The Haunt and the Savage II

[Helen Kingsley]

Normally, the choice of locale would have been a no-brainer, but then, Helen has little idea how much the Prince is into Sports and has decided to go with a safer option. As such, the bar she's picked feels a little more like a pub. Few cocktails, mostly just beer and a little wine, some food. But then, they do offer dart and pool and the music in the background is pretty subdued. Which is something. Helen has been to the place a few times when out hunting. Not really a favourite, but most of the time, it delivers and it helps not having to hunt near the hangouts.

She's sitting in the back, yet a little exposed, but that's intentional, so that she can be seen quickly by folks who enter the place. The bright yellow t-shirt also helps a little with that. So far, her only company are the glass of beer and the shot of whisky on the table.

So far.

She's curious where this'll go, but at least, she#s a little more confident about it. Especially seeing how the place isn't too packed.

[Helen Kingsley]

(Also bookkeeping !)

[Alessandra]

Bars were always a safe bet when it came to the Gangrel. She felt more comfortable in them and it was easier to blend in. Plus, it means she doesn’t feel like she has to dress up. Outside of Nox, casual and comfortable were her go to.

Casual tonight meant black jeans and black tank top. Black was her go to color; blood never showed on it. And it helped her blend in if she needed to. She wore a jacket, because the Kine think it’s cold outside. Her skin, while still pale, looked a healthy shade of pale thanks to the stolen life that coursed through her body.

Casual also meant using the Torino for the evening and not the Aston.

Walking in, dark eyes quickly scan the room, noting the Kine around, before falling on the Haunt. As her Beast snarled and snapped at the Weaker one, the Savage simply pushed it back into its corner. And then there was the shadows. Which as soon as her eyes looked elsewhere, they seemed to do something different. Something not shadow like.

But she still walks over to the table, the hint of a smile on her lips. Removing her jacket, she slides into the booth, looking at Helen, “Good evening, hope you haven’t been waiting long.”

[Helen Kingsley]

As the Prince enters, so does the realization that the place has some very bad issues with stuff like space for flight. Thinking about it, why would anyone meet another vampire with people around ? Yet, they do it all the time... Curious, isn't it ? Not that helen thinks about that sort of stuff right now. She's been busy with keeping her panic down and remaining in place and totally inconspicuous ever since realizing the bad issues.

Thus, Helen replies with a small smile of her own, even if it looks a little... forced... for the first bit.

"Evening, Ma'am. No, just a little bit, nothing worth kicking up fuss about."

[Alessandra]

She sometimes wondered if Kindred felt safer meeting in Nox, or out in public? Especially with someone of her rank.

“Good, I would have hated to think I kept you waiting. I seem to have some employees who just cannot do anything without step-by-step instructions.” Some Kine. Then a hand raises to wave off the ma’am, “How about just Sofia this evening.” Wasn’t really a question. She wasn’t wearing her Prince hat atm. Well, technically she always was, but she wanted to relax. Motioning to the whiskey, “Do you recommend it? Every place seems to have a different brand.”

[Helen Kingsley]

"Eh, I got plenty of experience with waiting for things and people. I didn't really expect I'd have to, but I would've been prepared."

After all, they're unaging corpses anyway, right ? If anybody has all time in the world in most senses of the world, it's them. In a way. But she recognizes and apprecites the sentiment.

"Some folks are like that. Sounds like someone's not going to get a bonus or promoted anytime soon..."

She nods.

"Sure, I can do that. Sofia it is."

Looking at the whisky, she ponders the reply a bit before continuing.

"Five out of ten, not bad, but nothing to write home about either. Gets the job done and you don't have to get other stuffs to mask the taste. For me, that's good enough."

[Alessandra]

A brief nod, “I always try to be on time with meetings.” It was something she found to be important.

There was a sly smirk and dry chuckle, “Oh, there were consequences. I do not tolerate
incompetence.” Her business was important to her. She had spent years upon years cultivating it.

“Thank you. I know for some it’s a bit weird, but the way I see it, this isn’t work.” She was Sofia right now. And the Savage did look a bit more relaxed then when she was in Court.

“Well, five out of ten isn’t too bad, and I’ve had worse.” A single nod, as she motions for a shot of the whiskey. “Sometimes it’s about getting the job done without breaking the bank.” And she could live with that.

Leaning back slightly, “How have things been?”

[Helen Kingsley]

"Cognitive dissonance, I think. From your bosses' boss to first name basis and back again the next day. Takes practice or the right mindset to keep things separated and boundaries in place and sometimes, it's still damn complicated. Some people get attached pretty quick."

Helen isn't too sure how the Pri-, erm, Sofia defines incompetence and she's not even sure she wants that to change.

"Thats also a good thing. I knew this guy once. Nice, presentable, just a little crazy and not even the bad kind of crazy. He drank the vilest stuff he could get his hands on. 'You can drink the best stuff like water with little appreciation, but there's nothing like a really bad drink to help you remember all the good ones.' he said." She chuckles. "I gotta say, I'm not as dedicated as him. Not that I'd want to. Probably for the better, too.

Eh, I can't complain, really. Bit quiet lately, but that's not a bad thing with all the stuffs going on in the world right now. Got some work going on the side and also had some time to think where I want to go from here."

She picks up the beer and takes a sip.

"How's the art stuff coming along ?"

[Alessandra]

There was a nod, “You know? I hadn’t thought of that, but it makes sense. People are averse to inconsistencies within their own mind.” But she could see how it could apply in this case.

Smirking, “Always good when it’s not the bad type of crazy.” Cause that was a whole new bag of problems. “He wasn’t wrong. Some of the finest whiskey’s can be hard to appreciate if you have nothing to compare them to. But I like to think there is something good in each spectrum for drinks.” Her shot arrives as she nods to the guy. Taking the shot, “I can see why you went middle of the road with a five.” There was a nod of agreement, “It certainly isn’t the most horrible I’ve had.” No, she’d save that honor for the shit she had back home.

A nod of understanding, “It’s good to have a plan of where you want to go. I’ve heard of some of the work on the side, sounds like you’re doing quite well.” If what she heard was right.

“Oh, quite good, thanks for asking. It’s still a new venture for me, but it’s proven to be quite intriguing and profitable.” Which is all she could ask for really.

“Any new crime fiction to recommend?” asks the Savage, “I tried one of the John Grisham books, though I don’t think I enjoy all law things. Sure, they’re well written, but I’ve never been one for being on the right side of it.” Her and law weren’t close. “But Stephen King was a good recommendation. Though he is awfully wordy, at least I think he is.” Seemed to add more words than what were needed. "And yes, I know King is not really crime fiction."

[Helen Kingsley]

Helen nods. She has always figured that as long as everyone is clear they're not best friends all of a sudden and can return to the 'work space' and still be clear of who's where on the totem-pole, all's good. Not that things tend to be that simple, but so far, it's worked for her.

"Oh yeah, he was one of the better guys around." she agrees. "Makes sense. I just think you don't need to go scrape the bottom of the barrel just for comparison's sake." Sofia's declaration piques her interest, though. "Oh ? What is the most horrible you've had ?"

Hm, apparently people talk...No surprise there, oly question is whether thats good or bad. So far, it seems sort of good. "Well, if people think I'm going ahead, thats a good thing, I guess. Perhaps I'll branch out a little if things come together right, we'll see about that soon enough." She shrugs and stdis the label on the beer bottle for a bit before taking another sip from it. "Intriguing and profitable doesn#t sound too bad." Intriguing, at least, isn't profitable the reason why most folks keep that stuff around and collect it in the first place ? Those who don't already have money to burn, that is.

"Nothing too new, no. Grisham's a lawyer, say what you want, but at least he doesn't try to hide it in most of the stuff most people know. King, well, he goes overboard at times, and can be pretty repetitive when it comes to the foundations, with all those writers and New England and all that. Write what you know, okay, but at some point, eh, I don't know." She chuckles as Sofia addresses King's genre. "Well, as long as it's a good read... I tried Moby Dick back in the day. Its not bad and you leanr a lot on the side, but that old Bible English killed me. I never got through the damn thing."