. He was going to anyway, the presence of so many Garou still tending to make him feel like there was an itch between his shoulders he couldn't scratch but with them shifted it was worse. This way he wouldn't have to waste time justifying the multiple valid reasons for him to change.

He had hurriedly tossed on a loose fitting shirt and a baggy pair of cut-off sweatpants that he wouldn't mind losing on the way to the vehicles just in case.

Samuel relaxed and enjoyed the sensations as his body changed; muscles swelling, his form gaining mass and height, his ears elongating, his face shifting and senses sharpening.

When it was over he took a deep breath, savoring the rich night ear and nodded to Dundee. The cadence of his words changed slightly, almost sounding a little more drawn out and his voice was slightly more piercing with a slight rumble more felt than heard. "Let's see if we can solve a mystery, Scooby Gang."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Sonovaditch on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Cemetery - 9:51PM - Vesper Novak

Vesper barked once excitedly at Samuel's choicely quip, cautious not to be too loud, before rushing off into the dark. He brushed past Paul as he did so, spinning around to glimpse at him pointedly before continuing onward at a decent pace - a subtle invitation to follow, though only a suggestion.

The mutt-like Garou could not be certain it would be at all safe for Paul to follow him. But he did know they together might fool suspicious onlookers into thinking the skater boy was simply a youth out and about, walking his restless dog and had decided to short cut through the cemetery. It would certainly lessen the likelihood of Animal Control being calledâ€¦

Besides, the others seemed to have a far greater preference to work alone, independently. Vesper, ever submissive to his twin sister, was accustomed to partnerships. Nevertheless, he would not be devastated if Paul chose not accompany him. He continued onward into the cemetery, waiting to see if the other would follow, enjoying the feel on the grass against his paws and the fresh (if a bitâ€¦ corpsey) night air.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Cemetery - 9:52PM - Paul

Paul took a deep breath. "I think he wants me to follow him," he said to Nicky. He paused a moment before slipping into the growing darkness after the wolf-dog. It took the hypersensitive noses of the shapeshifters to detect the slight change in his scent but the sudden change in his movements was clearly visible. He had always been quick and surefooted. Now he moved through the darkness like greased lightning. Either Nicky or Samuel could match his speed but both knew it was well beyond the reach of most normal humans.

"Isn't that interesting," Nicky said, almost to himself. "Okay, Tonto, let's go bag us a grave robber. If they show up that is."

He followed Paul deeper into the cemetery, towards the older section.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Cemetery - 9:53PM - Alice

The graveyard was pretty big. Alice supposed it had been around for a while. All those humans.. living.. dying.. and ending up nothing more than dirt in the end. The process of decomposition was fascinating, really. Just part of the cycle of life and death. But sometimes, it was more intersting when the cycle was disrupted. Sometimes it wasn"t.

Alice fixed the poor sap she had caught digging up graves with a disturbing stare. She was crouched on the freshly dug earth,wearing a black pinapore dress with a white collar, and was leaning a bit on the shovel in her tiny hand. He, however, was mostly buried in the earth, just his head and some of his shoulders above the soil. He was babbling something at her that even she was having a bit of trouble understanding. Her pale blue eyes shifted to the body of his cohort, a creature that seemed both canine and feline. She had some idea what it was, and if she was right, it would be fascinating to perform an autopsy on it. She really had wanted to keep it alive, but sometimes things don't work out that way.

She looked back at the man she had buried. "Tic tock goes the clock. Come now.. you haven't got forever." She said in her soft, somewhat breathy voice. Then she stiffened, her eyes flitting from tombstone to tombstone, suddenly on alert. Something wasn't right. Something was off. "You.. did you bring more friends?" She asked, her agitation palpable.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Cemetery - 9:54 PM - Talbot

"There," Talbot said, pointing. "Crouching on that dirt pile. Monroe, you circle around behind. Eve, you're with me. No heroics. She's not dressed like a groundskeeper, so it's a safe bet she's our perp. I'm suspecting a leech, so don't let her bite you. We try to take her alive but if she fights, we fight to win."

He began moving forward, like the soldier he was. He was going in to battle and Tabby could smell the fierce joy that that thought brought to him. This was what he was made for, to fight and kill the enemies of Gaia. He wasn't trying to hide. There was no stealth to his approach.

"Contact," he said over the radio. "one crouching near a grave. We are engaging. I do not anticipate needing assistance but stand by."

Then he raised his voice. "You! With the shovel! What the hell do you think you're doing?"|
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 9:54 pm - Samuel

Interesting is a good word, he thought. He inhaled deeply trying to get a better scent picture of the change that had come over Skater Boy and filing it away for future reference as they headed out after after them.

The night was alive in a way humans would never truly understand, even in a cemetery. He enjoyed the sensations even as he focused on the task at hand.

He was so focused on the search that when Major Ass came over the radio it startled him. He looked at Dundee with a grin that looked feral in his current form. "Well, he may not need it but apparently all the action is on his end. Wanna start heading that way?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 9:54 pm - Nicky

"Curiosity killed the cat," Nicky replied in a basso profundo accent, the irony of applying the old adage to Samuel not lost on the Bonegnawer. "Besides, we have our own task. Just because he's got a hit, doesn't mean that's the only game in the cemetery tonight."

As if to illustrate his point, Paul's voice came over the radio. "I can see somebody digging. South side, about a hundred yards from the fence. One man. Doesn't seem to be in much of a hurry. He has a flashing sitting on a gravestone so he can see where he's digging. Light is on the north side, in case you want to come in from behind it."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 9:55 pm - Samuel

"But satisfaction brought it back", Samuel chuckled back. He was about to admit they should probably do their jobs as assigned when he heard Paul come over the radio.

His cocked his head slightly to one said and said, "Two separate graves being dug up in the same cemetery at the same time on the same night? Now that, is a hell of a coincidence. I'm assuming you want to do the talking. I'll come in from behind the light and see if I can see anything else of interest. Unless you have something else in mind", he added belatedly. he wasn't used to working with this many people in general and certainly not used to the sort of formal structure and order that were called for here.
He understood the need, he just wasn't completely comfortable with it.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 9:55 pm - Nicky

"Sounds like a plan," Nicky said, his voice rising as he shrank down to his human form. "Paul, you and Vesper hold tight. Only move in if we need you." The Bonegnawer moved off through the grave stones, his wandering path looking like the meanderings of a homeless man.

He took his time approaching the light, giving Samuel time to get into position. Then he moved in, making no effort to hide his movements. "Hey, Mate, I'll dig that hole for twenty bucks," he said, interrupting the man's excavation. "You grave robbing?"

Startled, the man turned to Nicky, the shovel held waist high like a spear. "Not grave robbing," he said as he relaxed, clearly not seeing Nicky as a threat. "Just working. Cemetery closes at dusk. You really shouldn't be in here."

"Neither should you," Nicky replied. "If you worked here, I'd know you. I know all the staff out here. So, tell me, what are you really up to, Mate? I'm not going to squeal. I just want to make a few bucks to buy a hot meal."

The man stuck the shovel in the ground and pulled a twenty out of his wallet. "Here. Now go away and leave me alone."

"Can't really do that, Mate," Nicky said, pulling out his wallet and showing his credentials, which didn't show up well in the dark. "I've got orders to find out who's been digging up graves and why. Now I know who but I need to find out why."

The man grabbed the shovel and with a two handed toss, lobbed it towards Nicky. Then he bolted deeper into the cemetery.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 9:56 pm - Samuel

Samuel gave a slight incline of his head and flashed a slight smile as he moved out, sliding through the darkness of the cemetery smoothly, silently making a rapid arc of the area behind the grave in question using the senses that Gaia had blessed him with trying to find a trace of anyone or anything else that might be near before moving into position behind the headstone that the light sat on.

He wasn't worried about being seen or heard by the man but he was naturally cautious just the same. He got into position as the man told Dundee that he wasn't grave robbing. If they weren't actually on the job he would have been laughing out loud as he listened to the exchange and watched the man's reaction. Humans could be so damned funny sometimes.

He waited a fraction of a second for the man to move outside the light where his eyes would have to adjust for a moment before he began pursuing him with inhuman speed and liquid grace. He also thought it was nice of him to give him that extra time to get moving. Granted it would almost certainly be irrelevant but at least it was more fun.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 Headquarters - The Cemetery - 9:54 PM - Alice

It wasn't so much that she was surprised. Well, not really. It was a bit hard to truly surprise someone like her. No, she was a bit startled though. She certainly wasn't expecting to be interrupted. She thought the fool man had a friend out here, but this certainly didn't sound like a graverobber. It sounded like someone who worked here, or was some sort of authority. It didn't bode well. Humans insinctively distrusted her. It would be better to flee. If she was lucky, they would think she was a frightened child that had been caught where they weren't supposed to be, and she could come back for the body of that creature. If she wasn't lucky, then she might be forced to defend herself... and that could get ugly.

As she straightened to run, however, she did recieve quite a surprise as she felt a singular sensation- the resonance of her azoth, the very essence of her being reacting to the proximity of another like her. It surprised her so badly she stumbled, her plan to flee momentarily forgotten. Pale blue eyes searched for the source even as she landed hard on her bottom, still clutching the shovel.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Sonovaditch on: The Cemetery - 9:56PM - Vesper Novak

Vesper gave a start before remembering Nicky's orders - don't move in unless instructed. He whined audibly, trotting slightly on the spot as his muscles begged to drive him into action. He recalled Paul's inhuman speedâ€¦ Vesper had been bounding though the darkness, happy to stretch his legs and really run. He thought himself a good racer! Speedy and near-silent as he streaked through damp grass and dead soil on light paws. That was until Paul caught up with him.

The lupine Vesper had ran hard to keep up with the younger boy who smelled different in that moment than he had before... Adrenaline, mostly. And something else foreign to him. Regardless, surpassing him would have meant truly pushing himself. Hard. And that was on all fours. Now, if they had tried, this running suspect wouldn't have stood a chance of outrunning Paul, and though Vesper did not consider himself strong, if he caught up and changed to his Hispo form he could at least have kept the gravedigger at bay until Nicky and Samuel caught up.

But in a sudden burst of energy emerging from nowhere, Vesper saw the situation was taken care of the moment Samuel whipped pastâ€¦ Agile, nimbleâ€¦ Liquid elegance swept past them in a flurry of feline fury. Samuel was King of the Jungle remade in a man's image and Vesper, for all his unspoken feelings of engorged self-worth where speed and subterfuge were concerned, was wowed. He kept his throughly jaw-dropped doggy self in place, waiting with Paul obediently for further instructions, all the while watching and listening and smelling the pursuit in progress as avidly as his senses allowed.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 9:56PM - Paul

"Better make sure he doesn't escape." Paul took his fingers off Vesper's fur (he'd been playing with the thick soft fur for almost a minute, as if lost in the sensation) and started through the trees, following the running man at a distance. "He's need to jump the fence to get out," he said over the radio. "It's ten feet high, easy. Otherwise he'll need to cut north, because if he keeps going west, he's going to hit a fifty foot drop onto a set of train tracks."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Sonovaditch on: The Cemetery - 9:56PM - Vesper Novak

Vesper's itching muscles burst into action the moment Paul's absent-minded touch left him. He was a follower, through and through - even though Nicky had asked them to wait for more orders, Paul's sudden reasoning was enough to sway the older male's insubstantial convictions. Now, Vesper matched his speed with Paul's, determining in advance that he would only work to surpass him should their pursuit (or Paul) require it of him. Or should anyone on his team so much as mention it, for that matter, if his recent actions were to prove an exemplary behavioural trendâ€¦
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Goosekat on: The Cemetery - - 9:52 - 9:54 p.m. - - Tabby

Tabby found a small clump of bushes on the side of a mausoleum that she slipped into with ease. When she came back out she was in full lupus form. If anyone other than the bad guys saw here they would probably either give her a wide path or call animal control, after all she did look like a rather mangy Aussie Shepard-Mix that was most likely covered in fleas and ticks. She shrugged her shoulders, or at least did her best in her current form, as that thought crossed her mind. Falling into a lopping gait Tabby quickly caught up with Eve and Major Talbot. She was just about to pull out front and scout ahead when the Major spotted something.

Tabby looked to where the Major was pointing and noticed a small figure crouching on the mound of dirt. She started to make her way around the person as directed, when it suddenly stood up and then stumbled and fell. "A child?" she blurted out without thinking, completely forgetting she was in lupus form.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 9:57 pm - Samuel

Samuel heard S.B. come over the radio (he'd started mentally abbreviating Skater Boys nickname since it was kind of awkward to use the whole thing) covering the possible escape routes and his first thought was, It's not like this guys going to make it 50 yards before I run him down, but the professional part of his brain was impressed that the kid kept his head about him and was thinking the situation through.

Over the radio he said, "He isn't going to make it fifty yards but be ready to cut him off from the northeast, just in case." He briefly considered shifting forms to gain more speed but he was already so much faster that it seemed silly to waste the energy and there was still the other team that might need backup.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Tinker on: The Cemetery - 9:54-ishpm â€“ Eve

Following was something that took no thought whatsoever. Listening, looking, watching, observing; those were all focused activities that Eve excelled at. She kept close to man that seemed to invoke almost as much negative energy as she did, taking his orders like a well trained pet, obeying as much as her clumsy form would allow.

The discovery of the little falling shape brandishing a shovel called to the thunder that lived in her chest. Great arcs of hot blue lightning flashed in her mismatched eyes and furious little golden sparks jumped from contact point to contact point across her chest. She softly stretched out one large hand in front of Talbot until it came to land weightlessly on his chest to prevent him from moving any further forward. her second had rose to point at the small figure and her shaggy head cocked to the side like a more curious version of one of her four legged team mates. The voice that had no right to come from her body lyrically sounded in the dark, "No, not a child. One like me."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: The Cemetery - 9:55â€“ Alice

It was suddenly painfully obvious that she was in much more trouble than she originally thought, especially when the crazy man she had mostly buried in the mound of dirt he had been disturbing started frantically calling out, some incoherant words mixed with a general type of 'help me' fear response. It certainly didn't help that the air seemed almost charged with electricity as the other like her reacted to her presence, much as she had reacted herself. She swore behind the loud cries of her captive that she heard a chuckle, a small breathe of laughter next to her ear, and her eyes narrowed for a spilt second.

She righted herself, carefully and slowly, her eyes scanning for the source of the voice that questioned her childlike appearance, realizing that she was rather close to being completely surrounded.

"Oh, do be quiet already." She groused at her captive, her breathy voice barely audible over his increasing volume. Her face screwed up like a child's might when they were told they couldn't do something they wanted to.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 9:57 pm - The Running Man

Despite Paul's comment regarding the sheer drop he was facing, the grave robber continued his sprint towards the west edge of the cemetery. He dodged gravestones with uncanny ease and even threw a look in Samuel's direction, even though the Bastet was moving with inhuman speed and stealth.

The fence along the western edge of the cemetery was not like the ten foot chain link fence along the southern side. It mirrored the eastern fence, which was only four feet high but made of green painted wrought iron. Whereas the eastern fence, bordering the sidewalk and road, was well maintained, the western fence was not. There were many places where sections were broken or missing and it was for one of these that the running grave robber made a bee line.

The Cemetery - 9:57â€“ Talbot

The werewolf looked down at the hand on his chest as if astonished to see it there. "Okay, Sparky, I'll take the gloves off."

He stepped around Eve's hand, swelling into his own version of Mr Hyde. "Stay exactly where you are," he said, his voice loud and deep. "If you attempt to run, I will catch you and I will probably bounce you off at least one or two of the larger pieces of granite in the area just to make you a little more co-operative."

His voice dropped to barely above a whisper as he keyed his radio on. "Okay, Monroe, time to earn your keep. Circle around behind her and make sure she doesn't get away. Keep an eye open. I just caught a scent that I can't identify and it's mixed with a lot of blood. Monsters are most dangerous when they're wounded."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 9:57 pm - Samuel

Samuel had a grin as he sprinted after Jack Rabbit. It took him a couple of seconds to realize something was wrong...his grin began to slip when he realized he wasn't overtaking his prey with anything like the speed he would normally expect. It took another couple of seconds, when the man looked back to track Samuels location, that he realized he had not only a real puzzle (what was this guy?) but also a real chase on his hands.

There is no way this guy is going to lose me and sure as hell not on his first time out with the team, he thought. "I don't think this guys human, gloves are off", he spoke over the radio, "he's headed for a gap in the fence."

As he spoke his voice began to both deepen and take on high pitched overtones as his physical body flowed growing into his full Crinos form. As the change completed, he took advantage of the increased stride and grace it granted him and letting out a brief snarl that was both irritation and eagerness, he poured everything he had into reaching Jack Rabbit.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: The Cemetery - 9:58â€“ Alice

The girl's pale blue eyes widened as she witnessed the change in the werewolf, mesmerized. Her mind instantly whirled with questions, so many that she couldn't seem to settle on one to ask. A werewolf. Here. It was more than she could ever hope for, and whats more he seemed to be working with another like her. Could she dare hope to be able to ask the questions that were bouncing around her head?

Then his voice filtered through, and she blinked. He was threatening her. She had heard that they were often violent, but there was no need to threaten her. She hadn't done anything wrong, at least not that she could figure. Her captive was nearly screaming now, a high pitched cacophony of sound that annoyed her. She scowled, agitation overtaking her curiosity.

"This is all your fault." She hissed at the captive man, whether or not he was listening, which of course he wasn't. Panic does that to the human mind after all. "You simply had to come out and cause a ruckus, digging around where you don't belong, getting everyone riled up, and now I'm the one being threatened!" She gestured wildly, shovel still firmly in hand.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 9:58 pm

Samuel's quarry took one last look over his shoulder, realized that the Bastet would overtake him before he could hit the fence and with astonishing dexterity spun to face the werecat. At the same time, in a single smooth motion he drew a slender blade from under his coat.

"I'm armed with silver," he said, the blade rising into a high guard position, his accent holding a vague trace of Portuguese. "Attack me at your peril. I mean you no harm but I will defend myself. This is no business of yours, Gato."

"Drop the shovel," Talbot said, moving forward. He hadn't assumed his full Chrinos form, not yet. It was a battle form and if it came to that, he'd go in claws and teeth flying. However, the Department wanted prisoners. He'd do everything in his power to bring them living prisoners but he would make no guarantee of the condition they would be in.

"Come quietly and we'll all get along just fine." He stopped, taking in the scene. "Care to tell me why there is a gibbering idiot buried up to his neck? Is the dirt loose enough to pull him out or are you going to make me dig?" He was stalling until he was certain that the Bone Gnawer bitch was in position to back him before he made his move. If she did her job, she'd be a few seconds distraction if nothing else.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 9:58 pm - Samuel

Samuel blinked as he pulled up to a stop in front of the man, just outside of lunging distance.
He cocked his head at Jack Rabbit and thought to himself, definitely not human, at least, not anything resembling an average human. Prey just didn't act like that.

He hoped the microphone for his comm gear acted as it was advertised to and cocked his head to look at Jack. He debated shifting to a more human form for a moment and decided against it.
When he spoke it sounded as people might imagine, half squall and half deep rumble. "You're not human, at least not purely. Any normal human would be out of their mind with fear viewing me as I am now. Then you threaten me with silver. There's also the display of physical abilities beyond what a human could exhibit."

"You seem reasonable; let us talk", he said. He relaxed his stance and waited for a response from the strange man, trying to get a hint of what he might be based on his scent as he waited.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: The Cemetery - 9:59 pm- Alice

She eyed Talbot warily. "I would like to get along fine..." she said, pausing to hiss at her captive to be quiet again before continuing. "But you do not seem to be in the friendly way.. with your.. friend I assume.. sneaking around, so I think I would much rather keep the shovel, thank you." She told him, inching towards the body of the creature she had killed. "As for the idiot... he wanted to go digging about in the dirt, so I planted him in it. You can try and pull him out if you really want." Although her words were calm sounding, if a bit breathy, she still seemed highly agitated.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 9:58 pm - The Jack Rabbit

"You live long enough, you learn things," the man said. "Magicians can perform feats that other see as magic when they are really just learned skills. Fear can be controlled. I'd say I was as human as you are but clearly you aren't. I doubt your Australian friend is either. Now, this can end one of two ways. You can let me go or people get hurt and I walk away anyway."

The man smelled human but then so did Paul. There was a distinct scent of fear coming off him but it wasn't strong enough to have been because he was facing a fully transformed werecat. Even though his focus was on Samuel, he was not so focused that he was unaware of his surroundings. He shifted his stance slightly to account for the arrival of Paul and Vesper. Of Nicky there was still no sign.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 9:59 pm- Talbot

"You keep the shovel, things get ugly." Talbot chuckled, a deep rumbling sound. "Okay, they get uglier. Put the shovel down and we can all discuss this like civilized people, especially if the gibbering idiot is the one who has been digging up the graves around here. He's the one I'm here for, although I'd certainly like to have a word or three with you about what the hell went down here before I got here."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: The Cemetery - 10 pm- Alice

"You can have him. I was only interested in him because he was babbling about some very naughty things involving the reanimation of dead bits." She said, her agitation level still high. "I get to keep the Carbuncle though. That's the deal. You get him, I get it. And... your friend shows themself and I'll put down the shovel. That should be fair. It's not like I stand much of a chance, what with three of you and only one of me."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:00 pm - Talbot

"If you're aware of the situation, then you also realize you're not in a position to dictate terms," Talbot said. "I'm going to call for a ride and then we're all going to go someplace else and talk about this, you, me, the idiot and your carbuncle. We can talk about what naughty things he was babbling about and get this all straightened out."

Talbot had no clue as to what the carbuncle was. He had some vague recollection that it was some kind of stone but if the odd little girl thought it was important and valuable, he wasn't going to allow her to wander off with it.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: The Cemetery - 10:01 pm - Alice

Alice chewed her lip, wanting to point out that obviously she did have some power to dictate terms as the furry one had yet to try to eat her, but he did say she could keep the carbuncle. He put a possessive in front of it, saying it belonged to her, and that was one of her terms. Meeting halfway wasn't bad, was it? Besides, if she played nice maybe he would answer some of her questions. Even as agitated as she still felt, her curiosity was peaked. She shuffled a bit, her face screwing up again, then finally she sighed.

"Well, a meeting halfway is still a meeting." She said somewhat cryptically. Then she rather carefully laid the shovel against a nearby headstone. "You don't mind holding that do you?" she whispered, patting the stone before raising her tiny hands to show she was unarmed. "There, see? I'm not unreasonable, like some people." She said, casting a baleful glance at her captive.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 9:59 pm - Samuel

Samuel let out a laugh that sounded like a squall, "Well, you've certainly lived long enough to learn some things but not long enough to learn enough. For example, you know enough to threaten me with silver but not enough to realize that typically doing that would be like waving a red flag in front of bull, guaranteeing at least severe injury to yourself. The two endings you describe are not only the most unlikely to occur but the least desirable for us. I have a counterproposal; Let's make sure that you live long enough to learn more by simply talking to us. Keep your blade, if it makes you feel better."

Samuel waited patiently in place, waiting to see what Jack would do. In his world, this was the proper way to negotiate. When in a position of power, be fair but firm. If he agreed to talk, he saw no reason not to let him keep the knife, trust was earned and so far Jack Rabbit had made his best efforts to escape but seemed uninterested in bloodshed for it's own sake. Of course, should Jack prove himself untrustworthy, he would kill him as quickly as was possible.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:00 pm - The Jack Rabbit

"Wounds heal. Bulls do not charge the colour but the movement of the cape. Shapeshifters are more likely to recoil from silver than hurl themselves upon it." he chuckled. "And you would have great difficulty taking my weapon from me, should I decide that I did not want to be disarmed."

He changed his footing, moving around behind the gravestone he had stopped beside but the slender blade stayed rock steady. "You obviously take exception to my digging. I have no problem stopping, at least for the immediate future. I seem to have chosen a poor time for my task. I anticipated neither the supernatural nature of this cemetery's guardians nor the degree of activity I would encounter. Aren't you curious, Gato, of what is transpiring on the far side of the cemetery at this very moment? Are they your friends over there, confronting a true grave robber or has all of Christendom decided to convene on Holy Ground this evening to settle long forgotten scores?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 10:01 pm - Samuel

Samuel nodded slightly, at least he seemed willing to talk rather than bolt and turn this into an ugly mess for all involved.

"I have no doubt that you would prove a formidable opponent. It was a small gesture of trust to indicate that I meant that I have no wish to harm anyone here", he said.

"This place has been the subject of repeated grave disturbances over a very short period and the responsible party or parties have not been seen, nor heard, nor left any evidence that humans could find. It's most likely a professional, a supernatural or both to have managed that. In either case, it would seem that the questions to answer would be, what are they looking for and why."

He relaxed his body language a bit, being alert in case Jack Rabbit decided to try and take advantage. "If your task here is not to rob a grave, as you implied, then why dig up a grave?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:01 pm - The Jack Rabbit

The man was clearly making a careful study of placement, as if trying to choose his best route of escape. His gaze kept going to Paul and Vesper, not that it lingered long on the pair.

"I'd hardly call myself supernatural, although I'm hardly a professional. I am merely cautious and meticulous." The man shrugged. "I was looking for something that belongs to me. My research indicated that it was buried in this cemetery on a specific date. It was an unfortunately busy day for funerals and I was unable to determine the name of the person with whom it was buried. Therefore, I am stuck secretly digging up each one by hand because the powers that be were unwilling to allow me to dig up all of them. You have my word that I am seeking only an object of personal significance, not an item of mystical or historical significance. If such had been the case, I doubt it would have been buried but rather pilfered some century and half ago."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 10:02 pm - Samuel

"It must be very important to you to go through all this to find something buried some one hundred and fifty years ago. What do you do for a living - and what's your name by the way? I'm Samuel."

He had to admit to himself, it was his oddest and most interesting interrogation.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:02 pm - The Rabbit

"Well met, Samuel," the man replied but didn't offer his own name in return. "You are a Samuel rather than a Sam, I take it? I've known a few people like that. We just couldn't convince Adolf that calling himself Dolph would have corrected certain problems he was having. Such is life, I suppose."

He looked at Paul again and shifted his footing slightly. "I doubt you'd understand why I seek what I seek. There is nothing noble about it. It is a case of digging up something that belongs to me simply because it belongs to me. I just wish I knew which grave it was in. Another week or a luckier choice on where to dig and I would never be seen in this cemetery again."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 10:03 pm - Samuel

"Samuel is what most people call me, sometimes Sam", he shrugged slightly, "I'm not too picky."

"If you would share what it is you're looking for, we may be able to help you locate it. I must admit, I'm extremely curious about what it is that would inspire this kind of effort from you. By the way, what's your name?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:02 pm - The Rabbit

"My name is unimportant," the man said with a shrug and the slightest step towards Paul. "Any name I gave you would not show up in any database you searched. In essence, I do not exist. The computer age makes that easier than on would think." He looked at Samuel. The hand that held his slender blade hadn't even trembled in the slightest, as if his arm were made of stone. "As for what I am looking for, that is for me to know any you to wonder. Of course you could dig up all the rest of the graves and carry off anything you find. It will just mean I will have to track you down, find out where you put it and figure out how to reclaim it. Now, are you going to let me go or do we have to fight on Holy Ground? I would be loathe to shed blood here, even if this cemetery is not one dedicated to my faith."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 10:03 pm - Samuel

"I'm a little more traditional than computers and databases. I ask a name out of respect since you have behaved with reason and honor so far and since I have given you a name it would be polite of you to show me the same courtesy."
Samuel took a slight step to offset the new position of the Rabbit. It seemed he was done with the conversation and if the Rabbit went after Paul first, as he expected, he was worried that Paul would get hurt, or dead, and distract everyone sufficiently to get away.
"While I don't like the idea of disturbing a number of graves, I am very curious about you and would like to continue our conversation. It would seem that the your object is a good way to ensure that we would meet again", he said. double-checking that the comms were transmitting he took a very deep breath to firmly plant the scent of the Rabbit in his memory, "so I am personally inclined to let you go without bloodshed."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:03 pm - The Rabbit

"It's settled then," the Rabbit said. "You may call me Orlando and I bid you good evening." He took a step backwards, away from Paul and towards the gap in the fence. The blade in his hand disappeared back under his coat as quickly as it had appeared. He didn't move too far, as if expecting Samuel to recant.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 10:04 pm - Samuel

Samuel relaxed his body language a bit more as Orlando put his blade away, "I am pleased to meet you, Orlando", he tried hard to fix his name and associated scent in his memory, "It would be convenient if you gave me a way to contact you after we have acquired the item you seek. I would suggest you move quickly after that. By nature and long practice I am unaccustomed to working with groups and this is my decision. They may not agree or abide with my decision."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:04 pm - Orlando

"You'll know it when you see it," Orlando said. "It will scream my name." He began backing away towards the gap in the fence. "As far as contact is concerned, I'm very good at finding people and things, even when they don't want to be found. It was the thinnest of trails that led me here and yet here I stand."

The stopped just short of the hole that led to the sheer drop Paul has described. "Perhaps when next we meet we can share a glass of wine."

"You're letting him go?" Paul asked. "Aren't we supposed to bring him in for questioning?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 10:04 pm - Samuel

Samuel nodded, "I would enjoy that", he said to Orlando.

Without taking his eyes off of Orlando he asked Paul, "Let's say we force him back without anyone dead or injured. What would he tell us voluntarily that he hasn't already told us?" He gave a final nod to Jack Rabbit and turned to face Paul, "If you want to fight we probably have another one on the other side of the cemetery if Captain Asshole has anything to say about it."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:04 pm - Orlando

The move was too smooth to have not been practiced. Orlando dropped into something that could only be described as a push-up position, except he didn't push up, he pushed back, sending himself through the hole in the fence and over what Paul had described as a fifty foot sheer drop.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 10:05 pm - Samuel

"OK, we're done here", he looked around for Dundee, "Dundee, I assume you saw the whole show; what's your call? check the dig site or back up the others first?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:05 pm - Nicky

"You're kidding, right? Buddy takes a dive backwards off a fifty foot drop and you're not even curious as to what condition he lands in?" The Australian snorted. "Good thing this is my turf and that drop isn't as sheer as Paul is making it out to be. I'll follow him. Take Vesper and go check with Talbot and see if you're needed there."

The shadow that was Nicky headed south, towards the ten foot fence Paul had described. "Did you forget to mention the gate, skater boy? Or the fact that the fence ends in somebody's backyard. Find your way out of here and you and I will follow the bouncing pork chop."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 10:06 pm - Samuel

Samuel chuckled, "Five feet or five hundred, I know exactly what condition he's in; Gone. He wasn't committing suicide."

He looked Ã¶ver at the wolf, "Come on Vesper, let's go see what the rest are getting into", he said as he started trotting off in the direction of the other team.

He spoke into the coms with hissing and squalling overtones, "Talbot, Vesper and I are headed your way, where do you want us?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Goosekat on: The Cemetery - - 9:55 - 10:01 p.m. - - Tabitha

Tabby did as instructed and headed to her left to circle around behind the two at the grave-site, keeping to the bushes and shadows as much as possible despite the fact that the child size person seemed to already know she was there. Her attention was so focused on Talbot and the exchange with the girl on the mound of dirt that she didn't notice the dead body till she practically tripped over it. Letting out a yip of surprise she literally jump backwards a good six inches when she spotted the body on the ground. "Dead body. Fresh. Not human," she growled into her mic as she cautiously inched forward on her belly to inspect the freshly killed creature. A subtle growl kept emanating from her throat, whether is was because of the situation, all the blood or the look and smell of the dead thing she wasn't sure.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:02 pm - Talbot

""Standby," Talbot said into his radio. "She's agreed to co-operate, so don't do anything rash. I'll find out about the body."

He moved forward, looking relaxed but he was more than prepared to act. "I'm Talbot. We'll be taking you for a short ride to a place where we can talk without interruption. I'm sure we'll have some questions for your friend there. Oh and one of my associates just stumbled on a dead animal. Your doing or his?"

The question was casually asked but if there had been a ritual sacrifice in the cemetery, he wanted to know.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: The Cemetery - 10:02 pm - Alice

"If you're talking about the Carbuncle, then yes, I killed it. Not that I wanted to. I would have much rather been able to study it alive. If you speak of another creature, then no. My only interest lay in this particularly exceptional example of insanity and his rather vicious little assistant. Insanity is quite an interesting thing really. So many things act as triggers for the mental instability. " She gave her prisoner another of her surly glares. "Unfortunately it can also make one very annoying and loud!"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:03 pm - Talbot

"So what happened to his viscous little assistant?" Talbot asked. He'd almost called for the car to come pick up the odd little woman, until she'd mentioned the assistant. If there was another hostile in the area, he wasn't going to bring non-combatants into the area. "Heads up, people. We may have another target."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: COULD I HAVE A ROLE CALL PLEASE?
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Me!
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Goosekat on: me
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Sorry, life attacked me viciously. I have since managed to beat it back somewhat... so I am here
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: The Cemetery - 10:04 pm - Alice

Alice looked somewhat confused, brushing absently at nothing at all in the air next to her ear. "What? I already told you. I killed it. " She pulled up the edge of her skirt and inspected the nasty rip in it. "Those claws are quite dangerous. Well, were, at least. And I will most absolutely positively enjoy disecting them."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:05 pm - Talbot

Isn't that just eighteen shades of creepy.

"I'm sure that will be one of the first things on the table for discussion,' Talbot answered. "Alright people, you know the drill. Bag and tag the piece of meat, cuff and stuff the babbler after you dig him out. You might want to consider gagging him as well."

He made a deliberate showing of shrinking back to human size. "Bring in the cleaners. They'll want the scene cleaned up."

He paused as Samuel asked how things were going on his side of the cemetery. "We're good," he replied. "Meet us back at base and we'll see what we can figure out about what the hell is going on."

The clean-up crew were fast and efficient. Alice's buried lunatic was quickly whisked away. The body of the carbuncle was equally quickly bags and any evidence of its blood was also made to disappear. Talbot himself held the door open for Alice.

"Hop in. I'm sure you're just as interested in talking to the boss as he is in talking to you."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 10:06 pm - Samuel

Samuel looked over at Vesper, "Well, you heard the man. We're wrapped up here, I suppose. Let's head back to our ride."
He keyed the comms, "Dundee, the rest have wrapped up and we're heading back to camp. You want us to pick you guys up on the way?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: The Cemetery - 10:05 pm - Alice
"Oh, that does sound rather exciting. Is this boss of yours as interesting as you are? Perhaps tonight has turned out some rather exceptional luck after all." She replied, now more than happy to comply. "and after a wonderful talk, I can begin my disection of that fabulously rare creature!" She practically giggled, climbing into the vehicle and settling down to inspect the tear in her dress closer.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:06 pm - Nicky

"I'll find my own way back," Nicky replied. "I want to see where Buddy goes to ground so we can pick him up later if we need to. After he settles in, I'll swing back and keep watch, to make sure he doesn't try and finish digging his hole."

What Nicky didn't mention was that he intended to return and finish the digging himself, just to see if he could figure out what Orlando had been looking for.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:06 pm - Talbot

"Matter of opinion, I suppose," Talbot answered. "I'll make sure they don't start any dissection without you."

He reached down and pulled the blubbering idiot out of the ground and was quite pleased when the man squeaked once and went limp. Thankfully he had fainted rather than died of heart failure. Talbot really hadn't been worried. He was fairly certain they'd get the truth, or at least some reasonable variation on the truth, from Alice.

"Mount up, people. Cinderella turns into a pumpkin at midnight."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: The Cemetery - 10:07 pm - Samuel

"You keeping Skater Boy with you or sending him back with us?", Samuel asked as he made his way back to the car.

He didn't worry about Dundee trying to follow Orlando. He had kept his word about letting him go and warned him that the rest probably wouldn't be inclined to just let him walk. He also knew that if needed, the Warden would probably do exactly as Samuel had described and tear apart the cemetery to find whatever Orlando had been looking for and securing it. He expected some bitching from the AIC, the Asshole In Charge, but he wasn't really worried about it. Something told him that he would be seeing Orlando again in the not to distant future.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: The Cemetery - 10:07 pm - Nicky

"He'd only slow me down," Nicky replied without a trace of malice in his voice. "Take them both back."

Samuel's superior hearing allowed him to hear Paul's muttered. 'I would not'. The young man didn't argue further, however. He simply turned and, with his fingers lightly touching Vesper's fur, headed back towards the van.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Back at Headquarters 11:00 pm - Heinrich Faust

The director was on hand to greet both teams when they returned to the facility that housed Department 7. He nodded to Talbot, didn't seem surprised that it was Samuel herding the second team instead of Nicky and greeted Alice with a warm smile.

"Hello and welcome," he said. "I want to assure you that you're just here for questioning. I can tell that you are obviously not entirely human and, based on information I've received, I'm guessing that is a relatively recent change. My name is Heinrich Faust and I'm not entirely human either. Neither is the majority of my field crew. We work for a branch of the government that concerns itself with, shall we say, unnatural circumstances?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Back at Headquarters 11:00 pm - Alice

Alice's pale blue eyes lit up. "Oh, excellent! First a fantastic example of insanity, then the close contact with a rare creature, and now the opportunity to speak at length with non-humanity!" Her breathy voice was filled with obvious joy. "What luck!"

She brushed at nothing near her ear. "You may call me Alice. It's as good a name as any, and just happens to be the one I was given."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Back at Headquarters 11:00 pm - Heinrich Faust

A smile tugged at the corners of Heinrich's mouth. "I'll refrain from making the obvious Wonderland comments," he said. "Give me a few minutes of your time to explain to me what exactly was going on in the cemetery and then we'll get to taking a look at your little beastie. We'll also have a private chat with the gentleman you buried and compare your stories."

Alice's energy looked, to Heinrich, to be similar to Eve's but different in some way. There was something dark about her aura, not indicting that Alice was sinister in any way but it was certainly worth looking deeper into. "Shall we?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 HQ - 11:08 pm - Samuel

On the way back to the car, Samuel shifted to homid form and once everyone had gotten into the car, he drove back to headquarters and parked the car in the garage.

He followed the crowd back upstairs studying the little girl. She made him twitchy for some reason, similar to the way Eve made him feel but not as strongly.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ - 11:02 pm - Alice

"Actually, it certainly would not surprise me in the least if you made such comments. My.. mother.. I think is the term that most accurately describes her.." She started, her breathy voice darkening somewhat at the mention of her mother, the emotion gone just as quickly as it came, "was somewhat obsessed with the imagery of that work of literature. It was by no coincidence she chose such a name. At any rate, I am more than happy to speak with you, and to asnwer any questions you have, provided of course you are willing to reciprocate. The course of action you have outlined promises so much. That being said, by all means, we shall." She smiled.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Back at Headquarters 11:03 pm - Heinrich Faust

"You'll have to tell me about her when you have time," Heinrich said. "Now, would you prefer to do this in a formal or informal setting? Formally it will be just the two of us, with everyone else on the other side of a mirror. Informally, we'll remove the mirror so that we can all talk together."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ - 11:04 pm - Alice

She eyed him with a sly smile. "Ah, so I get to decide whether I sit and converse with the denizens from the other side of the looking glass, hmm? By all means, and perhaps later we can dabble with a game of chess as well."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ - 11:04 pm - Michael Redding

"Did someone say chess?" The voice sounded pleasant but it bore no resemblance to the appearance of the speaker, who had just come around a corner. He was virtually hairless and his eye sockets were two dark sunken holes. His lips were non-existent, making it look like he was constantly baring his teeth. As if to make up for his hideous appearance, he was well dressed in an expensive three piece suit and the subtle scent of a expensive cologne accompanied him. He was limping slightly and used a cane to steady himself.

He stopped when he saw Alice. "I wasn't aware we had guests," he said. "I apologize if my appearance startles you. I'm not so bad once you get to know me."

(http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x94/Shadowphile/hush01.jpg)
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ - 11:05 pm - Alice

Alice's pale blue eyes widened as her gaze turned to the newly arrived man. "Curiouser and curiouser." she murmerred, her hand brushing absently at the air next to her ear. The energy she was exuding only a moment ago seemed stilled suddenly.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ - 11:06 pm - Heinrich

"This is Michael Redding, our archivist," Heinrich said, giving no obvious response to the sudden stilling of Alice's energy. "He will be assisting in the examination of the carbuncle. He is also an excellent chess player."

The Nosferatu vampire inclined his head to accept the compliment. "I'm told I have an excellent poker face as well," he said. "The gentleman Major Talbot brought in is in the infirmary. It seems he was hysterical and they were forced to sedate him. He was babbling quite incoherently. Perhaps we'll get more sense out of him in a few hours."

"Thank you. Keep me up to date on his condition. Mr Kerne? Would you care to sit in on my interview with Alice? You might find it fascinating." Heinrich was well aware of Samuel's police training, as well as his innate curiosity. It also never hurt to have a shapeshifter on hand when dealing with an unknown quantity.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 HQ - 11:06 pm - Samuel

Samuel was mildly surprised and definitely pleased when the Warden extended the invitation to join them.

He inclined his head congenially to both the Warden and the strange child-thing, smiled and replied pleasantly, "You bet. I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ - 11:06 pm - Heinrich

"Excellent," the director said. "Shall we convene in the common room? If Alice is going to be joining our happy little band, as I suspect she will, there is no point in sequestering her at this point."

Heinrich lead the way to what could best be described as a lounge. There were comfortable chairs, as well as a couch or two and a large plasma screen television which was hooked up to a variety of gaming consoles. An elaborate stereo system occupied one corner. Beside it was a neatly organized book shelf.

Just inside the door was a small faded patch in the carpet. There was even the faintest hint of bleach in the air.

"Please, sit down," Heinrich said, selecting a seat for himself. "Perhaps we can start with you telling us your side of the story. We'll interrupt if clarification is needed."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ - 11:07 pm - Alice

Alice looked around curiously as she was led to the common room, occasionally brushing her hand past her ear, a motion that was obviously some kind of habit, with how often she did it. Her eyes were drawn to the bookshelf as she entered the room, a brief smile gracing her lips before she climbed into a chair and tucked her feet under her.

"My side of the story?" She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Well, this is a treat, I don't often get to tell stories. I don't often get to hear them either, for that matter. But that's neither here nor there, really, now is it?" Her hand swept past her ear again as she pursed her lips. "Well, from what I've gathered from conversations up to this point, you would like to know why I was in the cemetery in the first place. That's an easy enough answer. I make it a point to frequent such places wherever I happen to go. It's a bit hard to explain all of the reasons why. I like the stonework in the more elaborate ones, the stories they could hold. Of course there's also the completely facinating subject of death itself, and what occurs afterwards to the remains. But what fascinates me most is how it affects those around it." There was a sparkle in her pale blue eyes that showed just how excited she was by the thought of what she was talking about. "The emotions involved with mourning. The rage, the despair... One event can turn an otherwise stable human being into an utter blubbering mess. It's very much like insanity. In fact I'm not completely sure it isn't a form of insanity, which just makes it all the more interesting of a subject. I've been studying both for some time now. The act of mourning, and the utter depravity of true madness, at least when I can. Which leads me to tonights events. I wasn't really looking for anything in particular tonight, just enoying the quiet. It's not a good thing for me to be around people for too long, after all, but the dead don't complain. Well, not too much at least. At any rate, I happened across this man, mumbling something... well, I'm not exactly too sure what he was mumbling about, but it was rather obvious that he didn't belong there, and most certainly at least a little bit insane. So I naturally decided to keep an eye on him. Unfortunately, I didn't realize quickly enough that he was apparently talking to something else until it popped up on a stone and made a horrendous noise. Of course I thought it was a stroke of fantastic luck. Here was what appeared to be a shining example of human insanity, and now, here before me, was a creature that I had only read about." Her voice was full of joyful excitement." I was thrilled! That is... until it tried to eat me. Then I'm sure you understand that my good mood was immediately spoiled. Having to defend yourself tends to do that it seems. That's something that I will take some time to reflect upon later, mind you. But yes, I was forced to unfortunately kill the Carbuncle- that's what I beleive the creature is- which only made me more annoyed. I was hoping to study it while it still lived.. at first at least. But of course that was ruined. So I took the shovel that I used to bludgeon the creature with, and I used it to bury the things apparent master up to his chest in the hole he and it had been digging. It was only appropriate to do so, after all. It wasn't very long after that when I found myself being threatened by your utterly fabulous.. is he an underling, a helper.. I'm afraid I don't know the proper terminology... anyways, he said I could keep the Carbuncle, so I decided to not make a scene. Is that what you wanted to know?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ - 11:10 pm - Heinrich

"It's a good start," Heinrich replied. "I'm curious as to why you say it's not a good thing for you to be around people. I'd also like to know where your interest in insanity comes from. It is professional interest or personal curiosity?"

He'd noticed her interest in the book shelf. Michael had added it only a few days earlier. He'd stocked it with a wide range of classics. Few of the books were less than twenty years old. There were exceptions of course. The Nosferatu had included several of the more current vampire fictions. When someone had pointed out he'd forgotten to include the Twilight books, he'd made a noise of utter contempt and stalked off muttering about how there were still situations that merited the death penalty.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room - 11:10 pm - Samuel

Samuel quietly made himself comfortable on the couch in a partially reclined position and listened to the child-thing as it told it's story. She was obviously intelligent and probably not too sane herself, by human standards at least.

Based on her behavior he thought the straightforward approach the Warden was currently using a good one. He was curious when, or if, that approach would fail. In his experience, most people in her situation that used that presented her attitude were putting up a front as opposed to actually expressing themselves in a way they felt comfortable and it tended to break down over the long run. Then again, she was clearly not human, at least not at this point, so it might actually be her way.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room - 11:11 pm - Alice

"Excellent questions. However, I am unsure as to whether you will like the answers that I give you." Her hand swept past her head again, this time a semblence of annoyance to the motion.

"Either way... I suppose I cannot fault curiosity. I suffer from the same fault. I suppose thats part of your answers there. Curiosity drives me in most occasions. In fact it is quite a heavy drive for me at the moment. I do want to see your reactions to my answers. After all, you have admitted to being not exactly human, which is another of my interests. That being said,the answer to your first question is this: that my presence has a tendency to cause negative reactions in humans. They don't trust me, they fear me, and often it grows to an instinctual hate."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ - 11:12 pm - Heinrich

"Interesting," Heinrich said, nodding. "Would you say that was a response to your nature or would it be a response to personality? It's a difficult question, I realize. I'm essentially asking you if you think you are obnoxious enough to warrant people growing to despise you."

It was a multifaceted question. He wanted to see her reaction to the question itself, as well as what her response would be.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ - 11:12 pm - Alice

Alice grew still, a vaguely surprised look on her face. "What an intriguing question. I had not thought of that possibility. " She chewed her lip for a moment. "I... don't know. Honestly I have never been around humans for long enough to give you a solid answer. "
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ - 11:13 pm - Heinrich

"So you aren't human?" Heinrich chuckled. "So few of us are." Technically the only 'real' humans in the entire department were the cleaning staff and Heinrich was still checking employment records to make sure. Still, it was a question he needed to ask. "Do you have any special feeding requirements or other special needs that we need to concern ourselves with?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room - 11:13 pm - Samuel

Samuel listened quietly to the exchange while observing how the girl reacted to, and answered, the questions. He had a few questions of his own to ask but they could wait and there was always the possibility that they would be answered in due course so he didn't mind.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room - 11:13 pm - Alice

"Human? No.. but you already suspected that. I merely confirmed it. I didn't see any reason not to, really. As far as feeding myself, I am not picky, although I do try to eat only what is generally considered edible if I have an audience." She said, thinking over his question carefully. She couldnt think of anything very "special" about the way she conducted herself.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room - 11:14 pm - Heinrich

"You can eat the inedible?" Heinrich rubbed his chin. "Could you give me an example? I mean, are you able to eat things outside the realm of what we consider food or are you referring to eating food outside what would normally be considered an edible condition?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room - 11:14 pm - Samuel

Samuel stirred himself, "Perhaps an easier way to answer it might be to phrase it as, 'What do you normally like to eat?', after all, we're trying to see she's comfortable, not test the limits of her GI tract", He said. Besides, he thought the answer should prove informative.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room - 11:14 pm - Heinrich

"An excellent point, Mr Kerne," Heinrich said. "It would help to know your preferences."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room - 01:30 am - Heinrich

The conversation, because it could hardly be called an interrogation, went on for over two hours. In the end, they'd learned many things about Alice. Alice, in turn, had learned that Department 7 was the unit responsible for bumping back, when anything went bump in the night. She'd seen Nicky walk into the common room looking nothing less than filthy and smelling of fresh earth. He grabbed a cookie out of a basket, nodded to Sam and Heinrich, gave Alice a small wave and left again.

It was a few minutes later that someone stuck there head in and told Heinrich that Michael was ready to do the examination on the carbuncle.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Trellin on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room - 01:30 am - Samuel

He gave a nod and slight smile as Nicky walked through common room. He'd check in with him later to see what, if anything, he found out about...crap, what was his name? Florida? and if he'd found anything in the grave since he'd clearly been poking around it.

He was curious what the whole carbuncle thing was about and wondered what the autopsy would have to say other than the obvious.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room - 01:30 am - Alice

Alice practically squirmed with excitement. She had thouroughly enjoyed the conversation up til that point, and that was a cherry on top of the cake so to say. Honestly this was the longest she had ever actually conversed with anyone, even her own "mother". After all, the girl absolutely despised the woman.. if that was a usable term in the case.

"Fantastic!" she declared, blue eyes sparkling. "Oh what a wonderful night this has turned out to be!"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:30 am - Michael

There was a stainless steel table that was far more used to human shaped, if not truly human, patients in the centre of the room. It was covered with a white sheet. Another white sheet covered an indistinct lump that occupied the middle of the table.

A second table held a number of books, each one open to a specific page. Michael had been doing his homework before beginning the examination.

"This isn't my field of expertise, Mr Faust," the ghoulish Nosferatu said as the three of them entered the room. "I'm a folklorist but I'm used to dealing with books, rather than actual creatures."

"I'm sure you'll do fine, Michael," the director said. "Perhaps you can bring us up to speed on what you have discovered so far."

"I won't bore you with numbers on its size and weight. The creature bears a superficial resemblance to a badger in shape but is significantly larger than a wolverine which is the largest member of that family. I'd put it at a rough equivalent to a bear cub although much more densely muscled. I'm glad it's dead. It would be one hell of a thing to have to fight."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:30 am - Alice

"It was a hell of a thing to fight." Alice said, brushing at her skirt with an annoyed look. She moved closer to the examination table.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:31 am - Michael

"You look none the worse for wear," Michael said. "It's teeth aren't exactly fangs. My guess would be it fights with claws primarily. Given the amount of dirt caked on them, it's a digger. They eyes are fairly large, which suggest that it is nocturnal or at least subterranean but that is a guess. There is a pronounced lump on the top of the skull that looks like an outgrowth of the skull. It's too small to call a horn. According to legend, carbuncles carried gemstones on their foreheads. There is a slight reddish colour to it but it is not any kind of stone."

The Nosferatu looked at Heinrich and Samuel. "Shall I turn the examination over to our guest, since she is to be taking custody of the beast? I wouldn't want to cut something she wanted to keep intact."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:31 am - Alice

"You don't have to worry about that. You seem to be just a curious as I am, so I would be happy to work together if thats allright with you. As for your observation of my state of well being, for the most part you are correct. I was able to subdue it well enough, but thats not to say that I took no damage in the altercation." She smiled. "If you wish, I will show you, but I must warn you, it is a bit disturbing to see."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:32 am - Michael

Michael paused. "We have medical staff if you have an injury," he said carefully. The young woman had no obvious wounds, so likely they were hidden by her rather Lolitaesque clothing.

She's a living version of Babadora....
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:32 am - Alice

"Quite unnecessary." she says with a bemused smile as she lifts the hem of her skirt to show the injury that until then had only been hinted at by the tear in her skirt. It was relatively minor, just a gash above her knee, likely from the creatures claws. It didn't appear to have bled. "I managed to avoid the worst. But I can tell you it hurt."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:33 am - Michael

"Indeed it must have," Michael said. "How rude of him to ruin your skirt."

The vampire looked down at the dead creature lying on the stainless steel table. "I'm not certain as to the value of any of the internal organs. After all, until this evening I would have considered this to be a creature of folklore. I am aware of the irony of that statement being made by a vampire. I'm an expert on rare books, their construction and historical value rather than their contents and I can say without fear of contradiction that I don't recall ever coming across a recipe, spell or formula that calls for spleen of carbuncle."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:34 am - Alice

She dropped her skirt, laughing. "all the more reason to study it, don't you think? I definately want to explore the contents of its stomache. I do wonder what they eat, don't you?" She lifted the things gums to examine the teeth herself. "a graveyard is such an odd place to find something like this..." She murmered softly.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:35 am - Michael

The dry chuckle that came from the ghoulish vampire would have sent chills up most spines. "You find the oddest things in graveyards," he said.

With a stainless steel probe, he pushed back the flesh around the carbuncles mouth. "Its teeth suggest an omnivore. Being a digger it probably eats just about anything it encounters. Roots. Rabbits. Various insects. To find out for certain, you are correct. We'll need to open it up. I use it rather than he or she because I can't see any external genitalia and I'm not about to shave its ass to find out. I'm not that curious."

He picked up a scalpel and began slowly and carefully opening the belly of the beast.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:35 am - Alice

Alice giggled, apparently unbothered by the creepy factor of the situation. In fact, she seemed disturbingly excited as she watched him work to allow them access to the insides of the strange beast.

"No need to shave it. We'll simply dig around inside it. That will tell us much better how they reproduce anyways."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:36 am - Michael

"Assuming it has something that resembles either testicles and a penis or ovaries and a uterus," Michael said. "I'm completely unfamiliar with what an egg layer's interior looks like, not that I think it's related to a platypus or an echidna."

He chuckled again. "This reminds me of high school biology class. I had to dissect a dead cat. I will always remember that a cat has a muscle that has no equivalent in a human. It's called the xiphihumeralis." With growing confidence, he opened up the creatures abdomen.

"Houston, we have achieved intestines."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:36 am - Alice

"High school.... " she echoed thoughtfully. "perhaps sometime you can tell me about that experience." She said, peering into the cavity to inspect the intestines. "well... that means we should be able to access the stomache and see what it eats."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:37 am - Michael

"Unlike most, I loved high school," Michael said as he started following the intestines towards the head, looking for the creatures stomach. "I was the proverbial silver tongued devil. Attractive and charming, I was the downfall of quite a number of young ladies. In retrospect, I was nothing short of predatory. If I'd received as many beatings as I deserved, it is quite likely I would have learned the concept of consequence far earlier and would not be the person you see before you."

With a stainless steel probe he poked at the carbuncle's stomach. "Not a lot of fatty deposits and a fairly small stomach, all things considered. It's a grazer not a gorger. Could I have a tray? I'm going to remove it before I open it."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:40 am - Michael

It didn't take long for the Nosteratu to remove the organ from inside the carbuncle. He set it carefully into the stainless steel tray. "Does anyone object to my opening it now? It will likely take me until dawn to full carve this thing up. If you feel like bailing, I'll make sure you get a copy of the video."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Role call
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Goosekat on: Still around... RL is sucking right now
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Again, apologies. I am back. Sorry, sorry!

Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:41 am - Alice

"Personally, I have no objections. I find myself intrigued- by a great many things currently- and have little need to rest as of the moment." She peered at Michael with her pale blue eyes, certainly unashamed by the curiousity she was showing. "Would it bother you if I told you I am intrigued by you as well as the beast? Not that it matters now, since I said it anyways. But.. I am curious."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:42 am - Heinrich

"I will leave you to it then," Heinrich said. "I'm sure I won't need to look over your shoulder and I'm a phone call away if needed. Alice, I will leave you in the capable hands of Michael. Samuel, you are free to remain or depart as you see fit."

Michael nodded to the department director. "As you wish. You'll need to wait until dark for my report but the video should show everything you'll need to know." He looked at the carbuncle's stomach for a moment before turning to look at Alice with his dark, sunken eyes.

"Is there anything in particular that intrigues you? I've gotten used to answering odd questions if you are curious. It's an occupational hazard when working with Cricket."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:44 am - Alice

Alice waved as Heinrich left, in very good spirits considering the circumstances. "Odd questions? Well, yes I suppose that any conversation we might have would seem rather odd to what is generally considered normal company. Luckily for me, the only oddity I find is the mere chance to have such a conversation. I've been alone for some time now." She looked thoughtful for a moment, gazing at the cavity of the beast. "But that's neither here nor there. As for the answer to your question, I find specifics very hard to specify in this case, as I am intrigued by a great many things about you, both about your current state and your memories concerning the before." She had a strange look on her face as she said the last, something almost whistful. But as quickly as the expression appeared, it faded, accompanied by the swatting of her hand at something near her ear. "So I suppose anything you are willing to tell me would be most welcome."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:45 am - Michael

"That's a broad topic," Michael said, picking up a scalpel. "I could start by telling you that my current state is a result of my own personal greed. I consider it a lesson well learned. I am hoping to take the lemons that life has given me and made a passable lemonade while looking for a way to reverse things."

With a single stroke, he opened the carbuncle's stomach. "Could you pass me that jar please? It would seem that this creature follows the rules of thoroughly chewing its food."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:47 am -Alice

She reached over and plucked up the requested jar, passing it to him as she considered the organ in question, unperturbed.

"Ah, greed. An interesting concept. It is often used to describe one such as myself who pursues something with such an intense fervor as I pursue knowledge. " She grew silent for a moment, her gaze far away, as if thinking. Then her eyebrows furrowed and she swatted quite hard at the air next to her ear, a cross look coming to her face.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:48 am - Michael

"It was nothing as altruistic as the pursuit of knowledge, of that you can be certain," Michael said, dumping the contents of the creature's stomach into the jar. "This was purely an attempt to make myself wealthy at the expense of another. The other in question just happened to have some very unusual friends."

He canted his head slightly to the side when Alice swatted at the air. "Is something there?" he asked. "I'm afraid I see nothing."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:49 am - Alice

"Hmm?" She blinked her pale blue eyes at Michael, then sighed. "Yes, actually. Some time ago I had the misfortune of having a... spirit.. I believe that is a proper term.. attach himself to me. Something about making sure I know what a horrible abomination I am. Constantly whispering in my ear and being a general nuisance."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:49 am - Michael

"We do have a medium on staff," Michael said. She's a friend of Samuel's actually." He chuckled. "I think that particular fact may have put Nicky's nose out of joint. Have you met him yet? He's a homeless werewolf. Australian accent? You'd remember if you met him."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:50 am - Alice

"I do not remember him, although I have met a few very intriguing people tonight. As for the medium, it is certainly not necessary. If he annoys me much more, I will simply have to prove his point- by putting him down." She said pointedly, then smiled. "so we can go back to what we were doing and discussing."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:50 am - Michael

"Back to the doing," Michael replied with a nod. "And the discussing." He prodded the carbuncle's remaining internal organs with a stainless steel rod. "Favourite book?"

The fact that Alice could, or at least claimed she could, 'kill' ghosts was interesting. She seemed quite sincere about the statement. He'd have to ask the medium under what circumstances it was possible.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:51 am - Alice

"Favourite? I do not think I have a favourite. My..... mother.... did, obviously. So you might say I have a least favourite. Indeed, very least." she sounded annoyed for a moment. "You?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:52 am - Michael

"Easily the White Company by Arthur Conan Doyle," Michael answered immediately. "I read it as a boy and fell in love with it. I'd say it's better than any of his Holmes stories. As far as least favourite, there are too many to list. I abhor the modern supernatural fiction. It's so poorly written. What it does to the mythology of werewolves and vampires is just short of criminal. Half of it is poorly disguised soft core pornography trying to disguise itself as erotica." He looked at Alice, then picked up the scalpel again.

"So, what is your least favourite? I have a prediction, so I'm curious as to whether I'm right."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:52 am - Alice

She sighed. "Alice's adventures under ground. The anologies have plagued me for my entire existance. Even I cannot help but mock myself in such a way."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:52 am - Michael

Michael chuckled, a ghoulish sound. "I can't believe I didn't predict that one. It was obvious. I had a friend named Alice who despised the song White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane, just because it mentioned her name. Given your nature and your apparent penchant for adventure, I can see why Lewis Carroll wouldn't be a favourite. Does your dislike extend to Through the Looking Glass as well?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:53 am - Alice

"Thankfully it is not so popular as to cause the same issue, so no. Out of curiousity, what did you think was my least favourite?" She inquired, peering closely at the creatures internals as Michael moved them within the cavity.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:54 am - Michael

"Access denied," the Nosferatu said with another ghoulish chuckle. "You'll have to do better than that if you want the answer. I will tell you this; it is a very well known book. Opinions vary as to its value."

He continued probing the carbuncle for a few more minutes. "Classic movies or live theatre?" he asked after a moment. "Does this look like a normal liver to you? I'm not a fan of the colour. I think this creature might have been ill."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:55 am - Alice

A genuine smile of amusement came to her face, and stayed as she inspected the offending organ. "I'm afraid I have never had the opportunity to see live theatre, although I have always wanted to." She told him. "Well, I don't think that a graveyard is the usual domicile of this creature, so I would assume that it was either ill beforehand, or became ill due to the exposure to toxic things, or indeed simply the toxic things in the earth there."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:56 am - Michael

"I doubt it was in the cemetery long enough to pick up any toxins," Michael said. "One is made to wonder if the creature was partially being controlled through drugs." He picked up a hypodermic needle and extracted some fluid from the liver. "It might have been used to train the beast or to keep it under control. If we can pick anything up in the liver, we might learn a little more. Of course we could always ask the living prisoner."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:57 am - Alice

"The last I spoke to him, or more rightly at him, he was babbling most incoherently. I must express doubt that has changed much in the time since then. At the same time, I would be most interested in having a bit more time to study him. Insanity is fascinating. There are so many ways it can express."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 01:58 am - Michael

"I have faith in the pharmacy," Michael replied. "Drugs can be very useful in easing the troubled mind. Chemical psychiatry is most certainly a field that is in its infancy. Sadly so many of the drugs available are over prescribed. I need to be very careful with my feeding habits. I'd really rather avoid that particular brand of self medication."

He poked a the carbuncle again. "You have yet to meet Cricket. She is a MPD or rather DID. Cricket is a child but some of her other personalities are rather problematic. Molly Malone, for example, has a hair trigger temper and has a love-hate opinion of our combat instructor. You've met him. Major Talbot."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:00 am - Alice

"Sounds utterly delightful. Yes, I did meet him. Interesting, although others might not thinks so. I do have a rather odd view of what is interesting and what is not. I must say that I am excited to have such an amazing chance to study such a variety of beings." She told him. "At least until someone tries to destroy me. Then I will most definitely not be so excited."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:01 am - Michael

"Oh, she is," Michael replied. "On our initial meeting, she asked me if I was the Bogeyman. No matter how damaged her psyche is, she has an amazingly keen mind. You just need to learn to handle each personality. As far as trying to destroy you, I seriously doubt that it will happen. Director Faust is a keen judge of character. He would not have extended an invitation to join the department if he hadn't seen you as an asset, rather than a liability. Of course he's been able to find a use for a lame, hideous creature that cannot abide the touch of sunlight, he can find a use for anyone."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:02 am - Alice

"Well, it will certainly be a different experience. As for you, I would say that what your body lacks, your mind makes up." She smiled. "I... I like you well enough myself." She said, sounding a bit surprised by her own words.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:03 am - Michael

"Thank you for the compliment," Michael replied. "I'd blush if I still could. Normally I would say something self deprecatory but in this case, I will simply bask in my moment of glory."

He paused in his probing. "Could you hand me a scalpel, please, and a pair of forceps?" The tone of his voice indicated that he would be frowning, if the expression could have shown on his face. After a moment, he held up the subject of his perturbation.

Even with the bits of blood and other body fluids clinging to it, it was clearly a very delicate wrought gold ring.

"I wonder how this got into his intestines? Obviously there are only two possible routes, barring surgery but it certainly doesn't look like the creatures normal food."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:04 am - Alice

She handed him the requested implements, then gazed closely at the item he removed from the creatures insides.

"Most likely it was consumed as part of a meal, I imagine." She moved to retrieve a small bowl of water so that he could rinse it. "Perhaps there is an inscription? I understand that is not as common now as in older times, however, we can certainly hope."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:05 am - Michael

The Nosferatu shook his head. "Sadly, I lack the ability to sharpen my senses to the degree required to read any inscription, were there one present. I'm sure there are machines in the lab somewhere that would assist but this is not my realm of expertise, so I can't be certain as to where that machine might be or, truthfully, what it would look like, beyond Dali's interpretation of a microscope."

He placed the ring on a jar of alcohol and swirled it to clean off the majority of the disgusting ooze that clung to it. "Perhaps once it is cleaner we can examine it more closely."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:05 am - Alice

"Well, I do find myself increasingly curious as to how such a creature ended up in this particular situation. Well, not the being dead part. I know exactly how that happened." She smiled. "Rather how it and our madman managed to come together. I do hope that your confidence in medication proves worthwhile in so far as to give us an answer to that question. Beyond that, I am perfectly happy to study him without the chemical assistance."

She moved to peer into the cavity. "I wonder if there is anything else of interest in there."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:06 am - Michael

"That, my dear, would depend entirely on what you consider interesting," Michael answered, still swirling to jar.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:07 am - Alice

She laughed, a curiously delightful, yet strange sound. "I spend a copious amount of time lurking in cemetaries and talking to dead people. What I find interesting tends to be the type of thing humans find nightmarish, and there in lies the most curious thing of all. What exactly is it that makes humans so intent on avoiding such things? Is my own inhumanity the reason why I am drawn to such, or is it that my being drawn to it makes me inhuman?" She said, rubbing a few of the short hairs from the beast between her small fingers.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:08 am - Michael

"How often do the dead talk back?" Michael asked. "I'm not certain of your logic. People who swim go in the water but people who go in water do not necessarily swim. Correlation does not imply causation, as they say. What is the fascination with death, may I ask? It's a requirement for me, given my circumstances but I'm curious as to what the attraction is for you."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:09 am - Alice

"Death is part of the cycle of life. It is my hope that by studying the aspects of life and death that I may gain a better understanding of what it means to have life, and how it differs from the kind of life a human has. It is all simply a step to understanding the human condition. And as for the first question... Sometimes."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:09 am - Michael

"You consider yourself not to have life in the normal sense of the word?" Michael asked. "May I ask what flavour of non-human you are? I've met Kindred, lycanthropes and a young man who's presence I can't explain. I've also met an odd young woman who resembles nothing more than a love child between a female bodybuilder and Frankenstein's Monster."

It was interesting that she didn't think of herself as human. Certainly she was abnormal but inhuman? He couldn't see it.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:09 am - Alice

Alice grew still. It was a question she had never been asked. In fact it was a question she never expected to be asked. The whole situation was almost surreal. She had never expected to have the chance to exchange this much conversation with anyone, and certainly not with someone with an apparent curiosity as extensive as her own.

"Frankenstein's monster...." she murmerred, her gaze falling to her own hands, as pale and delicate as they seemed. Suddenly the sense of loss she always carried seemed very acute. When she looked back at Michael, there was pain her eyes. She didn't know why she was going to say it. Maybe she just wanted to see if he would look on her with horror, disbelief, or pity. Maybe she hoped that somehow this conversation was a piece of her cosmic puzzle, a stepping stone to humanity. Either way, her lips parted, and she heard the words leave them as if someone else spoke them, flat, honest..

"I have no soul."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:10 am - Michael

"That brings up a very interesting question. What, exactly is the soul?" Michael shrugged. "According to some, I have no soul. Is it the soul that part of us that provides emotion? Empathy? That special glow that those capable of seeing auras can detect? Do you know that you lack a soul, suspect that you lack a soul or have you simply been told that you lack a soul?" He chuckled. "If I was still alive, I'd say this was a conversation best accompanied by candle light, a distant storm and a very nice Pinot Noir."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:11 am - Alice

She let out a breath she was unaware to have been holding. It was not the reaction that she had expected, but perhaps that was good. "I know that I have no soul. I do not know the amount of awareness that a human, or indeed a non-human usually has of such things, but I knew from the moment I opened my eyes, screaming from the horror of my creation. I feel it. The absence of that which would make me human. I believe a soul is that which allows nature to recognize what should be and what should not. As to whether or not you have a soul, I cannot begin to guess. I am only aware of my own lack."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:11 am - Michael

"You don't consider yourself human then?" Michael asked. "I know I was once human but I no longer do, and I'm not certain who among the staff can actually be included in that category. What do you consider yourself if not human?"

Any interest in the carbuncle had completely disappeared. The woman-child in front of him seemed far more enthralling. "You'll have to forgive my curiosity. I've never met anyone who specifically claimed to be without a soul, outside of the occasional drama-queen Goth or lawyer."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:12 am -Alice

"Your curiosity is forgiven already. After all it is a burden I share, the need for knowledge." She thought about his question. Again the conversation seemed at once absurd and yet appropriate. Who better to discuss such things with than one who is also outside of what is generally deemed as humanity.

"I believe the best explination would be that I am a construct. Though one that mimics humanity well, I assure you, that is nothing more than a cruel mockery. "
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:12 am - Michael

"Construct? Science fiction gives us so many variations on that. Biomechanical. Vat grown. Clone. Even the original fleshy construct, Frankestein's monster. Before that we have the Golem of Prague. That handful doesn't even begin to cover all the options either." He chuckled, a ghoulish sound. "Can you tell I read a lot as a child? I'd have to say for a mockery, you do an excellent job of appearing human. A little odd but then again odd is the new normal. Do you know who constructed you?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:12 am - Alice

"Of course. The one I call 'mother' is the one who created me. As she explained it, the act was a part of her search to achieve humanity. It is an act I vehemently abhor. I would rather remain this abysmal excuse for a monster than to rip another such as myself from the ether. It is a horrible sort of birth. Painful. One cannot help but instinctively despise the one who would do such a thing to you. Of course, I would imagine my telling you such things would make someone angry,non humans tend to be secretive after all, however, there may be a small chance that by holding such conversations I may find a different path, one wherein I may avoid doing that which I wish to avoid the most. And if not, it is a pleasant aside. Companionship is hard to come by."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:13 am - Michael

"Is this an actual biological mother?" Michael asked. There was potential that he was treading on dangerous psychological ground. If Alice was referring to her actual mother, then there was certainly a good chance that she was seriously abused as a child. He wasn't a trained psychologist by any means and wanted to avoid any triggers.

"Or are you telling me that you were actually created rather than born? I assume that you mean this happened some time after a birth of the usual kind."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:14 am - Alice

"Indeed, I thought I was rather clear that I was created, not born in the biological sense as a human is. As for what occurred prior to my creation, I do not know. The first memory I have is of being ripped apart. The beginning of my existence was nothing but excruciating pain. Before that, there is nothing. So, you see, I am in truth a soulless monster, as many have accused." The way she talked was odd, part flat, as if talking about the weather, or boring facts.. and part whistfulness, a soft note to her voice that crept in occasionally.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Sorry for the lack of activity...

Work has been hell lately. I'm the only fully qualified Team Lead we have currenlty, so even when I'm not on call, I'm still on call....
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:15 am - Michael

"I am very aware of the moment I became what I am," Michael said. "It was terrifying. I knew I was dead and yet still alive somehow. I felt my flesh drying and pulling tight across my face." Unconsciously, he began rubbing his left arm. "There are those for whom the trauma is too much. Babadora, for example, cannot remember her name, her family or even where or when she was born, so not remembering is not unusual."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:16 am - Alice

She nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I do suppose that such trauma can cause lasting affects on the mind. I do not know if it is the trauma of my creation or something else that leaves me unknowing of the time before. I do often wonder, however. " She turned her pale eyes on Michael, watching his unconscious movement. "It frightens you even now, doesn't it? I wonder, would it be worse to know as you do? Our circumstances are so different, and yet there are parallels that both excite me and terrify me at the same time."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:17 am - Michael

"It is a... difficult... memory," Michael said with a shudder. "There I times when I am quite grateful that I do not dream because I'm certain that I would experience one particular nightmare over and over. It was far from pleasant experiencing it when I was awake and screaming for God to let me be dreaming it. To relive it in a dream would be frankly quite terrifying. I can't say with any degree of certainty that my sanity would survive a second time."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:18 am - Alice

She nodded, still watching him. "I think... that if I had words of comfort I would speak them now, for you. Because... because, oddly enough, this small companionship, this understanding of our individual horror.. has more worth than a thousand carbuncles or mad men." Her expression was earnest, yet thoughtful, almost as if she had surprised herself with the words.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:19 am - Michael

"I have an excellent idea," Michael said suddenly. "Let's change the subject." He looked at the carbuncle lying still and exposed on the table. He didn't think there was very much more he could learn from the creature. It was something of folklore and mysticism. He wasn't well versed in what he considered 'ancient magicks' nor was he any kind of biology expert. "Do you think we're done here? We can expand on this small companionship in a more comfortable setting and hopefully a less clinical setting will help us think of more pleasant memories."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:19 am - Alice

She blinked slowly, thinking of his proposal. "I believe that we may indeed be finished with the creature. I am rather disappointed by it, but I should have expected such." She nodded. "Yes, I do think I should like a bit of comfort and especially companionship. I cannot say I have any truly pleasant memories, at least in my opinion, but opinions change they say."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:20 am - Michael

"Well, let's set about making some new, fresh pleasant memories," Michael said, throwing a white cloth over the carbuncle and rolling the dissection table into the walk-in refrigerator. "Do you have a favourite movie? There is quite an extensive library of them in the common room. We could settle in, I could pop some popcorn for you and sniff it over your shoulder as you eat it."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:22 am - Alice

"A favorite? I can't say I do. I haven't had the chance to enjoy movies as much as I would have liked. I move around often, so I have never bothered with owning much. Do you have a favorite? perhaps you can make a suggestion."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Medical Room - 02:22 am - Michael

Michael tossed the bloodstained lab coat into the laundry bin and washed his hands. "That would depend entirely on the moment," he said. "It varies. I think, however, I may have something that would prove most appropriate."

He picked up his suit jacket and put it on before gesturing for Alice to follow him. "I find the classics are frequently overlooked by modern audiences. Black and white movies have a charm and appeal that many modern movies lack. shadows make for the best special effects. What you think you see is always more frightening, arousing or amazing than anything CGI can produce."

He paused with the door to the common room open. "As expected, at this time of night it's empty. Shall we?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room- 02:30 am - Alice

"This time of night? Is it terribly late? I have never been able to keep track of time." She queried, although she didn't seem concerned with the answer. "Nevermind. I'm more interested in what you have in mind than what time it is." She went into the room and stopped, twirling around to smile at him. "Do show me."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room- 02:30 am - Michael

"It is well past midnight but long before dawn," Michael said. "I have time for two movies if the second one is short." He ran his fingers along a wall of movies, stopping at one in particular. "Ah, here we are."

He pulled the case out, carefully removed the DVD and slid it into the player. Soon, displayed in glorious black and white were the words

In Edinburgh, in 1831

Michael settled onto the couch and leaned back, fully prepared to enjoy Boris Karloff's performance in The Body Snatcher....
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room- 2:30- 03:47 am - Alice

Alice watched as he put the dvd in the player and settled to watch the movie, turning to catch those first words on the screen and tilting her head, still standing near the couch. Instead of finding a seat on any of the furniture, however, she continued to stand for a while before absent-mindedly sliding down to sit on the floor, entranced by what she was seeing on the screen. When it was over, she blinked, then grinned.

"oh, I love it! The human imagination is a fantastic thing."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room-03:48 am - Michael

"Based on true events," Michael said. "The two men they mentioned, Burke and Hare, killed a number of people and sold the corpses for medical experiments. We have a more enlightened society now, which allows for a larger supply of cadavers."

The Nosferatu paused and slowly raised his hands to his face. Perhaps an aghast look was beyond the ability if his facial muscles but his tone when he spoke revealed his mortification.

"I promised you popcorn."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room-03:49 am - Alice

Alice looked confused for a moment, then laughed. " You share such a fantastic thing with me, and you worry about popcorn?" She rose to her knees so she could peer up at him over the couch arm, her eyes still showing her amusement. "As if I would have thought to eat it. But by all means, if you truly enjoy the scent so much, then I'll try not to disappoint."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room-03:50 am - Michael

"So you were spellbound, were you?" Michael asked. He chuckled. It was difficult to tell if the ghoulish tone to his laughter was natural or deliberate. "Given the current time until dawn, I can risk putting another movie on and while the opening credits are playing, I can make sure there is some popcorn for you. Do you want something in a similar dark vein or would you prefer something lighter?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room-03:51 am - Alice

"I'm afraid I have a bit of a morbid taste, although I would not be completely opposed to the idea of something a bit lighter in fare. Honestly, I wonder occasionally if my tastes would differ if circumstances were different. Either way, I am enjoying this eve for more than I expected." She smiled
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room-03:52 am - Michael

The Nosferatu bowed, with a flourish. "I shall endeavour to end our evening on a high note," he said. "Something light and yet still dark...." He scanned the movie library. "I have just the thing. We've had dissection, we've had murder and grave robbery, I think the proper finish to this evening is nothing short of a nightmare."

He slipped the disc into the player and gestured towards the chair. "If my lady would take her seat, I will return with her refreshments." Waited for a moment before pulling open the door, long enough to chime in as the narration began.

"Twas a long time ago, longer now than it seems, in a place that perhaps you have seen in your dreams. For the story that you are about to be told took place in the holiday worlds of old. Now you've probably wondered where holidays come from. If you haven't, I'd say it's time you begun!"

He chuckled. "Popcorn coming up. And perhaps something festive to drink."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room-03:52 am - Alice

Alice slid up into the offered chair, arranging her skirt around her and fretting at its torn edge for a moment before tilting her head with a look of curiousity at the screen. This one was far different from the last film. Far different indeed.

(OOC: good one, maxx.he is really going to make her think with this one. and a very clever pun as well, in case you think I missed it.)
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room-03:59 am - Michael

The door swung open again a few minutes later. A large plastic bowl, brimming with steaming popcorn entered first. "Buttered and salted to what I hope is perfection," the vampire announced as he entered. "And, as promised, a festive beverage." He proffered a mug that was also faintly steaming. All that was visible was a quickly melting mount of whipped cream, topped with a single red candied cherry.

"Somewhere in this room the Philistines have stashed a collection of powered artificial flavours, meant to fool the palate into thinking popcorn needs adornment. They are best left to those with no taste."

He set the popcorn and hot chocolate on the table in front of Alice. "Bon appetite!" he said, before taking a seat beside her.

OOC: ME? Pun? Perish the thought. lol
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room-03:59 am -Alice

Alice glanced up, smiling briefly at the offered refreshment before turning her attention back to the screen, reaching for the popcorn and absentmindedly chewing on a few pieces before blinking and looking down at it as if it never occurred to her that something could taste good. Apparently pleased with the revelation, she settled in to enjoy the rest of the movie.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room-05:15 am -Michael

"What did you think?" Michael asked as he slid the CD case back onto the shelf. "I've got maybe an hour before the sun comes up." he added. "So we don't have time for another. Well, I don't anyway. The day crew is already stirring. I'm sure we can find one willing to watch a few more, if you're up for it. I seem to recall something about you not sleeping frequently."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room-05:15 am -Alice

"I don't sleep much. A few hours at a time, usually every two days or so. I suppose it's one of the benefits of being as I am. As for the movie, I am unsure of what opinion to have. It is obvious that there is a message to be had from the story, however, there is much about the characters and their interactions that I find a bit disturbing. I believe I will have to think much more on it." She nodded to herself. Then her eyebrow bunched together. "I do hope that I am not to be expected to stay here but so long. My extended presence will have an effect on my surroundings."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room-05:15 am -Michael

"What sort of an affect do you mean?" Michael asked. He was well aware of the affect Babadora had on the regular staff; she just seemed to have an aura the set them all on edge. Perhaps Alice had a similar aura. He himself couldn't sense anything but then he was fairly ghoulish himself.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 HQ, Common Room-05:16 am - Alice

"Being an unnatural thing, other creatures- humans included- tend to have an inherent distrust of me. After a time, that feeling grows until it is a deep and disturbed hatred. Having seen this first hand, I usually try to leave far before people start trying to kill me." She smiled almost bitterly. "But that isn't all. The very area I happen to be in starts to become affected after a time, and the longer I stay, the worse it is. I cannot say exactly how bad it can get. I honestly do not want to know that. I do know that I have noted a marked increase in what humans call 'unexplained phenomenons' in areas that I have spent extended amounts of time. That's why I tend to frequent graveyards. People expect those to be haunted."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: LadyJallyn on: OOC: FYI: This is a few days later - Maxx

Inside department 7 June 29th 7:37 pm

The elevator doors to Department Seven opened and Akira stepped out of the cargo elevator mindfully wheeling the small Hello Kitty Coffin towards the security guards and inner doors. She had her ID clipped neatly on the lapel of her work jacket uniform. The guard scanned it and the doors inner doors hissed open. She gave the two guardsmen a polite thank you and head nod as she pushed the coffin in to the corridors that lead to the common area and dorm room.

Akira had been assigned by the upper brass to attend the yearly field trials to monitor the participants emotional responses and to conduct the mandatory psych evals. Normally they ran a day day and a half tops, but this one had taken two days due to the participant being a vampire. She would still have to file hard copies for the boss before the day would be done. Technically that wasn't true though she was on clock until ten in the evening. Two to Ten wasn't a terrible shift it gave her enough time to still get things done evening wise when things required her attention.

Her foot steps rang out and echoed down the tiled corridor. The cart she pushed softly squeaked, the sound of the back wheel rubbing ever so slightly against the wheel housing made her brow furrow but she continued until she stopped at dorm door of Agent 134420.

It would be almost two hours before the little vampire would rise. Akira made her way back down the hallway but ducked her head into the common room to see if anyone was about.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:40 pm- Alice

Alice closed the book she had just finished reading, setting it on the stand beside the chair where she sat, and stretched, a motion that was completely unnecessary, but she had learned was a human reaction to sitting for extended periods of time as she had.

"Yes, I know. It doesn't matter. They all see me for the monster I am." She said, brushing her hand at something near her ear. "When are you going to understand that your words are useless? It is all things I already know, so the only thing you are doing is annoying me." She then blinked and looked over her shoulder at the door just as Akira poked her head into the common room, her pale blue eyes curious.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:40 pm- Paul

"Hey Miss T," Paul said, looking up. He'd been playing Arkham Asylum on the common room's Xbox 360^tm and had been listening with half an ear to what he'd assumed was Alice's Bluetooth^tm conversation. The arrival of the Department 7's head of human resources coincided with the end of a cut scene, so he paused the game to see what it was she wanted.

He'd discovered that calling her Akira seemed too familiar and calling her Miss Tanaka seemed too formal, so he'd recently settled on calling her Miss T. So far she hadn't corrected him.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: LadyJallyn on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:41 pm- Akira

Akira suppressed the wince as Paul called her Miss T. She wasn't the byproduct of a waterfall or water bottle. "Good evening Agent Anderson." She gave him a curt, but polite nod. Her eyes swept over to the the new person. "I assure you that we don't judge the same way most people do. My Name is Akira Tanaka I have the honor of being in charge of Human Resources and Psych." She paused her eyes looking at the woman's face hoping for an answer. She hated not having a heads up on new recruits arriving. She was actually surprised she hadn't received a BBM from the boss. She gently examined the woman's living pattern looking to see why she had been requited. She carried with her a similar stillness of the grave that vampires had and yet she was up and awake, but that could not be since it wasn't sundown yet. She didn't have the pattern of a ghoul like Paul either. She had the aura of undeath about her. "And you are?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:42 pm- Alice

Alice slid out of the chair and came around to speak to Akira in a more proper manner. Her blond hair was held back by a ribbon, her girlish dress recently mended, although not very well. She considered Akira with pale blue eyes. "I assume the question refers to who I am, as in a name, rather than what I am, although it could be used for both queries. As such, the simplest answer to the assumed question is Alice." She said, offering the woman a delicate looking hand. "I like your name. Akira Tanaka.. it has a certain poetic flow to it, a rhythm."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: LadyJallyn on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:42 pm- Akira

Akira nodded politely as Alice made her introductions. "It is nice to make your acquaintance as well." Her phone chimed indicating an incoming text. She raised her finger to indicate she needed a moment as she softly explained it was a text from the director. The date and time stamp were from the day before outlining that she would be processing potentially a new candidate for the team. Ah well then that would explain things, a message was sent , technology just had decided to withhold it for a day. She made a mental note to talk to Director Faust about the issue to see if it was just her phone. The message read she quickly tucked it back to her hip. "It seems that you have managed to stumble upon us somehow, the details are not entirely clear. How have you been enjoying your time at the department? And if it isn't too personal what were you doing before you brought down here?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:45 pm- Alice

"oh, I have been enjoying it very much. Michael and I get along quite splendidly. It is very refreshing to interact with someone who isn't trying to kill me." She said cheerfully. "And I certainly do not mind answering questions. I am quite the curious type myself." She swatted at something next to her ear. "Hush, you. It's rude to intrude on a conversation." She hissed. "Before I was brought here, by some absolutely intriguing characters I might add, I was beating a carbuncle to death with a shovel and attempting a conversation with a delightfully mad man that I unfortunately didn't get anywhere with because he was screaming so terribly much. There may have been a chance that he didn't react well to being buried up to his neck in the grave he was trying to rob. Either that or I scared him. I tend to do that." She smiled.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:46 pm- Paul

Paul snapped his fingers. "That would explain the weird guy down in detention who's gibbering like an idiot. Whatever you did to him, you did a huge number on him. Major commander Mr Talbot has been trying to get him to settle down and talk but yeah, sending a werewolf to interrogate somebody might not be the best idea. We've got him in the right place though, seeing as how this used to be a loony bin. If you ask me, I think he needs some Flintstones chewable Valium."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: LadyJallyn on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:47 pm- Akira

"So when you are not in graveyards doing battle with carbuncle's and burying people up to their necks what do you do in your spare time?" Akira asked as paused to sweep her waist length hair to the side so she wouldn't sit upon it as she settled onto the couch. Her jade green eyes didn't leave the new comer as she was full of curiosity. "It seems you have a friend with you?" she added carefully. "How long have you had your companion and are they friendly?"
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:48 pm- Alice

"I only buried him to keep him from running away. I tried asking nicely, but that didn't work." Alice told Paul rather matter of factly. Then she turned to Akira. "I study the human condition. The Carbuncle was simply a stroke of luck, especially accompanied by such a wonderful example of fractured metal capacity. And I didn't really want to kill it. It attacked me and I tried to simply subdue it. Fortunately I was still able to assist in the dissection. fascinating creature really. " She blinked, as if remembering something. "Oh, I'm sorry, you asked about him." She rolled her eyes, giving a distainful look to a patch of air next to her. "I don't keep track of time very well, so I don't know how long he's been following me, and he is most certainly not friendly, at least to me. Monster this and abomination that. Silly, really. I already know all that."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: LadyJallyn on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:49 pm- Akira

"Fascinating." Akira mused. "So your haunting is not a localized thing but rather the spirit is bound to you. Perhaps it is bound to a belonging you carry with you or something. We might have to experiment some in the future with that." The idea was appealing to her and the knowledge that Alice could preform autopsies was a bonus. It meant another set of hands to assist with that field. "We will have to look into doing some testing and what not but how advanced and grounded are you in the medical field. If you are interested in staying here and working with us, we try to fit our employees into positions that are tailored around their specialties and abilities."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:50 pm- Paul

Paul chuckled. "They still haven't been able to figure out what to do with me. My specialties include being kick-ass on a skateboard and being awesome at video games. I'm guessing that they're going to put me in charge of any unmanned drones, if they ever get any."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:51 pm- Alice

Alice giggled, her pale eyes sparkling with mirth. "I doubt anything is that simple." She told Paul. " Lets see, to address everything as directly as possible..." she looked thoughtful. "The ghost, and his name is Eugene, by the by... hates me. That is the sole reason he follows me, is to make certain I do not for one moment forget that I should not live. As for my knowledge of the medical field, it is rather limited as I have only had any real experience with those decidedly not living. Although, my most recent passion has been the study of insanity. Of course,the opportunity to study the aspects of non human life as opposed to human life will not be squandered. Such opportunities are rare, after all."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: LadyJallyn on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:52 pm- Akira

"You will grow into your own as time progresses Agent Anderson." Akira reassured him "Your physical responses to different stimuli have proven you are faster, stronger and tougher, than an average person. Despite all accounts of your dietary intake we cannot seem to figure out why your Aura looks like a ghouls and your physical skill set is similar. In time we will solve this mystery. Our new friend here also has an odd aura not vampire nor ghoul but something else. " She frowned slightly as she considered what next to say. They were keeping things relatively light but she wanted to ask more. She had already volunteered to much info on Paul than she wanted to. However with all new relationships there was a give and take to them. "Would it be too much to ask you on your back story or would you prefer to do that somewhere more private. I have an office if that is preferable."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:54 pm- Alice

"The location such a conversation occurs means little to me. Although there are many aspects of my story that I do not like to speak of, I will share what I can with you, as well as I can." She thought for a moment, settling down to gather her thoughts.

"I suppose that I should begin by saying that I am not human. I live, I think, indeed, I breathe and eat, but make no mistake- I am a monster. A monster that emulates the human form well, but still a monster. " She paused, trying to form words to explain, but found herself hesitant, a feeling growing within her that she was unfamiliar with. She didn't know how these people would react to her story. Would they be angry, would they be afraid? She had been so comfortable speaking to Michael, finding a kindred spirit in him, but here she was, dreading the all too familiar look of unease.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: LadyJallyn on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:55 pm- Akira

"if you are comfortable with talking about yourself here than that is fine, but we usually offer privacy as a professional courtesy. " She replied. "Please tell me as much as you can and we can go from there."
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Maxx on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:56 pm- Paul

"I can take a hint," said Paul. "Want me to hang a sock or something on the door, so nobody comes in to interrupt?" He didn't wait for an answer but slipped out of the common room.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:57 pm- Alice

Alice blinked. "He didn't have to leave. I was merely thinking how much of a shame it would be to ruin the lovely time I have had recently. However, there is no point in dwelling on it. "She shook her head and fixed her pale blue eyes on Akira. " The closest approximation to what I am is the term construct. My mother- and I use the term very loosely- chose a body, or perhaps several, I never bothered to ask. Then she brought me into being. I cannot explain to you how, I do not have the words for it. I can, however tell you that my first memory is of being ripped apart, and then I lived, and I hate her for that pain." Her voice was matter of fact, but her expression was momentarily dark. "Since I left her, I have spent my time studying what it means to be human, what it means to have a soul. "
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: LadyJallyn on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 7:59 pm- Akira

She remained quiet for a moment as she mulled the story around in her head. It wasn't much to go off but it was more than she had when she walked in the room. It was fascinating and she had to wonder who this mother was...

She finally nodded "My thanks for sharing. It is..." She paused trying to find the right words. "An interesting tale. So what happened to your mother. Is she still alive? Where are you originally from? What have you learned so far about Humanity and having a soul?" She had many questions and it was hard to try and hold them back. She would ask as many as she could in this short session before fetching Agent Anderson to return. She had not dismissed the young boy, but he had a way of respectfully retreating at times.
Title: Re: Matters of Grave Importance - Chapter Three
Post by: Darkflame on: Department 7 Common Room- June 29 - 8 pm- Alice

"I do not know if my mother still lives. I haven't killed her. I came from much further south. I try to not get too attached to places because I move around a lot. As for what I have learned, I have learned that humans are more intuitive than they realize, that they can sense something not natural without even understanding it. As for the soul, that subject still eludes me. I have not been able to determine what it is that allows a human to have a soul, when one is not required for life to exist."