closed | may/june catch-all

[faithfall]

Who: adrian & ??
Where: various
When: may/june
What: catch-all for june & migrated TDM threads

Warnings: N/A for now?

Comments

[faithfall]

[ Adrian nods. He had a feeling they'd be of the same mind about this. While Strahd has been ruled out, that doesn't mean that there aren't other vampires with similar agendas in a place like this. For all they know, they might be responsible for bringing people here to begin with. ]

My thoughts exactly. We should look into it.

[ Yes, he means right now. ]

[longtooth]

[ Fern does wonder if Alucard has seen this, and what his thoughts about it would be as a partial vampire who has had to oppose his own kind before. It can't be an easy thing, especially in an unfamiliar place like this.

She and Adrian, meanwhile, have none of that same baggage and yet a good deal of experience. If anyone is well-suited to look into it, it's the two of them.

Fern frowns only briefly at Adrian's suggestion. She sends a look out the car window. The night is still young, and it's not like she was going to sleep well anyway. ]

All right. If you're awake enough to drive.

[ He certainly seems awake, but she wants to be certain. Operating these vehicles is a dangerous job, and she knows he's still only getting the hang of it. ]

[faithfall]

I'm very awake, actually. [ Adrian says, perhaps a bit too quickly. It's not that he's eager to drive — the opposite, in fact, considering that he seems to be one of the few people who actually adhere to the rules in that driving book — but his blood is currently at least 50% caffeine.

He's already tucking his phone away so that he can retrieve his boots from under the seat. ]

You know, it's a bit strange. There are likely true vampires here, more like Strahd than your acquaintance, and yet I haven't heard much of them despite how bold they've chosen to be now... If people fear to speak their names, it's not obvious to me.

[ In other words, they've been very unlike Strahd , whose shadow had seemed to stretch across all of Barovia. He starts to move to the front of the bus and pauses. Grimaces at his own thought. ] Do you think we should we take your motorcycle instead? The bus is... a bit conspicuous.

[longtooth]

[ Fern raises an eyebrow at that too-quick reply, even though by that point Adrian's already turned away from her to grab his things. She's noticed that those things he drinks do have an effect on him, almost like a milder version of certain potions back home. It doesn't seem to have any negative effects, at least thus far, but she'll be keeping an eye on him.

She also grabs her things, slinging her cloak over her shoulder (not that it's going to do her much good in this heat) and dragging her pack into her lap to check that she has everything she needs.

Well, she definitely doesn't have enough weapons, but that's not a problem they'll be solving tonight, unfortunately. ]

... Hmm. Maybe it was harder for them to gain total control the way Strahd did. This place isn't like Barovia. [ Well, it is in some ways, but maybe it hadn't afforded the vampires here the same advantages.

Either way, they might earn the answer to some of their questions if they investigate. She can't help but feel a spike of relief at Adrian's suggestion. Now she doesn't have to worry about whether he's in a state to drive after consuming that... "energy drink." ] We can take the bike. [ She nods and leans over to slide open one of the side doors. Humid, sticky heat blasts in and she grunts in discomfort, but it doesn't stop her from peeling off of the seat to exit the vehicle.

As Adrian joins her, she nods to the bus. ]

Did you want to move it to a different spot? I don't think it's a good idea to keep it parked in one place for too long.

[ Call it paranoia, but Fern tends to have decent instincts. ]

[faithfall]

There are other forces at work here, to be certain. [ He agrees. He's thinking of the night he nearly drowned, not long after his arrival here... Granted, he had modified some of the details of just how perilous the situation had become, he had still mentioned the shadow creatures and the sense of something bigger, more awful lingering in that place. Perhaps it has something to do with why the vampires haven't truly taken over.

As for the van... ] Oh, you're probably right. I'll move it a bit closer to our destination. Wasn't there a parking garage west of here? Why don't we meet there, and I'll join you the rest of the way?

[ He tries not to look relieved at the prospect of avoiding the motorcycle at least for a short period. His heart is beating quickly enough as it is without the added excitement.

They split up, at least to some degree, with Fern leading on her much more agile bike while Adrian follows. They've worked together long enough that it's a simple enough task to park the bus in a new lot, pay someone to look after it, and join Fern on her bike the rest of the way. By then, the initial buzz of the energy drink has worn off, but the anxiety about their upcoming task — and the speed at which Fern takes sharp turns — is more than enough to keep him awake.

When they arrive, the clinic is a relatively understated affair, at least insofar as what he's accustomed to for vampires. People are milling about in line, or wandering off with cookies in hand, as if it's just an ordinary night.

Adrian keeps his voice down as he dismounts, stretching his legs gingerly. ] The line is long enough that we may be able to linger near the back of it to get a better look. It doesn't seem like they're guarding it... And these people don't appear to be entranced.