YOLO in the Reserve ATTN Quinn Durant

[JC Smith]

This was going to get awkward. Hopefully they didn’t take advantage of the time it took to change to attack because for a few seconds he was going to be both defenseless and unrecognizable. Perfect time to slash him apart with the Claws before realizing who he was.

And then would come the recognizing who he was. How was he going to explain this to Quinn without breaking Dirt Nap’s confidence?

One thing at a time.

The light grey fur shuddered and darkened across his body. In the shadows of the grass it was difficult to make out the exact specifics of the transformation. Though the sounds of popping bone and twisting meat could be heard in the eerie silence. Until, at last, JC rose from the dark shadowy form. Human, with the Beast now within.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap stands ready. He doesn't seem particularly surprised to find that it is J.C., though he does remark. "Didn't know you'd learned that trick yet. Good job."

"I told him not to let us alone, out of concern I had being alone with you, like I said." Dirt Nap says to Quinn Durant. "I didn't think he could find us out here though. Looks like I underestimated you." He says looking at J.C.

Dirt Nap looks meaningfully at Quinn Durant, as if to remind her of his desire for her to invite J.C. to join the Covenant, and as if simultaneously acknowledging that it is her call as the newly installed Grand Wyrm what if anything to do about J.C.'s status as apparently permanent house guest, signaling his being willing and ready to back her up whatever she decides.

He hopes she notices without him pointing it out how she is a little less scared of him with J.C. around.

[Quinn Durant]

Quinn stayed still. The kind of stillness only the undying could manage. She didn't blink, didn't move, simply watched. When she saw it was J.C, she looked to Dirt Nap, and watched him a long moment. Her face showed nothing. A beautiful mask. Slowly she turned and looked at J.C. Her eyebrows rose once and fell.


"J.C....you have some very interesting timing. We were just talking about you. This is a little awkward but Dirt Nap and I convened the Dragons and we voted me in as the Grand Wyrm of Sacramento. This involved you because as head of the Dragons, I would like to invite you to join our Covenant. I feel the Dragons have the most to offer you. Not just in companionship and a proper haven to study and grow in Sacramento, but the ability to better control that which you feel the most victimized by: Kindred limitation. You see Dirt Nap and I are no longer at the mercy of our beasts when faced with challenges and elements that would drive even the most disciplined Kindred to frenzy, we can hit our kill switch, so to speak, and stop it in its tracks. While the other Covenants Kindred must walk on eggshells with their fragile little existences, we stride with confidence as we have mastered a level of Transcendence over our condition."

[JC Smith]

So… this reaction was… unexpected.

Dirt Nap had told her about his concerns? But had still brought her here? Not expecting JC to actually find them? And now suddenly, with an abundance of significant glances, Quinn, now head of the Dragons, was offering him membership?

What… the… hell?

He looks between them. Silent. Quinn probably could recognize what was happening. Maybe even visualize the Spider flitting here and there while the Dark Eyed Man stood smiling in the background.

Processing.

“I’m… a bit confused,” he carefully admitted “Was this some sort of test?” he asked “Or a set up?” This was directed directly at Dirt Nap.

JC was trying to remain calm. Self driven. But he was having a hard time. He did his best to appease the upset parts.

“I think I’d like an explanation of what you were doing here,” again, looking more at Dirt Nap “And why after asking me to keep an eye out, you chose go off alone.”

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap looks steadily at Quinn Durant as she speaks. When she finishes, he nods slightly, his Aura radiating satisfaction that does not show in his posture or expression, though his claws dissipate.

When J.C. speaks, Dirt Nap stares intensely.

"Well." He says slowly, when J.C. finishes with his questions.

"It was a test, alright. Maybe of you. If you choose. It was a test by me, of the Dragons. I had to leave you, to get alone with the Grand Wyrm, to test her and me to see if the Ordo Dracul are for real in this Domain or not. If they have a future or not. It is a test of you too...if you join up. I hope you do. I think we could work together to really pull together a top notch library and really learn and make our contribution to the Domain as a Covenant that knows what we are talking about and to come to with questions about the Occult around here." Dirt Nap says.

"It was a test, because as long as I am a Dragon, and she is a Dragon, and you aren't, you can't be around all the time we are together. Not for Dragon business. I had to know if we could do it, that is, if I could handle myself or she could handle me, either way, without you. Turns out, it seems like we can...for a little while anyways. If you want to join us...then. Well, I don't mean to get all emotional about it, but...then it would all be in the family, in a way. There wouldn't be a good reason we would need to leave you out and be alone. We really could help each other out with...keeping each other safe and in control."

[Quinn Durant]

Resist Vice Roll

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-06-14 17:43:40	Quinn Durant rolls 5 to Resolve 3 + Composure 2 (does Quinn resist her vice?) (10 Again)	7, 9, 3, 8, 6	2 successes

Quinn's gaze remained on Dirt Nap, and her gaze became more focused, and steadily settled on him. The angels of her better nature, for better or worse came out on top. She let out a slight sigh, and her gaze lowered a bit, but she was still looking at Dirt Nap. As if unwilling to release the last piece of him.

"Is the only reason you asked me to ask J.C to join us because you cannot control yourself around me? Like he's supposed to be a .....what? Exactly? A buffer? So what's really the truth Dirt Nap? Is it you or your beast that wants to kill me? We can stop the beast at any time as long as we aren't completely depleted of will." She paused a moment to let that sink in, looking at J.C in her peripheral vision. She still wanted him, and still wanted this, but she wouldn't allow for lies. They would have the full unblemished truth between them or nothing at all.

"So why are you so goddamn concerned about your self control? Or is that just some lie you told J.C to bring him closer?" She paused a moment and closed her eyes a second in irritation before opening them again. "Or to get him to want to protect me? To get closer to me? For J.C and I to grow closer?" She suddenly felt like if she lifted her heart to her ear she could hear the ocean.
"So when I became Grand Wyrm within moments of my leadership our ranks swell? Then who could ever doubt my leadership?" She fold her arms across her chest. "My what big teeth you have." Kindred paranoia was a hell of a drug. Was any of it true? She wasn't sure. What she was sure of is she wanted him on the defensive, watching his Aura. Defensive souls often say things they later regret.

[JC Smith]

JC was quiet even longer this time. Emotions trying to take control. Measuring the demands being made on himself while also trying to weigh the Dragons’ words with some sense of neutrality.

“Dirt Nap,” he said finally “I think I can understand why you did all this… but,” how did he say this “it was a dangerous and I’m not sure it will solve things like you’ve said it will.”

He did his best to ignore his sense of hurt and betrayal.

“I’ve treated addicts and people with compulsions. Testing yourself can workout the first time, maybe even several. It makes them feel confident and put themselves through more and more tests. However, eventually, without someone to support them tell them to stop, they fail their own test.” And often the patient knew that on some level. Was hoping for it. This could have one very very wrong. “And I don’t think I could provide that support to you within the Dragons. Not as a slave.” Since that would put him in the exact same position of being under Dirt Nap’s authority that had, he suspected, motivated his cousin to do all this.

He wasn’t sure how much more he should say. He felt like Dirt Nap thought having Quinn take leadership has solved the problem but it only put it off for a time. Other Dragons of lower rank were bound to come at some point and bring back those thoughts of the hunt again. Unfortunately, JC still wasn’t sure how much Quinn knew.

“Look I appreciate the offer, but I have to say no right now. I’m… pretty angry right now. It’s making it hard to think clearly.” He didn’t sound it. Didn’t shout or yell. Just a tension in his voice.

“I recommend that you talk with Quinn about your concerns and thoughts. Honestly and openly.” He didn’t want to sound disappointed or worried, but it slipped through.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap listens calmly and composed to Quinn Durant's questions and near accusations, and then J.C.'s clinically rationalized refusals.

"Ma'am, I think you would know me well enough by not, that I don't put my trust in any one answer or fix, when I can arrange a back up plan, against any mistake. It's like telling a drunk, all they have to do is remember not to drive. The whole point of the Beast, is it riles me up. Sure, I studied hard and risked my life to hold the trump card, to be able to shut it down whenever I please...but I don't put all my trust that it won't never influence me enough that I don't feel like shutting it down. If it came to that, having someone there I trust to make me think twice...could come in real handy." Dirt Nap says.

"Being with what you can do and all, you know I wasn't planning to do you any harm coming out here. My precautions were just that, precautions."

He turns to J.C. "It's your choice, J.C. and yours alone. I'm not even the one asking, even if I do think it would do you good, and you wouldn't be a slave for long, if you set your mind to it. But that's just the point. If I were the doc, I'd be asking what exactly I was really mad about, and what exactly I was saying 'no' to, and how 'for now' doesn't sound like the whole of it."

Dirt Nap shrugs. "My conscience is clear, as far as lying or misleading either one of you; it ain't so. I'm not the Almighty, though, so I don't claim to know better than you what's good for you. I done what I could to put the best choice out there I could see for all of us, and it's up to you all to decide." He says softly. Looking at J.C. he says, "The Grand Wyrm and I just now had about the clearest kind of talk two people can have, I'd guess, no words required."

After a pause, he looks at Quinn Durant, and says, "Seems to me, Ma'am, we done made all our decisions then. Unless you wanted to handle any other House meeting business tonight, seeing as we're all here...otherwise, I guess I ought to get to some letter writing."

[Quinn Durant]

Quinn moved over to Dirt Nap, looking up at him with a slight smile. "I think we are simply trying to point out the flaws in your own logic, Dirt Nap. You may be thinking you are operating off of the best of intentions, but it sounds like you are trying to convince yourself more than us. Go back to the city, and write the letters and send them. Handwritten please, as these are to Prince Antinori, Seneschal Jack, and Archon Twist. I don't need to approve them, just send them." She said softly, nodding to him a bit with a rueful smile she said softly watching him a moment. "It's just you and I cowboy. That has to be enough."

She turned and moved over to J.C, watching him a moment. "He is right. Your time as a slave is short. That time is the time you are a slave to your old ways of thinking and patterns. Before you reach your first stage of Transcendence. The mastery of your first coil. In larger Chapters, you would try to impress others to gain a mentor, but here it is just the three of us striving to be better than we were. You would have the benefit of having us both at your side. It is true that you can not refuse an order of a superior, but for a few very very specific reasons, one of them being fearing for my life as a Sworn member and Grand Wyrm of the Ordo Dracul."

"You came out here for answers J.C. You didn't find quite what you expected, but it could be the beginning of everything for you. Being in one of the Covenants opens esteem and doors that nothing else does. I am uniquely positioned to offer you such as of now. Don't let anger make decisions for you, J.C. You coming out here proves you would risk much for me, and I hope you see my invitation in the way it was meant. I want to look out for you too. To give you the keys to unlock things inside of yourself you never imagined possible." She nodded to him once then, and turned and started heading after Dirt Nap and back to the city.

I am good to close after J.C's last post.

[JC Smith]

“I didn’t come here because I wanted answers or to make choices. I came here because you asked me to. Because I was worried.”

Dirt Nap didn’t get it. And JC wasn’t sure he could explain. With the shear emotional exhaustion he felt right now, he really just didn’t feel up to it. Going from thinking his friend was a danger to another friend, tracking them, fearing the worst, then fearing upsetting them, only to suddenly feel manipulated, and put on the spot. JC just… couldn’t right now.

Flex, relax.

“I’m glad you’re both alright,” he said finally “And if you’d like to talk about me joining, we can do that,” he conceded.

“But not tonight. Right now I need some time.”

He turned to leave. He needed some time alone. Well... he really didn't. He needed to let them out. But the people he'd normally be willing to confide in were the ones he didn't want to hurt by expressing those thoughts. So alone it would have to be.

He started to make his way out of the reserve.