Golconda
“According to Hazel, Beckett should be here tomorrow so we’ve all gathered here to get some more fresh blood samples for him to look at so Ruby can show him. If we’re lucky Nikos will make an appearance tonight as well,” Cinder informed the group that had gathered in her office.
Winter seemed fine, but clearly there were issues with the other group that needed to be addressed, or they needed more time together not dealing with...all of this. Perhaps it would be wise to find an excuse for them to spend more time alone.
Between two-thirds of them working, and the other training and following clues on rogue vampires that weren’t in attendance at the club it wasn’t all that surprising they hadn’t had much time together.
“Until then we’re clear so we have a bit of time. If you three wanna hang out here that’s fine, but as for you,” Cinder said, turning toward Winter. “Care to dance?”
Winter smiled softly and took the offered hand.
“Don’t get anything on my couch cushions,” Cinder snarked as she left the room leaving two-thirds of the trio a flustered mess as Ruby snickered at their faces.
“Well that was obvious huh?” Ruby said with a smirk at the other two.
“Only mostly, but she’s not wrong. We kinda rushed things a bit. I know Velvet got her talk with Coco out of the way, and we’ve talked a little bit, but we don’t know each other all that well,” Ruby said, gesturing to Weiss.
“And I’ve worked with Velvet for a while so I know stuff like her birthday, and how pretty she is in any form,” Ruby said as Velvet still managed to turn red at the blatant compliment, “but not really much else.”
“And we’ve been apart for several years aside from calls or occasional coffees, and the two of us have only just met really,” Weiss admitted as she looked between the two.
“We should…go on more dates,” Velvet put forward her solution almost instantly even as she reddened a bit more as Weiss chuckled.
“That sounds very doable,” Weiss said, “but we should also spend some time just talking. I don’t think there’s any better place than here for all the sort of ‘not normal’ stuff to talk about.”
“Makes sense,” Ruby said as she ran a hand through Velvet’s hair with a smile as the girl dropped her head on Ruby’s shoulder.
“Tired?”
“A bit. Working on transforming is hard to do when I’ve spent my whole life trying not to do it. Did you learn anything from the holy water?” Velvet asked as Weiss perked up at the question eager to learn.
“Some stuff,” Ruby admitted, slipping into lecture mode. “I’ll wait til everyone is here to talk about it in detail but the way it reacts to various people is crazy. When a normal person like me uses it?” Ruby said and dropped a few drops on herself to no effect.
“It’s just water, same for Velvet,” Ruby said as she put a few drops on Velvet’s outstretched hand.
“Why does it smell like lemon?” Velvet asked.
“I wanted to see if it changed any of the properties if you added stuff to it and lemon flavoring is basically nothing.”
“You drank some of it didn’t you?” Weiss said with a knowing look. Ruby fidgeted before caving and nodding her head.
“I just had to know! For science!”
“It’s alright," Weiss assured her. "I did it too a while ago, and Winter told me she did the same before,” Weiss confided in them.
“Yes! I knew you were cool!” Ruby cheered before she switched back into lecture mode.
“So you guys bless your own water usually, right?” Ruby asked as Weiss nodded.
“Natural spring water and salt is usually enough along with belonging to a church or parish to allow us to do so, although we do sometimes get it from a higher ranked clergy member if we feel we need some with more of a kick I guess you could say,” Weiss informed them. “We don’t drink that water though since it’s too valuable to waste.”
“Does it matter who blesses it?” Velvet asked as Ruby nodded.
“The water I got earlier was what I just sprinkled on your hand, and here you too Weiss,” Ruby said as Weiss obliged and let Ruby drop a few drops of water on the back of her fingers.
“Now here’s some I got someone else to bless for a ‘donation’,” Ruby said as she took out another container and used an eye dropper to put a few drops on Velvet once more, and then herself with no reaction before she turned to Weiss.
“I suspect this will be different for you,” Ruby said, making sure Weiss was ok with it as she held out her arm and Ruby dropped a few drops onto it.
At first nothing happened before the stinging started and then she gasped as it began to burn. Thankfully Ruby had anticipated that and wiped it away with some antiseptic wipes.
“I don’t understand,” Weiss admitted as she looked at her hand.
“Ruby said your blood was kind of like Cinder’s didn’t she?” Velvet asked as she looked at Weiss’s minor burns.
“Right. You’re clearly not a vampire or ghoul, you heal quickly, and you go out in the sun no problem despite not being nearly as old, but for some reason holy water you don’t create is moderately painful to you even though it doesn't do anything to ghouls!”
“Moderately my ass,” Weiss grumbled as Ruby pressed a kiss onto her forehead.
“I’m sorry,” Ruby apologized as Velvet flopped over onto Ruby and by extension Weiss’s lap to hug her around her middle.
“She’s an adorable one isn’t she?” Ruby joked as she lightly traced her hands over Velvet’s sides.
“That she is,” Weiss agreed as she rested her hand on Ruby’s which lay on Velvet’s middle.
“What does this all mean?” Weiss asked as she looked at her hand.
“I can only guess, really, but I tested the water on two vampires whose blood Cinder got for me. One was hers but she wouldn’t tell me who the other was.”
“What happened?” Weiss asked.
“You won’t believe this, but it barely reacts to Cinder’s blood. Like at all. It sizzled a little but it does less to her than you!”
“And the other vampire?”
“Not a thing,” Ruby said, clearly excited. “Cinder gave me this book, and it mentioned Golconda.”
“I don’t know what that is,” Weiss said as Velvet turned over to look up at the two and nodded in agreement, looking content as her ears remained relaxed on her head.
“According to the book it’s some mystic enlightenment the antediluvian of the Salubri, Saulot, achieved after a lot of work and effort. It granted every one of his clan a third eye or something in the middle of the forehead.”
“So what does it actually do?” Weiss asked.
“And I thought Cinder said there weren’t a lot of them left. Can only they do it then?”
“It’s all vague because some people say it’s a myth, and the anything the Tremere book says about the Salubri is that they’re devils and it’s horrible, and most things only mentioned it tangentially if at all.
From the books she gave me, I figured out a little bit, but it does mention any vampire is capable of attempting to reach it regardless of clan,” Ruby explained as she tapped on the books on the table.
“So once they attain it, it basically makes them about as close to a human as they can ever be as a vampire but better. They get even stronger, and they lose most if not all the weaknesses of a vampire including their clan weaknesses!” Ruby said excitedly. “They can even drink waaaaay less blood. Like we’re talking about feeding once a month instead of every day or so!”
“That’s a lot of positives. Why don’t more of them attempt to get ‘enlightened?” Velvet asked as she leaned into Weiss’s hand.
“That’s the bad part,” Ruby admitted as she winced.
"It’s like a spiritual journey. You have to meditate and work through all the things you’ve done, feel remorse over the cruel things you did, and then there’s apparently like a spirit quest thing that’s a final test no one can really describe and is different for everyone.
If you fail then that’s it. You can’t try again, and apparently failing is so painful because you experience true comfort and peace for an instant and you know you’ll never feel it again. It drives you mad almost every time,” Ruby said seriously.
“...wow,” Velvet said, looking shocked.
“There’s a reason you brought this up,” Weiss said.
“Yeah, you mentioned how Cinder wasn’t like you thought? I think she might be trying to attain Golconda. The book mentions she probably needs a mentor which I assume is her master since she says they’re a nice person. It would explain why the holy water doesn’t do anything to her, or well not much I guess,” Ruby said with a shrug.
“Don’t older vampires get to be immune to it though?” Velvet asked as Ruby shrugged again.
“I know less than Weiss does so I mean I’m just guessing here. We can always ask Cinder I suppose, but I’d rather talk about you guys now til Pyrrha gets here,” Ruby said. “If you want to, I mean,” Ruby added.
“I guess I’ll get the heavy stuff out of the way, and talk about…my mom,” Velvet said as she curled up on their laps.
Weiss shot Ruby a look who nodded as they both laid down on the couch with Velvet between them.
“So shortly after you left, Weiss, my mom…”
“They’ve agreed to let us have a look around the property,” Emerald said from where she sat recuperating in the hotel bed shooting a glare at the short girl in their hotel room who was signing with Penny who was gasping in delight at the stories they were sharing.
“How many did you have to fight?” Penny asked as Neo held up four fingers. “And what happened?”
Neo signed a few signs.
“To shreds you say?” Penny asked cutely with a head tilt before Neo nodded and signed once more.
“Oh fleshcrafting? I don’t know I’ve always sort of known how to do a lot of the basic things ever since I woke up. Almost like an instinct,” Penny admitted as a hole opened in her hand before closing again as she signed back to Neo.
“If you’re not feeling up for it,” Hazel interrupted, drawing the room's attention to himself. “You can rest here while we,” Hazel gestured at Penny, “go see what we can find.”
“No way! I can help, I’m sure of it,” Emerald said as she tried to sit up but winced.
Neo flipped through a few hand signs Penny translated. “She says you will likely not be combat ready for another day or so while you replenish your chi friend Emerald.” Penny translated until Neo poked her and continued to sign.
“She says if you were a better fighter it wouldn’t have happened.” Penny reported as Emerald growled and snatched her gun off the nightstand before Hazel grabbed it out of her hands.
“You’ll be staying behind then. No arguments,” Hazel ordered when Emerald opened her mouth to protest. “Neo will be staying with you as she can’t go out during the day at all.”
“Why not?” Emerald asked in disgust.
“Her kind rot in the day if they’re exposed to sunlight. I doubt she could stand more than an hour at best.”
Neo nodded in agreement with his assessment not seeming to find that upsetting.
“I am sure friend Neo will do her best to make sure you come to no harm!” Penny assured her mint-haired friend who shot her a look of betrayal as Neo smirked behind Penny’s back at Emerald. She then crossed her finger over her throat which melted into a smile as she laid her hands under her chin when Penny turned around and nodded pleasantly.
Hazel smirked, having seen the entire thing as he stood up.
“What time do we need to be there?”
“They just said give them a twenty minute advance notice and whenever is fine,” Emerald relayed from the email.
“Awfully accommodating,” Hazel remarked with a considering look.
“May as well do it now before it gets too late and suspicious. You sure you’ll be alright in the sun, young one?” Hazel asked as Penny nodded.
“Affirmative. It will not be pleasant but I have a few precautions I can take to make it bearable,” Penny said, missing Neo’s brief look of interest.
“Did they say who would be meeting us?” Hazel asked the bed bound vampire who grumbled but went back to the email again to check.
“No, just a servant who could guide us and give us a tour.”
“I see. May as well tell them we’ll be there within the hour. If you don’t hear from us before midnight then assume the worst and get back to our master,” Hazel instructed Emerald although he looked to make sure Neo understood he was including her in that.
Despite the frown on her face Neo slowly nodded clearly reluctant to follow the order for some reason.
She did however make sure to wave to Hazel and then sign very carefully to Penny who beamed and signed in return.
Emerald sighed as she heard the footsteps fade and decided to lie back and just try to recuperate whatever the hell chi was for now.
At least until a pillow impacted her face. Ignoring it proved to be a mistake as Neo began throwing heavier items until she paid attention to her.
“And that’s all I can remember about my mother without the headaches really getting to me. Winter can remember slightly more but not much,” Weiss admitted as she rubbed her forehead.
Velvet leaned forward and gave her a tight hug as Ruby kissed her forehead and then copied Velvet.
“Well, like I mentioned before I’ve only really had one girlfriend before. I really loved her you know? But much like my parents one day she was just gone. Murdered, and they’ll probably never find out who did it,” Ruby said sadly.
“I have some less than reputable contacts I can have look into it if you want me to,” Weiss offered as Ruby considered it for a moment before shaking her head.
“At this point I don’t know if I want to open those wounds up again. I’m more interested in our future,” Ruby said looking at both Weiss and Velvet.
Weiss sent a quick look to Velvet who nodded signaling they’d talk about it later before they wrapped Ruby up in a hug.
“Miss Nikos you’re expected. It mentioned you might have a guest?” The doorman asked as Pyrrha nodded to Yang who was speaking with someone else before jogging over to her girlfriend.
Yang took Pyrrha’s arm as they ascended the stairs and made their way to the club where they spotted Cinder dancing with her new girlfriend.
Said woman caught their eye and motioned toward her office.
Mercury gave them a quick once over before standing aside and letting them inside only to blink at finding her sister on the couch with the other two woman from before.
“So the after date went well then?” Yang joked as Velvet squeaked.
Ruby rolled her eyes at her sister and sighed before gently shifting Velvet over to Weiss and holding out a hand for Pyrrha to shake which she did.
“Hello again Ruby,” Pyrrha said, giving her a hug until she heard a low growl and saw Velvet looking at them with narrowed eyes and smiled before letting Ruby go.
“Hey, ready for some blood work?” Ruby joked as she began explaining what had been going on and what she needed from Pyrrha.
Yang moved over and sat between her sister’s two…girlfriends? Maybe. She’d need to ask so she could tease properly later.
“So you two dating my sister?” Yang asked with a grin.
“Is your sister always so good at getting people to like her?” Weiss asked with a glower at Pyrrha who was standing a bit too close to Ruby for her liking. Even if they were drawing blood.
Watching Ruby gently, in her view, put a hand on Pyrrha’s arm as she slowly, much too slowly, used a syringe to extra the blood was grating her nerves.
“She’s always been good at that. You keep her away from my girlfriend so she doesn’t accidentally seduce her away from me,” Yang joked although the serious look Velvet and Weiss shot her made her realize they didn’t know that.
“Look they’ve known each other for years. She introduced Pyrrha to me. You really have nothing to worry about,” Yang tried to reassure them.
“Sorry. We just only really met and this is all new to us so…”
“I get it. You’re not secure in your relationship yet. Trust me on this then. Ruby is very loyal, and so is Pyrrha so you got nothing to worry about there,” Yang saw gesturing to the two where Ruby was examining the blood already and talking with a serious looking Pyrrha.
“Ruby did mention her old girlfriend she seemed to adore that was murdered,” Velvet said and ignored the look Yang shot her at that.
“Anything interesting?” Cinder asked as she and Winter came into the room.
“Yes, and no,” Ruby said as she explained what she’d found.
“Unlike with Weiss, holy water doesn’t do anything to Pyrrha or her blood at all. She has most of the same advantages Weiss has but without any of the vampire blood or whatever is floating around in your veins.
Honestly if anything I would say Pyrrha’s blood or cells are stronger, and yours seem almost like an attempt to copy hers,” Ruby said as she gestured to the results. “It appears perfectly human just, better in every way I can think to measure,” Ruby concluded.
Weiss ignored the urge to feel offended that Ruby had said Pyrrha was stronger than her if only because she was simply stating facts as they were displayed.
“Ah, has Cinder told you about what she’s planning on doing?” Pyrrha asked as she looked at the books on the table and placed the books she was returning on the desk.
“We kinda guessed she might be based on some other stuff, but she didn’t tell us,” Ruby answered looking toward the vampire.
“I was trying to keep it a secret until it was actually done,” Cinder said with an eye roll, “but I should have known you’d get into it somehow.”
“Nikos is helping me with testing myself, along with my master.”
“How does Pyrrha help?” Winter asked interested in what her girlfriend was doing and if she could help.
“I smite the wicked, vampires among them when needed. I can help someone see the nature of their soul,” Pyrrha answered with a bright grin at odds with her words.
“She’s been helping me make sure my remorse is genuine, and I’m as close to perfect as I can be before actually trying this thing. My master could do it, but I’m trying not to rely on them for everything,” Cinder said.
“Has your master actually achieved whatever it is?” Yang asked curiously from the couch.
Cinder merely nodded. “They have, and with how low a generation I can only assume they are, and the well of strength this supposedly grants?” Cinder shivered.
“Good thing they’re a nice person then right?” Ruby said to try and cheer her up.
“Right. At any rate let’s do it real quick,” Cinder said holding out her hand.
Pyrrha nodded and took out a silver crucifix and held it up as she began to say something too low for Weiss to make out.
The words very clearly had an effect though as the cross began to glow and almost appeared to heat up before Pyrrha gently kissed it and then after Cinder nodded she placed it in her hands.
Cinder held onto it for over a minute without much if any discomfort before Pyrrha took it back to her hand.
“I’d say you’re probably as close as you’re going to be, to being ready,” Pyrrha said, “in my own opinion that is.”
“Thanks. I’ll…probably have to talk with my master, but…I don’t know,” Cinder said, seeming unsure.
“Cold feet?” Yang asked as she came to stand next to Pyrrha.
“I’ve never had so much to lose before,” Cinder answered honestly as she lightly trailed a hand over Winter’s face. "Actually finding peace in my mind and not having to worry about going into a frenzy looking for blood, or losing my mind to bloodlust is something I've always wanted, but then I met Winter."
“Thank you for taking the time to show us around,” Penny said with a bright grin toward the servant who merely nodded and began to show them around the manor.
“Does anyone still live here or did he buy it for resale purposes?” Hazel asked the servant who paused his explanation to blink at him.
“As far as I know the master still uses it, but I’m afraid he’s a night owl constantly tinkering in his lab at all hours, and only coming up on rare occasions when he needs to pass on instructions” The servant informed him.
“That sounds fascinating! What does he make?” Penny asked and the servant actually broke out into a small grin at that.
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you exactly what. Trade secrets, or so I’m told,” the man said.
“We understand,” Hazel said as the servant showed them the upstairs library.
“Do you know whatever happened to the people that used to live here?”
“I’m afraid not. All I know was that the mother disappeared apparently, and her daughter’s didn’t want any reminders around because it was too painful, or so I’m told,” the servant replied.
“That’s terrible!” Penny said with a hand over her mouth.
“Unfortunately such is the way of things sometimes. Now would you like to see the bedrooms?” The servant asked and Penny nodded.
As soon as the servant turned around Hazel struck quickly striking his carotid artery rendering the man unconscious for a few moments.
Penny caught him before he hit the ground, and Hazel muttered something as the man was lulled into a dreamless sleep and Penny positioned him into the armchair in the room.
“What now?” Penny asked after making sure the servant would sleep comfortably.
“We do a quick search for any book that might be of use, and check the office for any hidden journals perhaps. We won’t have much time though,” Hazel said looking at Penny.
“We shall split up! I am research ready!” Penny declared instantly going over the shelves and through book titles at an astonishing speed.
“We leave before the hour is over. If you haven’t seen me then make your way back to the hotel on your own and I’ll meet you there,” Hazel instructed Penny who gave a snappy salute and continued looking over the books.
Hazel walked quietly although there didn’t seem to be much in the way of security or even other servants aside from one he heard downstairs in what he assumed was a kitchen of some sort.
The door to the study wasn’t even locked. Nothing about this made much sense.
He looked over the room and went to work trying to find something, anything that could be of use.
Various papers, documents, legal agreements. Several more documents written in languages he couldn’t read at all but seemed important. A few pictures on his phone would have to do for now.
He paused as he thought he heard something but when he glanced around he didn’t see or hear anything aside from the fire in the fireplace crackling.
No catches in the drawers, no hidden buttons, or latches. A small bookshelf he went over to had several books of handwritten notes, but they were clearly a man’s hand and not signed by the mother.
A.W. Must have been the one who now owned the mansion.
He flicked through a few before stopping. Wedged behind was a small journal that appeared out of place as if it had fallen and gotten wedged between shelves just out of sight from a casual observer.
Compared to how uniform the others were, it was strikingly different.
He pulled it out and turned the front to see Willow Schnee on the cover with excellent penmanship.
He quickly secreted it into a hidden pocket inside his jacket and left the room after making sure everything was as it was before he entered.
He quickly retrieved Penny and left to return to their hotel not spying either set of eyes watching them from a camera that followed them out of sight.
“Did the doctor miss a book?” Tyrian teased the man who smirked at him.
“Of course not. It will tell them exactly what I need it to while ‘giving away’ just enough to make it seem legitimate,” Watts said as he turned away from the camera.
“Oh ho using a mother’s last words in such a way! The dark mother would be proud,” Tyrian praised.
Watts took the compliment in the spirit it was meant. No need to antagonize Tyrian over something so minor.
Watts shrugged and turned to his companion. “Betrayal has its consequences and even if the play fails it will serve its purpose buying us time, or perhaps assisting in your mission. The arrangements have already been made,” Watts said holding out a backpack, Tyrian's preferred way of carrying things, to the man and waited on him to take it.
Tyrian took the outstretched supply pack and smirked before giving a salute.
“Wish me luck!” Tyrian said with a mocking bow.
“May the dark mother guide your hand,” Watts said using one of cult Tyrian was in favored phrases knowing it would invigorate him and he’d work even harder.
Such a useful pawn.
Tyrian smiled and practically skipped out of the room giggling.
After the footsteps faded Watts turned back to his terminal and pulled up his notes before getting back to work.
He made only a single note about the nights events and then put it out of his mind as he got back to experimenting.