Gotta Like Gothic

[Chris Wooding]

Every new arrival has to wonder, 'what are all these Elysia', right? Nightclubs, sure. But Chris actually likes them all, so he tries to visit them all from time to time. Even though he wouldn't describe himself as a gothic, every vampire has a darker side. Here, you can let it all go. Public feeding is not advisable, but a depressed and deathlike appearance is totally acceptable. And secretly, Chris likes the castle look of Club Reverence.

Happens when you want to be Dracula as a kid, before you know he actually exists... he thinks with a smile. Tonight he went with the old fashioned, maybe Victorian look. But no eyeliner for him.

Not that anyone would be surprised if he told such things. He suspects that men that walk around with katana's because they think the Japanese sword is awesome, they already belong to a certain kind of people. The Crone worshipping Shadow has accepted who he is. Now he's leaning against the bar, finding enough amusement in just looking around.

[Thomas Galilei]

Reverance: little wonder that the first Elysium Thomas visits should bear in its name proper stance towards the divine; it was in such small ironies that Thomas often heard the voice of God, sensed His holy finger pointing unseen. Thomas smiles, considers himself sent. Lead, and I will follow.

Fortunately for him, the black cloth of his trade is a perfect blend for the environ, Thomas now surrounded, on entering, by mortal youth dressed as dark as he--happy coincidence. He finds a seat somewhere off to the side and waits. I listen for your voice.

Thomas takes in the room, back pressed against a side wall, pondering the spiritual significance of 'black light,' that such a thing should even exist--black, traditionally symbolizing darkness, seems juxtaposed against light, its utter opposite, unless that light be truth . . . Perhaps, blackness suggests truth of a darker nature, the Kindred kind. Truly the Kindred are fearfully and wonderfully made, capable of light despite darkness, harbingers of God's black truth.

[Chris Wooding]

With his eyes on the door, Chris immediately notices the Kindred man stepping inside. Anger rages inside him, and in this goth setting, his fangs would be out in a minute. If he wouldn't be able to control himself.

He can.

A Mekhet losing his calm, pffft, when does that ever happen? Well, don't answer that question actually.

He slowly approaches the new arrival and his Beast. Carefully, not too obvious, while avoiding the two emotionally unstable people on the dance floor. He smiles to the man when he's near him. Politely, 'Good evening sir, mind if I sit with you?'

[Thomas Galilei]

Thomas eyes the man, shoes to face: handsome, well-dressed albeit antiquated--for all appearances a mortal boy, who perhaps wanted to be Dracula as a child. "Yes, please." he motions for the man to sit, introduces himself as Thomas but keeps his hands at his sides--the cold touch can be a dead giveaway, literally.

What business with this mortal, God? Surely the Almighty hadn't brought him there to jabber. Mysterious ways, he assures himself. He waits, subjects himself to listen, watching for God's intent.

[Chris Wooding]

Oh the fun that the Mask of Tranquility brings to everyone's Requiems! Chris could drop it, but that would defeat its purpose. No, this would all depend on his 'cryptic message skills', or something like that. It's been a while since he had to use those.

'I haven't seen you around before. Are you just passing through town, or do you have plans to stay, if you don't mind me asking?' Pretending to be the regular. Or not: 'I just got back to Sacramento, so I wouldn't really know, actually. But I've lived here for quite a while' He smiles friendly and extends his hand. 'My name is Chris Wooding.'

[Thomas Galilei]

Thomas draws a breath, releases it slowly as he pumps Vitae through his body to emulate life, hopefully enough for a handshake--a careless oversight not to have done so already: too much time at the monastery. He shakes Chris' hand, apologizes for the cold of his own--poor circulation he explains.

He shifts in his seat at the personal questions, but reminds himself that mortals in social settings are just friendly, curious. "Staying, it would seem, though I've just arrived here myself." For some reason, he doesn't feel the need to lie to the boy; he has that casual run-of-the-mill look about him, like a next-door neighbor, harmless. "Not a local though; I've been studying overseas for some time. Trying to find my place in the world, like everyone else I guess."

Spilling his guts to prey, he can't help but shake his head: God certainly has a sense of humor.

[Chris Wooding]

'Just arrived you say? I can recommend club Nox then, it has the same owner as this establishment. Or have you already met his... business partner, Martha Villiers?' That should do the trick, and as Chris smiles friendly again, he is indeed quite harmless. Unless this man hasn't been to Nox yet, but Chris believes it is known as this Domain's Court even outside the city. And he risks nothing by asking, of course.

'Welcome to the city then! I have found out that my place in this world is currently here, which is why I returned.' And once you've accomplished something, why would you start over somewhere else?

As a naturally curious academic, he wants to know: 'Can I ask what the subject is of your studies?

[Thomas Galilei]

Nox? How had he . . . ? Thomas suddenly pays closer attention, wonders if the boy is a ghoul, remembers how Martha hadn't emitted any Beast either. Could Chris be Kindred? "Per Ardua Ad Astra," he recites the Latin scrawled on the wall of Martha's meeting chamber--hopefully it would be enough to let him know he'd been there, and would be obscure enough that if Chris hadn't, would reveal nothing Kindred.

"My studies? Biblical Archaeology in college at Boston; did some traveling after, ended up in Israel. Studied there for some time about whatever interested me, really--mostly the things that make men tick. I'm guessing by your interest and choice of words that you're a learned man: what may I ask, Mr. Wooding, have you learned?"

"Happy to hear you've found a home. What do you do by day?" It's time to take the young man seriously, do some discerning of his own and reduce his disadvantage. God did have a sense of humor--the joke had been on Thomas.

[Chris Wooding]

'Through struggle to the Stars, yes I've seen the new decorations.' Chris nods, hopefully to affirm what Thomas could be thinking. And if you ask me, that's just another version of Tribulation Brings Enlightenment.

'Biblical Archaeology, that sounds interesting. And Israel... not a place you'd want to be right now, the things happening there are horrible. But I imagine it is home to some wonderful places.' He is sincere, pagan or not, he can be impressed by great architecture. Or old ruins of great architecture. 'Cultural Studies, Film Studies, I'm all in for humanities.'

He leans closer, to speak a bit softer. Not that anyone could here them with the music on, but he's better safe than sorry. 'What I do, not much currently. Exploring my options, mostly. I have always been busy with our kind of people, you see? And I have my own close Circle of friends.'

[Thomas Galilei]

"Mmm." Kindred, Circle of the Crone--that or his Clan would explain why he seems so . . . human, why Thomas couldn't tell he was Kindred. Had God sent Thomas there to meet this man? Thomas relaxes some, now knowing a bit about the man before him. "Ah, a pagan." Thomas smiles. "Some of my favorite people are pagans--often times, in my experience, they treat people better than the religious. In fact, most of the terrible things that you mentioned in the Middle East, on both sides, are enacted by 'men of God'--the most deceptive counterfeits are those that most resemble the truth. All this to say, I measure each man by himself, without any of the baggage that comes with his labels, and hope you will do the same with me."

How else could Thomas discern God's will in bringing them together, except by talking more, asking questions, listening. "My friends meet in a Sanctum, not a Circle. But, perhaps, after tonight I'll have at least one friend in the latter. I'm a priest--which is to say, in my opinion, someone whose job it is to care--though of little note. I've met few Kindred, just Martha and some members of my congregation, but I hope to change that, to be of just plain use to more of our fellows, though I'm still in process of figuring out how. All in time, I suppose."