(2207 Court) 'Sup, folks ?

[Helen Kingsley]

Helen wonders shortly if she'll ever get used to other fangers presence. Dumb question, of course not, she knows this.

"Mostly, yeah. Busy with this and that, nothing too serious, though." Helen nods. "How've you been doing in getting accustomed to the place ? Settled in or got some fun things to do yet ?"

Not that she's heard a lot about that, but then, Aiko is a shadow, you hear too much about that sort of things, they done goofed. However, she doesn't get to continue the line of thought too much as Doc Bakey decides to chime in.

"I don't mind. How've you been, Dr Baker ?"

[Aiko Hamura]

The first time Aiko had met Helen, the latter's shadow had given her no small amount of concern, with its supernatural and devilish intent to (potentially) behave unnaturally whenever the detective did not focus on it. By now, Aiko had learned to stop trying to learn its secrets, and even further learned not to attempt rationalizing the phenomena. Yes, she could assume it was a Nosferatu curse, or perhaps some far rarer slight of dark magicks. But honestly? She found it was most placating to revel in the strange sensation. She even named the shadow "Selene". Selene was a shy creature, Aiko surmised, but a trickster deep down in its umbral heart. It could not rest if it was entirely unnoticed, but it grew nervous with eyes upon it. Treating Selene the Shadow like some fickle fey worked remarkably well for dealing with it's tricks upon Aiko's mind. She hardly even glanced at Helen's shadow at this point.

"I'm well... Sacramento had been easy to settle into." Aiko replied. "I have a fine office to operate out of now, and several tenants in the same complex that are remarkably oblivious, but bodily quite healthy. Sampling them without leaving a trail is pleasantly easy compared to what I'm used to." Aiko left out how difficult it was not to overindulge in her new neighbors. God, she was so used to being hungry... and simply taking a few drops from the fools nearby barely left her sated. But Aiko abhorred the idea of leaving a noticeable trail to herself. She didn't admit it - even to herself - but over a half century of digging through the dirty laundry of kindred and kine alike had left her paranoid. She shivered at the thought of unseen shadows lurking at the fringes of her unlife, stealing small clues and noticing tiny ripples left in the wake of her unnatural existence...

"Fun? No, I haven't received much work yet, unfortunately." It was hard to forget that Aiko was a stick-up-this-ass killjoy, especially not when she conflated two words of such disparate definition. "Not that that's strange; Most domains I've visited have employed a grace period for new Kindred. I'm happy to simply make my office presentable before such a time that I'm needed."


Dr. Baker's arrival is met with a slight but genuine smile. "Of course, join us Doctor Baker."

[Albert Baker]

Al nodded. He had been very busy with plans for the times when there would be more Acolytes than just him, even though these times may be yet to come...

"I have been occupied a lot with taking decisions how things need to be. There might be new Acolytes coming here someday after all..."

With a slight gesture he changed topic.

"But that is certainly of no interest to you. It's mostly work and little recreation."

Listening and looking at Aiko it seemed he remembered something that had been on his mind.

"Mrs. Hamura, I have been thinking that, once certain things have been devised, of course, there might be the necessity of a meeting of the clan. You will get a formal invitation in time, I thought I'd just mention it."

After that a slight smile appeared, as the business was done for this evening.

"How are you two doing ?"

[Helen Kingsley]

Aiko starts reminding Helen a little of Milton in a way. She's not quite sure if its the good or the bad way, though...

"An office ? Not bad, I've been working on setting stuff up for about a year now, but then, stuffs and prioities, right ? I guess having tenants available is pretty nice."

She's not even going to start considering that sort of stuff for the place she lives in, really. Nooo, thanks !

"The usual stuffs, I guess ? Going over papers, taking pictures of people who don't want them taken, some observational work, that kind ?"

Might want to inquire into the rates at some point, just for samples... As Doc Bakey joins in, some of the things repeat, even though he's also bringing family business, as it seems... Also too bad he's way too quick glossing over things, he's not gonna get off the hook that easily !

"Well, new Acolytes sounds fun, I don#t see why that shouldn't interest me... Eh, can't complain, small-small, slow-slow, but no reason to" bitch "gripe about it, really. How've you been ?"

[Aiko Hamura]

Mention of a Mekhet meeting receives a raised eyebrow from Aiko. Was the doctor alluding to some notable event occurring within Sacramento... or simply a scheduled matter that happened regularly? "I see, thank you for the forewarning, Doctor." Aiko supposes that she'll find out sooner or later.

As Helen describes her... job? Hobby? Likely the former... Aiko takes note. Having someone with a similar skill set to her own could prove useful if Aiko ever received an important job. Having someone with a working camera couldn't hurt either. Oh, Aiko needed some capital, and quite badly.

"I was just telling Ms. Kingsley that my acclimation to Sacramento has been seamless. Which unfortunately means it is too boring of a story to tell, Doctor Baker. But I agree, the prospects of Acolytes could prove interesting... if you don't mind elaborating, that is." Aiko would have added 'I wouldn't want to be nosy', if it wasn't a lie. She does want to be nosy. She just won't press the issue if he declines.

[Albert Baker]

Al nodded upon getting thanked though he was just doing what was expected.

"Think nothing of it, Mrs. Hamura. Just another part of my duty."

On the topic of elaborating he just shrugged as it was just him preparing for the day when more Acolytes came, though that day might be far.

"There is just the possibility of new Acolytes arriving in the future at the moment and preparations for that day... The temple needs to be prepared, for example. I need to think about what to do with the farm. It would probably be more and less of a problem, if there were Acolytes around to help..."

[Helen Kingsley]

"True, sounds like a lot of paperwork to deal with, especially when you're new yourself."

Makes her happy she doesn't really know if there's any Carthian stuff in town. Nothing she really has to worry about so far. Although Doc Baker makes a valid point, she'd have to come up with something once more folks turn up. She turnbs back to Aiko.

"Office means all properly licensed and that ? Like, offical and all ?"

[NotaHoneyBadger]

Aiko shrugs. "By the power vested in the Court by our most honorable Prince and her tacit approval of my presence in Sacramento, I am allowed to operate. Whatever the local kine government thinks of it is... well, irrelevant." Aiko didn't have the money for fake identification, and her twenty-something face was pushing a century old now. Too difficult to explain away, especially when she really didn't give a shit about humans and their bureaucracies anymore. "I don't plan to take many human clients, regardless. Their lives are... tedious. Base. I'd rather focus on the needs of my fellow Kindred. Speaking of..."

Turning to the doctor, Aiko switches topics. "...If you need help with manual labor, I'll do what I can. Work is slow right now, and from experience, I expect it to stay that way for a while longer. I'm at your disposal so long as I am unneeded by others."