Night Streets

[Seryna]

The night has flowed out as the shadows overtake the streets. In this area, a few streetlights flicker on. Shadows pool in the space between.
Kine are driven into vehicles or into buildings, the gentle patter of an unusual light rain appears.

Any Kindred may enter this scene.

[Otto Schneider]

The errant Priest calmly ran a hand through his rain-slicked hair and he strolled through the streets. He was going for a walk with no specific purpose in mind, a moment of leisure he hadn't had much time for recently. Sure, he'd find a meal if it was convenient, but the only real purpose was to collect his thoughts without the pressures of other Kindred bearing down around him.

Otto liked the rain. He'd had his fair share of overcast strolls through city streets in his lifetime, and he'd always found them oddly invigorating. Even though he no longer had a pulse, there was a certain serenity to be found in just walking through the rain without a care in the world. It helped that he no longer had to worry about catching a cold. It never hurt to get an up-close look at the Domain, either.

[Seryna]

The sound of the quiet night comes in short bursts. A car driving by, the occupants in lively discussion. The sounds of tires on the road. The weather is warm enough by most standards of US, although chilly by California standards. Bundled up, a woman in jewel tones paused by a streetlight. Interesting enough, she paused in the pool of darkness and not the light. She checks a display of a SAT phone. The woman glances around her, seeming to study the night. She will see Otto in a moment.

[Otto Schneider]

Otto turned, conscious of the fact that someone had drawn near to him without the Beast snarling in his mind. He blinked rapidly as blood pulsed through his dead veins to put on the pretense of life over his natural pallor. It was slightly easier to pretend he had just contended with some form of shock and that the color was only just returning to his face, though he was already thinking up lies to counter any potential questions. He managed to sight her fairly quickly, whoever she was. The Reverend thought she seemed faintly familiar but he was having a hard time getting a good look at the other figure as she stood in the dark.

"Evening." He greeted flatly, still a bit wary as to this newcomer's identity as they both stood out in the rain.

[Seryna]

The woman looks over to Otto and studies him with lively green eyes. She does not appear startled. She stands at 5'6", would appear to have an athletic build and her features were wholesome American good looks. Fair skin with light brown freckles and big, expressive eyes. The woman has dark brown hair worn down and beneath a jewel amethyst colored raincoat hood tonight.

"Evening," She responded in unaccented English. "Are you enjoying this rare weather that we are getting?" The woman asks.
"A friend asked me to meet him out here." She gestures with the unusual SAT phone.

"I have just moved to the city. He was saying there is some great night life."

[Otto Schneider]

Not a familiar face, then. The Priest mentally corrected himself, internally adjusting how he should address the stranger in light of the scant information he had. Otto ran a hand through his rain-slicked hair and gave a wan smile. "Yeah... lovely weather. At least it's not snowing." The mundanity of the small talk probably played a part, but the Ventrue found himself looking curiously at the woman's phone. It reminded him of the bulky cell phones from the 80s, but he didn't want to give away how out-of-touch he was with technological trends by asking what it was. So he ended up staring for a few seconds before clearing his throat.

"Yeah, there are some nice spots around town. Clubs, historic sites, bike tours, theaters, something for everyone." Though he had only been in town for about a year himself, he tried not to give it away. Otto rarely attended any of the city's diversion, and even then, it was almost always to feed. "I'm Thomas, by the way." He lied casually, reusing one of his biblical aliases. "What brings you to town?" He asked. The Priest scrutinized her expression, trying to gauge if the woman might be a potential source of Vitae.

[Seryna]

The woman is looking around the area around Otto. A man who stands out in a red cap, loose, dark clothing with visible tattoos on his exposed hands moves into eyesight. A dark figure seems to move out of the dark and meet the man, as they speak animatedly. The figure is under a black hood, and features cannot be made out.

"I think that would cause some excitement here," The woman responds as she looks towards Otto.
"I do like clubs. I believe that I have been to most of the ones who matter. You can call me Shae." The woman responds.
"I was compelled to see if this city could benefit from someone with my social acumen."

[Otto Schneider]

It took some force of will for Otto to bite his tongue at the stranger's response. The Lord had once belonged to the First Estate and served at the pleasure of vampiric aristocrats whose influence over mortal affairs likely extended into virtually every aspect of mortal society. In other words, he had met plenty of individuals who could rightfully brag about their 'social acumen', and Shae didn't seem to match the expectations he had built. For one, she was kine.

The Priest spared a glance in the general direction of the other strangers on the street, taking the opportunity to step a little closer to Shae before speaking. "You'll have to tell me which ones really matter, then. I'm hardly an expert." It was the truth, given the fact that Otto hadn't gone to such an establishment (outside of Domain business, such as Court) in many years. "And, you may have to explain it to me like I'm a child, I don't get out as much as I should - what do you mean by 'social acumen?' Are you some kind of celebrity?"

[Seryna]

"I recommend Phonox if you are ever in London." The woman states with quiet confidence. "You may not appreciate pop culture, yet it has been very influential over the scene. I was recently in San Diego at my Great Aunt's request. The Omnia San Diego has a very energetic scene. The DJs are considered top notch."

She smiles in a friendly manner.
"I am an influencer. Not a terrible vlogger or someone who assaults someone for likes. I meet in clubs and speak with local celebrities and community leaders. My Great Aunt was a politician and still has some deals going on that I occasionally run for her.
Like here, I am checking out some local person who made some videos about a monster. I actually visited the hotel earlier tonight and took some readings. It featured a beautiful, engaging woman who went to the camera and asked for help. And filmed a very quick fight. My Aunt is wondering if this could get a lot of traction with the Police Commissioner."

[Otto Schneider]

"London? Well, you get around a lot more than I do, that's for sure." Otto maintained an amiable tone as he made polite conversation, only partly absorbing the substance of exchange. Clubs weren't really his preferred hunting space, and he had no intent of leaving the Domain so quickly after setting down roots. But he had to at least pretend. "If you're ever in New York, you might check out 'VIRGO', it sounds like it might be your kind of place." In truth, the Ventrue had never been to the club in question and was recommending it based purely on half-remembered secondhand gossip.

When Shae used the phrase 'influencer', his first thought was whether it might be worth just making an excuse and abandoning the conversation. While it never hurt to have more Vitae, someone who filmed their life in front of obsessive audiences was probably more trouble than they were worth. But when she continued and explained her interest in the area, he instead feigned a shiver. "Yeah, I've heard about that. It's a been a part of local gossip for a few months. I could tell you all about it, but I'd prefer to get out of the rain." He cocked his head in the general direction of an overhang to see if she'd follow. This is getting out of hand.