In Plain Sight

[Alice Hart]

Sequestering herself away.

Hiding.

Alice hadn't hid when her Family . She didn't hide herself away when her eyes fell to ash. She refused to hide now that Robert had vanished.

So, Alice ascended from the Withered Deep Kingdom, and began walking.

And kept walking until her ear bends, unfamiliar sounds drifting out into the night.

Laughter and joy.

Alien emotions conflict with the weighty sorrow that had begun to make up the Blind Doll's nights.

And like a moth, these emotions the flame...Alice was drawn into the bar.

[Alice Hart]

Book Keeping

[White]

It was part of scoping out new locations, he wanted easier and easier access to blood and bars were an ideal site. Plus, the closest he could get to his earlier college days was through the blood of the inebriated. Before entering, as per usual, he forced his dedicated capillaries to flare into use. His lungs inflated, and when exhaling it almost felt as though dust were flowing from his lips. Upon entering it was clear that he was not alone. An almost unfamiliar Beast caught him off guard causing him to gasp, his legs wanting to quickly backpedal. But, he had seen this one before, a Venture Carthian if he remembered correctly. That alone made him compelling to speak with. His eyes alighted upon a far more familiar face, however. He almost didn't want to interrupt, back when first entering the domain he had gotten off on the wrong foot with Alice. Perhaps now would be a good time to make some amends. A fearful Beast, and animated china... Time to chat. He chuckled to himself.

"Alice," he smiled nodding. He imagined her sense of propriety would cause her to at the least not tell him to leave outright, hopefully. "And, I remember your family doctor but I believe I never got a name?" His smile broadened as he extended a hand in spite of the Beast. "Jacob Maddox, we didn't speak but were proximal last meeting."

It would not due to force either of their hands however, it was almost instinctual not to trust a Shadow. "If either of you has some pressing business I won't interrupt?" The prepackaged excuse was clearly raised as a question, and so, he awaited their responses.

[Hugh Everwood]

Bars were not an uncommon place to find Jesse, along with clubs and other places you might find yourself with a number of humans. Now that he was no longer in danger to step on any toes and people might think he was poaching, he could enjoy himself. Being new in a city brought a certain type of novelty, so many places to check out. Where to go to find what type of kine when he would find himself wanting.

Jesse didn't have a list to go through. Lists were not for him, he just went on a walk and let himself be drawn to where it looked like it might work.

That was how he entered this particular bar, looking around — and seeing a few familiar faces. One particular face left his Beast roaring within his head, scratching at invisible walls and wanting to flee. Nothing of which was visible on his face, where a smile was instead to be found when it quieted down again and he made his way over to the small group forming.

Would be impolite to ignore them after noticing them.

"Here I thought I'd be in this bar all by my lonesome," he drawled when he was close enough, "though company's always welcome. Miss Hart, Mr. Maddox," he nodded at the two Priscus respectively, then looked over at the serious looking fella, "don't think we had the pleasure, but it's one to meet you all either way."

[Alice Hart]

Stepping off the sidewalk and into the the bar's realm of revelry, Alice was not prepared for the Wraith's forceful awakening. Sucking in a breath, frozen sheets slammed down between her and the interloper. The Wraith hissed, and spat. Egging Alice on. Wanting her to not tear this rival apart but the make him flee from her in unbridled terror. Adjusting her grip on her folding cane, Alice forced the Wraith back behind cold iron bars.

"Doctor Matheson. What a surprise." Alice says in greeting after she drifted closer to the Carthian. Cane deftly used to find herself a char, and with motions that would confuse any who realized she's lost her sight only a few months ago, she sat down to converse with the venture, absently making sure her amethyst-purple framed sunglasses were in place over her closed eyes. It would have been very unfortunate to have forgotten something that only just kept her from a massive Breach.

Well more of a Breach then she already was.

Then she heard a certain shadow's voice. Calling her name. Alice frowned. Because Maddox had used her first name, and...and because she didn't know when that become important to her.

"Mister Maddox, this is Doctor Matheson." Alice replayed for the Carthian, because it gave her something to say as her mind puzzled over the changed the Domain had wrought without her knowing. Then the shadow gave a polite 'out'. Alice thought of using the excuse the shadow presented, and say that this wasn't a chance meeting between herself and William, but then another voice, a nearly familiar one spoke.

It seemed the Gods willed her to keep the company of shadows.

"Mister...Jones? Was it?" Alice asked, mind traveling paths to find names to voices. A strange reality she now lived in because never again would a name match a face. "This is Doctor Matheson."

[White]

"Ah, Jesse, good to see you again. I hope you are settling in well?" It was nice to be outside the court's atmosphere, less pressure to be so formal. He scoffed at the "Misters" getting thrown around, "I fully expect all of you outside of work to call me Jacob. It's good to meet you, Doctor." He raised his eyebrows giving a lopsided smile at the joking command. "This is a bar, and other than the good doctor we're all in our twenties for god's sake!" He was teasing, but also somewhat serious. Jesse seemed to have the whole, "blending in" thing down to an art. The other two... not so much. To be fair the Doctor was new and Alice was, well, a blind Haunt.
"While I'd love to hear about it, I confess to slaving away on a different work." The double meaning would likely get lost on any outside of the Dragons. "So what has all of you out tonight? Going for some drinks?" He gave a toothy smile.

If, when, the bartender/waitstaff come by Jacob orders a G&T. Boring being the Shadows usual forte to avoid undesired attention.

[Hugh Everwood]

"That's right, Miss Hart. Thank you kindly for the introduction." Wasn't it swell when people were helpful? Especially Kindred people. Not that it always was bad with other of his kind around. He might just be a little jaded. Not much, he wasn't old enough for that just yet. Alice certainly seemed to be the helpful type for now. He hadn't noticed before she was blind, but he'd only interacted with her little at the Formal Court before seeking out Jacob.

He turned his attention momentarily over to William. "Haven't met, no, though seems like we can cross that of our list to do now, hm?"" He gave the Carthian a look that could very well be apologetic as he shook his head. "And, sorry to disappoint, but I ain't interested in no movement. Should it change, I'll let you know." From the covenantss, the Carthian always were of those he had no idea what to do with. Rebels to be rebels, or something like.

That was the gist he got from the lot, nothing he couldn't do on his own without needing to join some club. He simply didn't see the allure.

"Been settling in well enough since our last meeting, hope you've been doing good yourself." He told Jacob, glancing around them while considering William's words. He could think of many places where to run into Kindred; this bar was as likely as any, really. Happenstance and all that. "Don't mind none if you all want to call me Jesse, though I got nothing against politeness." Towards those with status he would like to add, but that might raise questions he'd rather not answer to anyone.

The Priscus might want it — except for Jacob, apparently.

[Alice Hart]

Alice holds back a laugh. Of course the first thing out of the venture's mouth was to not so subtly recruit. With the sad state of affairs for Covenants, and admittedly the Kindred of the Domain she could understand him wanting company.

And just as she was warming up to Maddox, his voice, the scoffing sound he made had her frowning.

She could understand a lack of formality outside of Court or with those that you knew, but these were not faces that Maddox knew. At least not to Alice's knowledge. Both were new arrivals, and one a shadow. Shouldn't Maddox be setting an example for his cousin in this Invictus Domain?

Monomacy hadn't been called during her time here, yet. But there was always that yet. And from what she knew on that subject it had been called for less in the past.

Even as a part of her realized that a year ago she would have been the first to drop the formality, but this wasn't a year ago and she'd been spending more and more time with the dead in the dark then pretending to live around the living.

When Alice hears the steps of the approaching waitress Alice shifted in her seat, a foot sliding across the floor. The women trips lightly, but is quick to right herself.

Then comes the moment. "What are you-!" Alice interrupts, "Blind? Yes." the women stutters out her apologies, but Alice interrupts her, "I'll have whatever's on tap." She might even drink it.

But the thoughts of beer had her thinking of the last time she'd had one at Electric Fairyland, and the people she'd met, or ran into - the kine women Madison, and Konrad. The last Carthain she'd known. The one who'd ran, a Blood Hunt on his heels.

When the rest of her table gets in their orders, Alice shakes her head, trying to bring herself out of those thoughts. This was the lengths she was going to make a random kine women unsettled and embarrassed. It might have made Robert laugh. Gods. She was lonely board.

"Come now, Mister Maddox. I'm inching closer old timers hill. I'm almost thirty." she mock whispers, and wonders just how many would actually believe her. She turned twenty seven in September. And her four year anniversary of her death happened this past August.

Even if the ventrue hadn't asked after her answer to his question, Alice felt the need to answer it anyway, "And I do think you know where my place is in this great wide world." But did Maddox? Jesse? Alice didn't really know.

It wasn't like her new affiliations were a secret, but it wasn't something she'd been screaming from the rooftops either.

And then the newest shadow does what Maddox had not.

"Alright Jesse." Alice nodded, because he'd given them permission to use his given name. "And for now Alice will do." she says, giving him the same courtesy.

Alice wonders if Maddox will understand the difference.