(no subject)

[excruciate]

WHO: Alucard and OPEN
WHERE: Anywhere in the City. You set the scene!
WHEN: 29 May, dusk/evening.
WARNINGS: Alucard.
SUMMARY: The Nosferatu goes out on a hunt.
FORMAT: Para to start, then whatever.

The Nosferatu is hunting. He takes to the streets; to the air; to brightly-lit boulevards; to shadowed alleyways and dank sewers. The City is a maze, and he its Minotaur. Its mongrel tide of darkness. At times, he pauses briefly. Sniffs at the air. The citizens of the maze are a variegated bunch -- there is a division, certainly, between the empowered and those native to this world, and Alucard can all but feel the aftermath of this afternoon's riot still threading on the breeze.

The city is a maze. He haunts its corridors; its meandering streets; its high-rises and motley shanty towns like a ghost, always searching. Always moving. Always hunting.

Perhaps you've crossed his path.

Comments

[backatthehotel]

The riot. He's still giddy from it. Not that he'd been there himself, of course, but his boys had been good and prompt at reporting back to him. Cause some trouble, he'd said. And they'd done just that. Fucking fantastic.

He'd taken them all out for drinks, afterward, to celebrate and to reward them. To ensure that they have every reason to stick by him. Now, though, late in the evening, they've all parted ways, and Floyd is headed home. Or maybe not home. He's still too awake for home. The streets of the City, then, wandering until he loses interest or energy. His boots click as he walks, and he hums, composing little tunes to go with the percussion.

[excruciate]

The music is what attracts him. A tinny little nothing of a tone, half-whispered while Floyd walks past. He's standing in an alley when he hears it, and smiles to himself while the musician goes on his way without any notion of what he's brought upon himself.

Normally, the Nosferatu wouldn't bother. He's bigger fish to impale, he'd say, casually waving off whatever hypothetical person dared question his motives for being out so late. But tonight -- he feels it in the air, almost. A sort of hyperactivity. A giddiness. He shifts downwind of Floyd and follows at a distance, taking on the form of a large black hound, the broken manacles around the animal's wrists jingling sibilant with his every step.

[backatthehotel]

Pink may be a fool and a drunkard, but he's not completely senseless. He isn't wearing headphones or anything, on this walk, and he's paying a little attention to his surroundings. When he hears that jangling metal, he turns to see who's joined him on the streets. And when he sees that the answer is 'a very large, black dog,' he giggles and whistles, softly.

"Hullo, boy."

...did we say 'not completely senseless?' Is there still time to take that back?

[excruciate]

He smiles inwardly, forcing his tail to wag softly. There was no need for the diversion, however so small, but still. Curiosity satiates the Nosferatu during these long, trying times.

Alucard pads on over the Floyd without preamble, taking his sweet time. When he reaches him, he tilts his head ever so slightly, almost as if posing a question -- Hello?

[backatthehotel]

He crouches down, putting himself on eye level with the hound. (There might be a certain fatalism to it -- if the dog's going to attack him, it won't make much difference how high up he is, will it? He won't be able to fight him off.) The closeness gives him the chance to see the broken fetters, though. And he hums softly to himself. Hmm.

"That's interesting, innit? Nice boy like you." Still so cheerful. "No collar, either."

He offers a hand, upturned.

[excruciate]

Alucard nuzzles the hand, lapping at the sweat and grime accumulated there. Floyd tastes of chemicals and old, dried blood. Of madness barely contained; of nihilism and slow, drawn-out brain death. The Nosferatu abhors the taste and withdraws, muzzle pulling back to reveal long, dagger-like fangs.

He does not growl, however; merely stands, body slightly curved, as if expecting an attack.

[backatthehotel]

The hound's bared teeth get a frown out of Floyd, lip twitching upward. Very nearly baring his own teeth back. "Oi, now. No need to be rude. I been nothing but kind."

A bit scolding, perhaps. Or just annoyed, offended. Still, though, he doesn't rise or back away. In fact, he tips back, shaky balance lost, and sits down hard on the dirty pavement.Oof. The impact, how he must look, the whole situation, shakes a smile back into him. The ridiculousness of it all. (He can feel, nipping at the edges, some fragmented cosmic insight -- he's on nothing stronger than alcohol at the moment, but after sixty-eight, he's never too far from an accidental trip -- and he drifts for a few seconds, but manages to come back to himself.)

"...or do I just taste that bad? I'd believe that one."

[excruciate]

There's something -- off about the man. The chemicals tell Alucard that there may have been something off about him for quite some time, but the behavior: the swaying, the absentmindedness, the taste of his sweat all pointed toward something the Nosferatu had expected of Floyd all this time. It's only how his new form mimics Floyd by sitting back itself and tilting its head that Alucard shows his interest.

He's met the one-off addict in the past, but never one so...at tune with what ailed him. It made Floyd interesting, to say the least. And to not seem rude after discovering this -- because, really, Floyd had no idea what he was about to get into -- Alucard deigns it necessary to speak.

"Wash yourself before trying to pet a wild animal," he says, the words eking out of his open maw without the thing opening at all. "Your taste is abhorrent."

[backatthehotel]

If he could hear himself being described as 'off,' Pink would fall to pieces, laughing at the understatement. He knows he's quite mad, in more than a couple ways. Usually, he still manages to make it work for him.

When Alucard speaks, his expression brightens, eyes glittering. Aha, not ahh! A suspicion confirmed and a question answered, to some pleasure.

"Weren't expecting an audience, were I? Was I...? Was I." Verbs are a little tricky right now. "I'll be all nice and squeaky-clean next time, I promise."

[heavyhanded]

[ He's lost again. He's been lost nearly all day, but it's only just now starting to get old. There's plenty to see and eat in a place like this for a man that can turn anything he likes into money, but now all Jaime's looking for is a bed, and he's damned if he can remember where he put the MAC. Or his comm, for that matter.

The very out-of-place knight in his golden armor stops on the sidewalk under an eave, digging through what pockets his clothing has. If he can just find the damned communicator, he'll find someone to tell him where he is... ]

[excruciate]

Mmmm...A tad far from home, aren't we?

[ Alucard materializes from seemingly nowhere, filling the space slightly behind and to the left to the man in the golden armor. He's tall, almost pushing seven feet, and dressed in a flowing red duster and wide-brimmed hat. ]

Or, haaaa...Perhaps you've wandered further than most?

[heavyhanded]

[ Jaime doesn't jump, at least he has that going for him. Although as he turns to face Alucard, his prosthetic right hand falls to his belt, opposite of where his sword hilt actually is, before he corrects himself.

...Huh. He doesn't meet all that many men taller than he is, and none of them with such command of presence. He eyes Alucard, looking wryly amused more than anything. ]

There's a neat trick. You must be rich in pockets picked, ser.

[excruciate]

And be made all the poorer for it, ser. [ He chuckles, briefly, at his own joke. ] I've no need to debase myself.

[ Pausing, Alucard gives the briefest of smiles. ]

Yourself?

[heavyhanded]

I've always found that a little debasement is precisely what a life needs to be interesting. [ But there's something familiar here. It takes him a second, but then he has it. ] You spoke to me through the communicator.

[ he'd know a voice like that anywhere, man. ]

[excruciate]

Ja, it was I. [ The Nosferatu nods. ] Though I do remember our conversation being cut somewhat...short.

[heavyhanded]

Well, it seems we have the good luck to make up for lost words now. [ This would be a pleasant smile, if it weren't so wry. ] Maybe you can start by telling me where in the seven hells I am.

[excruciate]

In regards to this prison of a City, or would you prefer something more...metaphysical?

[ He matches the smile. ]

[heavyhanded]

[ look at him have no idea what that word means!! but he's getting used to that, so he ignores it smoothly. ]

I'll take the former, and with kind thanks. I haven't known where I was since I broke my fast this morning.

[excruciate]

[ He gives directions to the MAC, brief but succinct. ]

Have you yet to be made acquainted with the, ah...Mhmhm. Intricacies of our imprisonment?

[heavyhanded]

[ God, he hopes he isn't going to forget those in five minutes. Maybe he should write them down? No, that would take too long. And it would be a little embarrassing, mid-conversation. ]

It seems you can't move five steps without tripping over an intricacy of our imprisonment. Which ones is it you're talking about?

[benevolent]

[Shahrazad is walking through a park. It is one of her favorite nighttime routines. She blends in to her background though as much as any violet eyed young woman in strange jeweled gloves and a mini skirt can however. Luckily her friendly demeanor keeps her from being harassed most nights. Her guard is up a little considering the events of today though. A riot was bound to make people afraid. Fear and this city never mixed well in Shahrazad's opinion.]

[excruciate]

[ Alucard's path through the city will, eventually, come to take him through one of its many parks. He doubts wholeheartedly that the Major will have anything to do with the place -- for he is a man of steel, of fire and metal and science; that which was antithesis to nature -- but has time enough to suffer the diversion. The night was still young.

As he walks, a glimmer of something...familiar catches his eye. Though her outlandish color of hair wasn't much of a surprise considering the nature of the City, whom -- or what -- she may have been escapes him. He keeps his distance, and follows at a slow clip, making sure not to look all too suspicious. ]

[newbvampire]

[After the riot Seras hadn't gone back to the station. Instead she'd handed over her arrests to another officer and had gone back out into the city. She just couldn't stand to handle anymore paperwork right now and she was sure that because of the riot someone out there would keep trying to stir up trouble. That's why she was currently perched at the top of a skyscraper looking down at her city.]

[excruciate]

_{[ He appears, as always, when least expected. Whistling a jaunty little tune, Seras' sire slowly walks up the side of the building she's current standing atop of. He doesn't seem too ill-at-ease with being so high up, either. ]}

Mmmm. Good evening, my wayward Childe. [ He's standing just a few scant feet below her, literally horizontal to the building. ] A penny for thy thoughts?

[newbvampire]

Good evening, Master. I was thinking about the riot we had today.

And Jack.

[There wasn't much point in trying to hide it. Master would find out somehow.]

[excruciate]

[ He nods to himself, but will let the Draculina explain. ]

Continue.

[newbvampire]

Just another bunch of anti import people ruining a rally. It made me think about how many like that are out there though, people like Vulcanus that want to get rid of us all. Which made think of Jack and how much he's done to try and keep everyone safe even though they ended up sending him to prison for it.

[excruciate]

That is the nature of mankind, my Draculina. They fear what motivates them to excel, and imprison whatever reminds them of their own...humanity.

[ He turns and walks backward up to her. ]

--Is he your man, in this place?

[newbvampire]

What? No! I care about him a lot, but not like that. He's just my superior, or was and anyway he's a lot older than me. [Then again Captain Bernadotte was both of those things too.] Also he's always stood by me and I want to do the same for him.

[Really she had never thought of Jack like that. Well pretty sure she hadn't anyway.]

[excruciate]

You praise your Captain and scorn the Mercenary in the same breath, Seras! [ He laughs. ] What a world you must live in, to have so many a suitor within your grasp~

[ He's only half-joking. ]

[newbvampire]

[There it was again, her name! Even if he was teasing it that didn't matter. He was using her name.]

Very funny, Master. For the record only one person here has tried and that was James and he was a complete arse about it.

And I don't want that sort of thing. Not now. I...I still miss Captain Bernadotte.

they h avent had a chance to talk about what happened. all he knows is that she drank his blood.

[excruciate]

...Miss? [ Oh, there's a surprise. ] The rake will be waiting for us when e manage to return, no doubt. You'll have your day in paradise.

Oh yeah they haven't

[newbvampire]

He's dead, Master.

[excruciate]

Mm?

[ A raise eyebrow. ]

...A regrettable occurence. [ He digs in his VAST TRENCH COAT OF VASTNESS and pulls out a cigar. ] And so soon. How did it come to pass?

[newbvampire]

[She stares at the cigar for a moment before replying. Master smokes?]

He was trying to save me from the bitch the Major had sent to kill us. She'd gotten into my head and cut off my arm. He ran out and shot her up and tried to drag me back to cover like an idiot and she stabbed him that fucking scythe of hers. Before he died he told me to drink his blood and beat them for him.

[excruciate]

And did you?

[ He doesn't put the cigar to his lips, merely toying with it. ]

[newbvampire]

I ripped the freaks apart and then I ground that bitch's face off.

[excruciate]

[ A soft laugh. ]

You enjoyed the death. Reveled in it.

sneaks in from hiatus

[newbvampire]

[She nodded.]

She called him an insect.

[excruciate]

Her folly, and your vengeance. As it should be, forever and again.

[ The cigar is placed back into the confines of his trench coat. ]

--Do you feel him?

[newbvampire]

I did, but when came back the Porter took him from me. I can still see some of his memories and sometimes I think I feel him a little, but it's not like it was...

I want him back, Master.