Los Angeles: Blood Moon - ❌🌙🟩ch9-sing-this-corrosion-to-me

Chapter 9 Location: Private Office in Ash & Daniels Cigar Bar, LA Hills Outskirts Players : @Andante [Volg], @Billy O’Riley (Ash) ST: @Slinar [Alexander Montferrier] Previous Scene #❌🌙🟩ch9-new-people-new-problems (edited)

As they enter the office, Volg sits down on one of the blue couches, gesturing for Billy to also take a seat, as he undoes the cuffs on his suit, a rare thing for him to do Billy would know, as he generally makes a point to be presentable "I'll be straight with you, kid. No matter how this conversation goes, we'll both likely be worse off after it. But I can give you something that I was never offered: A choice." Volg, physically, looked to be in his late 20's, but his mannerisms and facial expressions combined with the mostly healed scars on his face make him seem older, perhaps why Billy has taken to call him an old man. But now he really fully seems to be older. "We're in a pot of shit that is nobody's fault except those who are stirring it. And I have two options. Leave you ignorant and deal with all the dangers that comes with, or tell you everything and reap the consequences. And I want you to understand, the consequences I'm talking about are far more major than any decision you have up till now, or ever will make. Once you open that can of worms there is no going back, and I don't mean that in the crime family "Your life belongs to the Family now" sense. It's far more fundamental than that. This will quite literally change the color of your life, and nothing about it will be good. The day I was brought into this, is the worst day of my life, bar none, and I've been in a war. It's a burden, and a responsibility, one that will make your existence miserable, and should you fail to keep the information safe to yourself both of our heads go rolling"

1

09:37

The man pulls out a cigar and leaves it in his mouth to burn "If there were any alternatives, we wouldn't be talking here right now."

Billy sat on the couch as instructed, keeping her gaze trained on Volg. Her expression turned into a grimace as he initially spoke that only remained as he continued. She spoke, “Volg, I grew up in Glasgow and have been runnin’ with folk in thick crime since I was fourteen. I’ve had to bury more friends than I’d like to admit and killed too. If this is about crime of any color, I can take it, no problem. I got connections and I know who things run. I’m no rat. “ She explained, as if not fully getting this was more than just crime. “Besides, ignorance in’t gonna protect me when that Balle woman already knows I’m tied to ya n’ that ya care even a smidgen. As far as I’m concerned my name n’ face is out there. I can’t really protect mahself if I don’t know who’s out fer mah head.” She explained, still quite obviously not getting the severity of it all, still equating it gang violence.

"Billy, I feel you're still thinking too small. I'm not talking about gang violence, I'm not talking about backwater markets I'm not talking about organ trade, or organized crime, or human trafficking. I'm talking about shit that would seem most war crimes seem cute in comparison. I'm talking about damnation and isolation from all that you ever used to love. If you want a comparison to the severity of the shitpile that is this world, imagine shit like the Stonemasons or illuminati. This isn't like that, it's just the same scale as people seem to think those are. And I'm not talking about a cult. Only say yes if you are truly sure you are willing to abandon all that you have ever held dear."

Billy sat, staring at Volg a bit wide eyed. She’d know if he’s lying, she always did. What scared her was the fact he wasn’t lying. Her voice fell to a hush, “Yer bein’ serious ‘bout this world wide conspiracy shite…” she trailed off. For the first time, she looked as small as she physically was, the fire, the kick, smothered in a crushing amount of doubt and questions. After a few moments she looked down to her hands , setting and offsetting her jaw before rubbing her face. Her voice was quiet, “Tell me… if you were in mah shoes, havin’ the insights ya got, knowin’ full well ye might just be collateral n’ get dragged in anyway… what would ya say?”

Volg adjusts the cigar in his mouth "I'd grab the nearest plane ticket and fuck off to Sri Lanka or something. But I'm not you, despite how you've seen me, I abhor conflict so by definition I abhor this existence."

“But the same bullshite would just be waitin’ there n’ it’s only a mat’er o’ time before the same question comes up again, righ’” she reasoned and sighed, “Even if I did scrounge up enough to leave, I’m too much of a sassy shite to actually get a job that makes anythin’” she explained

10:09

Billy leans back with a sigh and added, “So I stay ignorant n’ it kills me n’ that ruins mah life or buy in n’ it ruins mah life sooner or get caught lat’er n’ it ruins mah life then.”

Volg exhales, and shakes his head a little. "I'm very sorry it's come to this." he extends his arm towards her, palm up "Could you check my pulse, real quick. Don't question it, just do it"

Billy sticks out two fingers and feels for a pulse properly. Her brow furrowed. She adjusted her grip up his arm and felt again… nothing. At this point the woman stands and goes to feel for his neck , a look of growing concern on her face.

As Billy's hand goes back to the wrist, to re-check just in case, the hand closes around her elbow, and suddenly it's not a hand at all, it's an enormous, beastial claw, gently but firmly holding over her. upper arm. If she looks up she will see feral wild eyes like that of a wolf, and fangs far beyond what a mortal should have "Welcome, Billy, to the world of monsters." The voice comes out calm, unchanged even, from how it was before (edited)

1

The woman gave a sharp inhale, her hand going to her belt as she reflexively grabbed for a knife, a wild fight in her eyes. In that moment she was willing to go toe to toe. The blade was swiftly raised… but stopped. She paused there as the instinctual fight response died out her eyes, leaving wide eyed dread and realization. “Fuck…” she huffed before looking to the knife than looking back to his arm. “This wouldn’t have done jack shite huh…” she reasoned aloud… and then looked to laugh. A half nervous half released laugh that felt out of place.

"Those shotgun holes downstairs weren't missed, they hit me, I just didn't care."

10:24

He lets her go and snuffs out a cigar on his hand "The can of worms has been opened."

Billy placed away the blade with a simple smile and a nod, as if impressed, not nervous, not scared, just impressed, “Ya know, this makes a lot o’ sense” She bent down to her bag and rifled around as she spoke, “bein’ an insomniac with a camera n’ a pension fer goin’ out in high places means I saw a lot of wack shite. Never once though’ it was … monsters. “ she pulled out a camera and cycled to a few pictures, showing them to Volg. Warp beams 5 stories up that looked to have finger spaced indents in them, a wall that looked like someone coolaid maned through, claw marks on a brick wall far away from where any animal would think to go.

Volg chuckles at first, before full out bright laughter, probably scarier than his beast claw "Fuck me, kid, that's the most casual reaction I have ever seen. Though, you might want to delete those, there's a whole group of people who would execute you on the spot for those pics, especially now, actually now they'd take both of us. Let's start from the top, you have a lot of questions and I no longer have to withhold the answers. To preface all of this, there's something called the Masquerade, not letting mortals find out about us, breach it and you die. Me revealing this to you is a masquerade breach, this gets out we both die. First of all, I'm a vampire, so is Balle. The movies got some things right, but not all of them." The Gangrel would then explain the concept of a Cainite, Kindred, Kine, the Camarilla, the Masquerade, Clans, and so on and so on. A 101 on vampire society.

10:41

(@Billy O’Riley (Ash) to spare us rehashing every little bit of VTM lore, Billy can ask about the specific things she would focus on, sound good? And when the basic introduction is over there are, some more specifics to discuss) (edited)

Billy, without question, deleted the pictures. She might dislike being told what to do, but she didn’t have a death wish. “It takes quite a bit to scare me. “ she explained simply. “I’ll just ask the important bits fer now. Who are we facin’ ? names, faces, abilities, places. How do I stop from bein’ a snack?“

1

"There's the Camarilla, the people I'm with sort of, they uphold the masquerade keep everyone in check. And then there's the Sabbat, evangelical sociopaths convinced they are to inherit the world. Vamprie Fascists, really. Seems like Balle belongs to a pack of those. Lucille was captured by them and turned into a Ghoul, I will explain this later, and they're getting more and more people. There are many abilities a vampire can develop based on their clan, Balle seems like she excels at Celerity, the power to move faster than the eye can track. My personal forte is Fortitude, it's why I can tank shotgun rounds without flinching. Out of the people Lucille identified, one seemed to be a Lasombra, that's probably their most dangerous. Most of the Sabbat are insane, Lasombra are downright psychopathic, and their abilities aren't as simple as making them faster or stronger, think shadow tentacles. I've informed the Sheriffs of the Camarilla of the situation and I'm trying to get a raid going as soon as we can, Balle got fucked up good by a guy called Diego, I want to use that. Attack them, don't let them keep coming on my fucking turf and threatening me vicariously through you. " He cracks his neck "I'm afraid your mortal gang friends aren't going to be of much help, considering bringing them into this would be a masquerade breach, and they'd probably just get slaughtered anyway. As for keeping alive, well, being aware of Kindred is already helpful, I'll tell you some common weaknesses too. After that you have an option. I can turn you into a Ghoul, I'm not interested in full siring anyone, it's a complicated process especially with my Clan, and it would do more harm than good. Being a Ghoul will give you some of my traits and abilities but still let you be a daywalker, but you will be reliant on vampire blood. There are other boons and downsides to it."

11:42

The man gets up to put the cigar in the bin, clearly not actually having smoked it since his lungs don't exactly move "You can ask Lucille about the details of being a Ghoul, I've never been one, a Gangrel sires a childe when he's hunting and the victim fights back hard enough." He looks sheepish for a moment "I bit my sire back. Outside of how funny it is to think about me biting a vampire back, sometimes I wish I'd just died there instead." (edited)

Billy nodded ,” So yer friends can’t know that I’m still on yer side. How do we stop friendly fire? “ At the mentioning of siring those that fight back, Billy looked to her belt loop where she tucked back her knife, pursing her lips and flashing up her eyebrows, “Suppose that’s why you take a shibin’ to myself and Lucille

1

"As long as you keep the masquerade you're fine to be openly on my side. Plenty of kindred have mortal retainers." He sighs again, sure does that a lot for a creature that doesn't breathe "And, I'm sure that has something to do with it yes, it's also why I detest the idea of siring. The Gangrel ritual is cruel, but necessary"

“Right so… any way for me to tell friend from foe? Probe without breachin’ or gettin’ the piss slapped outta me? “ she asked before slowly nodding at the later statement. “Don’t sound fun. Don’t exactly want to die… I think with this bit of information I’ll survive fer a bit.”

"Everyone's a foe, some just won't outright care to kill you. There are some ways to identify a vampire, but we've gotten pretty good at hiding it. I'll tell you who in the immediate situation is foe or not, but for people you don't know, stay cautious, never trust a vampire"

Billy looked to the ceiling, as if reading over everything that was said to her like it was written in the air. “So what do ya want me to do? Where do I stay? “ she asked, still looking to the ceiling

"I wish I could tell you where's "safe" but, frankly, nowhere is. If all goes right and the raid goes and is successfull, well, problem solved. But I wouldn't rely on it. Kindred have their fingers in everything, police, media, politics. There is no guarantee they won't find you anywhere. Though I doubt they care that much. Wherever you end up going, have a source of fire at the ready, spray can and lighter is a good combo. If someone like Balle gets near you, you won't be able to keep up, so try to force someone like that into a hallway, can't miss. There are a lot of strategies, but frankly Vampires are damn diverse and damn annoying"

12:51

He thinks about it for a second longer

12:52

"The Sabbat couldn't give a flying fuck about breaching the masquerade, but if you have people you know that are armed enough, well, a vampire can take a lot, but a fully armed group of mortals will eventually bring one down. There's always a chance you can make yourself too much of a bother to be a target, it's ultimately me they're after, not you."

Billy sat straight with a smile, “Great! I appreciate the explanations. Keepin’ my mouth shut lest someone kills me isn’t anythin’ new…I think I know what to do. Even if my friends can’t help out with muscle, they can make findin’ me more of a pain than it’s worth. If ya need a… what … a day Walker? Aye yeah one of those, I’m still ‘ere… Last question, we stayin’ open?”

Volg redoes his cuffs "Course we are, you can skip some shifts if you want. Call it arrogance, but I've rarely met a Kindred that posed a genuine threat to me, though seems like there's a few candidates, so I can stay at the bar. If you want to know about Ghouling, ask Lucille. If you can get a shotgun somewhere, not a bad idea, a pistol doesn't do shit against most kindred." (edited)

Billy shrugged, “Think I’ll stick to what I can carry. Grab some more sprays n’ lighters… want yer gun back? “

"You definitely need that thing more than I do, can at least slow them down, Protean Claws are painful to kindred like few other things so most weapons are a downgrade for me, Clan Gangrel is said to have the same origin as Werewolves, probably comes from that. Oh yeah, Werewolves exist, never fuck with one, this applies to kindred too, nobody who wants to continue their unlife fucks with a werewolf. "

“I mean sounds about right. What if I get bitten? Do I get turned into a werewolf?” She asked

"Uh, I don't think that's how that works, from what I've been told You do gain a superpower of being in about 90 different places at once though, if that sounds appealing. Just, in the form of giblets"

Billy snicker and shakes her head, “Nay, I think I’m good on that front… I think that’s it fer tonight. Kinda need to get a new phone n’ a burner, I’ll text ya when I do. Keep mah head down till this is resolved… oh yeah almost fergot, what’s yer interest in Micheal? The guys comin’ back tomorrow night. “

"Kid recognized a Sabbat Vampire and immediately shat himself on realization, he's suspicious"

13:57

Volg leans back in his couch "Don't worry I don't intend to harm him in any way, but some answers would be nice, and if he knows something about her, well that may help."

Billy nodded and said, “If it makes ya feel any bet’er, guy can’t take a hit. Sent him on his ass real easy. He’s some ‘priest ’that likes gettin’ books on things like fantasy creatures … thought I’d call him crazy fer his wee hobby. He said that woman gave off a vibe that unsettled him n’ reminded him of … whatever he broke down over...wait.” She paused furrowing her brow, “Volg I think he might know… When he came to he went grabbin’ at his neck, but he covered up right quick, took quite the bit of pryin’ to get him to even admit anythin’ remotely close and even then I thought he was just some book nerd. He didn’t look to clock anyone else though, just that woman… Also said he was lookin fer a man named Alexander Montferrier. Was gonna ask Charles Lee ‘bout em. “ She pause with a bit of a pleading look, “Told me ‘cause he’s smitten n’ was concerned fer mah safety. You can ask Lucille, she saw him gettin’ mushy round me. I like the guy… so don’t hurt him please.”

Volg muses for a second "Yeah I figure he's at least somewhat in the know. Took him for a hunter at first, but what kinda fucking hunter faints when he sees his prey. Oh yeah, vampire hunters exist. And, I'm never afraid of violence, you could even say I am loose with it. But I never start it without a reason, if he talks and leaves we're fine, if he refuses to and leaves, we're fine, if he tries to stake me, I might have to take his head off with some inbetween points to that. I'm sure you understand that." (edited)

Billy nodded and sighed, “Just let me have a wee chat with the man first n’ he’ll behave.” She glanced side to side before asking, “Anythin’ else?”

"I'm sure you have a lot to process. But the only stability I can give you, is that I'm still me. I never bothered putting on a front in my unlife. So don't expect much different. And I try to keep lethalities to the minimum when I'm feeding."

-- END SCENE --

15:12

Scene Recap:

15:13

Volg tells Billy about Kindred and gives her the rundown on how the society works.