Like Moth's to a Flame(open)

[Kiala]

Amelia walked down the street, her skull topped cane making a constant ‘click click’ on the side walk was she limped on. She had just gotten here, parking her Bug a block back. She was in an area where it was rumored some of the kindred were. Hopefully a few more Tremere. She looked like the a perfect mark for a kindred. She was dressed in her typical red and black clothing covered by a red trench coat. She was a Goth, but her cane would make her a much more tempting mark.

Amelia looked around seeing nothing. In her left hand she held a Zippo lighter. She couldn’t yet spin flame out of air, but a zippo would allow her to make fire to control. She moved slowly, exaggerating her limp. No one would have guessed that she was a powerful magi. She was heading for a night-club. She had heard it called The Edge. She had heard rumors from the Order of Hermes that vampires gathered there.

Tremere might be there. She walked up to the front door, and when the bouncer went to deny her entrance she used her power to elongate her k-9’s and smiled at him…and placed a fifty dollar bill in his hand. He believed her to be kindred. How wonderful it was to be a mage. She moved into the bar and looked up. Not her normal scene, but it was good to change it up a bit. She removes a pack of Marb Smoothes from in her jacket and lights one, inhaling deeply. She liked to smoke, and there was the fact the ember’s could be used to create fire. She liked fire. She made her way to the bar and ordered a glass of wine before heading to a empty corner booth.

She sits and watches those around her, a look typically enough to dissuade most from approaching.

[myrkal]

Meiko was still a bit perturbed about her meeting with the prince, and how foolish she felt for her actions during it when she noticed they were approaching the Edge. Grinning to herself, he has the driver pull over and when Nikol her assistant opens the door she climbs out. Followed by her retinue of three other Tremere, muscle mainly, only Nikol proving to be intriguing conversation, she walks up to the doorman and without a word merely glances at him as she passes by.

Entering the bar Meiko looks around absentmindedly and walks up to the bar, one of her men stopping near the door, another going to the opposite end of the bar, Nikol and the other , Vasily, sit near eachother a short distance down the bar, aware that she doesn't want shadows.

Sitting at the bar Meiko looks down at the patrons and upon seeing a girl smoking a marlboro cigarette she catches her eye and smiles pleasantly. Noting how the girl is looking at the fire she is given pause for a moment, but shrugging it off she feigns a drink...

[zamara]

Rebuffing the advances of a two ghouls (one male, one female) and a young kindred (ha, like she'd care for his pathetic ten-year-old vitae), Annike sighed and walked around the bar. She knew she didn't have to be here--Serpentis wouldn't mind if she left--but she was rather bored of the same old cult rituals at her master's manor. No, it was time to see what was going on, get to know some new faces.

There were some newcomers to the club, including a human who'd amusingly impersonated a kindred. She had the right teeth for it, but she could tell the girl was human by her walk. As for the way she had fangs, clearly the girl was some kind of mage. How interesting. And the way she was caressing that lighter...

Annike turned to the bartender and made a quick order. When the shot of "Flaming Licorice" had been made to her specifications, she tipped the bartender and made her way to the mage. She nodded at a Japanese kindred (but not, it appeared, a Kuei-jin) who appeared to be of some importance before stopping before the mage.

"My name is Annike Van Leeuwanhoek," she announced, taking her own lighter from her pocket. "From one human to another," she added, setting the shot on fire and setting the drink before the young mage.

[Kiala]

Amelia looked around the bar and noticed the vampire sitting at the bar. Japanese in decent from what she could tell. She was rather attractive, but to her, her girlfriend was much more attractive. She wondered if the kindred woman was a Tremere. She was haughty enough to be one, that was the arcanes own truth. She returned the vamps smile, her teeth still pointed. She was goth so no one would think anything of it.

She then watches the human woman approach. She could sense life from this one. When she introduced herself as a fellow human, Ember thought to herself-- “So she knows about the vamps huh?”. She eye’s the woman up and down. Once again attractive enough, but still held little interest. When she set the shot down Amy picked it up and though to looked like she was blowing, it would be easy to tell no air passed her lips as the flame went out. She took out a fresh cigarette and lit it, while moving her cane onto the table, her fingers idly stroking the skull shaped top.

Amy motions to the seat across from her--”why don’t you have a seat, and tell me what it is a vamp pet want’s with me?”--She was guessing that this woman was a…what were they called, oh yes…a ghoul. But she figured in a place so full of vampires it was a good chance. She idley flick open her lighter and light’s it, making the flame dance.

[zamara]

Annike raised an eyebrow at the bold young woman. Pet. Hardly. She was 700 years old and perfectly capable of surviving without her master, as she had proved during the Dutch Renaissance, World War I, and, well, any time her master decided to sleep for more than fifty years straight without telling anyone.

“I dislike the word pet,” she said evenly, keeping her tone cordial but letting her eyes go stern. “It implies that I have no initiative or goals of my own—and I can assure you that this is not the case.” She smiled to let her words sink in. “As for why I’ve stopped by here...well, I could always use the services of a talented mage, for work for my master Serpentis, as well as for my more personal agendas. Both Serpentis and I pay very well, of course, in both money and information. Serpentis’s occult library is one of the largest in this country for both Western and Eastern esoteric texts. Many human mages, and Tremere, have utilized it throughout the centuries. “

Annike sat back in her chair like it was a throne. It was one of her gifts, being able to sit in almost any place with dignity. She smiled and watched the mage make her lighter dance. She was talented, though Annike guessed that with a few months with Serpentis’s library she’d be able to generate her own flames.

[myrkal]

Watching the two women from a distance, using her years of training in such things as a assassin to aid her in being unobtrusive. In doing this she also positions herself as to have the best position to overhear, but the noise in between is too much and sighing she walks over to them hands held non threateningly on her sides, a cigarette in a long polished black and chrome holder dangling from her lips.

Nodding at them both from about fifteen feet away making sure both are aware of her arrival before approaching any further. Standing a few feet away, close enough to remain private, but a distance enough to appear not too friendly she grins. "Ladies, my name is Meiko, would it be presumptuous of me to ask if I can speak to you , as one scholar to another..."

She says the last part with a distinct madness in her eyes, one that reflects her personality, and clan as Kindred to any who would bother to know. The madness is not in truth insanity, but an obcession with learning, with experimentation despite the risks or costs. The madness of a scientist, but an arcane scientist.

'It is obvious that one of these women must be something more,' that Meiko gathers merely by the amount and intensity between their gazes. What, she wasn't completely sure, but she figured the one who was here first was a mage. 'Most likely a newly awakened one', she mused.

"I am not here as a representative of anything but my own inquisitiveness, so if you would, would you humor me for a moment?" She looks from one to the other questioningly, not a bit of threat in her posture or mind, her eyes clear and bright, hungry to know...

[Kiala]

Amelia smirked at the woman’s obvious distaste for being called a pet. Stuck up pet. She had already decided that she didn’t like her. She came across like she thought because some vamp had decided to make her his little toy that she was better. HAH.

Amelia raised one eyebrow--"I cant have heard be right...you want me...to work for a vamp?...thanks but no thanks sister. I don’t deal with they're kind to much”-She listened further. The library was tempting. Very, very tempting. She could feel her fingers itch at the thought of getting her hands on some of those tomes of magic. But no she would not be a servant to some vamp and was about to say so when the Japanese vamp came over. Amelia was no idiot…she knew what this woman was.

“Tremere”--she utters under her breath. A single word filled with hatred, contempt...loathing. It showed in her eye’s. She hated this woman before her without even needing to know her. The fire from her lighter flared, nearly matching the intensity of the anger in her eye’s. She flicked the lighter shut, her eye’s suddenly darting around.

No one had noticed….wait…two, maybe three. No life was coming from them….kindred, possibly Tremere. This could be tricky. Her eye’s came back to the Tremere witch in front of her. She was not liking the odd’s…But she had been outnumbered before. Her hand tightend around her cane, ready to throw fire at a moment's notice...

[zamara]

Annike could see the mage’s eyes narrow upon hearing of her master Serpentis. Very well—perhaps the woman could simply work for her then. What Serpentis didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him… And he usually reacted with amusement if he found out about her “projects.”

To be honest, Annike liked being around a capable humans like herself. Sure, this one was a child, but she was a mage, and had potential. And her anger and arrogance was very cute. Much like a younger version of herself, in fact.

Ah, and here came the Japanese woman. A “scholar,” no less. Perhaps she too would be useful.

Annike was about to invite her to the table when she saw the mage’s reaction. The bile in her voice, the hatred in her eyes—oh, and now she was grabbing her cane. Clearly some kind of magical implement.

She cursed herself for leaving her saber in the car. Blast it, she needed a weapon now. There she was, a human surrounded by what looked like three kindred (Tremere?) and an angry mage. She unobtrusively leaned away from both sides, putting herself outside the most likely lines of fire.

But she hadn’t lived seven centuries without knowing how to defend herself. It’s not like her master ever deigned to swoop in and rescue her. Annike flexed her mind, and the shadows her master manipulated so well began to writhe.

She was not without her own defenses.

[myrkal]

Meiko sees the look of hatred pass over the womans eyes, followed by the flicker of the lighter. Looking pointedly at the flame after its change and then at the woman Meiko smiles. "I see, maybe I was a bit too forward in approaching you..." She looks at the other woman. "... I apologize." Winking at the woman she winces as she releases something inside of her, something that happens almost imperceptibly other than her slight wince.

Yet in her mind she is speaking to one of her men, using Telepathic Communication, explaining to him her plan. Almost immediately the two men at the bar get a cell phone text and move a good distance from the women spreading out to opposite sides of the room before sitting down facing the woman whose eyes had looked in hate at Meiko.

Obviously they are armed as they pull something out from below their shoulder holding it below the tables they are sitting at. Any aware of their movement are also aware that the guard who was at the door is gone also in a more prime position for shooting at the mage or whatever she is.

Meiko pointedly watches them move around the room, ignoring the fourth which is moving into position behind the threatening woman. "I know you think you have a reason to hate me, and most likely you do, but that is not the point here. No the point is, if you use that power I know is in you now, you will die. But unlike the death you I suspect crave, you will be used. My men will take you, heal you using our blood magic and enslave you as a toy for the Tremere in perpetuity. If you do manage to die, we have ways of making that form of existence worse than you could ever imagine."

She winces again, using her blood for one of her combat techniques, Shadow Feint, ( silenteve.wikidot.com/combo-disciplines ). Dodging down and to her left she spins on her heel kicking the stool the woman is on, attempting to make her lose her connection to her foci. Then she dives using all the speed of her celerity to one side, still appearing to all around as merely a crazy asian woman, before throwing a knife at the lighter the woman was holding.

Her men open up with their pistols just as she hits the ground rolling out of the kill zone, the fourth action allowed by her celerity allowing her to use obfuscate and blend in with the crowd as a blonde neo-industrial teen...


-------------

( was that too much, it is all allowable via the extra actions granted via Celerity

[Kiala]

Amy watched the Tremere witch closely. She also listens just as close to the threats, “heard that before doll….they ended up dust and bone…”. Amy smirked…wich lasted just as long as it took the vamp to kick the bench she was on, knocking it backwards. Amy rolled as best she could, keeping a tight hold on her cane. She needed it to walk…not as much as she might lead most to believe, but it was necessary. When the knife came flying at her she rolled to the side, avoiding it as it hit the floor. Next came the gun shots. She threw up her cane muttering one word.

Most of the bullets were misdirected around her except for one. Her spell came a second to late and the closest bullet tore through her shoulder. Amelia screamed in pain. She took two small skulls from her pocket and crushed one then the other. The first one removed all light., draining it from the room. The second she crushed rendered her invisible. She released the first spell and was already up and moving, crushing a third skull, releasing the spill within. It removed sound from about her and her alone.

She limped to the exit, her hand pressed to her wounded shoulder. Amelia moved through the crowd running from the gun fire. She limps out of the bar using a emergency exit, making her way down the street heading for her car. Amy stumbles a couple of time, leaning against the wall. Casting looks around and when she see’s no one she releases her invisibility spell and gets in her car, firing up the engine. She puts her foot to the gas and squeals tires as she takes off. She breaks another skull, releasing a healing wave through her body, stopping the blood flow, but not fully healing the wound.

(AMY OUT)

[myrkal]

Meiko continues her roll out of the way, moving quickly through the crowd making herself blend in using Obfuscate. With all the chaos such was not hard to do without being seen, not hard at all. Stepping outside, her men following a short distance behind her, Meiko grins as they climb into their cars and leave.

Opening her cell phone she makes a call to a Tzimisce friend of hers out of Trenton New Jersey. " Tamera, I know its been forever since I called, but you know, business. But, that is why I called you, I need some changes done to several of my guards. Ones that will make it so they are not targeted for the shooting at the Edge. I very nearly breached the Masquerade tonight, out of survival, not choice. And for that I am ashamed, me who seeks to be a Justicar..." She laughs mockingly at herself. "... can we come over now?"

When Tamera agrees Meiko's whole demeanor changes, the rush and adrenaline of the earlier moments is already fading and the use of all those vampiric abilities had made her hungry, very hungry. To that end they stop over at the Chantry before leaving town.

[Kiala]

Ziva had been in her office when she had received the call about impending trouble. She rose and took her glock from within her desk. It may be Elysium, but it is her Elysium. She excited her office and made her way down the stairs and arrived just in time to see the Asian kindred attack the young human woman. Ziva’s eye’s narrowed but before she could take action three...no four kindred opened fire on the unfortunate kine.

All but one round missed the kine as she raised her cane. It wasn’t definitive but Ziva swore she saw the woman utter something. In the next instant she had removed something from her pocket and broke it. In that moment the lights in the entire bar went out. When they came back in the woman was gone, but Ziva swore she saw a trail of blood…one drop after another hitting the floor toward the exit. A mage it would seem.

As the kindred who started the altercation tried to escape she morphs the shadows and catches one by the ankles. He was trampled under the feet of the crowd but by the time everyone was gone, it didn’t matter. She ordered ghouls to hide him, the police would be here soon. She ordered that the tapes be made ready along with copies for the prince. Spotting Serpantis’ ghoul she asked her to stay and join her in her office right away. Immediately after that she made her way to her office to send a email to Julain.

She was not in a good mood.

(ZIVA ENTER AND EXIT)

[zamara]

It had been over in seconds. It had been surprising, actually--Annike hadn't expected a vampire to so openly break the Masquerade. Especially not a Tremere--a Brujah, perhaps, but not a Tremere.

The Tremere she'd known over the centuries rarely started fights (though they were always swift to finish them). They were more like chessmasters, sending pawns to do their wetwork. Or like scholars, rarely seeking to fight at all.

How odd. And this vampire looked important, someone she'd had occasion to brief Serpentis on after he woke. She rarely forgot something so important and this failure frustrated her.

Nevertheless, Annike's quick reflexes had enabled her to escape all damage, save a bruised shoulder from a very undignified crouch-and-roll. It had been sixty years since her last judo lesson--clearly, she needed to get back in practice.

Spotting a very unamused Ziva, Annike smiled and acquiesced to her unspoken invitation. Time to call out the enforcers, she thought. The vampire hierarchy did so enjoy their fads, and the Masquerade was no exception.