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(1802) Indecent Proposals

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  1. #1
    Lawrence Taft's Avatar

    Presence
    (Intense)
    Blood Potency
    New Identity
    (Frank Petros)
    Status
    (City Hall)
    Lawrence Taft

    3
    PRE

    Away from prying eyes and ears, Taft has time to consider Takeda. One so thin of blood probably had escaped his courtesies before, so he amends. "I don't know if we have exchanged names... I am Lawrence Taft. Of clan Mekhet. And hailing from a bloodline of knowledge and truth."

    Being in close proximity to her rubs against him. That malicious intent doesn't abate as does the struggle between Beasts; it is a constant. He'd do well to keep his wits about him in her presence.

    "You mentioned knowledge. And prices. I won't lie to you... the most mundane purposes I serve are easy to grasp. I've accumulated a wealth of what some would call 'arcane' knowledge. For this, generally, a shared purpose is sufficient."
    Now the corners of his mouth turn upward. Unpleasantly and hungrily. "My true services require a specific price; blood. There is history in the blood." He shakes his head, eyes widening in something akin to passion. Even madness. "No. Blood is history. Every racial memory of Kin and Kine can be accessed through it. And my knowledge only grows stronger in the vicinity of those whose blood I have tasted. It sings to me in a resonance that defies conventional knowing. It is, to put it bluntly, an access to infinite knowledge."

    Had he deigned to mimic life on this evening, his breath would likely be ragged. Despite the absence of all the tells of the living, his eyes speak the same level of intensity. Deadly serious and full of intent.
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  3. #2
    Takeda Katsumi's Avatar

    Takeda Katsumi

    Curse: Sakki (The projected Intent to Kill)

    -1
    NOS
    2
    PRE

    Takeda considered the words of the man before her, trying to imagine what the world must be like if, for him, those words were the truth. To be able to taste the history flowing through someone's veins, to pierce the veil of memory of not just one, but a thousand life times. Truly, that much knowledge could grant one an immeasurable insight, though she doubted that insight was as pure as Taft made it sound. There was nothing in the universe that did not come consequences, and there was one consequence in particular that Takeda suspected applied to such a gift.

    "If this knowledge requires you taste the blood to learn it, it almost sounds as though it would be you who pays the price. After all, even we are not immune to the Bonds that such an intimate experience build. Unless, of course, you mean to tell me that you've discovered the secret to escaping those bonds?"
    Takeda Katsumi. Given Name: Katsumi. Nosferatu, Invictus.
    Curse: Sakki (The projected Intent to Kill)

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  5. #3
    Lawrence Taft's Avatar

    Presence
    (Intense)
    Blood Potency
    New Identity
    (Frank Petros)
    Status
    (City Hall)
    Lawrence Taft

    3
    PRE

    Taft shakes his head. Slowly. "No such luck. As many of my bloodline who ascend to power succumb to temptations. It seems to be a weakness of ours. Temptation.'" Despite this admission, Taft seems undaunted. An old memory comes to mind, one he doesn't mind sharing.

    "I was given to drink, in life. It controlled me. While I cannot credit my recovery solely on willpower..." A self-deprecating smile. "I did. My weakness is a constant reminder. At odds, you might say, with the power I stand to gain from giving in to temptation."

    In a moment - brief - of disregard for the power of one's blood, Taft regards the Haunt. His eyes... portals to curiosity rather than predation. "You don't know me, but imagine you've got your own opinions on the matter. Tell me: if you can believe I have no succumbed to the more sinister addictions of our kind, is that a blessing? Or a curse?"
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  7. #4
    Takeda Katsumi's Avatar

    Takeda Katsumi

    Curse: Sakki (The projected Intent to Kill)

    -1
    NOS
    2
    PRE

    "Temptation is the path to suffering for all beings, whether they're the basest of demons or the most powerful of gods," Takeda replied placidly, even as the strain of Taft's Beast continued to press uncomfortable against hers. It was, if anything, a powerful reminder of the truth she'd just spoken, as the temptation to flee continued to tug at her.

    "When I still drew breath, I was also ruled by temptation, though it wasn't with drink. It was with blood," Takeda confessed, her revelation fueled, in part, by a desire to unsettle the source of her own discomfort. No doubt he would recognize the truth of what she said in the evidence of her curse.

    "It seems," she continued, "to be a common phenomenon for our embrace to accentuate some aspect of what tormented us in life, does it not? Though I must say, I would not consider an escape from that torment to be a blessing. Instead, that would be to your credit. A testament, if you will, to your own resourcefulness. Which is fortunate, for with the Laws of the Domain, you must seek the Prince's permission in order to use your gift. Otherwise, you risk an illegal vinculum. Unless I am wrong?"
    Takeda Katsumi. Given Name: Katsumi. Nosferatu, Invictus.
    Curse: Sakki (The projected Intent to Kill)

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  9. #5
    Lawrence Taft's Avatar

    Presence
    (Intense)
    Blood Potency
    New Identity
    (Frank Petros)
    Status
    (City Hall)
    Lawrence Taft

    3
    PRE

    The bald man's head tilts slightly, and he grins back at woman before him. "Nothing wrong with a little blood. Spilled for the right purpose, of course." The grin spreads as does his amusement. "But you are right, of course. Resisting temptation is what grounds and centers me. Keeps me from, say, 'devolving' into a baser creature."

    Well spun words, if Taft is any judge.

    He most certainly is.

    But despite her words carrying the tone of a compliment, there is the other side. The sour note that registers as a dissuasion to be his true self. "I won't say you are wrong. But a taste is a far cry from a vinculum. My powers do not require repeated sampling of one's vitae." He smiles a smile with the lower half of his face. A smile best served when delivering a message his audience must already know. "That is where moderation comes into play. To take only what is needed and resist the temptation for more."

    He gives her an inquisitive look, the intensity of his unblinking gaze still blaring. "You offered services, yourself. Did this desire for bloodletting carry into a knack for it? If so, perhaps we have something to gain from cooperation." He makes a self-deprecating bow. "I am not suited for violence. Not really. My power is in knowledge. The Domain - and its new Prince - may have need for us soon. Your skills and mine might make the perfect compliment." He chuckles. "Isn't that a thing, in the East? Opposing forces working together. A Yin and a Yang?"
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  11. #6
    Takeda Katsumi's Avatar

    Takeda Katsumi

    Curse: Sakki (The projected Intent to Kill)

    -1
    NOS
    2
    PRE

    "I must admit," Takeda replied softly, "that I am tempted to leave the answers to those questions upon your tongue, but for now I will simply leave them in your ears."

    The haunt slowly brought her hands up between them, her palms facing the heavens.

    "In the East, as you call it, the concept of Yin and Yang, or Onmyōdō, does speak of the relationship found in opposition." Her left hand rose and her right hand fell, palm turning toward the earth in demonstration. "Being able to understand that relationship provides one with tremendous insight. However, I would question whether those two things that you named are truly opposites. Is the shedding of blood truly opposed to knowledge? Particularly if, in the West, Knowledge is thought to be Power?"

    The temptation to smile grew stronger, a symptom of having been surrounded by the Americans for so long, but her eyes grew more intense, her focus upon the man becoming complete as she studied his response.
    Takeda Katsumi. Given Name: Katsumi. Nosferatu, Invictus.
    Curse: Sakki (The projected Intent to Kill)

  12. #7
    Lawrence Taft's Avatar

    Presence
    (Intense)
    Blood Potency
    New Identity
    (Frank Petros)
    Status
    (City Hall)
    Lawrence Taft

    3
    PRE

    Containing his curiosity is becoming a chore. To say the least. The quaint hand movements, the demonstrations. The focus. It is all he can do to not simply drool over the stimulation. Of this martial - since she's all but admitted to that - flower proving to be more than a killer. To be one worth study. He might even learn something from her.

    "Knowledge is power. As is, say, conquest. But one uses the mind. The other? The body. Two different paths." The Spider looms too close to the surface, and he too close to her. He's been staring. Smiling. He straightens his posture ever so slightly. "Psyche and soma. Classically considered separate, and often at odds."

    The corner of his mouth twitches. It isn't quite a smile. "But whether or not these forces - our talents - are opposites, they accomplish goals in different ways. My proposal remains the same: we could benefit from cooperation."
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  14. #8
    Takeda Katsumi's Avatar

    Takeda Katsumi

    Curse: Sakki (The projected Intent to Kill)

    -1
    NOS
    2
    PRE

    "Though I can not argue that they are often considered separate, I do not believe them to be. The mind must guide the body, and the body must make manifest the ideas of the mind. So your offer does appeal to me," Takeda declared, her left hand falling back to her side, her right extending as an offering.

    "How formal do you wish this cooperation to be?" she asked, waiting for Taft to accept her hand.
    Takeda Katsumi. Given Name: Katsumi. Nosferatu, Invictus.
    Curse: Sakki (The projected Intent to Kill)

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  16. #9
    Lawrence Taft's Avatar

    Presence
    (Intense)
    Blood Potency
    New Identity
    (Frank Petros)
    Status
    (City Hall)
    Lawrence Taft

    3
    PRE

    Taft exercises as much willpower as he can muster, reaching out to accept the hand. He doesn't often make physical contact with those his Beast can sense. It feels unnatural. But accept it he does, offering a single fluid shake of her hand before releasing.

    "Let's play by ear, for now. Any partnership should involve trust, yes? For now, we can simply exchange information. When the need for action arises, we make contact."

    This is proving to be an interesting evening, indeed. This thin-blooded woman wouldn't have been his first choice to offer his services to. But, then, the hands that tug the Threads cannot do so idly. His hands would be occupied now. He offers Takeda his contact information before continuing.

    ​"Is there anything else you wished to discuss? If not, the evening is still young. We should rejoin the party."
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  17. #10
    Takeda Katsumi's Avatar

    Takeda Katsumi

    Curse: Sakki (The projected Intent to Kill)

    -1
    NOS
    2
    PRE

    Though it was wholly sensible for Taft to answer as he did (yet more proof that he was at least half as wise as he was curious), Takeda felt disappointed, as though a play she had been enjoying had been cut short before the final act.

    "Very well," she agreed, recording his contact information. "Until we speak again."

    Thanks for the excellent side thread!
    Takeda Katsumi. Given Name: Katsumi. Nosferatu, Invictus.
    Curse: Sakki (The projected Intent to Kill)

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