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Hey folks, I can’t apologize enough for my month of silence. I regret not popping in and at least pointing out my probable absence. I hope to catch up on the 41 new gameplay posts I see in my feed over the next week, and maybe have a post of my own up around New Year’s if you’ll have me - and assuming K hasn’t met his final death in absentia. Again, my sincere apologies. Hope all is well with y’all and you’re enjoying the holidays.
”Pull over?” K shakes his head. ”Not even. But I’ll try to lose ‘em before I try to bruise ‘em.”
"Also, we have, like, two tails, though I think they're together. Unless everyone in Gary drives coal rolling rust buckets older than my mom?" "Not much I can do on the open highway except get a ticket, y'know? I can wait 'til we hit the burbs and shake 'em, or exit and give it a go in wolf country." He looks back over his shoulder at his crew with a smile. "How 'bout it?"
”Going great, Calliope,” K chirps, studying the side view mirror. Forty year old pickups? Tell me they’ve got something going on under the hoods. ”I think we could make better time though.” He gives the van more gas, testing if the pickups can even go much above the speed limit.
”Hey, however you guys want to play it - a night on the town in Gary or a night driving through werewolf country, it’s all the same to me.” K looks around at the neighborhood. ”I don’t think Gary looks all that bad. But… I also have a hard time believing a werewolf can outrun Outrun, know what I mean?” K gives a big smile. ”But obviously I don’t want to run into one of these ‘lupines,’ y’know?” From the way he says it, it is in no way obvious this is the case.
”I love this plan. I’m excited to be a part of it!” K gives a loud, decisive clap of his hands. ”Let’s do it!” With a wave to Maxwell and his entourage K turns and begins to usher his mates towards the exit.
K stands with crossed arms and serious expression, nodding at the names Edwin and Maxwell discuss while looking back and forth between the two, his excitement betrayed by his jaw’s rapid gum-chewing. ”So, we work inside angles with the big C back in Chi-Town. Do we do any Anarch outreach as well, or is that Maldavis’s department?”
”Awesome, Mr. Armarius!” K nods and bobs his head as if in time to some unheard beat. ”Everybody’s been telling me you’re a Nosferatu, but you seem more like a Yes-feratu to me.” He looks to the others. ”I mean, he’s got a point, right?” And then, non-rhetorically: ”Right?”
”Oh, I’m totally a ‘yay!’ Like, no offense, Mr. Wagner, but we gotta be in on this one way or another, right? Maxwell seems cool; he’s smooth, his whole once and future Prince thing is pretty rad, and obviously I like his take on Thin-Bloods. We join his team, take out Prince Jackson, and move in as power players of the new retro Camarilla!” K leans in, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial but no less excited tone. “Or, right? Or… ‘We join Max’s team, okay, to take out Jackson - but we tell Jackson. We Crockett and Tubbs this thing for him, undercover - show him we’ve got his back and got what it takes! He may be an a-hole, but I don’t think anybody’s ever held the streets by bein’ nice, y’know? “But either way, we can’t just walk away from this thing, can we? This is our shot!”
K peers over Edwin’s shoulder to read the note. Wild! He knew he was supposed to keep quiet and hide behind Mr. Wagner at the new Prince’s shindig, but this old Prince seemed to him much more hip. ”Also, like, what’s your view on Thin-Bloods? I’m asking for a friend.”
K puts his feet down and leans forward in his seat, his knee bouncing with nervous energy. Smiling, he looks back and forth, watching everyone for their reactions. Oh man, an outside player putting together a move against the new boss? Friggin’ gnarly!
K gives a cheery smile as things seem to resolve peacefully and hops the front row of seats to sit behind and to the side of Edwin, propping his feet up away from Mr. Wagner to show off his kicks.
K lowers his shades so as to peer over them at the stage crew. "I'm K. Dig the hat."
"Maybe she's putting some kind of crew together?" K's eyes light up a little at the idea. " I mean, if she went with our time and place, we're probably the most important people attending, right?" K pulls a pack of Bazooka bubblegum from his pocket, popping a piece into his mouth. As he starts to chew he carefully refolds the comic strip wrapper before sliding it back into the pack. "Unless she was already planning a meet in Gary. Probably easier for us to come here than Gary folks to come to the city." He holds out the pack, proffering it to the group. "We didn't exactly give her a chance to explain what she wanted from us."
”Ok, Jack. You, uh, want any of us to come with you?” After last night’s outburst, K’s decided to do his best to stay on Jack’s good side for a while.
K starts awake in the driver's seat, hands reflexively gripping the wheel tight in his momentary confusion. Crap!... wait, I'm parked. Relaxing, he looks around. Oh, right. Gary! Undoing his seatbelt, he turns around and slides the heavy black-out curtain behind him open enough to poke his head into the back. "Hey everybody, we're here!"
”Oh, hey, there’s like one bunk in the back of the van, so maybe I should pick up some sleeping bags or something?”
K’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline at Jack’s outburst. ” You're lucky in that way K. Ever since I was turned I've been struggling with this. You should feed from someone else for tonight, I don't want this to be tainted for you." ”Uh, sure thing, Jack…” After Jack is safely away, the Thin-Blood lets out a low whistle. ”Wow. Does Jack have a therapist? ‘Cause he probably should.” Shaking off the almost-confrontation, K regains his usual smile. ”Transport’s all squared away, though, folks. I’ve got just the van for the job.” ”So, I guess anybody else mind me taking a bite? I’m not too worried about it, but it’s probably better to get some blood in me so Jack has one less aggravation, right?”
Hey all. I have to get emergency surgery tomorrow morning to handle the kidney stone I had earlier in the summer. I'll be out of commission for a couple of days while I recover, but luckily, it isn't a long recovery time. :) Hope all goes well and you have a speedy recovery :)
K’s personal haven: Haven 3 - small 1, mobile 1, security 1 -Mid-2000s Econoline cargo van with no exterior windows to back cargo area, and a thick curtain that can be pulled across grate to front cab. K has installed a simple flip-down bunk along the passenger side, and keeps a tool box in back for show. Legally registered to Alumni Auto Repair, the legitimate business front of the HK Grads. Security 1 Features upgraded locks and car alarm both linked to app on K’s cell phone.
Apologies for my absence. ST Talomyr Are we good to cut back to our haven and the discussion of our plans?
”Yeah, I think I’ve got just the wheels you’re looking for, Mr. Wagner.” K stretches and lets out a long sigh as they wait for their Uber. Definitely not making it to the meet tonight. Still, driving down to secretly meet a leader of the rogue vampires in an industrial ghost town? He smiles. My life is awesome.
”Yeah, that sounds good,” K chirps. ”Maybe tomorrow night? She might need time to clear her schedule..”
"Have you topped yourself off recently? I'm full up, you can have some off me. After tonight, it'll be best if you're always at peak capacity K. We have no idea who might be gunning for you." ”Hey, thanks for the offer - if I can get a drink once we’re outside that’d be great?” "Wait here a moment, I shall be right back..." ”Yeah, no problem,” K smiles. Once he and Jack are alone, he leans in. ”So… I guess we’re not gonna schmooze, huh?”
Hey folks, I’ll be traveling through next Thursday and I’m not sure how often I’ll have time/decent internet for updates. Please bot K with an excited puppy-like ”Yeah, wow, let’s do it!” if need be.
”Yeah, okay.” K looks around one last time. ”We got anything else going on tonight? If not, I’ve got places I can be.” Like showing up Hastings, if I can get someone to loan me a decent car.
”If we have the misfortune of the gaining his attention in the future, he may use his forbearance as leverage against us.” K shrugs at Alex’s suggestion. ”I’m not as hip to the Camarilla as you all are, but isn’t that basically the standard elder M.O.?” Peering over his sunglasses, he scans the room again, nodding in appreciation at some of what he sees. ”Now that the scary part’s done, are we gonna schmooze?”
K follows Edwin, whispering to his coterie mates once they're "alone." "Anybody recognize Freddy Krueger?" He looks back over his shoulder at the gruesome figure. "Do you think he was turned like that, or got caught sun bathing?"
K steps back behind Edwin and puts his shades back on, noticing the scarred man’s advance in the process. Jeez, did that guy look like that before he got bit? He tracks the man out of the corner of his eye, figuring it would be rude to stare.
K follows the rest up to the prince, staying slightly behind and to the side of Edwin. When introduced, he hurriedly removes his sunglasses and awkwardly bows, obviously flustered. Smooth move, Ex-Lax.
K nods in agreement to the Prince’s declaration with cautious enthusiasm but otherwise remains quiet. The big C letting in Sabbat members? If this works out, it can strengthen the case for letting in thin-bloods. If it works out.
Alexander rejoins his coterie mates. ”The man on stage,” crinkling of parchment ”is Talley the Hound of the Lasombra. It seems Prince Jackson makes unlikely allies.” ”No kidding?” K looks over at the man indicated. ”So, why’s he unlikely?” K squints, scrolling through the Camarilla clans in his head. ”And who are the Lasombra? Never heard of ‘em.”
K checks out the folks Edwin mentions, but none of the faces are familiar to him. ”Sorry, Mr. Wagner; not really my crowd. Yet.”
Sticking by Edwin’s side and doing his best to play it cool, K can’t help but ogle the veritable throng of vampires present.
” I'm feeling merciful right now, any ya'll can't deal with that, get f*+&in' steppin'. If you stay in my Domain, you bend the knee tonight." K peers around the crowd over the top of his sunglasses to see if there are any takers. Uh, yeah, like ’anyone else want to drop out’ amirite?
Sorry for the delay, have been laid up sick the past few days. Feeling better now :)
K sticks close to Edwin and tries to play it cool, but can't keep a smile off his face. Punch bowls of blood? Now this is full on, legit vampire action! His eyes pass over Grimm and Cedrick Calhoun. Those must be Mr. A's buddies. I wonder if one of them is his sire? After the Nosferatu each vampire's prettier than the next, and he puts his brain on cruise control to just bask in the scene. Finally - the big time! He vaguely hears Calliope and Jack quietly discussing someone they don't recognize and chimes in. "Yeah, totally, me neither. Maybe we should mingle, y'know, as a group, and try to find out, right?"
"One hundred percent, Mr. Wagner. Where you go I follow."
At the haven: ”Yeah, well, that’s what I’d like to change, right?” K scratches his head.
”Say, Mr. A., do you think he’ll have everybody literally kneel in front of him? Or do you figure he’s more of a ‘Can you dig it?’ kind of guy?”
"Yeah, sure thing Mr. A." The idea of going into a library and trying to physically find a book they may or may not have doesn't even scratch the surface of K's disinterest as it bounces off. "But, like, you already got everything on the pier, right?" He glances at his phone and lets out a quiet groan. Hastings was going to show at tonight's car meet - a chance for her to build her rep uncontested, without him there to provide a challenge. "Hey, Ladislav? Any chance you could let Mr. Wagner know we're ready to roll whenever he is?" Obviously putting in the work to build his rep with the Camarilla was now his main hustle. But, if there was any chance of finishing up with this vampire town hall in time to get a race in, he was going to take it. "If we get there before the doors open, maybe we'll get a better place in line to, uh, y'know..." he flounders, realizing he doesn't know what they're actually expecting to do there. "Well, y'know - obviously - to, uh..." Looking up from his phone, his gaze shifts back and forth between Alexander and Ladislav in the hopes one of them will finish his sentence.
K flashes a smile and 'thumbs up' to Calliope. "Will do!" "Looks like it's just you and me, Mr. Armarius, until Mr. Wagner gets back from mingling with the flock. Well, you me and Ladislav." He goes back to the maps of the pier. "Where'd you find all this cool old stuff on the pier?"
K stays over at the church for the sake of convenience - it's where he keeps most of his stuff anyways.
The thin-blood wakes up the next evening craving a snack, but pushes it off. He showers, gels and styles his hair, and gets dressed - a classic white t-shirt tucked into a pair of white acid-wash jeans, with his lucky yellow-laced high top Ponys for shoes. He keeps his Chicago Red Hot jacket for the evening. A little home-town pride can't hurt, right? His good pair of shades complete his look. He saunters into the library checking his phone, but perks up at the old man's comments and looks over the assorted blueprints. "Very cool," he says appreciatively. He takes a couple pictures with his phone for later reference before smiling at everyone there. "Glad to see I'm not the only one who got dressed up!" "Are we gonna uber over? Or should I go out and grab something?"
"Yeah, let's do this thing!" K exclaims, enthusiastic and smiling.
”I appreciate your concern, Mr. Wagner - all of you - but I don’t see how I’m gonna earn a place in the big C by hiding from the folks in charge? Especially since I’m, like, already on file.” K pulls down his shirt collar, exposing his unhealing brand. ”I’d think not showing up might be worse, y’know? How’s it gonna look if I turned myself over to the old bosses, but just ghost the new ones? Wouldn’t that be a total dis?”
Apologies, had unexpected guests for the holiday weekend and threw my whole rhythm out of whack. Back to normal now. Sorry for my silence. I spent the morning in the ER and found out that I have a 4.7mm kidney stone. I will be more cognizant tomorrow. I've been on a lot of pain medication today. Yikes. I hope it resolves quickly and relatively painlessly.
K finally looks up from his phone and notices the tense vibe. "Hey, let's all just take a breath, yeah? Or else they've, like, already won, y'know?" He takes his earpods out and keeps his hands up, gesturing to accentuate his words. "I need to drink from one of you guys to be at full power anyways. If doing the bond thing makes our lives easier with the powers-that-be, I'm down for it." He looks around the circle of his coterie family. "I trust all of you, one hundred percent."
Succubus Club: "Hey, yeah, I can stick close." K bobs up next to Jack and Calliope, well within their personal space. "It doesn't really seem like anybody gets, like, nicer? from being embraced, y'know?"
"If you're down to mingle, Jack, I'll be your wingman." K takes off his cheap plastic shades, replacing them with cheap aviator-style sunglasses. "Let's Cruise."
Succubus Club: Realizing that the supermodel-level vampire is trying to get a rise out of him, K simply tunes him out and focuses back on the music.
That's a shame - but I don't need any toxic BS. Bouncing to the beat again, K scans the crowd for potential dance partners while keeping half an eye on Stryker. I guess if you live forever being that good-looking, you're bound to wind up a bit of a dick.
Succubus Club: K half-laughs in disbelief at Jack’s claim. Not due to any doubt about the Prince’s abilities with a sword, but because despite his own situation he still has a hard time believing werewolves are real too. |
