Concentration

May 10th, 2019 05:45 PM

Bonk.

Bounce.

Catch.

Bonk. Bounce. Catch.

The Sheriff pensively stared at the wall of her office, gently bouncing a tennis ball off the filing cabinet in a slow, steady rhythm. She was seated on her couch, and the ball repeatedly bounced off the cabinet, the floor, and then back into her hand. There was a comfort in the repetition, a certain low-function calm to it that matched well with the quiet tones of calming music that played in the background.

Moretti was dressed somewhat casually, a pair of black athletic pants with a white tank top and a light leather jacket that complimented her athletic frame. She wasn't Blushed or anything so inefficient, yet she appeared so very humane for a vampire, the research that had once drawn the Herald's questioning months ago still very much in effect. On her belt hung her ever-present knife. On her feet, some nice runners.

Everything the same, but in her eyes, something was missing. Something about the Sheriff had changed, like she was miles away, lost in thought...
Killian

**Jacque** · May 10th, 2019 06:56 PM

Jacque made his way to the underground of the Nox, lightly flicking his fingers in sequence across his thumb to stay sharp for the worst case scenario in the coming conversation. He stops the motion of his fingers as he begins to hear the rhythmic thumping, seemingly emanating from the office of the Sheriff.

He quirked an eyebrow, and raps on the door. He's waits for a response before entering.

Just one of many variables from that night sat before him behind the desk. The cage of the beast rattled, focusing on the competing predator in the room. He bowed his head to perish the thought, "Good evening, Sheriff. How are things?"

May 11th, 2019 12:04 PM

"Generally, complex. A Domain under pressure from a capable foe always is."

The ball kept going, slowly, rhythmically, as the Sheriff stared at the spot where the ball would hit on the filing cabinet. Plainly, her mind wasn't on the difficulties of Sacramento right this second.

"You ever wonder what happens to people when they pass on, Jack?"

Bonk. Bounce. Catch.

Bonk. Bounce. Catch.

"Like, do you think a person that dies is just gone? Or do they return to the wheel or whatever, and end up with another chance to do it again?"

The Sheriff's eyes didn't move off the wall, off the repetitive rhythm that guided her contemplation.

"Shuffling the deck, no matter who we are, regardless of deed or intention? What do you make of that?"

Bonk. Bounce. Catch.

**Jacque** · May 11th, 2019 01:17 PM

Jacque places his hand on the back of a chair, but remains standing behind it.

He quirks an eyebrow at the question, almost taken back by the unusual topic, "There are countless theories on the topic. Personally, I find it hard to believe that the collection of experiences and knowledge that we each represent with our individual consciousnesses simply ceases to exist when we pass on."

His eyes follow the bounce of the ball, gauging the consistency of her aim as he continues, "Some scientific communities point to the concept of 'instinct' as evidence that we are all connected to reservoirs of those experiences. As those reservoirs grew in size over the millennia, so did advancement in technology and a reduction in time and energy to become proficient in skills."

He shrugs, "I don't believe in a 'one for one' reincarnation, though. Everything we do and learn will influence many generations to come until it too is instinct, but sometimes after you shuffle the deck you manage to draw the same hand you've seen before." Quietly chuckling, "Then you get the phenomenon of déjà vu."

He pauses and gestures to Lina, "What are your thoughts?"

May 11th, 2019 03:21 PM

"I guess you see that sort of idea in belief systems of ancestral spirits watching over us and whatnot," the Sheriff mused quietly, her eyes never leaving the point where the ball continued to land on the cabinet even as he opined. A little shrug came between bounces and catches as he asked her for her beliefs. She didn't know. It was writ on her face. "I... honestly, man, I couldn't fuckin' tell ya. I've seen monsters come from the depths, ritual sacrifices -- hell, one time, my old coteriemate and I saw an angel in a place of power. A fucking angel. It saved our lives. Warned us, gave me time to stop what was coming." She sighed, her eyes far off. "Run! They are coming! An otherworldly voice in my god-damn mind. So it said, and so it was."

Moretti caught the ball one last time, and the bouncing stopped. She turned her attention to Jacque.

"When it comes to all that, the afterlife, or whatever... I don't have a damn clue what to believe, really. This world we live in is so much more than I ever thought possible. And even the Ordo Dracul doesn't have all of the answers. I could probably study a thousand lifetimes and barely scratch the surface. I suspect you know precisely how I feel on that?"

**Jacque** · May 11th, 2019 10:47 PM

He nods solemnly, "That's always been my predicament with religion. Like how I discussed my curiosities about covenants, I feel faith based religions had to of been at least rooted in an interpretation of something true. Whether they saw something they felt was of divine intervention as you did, or simply were moved by the passionate recollections of those who did."

"I'm more moved by personal experiences, but always curious about other's. What made you feel it was an angel? Feathery wings as white as pearls? Golden halo?" he ponders a moment before adding, "Or was it something less traditional?", he inquires earnestly. First hand accounts were the next best thing after all.

He nods again, "I believe I do..." Adjusting his stance he asked, "Forgive the assumption, but I wouldn't have pegged you as the type to contemplate the great beyond. You've always seemed more like a 'here and now' type of woman. What's provoking the thought?"

He taps the top of the chair he's in front of, "May I?"

May 11th, 2019 11:45 PM

"More like a being of perfect, raw holy fire. I had one of the best occultists in the world with me at the time. He called it a qashmal..." she trailed off, staring into space as though remembering it. "My Beast was riled for weeks after, like it had been near something that was the absolute polar opposite to what It is, something terrifying to it even as it filled me with wonder. No halo, no wings, just... raw power." She shrugged, like it was something she could never truly explain. "You would have had to have been there. The kind of shit Aaron van Valen knew... God. You would have liked him, I think. He was a Lord most learned, the Priscus of your Clan before the Doc. I figure he'll be back at some point, once his Order work abroad is done."

She paused a long moment before answering his question, nodding and gesturing to the chair to invite him to sit.

"A friend passed away recently. It doesn't happen too often, and so... yeah. Thinking about it helps process the loss. Puts it in its place. It occurs to me that I don't know much about you, Jack. You had to deal with a lot of death, or have you been one of the fortunate ones?"

**Jacque** · May 12th, 2019 11:35 AM

Jacque nods, enthralled by the description of the thing she witnessed and how it affected her. He quietly resigns 'qashmal' to the back of his mind, another unfamiliar topic to delve into studying another night. He grins at her speculation, "I certainly hope so, then." He takes a seat as the words leave his lips.

"Oh, I'm very sorry for your loss," his expression fell somber in realizing the context of the conversation. "I..." he tries to think exactly how much he's comfortable disclosing, "I have. A great majority of my Danse had been spent in processing the change. When I was sired my thoughts were fixated on the unknown and all the time I'd have to discover it." Tilting a hand outward, "Afterwards, I realized the extent of the cons. I was blinded by my hubris, thinking I was clever and found a way to cheat death with little to no price."

He adjusted in the seat, "In mourning of the choices I had made, I spent a great deal of time honing skills to keep threads attached to my old life without jeopardizing the first. I observed the slow passing of their mortality from a distance but never able to interact. The time taught me the importance of prudence. I came to Sacramento because there are no threads left now to anchor me to my old life."

May 12th, 2019 01:30 PM

The pensive Sheriff listened quietly, silently glad for the fact that his Beast was silent beneath the blanket of Obfuscation that he had pulled over it. More to press on her weary mind would have been unwelcome; no, this was better. "God, watching forever but never being able to act..." she murmured. She wasn't old enough for that to have happened yet. Some people, she still knew from her Kine days. A bit of make-up to age herself, and it was like she'd never left. How much longer would that last for? It was a lot to think about, something she would need to prepare for. "It's the greatest tragedy of all of this. It makes us voyeurs of our own lives over time. Seeing them live, but then hearing that they died."

She sighed, letting it wash over her.

"And now you start anew, to build a new life. A barrister in a new city, representing a most potent client."

The lawyer representing the most dangerous criminal in the city had a lot to consider. Rewards, but also penalties for failure.

"Where do you want to go from here, Jack? You've had a strong start - not without enemies, given what happened with Garcia, but a strong start nonetheless - and you now serve the Court. You are established. So, is it back to chasing the mysteries of this world for you?"

**Jacque** · May 12th, 2019 11:41 PM

Jacque nodded in simple agreement. It seemed to spark some thought in Lina, but he didn't want to exacerbate those raw feelings when she was in mourning.

"I am one of many that have had a strong start here. A tribute to the success of Her Domain. I merely offered what I had in service to the Domain, and I wish to continue to do so." A brief grimace washes across his face, "Oh yes, Mister Garcia. I am in hopes that we may manage to get on the same page to avoid any future embarrassments to our clan. In my limited time interacting with him he tends to toe the line between bold and brash." Adjusting in his chair, "My approach clearly left much to be desired with keeping the Peace between us, but it would be prudent to figure out my actions kindled the fire or if they were an accelerant."

The question provokes a coy grin, "Oh, chasing mysteries was never off the table. I'm a bit of a blank slate though as far as ambitions go. Serving the Domain in whatever ways I can effectively do so is quite satisfying for me. Perhaps somewhere along the way I'll make a friend or two that I won't have to part ways with after it becomes obvious I don't age." He shrugs, "Maybe not have Monomacy called upon me a second time? I'm afraid I'm not a terribly complex person under the surface."

"How about yourself? Your successes as a Sheriff are so renowned that even when you and the Prince have a minor disagreement she still recognizes and compliments your abilities to fill the role better than anyone else. You are the Grand Wyrm of a strong Chapter of the Ordo that work very well with each other, no doubt a testament to your leadership. What is next for you in your Danse?", he asks while interlocking his fingers, flitting his thumbs outward.

Concentration

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