(1611) Jesse and Alice

[Alice Hart]

"And everything." replies the Doll with a mocking, plastic smirk. "And we have forever to build up these opinions."

Alice make humming sound of agreement, the lectures were rather long, drawn out and boring, but that was the subject matter compounded with Gilroy's Curse. "Exactly." Alice said, giving a strings pulled nod, "There was always this listlessness, I always knew something was missing, but until I came to Sacramento I didn't know what."

Alice was pleased to detect the humor in Jesse's voice, knowing that it was infinitely better then mockery. Even if her hollow voice would forever lend to a false and mocking tone.

Again Alice gives the shadow a strings pulled nod, "Wait for that. Wait for that feeling of revelation, acceptance. The moment where everything feels right." That's what she did, and she didn't regret a thing.

Alice smiles, but it's shadowed by memory, "The Summer Solstice, isn't so much celebrated as it is observed. The Summer Solstice is a time for remembrance. It's a memorial service." The Blind Doll explains, "The Winter Solstice on the other hand is a celebration. The longest night of the year, it's a time for joy." As far as Alice knew, the Summer and Winter Solstices were pubic rites observed by the Domain...but with the Farm as it is, and the she being the only Acolyte...Alice didn't know if she should hold a public ceremony, instead doing something private as she had for the Autumn Equinox.

It might be time to look for a new property for the Circle, a new beginning away from the charred remains of the Farm...

[Hugh Everwood]

"Oh, Kindred got even more opinions than Kine, no doubt." Jesse chuckled, glancing around to look a the others of their kind present here, adding his agreement with, "Can't be helped none. Guess life wouldn't be much fun if we all got along without no opinion of our own."

Jesse didn't need no conflict, but if everyone would just be the same opinion — that would be a world full of sheep. Boring sheep.

"And that's the plan about them." Why go chasing after any of them if he would end up not liking them. Considering how long he'd gone without any Covenant to join, he doubted he would ever truly find one. The way he'd been handling his unlife worked well for him, solitude — yet not really, going to meet other Kindred if it suited him, and otherwise having Kine around to have fun and feed off of.

Never had no ghouls, didn't see the use in them either. Should go and build up some herd again, less trouble when he was going for a quick snack, it was.

Hearing that Summer Solstice wasn't as much a party than some somber meeting to recall the lost was somewhat a downer. Mostly since Jesse never much was one to live that much in the past and cried about what or who he might have lost over the time. That Winter Solstice seemed more something to celebrate could make up to it some.

"Could always go and open the celebrations up to them," he nodded his head towards the other Kindred present, adding when he recalled she couldn't see the movement, "the others. Never know, stars might go and align for some as well. Even if not, need to sow seeds to harvest crops, you know."

Jesse was working on the assumption that Winter Solstice was open to the public simply because the Summer Solstice was.

A snort left him. "Of course, don't need to listen none to my ramblings."

[Alice Hart]

"It would not be." Alice nods, agreeing with the shadow.

"Wonderful." Alice says, meaning it. Though as usual the tone of the word paired with her plastic smile, made it sound insincere. "Though...never feel...pressured about joining or not. Sacramento has always had a fairly strong presence of Unaligned. It's only been recently that several of those Unaligned have joined a Covenant or have fled."

"The Solstices are normally public rite." Alice admits, "But...the location where they've been held has...become unsuitable." Unsuitable. Ha! A charred husk, the scent of gasoline still heavy in the air...Alice held off a shiver. "I will need to deal with those that have caused the Farm to become so...unsuitable first. Perhaps while locating and securing a new location for my worship..." was it time for her to reopen Gilroy's Dark Temple? Or should she carve out her own? Should she find a place entirely separate from the Necropolis? "Sowing seeds...yes, that's an apt metaphor." Alice nods, with her too-wide-too-fake smile in place.

"Ah...but if I didn't this night would be dreadfully boring. Just waiting here for my possible cousin to approach me..."

[Hugh Everwood]

Jesse made another agreeing noise, glad they were on the same page on this one. Can't have their life go boring or stale, otherwise they'd be going to think going for a longer sleep might be the answer to the monotone. Avoiding it at all cost was what Jesse generally did.

By now Jesse was sure that Alice couldn't help herself none with how fake she sounded, might very well be part of her being a Nosferatu. Unsettling to some, surely, Jesse wasn't going to lose any sleep over it. Easier to go along with the stream than fight it an all. "Don't worry none there, Miss Hart. Good old Jesse ain't letting himself be pressured to join nothing he doesn't want, no ma'am." Did Kindred really go and try get people to join their little clubs by force? How desperate they got to be to try that, more reason to make fun of them than join in Jesse's opinion.

Would be pretty pathetic a display, embarrassing and not saying anything good about the Covenant.

"That's a pity. Never good to have uninvited guests go and wreck your property," Jesse said, cocking a brow at that. "Hope you're going to find and make them pay for that. Ain't right to go and mess with someone's place like that." Unless it was done in revenge, all bets were off in that case. "What places would you be looking for as new location?"

Jesse grinned at her. "True, can't have you miss out on the experience. Think someone would have come over to speak with you, good company's good to find," he said, glancing towards the guy with a snort, "and wouldn't hold my horses for the fella to come over."

Initially, Jesse was going to leave Alice with the man to not be disturbing them, should he come around, but now he'd probably just hang back and watch the scene and hear whatever excuse he'd be making. Pretty sure he was going to be leaving instead of approaching Alice.

[Alice Hart]

Her head tilts turning her ear closer to the shadow, hoping to catch more of his delightfully unique cadence. "Good." she nods.

"It truly is." Alice began, a mockery of sorrow etched upon her doll-like features. "That was the plan. But, as others have left it seems if I am the only one who wishes to do so..." she trails off, a idea changing sorrow into hope. "Unless....you would like to help me?"

"As for a new place....somewhere with a wonderful view of the stars," she begins, even knowing she'll never see the stars again, "Where the Winds may dance through unhindered..." her hollow tone wistful. "There's other considerations of course. But..." he wasn't an Acolyte. "But if our old sanctuary could be reclaimed...that would be best."

Alice laughs, "Can't have that, can we?" Alice replies, lighter, freer, but at the same time detached. Like those sheets of ice betwixt her and the world. Once she fretted to Robert about not wanting it to happen, but look at her now..."Ah, but if it were someone else, I wouldn't have had this chance to talk with you." she finishes, absently nodding to Jesse's last comment, dismissing her probable cousin from her mind. The night was growing short and he hadn't taken the time yet, she doubted he'd take the initiative as the night was winding down.

[Hugh Everwood]

Jesse smirked as she turned to listen to him more, another thing he couldn't help himself none with. Habit and all.

Her question didn't much surprise him, might have been leading up to it eventually with how they've been talking. Question was just how much help he really could be, not much a tracker or nothing. Still, helping couldn't hurt none — didn't hurt to get in good graces with people in power, even if she wasn't his Priscus or anything. "Can't be easy finding people willing to help with how few are around in this city," he mused in agreement, thoughtful hum at the end of sentence. Then he nodded, Alice might only hear clothing shift to be aware of it for all he knew. Or not at all. "Can go and give helping you a twirl, might not be much a tracker but can think on my feet."

There were worse things to do with his time.

Jesse hmm'ed at her. "Sounds best if the past place could be salvaged and reclaimed. Don't think you will find many places like that around the city." But he didn't know really, he wasn't sure what place the Crones previously used. "Guess the culprits best be taken care of before that. Don't want no repeat."

"True to both." He laughed again, amused. His tone grew a little more serious. "So, about the culprits. Could you get any leads before people began leaving the city?"

[Vampire ST]

And so leads are discussed and each make inoffensive conversation until the evening draws to a close...