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California.
[She doesn't miss Beacon Hills, but she does miss the California weather.]
Most people haven't heard of it.
[She doesn't miss Beacon Hills, but she does miss the California weather.]
Most people haven't heard of it.
This isn't the part where I tell you I'm not most people. ( He sets the prepared drinks by a tray and sticks the corresponding tickets to them. ) But, that doesn't mean I'm not.
( One of his waiters walks over Lydia's order, holding the tray from the bottom. )
Right here. Bar one. The well-dressed redhead.
( Yes, within earshot of her. She knows she's well dressed. )
Not at all related, I still never got your name. Should you want to give it, I'd listen. ( He'd learn it. )
( One of his waiters walks over Lydia's order, holding the tray from the bottom. )
Right here. Bar one. The well-dressed redhead.
( Yes, within earshot of her. She knows she's well dressed. )
Not at all related, I still never got your name. Should you want to give it, I'd listen. ( He'd learn it. )
[She adjusts her belongings to make space for the plate, before glancing up at him with a smirk. She figured he'd get around to that eventually.]
Lydia.
[Being her name.]
Lydia.
[Being her name.]
Thank you.
( He does let her eat and mind any messages in piece, as he's still working.
Soon enough, someone comes to relieve him, which means taking one of the registers in the back and counting. That takes only about twenty minutes and then he's properly tapping the machine and clocking out.
Ending up on the other side of the bar, he pulls on his jacket approaches a seat -- two away from Lydia. )
Do you mind if I take a seat? Some nights I stay after. Celebrate the job well done.
( There's also barely anything to do in this town. It's the Grille, the bar on the interstate, or Damon's house. Which is, much more compact compared to the Salvatore School aka the old boarding house. Without Stefan, that place is large. )
( He does let her eat and mind any messages in piece, as he's still working.
Soon enough, someone comes to relieve him, which means taking one of the registers in the back and counting. That takes only about twenty minutes and then he's properly tapping the machine and clocking out.
Ending up on the other side of the bar, he pulls on his jacket approaches a seat -- two away from Lydia. )
Do you mind if I take a seat? Some nights I stay after. Celebrate the job well done.
( There's also barely anything to do in this town. It's the Grille, the bar on the interstate, or Damon's house. Which is, much more compact compared to the Salvatore School aka the old boarding house. Without Stefan, that place is large. )
Edited 2020-10-15 04:08 (UTC)
No.
[That's a little too fast, because the question is a little more complicated than that.]
Well, physically yes. You'll be a vampire. But you don't have to be like them. The kind of vampire you become is entirely your choice. I live on blood bags and haven't bitten an actual human in years. I also know a guy who lived on bunny blood for decades which ... would not recommend, because there's a high level of self-loathing that comes with that kind of lifestyle, but there are options.
[That's a little too fast, because the question is a little more complicated than that.]
Well, physically yes. You'll be a vampire. But you don't have to be like them. The kind of vampire you become is entirely your choice. I live on blood bags and haven't bitten an actual human in years. I also know a guy who lived on bunny blood for decades which ... would not recommend, because there's a high level of self-loathing that comes with that kind of lifestyle, but there are options.
( Self loathing. He could write Caroline the book on that, but she'd dated the guy who'd written what might feel like the original scripture on it. )
Tell me something good, about being a vampire. Something that isn't self loathing and violence.
Tell me something good, about being a vampire. Something that isn't self loathing and violence.
I'm guessing other than being young and hot forever?
[Because, you know, obvious. But also it lightens the tone of the conversation a little bit.]
You'll be stronger and faster than you were as a human. Your senses will be stronger. I don't know. I'm not going to lie to you and say that it isn't hard. Dealing with cravings is going to take a lot to get used to. But ... being a vampire made me the best version of myself, as weird as it sounds.
[Because, you know, obvious. But also it lightens the tone of the conversation a little bit.]
You'll be stronger and faster than you were as a human. Your senses will be stronger. I don't know. I'm not going to lie to you and say that it isn't hard. Dealing with cravings is going to take a lot to get used to. But ... being a vampire made me the best version of myself, as weird as it sounds.
( She successfully gets him to half laugh at that. )
It's not weird. This version of you isn't bad.
( But you did try and save his life. )
Are there more of you? More vampires out there who save people?
It's not weird. This version of you isn't bad.
( But you did try and save his life. )
Are there more of you? More vampires out there who save people?
You make it sound like there's just the bad vampires and the good vampires, but ... it's not that simple. Vampires are just like people. They make choices just like people do.
[Everything comes in shades of gray.]
Some are better than others, some are worse. It just ... seems amplified, because that's what being a vampire does. It amplifies everything you are.
[Who knows. Ryan might become even more succinct and taciturn.]
[Everything comes in shades of gray.]
Some are better than others, some are worse. It just ... seems amplified, because that's what being a vampire does. It amplifies everything you are.
[Who knows. Ryan might become even more succinct and taciturn.]
( She may not know him, but every single thing she's said has hit him. Humans that didn't raise him made choices that. brought him to the Cohens. An excuse for a human being is why Marissa was driven off the road. Humans could probably be worse than the best vampire. Than a vampire like her.
But, there is one thing that matters before he makes the choice. He's not done yet, and he will not be like the vampires that captured him and took advantage in his own home.
Caroline ends up staying with him because of PTSD he doesn't acknowledge but right then, he thinks about all the life he could live. The people he could help. Amplified. )
What's your name?
But, there is one thing that matters before he makes the choice. He's not done yet, and he will not be like the vampires that captured him and took advantage in his own home.
Caroline ends up staying with him because of PTSD he doesn't acknowledge but right then, he thinks about all the life he could live. The people he could help. Amplified. )
What's your name?
Caroline Forbes.
[She holds out her hand to him, and smiles her trademark Caroline Forbes smile.]
Nice to meet you.
[She holds out her hand to him, and smiles her trademark Caroline Forbes smile.]
Nice to meet you.
Ryan. Atwood.
( Something warms within from her smile. There's nothing he can be sure of, except, maybe, what Caroline means to do. And who she is. He can read her enough. It's not that she means well. It's that she does well. )
( Something warms within from her smile. There's nothing he can be sure of, except, maybe, what Caroline means to do. And who she is. He can read her enough. It's not that she means well. It's that she does well. )
[Freya glances to Ivy, and Ivy shrugs. Freya shrugs in return, before gesturing for Elena to follow her to the back office.]
Follow me.
Follow me.
[She shakes her head.]
Free country. And you do own the place.
[So she's not going to tell Damon that he can't sit in his own bar. She also is intrigued by him, but that's not important to his question.]
Free country. And you do own the place.
[So she's not going to tell Damon that he can't sit in his own bar. She also is intrigued by him, but that's not important to his question.]
Dean.
[Sam takes a deep breath because he doesn't want to work with Gerard either, but they could probably make that clear without being an ass about it.]
It's ... the last time they saw each other, it didn't go well.
[Sam takes a deep breath because he doesn't want to work with Gerard either, but they could probably make that clear without being an ass about it.]
It's ... the last time they saw each other, it didn't go well.
( Bringing her sunglasses with her, she does as Freya says, following her into a smaller back office. Away from prying eyes, or Ivy's ears, Allison takes a seat. )
I think I'm here for you. I've done the research and there's someone powerful here. Maybe both of you, but, something tells me it's you. You're magic.
I think I'm here for you. I've done the research and there's someone powerful here. Maybe both of you, but, something tells me it's you. You're magic.
( Lucky for the both of them, it's only Chris who seems to not appreciate the comment. But, that only comes from the eyebrow he gives. He's questioning her decision, it's clear, but Allison doesn't lose her cool. )
And he didn't get any better. ( Which should clear some things up, right? ) I loved my grandfather, I love my dad. But, the code they lived by, it's different than the one we live by now. This is about Gerard, but it's not about working with him. It's about saving people from his influence. Even though he's dead. My dad says you're good hunters. Have you crossed paths with anybody affiliated with Tamara Monroe?
And he didn't get any better. ( Which should clear some things up, right? ) I loved my grandfather, I love my dad. But, the code they lived by, it's different than the one we live by now. This is about Gerard, but it's not about working with him. It's about saving people from his influence. Even though he's dead. My dad says you're good hunters. Have you crossed paths with anybody affiliated with Tamara Monroe?
Yeah. Hiding in plain sight.
( Plus, the time of night. But, he's not about to knock him for improvising. )
It was a good move.
( And a compliment! )
Where do they go, after you drop them by this school?
( Plus, the time of night. But, he's not about to knock him for improvising. )
It was a good move.
( And a compliment! )
Where do they go, after you drop them by this school?
Depends on their parental status.
[Meaning if their orphans/disowned or not. The Salvatore School takes in a lot of both.]
If their parents don't want them to stay, they can take them elsewhere. But if they don't have them, they'll have the option to stay. Be somewhere safe for kids like them.
[Meaning if their orphans/disowned or not. The Salvatore School takes in a lot of both.]
If their parents don't want them to stay, they can take them elsewhere. But if they don't have them, they'll have the option to stay. Be somewhere safe for kids like them.
I'm a witch.
[Since there's terminology for these things. You can't just go around calling people magic, Allison. But she also is a little on edge, because she's not sure what Allison is looking for, exactly.]
What exactly is it that you want?
[Since there's terminology for these things. You can't just go around calling people magic, Allison. But she also is a little on edge, because she's not sure what Allison is looking for, exactly.]
What exactly is it that you want?
[Sam's brow furrows at the name because that isn't something he's familiar with. He hasn't met her directly. But ...]
I have been seeing a lot more hunters floating around. Garth said he and the pack have had to move a few times to avoid someone who was tracking them.
I have been seeing a lot more hunters floating around. Garth said he and the pack have had to move a few times to avoid someone who was tracking them.
( "Fitzgerald?" her dad asks.
Allison looks over.
"He's a former hunter. And, a werewolf." ) Like Scott.
( "Different kind." )
That someone isn't just one someone. There are others out there who are tracking and targeting supernaturals. Gerard influenced a woman named Tamara Monroe and she's... widened her scope. She's persuasive. As far as we know, her reach extends over into Europe. And most of these people, they're not seasoned hunters. They're civilians. Weaponized.
Allison looks over.
"He's a former hunter. And, a werewolf." ) Like Scott.
( "Different kind." )
That someone isn't just one someone. There are others out there who are tracking and targeting supernaturals. Gerard influenced a woman named Tamara Monroe and she's... widened her scope. She's persuasive. As far as we know, her reach extends over into Europe. And most of these people, they're not seasoned hunters. They're civilians. Weaponized.
A wide network of hunters, people I'm not affiliated with, are targeting supernaturals across the country. A decade ago, they were small, but faithful. And then they fell off the map.
( And with Allison here, it's probably clear they're back on it. )
They're emerging again. Tracking werewolf packs, hexing witches - we think they've even brought a few witches to their side. They're getting too good at finding people we've hidden. Right now, there are whole packs that keep on the move.
( She narrows her eyes. )
I'm here because Tamara Monroe, their leader, was seen at the Louis Armstrong airport. In New Orleans.
( And with Allison here, it's probably clear they're back on it. )
They're emerging again. Tracking werewolf packs, hexing witches - we think they've even brought a few witches to their side. They're getting too good at finding people we've hidden. Right now, there are whole packs that keep on the move.
( She narrows her eyes. )
I'm here because Tamara Monroe, their leader, was seen at the Louis Armstrong airport. In New Orleans.
Great. Because that's just what we need.
[He glances between the two of them as he tries to draw all the conclusions together.]
So what does this have to do with Gerard? Was she his protege or something?
[He glances between the two of them as he tries to draw all the conclusions together.]
So what does this have to do with Gerard? Was she his protege or something?
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