That'd be pretty counter productive to the whole not wanting to fight thing I just mentioned, so yeah, that's a deal.
[He'll... go back to the bakery later. The bread smells good but that's a weakness he can't afford to show. He gestures with his head away from here.] Walk and talk?
[He snorts.] Yeah, consider them off the table. For my safety and yours.
[Don't act like you don't have final girl potential, Reze. He doesn't want to be vampire slayer'd.]
I think whatever feud's been going on is probably not particularly helpful for either of us, especially considering on my end, I don't really have anything against you, and . [He doesn't like how she keeps getting in his way or insulting him, but like. Alisaie and Power seem to like her, so that's more important.]
...I'll start with apologizing for the things I understand. Insulting Nine after you'd just lost him was... a low blow, even for me. And threatening to expose and probably kill you in front of the entire crowd wasn't great either. [Look, apologizing is hard when you can't feel remorse and just sort of objectively know you fucked up.]
Full transparency? I've got some guesses about what you really are, sure, and I don't think it's human. But I don't have any interest in interrupting you living how you want to live. I'd be a pretty big sodding hypocrite if that were the case.
At least you're aware -- the helpless damsel act never fooled you.
[ She chuckles lightly, mouth curled into a grin.
When he speaks she doesn't interrupt him. Only nods her head in agreement, tilting it to the side as her lips remain pressed together as she hums lightly to herself. ]
Then I'll apologize for kicking you in the head. I'll admit, it was on purpose, but I didn't think it'd hit that hard. And to be fair you kinda had a reason to threaten me after I was basically coming at you during trial with a metaphorical knife. [ Which, to be fair, she still thinks is justified due to her own reasons -- not out of pettiness, but she'll pretend to be perfectly content with that perspective of her. ]
[He smiles, amused at her calling it an act.] You're pretty good at it, to be fair. I just know a wolf in sheep's clothing when I see one. Plus that choker incident shone a bit of a light on things. [He also just doesn't expect women to be the useless ones, because in his experience it's usually the opposite. Yes, he can be casually misogynistic. Yes, he thinks women are by and large smarter and more competent than the average man. He exists.]
Well, it was a fair connection to make. There were a lot of patterns lining up. Hell of a lot more than the last flimsy connection that was assigned to me, though I get that one too.
[He hums, considering.]
Some kind of demon, probably. Granted, that's a pretty vague descriptor where I'm from but... are you familiar with the fairy tale about the girl with the velvet ribbon?
[ It's okay if I went with my third option of this game I'm sure they'd be best friends. I'm also certain that he would be dead. ]
So you're admitting to not having any involvement -- I mean, I guess you can't just walk around and say that you are the killer... though I'll admit that the last trial was a mess.
Nah. I wasn't lying about not knowing the chip was in, I'm not quite that good of an actor. [He shrugs.] Only one out of the three that were even on the table for me was bluebird. And obviously I didn't kill him.
[He clears his throat.]
So, I don't remember it entirely off the top of my head, last time I read about it was the 1940s but... It's a story about this boy who meets a pretty girl and he becomes enchanted by her. And she's got this ribbon around her neck that she never takes off. They begin courting, and he becomes more and more infatuated. He asks about it, and she dodges the question and says she can't tell him anything.
Time goes on, he becomes more and more fixated on that ribbon and the secret behind it. Eventually, they marry. And even still, she won't take it off for anything. There's a couple variations of how it ends, sometimes his curiosity gets the better of him and he takes it off while she's sleeping, sometimes she takes pity on him and takes it off to show him the truth, and sometimes she's been dying the whole time and as she tells him that, she asks him to take it off her.
Regardless, it always ends the same. The ribbon comes off, and with it, so does her head. [Turns a glance toward her, eyebrow raised.] Almost all of those kinds of stories are inspired by encounters with actual demons. I think there's even a few about William the Bloody floating around. I don't know how it is in your world, or if that's even what would happen if someone took off that choker of yours, but I imagine it's at least got some superficial connection.
But, you know, doesn't much matter to me what you are. I'm a demon, if not a full one. Power's a devil, and she's an absolute delight. [So he just shrugs. That's about it.]
I know you probably don't try it, but you really show your age during the weirdest conversations. But I'll give you a little credit of being able to remember something from that far out, apparently, cause I can hardly remember things that happened last week.
[ She's also lying. ]
Well...
I'll be honest and tell you that, despite it being an interesting story, it's not that. The choker doesn't do anything -- it's there by design, but tear it off all half-hazard and it might be explosive. And it would be more dangerous for the rest of you than it is for me.
...See, I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult. I'll take it anyway.
[Other vampires would see him as young but he definitely doesn't. He just thinks they're crusty old fucking weirdos with dementia and giant sticks up their arses.
He hums in response to her explanation.] That's interesting, though. The choker doesn't do anything but whatever's underneath does...? Certainly unique, I guess. [Sounds like something the Initiative would come up with.]
[ She’s really making a leap of faith doing this —
Abruptly, she hands Spike over her bag of bread. ] Hold this.
[ She reaches up to undo the clasp of her choker. Awkwardly, it’s on the side of her neck rather than the back. Once she pulls it off, the safety spin attached to her neck is that much more obvious. ]
[First things first, he's really surprised to be holding this bread. But it smells good. He briefly entertains the notion of running off with it. He discards that thought swiftly, she would hunt him down and murder him and he doesn't want to make Alisaie mad.
Then his eyebrows shoot up when she unclasps the choker.
...Huh. Well, in terms of things he expected, this was not one of them. Maybe it should've been. It... reminds him a bit uncomfortably of Adam.]
...Well. [He's even more surprised about the fact that she's showing him of all people this.] Can't say I expected that.
[He nods, handing over the bread. Goodbye bread he will miss u.] I get that. Truth is, I don't technically look like this, not really. [He gestures to his face.] Vampires can drop the disguise and look all fangy and wrinkly, and frankly a bit repulsive, but I'm not a huge fan of it. Not 'cuz I want to be normal so much as just... at least that way I get the option of passing for human. Also just, y'know, no class at all.
W4, Post-Execution
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The second she sees Spike she’s shoving a piece into her mouth. Can’t start any fights if she’s quiet! Maybe! ]
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Stockpiling?
[Then he'll just relax against the wall.] Not interested in picking a fight with you, but I figured we should probably talk about some things.
... [And then he just stares after the bakery she just left, looking unsure about something.]
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I guess, as long as you don’t call me a stupid cow or a bitch or whatever.
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[He'll... go back to the bakery later. The bread smells good but that's a weakness he can't afford to show. He gestures with his head away from here.] Walk and talk?
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Mm. Sure. [ And she’ll just follow him. ] But no weird alleyways.
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[Don't act like you don't have final girl potential, Reze. He doesn't want to be vampire slayer'd.]
I think whatever feud's been going on is probably not particularly helpful for either of us, especially considering on my end, I don't really have anything against you, and . [He doesn't like how she keeps getting in his way or insulting him, but like. Alisaie and Power seem to like her, so that's more important.]
...I'll start with apologizing for the things I understand. Insulting Nine after you'd just lost him was... a low blow, even for me. And threatening to expose and probably kill you in front of the entire crowd wasn't great either. [Look, apologizing is hard when you can't feel remorse and just sort of objectively know you fucked up.]
Full transparency? I've got some guesses about what you really are, sure, and I don't think it's human. But I don't have any interest in interrupting you living how you want to live. I'd be a pretty big sodding hypocrite if that were the case.
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[ She chuckles lightly, mouth curled into a grin.
When he speaks she doesn't interrupt him. Only nods her head in agreement, tilting it to the side as her lips remain pressed together as she hums lightly to herself. ]
Then I'll apologize for kicking you in the head. I'll admit, it was on purpose, but I didn't think it'd hit that hard. And to be fair you kinda had a reason to threaten me after I was basically coming at you during trial with a metaphorical knife. [ Which, to be fair, she still thinks is justified due to her own reasons -- not out of pettiness, but she'll pretend to be perfectly content with that perspective of her. ]
But I'm curious, what do you think I am?
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Well, it was a fair connection to make. There were a lot of patterns lining up. Hell of a lot more than the last flimsy connection that was assigned to me, though I get that one too.
[He hums, considering.]
Some kind of demon, probably. Granted, that's a pretty vague descriptor where I'm from but... are you familiar with the fairy tale about the girl with the velvet ribbon?
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So you're admitting to not having any involvement -- I mean, I guess you can't just walk around and say that you are the killer... though I'll admit that the last trial was a mess.
I've got no clue.
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[He clears his throat.]
So, I don't remember it entirely off the top of my head, last time I read about it was the 1940s but... It's a story about this boy who meets a pretty girl and he becomes enchanted by her. And she's got this ribbon around her neck that she never takes off. They begin courting, and he becomes more and more infatuated. He asks about it, and she dodges the question and says she can't tell him anything.
Time goes on, he becomes more and more fixated on that ribbon and the secret behind it. Eventually, they marry. And even still, she won't take it off for anything. There's a couple variations of how it ends, sometimes his curiosity gets the better of him and he takes it off while she's sleeping, sometimes she takes pity on him and takes it off to show him the truth, and sometimes she's been dying the whole time and as she tells him that, she asks him to take it off her.
Regardless, it always ends the same. The ribbon comes off, and with it, so does her head. [Turns a glance toward her, eyebrow raised.] Almost all of those kinds of stories are inspired by encounters with actual demons. I think there's even a few about William the Bloody floating around. I don't know how it is in your world, or if that's even what would happen if someone took off that choker of yours, but I imagine it's at least got some superficial connection.
But, you know, doesn't much matter to me what you are. I'm a demon, if not a full one. Power's a devil, and she's an absolute delight. [So he just shrugs. That's about it.]
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I know you probably don't try it, but you really show your age during the weirdest conversations. But I'll give you a little credit of being able to remember something from that far out, apparently, cause I can hardly remember things that happened last week.
[ She's also lying. ]
Well...
I'll be honest and tell you that, despite it being an interesting story, it's not that. The choker doesn't do anything -- it's there by design, but tear it off all half-hazard and it might be explosive. And it would be more dangerous for the rest of you than it is for me.
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[Other vampires would see him as young but he definitely doesn't. He just thinks they're crusty old fucking weirdos with dementia and giant sticks up their arses.
He hums in response to her explanation.] That's interesting, though. The choker doesn't do anything but whatever's underneath does...? Certainly unique, I guess. [Sounds like something the Initiative would come up with.]
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Abruptly, she hands Spike over her bag of bread. ] Hold this.
[ She reaches up to undo the clasp of her choker. Awkwardly, it’s on the side of her neck rather than the back. Once she pulls it off, the safety spin attached to her neck is that much more obvious. ]
See anything strange?
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Then his eyebrows shoot up when she unclasps the choker.
...Huh. Well, in terms of things he expected, this was not one of them. Maybe it should've been. It... reminds him a bit uncomfortably of Adam.]
...Well. [He's even more surprised about the fact that she's showing him of all people this.] Can't say I expected that.
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No one ever does — and that’s how I like it. Makes me feel normal.
[ She takes the bag of bread back. ]
But apparently my body is normal so nothing will happen. Still, I don’t wanna test it out… I’ll be fine, ultimately, but I dunno about everyone else.
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[He hums.]
What would happen normally? Just explodes or...?
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[ And she almost makes it sound like an honest question.
She then gestures to her head with one hand, fingers spreading. ] Boom… yep. Doesn’t hurt as much as it did the first hundred times, trust me.