[Melody Drake] Lukas suggested she make herself known to Sarita, so she is making herself known to Sarita. A little communication leads her to the loft where the Ragabash Elder usually stays. She’s dressed in a grey suit today, feminine, her hair wound at the base of her neck. Immaculate, since she has no idea what Sarita is like, and one should always make a good impression.
Adjusting her purse over one shoulder and tucking her phone away, she heads up and rings the door, clasping her hands politely in front of her as she waits.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] After returning from her Auspice challenge Friday morning, Sarita spent a good part of Friday just sleeping. It was a long, grueling test and she had barely been able to make it to her bedroom before passing out. The weekend was taken to recuperate–and meet a new kinfolk to her tribe in the city–until today.
Today, she’s been very in and out. Her rest accomplished, the Strider is now in work-mode. And while it may surprise some, she’s been very industrious, making phone calls and running in and out to check on various things. The always-joking Ragabash is taking her role seriously, it would seem. She’s in at the moment, taking a little bit of time from her running around and networking to relax. Which means that she’s out in the garage, working on her Bus. Working on her vehicle is a calming thing for her.
Her head pokes up when she hears the knock, and she rolls out from under the van, wiping her hands on a rag.
Melody finds Lucille opening the door. The stout, mature Hispanic woman lets Melody in, telling her that Miss Katherine and Mister Lukas are unavailable, but Miss Sarita is in the garage if that is who she is looking for. Well…until that moment, as Sarita is just walking in while Lucille explains such.
[Carter Roth] Life in the Loft, or as Carter preferred to refer to it privately, the gilded cage, was a life of routine for the wayward kin. He would wake, swim, exercise and go to work. He had just returned from the lab infact, returned from the job that did not suit the look of the man but none the less he held too it, pushed on, it was really his style after all.
His time at the loft had not been an entire loss though, Sarita could attest to that, when he had first arrived Carter had been mean, twitchy, vulgar and outright aggressive one might have compared him to a wild dog, the cunning nasty type that you didn’t want to turn your back on. But in the weeks he had been there, he had softened, certainly not the point where he was friendly and joking with all the big furballs, but he gave them a grudging respect, conversed without being cornered, and even partook in meals and any cleaning that might be necessary.
Infact that was what he was doing now, in his old ratty leather jacket, made of far to many patches of leather. He was taking the garbage out, doing the old maid a bit of a favour it seemed. He was out the side when he heard the doorbell ring, and his eyes narrowed as he wondered who was here now, as he stepped back in through the side entrance and slowly made his way towards the front door.
[Melody Drake] “Yes, that’s who I’m looking for actually,” she answers Lucille quietly, thanking her for letting her in. her eyes drift though when Sarita walks in, her head inclining ever so faint. “Miss Ecos de la Risa, I presume?”
The name isn’t lost on her, not at all. But as of now, it’s a last name, and unless Sarita indicates otherwise, she’ll keep calling her that. She’s not been entirely invited in yet, so she remains in the entryway, amber eyes focused on the Strider.
[Daoi Gladecu] *Daoi came. She had not visited her employee in his new inviornment. And was suitably impressed when she left her car and limp her way over the pavement. In one hand was a black cain with a gold wolf’s head on it. She used it to balance out the face that one of her legs didn’t work to well. On that same hand was a large gold ring with another head of a wolf, two twisted tounge came out , above which two yellow topaz eyes watched accusingly.
She was dressed in black slacks and lofters, under her sturdy peacoat was a white pressed sure. Everything she wore was pratical and of good quality. Dark grey eyes watched the place. Scaring along one side of her face pulled a little bit as she turned her head. The scaring looked like claw marks to those who knew what to look for. It broke an eyebrow into two and made an eyelid sag. She limped up to the front door and perceeded to knock*
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She’s just coming around the corner when Melody mentions her name to Lucille, and she grins when Melody addresses her. The Strider is in a black tank-top, with a couple of spots from oil on it and a pair of jeans. She’s always careful not to leave any mess around–the last thing she needs is Katherine freaking out on her–but you can’t do a little work without getting dirty.
“Oh god, please…it’s Sarita. Miss Ecos de la Risa makes me sound like a Spanish teacher in San Antonio or some shit.” She looks Carter’s way, giving him a smile and nod, then looks back to Melody and extends her hand. “I’m Sarita, yeah. Nice to meet you.”
She looks at the door when the knock is heard, and she waves Lucille off. She can answer a door right in front of her, she says to the woman in their native language. Lucille rolls her eyes and heads back further into the house as Sarita heads to the door with an “excuse me,” to Melody. The door is opened for Daoi.
[Carter Roth] As was so often the case, Carter tended to stay in the distance, stay at the edge of the room when the Garou congregated, it was his way of feeling out what was going on, he very rarely asked if he could join, instead waiting for someone to call him over, or to feel it was right. It wasn’t timidity, it was simply wariness of the creatures he lived with.
He did however nod in return to Sarita as she acknowledge him, and he took a moment to lean against the wall and watch the new comer for a few long moments.
[Daoi Gladecu] *The door was opened and Daoi looked at Sarita and Melody in a bit of supprise as the rage from the two billowed out.*
Ah thank you ma’am, I’m looking for Mr. Roth?
*She sais her head tilted to the side and her good brow up. Her voice was light and polite with just a bit of a Slavic accent*
[Melody Drake] “Melody Drake,” she answers, taking Sarita’s hand with a faint smile. “I’ll make sure to stick to Sarita then, it’s nice to meet you as well. Lukas-rhya said I should make myself known to you.”
Amber eyes looked over at Carter when he came into her field of vision, scrutinizing if only for a moment. Then there is a nod, an acknowledgement, before she looks to whomever Sarita let in. She takes in Daoi as well, staying quietly out of the way for the moment. Truthfully, while there’s Rage from her… there’s not all that much of it.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Hey…yeah, come on in. I’m Sarita.” She doesn’t know Doai, but the woman’s Shadow Lord breeding speaks plainly to the Strider, and she smiles as she steps aside to let her in. “Hey Carter, you got a guest.”
Once Daoi’s passed by, she smiles to Melody. “Lukas said you should say hi…I’m gonna guess that’s cause you’re along my particular moon phase lines?”
[Carter Roth] Melody scrutinized him, and Carter scrutinzed her back. Perhaps it was a mutual thing, maybe…maybe they thought of each other as predators, or perhaps they were just unfamiliar people in an unfamiliar setting trying to understand each other.
Carter of course sang with the feeling of thunder in him, Melody could feel it, Sarita could as well, but it was to Melody that it really called, really struck a blow in deep personal places. Of dark mountain tops and storms that spoke to the primal side of the trueborn.
Carter is polite, and he returns the nod, but his attention is drawn away as Daoi makes her appearance and Sarita tells him that he has a guest. “Good eye Sarita.” He says with a droll tone as he stepped closer and nodded to Daoi.
“Hey Doc, whats brings you by?”
[Daoi Gladecu] Daoi Gladecu…thank you agian.
*she says to Sarita as she walks in and limps past her to Carter*
I got bord, though I would come and see your cage.
*she gives him a half smile. House is quiet without you cursing the air blue.
[Melody Drake] … it seems there were a lot of Thunder’s Children here in the city.
There is, perhaps, a small shift when Carter’s breeding becomes readily apparent, that kind of call she’s still not used to. She wonders, briefly, if that was what she used to do back in Seattle and then dismisses the thought; she doesn’t have time for it. Briefly, she watches the kin interact, eyes narrowing at Carter’s statement to Sarita and Daoi’s talk of a cage, but she has business to attend.
Snapping her gaze back to Sarita, she smiles faintly again. “Correct. To be specific, Cliath Shadow Lord Ragabash, also known as Sweet Whispers.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] The comment from Carter rolls right off her back. If anything, she takes it as teasing. Of course, with Carter it could be more, but Sarita’s been very good–as she usually is–about no-selling any potential barbs. She gives the man a grin and a wink, then looks back over to Melody, taking in her name, her rank, and such. There’s a little nod.
“Nice to meet you, Melody. “arita Echos-of-Laughter. Cliath No-Moon of Owl’s brood, Unbrokenite, and Silent Strider and Ragabash Elder in the city.” She smiles. “C’mon, let’s get out of the doorway. Anyone want a drink?”
It’s directed to Carter and Daoi as much as it is Melody, as she makes her way toward the kitchen.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[Add an S in there as appropriate. 😛 ]]
[Melody Drake] “Water would be welcome.” She murmurs to Sarita, following her out of the entry way, eyes flicking around the loft curiously.
[Daoi Gladecu] ((Hey all just got a call from work, i gotta go, sorry!! Just say Daoi got a phone call and had to runish))
[Carter Roth] “We still have that whiskey hanging around.” Carter asks as he looks at Sarita with a questioning but guarded look. He then returned his gaze to the Doc and grinned rakishly at her.
“Well ain’t that sweet of you Doc taking time out of your busy free to go anywhere schedule to see the locationally challenged.” He said with a light laugh. “Besides, i think I was killing the refinement of your place with all my swearing.”
He actually moved to follow along behind the garou. It was then that Daoi got her call and Carter waved her off. “Thanks for stoppin by Doc.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “One water, one whiskey.” She waves to Daoi when she has to run off, and goes to get the drinks. For her part, she makes a mixed drink and brings the other two’s drinks out to them in the living room. “Just arrived in the city then?” she says to Melody as she takes a seat.
[Melody Drake] There is a murmured thank you to Sarita at the water, and she sits down after the other woman has. “Yes. I’ve been here about a week now.”
[Carter Roth] Carter for himself seems to consider what to do. He could go off on his own, do some more exercises. Or he could hang around the pair of garou who were surely going to talk business and ignore him for the most part. Amazingly, perhaps in particular for Sarita, Carter sticks around, finding himself a chair that gives him distance between Melody and Sarita, but sit he does, taking a drink of his Whiskey.
[Carter Roth] Carter also accepted the drink with a nod and a gravelly thank you. [just so you know.]
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Oh, a week? Hell, you’re practically a veteran, chica.” She says it with a grin. “Seriously though, it’s a young sept still, very up-and-coming kind of place. So you’ll be considered old hat in no time. My sister and I got here in the beginning of the year and…”
She pauses, then shrugs. “Well, it’s been an eventful 2011. Carter is one of your tribe’s kinfolk,” she said, switching the subject and nodding at him. “You’re involved in the whole alliance thing Ames is working on, right?”
[Melody Drake] Her eyes slip to Carter, nodding faintly. “… I can tell. And Stefan mentioned a kinfolk alliance, that his mate… Amunet? Was involved in.”
She makes no effort to hide the approval in her voice. Kin taking the initiative? Absolutely a wonderful thing, and she agrees whole completely. Even better that one of her own is involved in it.
[Carter Roth] Carter looked between the two of the garou and then nodded as he let the whiskey roll around in its tumbler. “Just so you know, thats one in the same person.” He said in that gravelly voice before nodding.
“Yeah I am…I’m currently…well, I was planning the paramilitary and physical training of the kin involved. Until well…I was told to stay here.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Yep, that’s my sis. Gloriously awesome and aggravating handful that she is.” She says it fondly. There’s no other way to say such a thing. She looks back at Melody.
“Did you come by yourself, or bring a pack along for the ride?”
[Melody Drake] “Noted,” she says to Carter, her gaze intensely curious as he says he has to stay here, but she doesn’t ask why. Even if it kills her, because it’s in her nature to ask. There is a flicker of a smile though as Sarita explains her sister and a small nod, accepting the information.
As Sarita asks about a pack though, she shakes her head. “No, I came alone, though I’ve already found a pack here, something I’m grateful for.”
[Carter Roth] Carter reclines back into the chair and put his glass up on the armrest as the pair of women talked. Melody simply said noted, which got a slight creasing of Carter’s eyes, perhaps an annoyed look, something that didn’t quite sit right but he took a deep breath and it rolled off him like water.
They speak of packs, of things that Carter has no business in, and he simply tries to relax in the presence of their rage, taking a sip from his glass as he reached up into the dreadlocks on his head and scratched an itch.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Oh yeah?” She smiles. “Good to hear. You’re getting settled in, then…very cool. Getting the lay of the land too?”
[Melody Drake] A pause, and then a wry smile. “Slowly. Chicago and Seattle aren’t very similar and I find myself relying on GPS a little more often then I like. Someone told me I had to get lost in the city to actually learn anything.”
[Carter Roth] Carter smirks at their conversation, ahhh the mighty garou reduced to using a GPS system. In his days before the loft he might have said something openly insulting to the pair something deriding their natures and questioning their capabilities.
“Getting lost is the best way to get found. At least in the city.” He said with a shrug in an offhanded manner. Man how times had changed.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She grins. “I’d say that’s pretty accurate. I came in and just straight started wandering in my van. Always seems to be the best way to learn the layout.”
She lets that lie there, moving on. “So, you’re gonna have to forgive me. I’ve been Auspice Elder for all of about four days so I’m still getting shit organized a little bit. But it would be good to know what all you have experience with, where I might be able to call on you if I need to for the Sept.”
[Melody Drake] “That’s three votes for that method now,” she says, glancing at Carter with an amused look. “Perhaps I’ll have to try it then. Have you been in Chicago long, Mr. Roth?”
Her gaze turns serious though again, as Sarita asks her what she can do. “I have familiarity with the law and politics, and I currently rent and buy properties in Chicago so if someone needs a place to stay, I’m more then willing. I’m very good at speaking to people and gathering information that way, and I currently speak four languages besides English if that’s ever needed as well.” A pause. “I’m also passingly familiar with mental illness healthcare.”
A tap of her fingers on her glass, before she continues. “I don’t know if this has bearing, but I feel it’s relevant. I was kin for twenty four years, and believed to be kin all my life, until my more recent change. It gives me a unique perspective at times.”
[Carter Roth] Carter had been sipping casually on his whiskey, not wanting to have to get up it seems to go fetch another. He looked at the glass with a slightly displeased look, apparently he should have asked for the bottle to come along.
Melody asks him a question and Carter shrugged. “Maybe three months now?” He says, musing to himself over the timeline. “Yeah, three months seems about right.”
But then Melody drops a bombshell, something Carter had never heard of before, something he could never have even imagined. Melody HAD been kin, and Carters eyes almost bulge wide, and he actually chokes on his whiskey for a moment or two before coughing to clear his throat.
“Excuse me, the hell did you just say? How the hell is that even possible?”
[Melody Drake] Carter’s sudden exclimation actually startles her, just briefly, and her hands tighten on her glass for a moment before she arches an eyebrow. “Your guess is as good as mine. My twin brother changed ten years before me, and we went through much of the same life events up until that point. I was twenty four years old when I had my first change.”
A small shrug of her shoulders, bright. “My father thought I might change, but once he died, I was told that I was kin, to forget such notions, and go on with my life that way. And I did.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She smiles a little when Melody says that. There’s something…it’s not quite kinship. Sarita isn’t all ‘OMG ME TOO’ or anything. But there’s…an appreciation. Maybe a certain cousin to understanding. Empathy, at least. “Yeah?”
And then she chuckles a bit as Carter chokes. Not AT the choking, obviously, but the surprise. “It’s surprisingly common these days compared to how it used to be, Carter…which is not to say it’s common, just more than a ‘once an era’ kind of thing. They’re called Lost Cubs by some. People who don’t change until well after most people do. It’s a term that’s sort of interchangeable with people who grow up outside the Nation and don’t know much of anything ’till they change, ’cause the two sometiimes coincide.”
[Carter Roth] Carter recovers at last as Melody explains her half, and then Sarita explains hers. He rubs his neck for a moment and coughs one last time to finish clearing that burning sensation of alcohol from his throat before he takes another deep breath.
“Huh….well thats something new for sure.” He says as he looks between Sarita, and Melody. When his gaze falls upon the newcomer, the woman who had been treated as a kin all of her life until the day she had changed many many years after most, something seemed to stir in his gaze, perhaps it was curiosity, it was hard to tell with the man keeping his thoughts and feelings so tightly guarded here.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “I actually grew up outside of the Nation myself. Had no idea until I was sixteen, I changed and my father showed up to tell me the score. So I have an idea what it’s like, though obviously it’s not the same.” She nods. “That gives you a unique perspective. I can appreciate that, for sure, and it certainly could have its uses.”
She pauses, and leans back, sipping her drink. “How are your recon skills, if any?”
[Melody Drake] “It was certainly something new for me,” she admits, smiling faintly to Sarita in understanding, before her gaze flicks back to Carter. “It was… interesting, to see the changes in attitudes towards me.”
There’s a a nuance in her voice, something how she says interesting that gives away it was less just interesting and more a really really severe change.
Her head inclines as Sarita explains that she had no idea until she changed, nodding every so slightly. “… it must have been a shock. And… my… recon skills are passable, if you’re discussing legitimately sneaking around in the shadows. Walking into a building and talking to people and gathering information? That, I’m often very good at. Words… come easy to me.”
[Carter Roth] “I could imagine…one minute your a liability, the next your one of the soldiers.” He said casually, but it held a hint of heaviness, of something sour or hurtful in it.
“So what did you do…what did you feel when you made that change. How did others react?” He asked, suddenly pointedly interested in the woman who when she had just arrived he hadn’t really seemed curious about. He was also asking very personal questions, but the look in his eye said he wouldn’t stop.
He could also talk a good turn about recon skills…but that wasn’t his place either.
[Melody Drake] Unlike most, maybe, she doesn’t seem to mind the intensely personal questions. Instead, she seems to encourage it, shifting so she can face both Carter and Sarita. “… I was angry. I was being forced into a situation at the time that I didn’t want, and I remember feeling like I didn’t have any control. I can tell you the three Garou there at the time were completely shocked, and it probably didn’t help that I was laughing hysterically once I came to.”
A sip of her water, to wet her mouth before she inclines her head. “You’ll have to be more specific then others though, Mr. Roth. There were varied reactions.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She nods a little bit at Melody’s self-assessment of her recon skills, both physical and social, absorbing the information and filing it away. When Carter speaks up she lets herself fall silent, sitting back and listening to the conversation between the two Lords. Sometimes you learn the most not by asking questions, but by observing. That’s what she’s doing now.
[Carter Roth] Carter nodded slightly as if piecing something together with the woman’s words. From Sarita’s point of view, this was the most engaged anyone had managed to get Carter in a conversation, the reasoning was obvious, or maybe it wasn’t eitherway…it was something.
“I meant the other kin, as well as the….trueborns.” He says it like he had meant to say something else entirely. “What was their reactions to you after the fact…how did it change from before when they all thought you were kin?”
[K gotta step out…will only be 15 minutes or so, so keep going!]
[Melody Drake] “I wasn’t very close to any other kin at the time, so I regret I don’t have a truly good base reading for that. As for the trueborns…” She pauses, as she figures out how to say it. “When I was kin, and I asked why, the answer would be ‘Because you are kin, and we said so’. When I was suddenly trueborn, and I asked why, it became ‘Oh, because of x, y, and z. It’s good you ask questions!’. That is the best way for me to describe it.
[Carter Roth] Melody answered the mans questions, very personal questions that most probably would not have. It is a testament to Melody’s character, her openness and her willingness to learn and adapt that she did so, especially to a complete stranger like Carter.
However her answers do not evoke a smile or a expression of enlightened understanding, instead it darkens the look on Carters face and he nods.
“Yeah….that sounds about right.” His eyes briefly flicker over to Sarita then before returning to Melody. “Aint trying to interrupt buisness and all.” A hand gestures to Sarita to emphasize. “So one more question if you don’t mind….what caused you to shift?”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “You’re not interrupting at all.” She smiles and shakes her head, looking to Carter. “By all means, ask away.”
She looks between the two, finishing off her drink. There’s something discerning in the way that the Strider watches and listens…picking up the details, watching their reactions. Every detail of how someone behaves reveals something, they say, and Sarita seems interested in how both kin and Ragabash are reacting, both to each other and even to the fact that Sarita’s observing.
[Melody Drake] “I’m of the belief that questions should be asked,” a faint shrug. “No one learns anything if no answers are given.”
A nod is given to Sarita, in thanks, for allowing the little Q and A. She is aware she’s being watched and assessed, but that was bound to happen- Sarita was an Elder after all. Still Carter’s question gives her pause, a flicker of something in her face that’s very hard to discern. She’d be a hypocrite though, to say he should ask questions and then not answer them.
Using a sip of water to cover her pause, she finally answers. “… I had moved to Canada, and my former sept had sent a pack to find me and bring me back. I asked why, after some arguing, and was again told ‘because you’re kin’… I’m told that’s when I shifted, though I have no exact recollection of that moment.”
[Carter Roth] Carter blinks for a moment, looking at the shadowlord woman, this ragabash who was full of surprises and then nodded before looking down at his glass. Something passed over his features as he did so, almost a look of sadness, but certainly one of understanding.
But something shifts then, and Carter rises from his chair and says quietly. “Thanks for that, excuse me…I need a refill.” At that Carter moves towards the Kitchen slowly, obviously planning on returning, but well…he needed more booze.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Of course, Carter.” She nods, watching him head off to the kitchen, and looks back. “Yeah, so to recap…definitely gives you a unique look at things. Which is good for our Auspice. We’re supposed to be keeping people on their toes, and challenging them to look at things in new ways.”
“Who are you packed with?” The change in subjects is abrupt, and perhaps purposely so. She looks at Melody casually though, as if it were natural.
[Melody Drake] She watches Carter go as well, eyes narrowed, before Sarita is talking and all her attention is back on her Auspice Elder. A nod, agreeing about challenging people with a flicker of a smile. If the abrupt conversation seems odd to her, she doesn’t show it.
“Honor’s Forge,” she answers smoothly, “with Stefan Knezevic, Nathalie Bystrov, and Bronwyn Montgomery.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She raises an eyebrow. “Really.” Her head cocks to the side, definitely more intrigued now. “That’s an interesting pack. What do you think of them?”
[Carter Roth] [Go ahead and skip me this round]
[Melody Drake] She watches Sarita. “… they have their kinks to work out, as I suppose is with any newly formed pack. They however follow a totem and a cause that I believe in and when pressed, they do have the cohesiveness right now to follow their Alpha. I think, I will be good for them, and then will be good for me.”
[Ivan Press] [christ… DSL no bueno.]
[Carter Roth] It takes a few minutes, but Carter eventually wanders back into the living room from the kitchen, his glass now full to the brim with the amber liquid that constituted whiskey in this household. He glanced from one Garou to the next, his gaze lingering curiously upon Melody as he returned to his seat and eased into it with a tired sigh.
“I miss anything exciting since I went looking for the good stuff?” He asks as he looked from one to the other.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She nods a little bit. “Yeah? S’good to know. I don’t know Bronwyn–I think she’s another new arrival–but I’ve met Nathalie once or twice and Stefan’s my sister’s mate. I’m sure you’ll get the chance to meet her.”
She smiles slightly. “It’s an interesting pack make-up. A lot of times those work for the best.” She speaks from experience. About the last Tribes she every expected to be packed alongside are the Shadow Lords and Silver Fangs and…well.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[Okay, apologies, the submit puttong was being a bitch.]]
[Melody Drake] A small shake of her head, and a smile to Carter- no, he didn’t miss much.
“It is different than I expected, what little I knew of packs to be fair, but I think the dynamic works well,” she agrees with a small nod. “And I do hope to meet your sister soon, after all I’ve heard.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Oh?” She can’t help but grin at that. ‘After all I’ve heard’ can go many different directions when dealing with her sister. “What have you heard?”
She looks over at Carter and nods to him as he returns.
[Melody Drake] The makes her arch an eyebrow, amusement on her face. “I’ve heard of her work with the kinfolk alliance, Stefan seems very proud of her, and Nathalie seemed to like the idea and actions as well.”
[Ivan Press] Presently, Lucille returns with a new guest in tow. Mr. Ivan Press, she announces, a strictly no-nonsense, no-frills introduction. Hear to see Ms. Sarita de la Risa. Of all the packmate and its associates, Lucille might be the only one to give the liquid beauty of that last name justice. She seems to like dropping the ‘Ecos’, though. Maybe she thinks it fits better: Sarita of the Laughter, simply.
Lucille goes off to do Lucille-type things, then, leaving Ivan standing in the Loft, looking at its occupants with as much interest as they might show in the newcomer himself. That he is of Katherine’s tribe is unmistakable; even if the breeding didn’t give it away, the effortless grace of his posture and stance does. That, and the scent of money that all but wafts from him.
“I’m not interrupting, am I?” It’s more practiced courtesy than genuine worry.
[Ivan Press] [HERE to see. my god.]
[Carter Roth] They both nodded, or shook their head, either way they let him know simply that Carter had not missed a damn thing, not all that surprising, he hadn’t been gone that long.
He took another drink from his glass and seemed pleased with the make of his whiskey. But then the alliance was spoken of again, it is something that has been on his mind since he had been incarcerated here, something that he had not been able to partake in at all.
“Not everyone seems quite so thrilled.” He said roughly.
But then there was another Garou, someone named Ivan Press, Lucille just let everyone in didn’t she? Carter regarded the man blue green eyes narrowing slightly, not out of curiosity this time, more warriness then anything.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She nods at Melody’s response. Inwardly she’s thinking oh good, none of the insane stuff, but outwardly it’s just acknowledgment. “Yeah…she’s definitely got some good ideas going with that.”
Then she looks over at Ivan, smiling as he sees him come in. She stands up, thanking Lucille, and looking the man over. “Ivan, m’man. Good to see you. No, you’re not interrupting. How are you?”
[Melody Drake] Melody arches an eyebrow, turning to look at Carter as if to ask ‘Why not?’, the question on the tip of her tongue. However, the introduction of Ivan causes her to stay her words instead; business to be discussed later perhaps.
Placing her drink on the table, she folds her hands quietly in her lap and watches, a faint smile on her lips and her expression pleasant. Sarita seems to know the new guest and she quietly watches them interact, trying to decide if this is her cue to leave.
[Ivan Press] What can be said of Ivan, except that he is tall, golden, lean, privileged – a new-millennium sort of Fang?
Well; plenty, to be truthful. Depends on how much they’ve heard, how much each of them are plugged into the rumormill. The Presses are fabulously wealthy — the sort of wealth that’s accumulated past a critical point where it compounds on itself, becomes almost impossible to entirely lose. An empire of commerce rather than land, there are those amongst the old guard Fangs who mutter that these flashy Russians, who disguise their heritage behind a much more Fortune 500-friendly last name, have utterly forgotten what it is to be a Silver Fang. They mate with Glass Walkers now; they even dally with Shadow Lords. Sold their pride out for money and human influence. How despicable.
And then there are the rumors that surround Mr. Ivan Press himself. Popular on the club circuit; something closer to notorious in high society. Known for dropping tens of thousands of dollars on impromptu parties at various swanky locales around town. Never did a day’s work in his life; spends his family’s money like it grows on a tree, or falls from the sky — which for him may as well be true. Frequently seen with models and dancers and aspiring starlets on his arm, though some vestigial shred of modesty — or just pragmatism, or perhaps threats of getting his allowance cut off by mom and dad — keeps him from getting too far into the celebrity spotlight.
Not known for fidelity. Or faithfulness. Or any sort of commitment whatsoever. Can’t even bear to be in a steady pack for long. Is tagging along with some Shadow Lord pack. What sort of Silver Fang, what sort of wolf…
This is the creature that smoothly shakes Sarita’s hand. “Doing rather well, thank you,” he replies. “My congratulations on the Eldership.”
He turns his eyes toward the others, both Shadow Lords. “Ah, the dreaded and esteemed ‘enemy’,” he quips. “Never fear, I’ve a cousin twice removed who’s a Shadow Lord. Ivan Resplendent-Dusk, by the way. Ragabash Cliath of Falcon.”
[Mad Maddox] He’s been here before. Presumably, Maddox was given some sort of key. It’s also entirely possible that he used said key to get into the beautifully renovated loft. It’s also just as likely (if not moreso) that he didn’t. However the mangy Fianna got inside, he makes his way down from the upstairs, tall and gangly and passingly attractive. There’s a cigarette tucked behind his ear, dressed in jeans, a yellow t-shirt that emphasizes just how thin he is. Like a beanpole, or a scarecrow, especially today with his dark hair askew. His feet are bare.
He comes shuffling down the stairs, stops at the bottom just in time for Ivan’s introduction, and smirks.
“Really, that’s it? I thought your lot had intros so long they could wrap around the world thrice.”
[Melody Drake] More new people. There is a glance back at the new voice, but her attention is on Ivan; introductions are at hand.
“An example of keep your friends close and your enemies closer?” She asks, though the lilt of her voice at the smile shows it is meant in jest and she holds no animosity. A nod is given at his introduction and she replies, “Melody Drake, also known as Sweet Whispers, Cliath Ragabash and child of Thunder. A pleasure to meet you.”
[Carter Roth] Carter does much like melody. He falls silent and watches, watches the Silver fang as he introduces himself, this guy was as slick as oil on a sea otter, how knows the guys family might be in the oil buisness for all the money he reeked off.
The look Carter had was slightly unimpressed, sure he had money, sure he had connections but he looked…soft.
He nods to the man, he plays the civil game and even responds with his name. “Carter…” He says in his own gruff way before returning to his drink. Or he would have, when from behind them another Garou arrives, a long lean almost bean pole like fellow. Carter was now surrounded by Garou, from all sides, and their combined rage made his skin crawl.
The grip on his glass grew greater and his eyes slid shut for a moment as he tried to breath,, tried to stay in control.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She chuckles a little bit and reaches out to take Ivan’s hand. “Thanks. Nice to see you.”
Ivan’s entrance, he’s expecting. Maddox just popping out of nowhere from the upstairs causes her to snap her head around. It’s possible that she’s one of the prospectives, and it’s entirely possible that he’s not. Sarita doesn’t know one way or the other. The Strider gives the Fianna a long stare, looking him over.
“Uh, hi.” The ‘Uh’ part doesn’t seem to be a loss for words. Too much time passes between Sarita noticing him and the words for that to be the case.
[Ivan Press] “Actually,” Ivan explains offhand, “no, an example of business over personal pursuits. Her family was the controlling shareholder in PNA Telecom, and we wanted to buy them out at below-market price. She got a nice purebred mate to make lovely blackhaired cubs with; we got the shares. Good deal for everyone, and besides, she’s actually quite personable. Quite pleasant company at family retreats on the Black Sea. And Cousin Yuri’s branch of the family always had an unfortunate tendency to turn into drooling idiots at age 40, anyway.
“And I,” now he’s answering Maddox, “always thought your lot was typically too drunk to notice the difference. At any rate, if I gave my full introduction, I’d have to explain all the other scandalous little crossings in my family tree.”
[Mad Maddox] “Oh really?” he asks, sliding his hands into the pockets of his jeans and coming forward. It really is a bit of a shock for a stranger to show up right in the middle of what passes as close to a packhouse as the Unbroken have. There are things that could be assumed here, if the people chatting in the living room were the assuming type. Apparently, one of them is.
Maddox flicks his brows upward. “And what lot is that?” he asks, curious. There is no breeding that calls out to the Garou in the room, no features of some long-gone hero of old shining through Maddox’s countenance. They can’t even tell, at least not right away, that he’s Garou. Except, of course, for the kinsman who actually knows.
[Melody Drake] There is a slight vibration from her purse and she glances down, pulling out the phone to see the number. Eyes narrow and for a moment that pleasant expression is blank. And then she’s sliding the phone away and standing up, gaze moving to Sarita. “I’m sorry to leave so suddenly Sarita, there’s something I need to take care of. It was an honor to meet you.”
A glance at Carter, a faint smile. “You as well Mr. Roth. Resplendant-Dusk, I regret leaving so soon after our meeting, but it was still nice to meet you. I wish you all a good evening.”
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] She looks at Melody and smiles a bit. “No problem, Melody…we’ll catch up more later. If you want to leave your number, I’ll give you a call, or I can probably get it through Amy.”
She looks back to Maddox and clears her throat, then speaks…slower, and louder. “UM. HI.”
[Danicka Musil] [a/s/l?]
[Mad Maddox] [23/m/your pants?]
[Danicka Musil] [you are unhelpful and shall be summarily beheaded]
[Carter Roth] Carter watches as Melody gets up and states her intention of leaving. He nods to the woman before his eyes flicker to the others in the room before he speaks.
“It was good to meet you Melody….catch ya round.” His gravelly voice follows her as she heads for the door. Carter for his part, wishes he could follow, there were to many garou for his tastes…or at least too many garou he barely knew.
[Melody Drake] [And I just lol’d. Nice.]
“Of course,” she says, pausing to pull out a card and hand it to Sarita. “Thank you, again.”
With that done, she gives another nod to those in the room and moves to head out the door, already reaching for her phone.
[Ivan Press] “Pleasure to meet you,” he says to Melody, stepping a little ways out of the way to allow her an unimpeded path to the door. Not that there’s much impedance possible in a space as spare and open as the Loft.
“Think she’s talking to you,” he adds to Maddox helpfully.
[Melody Drake] [Thanks much for the scene!]
[Mad Maddox] It’s almost like a Mexican stand-off, excepting the noticeable lack of saloon, empty and dusty street, and ponchos. Maddox watches Ivan, Ivan pulls the Fang card and dismisses him to off pleasantries to the leaving Melody. All the while, Sarita tries to get Maddox’s attention.
Sarita…Oh right!
The Theurge’s attention snaps to the new Ragabash Elder, the Silver Fang forgotten. “Ah, my apologies,” he says, stepping toward the Strider with outstretched hand, angling his body in a half-bow. “Maddox Cartwright, Where the Sidewalk Ends. Lukáš Wyrmbreaker showed me around the other night.”
[Danicka Musil] Shortly after Melody departs the Loft, a car that’s rarely seen there pulls up. She comes here more than she used to, but there has to be a reason. Usually, that reason is a swarthy black-haired Shadow Lord, all tall-dark-handsome, the sort of big bad Ahroun that the pretty blonde kinswomen usually swoon for,
siiiiiigh!
But he isn’t here. His name just came up but he’s not here and yet there’s his mate’s slate-blue Infiniti coming to a stop. Then the mate herself stepping out of it, all sharp-toed stillettos and flare-legged gray slacks and a navy blue sweater with a low v-neck over a fluttery pink tank top with some floral embellishment that peeks out through that low v-neck and a crop-hemmed, crop-sleeved peacoat over it all because Chicago can’t make up its damn mind, weatherwise. She’s still here, Lukas or no Lukas, slinging her purse over her shoulder and walking right up to the door and smiling at Lucille when yet another person shows up.
“Hola, Lucille,” she says to the maid, and: “Is Mr. Roth available?”
And soon enough, she’s heading towards the living room, her heels clicking on those hard, shiny floors.
[Carter Roth] Melody was gone, which meant there was only one person that Carter had any real contact with, which left him edgy, which required him to control his breathing. Thankfully the new comers had largely ignored him, which at one point would have annoyed him. But hes trying to control that anger, trying to keep it just beneath the surface…it was turning out to be an interesting night.
Carter was considering his exit strategy, he was looking back towards his room, towards the upstairs, nope..that wouldn’t work it was blocked, his only option was the pool and to pray to god he could beat them off with wet pool noodles.
But then the clack clack of high heeled shoes resounded through the loft, and through the voices of the Garou Carter could hear someone speak his name. This widened his eyes in surprise, at least until the person made themselves known.
As Danika stepped into the room Carter let out a low, inaudible snort and nodded to the woman. Not really happy to see her given their last meeting…but civil…for now.
[Danicka Musil] [per/emp: this is how we show our love]
Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 2, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 6 at target 6) Re-rolls: 1
[Danicka Musil] […kbsdp.]
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] “Ahh, right.” She nods a little bit, the irritation and intense look that Maddox is getting dissipating. Somewhat, at least. A grin covers the rest of it, and she takes the hand. “Sarita Ecos de la Risa. Strider and Ragabash Elder. Lukas mentioned you. Just didn’t mention you’d be coming from upstairs.” A little quirk to the grin, and then she looks over as Danicka comes in. Lukas’s mate gets a smile and nod.
“Hey, Danicka.”
[Ivan Press] If Ivan had intended to answer Maddox’s earlier question, it was derailed and derailed again. He’s probably forgotten by now; turns as Lucille brings in yet another visitor.
“I’m just running into you all over the city these days,” he says to Danicka. “Are you stalking me again?”
He invites himself to take a seat. Not quite next to anyone — but close enough to Sarita to make conversation. Which is what he does next: “So, you mentioned you wanted to talk.”
[Mad Maddox] He chuckles, shrugs a shoulder, but doesn’t offer an explanation as to why he was coming from upstairs. Or where his shoes are, if he even had any to begin with. For the record he must have them somewhere, his feet are too clean for him to have been wandering around the city with bare feet. Or he made use of one of the bathrooms.
“I think it’s far more likely that she’s stalking me,” answers Maddox, with a grin for Danicka. The wink he throws, however, is not for the lovely, prettily dressed Shadow Lord, but for Lucille. If she ignores it (and honestly, who would dignify that look with a reaction?), it doesn’t phase him. Before Ivan can get to comfortable, Maddox turns his attention to Sarita once again.
“D’you mind if I raid the kitchen a bit?”
[Danicka Musil] Pausing in the entryway, Danicka looks directly at Carter first, and for an eyeblink — a passing moment, a half-heartbeat — she just looks at him. It’s hard to tell; maybe she’s getting some idea of whether he’s about to go to bed or not, if he’s in a pissy mood or not. He huffs like that and she raises an eyebrow, but by then she’s already gotten what she needs to out of that glance. She looks to Ivan, Maddox, and Sarita, smiling at the last.
“Hi, Sarita.” She glances at Maddox; Lukas mentioned him to Sarita, he’s living at the Loft, but she hasn’t been introduced. “My name is Dani&+269;ka Musil,” she tells him, but that’s all. “Mr. Press,” she says flatly, a touch dryly, without looking at him, “I had a lovely glass of vodka at your penthouse once. Try not to ruin a memory of a decent evening with a Silver Fang by making it about your self-destructive flirtations.”
To Carter, then: “Mr. Roth, would you take a walk with me? Around the block if there are no terms from Lukáš against it; around the pool if there are.”
[Carter Roth] Danicka had taken a moment to watch Carter, a brief moment, but a moment none the less and Carter had met her gaze. But unlike her, he took little away from it other then his own irritation. He listened to the garou make nice with the kinswoman, and why wouldn’t they? She was the mate of Wyrmbreaker, one of the most potent Garou in the Sept a princess with her prince.
The fact that she had asked for him had surprised him initially. When, having seen all the others in the room, it surprised him even more when the woman asked Carter to go for a walk with her. Suspicion flooded in at that moment but the Anti Kin did not immediately say no, instead he nodded slowly and pushed up from his seat and in one hefty gulp downed ever last drop of whiskey in his glass.
“I’ve gone for walks round the block and the spirits never got pissy before, lets get outta here. I need a smoke anyways.” He moves then, moves towards her without looking back. Infact he almost, almost seemed relieved to be getting out of that living room.
[Sarita Ecos de la Risa] [[Guys, I’m sorry, Sarita finds a way to excuse herself for at least the next little bit. The scene’s gotten too big for and I’m still stuck working, I can’t keep track right now. Assume that Sarita says yes to Maddox raiding the fridge if he’s living here and is about to answer Ivan, but then gets a phone call and has to step away to take it. I’ll bring her back in when I can]]
[Danicka Musil] [Aww. Take it easy! Come back soon!]
Echoes of Laughter 