Roleplay City
Administration => Infusco Archives => Archives => Old Roleplays => Topic started by: The Cedar Witch on July 07, 2019, 03:55:13 AM
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continued from here (http://www.roleplaycity.com/forum/index.php?topic=7245.new#new)
Tomorrow came quicker than it should’ve--at least that’s how Fler felt. They didn’t tell Inferno what they were up to, figuring it would be best to avoid getting the family’s hopes up in case the search turned up empty. Honestly, Flereous wasn’t even sure if Noelle and Monet were going to show up. If the other demons didn’t show, Fler planned to just head back home. No way in hell were they going to the Block alone. 'Maybe' getting answers wasn't worth the risk of going alone.
Creepy as fuck...building, or whatever the hell it was.
Fler--wearing a pair of baggy black cargo pants, a simple light grey tee, and a red flannel hooded sweatshirt--stood as inconspicuously as possible at a bus stop across from the dirt road off 102 West. They were smoking a cigarette they’d bummed off of some day-walking thin blood cutie before they got on the bus headed in this direction. It was overcast and dreary, but it wasn’t supposed to rain. The weather did nothing for Fler’s nerves, and they checked the time obsessively since they got off of the bus.
2:00. 2:03. 2:07. 2:12. 2:15.
They’re not gonna fucking show.
With a scowl, Fler took one final look at their cellphone before tossing the spent cigarette and crushing the smoldering butt with the heel of their black combat boots. They were almost going to turn back toward the heart of the West District and walk back before they heard (and saw) someone approaching.
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Monet had parked about a mile or so away from the street and was outfitted to walk around fairly undetected: black jeans that would allow her to move if necessary and a dark forest green sweatshirt without print on it. She had chosen gray running sneakers and a black bandana for the lower half of her face - if necessary - that she wore as a kind of ascot, the point turned to one side. She would be almost undetectable in the woods or in shadow, should she need such cover. WHo knew what the fuck they would find.
If the others showed up at all.
She had gone home - well, back to the motel - from the bar with apprehension that kept her awake for hours. After frying herself a couple of eggs and a grilled cheese sandwich, she felt more sober and less sure.
Breaking and entering wouldn't have been her first choice of action, and as she walked off the path into the trees on route 102, she hoped it wouldn't come to that. She carried no identification on her - being well experienced in riot defense in her years as an activist - and carried nothing but a switchblade that she kept holtered at her hip. The other two - Noelle and Fler - had the privilege of being from the Home Plane. Monet did not; she was born in Tampa Bay, Florida and had always called the Earthly Plane home. She had no fast powers, no ability to slip bodily out of harm's way should she be caught by someone undesirable. While it felt silly to bring a knife to a potential immortal fight, there needed to be some manner of protection on her.
It wasn't long before she spotted a figure in red at the bus stop across from the entrance of the Block's perimeter. Her instinct told her to crouch but she then figured who the person might be pretty quickly and sighed. Fire demons, she thought to herself. Monet approached from behind the fire demon, silently condemning them for being so oblivious in their outfit choice. She stopped her stealthy approach and came out behind the bus stop in time to see Fler gazing around. Without greeting, Monet sat down on the back railing of the bench, feet flat on the seat and knees splayed wide in a relaxed, masculine stance. "Wasn't sure either of you were gonna show up," she said dubiously and tucked her hands into her pockets.
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Noelle had already shown up, but was waiting at a different point. She was wearing her normal wear, which included black slacks, and a button of up some kind. It was a dark green and looser fitting, and the black tanktop undershirt she also wore had thicker shoulder straps in case she needed to remove the button up shirt she could easily do so. Her pants also seemed of a looser fit, mostly for ease of movement, and she wore a comfy pair of boots so running, or even stepping through things would be of no issue. The weapons she naturally had hidden on her, were present today as well. Today she would smoke either green or black cigarettes to match.
She noticed the two a bit further in the distance and made her way over to them, currently smoking a green cigarette as she made her way over. A smile lit up her face to see the other two had indeed made it, as she wasn't even sure the others would show and she would just have just done it alone. Once she became close enough she waved at them, and a little closer she began to talk.
"Nice to see we all made it" she smiled as she made her way to be next to them, seemingly unworried for what they were about to do, "So, how are we all feeling?" she had mostly asked in a good tone, but trying to figure out how either of them felt about this now that the time was here, and wondering if either of them would be quick to back out if things got tough. She did have a semblance of a plan, debated if knocking first would make things better or worse. Also had an idea of what to say with Zeus if they did end up finding him. She mostly wanted to work with him, and help out their fellow demons in whatever way she could by following in her parent's footsteps, but she wasn't so sure about the other twos motivations, and that alone concerned her. Monet seemed less like the type to go for that, and Fler, well they were hard to read in that regards.
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Flereous jumped and swore under their breath at the sudden sound of Monet's voice, and spun around to face her. They tried to play it off as if they weren't just startled, crossing their arms in front of their chest and maintaining a serious expression.
"Same." They were about to give Monet a little shit about being late when they spotted Noelle just off in the distance, waving. In spite of how uncomfortable Fler looked, they were honestly relieved that the others had kept their word. Fler's shoulders released the tension they'd been harboring from being startled earlier (and seriously on-edge before that). They gave Noelle a little smile in reply, trying to latch on to the confidence and easy nonchalance that emanated from the smoke demon.
"A bit anxious, honestly, but ready to do this." Their reply was quiet and they shifted their weight from one foot to the other. "How about you folks?" Fler glanced between the two and slipped their hands into the pockets of their sweatshirt.
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"Mildly concerned about what we might find in there," Monet said with a nod towards the general direction of the compound. "Should we have some kind of plan before we do this?" Yes, the answer was yes, but she didn't want to come off as an asshole. Past experiences told her that she had the habit of coming off a bit too blunt when she tried to be direct, whether because she wasn't watching her tone, or because people were just too ignorant to think that far ahead. It was usually the latter.
She squinted up at the sky overhead and judged the mass of clouds thoughtfully. There was no significant amount of water in the area, the air relatively dry despite the cloud cover. It would mean that summoning a storm of any size would take some effort. An electrical storm, however, was much more likely to happen fast. Too bad it was very finicky to control. At least Fler wouldn't have the rain to worry about... unless Monet had something to say about it. She kept this thought to herself and looked at the others for their response.
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"Well we should probably try the front gate first no?" She mentioned not thinking too heavily about it as she had last night, "After all I think if we just up and go in there and he is still there, then he'd likely get pissed. But really it also depends on both of your motives as well. While I would like answers, I'm not expecting answers and am more looking to join him. Figured I'd be more likely to learn the answers in time at the worst by doing that." She mentioned taking a drag from her cigarette looking at the other two.
"What motivates you two in this?"
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"Uh," Fler squinted up at the sky and glanced between the other demons. "Curiosity, for one." Rumors were all the information anyone had to go on, really.
"Two: reven--well, justice, I guess." They sighed sadly. "I just don't understand why he wasn't around when shit went down and I'm just...angry about it." As for how these things would be got--the fire demon was just planning on winging it.
"I figured we'd take a look at the entrance first, at least. See if there's some kinda doorbell or something." Fler shrugged. "To be honest, I'm not really good at strategy so..." They trailed off awkwardly.
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"Justice." She wasn't exactly in the mood to discuss the death of her cousin and her husband. Especially not when she was about to head into an unknown compound that had been seemingly empty for almost two years. Monet turned on her heel and checked the road for eyes before crossing and walking up the road towards the Block. She looked back to see if the others had taken the hint.
"I'm not a huge fan of a B&E charge, personally, so I'm thinking that the gate is the best bet. If it opens easily, there may be someone inside the Block." Possibilities ran through her head of what they might find there - vampires, shifters, wild animals? Maybe even rogue demons who were holed up, working on a plan to take back the West themselves, demons who didn't much care for a scattered bunch of misfits. If shit were to hit the fan, they'd have only one way to escape. She didn't like that idea one bit. "Our best bet is to hope that no one is home. Then we might even have a chance at getting in."
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She followed, not sure what to make of it all. She thought their best bet that someone was home, because then they wouldn't have to break in. She listened looked to Monet, then Fler, then straight ahead. Both wanted some type of Justice over what happened. She doesn't blame them, as she kind of does too, but knows that Zeus wouldn't be the person to take this out on. Sure him being there didn't help, but it was really the vampires who did the crime. Justice didn't belong to Zeus to give them. She would rather eradicate the vampires who wronged her, and possibly even those who didn't.
She stayed quiet, thinking about their next moves and actions and possible outcomes for this place. She hoped that someone would answer at the gate, and they could take it from there.
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"Right." Fler followed Monet without hesitation, making a quick jog across the otherwise deserted road.
The three walked up the dirt road in silence, the sounds of animals in the forest humming louder as they moved farther away from the main road. Yeah, Fler definitely wouldn't've been able to do this at night. Their muscles felt stiff straining against the building tension, and their eyes darted around to catch any potential threats. It was an uneventful walk, really, but the closer they came to that gate the tighter Fler's chest got and the harder it was to breathe normally.
What if the place was actually deserted? Fler couldn't decide if that would be better than finding him there or not.
Eyes catching cameras posted, Fler stopped. "Hey," they whispered and pointed at one. "Think we should be worried about those?" They looked to Monet since it seemed like she knew exactly what she was doing.
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"Ah, shit," she murmured, putting her bandana over her mouth and nose, debating whether she should dart off behind the closest tree. If those damn cameras were working, it wouldn't really matter if she tried a sneaky approach. She moved to the side of the road, grasping onto the others and pushing them in front of her at the same time, hoping they wouldn't give too much of a fuss about it. "C'mon!"
They were still at least a hundred yards from the front gates, another three hundred from the Block itself. Monet dropped to one knee as she looked around for more cameras - why hadn't she checked for that before hand? She counted the poles the led up to the front gate, noting that each of them had a camera posted on them - though she couldn't tell if they were stationary or oscillating. If they oscillated they stood a better chance at finding Zeus - he would most likely be the one controlling the cameras, though nothing could be certain until they got to the front gate.
"I can't tell if they are working or not." She thought quickly, eyes darting around the woods. "Okay," she decided without consulting them first, "you two should go up to the main gate by the road. I'm going to go around and see the structure of this place. The property seems huge, but I'd rather know what the hell we're getting ourselves into should we need to get ourselves out of it. Take the road and wait for me by the front gate. I shouldn't be super long." Monet tightened her hood over her face and re-tied her shoelaces to give her feet better traction, giving either of them ample opportunity to try to tell her differently.
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She looked at the Cameras and noticed Monet greatly over-react to them. She had only stopped walking to the front gate because Monet reacted the way she did.
"Who cares if they are working or not? In fact if they are, then bonus for us. Means someone will actually answer the gate. Try to relax a bit will you?" She said to have Monet to just run off anyway. Noelle sighed thought her nose, smoke from the cigarette flowing out. She looked to Fler, shrugged, and continued to walk to the first gate.
"I really hope she doesn't get into any trouble," she mentioned a bit concerned, "It might make it harder for you guys to get some answers, and for me to join up and help get rid of the vampires control from the city." She seemed a bit unhappy with what just happened.
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Fler sighed through their teeth, watching Monet go off to investigate. Alone. They shook their head and followed Noelle's lead.
"Yeah, same." They stretched their arms over their head and squinted into the overcast clouds. "I mean she seems like she knows what she's doing. No shame in being careful." Fler shrugged and pushed their hands into their pocket. People probably did stupid shit around here anyway, considering the reputation the place had while it was empty (and even when it wasn't).
The fence was total overkill, even if the cameras weren't. What were they trying to keep out? Or were they trying to keep something in? Best not think about that possibility or Fler'd turn right the fuck back around.
They wanted to ask Noelle for a cigarette but didn't want to ask for more than one, and Fler sure as hell would probably need one after they found whatever they were looking for here (or not). Better to wait then.
Flereous was silent during their walk, taking in the surroundings and trying not to freak out over every little sound they heard coming from the underbrush. Probably nothing. Even though the closer they got to the gate the more it looked like every damn shadow was moving. Closer still, and Fler's vision seemed to zoom in to the gate at the end of the path like one of those camera effects that they had in the movies. Their breath held fast in their chest, and when they were a few steps away from it Fler led them to just off the side to wait for Monet.
They couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Probably because of all those cameras. Mostly because they detected a bit a movement from the other side of the gate in the shadow of the wall. They turned to Noelle.
"Did you see that?" Their voice was barely above a whisper. Hearing a slight noise from the woods (which was definitely Monet joining them) they turned back toward the gate and jumped.
Standing as if he'd always been there was a strangely tall, lean man in a black suit with sharp facial features, black eyes, and a long black braid. He leaned against the wall staring intently at them (since they were off to the side, looking in at an angle). Fler was sure this was some kind of demon. He had to be. Their heart was pounding now, palms slick with nervous sweat. He cleared his throat.
"Uh. Hi?" They fumbled.
"State your business." Squinting against the light, he straightened and folded his hands in front of him.
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Monet ran as quickly and as quietly as she could. The ground around the Block was uneven and completely wooded with thick, tall trees that only let her see a few yards ahead of herself. The dense forestation muffled a lot of her sound and everything sounded close, hidden. She paused at regular intervals around the perimeter both to catch her breath and to reorient herself to her surroundings, always keeping the walled property on her right within eyesight. It would be super easy to get lost out here if she lost her way and she briefly doubted her skills and her decision to go at this alone.
Don't be stupid, she admonished herself sharply.
It wasn't long before she noticed the cameras pointed outward into the forest. She dodged them the best she could, staying just out of range. Why would someone monitor the outside of such a large property? She kept moving, ducking into the shadows of the trees when she found more cameras, thankful that she was smart enough to wear clothing that at least somewhat blended into her surroundings; Fler would have given them away immediately in that stupid red flannel, he she decided to take the fire demon with her.
Much of the wall and fence were the same, cameras posted atop fence posts at regular-ish intervals. As she rounded the back, however, she noticed the frequency of cameras pick up - and flood lights. Ahead, a clearing with what looked like a dirt road. She paused, knowing enough to not go running directly up to the road, her blood pumping hard and fast in her ears. The feeling in the air was different here, and she began to feel... watched. She whipped her head around to ensure that she was still alone, but the sensation lingered. Slowly, with her eyes on the fence on her right and her steps chosen as carefully as she could manage in the foliage, Monet Pak approached the clearing.
It was a road after all, a narrow dirt path that had weeds threatening to recover the edges and a center path where no tires cut. She suspected that this road would be found on no published maps, and didn't bother wandering what this random path in the woods would lead to, fenced off as it was with a thick chain and padlock over the ten-foot sliding steel gate. With caution and weary eyes, Monet approached the gate, climbing out of the foliage and out onto the dirt road.
Upon the hill, inside the fence she could see the Block in the far distance, a small cube sticking out of the ground now. The road veered off to the left and Monet lost the path with her eyes. There wasn't much to see after the dirt road took a hard left and disappeared beyond the fence, but she could see the top of what seemed like a narrow check-in booth. She watched it for a few seconds before determining that it was most likely empty. Quickly, she took to her feet and ran the length of the fence, the Block remaining on her right.
So there was a second way out of this place if shit hit the fan. That was good news. Long minutes passed and doubt crept into her thoughts again. Had she somehow managed to mess up where she was? Shouldn't she be nearing the front gate by now? Or was the property impossibly large and Monet had simply not noticed? Her internal compass told her this was wrong. She simply needed to keep going.
Within a few minutes, she smelled cigarette smoke and assumed she was getting closer to the front gate. Sure enough, she almost burst out of the trees and onto the path as she felt eyes on her again. This time, Fler's red flannel was a welcoming sight.
"Okay," she panted, her hands on her knees as she caught her breath, pulling the bandana off of her face in her grapple for air in her lungs. Damn, she was out of shape. "There's a road..." she continued, words coming out of her in gasps, "around back... a dirt road... leads West... There's cameras... all over the damn place..."
"Did you see that?"
Monet whipped around to look at what Fler had found - nothing. But she had felt something there, just like in the woods. The skin on the back of her neck and arms prickled, despite the sweat. She was liking this whole thing less and less. She stood tall, swaying briefly with a lack of oxygen and jumped at the sudden appearance of the tall man. Freakishly tall. Inhumanly tall. Monet had nothing prepared, and looked to Noelle for her words instead.
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She looked at the figure that stood before them, glad and relieved that Monetcame back and didn't do anything bad or weird. Also glad that the figure spoke really before she could explain to Fler that to her, it seemed as if Monet didn't quite know what she was doing and might have just jeopardized their chance to even speak with Zeus. She wasn't surprised to hear about the cameras, but noticed Monet's sudden quietness also at the figure.
"Hello," she spoke with a respectful and polite, but not a pushover-like tone of voice, "we would like to speak with Chtahzus'aak."
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The Gatekeeper contained a smirk.
"Perhaps you would like a tour of the grounds first?" He glanced over the panting woman. Guards had been joking amongst themselves while she ran around the property. Some thought her approach was admirable, others argued better strategies and precautions that they would have taken in approaching an unfamiliar stronghold. Most agreed that she had balls.
"Uh, no." Fler said sheepishly, "Sorry about that, we just had no idea what..." To expect? The Gatekeeper smiled tightly but said nothing in reply.
The front gate slid open enough for the three to pass, and the shadow demon waited until they were through before closing it.
"Follow me." The Gatekeeper moved past the trio to lead them up the small hillock to the entrance.
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She glared at the demon - she was sure of that bit, at least, that he was, in fact, a demon - and said nothing. Had he been a vampire or some other creature she probably would have fired off some angry comment. Thankfully, she didn't, especially as the man turned and directed the trio to follow him towards the Block.
The others followed the strange demon and Monet followed at the back, casting weary eyes around at the walls. Movement there, rustlings she couldn't see at this distance. A flicker of fear raced through her, chilling her blood before she had any say in the matter. There was nothing about this situation that she liked. A strange man leading them up into the Block alone. "We want to see Zeus out here," she blurted out, her voice more frantic than she meant it to be, the pitch higher. She planted her feet and refused to take another step. "We want to know if he's actually around."
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"Zeus isn't going to come out here or listen to others demands." She warned Monet, "If you want to talk with him, you'd be better off following." Her tone wasn't harsh, but was for sure serious and maybe even slightly annoyed. She didn't want to respond to Fler's 'She knows what she is doing' comment because it was clear to her anyway, that Monet didn't know, or at least never interacted with Zeus or other demons before.
She followed the gatekeeper, knowing this was her best bet to offer her help. Her best bet to help not only her fellow demons, but to remove the vampires from power as well. She would support Zeus being in charge if it meant the vampires were not.
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At Monet's words, the Gatekeeper raised an eyebrow but did not stop or turn around to look at her. It was her choice to follow or stay behind. She wouldn't be causing any trouble, the Others would keep watch.
Fler, however, stopped and turned with a frown on their face and looked between Monet and Noelle. They didn't like the feeling of this either but it was the only way to get answers. Besides, if shit did hit the fan they'd just light up. No big deal. Fler agreed with Noelle but didn't say as much, choosing instead to continue onward where the demon was leading them. Hopefully, Monet would follow--she seemed like she needed answers more than any of them.
The building on the hill steadily grew in size as they approached it.
The Gatekeeper came to a pause at the structure, giving Fler enough time to gaze in wonder at the sheer size of it. Up on the hill from farther away, it looked much smaller. They were going to go inside it? How? Was it just one big room? Weird for a house-thing with no windows or doors to be on a hill surrounded by such an intense fence. It didn't make any sense.
As if in answer to Fler's unspoken question, the sigil on the stone face glowed a dull red and an opening materialized (or was it the stone dematerialized?) before their eyes. The fire demon threw a look back at Monet and Noelle, a mixture of fear, excitement, and wonder on their face. They could see into the structure now, the rows of white columns, the strange light fixtures, seating and desks that looked like some bougie DMV or something. And there were other demons inside!
"This way," the Gatekeeper muttered, mostly because he was already inside and the others were hesitating. He was eager to return to his post in the shadows and not play babysitter. Once everyone had stepped through the opening, the stone rematerialized with a silent snap. He went down the short flight of stairs and up to the front desk without stopping.
Stationed at the desk was a round-faced blue-eyed demon (in human form) with straight white hair, leg wiggling beneath the desk. Her fingers flew across the keyboard in front of her, and when the Gatekeeper approached she looked up and smiled warmly at the newcomers. Her leg was still jiggling.
"Names, please." Her tone was cheery, fingers poised at the keys. The Gatekeeper moved past them back towards where they came and vanished into the shadows.
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She turned her glare on Noelle, heat flooding her cheeks that had nothing to do with her recent run. Was she really doubting in front of another demon, when every action Monet had taken was to prevent them from putting themselves in harm's way? Really?
No, she hadn't actually expected Zeus to come out and meet them, but at least it would answer the question as to whether he were truly there. Some leader, not willing to come out and meet constituents who were facing down the aftermath of slaughter. If he were worth their time, he would have come out - that was her point. She put her hand in the pocket with her knife and kept it there, following after them at a distance. Thinking, preparing for the worst, she looked up at the sky again and debated pulling down some lightning. Not that it would do much good inside of that huge cement cage. Monet bit her lip and pushed on, figuring she could only really rely on herself from here on, out.
They approached the Block and Monet's reaction echoed Fler's - but without the excitement. She gazed up the walls as the sigil illuminated and revealed the inside. Hesitantly she followed the others but kept her scowl set, her eyes alert to any bullshit that could be pulled.
The place was much busier and more put-together than she figured she would find. Clean, corporate, and smartly lavish, she bit her tongue hard and suppressed an angry smile, her cheeks staying flushed. This was what Chtahzus'aak the Great was living in while Jake McCloud let his undead destroy half the West? Her hands curled to fists in her sweatshirt.
"Names, please."
"Jay Kim," she said quietly when it was her turn, dropping her voice into her chest comfortably to create an authentic, masculine tone.
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She could tell Monet wasn't exactly happy with her. The glare she felt upon her back when she turned it, told her as such. To her, Monet was being overly flashy and not thinking things through, and was more likely to put them in harms way, rather than just going forward and being polite when possible. What she remember from her parents was that having a straight forward point generally worked best. She had known they had done work for Zeus in the past, while she wasn't sure what, she trusted their life lessons even now. Due to the nature of her parents and Zeus having at least known eachother, she had no reason to hide her real name, and hoped it would work more in her favor.
"Noelle Gainsboro"
She had heard Monet give a false name, and a fake identity of being male. She didn't call it out or call attention to it, but could understand why Monet had chosen to do as such, although she wondered if it would backfire. She looked toward Fler to see how they would answer.
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"Flereous," They said, trying not to raise an eyebrow at Monet's lie. Maybe she had something to hide? Did they place their trust in her too quickly?
The power demon's fingers flew over the keys as each gave their name, and she looked back up at the group with a smile.
"Weather, Smoke, and Fire. Right?" She knew she was right, she had an exceptional nose. Without giving much time for any of them to confirm or deny her statement (though Fler gave a cheeky grin in reply) the power demon made a few mouse clicks before continuing. "Did you want to speak with him together, or separately?"
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"Together first, if we can," Monet quipped up before either of them could decide differently. And then, as an accompaniment she added, "we may have individual questions for him after, too. Thank you." Her tone, boyish and low, was firm and unyielding. The longer she stood in the Block, the angrier she became. The secretary's confirmation of Zeus' presence in the building didn't help either, like she thought it would. Instead she held onto her enmity like a grenade, ready to throw at any point.
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"Of course." Still cheery, the power demon gave a reassuring smile. She returned her attention to the monitor and made a few mouseclicks and looked back up again. "You can head into the conference room just over there." She pointed to their left. "He's just finishing up with a meeting now and will be with you shortly."
Fler followed the pointed finger to the closed door, feeling a sudden rush of nerves wash over them emanating from a painful fist in the pit of their stomach. He was actually here. No one attacked them or anything. It wasn't as scary as they thought it was going to be, especially now that the three of them were inside and talking to a perfectly normal-looking secretary. Fler hesitated before finally turning to the conference room, sticking their hands in the pocket of their sweatshirt and fiddling with their pack of matches.
A million things were running through their mind it was difficult to decide on what they wanted to say. Probably just going to wing it. Hopefully, they wouldn't clam up at the last second. They wondered if the others had a plan, that would help.
The conference room smelled like what you'd expect. Leather and clean floors, an echo of fresh paint lingering beneath. They stopped shortly after entering, blocking the others from getting in, stunned at the size of the cool-looking table and all the empty chairs. The feeling of intimidation compounded their nerves at the sight. It was all so professional--like it was a real office or something.
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She followed everyone into the conference room, and this was more or less what she expected. This was Bureaucracy after all. She sat down in one of the chairs to wait, as she had been standing enough as of late. She figured she would mostly be standing when addressing Zeus unless he asked otherwise, so taking this time as a reprieve would be best.
"Try to relax a little, Jay," she addressed Monet under the fake name, at least letting her know that she wouldn't be the one to give up her fake identity, "you might need the energy when addressing him, rather than thinking about him. The same goes to you too Fler. Although I'd be lying myself to say I'm not nervous, but its more of a 'going in for an interview type of nervousness more than 'yelling at a person in power for not being there' type of nervousness." She was truthful in her words, and somewhat concerned for Monet as she could see it ended up the worst with Monet more than herself or Fler. The Fake Identity, treating this like some actual B&E plan before just trying to knock on the front door first and foremost, she wondered how Zeus was going to react to her the most and knew that there was no way that Zeus didn't know if that gatekeeper knew. She wondered if Zeus would see through the disguise or not.
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"Thanks for the input," she said coolly, giving Noelle a side-eye as she took a seat in one of the chairs, fanning her limbs out thuggishly. Clearly, Noelle had never been to a well-organized protest, Monet thought to herself with her arms folded in front of her. You didn't just walk up to the building and nicely ask for your rights.
You raised your fist and demanded your rights.
Bootlicker, she thought as the door opened, otherwise ignoring anything that Fler had said before Zeus walked through that door - if indeed he was actually going to. Monet still had her doubts that he would actually show face.
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After bidding the earth demon head of his construction team farewell at the exit, Zeus headed over to the conference room with a tight smile. He wasn't dressed for any meetings today considering the tour of the newly constructed floors (and rearranging of old ones) had been the only thing on his agenda. Dark jeans and a black button-up were hardly an outfit for business, but he doubted the three would be paying too close attention to that. He hadn't expected many to wander up to his front door yet. Most still considered the compound to be empty--had news traveled that fast already?
One of the names he recognized: Gainsboro. There were a pair of demons with that surname that he was in contact with before and during his time at the Oligarchy. Primarily they served as his eyes on the street and provided information. It had been some time since he'd heard from them and he wondered if this Noelle had any relation. He hadn't bothered to check the photos attached to the names and types provided by the front desk since he'd only briefly checked while wrapping up with his head of construction.
He knocked gently on the door to the conference room before opening it, trying not to snicker when he saw the fire demon jump and whirl around.
"Hello everyone," his eyes moved over the three slowly, as if wanting to commit them to memory, and came to a rest on Jay. Only he knew exactly who the weather demon was. Internally he groaned.
Monet had a file back when the Oligarchy was still in power. She was well known for causing a stir, incessantly seeking an audience with him the instant he took office (when he was most busy). Regrettably, he had made excuse after excuse to not meet with her until the secretary responsible for handling inquiries began to make up her own reasons.
He should've expected she would come to see him eventually.
"You're Monet Pak," Zeus raised an eyebrow, an amused smile on his face as he closed the door behind him. He didn't miss Flereous' look of shock. "Glad to see you are well." His voice was devoid of any sarcasm or obvious insincerity. She was a fiery one, alright. That he had a use for. The shadow demon went to a chair and sat with an exhale, folding his hands in front of him on the table.
"What can I do for you all?" His eyes moved over the group, wondering who would be the first to speak.
Definitely not Fler. They were still recovering from Monet's immediate recognition.
-
The thing with Noelle is that she wasn't there to protest, and had even stated as such to both of them before they made their way inside. The fact that Zeus picked out that Monet wasn't who she said she was right away didn't surprise her, but also it told her that Monet had some dealings with Zeus in the past given that Zeus instantly picked up on her name before she even spoke. She guessed by Monet's alias and the way she had been acting the entire time while here, that it wasn't good dealings in the past. Her curiosity made her wonder about Monet and just what kind of life that she lead.
"I want to be of help to you," she spoke up after Zeus asked what he could do for them, "what the vampires did after you left, well, was quite unforgivable. Despite that I feel like if I were to go out and take out my emotions on any vampire I came across would be a quick way to get myself killed after some time. I'd rather focus my efforts on something more useful than my own demise." She had made it clear she was talking for herself in that moment as she didn't want to talk over Fler or Monet's wants. She also made it a point to pretty much say that she blamed the vampires for what happened more than Zeus' disappearance. Sure him leaving didn't help, but it isn't like he could control the vampires' actions either.
-
She watched as a demon came in and at first she expected him to be some filler piece, telling them that Zeus would be a while and did they need any refreshments? But as the demon sat down, she realized it was the Great and Powerful Zeus... just dressed down. She had only ever seen him in pictures and from a distance at the Chambers; watching him in person was something surreal and Monet paused in her anger before picking it back up again.
When he recognized her by her real name, she flushed red under her hood. For some reason she hadn't been expecting that and she wanted to know why he recognized her if they had never been acquainted in person. Her eyes narrowed on him when the shadow demon said that he was 'glad' to see she was 'well'. Still, Monet remained quiet, not adjusting her stance for Zeus. Let him think she was obnoxious. She thought he was useless, a coward hiding in the Block while his kind faced an imperialistic threat from one of his colleagues. Monet said nothing, looking at Fler when they started speaking.
-
"Smart," Zeus nodded to Noelle's sense of self-preservation. He still didn't know what to make of the group, or why they'd all wanted to speak with him together. He had the feeling that Monet wouldn't be so ready to help, given her stance and looks she'd been silently giving him.
"Uh," Fler began, shifting their weight from one foot to another. Zeus turned toward them, patient and listening. Fuck. "Where were you?" It was a nervous attempt at anger, and Chtahzus'aak cocked his head. "When all the vampires took over--where were you? Why did you let this happen?" Fler crossed their arms over their chest and averted their gaze. "Obviously I want to do whatever I can to help push back but I just don't understand why it happened to begin with." Their frustration was a tangible end to their sentence.
Chtahzus'aak sighed softly through his nose and leaned back into the chair. He knew this would be the question to come up time and time again, that nothing he said would be enough to satisfy--especially those who'd lost someone.
The slowly-spoken words hung heavy with regret. "When McCloud swept in without warning, I had gotten word too late."
Fler glared, What the fuck was that supposed to mean? Zeus caught their eye and gave an apologetic smile. Which didn't make them feel any better.
"Since then, I've been working toward cleaning up the mess and setting things right." He chose his words carefully, glancing at each of their faces. "Rest assured, something will be done about this." One hand clenched into a fist and his expression darkened.
"I know many were lost, and that you are likely seeking justice. I want to know exactly what happened so we can find the best course of action."
-
Monet listened to the shadow demon speak, forming her own sharp opinions, glad that Fler had brought up that million dollar question. She was slouching low, her head resting on the back of the chair, toying with the ends of her sweatshirt and oscillating herself mindlessly with the chair's swivel. When he spoke of action she stopped and let him finish before putting her feet flat on the ground and squaring him up from across the table.
"Oh so now you want to do something about it? After all is said and done, and people are dead, now you want to take action?" The pitch of her voice raised with every word. Monet leaned forward over the table, killing the delinquent act immediately. "You should run for President, for fuck's sake! What happened to representing us and ensuring we had what we needed?" Heat rose to her face and she cut herself off before she said something she regretted or worse - began to cry.
-
As Monet spoke, Fler sighed through their nose, garnering a quick glance from him but nothing more. Chtahzus'aak's expression read nothing but sympathy in the face of the weather demon's impassioned words. He studied her carefully, noting the change from a challenging nonchalance to direct confrontation. Pointed rage.
It was something present in most of who had come to speak with him--energy like no other begging for a direction, ripe for a catalyst.
"Had I been forewarned to McCloud's aggression, intervention would have been possible." His gaze moved across the group, monitoring and assessing their reactions. "I could never understand or grasp the loss many of you have personally faced, and your anger and frustration are warranted, albeit a touch misdirected." He exhaled sharply and leaned on his arms folded atop the table.
Zeus settled his stare into Monet's eyes. "I cannot share every detail of what transpired for me over the eighteen months after the fall of the Oligarchy. Please understand the security risk that presents, especially in the aftermath of what took place in the West District." His voice was carefully level but confident. Should anyone face capture, there was no telling what advantage intimate knowledge would give an enemy. He doubted this answer would be enough for Monet, but he hoped that she would dig deep enough to realize the strategic choice given the context of the current political climate.
"What I can offer you now is my commitment to consolidating and allocating resources to set this right in whatever capacity possible, and work toward meeting your needs as a unified community."
-
She looked at Monet, wanting to reach out and physically hug her and tell her it's ok, but she knew it wasn't. What happens wasn't ok, and while Zeus answered how she expected him to, she wondered if Monet or Fler was looking for answers they weren't going to get. She already told Zeus that she wanted to help, work for him, do whatever she could to get even with the vampires in a smart not suicidal way. She wondered if Monet or Fler would offer their help or if she was just going to be alone in that endeavor.
-
A typical Bernie Sanders up in here, she thought darkly to herself, unconvinced of his argument. "Allocating resources", "unified community" he said. Monet wanted to roll her eyes at him, but her nose was beginning to tingle annoyingly and her thoughts were drifting over to her own losses. She could taste the rage in her throat like bile, skin prickling on the nape of her neck and upper arms.
Min-Ji had been like a sister to her, their fathers brothers and their blood the same. It was Monet who had to give the news to him, who spent countless nights awake with her head in his lap as his grief threatened to drown him in a bottle of vodka. Monet had suffered her uncle's tears, the slurred speeches about legacy, the chaotic bouts of crying out in the middle of the day. Their family, small since Min-Ji's parents' divorce which Min-Ji in the care of her father since the age of twelve, had been the closest to the Pak cousins. Growing up, Min-Ji had been at their house every day after school. Monet thought about the times she brought over bright, plastic barrettes and tried to fit as many as she could in Min-Ji's silky brown hair...
No.
A crack of thunder shook the floor of the conference room, the lightning outside so close that she felt it in her bones. She loosened her grip on the edge of the table that she didn't know she had, relaxing the tensed muscles in her arms as she gained control over her temper. The storm-bringer wiped her eyes before any water could fall and kept her fiery gaze, pained now as she lingered in the memory of her family, on Zeus.
"Yeah? How? You're sentiments are nothing but words unless you actually do something."
-
Fler had gasped quietly in surprise at the sound, instantly feeling foolish for being startled. It looked like rain out there--thunder made sense. Although... They cast a quizzical look to Monet, as if to ask if the strike had been her doing. Zeus sounded like he wanted to fix things--it wasn't his fault he didn't see Jake coming until it was too late. Right?
The slightest narrowing of Chtahzus'aak's eyes was the only perceivable effect that the thunder and lightning strike had on the shadow demon. He sighed quietly through his nose and assessed the room before continuing.
"I was hoping for your input on that," His tone was level, friendly even, and he addressed the group as one. "I would like to assemble a group of community leaders as representatives for a sort of..." he paused, searching the air for the proper word, "Council, for lack of a better term." His eye fell on Monet again. "This would be the beginnings of district-wide change, led by those who reside within it."
"I am in need of a person--or people--to lead this organizing effort. This project demands more attention than I can properly give while I move toward removing McCloud's violent presence from the West." He leaned against the table, tenting his hands beneath his chin. "While I would prefer to personally guide each project to fruition every step of the way, these bigger tasks require delegation." Zeus rubbed at his face, signaling weariness. There were many things to do.
"You expect us to just volunteer?" Fler, frowning, finally found their words.
Zeus shook his head. "I can offer rations for those who need it," those who fed on them would know he meant souls, of course, "A safe room here, vehicular transportation, adequate monetary compensation..." Fler's eyes widened and they looked between Noelle and Monet. Zeus offered a sincere look. "The cost matters little to me--the objective is more valuable than the sum of these things."
-
"I want to help," She said in a sympathetic but confident tone, "before I came here I wasn't sure how to offer that to you, and in a way I'm still not sure. I can be a bit on the harsher side, even on the way here, Monet can confirm that. I'm still willing to try my best however." She explained offering her help in at least some way, "I want to be able to prevent this from happening again." She felt for Monet, she wanted to cry herself but stopped herself from doing so.
When the thunder and rain hit, she did mildly jump as it was unexpected, but had brought herself together again fairly quickly.
-
She chewed on Zeus' offer as Noelle spoke to him, offering her services. Something about his words coaxed at her trust, something buried deep under the hatred, rage, and pain she had held onto for the past few weeks. Perhaps, a little voice in her ear whispered, he realized that he had fucked up and he was genuinely trying to make it up to them. Perhaps he was reeling just like the rest of them. She had never had a problem, per se, with Chtahzus'aak - it was always more with the other species like the vampires that she had a problem with. As far as she was concerned, Zeus was fine as a representative, though he may have been a little too quiet for Monet's tastes.
But here he was offering some kind of olive leaf, or life raft. Something. Monet knew she was one of the luckier ones - she was back in Tampa. Reparations, counsels, representation... The opportunity to pick up pieces that shouldn't have been broken in the first place. What more could she really ask for, blood? Retribution? That wasn't her way.
She murmured the words reluctantly, hating that she had resigned herself to his proposal. "Do you have any idea how many have been killed or injured?" Her voice was stiff, lacking trust and peace. Monet's gaze remained a tired glare as she scrutinized Zeus' response.
-
Zeus offered Noelle the briefest, uncharacteristically warm smile. She would be a valuable asset, he was sure. They'd need to have a private chat after to better determine where she would be most helpful--group meetings weren't for that sort of assessment.
A soft sigh escaped after Monet asked her question. "I am still gathering the numbers," he met her eye solemnly, "Many are still in hiding, as you can imagine." He rubbed gently at his temple before settling his chin against the palm of his hand. It was a delicate thing--he couldn't exactly broadcast his presence yet. Not while McCloud's forces remained in the West. Should he catch wind of that, the risk for a preemptive attack on the weakened demon community increased. Those in hiding would likely rather avoid making their way to the compound to remain under the radar. He wasn't quite set up to take in anyone of vast numbers, though that would be possible with more time.
"Reaching them without alerting McCloud's forces has been a challenge." He felt that he owed Monet (and the others) this much as an explanation. It was his first priority to remove McCloud and pick up the pieces after--better if he could do both simultaneously while minimizing further casualties.
"We all lost at least someone," Fler stuffed their hands further into their pocket. "I know a handful of others too."
Zeus made a sympathetic sound in reply and shook his head.
-
"We all know a handful of others." She hesitated before she said her next point, unsure of whether he deserved her trust. "I know a lot of people who had their homes and lives destroyed. I can't-- I don't have my apartment anymore. I found-- I found my cousin and her husband dead on my kitchen floor. They were eating dinner." Her cheeks flushed as she admitted her station in life to the others. She hated feeling vulnerable, especially around other people she didn't know, let alone some politician.
"If you're offering a place to live and resources, then people should know. People will show up here. You sure you're prepared to turn this place into an emergency shelter?"
-
Anger flared visibly over his face when Monet shared how she'd found her family. It wasn't anything similar to the patterns of murders that had surfaced so far, but if it occurred during the time of the incident he couldn't rule it out.
"I'm sorry," he spoke softly with sincerity before she continued speaking.
He let out a quiet sigh at her next question, searching for the way to phrase his answer. "I have the space and resources now," he paused and ran his tongue along the backs of his teeth. "Should people make their way here, I fear they will become a target." Chtahzus'aak glanced at each of the group in turn before continuing, as if silently pleading with them to keep his next statement to themselves. But he knew trust begat trust and would add no such request for secrecy verbally.
"I intend to drive McCloud from the West. My first step is to meet with other District Leaders who may be sympathetic and have assistance to offer." He leaned forward in his chair. "If I could guarantee safe passage of those seeking shelter here without alerting McCloud, I would. From what I have seen, keeping him in the dark is our best strategy until then." He took a moment to glance around at the group again before settling his gaze on Monet.
"Unless there is another option that I am missing?"
Fler didn't wait for Monet to respond. "I don't give a fuck if the vamps come after me--let them." They straightened their posture, a bit of fire coming back into their eyes. "I've got my people squatting in an abandoned building right now--its worth the risk to come here." They made eye contact with Zeus and their tough expression flickered. "I mean, if that's alright?"
"Of course," he smiled, "Any of you can stay here if you need to, so long as you can be discrete with your comings and goings." He paused, looking to the ceiling as if trying to make quick calculations. "That will become less necessary in the coming weeks, I gather."
-
That flicker of anger was a comfort to Monet, who felt constantly full of rage herself that nothing was being done to rectify what had happened in the West. At mention of driving Jake McCloud's forces out of the West, it began to occur to her how tied his hands may be at the exact moment. He had no power anymore, not since the Oligarchy fell. He was just some demon like the rest of them, only now he had only a little more weight to throw.
Jake McCloud was the legal ruler of the West, whether they liked it or not. It was the same thing that was happening in America with that asshole in charge. The humans were losing their power, the corporations becoming more omnipotent with every bill passed through Congress. She ran in the types of circles where protesting all things oppressive was believed to be a necessity and that orange son-of-a-bitch was no different. There were movements on the left to overthrow him, of course, a despot with a bad combover and a history of crimes longer than her arm. McCloud was no different, as far as she was concerned, killing those who didn't fit the ideology on American soil in cold blood in the name of racial supremacy. The connection made a chill run down her spine and spark the fury that sat within her.
But Chtahzus'aak, for all his pretty words, was still a politician at heart. And she hated politicians.
Monet felt herself at a crossroads. To fight for the justice that she and so many others needed, she might have to side with someone who had once licked the boot of the law and would again given the opportunity, or fight and plot alone, with no resources or community or family to support her. It reminded her of the election that lead to the rise of the Cheeto - the argument of those on the far left to choose between the better of two evils, or to push their candidate through as hard as possible, even if it meant splitting the Democratic party. Only the fight for life and death wasn't some philosophical debate to effect millions of Americans over the span of four years; it was the lived genocide of a race of people based on the actions of a few. A tale as old as time.
She toyed with the strings of her sweatshirt, pinching the knots together. To be loud and alone, or quiet and in solidarity?
"I think..." she began and paused, feeling out her own words and hating them. "I think that you should start spreading the word on the down low. Find those who need the resources the most and begin moving them in. Those who have lost husbands, wives, family, children, their homes and businesses. Establish them first with the resources they need - food, shelter, medical. Give them a purpose again." She looked up at Zeus with a serious expression before crossing her arms over her chest and looking around the room at nothing in particular.
-
Zeus nodded, rubbing briefly at his face before leaning on the table again, giving Monet an earnest look.
"Right now, I cannot make a move without being seen." He glanced away thoughtfully, wishing he'd been more prepared to have this conversation. As things stood now he was stretched rather thin, still gathering people and resources. "I know you have no reason to trust me," his tone was deliberately genuine in an attempt to appear more approachable, and he took a moment to look at each demon individually before continuing. He was less worried about Noelle, and even Fler he suspected would be malleable if given the opportunity, but Monet was unreadable. "But I intend to do all that I am capable of doing in order to change that.
"I need someone smart on the ground who can move freely about the city without arousing too much suspicion." He addressed solely Monet now, bracing himself for her reaction and hoping against all odds that he'd won her over. "Would you be willing to take charge of this outreach and act as a voice for those affected?" It was a step away from proposing she'd act as an advisor to him on behalf of the community, but he suspected she'd balk at that. He knew she was persistent, and from how she conducted herself before gaining entrance she seemed to be thoughtful with her actions. Her suggestions showed she was smart and in touch with what the people needed. It was impossible to deny how useful she could be in this role, and he wanted to pick her brain when the heat of her anger subsided.
"This isn't something I can do on my own," he offered quietly.
-
She gaped at him. "Me?" A self-conscious heat flooded her.
"I mean, yeah I could, theoretically..." She had led others in the past, spreading awareness of demonic injustices and advocating for victims of supernatural violences. Monet had been passionate about seeing demons treated fairly in a city where they outnumbered other supernaturals by a large margin. She believed back then that the city could have been a fantastic space for all supernaturals to live peacefully, and that her kind were not the ones to fear. But then the vampire Luminaries made things difficult, bolstered by the Mimic Demons. The thought of going door to door and inviting demons back to the West, of going into the main streets that McCloud had hit, finding these people, and actually being able to help them, of building a stronger community...
But how much could she actually trust this guy?
"I'd... I'd have to think about it," she said quietly, looking away from the former Oligarch as she contemplated what this all would mean. She wasn't quite ready to give up on her anger yet, solace taken there when everything else was falling apart; without her anger, how could she remember those she lost?