Eolas: Allegations of a Serious Nature

[James Calloway]

James waited for Chris Wooding at the door of the Crone Temple. He waited with his back against the wall next to the door, looking out for the appearance of his Mini. The Taifa was dressed in his jeans and his black leather jacket, and looked nice and warm; that is, if a vampire could look warm.

But he didn't feel warm inside. The allegations against Chris were serious. He hoped that the Mekhet would give it his all to correct the perception of clannism against him. If he knew his coteriemate as well as he thought he did, Chris would get it done. But if he was wrong... well, that would be the worst thing in the world.

[Chris Wooding]

The mini is not there, but that doesn't say anything about Chris. The door to the temple opens from the inside. 'And so I appear to you.' He smiles, but his eyes show doubt. There was something really wrong?

'Please come in.' And the Vala steps away from the door. Inside normal light was on, but by smell and smoke James might notice that incense had recently burned inside the main area of the old church.

[James Calloway]

Jim smiled back. His eyes weren't doubtful, just a little worried. "Hey, man. Good to see you... I thought I should talk to you ASAP. Something went down that you need to hear." He entered the building, his speech calm and to the point. He made sure they were alone, then quietly outlined the situation.

"I was at the Gangrel meeting, and we were discussing some matters, when I mentioned you as an ally."

He paused for a moment. "You remember that thing you said about Francesco? About his family?" He sighed. "I took it in the spirit of jest you surely meant it, but Dillon took it deadly serious. Called you a clannist and forbade Gangrels to assist or receive any help from you." Which would no doubt put a crimp on both coterie and covenant relations.

"The Clan's pissed, but I told 'em you didn't mean it like that at all..." He shrugged. "I think if you were to apologize, and make amends, we could fix this. We both know you're not a clannist." It was a statement of confidence. He trusted his friend. He'd start with the assumption that Chris was a good guy, like he thought the Mekhet was.

[Chris Wooding]

When Jim starts talking Chris first doesn't understand what this could lead to, then the name Francesco falls. 'Do I remember what I said? No I don't. All I remember is that after his actions became more publicly known everyone was talking about how dumb and reckless the guy acted, so did I.'

His expression turns from confused to irritated. 'Your Priscus sort of excommunicated me for rolling my eyes at Giovanni, without knowing if it was truly needed. Great.' He sighs as well and turns around, simply walking around a bit. 'A Clannist, for the Goddess sake?! If there is one guy in this damned city who would drag himself through hell for his Faith while he thinks that your family is something you gain from embrace without a choice it is me. Twisted creatures as we all are, we have advantages and disadvantages. I rather joke about than to be deadly serious.'

Yup, the Vala doesn't like this at all.

'I have to apologize, sure, where and when? Will the whole clan know it instantly, or doesn't he care about that? He ruined my slowly rebuilding reputation in one night already, after all.'

[James Calloway]

Jim considered Chris's words carefully. "Yeah, you do. I'll let you decide how to do it, but I recommend you apologize to Dillon as Priscus, and then ask to apologize to the clan as a whole. Maybe offer a Boon to Clan Gangrel via its Priscus, too, to show that you damn sure mean it." His eyes locked upon Chris'. "I'll explain what you did, just so it's clear. Because you need to understand what you did so you never do it again."

"Here's what you did. You said, to any Kindred who asked, any at all, that maybe it's hard for some people in his clan to think, so he should try, try to think. And I get you meant it as a joke. But here's the problem."

"I'll use an analogical example about humans. You, you're a Caucasian. You're white." You burn in the sun easily. Funny, that - Mekhet. "But you come across a black guy, and he steals a television. And you say, 'well, I know some of your race steals shit, so try, try not to steal.' And in doing so, you make it about black guys. It goes from being a personal insult to a downright racist remark. Similar idea." He looked for understanding, his Beast shaking with a little bit of anger, calmed by the Taifa's focus and friendship with this misguided neonate before him.

"I know you think it's okay to joke about it. And I bet you plenty of people might agree. But we do not. We are not a family of idiots who cannot think. You look at Clan Gangrel, and you'll see academics of the highest calibre in Drs. Swift and Redfill. You'll see politicians in me and Dillon Connery, hell, even in Roxie Hart in her own particular way. Warriors. Businesspeople. We're not mindless Beasts. And it's not for you to make comments of that nature, just as it's not for the white man to make comments about how because some black men choose to steal, the entire race must somehow be criminals." His tone was level, consistent -- and to the point.

"Chris, kindly do not blame Dillon for your words. You're responsible for the consequences of your actions. Everyone else attacked Giovanni. You attacked his family. Even in jest," he noted, raising his hand in a somewhat placating gesture, as if to silence an objection before it arose. "Now, I don't think you're a clannist. I think you were trying to make a joke. But sometimes jokes go awry. And sometimes we have to own that."

He looked Chris in the eye and let the silence stretch on for as long as it could. "Do you see why Clan Gangrel is pissed, now that I've explained it?" He used the inclusive term deliberately. This wasn't about James being somehow outside of the Clan. An insult on his Clan deemed to be serious by the Priscus was an insult that was serious to Jim as well.

[Chris Wooding]

Chris looks and listens to Jim with empty eyes. Lots of things come to his mind, quick thoughts he might not even agree with, background thoughts that tried to imprint certain information in his brain, and just thoughts... What the fuck. The only thing he ignored was the thought of saying that it is quite typical that whole clan gangrel misinterpret his simple jest. He would never say anything about black people of such kind because they have no inborn weakness, vampires have.

'So you're saying that Mekhet do not burn a little quicker than others? If so, I wouldn't have fell into torpor because of some damn incendiary grenade. Please don't get me wrong, I understand I made a mistake, but let's not deny what we are. That is not mindless idiots of course, or ugly outcasts or walking shadows waiting to be ash.' Chris' tone is all but consistent, more upset.

'May I say that I am highly surprised that someone even remembered what Chris Wooding, of all people, said. Even more surprising is that whole clan Gangrel is offended by me. One guy who you all listen to by the right of being here first says whole clan Gangrel should not receive help from me or assist me. I am not the clannist here!'

The Vala turns around and walks to his sword that leans against a wall. Put in it's scabbard, he can put the sword on his back. 'Although I miss a certain reasoning, although I wonder why if I offended you all Dillon is the only one who cared, although I wonder about a lot of stuff...' Chris is all heated up, but not in an aggressive way. 'I go apologize, and I guess that an eternity allows me to give all of you pissed Gangrel a minor boon. I now apologize to you, I am not calmed down at this moment, but I happen to be capable of regaining my composure within 2 minutes.' He is really ready to walk away, but still he waits to give Jim a chance to reply.

[James Calloway]

James wasn't going to entertain Chris's rant with much. His voice calm, he said, "Dillon remembered, and Dillon is more than just a guy who's been here a long time. He's a guy who made Clan Gangrel matter. So when he gets mad, people get mad with him."

"But he's also reasonable. I say youre a cool guy. I said you respect me and our Clan. I said you didn't intend it like that." He looked his coteriemate in the eye, letting him know he had Chris's back. "Just take a few, relax, and then call Dillon to let him know you want to make it right. Everything's going to be fine. He said he had an otherwise good impression of you. Thisn't a man with a hate on for you. So lets go get this squared away, okay?"

The Taifa knew a thing or two about calming people, and he knew Chris well. His voice was relaxed, his words focused on solutions. He wasn't here to lambast the Mekhet, only to help him correct a social error - exactly as a good coteriemate ought to.

[Chris Wooding]

Chris looks back into Jim's eyes, trying to calm down. Calming down with clenched teeth that is. It happens too often that people spread rumors about him that aren't true. This time he might have made a mistake, but did someone really had to turn twenty percent of all Kindred against him?

The Vala nods, closer to regaining composure. He takes a deep breath to let the peaceful scent of incense come to him. 'Thank you for saying that, and for trusting me.' He looks away and takes his sword off his back to lay it on the ground somewhere.

'I will call him tomorrow then, I might not be the only one who needs to calm down after all.' He wishes he could have been at the meeting. Maybe next time he should... 'I think I really need a moment for myself right now, if you don't mind?'

[James Calloway]

James nodded, taking a deep breath of his own as his calm brown eyes simply watched Chris struggle with his words... and end up calming down. Letting it out as Chris thanked him, he nodded and clapped his friend on the shoulder amicably. "Tomorrow it is then." He produced a white little card and wrote Dillon's number on it, just in case. "I can be there when you talk to him, if you'd like." He smiled at the Mekhet, pleased to see Chris hadn't kept up the whole blaming-Dillon thing. He would've hated to had to carry out his other promise to Clan Gangrel.

Not out of the woods, but a good first step.

Jim said, "I'll see you later, man," giving Chris a reassuring smile before turning for the door. If his friend needed a moment, the least he could do is give it to him.