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  1. #31
    T
    Thomas Boyle

    He waves a hand dismissively "No apology needed. I blame Hollywood for the oversimplified image, to the point where one can suspect if there's not some wider conspiracy behind it all" It's certainly a possibility, that the devil worshippers shape the masses so as to easily control what they do and don't expect. A matter worth of investigation, surely, if he ever needs a sabbatical leave from Sacramento "I meant it all more as a... well-meant warning, perhaps? I can't say I've been going toe-to-toe with demons every Friday evening, but I've had enough run-ins with them - or things akin to them - that I believe I can speak from experience. If anything, I was afraid I was sounding sanctimonious" He put too much effort into being sincere and reasonable with her to trip over some misapplied tone or topic. Would be a shame, that.

    Thomas purses his lips into a thin line, and his eyes widen slightly as she describes the flare episode "Well, nothing quite like that. How did it happen?" It didn't sound like a trauma to Alessandra, so he feels safe in asking. It proved to be a successful strategy so far "The closest thing I had was being made to dig my own grave in the middle of the Arizona desert, held at gunpoint by a group of Brujah gangsters, apparently not very keen on me stealing a certain artifact that was, at the time, in their possession" Ah, the adventures of Thomas Boyle. Maybe when he doesn't care anymore he'll sell them as a movie script "I probably shouldn't tell that story to Mr. Madcap" He adds after a while.

    Thomas leans on the table, fingers locked. He has to put some mental effort into not licking his lips like a cat with a treat, having elicited such a reaction with an odd bit of poetry "It's a fragment of a poem by William Blake, an English Romantic author. I think a collection of his works is included in that book order I mentioned, so I can gift it to you if you like the teaser" He smiles "I can recite it from memory, anyway" It's true, Thomas had the soul of a poet. And a bank account to match. The compliment that comes next is... somewhat expected, but pleasing nonetheless "I am not omniscient, but I know a lot" Another timeline, another quote. Still, even as a stand-alone it functions: he does know a lot, and there's no point being falsely modest now.

  2. #32
    Alessandra's Avatar
    Presence
    (Commanding)
    Striking Looks
    (Tattooed Beauty)
    Blood Potency(+1)
    Status
    (Criminals)
    Retainer
    (Gabriel)
    First thing you will notice about Ale is the abundance of her tattoos. They go from her face all the way to her feet, and not much is left bare. The second thing? Her strong Italian accent.

    Known as Sofia De Luca

    Gabriel, Ghoul
    Cain, Hell Hound
    Alessandra Scenes
     -2 Vitae for Blush of Life and Drink, 
     
     

    +1
    SL
    4
    PRE

    “Well, I can’t argue with what. Hollywood has taking myths and legends and warped them into twisted realities of what they truly are. I remember the whole sparkling vampire thing years ago,” she rolls her eyes, “Hollywood is run by idiots.” But she was getting sidetracked. “A well-meant warning? Consider it heard.” She replies, “Though I never hope to find myself dealing with a demon. Should it come up, you’ll be the first I call.” He sounded like he knew a bit about it anyways.

    “We were investigating an incident; I don’t remember what it was about. But I ended up in torpor, and woke up to the gasoline and flare. Not the most pleasant things to wake up to, I don’t recommend it.” She says with a shake of her head. “Once free, they didn’t have a good night. But I managed to keep myself together, so there is that.” No frenzy is always a good thing. “Oh, damn. I haven’t heard of something like that in years. At least, not since arriving in America. But you appear to have made it out, did you keep the artifact?” he mentioned it. Laughing, “I would recommend against it, just to be on the safe side.” Cause she was enjoying his company.

    If him leaning on the table bothered her, it didn’t show. She simply watched him. “I would greatly enjoy reading, or hearing the rest of the poem Haruspex Boyle.” The smile returned. “Is poetry another interest of yours?” she asks, “I’ve read some in my years, but none really stand out.”
    Alessandra Antinori │BP 6│Strong Italian Accent

  3. #33
    T
    Thomas Boyle

    "I think it's too late for that" Again, the real confrontations with demons occur in the quiet of one's soul, not on the set of Omen "The only reason we don't hear incessant demonic whispers is because we drown it out with our nightly activities. Feeding. Politicking. Rutting" 'fucking' would be the term Vivian'd use, but Thomas over here liked to think of himself as a man of refined language, in all situations "But all armor has cracks, and that one is no exception. Just remember you have people you can count on"

    He nods to the Prince's brief recount of her flare tete-a-tete, then reciprocates with a few words of his own "Well, it's a timeless classic. Two kinds of people and all that. At times I felt like I was starring in a Lost Boys sequel" The thought brings a smile to his mind and lips "I didn't intend to keep it - a certain someone asked me to retrieve it as repayment for a favor; one of the thousand little deals that make up the Danse Macabre" And the mortal existence, really. Being dead just brings some things to the surface.

    Haruspex Boyle? What's up with that? It sounds oddly formal - too formal. Did she misinterpret his body language as too bold fraternization, or even some sorry attempt at flirting? The scientific side of Thomas decides to gather data by reversing the stimulus - and so, the Lord leans back, giving the Savage more personal space "Poetry is like a pear. It's sweet and has a shape. Can you describe the shape of a pear, though?" Is the ostensible non-sequitur some kind of test on the Malkovian's part? He is certainly curious of Alessandra's reaction "What draws me to verse is that it captures the essence of life: wonder. You could say it expresses the universal, while the sciences express only the particular" But it's a matter of acquired taste. Still, introducing the Savage Prince to the world of Tennyson, Schiller and Villon was oddly appealing.

  4. #34
    Alessandra's Avatar
    Presence
    (Commanding)
    Striking Looks
    (Tattooed Beauty)
    Blood Potency(+1)
    Status
    (Criminals)
    Retainer
    (Gabriel)
    First thing you will notice about Ale is the abundance of her tattoos. They go from her face all the way to her feet, and not much is left bare. The second thing? Her strong Italian accent.

    Known as Sofia De Luca

    Gabriel, Ghoul
    Cain, Hell Hound
    Alessandra Scenes
     -2 Vitae for Blush of Life and Drink, 
     
     

    +1
    SL
    4
    PRE

    “Never really thought of it that way. Our nightly activities drowning that out, but it makes sense.” In some weird way, it did. A slow nod, “As the nights go on, I’m beginning to see who I can count on. It’s not always easy, especially when one factors in trust.” There was something in her tone there, sadness? Maybe something else, maybe, exhaustion? Or maybe both. Trust was such a difficulty thing for them. More so for her.

    She places her elbow on her knee, and her chin on her hand as she listened, grinning. “That kind of sounds exciting! Hunting for the artifact, dealing with the Bruja, making it back with stories to tell for years? Defiantly exciting. Was it one of those stories that you learned something from? Some little piece of knowledge you still carry with you?” every story had something you kept with you.

    There was a mix of amusement and confusion on her inked face as Thomas leans back. “Something I said?” she asks with a smirk.

    An eyebrow raises, “Describe the shape of a pear?” seriously? “I can, but there are different shapes, though one is more associated with the pear than others.” Was this a test of some kind? She hated tests. “That’s a beautiful way of putting it. I’ll confess, I’ve enjoyed some poetry here and there because it’s always more well spoken than I am. I’ve always been brunt, not one for too many words. Yet poetry seems to bring many different thoughts and emotions into words that flow.” She shrugs. “But it’s been years since I read any. Perhaps, too many years.”
    Alessandra Antinori │BP 6│Strong Italian Accent

  5. #35
    T
    Thomas Boyle

    The mix of sadness and exhaustion in Alessandra's voice was duly noted, and Thomas will have to remember to give himself a pat on the back for correctly identifying the issue that seems to be had here.

    "Well, my would-be Brujah executors taught me one very, very important thing" He looks thoughtful, as if fishing for the lesson from the depths of his mind "If you're going to sleep with your gang-buddy's ghoul, try to guard that secret well? If you don't, the Ventrue you're trying to kill will fly it in everyone's faces at the least opportune moment, and then all hell will break loose" The Rabble's well-known propensity for frenzy didn't exactly help. But then, that was the point "The funny thing is that, had they been honest about it between one another, it'd probably be fine - I mean, it was just a ghoul, they'd work it out, and I'd be dead. But they misjudged what is worth keeping a secret and what is necessary to maintain a healthy working relationship. And unnecessary underhandedness can be exploited by our enemies" A vampire's existence, by its nature, is a lie. To the world, your loved ones left behind on the wrong side of death's veil, and most importantly: to yourself. No wonder so many Kindred measure the quality of a night by the number of people they've deceived.

    When Alessandra calls him out on the erratic back and forth body movement, he appears perplexed for a moment, blinking "I'm sorry?" The Lord composes himself fairly quickly, cursing the split-second delay in reactions a prolonged use of Auspex sometimes caused "No, it's nothing. I was just... surprised by your use of my title within the Circle. And the last name. I thought that's how you signal the need for me to pull back, so I pulled back" For all his supposed and factual way with words, Thomas could sometimes be hopelessly lost when caught off-guard.

    Confusion. The need to cut down the metaphor to concrete blocks and known patterns. Not an unexpected reaction to the test of pear, bot worthg mentally noting nonetheless "Not to toot my own horn, but we are talking for quite a while already, and you don't seem that reticent to me" He says, and the smile is returned. They've covered a broad range of topics tonight. Crediting the Temple's ambience or Thomas' personality traits with anything more than cursory help in that would be unjustified however, which led to the only viable conclusion: the Prince really needed someone to talk to about things other than business.

  6. #36
    Alessandra's Avatar
    Presence
    (Commanding)
    Striking Looks
    (Tattooed Beauty)
    Blood Potency(+1)
    Status
    (Criminals)
    Retainer
    (Gabriel)
    First thing you will notice about Ale is the abundance of her tattoos. They go from her face all the way to her feet, and not much is left bare. The second thing? Her strong Italian accent.

    Known as Sofia De Luca

    Gabriel, Ghoul
    Cain, Hell Hound
    Alessandra Scenes
     -2 Vitae for Blush of Life and Drink, 
     
     

    +1
    SL
    4
    PRE

    Dark eyes widen slightly as she bursts out laughing. “Oh wow! That’s brilliant,” shaking her head, still laughing, “lessons learned all around then.” But she’d seen some Kindred who were extremely protective of their ghoul. It was like an investment. “That’s a lesson I’ve seen in action before. The enemy able to find a weakness among the group and exploiting it to bring them down. It’s why I try very hard to have a good working relationship with everyone, prevent the enemy from finding a way in.” didn’t always work though.

    Clearly amused, “Well, I did say I would use it depending on how the evening went. I’ve quite enjoyed myself and our conversation, so I figured I’d use your title.” A shrug, “I wasn’t expecting or wanting it to bother you, if it did, then I’m sorry. And if I needed you to pull back, I would have said that. I’m not bashful about that sort of thing.” She thought it would be a good thing, a nice thing, to use his title. Maybe she had been wrong?

    Nodding, “We have been talking for a while. I actually can’t remember the last time I’ve enjoyed such a conversation.” She sounded genuine. “Oh, I can be quite reticent, it just depends on a variety of factors. In Court I’m more reserved, a front if you will.” It was rare when she got to just be herself.
    Alessandra Antinori │BP 6│Strong Italian Accent

  7. #37
    T
    Thomas Boyle

    "It's commendable" 'A good working relationship' is what has been under construction ever since she stepped through that door over there, after all.

    The last remnants of confusion seem to be gone from the Ventrue's visage "Of course. You've said that. How silly of me" A head is shaken "It didn't bother me at all - like I said, I was just surprised" the Malkovian clears his throat "So, I hope we shall continue to be unbothered by one another, as we seek the grand perhaps in our future encounters" At this point Thomas' sentences were ninety percent excerpts from literature. You could replace him with a basket of fortune cookies and you'd hardly see a difference. Not that it worried him. On the contrary, in fact.

    He shrugs "We have ways to make people talk" His tone slightly deeper to mimic Dembrille's timbre. A bit of a misquote, but the Lord was sure Alessandra won't mind. Thomas does, however, raise an eyebrow to what she says next "Factors like what? Court is a separate matter entirely. The masks and posturing are amusing, until they aren't" Eventually, the burden outweighs the reward, and people need a break "That's why sanctuaries like this exist" He vaguely motions around the Temple "To dose the amount of noise as you see fit"

    We seem to be naturally winding down. Do you want to wrap the Scene up in the next round or two?

  8. #38
    Alessandra's Avatar
    Presence
    (Commanding)
    Striking Looks
    (Tattooed Beauty)
    Blood Potency(+1)
    Status
    (Criminals)
    Retainer
    (Gabriel)
    First thing you will notice about Ale is the abundance of her tattoos. They go from her face all the way to her feet, and not much is left bare. The second thing? Her strong Italian accent.

    Known as Sofia De Luca

    Gabriel, Ghoul
    Cain, Hell Hound
    Alessandra Scenes
     -2 Vitae for Blush of Life and Drink, 
     
     

    +1
    SL
    4
    PRE

    A shrug, “It’s not easy though. Domains are a melting pot of personalities and personal goals, and they don’t always align with others. So it’s finding that common ground and working with it.” Though some people simply had personalities you don’t want to deal with. But, that’s not how it worked.

    Smirking, “It’s all fine. I’m used to others not knowing how to take what I say.” People were always looking for something else in words. Some hidden meaning. Nodding, “I hope so too. Now that I’ve gotten to know you a bit better, I look forward to working with you and talking more.” He wasn’t what she expected. And she now knew she misjudged him early on.

    Laughing, “That we do. That we do.” A nod. “Factors such as how the atmosphere of the evening is, who I’m speaking with at the time, their attitude.” The list could go on and on. “The posturing is amusing to a certain extent, and that is when it becomes disruptive. I enjoy when conversations are intelligent and pleasant.” But, she also knew that wasn’t always possible. “I’d be careful, with words like that, you might find it hard to get rid of me.” She jokes with a smile.

    I agree, and I'm fine with wrapping up
    Alessandra Antinori │BP 6│Strong Italian Accent

  9. #39
    T
    Thomas Boyle

    "A melting pot?" He appears amused "You pronounce 'melodrama' in a most peculiar way. Somehow every time we set ourselves a goal, our mind determines the best way to do that is to plow through another's garden" It's all chaos. Chaos and entropy and no Prince, however skilled, can ever fully contain it.

    Besides, why should they seek containment? Chaos presents opportunities, gives your subjects something to do.

    "And who says I want to get rid of you?" People are being told Thomas Boyle is not a nice person. Thomas Boyle is a very nice person, accepting of all "The Circle in Sacramento has stood ready to offer advice, assistance and spiritual succor to all people. I intend to keep it that way, even if I can't make anyone accept the offer" And with the Church Eternal virtually nonexistent, it created a monopoly he's not going to scoff at.

    With their meeting slowly but surely coming to a close, Thomas decides it is time for some final assessments. He looks the Prince deep in the eyes and beyond them really, grasping at whatever colorful threads he can catch and pull towards the extended senses.

      2 successes
    Date Action Roll Result
    2019-06-25 03:12:08 Thomas Boyle rolls 9 to Aura Perception (Int + Emp + Auspex + WP - 3 for subtle shifts in the mixtures of colors and patterns) (10 Again, WillPower) 2, 6, 10, 4, 8, 3, 7, 6, 3, 7 2 successes

    "I am glad to see, though, that my efforts have been acknowledged" The Lord says, slowly breaking the stare, smiling.

    Aura reading! Resistance roll is Res + Comp + BP, 2 successes are enough to foil the attempt

  10. #40
    Alessandra's Avatar
    Presence
    (Commanding)
    Striking Looks
    (Tattooed Beauty)
    Blood Potency(+1)
    Status
    (Criminals)
    Retainer
    (Gabriel)
    First thing you will notice about Ale is the abundance of her tattoos. They go from her face all the way to her feet, and not much is left bare. The second thing? Her strong Italian accent.

    Known as Sofia De Luca

    Gabriel, Ghoul
    Cain, Hell Hound
    Alessandra Scenes
     -2 Vitae for Blush of Life and Drink, 
     
     

    +1
    SL
    4
    PRE

    Shrugging, “What?” she says with a smile, “I suppose in some ways I’m working on what I say and how it comes across.” Being blunt wasn’t always the best way. “But maybe I need to work on that a bit more.” Trying to be better spoken was like a full-time job.

    “Lets call it an assumption on my part. I’ve come to accept that not everyone likes having the Prince around.”
    And she was ok with it. To a point. It made some things lonely, but she was getting used to it. “I’ll keep that in mind. It’s not in my nature to reach out for advice or assistance, but maybe I should try and add it.” Maybe what Alice told her all the years ago was still true, asking for assistance wasn’t weakness. But Alice was gone, and was now Prince.

    An eyebrow was raised as he appeared to look her deep in the eyes. What was he doing? Instinctively, dark eyes look around her as her body tenses. Was this a trap? Doors and windows were noted, as she debates stirring her own blood.

    When the stare was broken, Ale noticeably relaxed a little.

    Smiling as well, “I hope to see more of what you are able to do going forward. And what more I could learn from you.”

    She doesn't contest. Ale’s aura gives away that she was calm (light blue) but with how Thomas was looking at her, it subtly began to shift to her being suspicious (dark blue). But mixed in as well was a (lavender) color, showing her caution.
    Alessandra Antinori │BP 6│Strong Italian Accent

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