Take Me Out to the Ball Game

“Only two answers?” David asks as he takes on a thoughtful mien. “They do have merit. The original loss could have been against someone who is thought of as lesser. Or, it could have been a heartbreaking loss. Expectations are another factor,” the Shadow offers, “is the team used to winning? Or, is the culture something that wants to strive for better? Are sponsors leaving them for greener pastures?”

A pause as a mop of dull-brown half-curls tilts here and there, “Unfortunately, I didn't give you all of the information but it was a thought experiment. One which you did understand the reason for. There are an endless stream of decisions, changes, and actions, that lead up to the original change in a line-up. From there, lots of other changes spiral out.” Looking towards Marco, David concludes, “It's things like that that I study.”

Marco smiled and said, "Well if you study the endless spiral of changes I can definitely understand a lack of free time."

He then brushed hair out of his face and continued. "While I'm not one to study all the little grooves and cuts in the tapestry of time, I do try and be mindful of them. One cannot plan without taking into account how or what got us here in the first place. I'm just glad we can both agree things change. Sometimes I enjoy watching the change of power or success of a group. I'm reminded of the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees constantly comeback but between 1996 and 2003 they were almost a constant in the World Series, winning most of the times they played. On the other hand the Red Sox went 86 years before finally winning the world series again. I just find it interesting to wonder what actions were taken that caused the Yankees to stop making the World Series or for the Red Sox to finally win. Maybe it was luck. Maybe it was something completely unrelated but connected. All I know is that from what I've seen, nothing is truly constant or written in stone."

It hits David, just then, just how much the Carthian Myrmidon smiles and he is reminded, if only briefly, of Martha Villiers. His thought births a question in David's mind, wondering if Marco hides behind constant smiles like she did.

“What do you learn from it,” David asks. “And how do you apply what you learn to your everyday life?” Unbeknownst to the Mortician, the words 'everyday' and 'life' are both darkly humorous in their context.

"Well i believe it's an example of what we were talking about. That things change, even if we weren't the ones to cause it." Marco straighten up as he spoke. Talk of change always gave him pleasure. It helped feed into his hopes of creating change in the domain.

"But I believe it's also a reminder that we must be open and watchful for opportunities for change as well. If the Red Sox hadn't seized the opportunity they may have still been waiting to break the Curse of the Bambino. I believe that we must both seek to make change and be open for when the minor fluctuations and infinite variations outside our control create the opportunity for change," he said with a smile.

“I see,” David replies cryptically to Marco's statement. It probably screams in the Incubus' mind, of how much the Shadow might know and how he might know it. Is that just the aura David's clan precipitates or just the man? It's hard to tell. However, the Grand Wyrm holds a specific skepticism towards the rhetoric of 'making change' that Marco employs. To David, the statement 'we must seek to make change' is unfinished.

For what?

For who?

Who benefits?

“Is it just change then for change's sake?” The Shadow Priscus asks pointedly. “Or,” David continues along the line of questioning, honestly interested in the Carthian's response, “is there a specific direction that you'd like to go in? You see, where I grew up, I never got to ask someone who shares your politics on change. I was too busy.”

During a con Marco usually spoke as vague as possible. You do that because the imagination is stronger than any ideas Marco could come up with on his own and a person's mind usually filled in the unspoken gaps in a way that fit with how they thought. Marco had done that for so long that at times it bled into his normal speech. With two words David had made it clear he was not impressed with vague, broad statements involving change. He thought for a moment, listening to the Shadow continue.

Marco took a feigned breath, mostly for appearances as well as additional time to think, and then looked around, making sure no one was eavesdropping. "Without going into too much detail," he said, hinting at continued vagueness for masquerade purposes, "I believe that everyone's voice matters, though to varying degrees. I've been taking my time since I got here to find out what other people feel is missing in the city. It seems that some feel out of control, as if the whims of the stronger brush aside any of their desires. Am I looking for pure democracy? No, of course not. Mob rule is no rule at all. But I know at least in my group we seek more representation."

Quickly Marco continued, gesturing towards David, "That's not to say those in charge do a bad job representing their families. I just wonder if there was a way to make things more...collaborative instead of solitary or fractured in focus. I will admit though, I am still new to the city and am learning the politics, as well as what specifically could be improved. I just try to keep myself open to opportunities to improve conditions for all people." Clearly change was not working to persuade. Maybe improving conditions for all Kindred would provide David with a more focused answer.

Precision is a lost art. David fixes his slowly flattening beer with an unfocused gaze. It isn't the beer that David is paying any mind to, but it is the words Marco uses. It still seems like rhetoric, frankly. As though the words should be printed on a brochure for struggling neonates trying to carve out their niche. 'Create Change! Your voice matters!' They are almost like platitudes. The fact of the matter is, the near representative democracy the Domain of Sacramento employs, already affords everyone a voice after a fashion.

“How much more representation is needed?” David wonders aloud. The way it is right now, there's quite a lot of it. When there's too many voices vying for attention, nothing gets done. “I know I try to be as available as possible to my fellows and the others.” Perhaps, David considers, he wants the Covenants to have a say as well. However, Covenants can be crafty if they desire: recruitment; grooming their membership; alliances.

It's what the Lobbies do with the Kine.

Marco listened carefully as he heard David's simple response. David was not a man easily convinced, Marco could see that more than ever now. He had to pull back, lest he dig himself a hole he couldn't talk his way out of.

"If I'm being frank, my group's politics are very close to another one, a much older one. A more naive man than myself may believe we're different but we both want the same thing, power and success. The difference is their group isn't always keen on spreading that success to other groups while mine is. I respect all the different connections and societies for different reasons and think they're all valuable in their own ways. I've been in a city where only one or two exist and it can be absolute chaos. The change I want, is for there to be more collaboration between those groups, more willingness to work together. That's all I've been trying to do, extend a hand across the aisle and possibly learn from each other. Like how I believe I can learn a lot about change from you."

Maybe Marco has forgotten the sobriquet The Castle uses for the Order of Dragons: the Secret Estate. Of course, the sobriquet implicitly tries to draw the Order into an orbit of which the Invictus are central. That can't be helped, but it does hit on something. Guarded secrets that only others can guess at, have kept the Ordo Dracul in the good graces of many praxii. The fact many do not wish to be Princes in their own right, have kept them alive.

But if they knew what they really did, Johan once said, they would be the first to torch Chapter Houses. No, there would be no communistic spread of knowledge, power, and success.

“There is quite a lot of cooperation already, no matter individual politics,” David rebuts, being at the center of some of it himself. “I can understand the pessimism you might hold. Minneapolis-Saint Paul's political structures were divisive themselves. However, here, it is a bit different.” Dull brown eyes look to Marco, bushy brows sitting placidly over them. “Here, all anyone cares about is your willingness to do. Rarely does an individual's politics factor in.”

And when it did, it was David who Changed it.

The Grand Wyrm finds he likes it this way, Kindred ask less questions about what the Order does.

Rising to his feet, David announces, “I should get going. Good talking to you, Mr. Fernandez.”

"Well then my concerns are unfounded," he said with a smile. I'm glad to know that there's so much cooperation already, it's not something I've seen in other cities. I hope I can find ways that I can help others in the future." Sometimes a conversation didn't go the way you expected and yet you still learned something. He had gained a better idea about how other viewed the city. Arguing for collaboration and cooperation would not work here, seeing as it was seen to already exist. Marco would have to think about his strategy.

Seeing David stand up he said, holding his smile, "It was a pleasure Mr. Regan. I feel like you've provided my a better understand of the city, so thank you."