Seras little snippet thread

By the time I made it out of the ship, there was plenty of activity, and I quickly switched back to my fancy suit as I walked down the gangplank.

The fleeing Sabbat hadn’t been stealthy, and I could hear shouting and even sirens in the distance. I quickly hurried to one of the dock carts that the workers used and drove it back to the Harbor Master's office. There was a real relief when I saw the SUV still there, with my Driver standing outside it on the phone.

There was a moment of surprise on the man's face as I drove up and stepped out.

While I was burned a little that was on my back and well hidden. Considering my suit looked immaculate I looked like I hadn’t just been in a massive firefight. I adjusted my cuffs as I walked to the car and nodded at the Driver.

“Time to go.” I told him, and headed for the passenger seat.

I didn’t really want to deal with cops or anything, and from the faint sometimes distant gunfire that was a guarantee if we stuck around.

The driver hurried to the car. But he seemed a little frazzled with the phone call and getting the car moving.

I leaned back and relaxed considering what I had just been through.

*5 Experience.*

I’d gotten a lot from that fight. Walking into the middle of a Sabbat den and all.

It was just… Irritating a bit. That fight I mean.

I didn’t like the feeling of being thrown around, but there was so little I could do about it with such low Strength.

The temptation was there to just dump everything into Strength, or better yet Potence.

But that was just reactionary. I needed a method to keep myself from falling into the same problem again.

I needed more blood. I suppose it was a pretty normal thought for Kindred.

“Ma’am?”

“Hmm?”

“Is there somewhere I’m taking you?” The Driver asked for a moment and I shook my head. “Downtown. I’m heading home. My prey escaped again. I'll need to resume the hunt later.” I sighed a little irritated that the stupid Tzimisce punk escaped.

At least he’d be hurting. Ex-Caliblast had caught him after all.

—--

I didn’t head home once I was dropped off. Instead I shifted into more casual clothes and went hunting.

Despite drinking the Lasombra I still felt empty. This late, or perhaps early would be better to say there were still people around. Homeless, prostitutes, early joggers.

I hunted a few of them, before heading home feeling much refreshed at least a little filled.

My keys jiggled a bit as I unlocked my door and stepped in. I blinked for a second as Caine was sitting on my couch already watching TV.

“I guess that means Alice is already home?” I asked, because Caine was usually good about being available for her.

He didn’t speak, but there was a tilt to his head in acknowledgement.

“My night was a bit crazy too. Not really I guess. A haunted Jail that I managed to avoid any ghosts, and a ship full of Sabbat… What do you think of the Sabbat? They worship you after all?” I asked as I walked over and flopped on the couch only to not really get an answer.

Fine. Caine was feeling less than monosyllabic tonight. “Oh nice.” This was a good episode.

I settled in to watch even as my eyes kept drifting to my Character sheet.

Five points was a lot. I could even max out something like Fortitude, which was very tempting.

Or I could max out my Regalia…

Or my Willpower, but that was the boring option. I thought about doing something big and flashy, maybe an upgrade on my Surge power, bigger attacks and stuff, but… That would take blood.

Blood that I was already struggling to gather. No, what I needed was a way to fuel the powers I already had.

My eyes closed, but I still heard the anime Caine was watching, and the request for everyone to help.

Everyone?

—--

The sun disappeared and in turn I roused myself, feeling hungry again I stretched and looked around. Caine was already gone, the anime he had been watching was paused mid scene, and I considered turning off the DVD player and stuff but…

Better to just leave Caines anime alone for now.

Instead I got up and headed for my bathroom, brushing out my hair a bit and cleaning up before heading out into the very active Downtown LA.

Feeding. Feeding Feeding!

I did it for hours, just finding lone stragglers, and taking my fill. It became less a cool Vampire thing and more a chore as the night wore on.

I was tempted to get some powers, maybe Dominate, or Obfuscate to hunt even better, but I’d be burning blood to hunt more, and so need more blood!

I tucked my current victim, a young man definitely here to party into a corner in the alley he’d been foolish enough to walk through and headed off. Almost stomping around as I realized how irritated I am by the situation.

My character sheet was almost taunting me because the answer was obviously there, but I wasn’t sure what.

I could start some rituals to store more blood and stuff, but that was kinda pointless considering my blood pool was seemingly endless.

It was a simple fact that I needed to go out and harvest blood so to speak in order to do anything cool, and that took time.

I should just go devour more Sabbat, Kindred would give me more blood… Ugh but then I’d be burning blood to hunt for sure.

I felt my cheeks puff out as I stalked down the sidewalk. This is why everyone skipped hunting while playing VtM. It was boring and annoying.

My feet took me close enough to LaCroix’s building that I realized I should really check in on Alice.

Who knew what she’d gotten up to last night?

Unfortunately she didn’t have a cell phone so I couldn’t just call her, and I’d been out hunting for a while so she was likely already running around town fixing things.

I guess I should go find Caine then. He’d know where she was.

Walking around I grabbed another bite while I could and headed to where Caine liked to park thankfully he was right there which meant Alice was around.

“Sire.” I greeted him and before I could say anything else he jerked his head and so I slipped into the taxi, settled into comfortably, only to realize I was a little bored.

I kinda sat and kicked my legs for a bit before deciding to try something, then stopped, and coughed a bit. “I uh, learned how to speak Enochian.” I offered and Caine didn’t shift or do anything. “I hope you don’t mind?”

[Tongues come and go.]

[But this one was important to you.] I spoke in turn and he finally looked away from the road ahead and to me.

Ah. Whatever was on his mind he was actually looking at me now.

[It matters not. I carry no ennui for times long past.]

I felt like I should agree, but honestly, this was downright chatty from Caine, and it certainly didn’t feel like he didn’t miss it. Which of course he now knew I was thinking.

[Forgiveness Sire.]

[No Forgiveness. No sin.]

I smiled as he absolved me of any wrongdoing. Thought crimes thankfully weren’t being held against me. [“Alice” Is nearly done with her chores.]

[The Childe is active.] Caine grumbled a bit.

[Tired of shepherding her around?]

[Tired of much.]

I hummed letting silence settle between us for a while. I looked out into the night. [I don’t enjoy hunting.] I finally said, unable to help myself.

[The Hunt is all that is left for us.]

I glanced away and wow, wasn’t that a statement that held some real weight to it.

[Do you… Do you ever miss farming?]

[No.]

[It’s just-]

[I do not.]

I was cut off, something Caine had never done before, and I got the feeling I was definitely touching on a sore subject.

Caine. The Farmer, now a Kindred, forced only to hunt.

Was that part of the punishment? A symbolic sign? I guess I’ll never know unless God or Caine actually tell me.

So I’ll stop thinking about it so my Sire will stop looking at me.

He looked away as if amused at my quailing under his gaze. Farming. Hunting. Kindred, and Blood.

I sighed as I slumped over. My Beast was quiet behind my eye. These were busy nights, but they wouldn’t always be so. I’d be able to settle myself better once Alice was alive after all this is over…

[Do you think my interest in Alice is weird? I am connected to her in a way, yet not.]

[Like what you like. Hate what you hate.]

[I hate hunting.]

My petulant response earned me an actual moment of amusement.

[If you hate it. Find a way to avoid it.]

[How?]

[You are young. Filled with young ideas.] Hmm. His last statement, translated to something like filled with the whimsy of youth, or silliness almost.

Yeah that’s fair.

I don’t like Hunting.

I mean I liked blood obviously, and I didn’t mind part of the hunt. I bet I could find someone cute that would like it. Goths were kinda like that after all.

Unless a sexy Toreador usurped my will and turned me- I coughed the daydream vanishing as I remembered who was sitting next to me.

Yep, not thinking of that anymore.

Right. The need for blood. I was powerful, I could do amazing things, but all of them were limited by blood, and limited by how much I could gather.

If I had a few years, I could just feed slowly every night and slowly build up my blood pool, but that still had the same issue!

What if I got into an awesome cool laser beam fight with a Werewolf, or another Kindred? I’d be out of blood and back to Hunting people to slowly regain blood.

No wonder the Antediluvians and Methuselah just made everyone else gather blood for them when they wanted. It was… Tedious.

My character sheet was once more in my eyes, once more on my mind.

Okay let’s break it down. I need to gather more Blood, what methods already exist?

Thaumaturgy rituals could do some stuff I think?

Yes, but no. There was some stuff about making weapons drain blood. Dracula’s Blade could do that, which was way more powerful than the normal ritual… I really needed to level up my Thaumaturgy, and maybe I’d be able to do something similar.

Blood drinking blade sounded pretty rad, Oh! I needed a month to make my Talisman as well! I could make my sword one!

That’d be cool.

But that takes a month, which is something I just don’t have.

I know I was being a bit silly. It wasn’t like I wasn’t a fucking 2nd Gen super vampire, but I still wanted to solve this problem. I could, like most ancient vampires, just dominate and control my way to having minions do all the work for me, but I didn’t really want to, or have the time for it.

Okay I sat up a bit and stretched my arms, enough complaining. I had all the solutions, I just needed to do it. So stop overthinking it.

Obviously if I wanted more Blood. I needed my Discipline to gather me more blood… With that in mind, the next point of No Life Princess was obvious.

Aaand it didn’t work. Too much to ask for yet. So I needed some middle powers. Luckily I did have some ideas.

Beast of Hermes is my Name
-Empower your Beast, now it can protect more than just your mind. Allow it’s grasping power through your shadow.

There was a moment when everything felt normal, and then my shadow surged, Fangs and faux hot breath washed over my face, as my eyes took in the glaring maw of my Beast made manifest. The shadow surrounded me, clawing at my hair and face, but never quite reaching, but there was a threat.

Loyal Beast or not. It was still a beast. But now it had a name of sorts. Now it had power.

“Heel.” I demanded firmly, pressing my Will against the Beast, and it’s almost draconic, almost wolf like head, constantly shifting as if still deciding what it wanted to be, lowered down, and for a moment I felt it under my hands, the shadow roiling and shifting, like an animal just barely letting itself be touched before it slipped away into my shadow.

[So that is your decision. Dominance?]

I looked up and Caine was looking at me, and even with his glasses I could see the glowing power in his eyes.

[No.] I denied instantly. [The Creature wants to protect me. We are the same. I control it, to free it. Now it can act if there is danger. It doesn’t need to fight me. Only others.]

Caine simply nodded. And looked away and I relaxed. That had been a bit close though. I’d definitely need to improve my Willpower…

Uuuugh! Okay shake it off. Focus on the goal.

The next step-

“Need a lift?” Caine’s voice interrupted me and I looked up.

“Pfft!’ I couldn't help but instantly start fighting back a laugh. Alice had walked up while I was distracted but she had a literal backpack that had the axe handle sticking out of it.

It looked ridiculous!

“What is that!?” I couldn’t help but giggle as I took in what she had done. Obviously walking around with a full sized battle axe would be a bit hard, so she’d concealed it how she could.

“Its all I could find.” She said, sounding very put out after a few seconds.

The old sports backpack was stretched a bit to fit the axe and I had a feeling it was probably already cutting through the fabric.

Hilarious.

“Whatever.” She grumbled ignoring me for a second. “I need to go to the Society of Leopold Monastery outside of LA. Do you uh, know where that is?”

“Get in.” Caine rumbled, and Alice hesitated for a second as if unsure if he actually would get her there before sliding into the back seat.

“Ah, dealing with Hunters huh?”

“Yeah seems so.”

“Want some help?” I offered and she sent me a look that made me want to pout.

“Last time you helped I went through an entire sewer fighting monsters. When there was a back entrance.”

“You needed to clear out the meatballs to release the Nosferatu anyways… And I helped!”

“Barely.”

“I gave you a magic axe!”

“Yeah… Thanks. It probably saved my life. I fought these Chinese vampires.”

“Kuei-Jin. They’re not Kindred. Something else, and they really really don’t like us.”

“Wait really?” She asked, and I nodded. “Yeah they operate on a really different… way of looking at things. They want us gone, don’t trust them. Especially their leader.” I added waving a finger at her, and she sort of took that in and huffed.

“Don’t trust them, don’t trust Kindred, don’t trust humans. Who can I trust?” She mocked sounding pretty bitter.

“The strength of your arm.” We both looked as Caine spoke, and I couldn’t help but nod a bit.

“Yourself. That’s who you can trust… And while it seems a little ironic, I’m trying to be truthful with you.”

“Yeah? Then what’s in the Sarcophagus, why does everyone I meet either tell me to open it, or not to open it?”

My jaw clamped shut as Alice asked the question that I couldn’t answer.

“I can’t answer that.”

“Tsk.” She let out obviously frustrated.

“Don’t open it.” I told her. “I promise you’ll find out what’s in it, but don’t open it. When this is all over, I’ll tell you everything I know about the situation. It’ll be good for you. Give you perspective on how the Anarchs, Camarilla, and even the Sabbat work. But I can’t explain now.”

“Greeeat.” She grumbled head flopping back in the back seat.

I sighed myself and rested back against the chair side eyeing Caine but he ignored me.

Fine. I’ll keep playing along but I’m tattling to her the moment this is all over.

“You want help with the Hunters?”

“Yeah.” She finally said and I felt a little bit better. I’d have to be super cool and prove that I was a trustworthy senpai!

Now did saying that make me feel like a cat?

—--

The Monastery was exactly what it said on the tin. Near the ocean on the cliffs it was a church that had a massive underground section. That’s where the Hunters, Bach specifically was keeping the Dr. Ingvar. Alice had filled me in on the way.

“So how do you want to do this?” I asked Alice, as we both stepped out of the car.

“I don’t know. I’m just going to do what I’ve always done.” She whispered but I could see the way she was already reaching for her Axe.

“Alright. Just a heads up. Hunters tend to use Military equipment, and they know they’re at a disadvantage against Kindred. So watch out for traps.”

“Right.” She grunted but as we stepped through the little path between rocks that led to the Monastery it was obvious we weren’t alone.

She reached up and grabbed the axe pulling it free of the backpack and holding it ready, while I held out a hand and my Beast rose, it’s maw grabbing my hand like a less than playful dog, but then as it retreated my sword was revealed.

“Show off.” Alice grumbled at me, and I was smiling at her tone.

“Don’t be jealous.” I snarked at her smiling and she just huffed.

“Come on. I want to get done with this tonight.” She started hurrying forward, Axe ready, and I couldn’t help but think she was a bit… Aggressive for a girl without Fortitude.

She did have a nice armored coat though, so I guess it balances out.

I chased after her, and we came across the first Hunter.

Holy shit! I grabbed her and pulled her behind me just in time, as the Hunter unloaded with an assault rifle.

I hunkered in front of her for a second as he shot into me.

Ow.

But I was fine, and when he was done, stopping his fire to see if I was dead, Alice moved, shooting out a Blood Strike which slammed into him earning a loud scream on the winds as she charged.

He didn’t survive her thunking her axe through his shoulder.

“You okay?” She called out, and I grunted, wiggling a bit and feeling all the bullets rain off my back.

“Fine.” I confirmed, and then because any chance for secrecy was now gone, I summoned my armor.

Alice turned from picking up the assault rifle, the woman had been looking at it curiously before flinching as she took me in.

“Right the armor.”

“It’s cool right? If it wasn’t so inconvenient to put on and off, I’d offer to make you some. Maybe another time.” I offered and she actually perked up a bit at that.

Yeees. Magical armor is very tempting! See I’m nice!

I stopped though as Alice was messing with the Steyr Aug knockoff, the dead Hunter was leaving a lot of perfectly good blood around.

My Character sheet popped up, and I went back to my choices.

The last upgrade had been the Bird of Hermes. Giving the Beast access to my shadow without my direct control.

Each step of my Regalia always did some sort of upgrade on the previous.

First had been Clothing. Then a pseudo Leather, making it stronger. Then metal. Then forcing blood into that metal to cause it to surge forth.

Then a new path.

Sealing the beast. Reducing its strength over me, splitting the Beast a bit from me. Then Courting the Beast. Syncing it back to myself. This time with its new freedoms giving me a second mind to defend against attacks.

Then I named the beast. I hadn’t had a chance to use it yet, but the beast in my shadow could be quite aggressive if anything approached me. My Shadow could now act without my focus to defend or attack.

But now? The next step.

Eating my Wings to make me Tame
-One is two, and two is one. Give body to the Beast. Let all know that you and you alone are the master.

I shivered as the dot was spent.

Instantly it surged. The draconic wolf, that my Beast still hadn’t chosen one or the other, surged up out of my shadow.

Alice instantly jumped back, nearly stumbling as a massive creature stepped out of my shadow. Fully actualized. Free.

Instantly my beast started lapping at the bloody remains with a shadowy tongue, revealing the massive fangs riddling its maw, before biting down. There was a moment as it shifted back and dragged the dead body entirely back with it into my shadow.

The body along with all the blood staining the floor was now gone.

I felt the surge of Blood filling me instantly.

Okay… I had kind of thought about it more like just drinking all the blood that would be left around, not so much stealing entire bodies, but I’d pretend that didn’t just happen.

“What? The hell is that?” Alice asked, having backed up a wide way back. How to explain this? I’d have to really think it over, and give a strong explanation so Alice could understand.

Of course while my brain was thinking that my mouth was already moving.

“That’s my Beast. I call him Snuggims.”

Fuck.