Roleplay City
Infusco => DOMICILES => INFUSCO: Enter The Shadows => Shogun House => Topic started by: Malkavian Riddler on August 15, 2019, 02:33:39 PM
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Her collection of swords was extensive.
When Jake arrived at Shogun House to view it, Lan Bao was waiting for him there. Dressed in a sky blue pants suit with a Chinese collar, Bao had her hair up for a more modern presentation. She greeted Jake with a bow and nod, asked if he had liked the fans and the presentation of their receipt (but didn't inquire after Shan) and then instructed him to follow her.
They moved to the elevator and Bao instructed the usher within to press the button for the first floor.
It opened into a wide foyer corridor and Bao moved him past several reinforced doors to a heavy wooden one carved with two curling Chinese dragons engraved on it. She uttered a Chinese phrase and the doors opened before them into a wide, tiled space. Display cabinets were everywhere, much like the metropolitan museum. Wall display cabinets, freestanding displays both wide and tall, depending on how the weapons were shown within.
She had swords from all over the world, and as they walked farther into the room, the heavy wooden doors closed soundlessly behind them.
"Are you interested in well-made swords, Mr McCloud, or should I show you straight to the weapons blessed with charms?" Her tone was warm and amused.
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Jake arrived a bit early, his own sword resting on his back. A shoulder strap held it in place as he exited his car service onto the street. The Shogun House was easily located, and Jake found himself looking forward to this date, despite not having the news he'd hoped. Lan Bao didn't ask him right away, so he was more than happy to discuss the fans, and even Shan for the moment.
He returned the greeting with equal measure, and even remarked that he liked her hair that way, which he did. He liked seeing her in a more modern light, but also still herself. He thanked for her for the fans, and made comments about both their physical beauty and how they looked in use. He even mentioned wanting to learn how to use them, in case she had any teachers lying around. He wanted to thank her for the other gift, but the timing wasn't right.
He followed her with a comfortable silence between them, or at least it felt the way to Jake. He was impressed by the password protected door, and as they entered Jake began looking at everything. Some models and eras of history he recognized, but it was clear her collection dwarfed his own by a large amount. He really regretted ruining that broadsword over Zoheret. All in all, he was already impressed, although he was careful to have a more controlled display of appreciation. He had a million questions for her, but decided it was polite to answer her's first.
"Well made swords and even ones not in the best condition. I enjoy them for their history and craftsmanship. I want to see all you have to show."
His own sword was available too, and while not as impressive as Lan Bao's entire collection, Jake hardly felt he'd come to this show and tell empty handed. He scanned around the room, but thought to add, "but I do want to see the ones with charms."
He made sure to tell her that just in case. Jake wore simple garb, a tight black tea shirt and dark blue jeans. His hair was spikey and youthful, and his overall mood was controlled excitement, like steam hissing out the lid of a boiling pot.
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When Jake requested he see all her swords, she tipped her head in acknowledgement and walked with him to the first wall display. Every sword had a plaque with three pieces of information on it; A country, a date, and a name. The country and date were obvious in their relation to the sword, but the name wasn't quite as clear. As Jake moved along the swords, one name he read was repeated. When Lan Bao was sure that he was trying to figure out the meaning of it, she explained.
"Where and when the sword was made is good for me to know," she said, "as is the name of who gave it to me. Sometimes just a collector, other times a gift from someone important who wishes me to know I am important to them. I do not wish to forget any such gestures."
She smiled and moved on to the next sword; a thin rapier with a bejewelled handle. Striking and ridiculously expensive. It was from France.
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Jake was engrossed in each weapon, impressed by the simplicity of what was displayed. How she'd settled on only those details was baffling to Jake, and yet it made perfect sense! He learned the basics of each weapon, and the ones he was most impressed with he could do further research on his own. She ended up catching his muttering, as he was trying to correctly pronounce the difficult name. Lan Bao's explanation of her system was intriguing, but for a moment Jake seemed to almost pet his own sword, a light touch running down it's stalk.
"I shall place the name Lan Bao in front of the fans then," Jake replied, smiling warmly and looking at the ostentatious rapier. It was a pretty thing to look at, but seemed more a museum piece than a true weapon of war. The closest Jake handled to a rapier was a short sword, but he appreciated the item nonetheless.
"Do you ever name your swords, or do they always share the name of their former owners?"
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"Some of my swords have names," she declared. "Not these ones. The named swords are in a different display. Would you like to see?" she offered. At Jake's acceptance she turned them and headed for the freestanding tall glass cases that were lined up in two long rows from the wooden door. They stopped at the first one.
It was a curved golden sword, much like a sabre but thicker and with two points at the end, like a snake tongue. There was no plaque.
While staring at it, Bao spoke. "I do not have Excalibur, but I do have Zulfiqar. Even though many believe it to be charmed, it is not. The man who wielded it was considered mighty and at the very least I can confirm his great power came not from his sword."
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Jake followed suit, and wasn't surprised to hear that Lan Bao's more precious weapons were the ones with more personal names. He stopped before Zulfiqar, and he couldn't hide the awe from his face. Wasn't this the legendary weapon of the prophet? Jake dipped his head respectfully at Lan Bao, impressed by her acquisition.
"This is extraordinary," he said. "Thank you for showing me something this rare." While Jake often had snark buried in even the most genuine of statements, there was none of that now. No, there was another side of him coming out that the other district leaders had never seen. He respected great warriors, and collectors of that type, and so his personal respect for Lan Bao grew. It showed in his dialogue towards her, and the way he regarded her. He wondered if she ever used these weapons, and had a feeling she did. He wouldn't mind seeing her demonstrate, as long as she wasn't swinging them near his head.
"And I met a vampire named Robin who claimed to have that one," he said, referencing Excalibur. He didn't know what to ask to see next, and Lan Bao knew her collection far better than he did. He would follow her to the next display, or even another room. This was her tour to give.
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Bao was pleased with his reaction, thinking it was appropriate given the nature of the sword. The other named ones she had were from history, wielded by mortals who weren't quite so great. Kings, Queens, Emperors, Generals and the like. None who'd made quite as big an impact in history or mythology as this one.
Jake piqued her interest with the information about Excalibur. So someone called Robin had it?
"Did Robin have a last name?" she asked.
She didn't move away from Zulfiqar, though the display was large in the open-space room. They could take their time.
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Jake delighted in his information being interesting to his hostess. He was also in no hurry, and was more than happy to answer her questions. Tyler wouldn't like what Jake was about to say, but they weren't here to stop him and would likely never know.
"Well, he goes by Robin Leland these days, but you'd likely know him as Robin Hood. His fledge recently came to town if you want to know more."
Would she believe him? Considering what she'd just shown him it was proof that famous blades and fairy tale characters existed. Robin Leland was an old and powerful vampire, and was in England at the time of the famous bandit, but did that make him the real Robin Hood? Jake only accepted the tale because his fledge was another piece of vampire mythology, or at least Anarch mythology.
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So the owner was Robin Hood, from mythology. It made sense in a way, for King Arthur was considered from mythology too, believed to be a work of fiction. But she knew Caliburn existed because she'd seen the Round Table and Percival's body. She had his sword here, in a display case a little farther along. Ten steps would take them to it. For now she kept them at the twin-tongued sword and stared at Jake with a new appreciation.
"I would like to know more," she said, the familiar tendril of excitement growing in her belly from gaining a new lead on an sword she so badly wanted. She'd hoped to see and discuss Jake's sword this evening but the scent of a greater weapon distracted her. She knew she should pay attention to what Jake had brought to show her but her collection was her obsession and she struggled to move past it.
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Jake began to regret sharing this information, not because he feared Lan Bao having it, but because he knew Tyler wouldn't want to answer questions, and may even offend Lan Bao! He decided to say all he knew before mentioning Tyler.
"When I met him, he told me he won it from King John over some sort of contest," Jake shared. "It fits with the whole Robin Hood theme. I don't know how King John got it."
Jake could try and control Tyler's behavior, frame it as a chance to get the real story out and that Lan Bao would make a good ally and friend. However, Tyler distrusted the Kuei Jin, and hated talking about Robin. They'd had some falling out years before. Jake didn't knew the details other than it had something to do with honor. He nodded understandingly, and decided to plow ahead. Tyler would cooperate.
"I'll set up a time for you and Tyler to meet. He can tell you everything he knows," Jake assured. Tyler was going to murder him for this. He pointed to what looked like a Visigoth pike. "From the sack of Rome," he asked conversationally.
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Lan Bao listened attentively as Jake spoke about the exchange of owners before giving her a name and also the promise of a meeting. Her lips widened into a broad, closed smile.
"Thank you, Jake." Her gaze shifted from the Ventrue to the pike on the far wall. "Yes, you have a good eye and are well informed," she complimented. Her expression relaxed into neutrality.
They moved to the next case that was wider than the first because it held two swords. "These are Colada and Tizona, swords of royalty. I procured them from a museum five years ago. They had them displayed on loan from a private collection and their owner was convinced to part with them."
She gave Jake the same broad, closed smile that she'd given him before, when discussing Excalibur's owner's fledge.
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Jake didn't want to know what Lan Bao meant by convincing the owner to part with the royal blades before him. In vampire circles it wouldn't have been a clever way of talking about mind control, but Jake admitted it could be as a simple as she bought them. They were standouts as well, and Jake nodded appreciatively. He was in his head about Tyler. Ben, Zeus, Zoheret and Saraekiel likely each thought they were the biggest danger to Jake staying on as district leader, but it was Tyler Jake most feared. Tyler could turn his own people against him. There was no coming back from that.
Jake thanked Lan Bao for her compliment, but found the way it was worded slightly patronizing despite the warmness with which it was delivered. Jake held out his own blade for Lan Bao to inspect.
"I think it's time I showed you something special," Jake said. He was reluctant to let anyone hold Venom. Sabrina had done so, but Jake trusted her with his life. Lan Bao had earned his good fortune, but this was a far more serious test of trust. He reminded himself simply letting her see it didn't mean she wouldn't give it back and that he was overthinking it. He waited patiently but attentively.
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Lan Bao's eyebrows rose at the tease. She nodded again, her smile dissipating a little but still strong as her gaze followed Jake's movements.
"It would please me greatly, Mr McCloud," she said, bowing her head slightly in gracious acceptance. She thought of the mat around the corner that had free space around it, for whenever she felt the desire to take one (or two) of the swords from their display case and then perform a series of moves with it.
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"Shall we go somewhere with a little more room," he asked. "Perhaps I can show what I can do with it. I'm not a true master, but I hope you will enjoy it regardless."
He beamed a winning grin, and pulled back the sword to his waist. It was still available to be taken, if Lan Bao wished it, or he would follow her to wherever she took him next. He was surprised she didn't take the opportunity to hold the sword. He would've taken it right from her hand if she'd offered it to him.
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The sword had not been presented to her in a manner she felt worthy of her. Two extended hands and a bowed head was the appropriate manner for such an offering. Luckily for Jake she hadn't felt slighted, thinking that he'd only implied she would be allowed to use it where there was more room, as he'd said.
On the way to the mats, they passed several swords in solitary display within their upright rectangular cubes. One of them she paused at and whispered a few words before lifting the case and setting it onto the floor. These swords, more difficult to get at, were her prize collections. Goujian, a famous Chinese sword, sent a spark thrumming up her hand from the hilt as she curled her hand around it and lifted it from its holders. She didn't introduce it to Jake - not yet - and held it, point upwards, as she continued the rest of the way to the back of the room and then extended her free arm towards the mats there with a flourish.
"A place for us to spar," she said. "It has a protective field that no blood shall be spilled. You may swing as powerfully as you like in an attempt to remove a limb, such as my hand from its wrist," she continued, a twitch of a smile on her lips, "but your sword will only lightly touch me so that I know you have won that move, but it will not follow through. We do not have to be careful not to harm one another. It makes sparring more enjoyable."
Not to mention realistic. She believed, even with Jake McCloud's reputation as a great swordsman, that she was superior, for she practised every day without holding back, and he could not. However, he'd seen true battle on multiple occasions and she had seen only one.
She was looking forward to this.
"First, we shall use our own weapons, to demonstrate to the other the techniques best suited to them." Bao stepped out of her shoes and moved to the mat and plunged the sword towards the mat, where it stopped before it could do damage. "To make it fair, you can test how it will feel for your sword to be forced to a halt and what it will feel like when a sword is halted on you. For trust, you may swing at my arm, first."
She wondered if he would do it without making a protest or if he would be eager for the experience.
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Jake followed with a pleasant expression, but was otherwise silent. His eyes traveled to more and more of Lan Bao's collection, and he found himself continually impressed. He and Lan Bao also seemed to be getting along really well, although Jake noted they'd had no real room for disagreement, yet. He soured slightly at the knowledge he'd have to tell her about the meeting. Charon's irksome face entered his field of vision once more. He still had to deal with the leader of the East. Charon's political game had begun to present itself, or at least as Jake imagined it. Jake was guessing it was Charon who told Ben to run in the first place. He likely made the decision after Jake's move into the west. Everything had been a game up to this point. Even Ben staying in his home after Jake had made the move seemed suspicious in retrospect. Jake realized his paranoid brain was getting the better of him, and he hated that once again fucking Ben had stolen mental energy from him.
He returned to the Shogun House, right as Lan Bao pulled out her own weapon, and Jake studied what details he could. He could tell from the blade's length and curve that it was Chinese in origin, and looked exquisitely crafted, but Jake could not tell much else at this point. He assumed he'd be meeting it soon. His suspicions were confirmed as Lan Bao explained that they'd be sparing with their respective blades. He understood very little about magic. He'd never spent time learning from Sabrina, and Maria's deities seemed so far and away from what Jake could identify with. Even this Tess person was a mystery, and so he supposed Lan Bao was right and her charms really could keep them safe. He almost struck at her, but an old wound got the better of him.
"I say this with no personal ego," he began, taking Venom out of it's stalk slowly. The black metal caught the light, and the blade seemed to wink at Lan Bao in introduction. "This sword can cause devastating harm to our kind. It damages even those with the strength of age. I don't doubt your magic is strong, but I would feel terrible if the blade harmed you."
Jake lifted his shirt, revealing his toned torso, and a viscous looking, black scar on his chest. The slash looked filled with the rage of the one who'd done it. "If you are confident you will not be harmed, I'll strike you, and in general I'm looking forward to this."
He pulled down his shirt and bowed respectfully, not wishing to convey that he found her magic inadequate. It was deferential in nature, and unlike the Black Prince she would've heard so much about.
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The charmed area was such that there would be touches of blades on skin, and when Jake showed Bao the wound upon his midsection, her eyes widened momentarily before she lifted her gaze to his face, her neutral expression prominent once more.
"I will take the risk," she announced, trusting in her ability beyond what Venom could do to her. Even the razor sharp butterfly knives Shan had gifted to her had been unable to press hard enough into her skin to cut it - and Shan had been using it in a slicing motion, the most likely movement for the magic to fail. But it hadn't, and once Shan had touched her skin with them, he'd been unable to continue his movement... only to pull away.
She wouldn't move away from Jake's swing, but when he was in the middle of it, she intended to surprise him for fun.
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Jake nodded his understanding and went through with a sweeping strike, starting high but arching down into a side swipe. It was a practiced and comfortable looking swing, both hands gripping the pommel for the stability needed for such a long sword. It lacked the force of a true strike. If the blade would cut her it would be a shallow one. His guard was down, and he never guessed this was a part of a greater sequence. He would be caught off guard by Lan Bao's surprise.
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Hefting her own sword in one hand, looking relaxed and unguarded, Lan Bao's eyes watched Jake's body coil and his graceful manoeuvre was put into motion. The arc was obvious, the move predictable, and she relished his trust. Turning her fingers tightly on the hilt to achieve the best angle, her sword had no curve and was of a much shorter length than Jake's own so she used the length of her arm as an extension to swing upwards towards his waist, aiming for just below his ribs. She moved slowly, so that he would feel his attack before he felt hers.
Jake's sword cut through the sleeve of Bao's elegant pantsuit but he would feel a sluggish resistance in the few centimetres before the blade met skin. His sword halted and reverberated as though it had been embedded deep in flesh and he wouldn't be able to continue his strike. When pulling the weapon back, it would feel slightly suctioned as though he pulled it from mud.
Likely he saw her attack before he finalised his own, but Bao knew he was committed to the swing. The last quarter of Goujian's blade connected with Jake's shirt and then tapped his skin and stopped... but a great flaring pain intensified in his side, as though she'd pierced his skin and pushed the blade through. When looking at one another, they would see the pain reflected in each other's eyes... and then it was gone, only the memory of its intensity reminding them that they didn't want to be struck.
"There should be some repercussion," Bao said, stepping back and lifting her sword with two hands now, adopting a defensive position, her side turned to Jake and her feet braced, reading for springing to the side or forward. "Motivation," she explained without need, then smiled, a mischievous glint in her eye.
She waited, prepared for his attack.
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Jake's eyes cut to Lan Bao's sword mid swing, and his instinct was to deflect with his own sword. However, this was an exercise in trust, and she had assured him he wouldn't be harmed. He followed through with his own strike, fearing for only a moment as he cut Lan Bao's garment. The rush of pain was surprising but when he looked and saw himself unharmed he recognized the genius of her charm.
"Very impressive," he complimented. "Now, let's see what we get up to."
Jake rotated his blade, making the attack's angle harder to predict. The katana was a weapon that both encouraged, and punished, mistakes from opponents. It wasn't quite a defensive weapon, but Jake often waited to parry an opponents first swing. He wouldn't be able to do that in this case. Lan Bao seemed patient enough to wait him out. He decided to go for a powerful overhead move. Unlike the first blow, this one would be strong and fast. He used the blade's length to keep himself out of Lan Bao's range for the moment. She could deflect, side step, or jump back, but if she wanted to strike him, she'd need to invade his personal box. That was not easy to do with such a long sword, and it was the first clue as to his fighting style.
Jake was small, and lacked the strength of older vampires. He was even physically weak for his age, putting his training in his mental disciplines. Keeping an opponent at a constant arms length kept him from being overwhelmed, and many a foolish vampire with Celerity had perished for trying to invade that personal box. He was excited to see Lan Bao's first move. Would she risk an attack, or try and set up for a new strike where Jake would have to defend?
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Bao saw his strike coming and stepped aside while keeping her sword between the katana and herself. She used the blade of her ancient weapon to change the angle of Jake's strike as it slid down her own sword. She wasn't interested in stopping the blow so much as keeping his momentum going. She realised immediately that he would use the distance his sword afforded him, but that he was sacrificing the quality of his blows to do so. Keeping himself so far from her meant he wouldn't strike a killing blow unless fighting a human. She thought that technique would change as they continued. So would hers.
She continued stepping around him before she stopped and adopted her defensive pose once more. "I have heard you are not quite three centuries' old. It is old enough to have seen battle," she said, letting him know that she had paid attention to him. She knew all of the leaders in the game. She knew the most about Kerr Galvin, though. Less about his lover, who would be new leader if things went poorly for Jake.
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Jake's footing was solid enough not to be thrown off balance but the momentum of his own strike, and he rotated rather gracefully, extending the blade from his chest. He watched as Lan Bao moved, his eyes more serious than before. He heard her comment, and found it puzzling. She wasn't wrong on either count, but why was she bringing it up? Was it a technique?
"I'm young for my species," he confirmed, "but have seen more battle than most."
That claim was subjective to be sure, but also not unwarranted. He'd been fighting his whole life, and nowadays was the least violent he'd ever been. Maybe Damien had a point about getting older. He reengaged, this time going for a series of strikes. For now, he stayed in his box, more concerned with being struck than striking his opponent. She obviously had grace he lacked, but his movements were powerful and solid, and his feet were both firmly planted. How she'd handle the series of strikes was exciting to him.
"And you, how many years have you been trying to achieve balance?"
He didn't ask her if she'd seen battle or war. He assumed there was no way she hadn't.
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"Most of your species don't make it to three hundred," she scoffed. "You're doing well."
The series of blows came and she pivoted around all of them, using her sword the same way as his first strike, to have his sword slide off the blade, ringing metal that didn't quite move along her blade's full length before Jake had another attack. She retreated as they went, though took care to circle some as she was fully aware of the area. Only the mats were protected; if she stepped off them, then she would be at risk of being cut.
Not that she believed she was at risk of being cut.
Her moves looked effortless because she wasn't being flamboyant with them, but she noticed Jake was being minimal and functional as well. She liked that she felt he was testing her. She hadn't attempted to strike yet, but the opportunity hadn't shown itself. She continued to measure him. He was a vampire - his stamina would match her own so there was no tiring him out. Maybe only frustrating him.
Once she was sure the strikes were done with (and they'd been fast and she'd rejoiced in their skill), she spoke again. "I am not many years over three hundred. Perhaps fifty years divides us, perhaps less." She didn't have an exact age for him, or herself.
She adopted a different defensive stance this time. Facing him directly, her sword's blade angled to the right, ready to attack after defending. It was likely Jake understood this pose. She wasn't interested in surprising him yet.
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Jake recognized that what Lan Bao was saying was factually true, although not as much in the city. This place was unique in it's number of ancients and older vampires in general, but it was nice to reminded that he'd managed to make it this far. He didn't focus for too long on her words, as he was busying trading strikes with her. It was refreshing to fight someone new, and who had skill. The poor junior officers he often spared with just weren't equipped to fight someone who'd been practicing for years, and Lisa-Joe preferred fighting with her fists. The exchange left him wanting more, and some passion began to show. As he grew more interested in the exchange, his skill began to improve. Another feature of fighting Jake was passion, and while he'd been very controlled up to this point, he decided to be a bit more daring.
"It seems like we have much in common," he said, smiling as he extended his blade forward with his left hand, using it to measure the angle of his next stroke. "Did you research me before seeking me out?"
It felt like a challenging comment, but the tone was light, and his face was the same pleasant - but determined - expression as before. She didn't have long to answer, before he was on her, pushing forward this time and letting her in a bit closer. Her blade could reach him now, although just barely, and he attacked with a new power. He recognized the angle of her stance, and was prepared to switch to defending if she was able to break his assault.
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She was prepared for his assault, defending each time but not retreating as much, circling instead. Her sword flashed up, down, around - her attempt to disarm him of his weapon became obvious after a few failed manoeuvres. She believed Jake was good enough to get the sense that she wasn't trying as hard as she could.
Bao assessed his style, looking for a pattern in his moves. Training and practise allowed a person to move quickly and with confidence, but it also instigated muscle memory, meaning one particular sweep would lead into another move each time. She watched for repetition and thought she'd seen something in his series of blows. She doubted he would repeat the move too often so she would wait until she recognised it and try to take advantage.
Other than attempting to flick his weapon away from him, she didn't attack. Her smile was broad and genuine, her eyes with a glint of joy and menace.
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Attempting to disarm him was wise, and much easier than striking him directly. It took away the advantage the blade's length provided. It would be difficult to do, as Jake had both hands firmly on the blade's pommel, but it forced him to leap back a few inches. He decided to force Lan Bao low, aiming a new series of blows at her knees and shins. He hoped it would keep her from making further disarming strikes, and keep her from feeling like he was being too safe or predictable. She hadn't answered his question, but he decided not to ask if again, not right away. For now, they would spar. He also recognized that she was holding back, as she likely recognized he was too. Jake wondered what it would be like to face Lan Bao in a real battle, and quickly realized he preferred the sparing they were doing now.
"We're both holding back," he said, as Venom's sharp edge tried to hook behind her left ankle.
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Bao, still formulating a reply about how Jake had been looked into, lost her train of thought a few times as she defended and attacked, not throwing herself into it fully because she was still testing him and biding her time. Her sword began sweeping low as Jake focussed there. She was comfortable enough with the position to sink down into a crouch, her sword shifting position into mostly attack, slightly defending. After shifting his sword aside, she would plunge, jab or sweep towards him, her low stance now making it so Jake would have to defend his crotch after every second time he went for her leg or foot.
After being told she was holding back, she took it to not only mean their combat, but also that she hadn't yet answered him about researching him.
"I did not need to look into you," she admitted, circling and swinging as he attempted to stop her momentum. She sprung up and over the sweep of his sword, finally revealing that she was an acrobatic opponent. "I was told everything I needed to know from some of my kin. The ones you upset in the city of angels."
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Jake felt an almost sinister quality to the words of his opponent. His time with the Kuei Jin in L.A. had not gone well, not only for him but for everyone involved. In the days after the founding of a free L.A. the Kuei Jin had demanded Chinatown be for themselves. Most Anarch leaders championed the idea, citing that it was consistent with Anarch code, but once it was clear they weren't content to stay in Chinatown, violence had erupted and Jake had been more than happy to kill his fair share to protect the free state. It hadn't been personal. It had been for the Anarchs, but hearing those words come out of Lan Bao's mouth made him wary, and slightly paranoid. He didn't let it show though, not yet. Damien's words rang in his mind.
Act humble, smile, triumph later
"I'm curious what was said," Jake replied, angling his blade for a new series of attacks. "I'm sure it was far from kind words."
With that he bore down on her, more energy, speed and passion in this sequence. There was a noticeable change in how he fought, hinting that the mistress of Chinatown had struck a nerve.
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She defended before she spoke, seeing the change and pleased with it. Passion was not only the emotion that helped someone to learn and be their best, but also what lent towards mistakes if there was nothing but it to hold onto. Right now Jake was a force, using that passion to drive her around - she couldn't do anything but defend and she found herself having to focus only on him to stop herself getting hit. His blade came close to her a few times but she was not in danger of being hit. During a spar there would often be a one-way tournament or when with an equal, each would score hits on the other. Neither Jake nor her had yet landed a blow.
Only when he gave her a break at the end of his multiple sequences did she speak again, keeping an eye on his muscles, poised to strike as they circled each other once more, assessing, looking for lapses in concentration.
"They said you would not allow them out of their territory, that you sided with the person who wanted to keep them bottled together, free only in their own space. They said you did not talk with them but trusted one side of the story." She smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. "There are always many sides. I like to see them all."
It had been advice she'd given Jake's political opponent in fact. That even in thinking there were 'two sides to every story' was particularly blinding, for there were always more opinions and choices than two.
She watched as Jake processed her words and then launched into a flurry of attacks, striking to the four corners before sweeping a leg to take him off his feet, ready to spring back if he countered.
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It was a terrible bout of blows, and Jake found himself pushed to his best in order to remain being hit. The first few strikes were intercepted easy enough but the sweep had to be countered by leaping back a few feet, and landing roughly. He looked up with a wild expression, hungry for more contest. He had a few more tricks up his sleeve, and had already picked up one thing he wanted to try that Lan Bao had demonstrated.
Jake wondered for the first time if this meeting was some kind of negotiation tactic. He was reasonably trapped, with a fearsome opponent who was in the process of laying out a compelling case of why she'd want to kill him. It was the first moment since they'd made their initial deal that he suspected the mask of pleasantness was weakened and a touch of a motive could be seen. Jake wondered if he should feel fear, but so far he didn't. He was curious what she wanted from him, and how she saw those past events now. Her seeing things from all sides statement stood out, and so he responded to that.
"I admire that in you," he flattered, finding it easy to attribute since it was a trait he did admire in others. "And since you see things from all sides, I'm curious how you would explain the Anarch view of that conflict, not how a Kuei JIn would see it, but how they would've."
He spun his blade defensively, and remained deathly still. He would not attack this time. He wanted his silence and stillness to provoke her.
-
"I would not explain the Anarch viewpoint at all, Jake," Bao said before turning and twisting to strike twice in quick succession. His silence and stillness had less than a second before it was set upon. After she thrust the point of her sword at his belly, she leapt backwards, anticipating a follow through attack. When she had some distance she spoke again. "It is your opinion that I am lacking."
She knew how her kin felt - they'd been very forthcoming in their opinion on Jake McCloud but she'd held steady, biding her time until she'd recollected her strength. She didn't want to jeopardise her position here and be driven out before the Kuei Jin had a foothold in this city.
-
Jake found the response to be as good a deflection as any Lan Bao made with her sword, and it irked him that he was being set up in this conversation. It softened the fun, and his theory of being in a trap of sorts increased. What did she want? What was the point of this whole affair; the sparing, the tour, and now these questions about past events? Was it is a simple as she wanted him to explain the Anarch side to her? That could hardly be it. It was too simple. Then there was the contest of blades. Was it a distraction, or was this questioning designed to throw him off balance?
He angrily knocked back her two strikes, following up with an uppercut style swipe. Had it hit outside her magic, the cut would've began at her belly button, and ended in the middle of her neck. Instead, she jumped out of range. He took his silence this time, determined to have it, and for her to see him have it, his face still a curious and pleasant mask.
"I remember a deal that was struck in good faith, one that made historic enemies allies against a common threat, the Camarilla. I remember that deal being broken by one side, and that the violence started from within their ranks. I remember a leader who put his needs above the collective interest of the Kuei Jin, and for that he failed. I remember too much death on both sides. I remember Kuei Jin killing savagely, and I remember doing the same to them. But it was a different time, and if we only made peace with our friends, then we'd never make peace at all."
He lowered his blade to the side, staring at Lan Bao for a reply. He'd been candid with her, and hadn't tried to hide from his past.
-
Looking at the way he lowered his sword but not tempted to do the same, Bao returned to her full defensive position so she could speak.
"My kin did not assign blame to you," she divulged. "But their experience with you led to my silence. It is better to be a leaf fluttering on the wind than a strong, majestic tree facing a woodsman."
She'd thought her sister had led a strong branch from that tree but it had been lopped off without much trouble. Lan Bao was surprised she'd not been sent for to help but was also grateful for it. She would have mourned for eternity if any of her families met their demise in someone else's battle. Not to mention the upset it would have on her chi.
"Did you doubt your allies at all?"
-
"That's a lesson I've been trying to learn lately," Jake replied, thinking of Damien's words from the night before. He was tempered by her admission that he personally was not blamed. He so often was, but her next statement cut more than any blade she held. He resumed a defensive stance as well, matching her in stance. He moved towards her slowly this time, making her truly guess where his strike would come from. Taking a note from her book, he focused exclusively on trying to disarm her, shoving the edge of his blade between her wrist and the pommel of her blade. He was curious how she'd respond to him learning from her, and as the exchange ended no points had yet been scored. Jake didn't think that would last for much longer.
"At the time I didn't," he said honestly. "We'd had so little for so long and that was threatened, and I wasn't leading then. I was a solider following orders. That's not an excuse for the death I caused though. Now that I'm leader, I have to consider everyone's motives, including friends, allies, lovers, and anyone with the potential to betray me. If this event happened today, I would've doubted my allies on principle."
It might be a paranoid answer, but it wasn't too different from her phrasing of seeing things from all sides. It was another lesson Damien had been trying to teach him, and now Lan Bao seemed to be suggesting the same. He was a stubborn boy, but Jake did listen, sometimes.
-
"How curious," Lan Bao said, though she didn't think it was curious at all. She'd heard Jake McCloud was passionate and she was seeing and hearing it right now, confirming the rumours. She liked that her information was correct and had thought that whispers of his rashness and spontaneity might have been exaggerated, but she could see it in him - in glimpses. She had no idea why he'd taken the West - he'd apologised for it being a rash move but she didn't think it was. Perhaps not considered as much as it should have been but he'd certainly put thought into it.
"You are the reason my people have returned to my territory," she said, but didn't elaborate because she had to defend his attempt to disarm her. She saw it coming but was flattered by his change of tactic. She thought he might appreciate her response in adapting his initial tactic, for she shifted position and went through a series of aggressive moves that she'd practised for centuries; a sequence of attacks that forced her opponent to defend for over a minute. There had to be focus and there couldn't be an inconsequential attack in the middle of it, though she would leave herself open to a few attacks it would come at sacrifice. She wondered if Jake would do that, if he would allow a blow to his arm in order to deliver a fatal blow. The stakes weren't as high in here and he might decide to sacrifice today what he wouldn't tomorrow, but she was interested all the same.
-
Jake was caught off guard by the fury and skill before him, and could barley keep up. He was overwhelmed and it was clear that Lan Bao was getting closer to striking him. He did not attempt to strike in those misleading openings. It was an irony that Jake could know something so absolutely in one way, and be ignorant to it in other forms. Politically, Jake made this very mistake all the time. He often let himself be cut to score a point on an enemy, and the scene with his phone and Charon played out again. What if he had stared the other down instead? It wouldn't have changed the outcome, but perhaps he would've been protected from further actions. How would that meeting ended if Jake's phone hadn't been destroyed?
Yet, as a soldier it was just something he knew not to do. He wouldn't give a blow to get a blow in a real fight, and so he didn't do it here. He walked away without a hit, but alert in a new way. The adrenaline moved the blood to his limbs. "You're more skilled than I am," he admitted. "If it helps, I never doubted that would be the case." He gave her a winning smile.
It wasn't self deprecation, it was humility and honesty. She was better. It didn't mean he wasn't better than almost every other person he met. "As to your other comment, I assume my taking of the west didn't exactly make them feel safe. I apologize if I startled them with my actions."
He bowed slightly, but didn't lower his eyes from her's. He wouldn't be caught out in this fight.
-
She smiled, pleased with his admission and respecting that he could recognise it and announce it.
"If I held a different weapon, you would be better," she replied - and not just to return the compliment but because it was the truth. "I have trained with this sword and others just like it since I was a child. What I did just now was my Seishi-Sanchin, a combination I have practiced for centuries. I use it when I suspect I will be cut," she said. When she bowed in return, she lowered her eyes, displaying to Jake that she trusted him and his honour. She was not insulted by his lack of doing the same, rather she believed he was wary of her as an opponent and it made her feel important.
When she straightened, her sword was low at her side, not in any position except to carry.
"We did not know you, and we bridge the gap between your people and those of Chtazus'aak." She shifted her weight, putting herself off balance though her stance was now relaxed. "Some of mine like to wear leather jackets with dragons, making them look like thugs from a gang," she said, obviously displeased with their choices. "I assure you I keep them in line."
-
He felt respected, seen, and listened to. If Lan Bao was playing a game, then it was an excellent one. She didn't seem to hold the same prejudgments as everyone else in this city. Jake wondered if something about her presence was making him behave differently, and he ended up understanding he respected her too, not for her position or abject power, but for her personality and wisdom. He liked her, and he didn't mind understanding it. It didn't make him fully trust her, his words from before being true ones. However, it did make him want to trust her, which was often the beginning. He nodded slightly in thanks to her remarks about his skill.
"Your people are safe, and I understand their apprehension about me, based on my wider history and how I came to this city."
He was being purposefully vague, letting Lan Bao fill in those events as she saw them. It was a delicate balance between wanting to be honest, but not giving away too much information. He smiled again, and lowered his own blade. "And I know you do," he said mysteriously.
-
His last comment was not a mystery to Lan Bao but a simple acknowledgement of the fact her people never got themselves into trouble.
"May we swap swords before I return mine to the case? I would enjoy putting yours through some of my moves," she said, "to the mirror, not against your self."
There was no mirror until she moved to one of the walls and then pushed on it. A latch sounded with a click and then she slid the giant panel across, revealing the floor to ceiling mirror behind. It ran three quarters of the protective mat area.
She returned to Jake and held out her own sword, while her other hand reached out for his.
-
"Of course," he said, holding out his own sword in the proper fashion for such a weapon. Both hands extended it upward. He would take her own weapon with a similar degree of reverence, curious about it's weight and handling. He took her blade, attempting to get a handle for a weapon of it's nature. He treated it like a short sword, feeling a missing partner. He re-centered and treated it more like a rapier. That went better, but still didn't translate fully. It was a fascinating weapon.
"Is it magic," he asked, assuming she already knew his blade was. He watched as she handled the heavier sword. They needed to talk about the meeting still, and Jake felt their time bonding was coming to and end.
-
Lan Bao took his katana which felt well-balanced and a little longer than she'd expected. Holding it carefully along her body, she answered Jake's questions about her weapon.
"There is a great deal of magic in it. That is the original Sword of Goujian," she said, "of which there are two copies, both without magic but still blessed. I believe one of the copies is in the Hubei Provincial Museum. The sword is not rusted or decayed because of its blessings, which delights them, but it is not the original Goujian - which you hold. See the script on the blade," she said. "Only a Kuei Jin may activate the blessings so in your hands it is a simple blade. It was a gift for the mighty King, who must have been a Kuei Jin. It is a teaching sword, I use it for many of my kin because the sword guides them and they learn swordplay quickly. It is also blessed with bird-worm blessings, so that the lowest and highest cuts create excruciating pain even if just a small nick. So you see my need for a training area like this one, when this sword is in the hands of students."
Many of them would be without hands, feet, arms or legs otherwise.
After explaining some of Goujian's background, she stepped away and wielded the katana, looking a little uncomfortable and awkward for the first few swings as she adjusted her hold each time until finally it became smooth.
"I am not a fan of two-handed swords but this has impeccable balance," she said, swishing it downward and rolling it next into an uppercut.
-
He thought about her sword's tale, riveted by every word of it. He'd heard of blades that only worked for vampires, or demons, and so that part wasn't too surprising. He decided he did not wish to face this blade in a real battle, as he was sure not many wished to face his own weapon. He then heard her comments about his own weapon, and responded as he continued to study her elegant sword.
"The weight can take some getting used to," Jake admitted, but you're correct that the balance of this sword is impeccable. I know it's either late 14th or early 15th century, forged sometime around the war of feuding states. It too doesn't show any wear and tear, and never needs to be sharpened. It also... exists somehow. I wouldn't say it's true sentience, but.. it has a personality. It's most frightening ability is the one I showed earlier on my chest. It is... a responsibility to own it."
He extended her weapon, measuring the length of his arm with it. "This is an exquisite blade," he complimented. He of course preferred his own weapon, but he imagined the same was true of Lan Bao.
-
Her blade was ancient, using Jake's calendar she knew it was a 650BC made weapon. When he spoke of his much newer blade - but no less impressive - and couldn't identify its century, Lan Bao took that to mean he didn't have all the information about it. When he spoke of it's personality, she'd felt it initially. It hadn't liked how she'd held it initially and she'd felt her clumsiness enhanced, like it was telling her off somehow. She enjoyed that it had character. Goujian certainly didn't have a personality or character. Jake's sword was all the more interesting to her now.
"Would you like my clairvoyant to touch this blade?" she offered. "He might sense a few more things for you. It is how I identify most of my collection, to see if they are true or counterfeit. I have picked up a few false deals in my time. An unavoidable risk," she swing the katana again, slowly building a bond with it as she improved. It was more forgiving of her moves now.
-
Jake did like the idea of learning more about the blade. It has always been a goal of his, but how much did he want Lan Bao to know about his sword? She clearly knew more than he did about collecting such things. It made him wary. He decided to strike a middle balance as opposed to making a rash decision.
"What would that entail," he asked, extending her own prized sword in a trade back. "I'm open to the idea though," he clarified.
-
Lan Bao was surprised by his caution. After so much sharing, his vague response was irksome and insulting. Her smile didn't falter and her face was the same practised expression it had been throughout their time together. There were many times her own people had disappointed her or tested her patience, and she hadn't let it show then either. Bao was the type to think about how their failures affected her before dealing with them. It was better to be gentler than harsh, which was why Shan's failure had stood out to everyone in her immediate circle.
Bao stopped swinging and observed that Jake had not done much with her own sword other than to heft it. As last time, she switched swords back in the same manner.
"I cannot speak for what my clairvoyant will find," she said once their own swords were back in their hands. After her comment, she moved past him to place Goujian back on its stand and set its glass box over the top. As she did this, she listened keenly to his reply.
-
Jake's question was not directed at what results might be found. He was clear on the fact he couldn't control what was found. He was asking more about the process. However, he didn't seek to belabor the point. Instead, he decided as long as he didn't have to leave the blade here he would comply. He hoped she wouldn't feel such a condition was purposely directed, but he wouldn't even trust Lisa-Joe to hold the sword for more than a minute. The only two other people who'd even held it in recent years were Sabrina - a person Jake called his mother - and Lisa-Joe - his closest and oldest relationship. What was that saying from the drag television show Sam liked?
It's not personal. It's drag
In this case it was, it's not personal, it's swords. However, he kept all of those thoughts to himself. "Okay, let's do it," he replied. "I am curious to discover the truth behind it."
He would follow her out of the sparing room, taking one last look.
-
Once Jake gave his okay, Bao nodded her acknowledgement. She closed her eyes and sent a mental alert to her closest brethren as to who she was after. They would collect the man she needed and she didn't need to push any further. Once that was done, Bao opened her eyes and turned to Jake with a girlish smile, pleased that she would be learning more about his weapon and that there was another favour bestowed between them. The exchange of pleasantries and gifts always allowed for a good bonding between relationships.
"He is being summoned. He lives in the building but he likes to present himself formally, so as he gets ready we likely have some time to chat."
She said 'chat' but what she really meant was 'for you to inform me about what happened at the meeting', but would not ask.
-
Jake looked around the room as Lan Bao sent her message, not understanding exactly how it was done. For vampires it could've been through the blood bond, or through telepathy. There was still so much he didn't understand. Jake was happy for the subject change for the moment, even if it meant delivering less than good news. Still, there was an alternative.
"Yes, I would like to discuss the meeting we spoke about last time," he began, sounding as controlled as possible. "While there was some interest in expanding your rights, the conversation was struck short by two of the leaders. They felt as though your territory is too small for a full district. There were some, as I said, who favored talking about it more, but we were in the minority."
Jake scanned Lan Bao's face for reaction. This was hardly what she'd hoped to hear. "I personally don't see why they got a say, considering one of them appointed another, and the leader of the north just started going around telling everyone he was."
He let his last comment sound suggestive, like he had more to say, but he wanted to give her a chance to reply. If she were angry, he better hear it now.
-
Lan Bao had expected this and she could have kept her face a mask but she let her disappointment show, if only to reveal to Jake that his failure had affected her. There was no anger because she didn't have all of the information.
"So two leaders do not wish to even discuss the matter," she repeated, a brow arcing before it returned to its usual position. "Which two?"
When Jake had said 'some' favoured talking about it more, she couldn't think as to who they would be. Chtazus'aak was optional as one, but 'some' implied more. Who was open minded about her? She'd met none of them. She would ask about them next, depending on whether Jake showed her loyalty in his answer, or if he would be secretive and show loyalty to the others.
-
Jake had promised to do exactly what he was currently doing. He would go no further than reporting what happened, and decided he would do his best to keep his personal prejudices out of his truth telling. There might be a time for Jake to tell Lan Bao that he thought Zoheret was a superficial, self-absorbed, histrionic, but that day was not today. Right now, he wished to look like a leader.
"The lady of the North West, Zoheret was not in favor. Her opinion seemed mostly influenced by what she saw as the math of the matter. I trust that her stated reason is likely her actual one. While she's capable of being duplicitous, she's glaringly easy to read when not plotting. The leader of the North, Saraekeil, seemed to vote with Zoheret all night. I suspect an alliance."
He knew Zoheret had secrets, and for important things she knew to keep her mouth shut. Jake was speaking for the moments when she wasn't in the know, and her motivations then became obvious. Her reason for voting for the election was technically a mystery, although Jake had a strong theory. Her reason for not supporting Lan Bao was more obvious.
"The leader of the east objected to the mere idea though. He made sure the whole topic was discussed for less than five minutes. When I called him out for it..." He chose his next words carefully. He didn't want to sound like a sensationalist or a gossip. "...he acted childish."
There. That was a good balance.
-
When Jake spoke of Zoheret, Lan Bao was thoughtful. She did not know the beautiful dark angel personally and recognised that she had been one to have made the transition from Oligarch to District Leader. By Jake's words, it sounded as though the new risen leader in the north also objected to her leadership. He was one she'd not met either. She'd expected to be dismissed, for Jake's plan not to go through. What leader willingly shares control of the helm? Only someone who did not know which direction to go.
When Jake phrased the old vampire's objection, calling him 'the leader of the east'... was that a joke? She looked carefully at him but saw no humour in his eyes. How peculiar for him to slip in such a way. The ancient one's rejection was not a surprise. She'd heard of his family and others like it so his resistance to her rise was expected. Jake McCloud's slow-built alliance with her was the opposite of that; it was a huge surprise considering he'd personally fought in a battle against her kin.
And then Jake commented that the ancient one had been childish? She didn't understand what could cause that word past his lips when speaking of someone so great in age. She wondered what he would say of her.
"I am curious what your next step in the process will be," she said, thinking back on his words about his recognition of making her District Leader of Chinatown. It was possible he would do it unofficially, as an announcement. Much like the dark angel had claimed his territory.
-
Jake found Lan Bao's overall reaction to be accommodating of his misstep. Was the other shoe going to drop, or was she really interested in continuing their relationship? Would she run to Ben and ask what deal he could give her? That was likely, and while he didn't know what Ben would promise, he knew what he could. He hadn't long to think on this issue - what was to be done with the Kuei Jin - but he'd found himself drawn towards one action and was willing to follow his instincts, for now.
"Well, I say we move forward despite them," he answered, waiting a minute before explaining his point more fully. "All they can really do, is deny you a seat for official, city wide votes. They can't really manage how I organize my district, including who I let lead a part of it. We can say you rule Chinatown, and that I, as a DL, offer protection and permission to operate. Otherwise, lead as you've led now, and call yourself whatever title best suits you. District Leader if you want that official feeling, but I think Mistress of Chinatown has more appeal. I won't interfere in your rule, but you can also count on me for support. As to Chinatown's ability to voice concerns to the other leaders, I can always have you come in to the meeting as an honored guest of mine, and you can present Chinatown's opinions and needs to them in that fashion. I will also directly support your needs as an ally. Two states, working as one, for the betterment of all."
He laid out his vision for a free Chinatown, where Lan Bao only saw Jake's status as a protector. If the others tried to push her around, or tell her to stop operating alone, Jake would intervene and support her. Otherwise, she was free to rule Chinatown as she saw fit. It wasn't much different than what they had already. The only change was an open endorsement and the ability to work together.
-
Her eyes flashed momentary anger. She averted her gaze to one of her displayed weapons as Jake tried to sell her on what she already had. Mistress of Chinatown, indeed. He didn't say anything of interest until the very end, when he laid out their working relationship and spoke of how he would grant her access to the other leaders. A shallow offer after the grand promise he'd made. However, it would be foolish to burn the bridge between them. He was in a position of distraction, with the election and the dark angel only recently taking over the north, and Chtazus'aak only recently returning. She would have to visit him as he'd visited her twice already. Thinking of the demon brought a secret smile to her face.
"I thank you for your candour and honesty. Prosperity makes friends and adversity tries them." She bowed, giving a formal feel to their meeting.
She heard footsteps on the other side of her vault and she moved a hand, gesturing to one side. The door opened and an elderly Asian gentleman stepped through. He was dressed in a traditional Chinese suit, navy in colour with loops instead of buttons keeping the jacket closed and intricate gold threading on the jacket and pants cuffs. He approached them and offered a deep bow.
"Keung, thank you for coming so quickly. This is Jake McCloud. He would like information about his sword."
Keung bowed again, not as deeply this time. He smiled and bowed once more before reaching both hands out to accept Jake's sword.
-
Jake had more yet to say, and found Lan Bao's statement to be confusing. It wasn't the more surface meaning of her words. That was easy enough to understand, but what did she really mean? Was she saying they could no longer prosper, or that their friendship - or did she mean alliance - was now in a state of adversity? He didn't have time to analyze her words, but he stowed them away to look at later. He would ask Benny for help. The rat loved solving riddles.
When the oracle came, Jake bowed respectfully, and then handed the sword over in the way that was accustomed, extending the blade out with two hands, his own body dipping in respect of his weapon. He cleared his mind of his political doubts, now curious to hear about his blade, and strangely friend. He'd wondered so much about the sword, but since he had only Mithras to ask before he'd never been able to discover much. Sabrina had unlocked a portion when she told him it was made of draconic magic, but what other secrets did it hold?
He was happy to share this moment with Lan Bao, and decided then he shouldn't give up on their plan so easily. If even one district leader backed the idea other than him, then it was an issue that would have to be debated. He might be able to appeal to Sabrina's humanity and kindness, or perhaps Zeus's mild interest could be stocked into a more electric one. Perhaps Ward law could be helpful, and provide a structure to them. The real question, was should he tell her his new plan? He debated surprising her with better news when he had it, but decided that he should ask for her help. It was her district after all. Why should he do all the work? That part of their conversation would come after the oracle had finished. Jake returned his focus to the wise master before him.
-
As soon as the elder man touched the blade, he jolted. His hand closed firmly around the hilt as his eyes rolled to the top of his head, showing most of the whites. Keung said a few things in ancient Japanese, none of which Bao understood, but she recognised the name Iesayu when the old man whispered it.
There was a lot of moaning and crying out before the clairvoyant's eyes returned to their normal state and he handed the weapon back to Jake with shaking hands. He bowed again and then unleashed a tide of Chinese at Lan Bao, speaking fretfully and gesturing to Jake.
"Thank you, Keung, you may rest," Bao dismissed with a smile. The old man bowed to each of them twice more before departing, looking more frail than he had when he'd entered. "So, he believes that your sword was forged with dragon blood and that if not bathed in blood during battle, then it will take from its owner." She looked from the blade to Jake with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Do you feel exceptionally tired, Mr McCloud?"
-
Jake watched with careful awe as the seer preformed his craft, his own face locked in confusion at the unfamiliarity of what was being witnessed. Magic was still so foreign to him, Maria only joining his ranks recently, and Sabrina being rather conservative with her spell work. It was an interesting thing to study, and Jake decided he would ask his resident witch questions about seeing in the future. As the seer and Lan Bao spoke, Jake could barely contain his interest, a slight electricity behind the eyes showing as they darted back and forth. When the clairvoyant bowed, Jake did as well, and echoed Lan Bao's thanks to the old man.
Dragon blood. It was consistent with Sabrina's messaging, and explained it's unquenchable thirst. Bathed in blood was ominous, but the sword didn't feel evil to him. Then again, were vampires evil because they too needed blood?
"Not tired," he classified, "hungry. When I use it I find myself almost feeling starved afterwords. I probably have to consume double my normal amount of blood if I use it in a major fight, unless I draw blood of course."
This was all so fascinating. If he were human would he feel fatigue? Would it still take blood, or would it extract another form of life? "I wonder if you used it if you'f need more life force. Did he learn anything else?"
Jake's expression clearly hoped he had, a boyish excitement showcased to the new District Leader in front of him.
-
The sword might have drawn from her when she'd shadow-fought with it, but perhaps not because it wasn't battle. The sensation was subtle, if it had.
"A vampiric sword for a vampire owner," she declared with a growing smile. How much she wanted it now for her collection - but mostly because of the sword's history. She would have to research it.
"Not all Keung's words made sense, such is the plight of seeing and being unable to direct one's vision. But he did say a name I am familiar with, and which intrigues me. He said Ieyasu." She checked Jake's face for a flicker of recognition. "I believe he was referring to Tokugawa Ieyasu."
She waited for Jake to react to this news, and then would come her offer.
-
The first part of the name meant nothing to Jake, but the second one stuck out. Where had he heard it? Then he remembered his source, and his face visibly soured. Mithras. He'd told Jake all those years ago that someone named Ieyasu had given it to him as a gift. He let his face relax, and decided to explain his discomfort.
"Forgive me, but the memory of how I know that name isn't pleasant."
Hoping to change the subject, he decided to let his ignorance be fixed. "Who was he exactly? All I know is that he was a war hero in Japan during a great conflict there, the war of feuding states I think it was."
Her oracle had seen much, and slowly the sword's history was being revealed. Jake had no idea an offer awaited him.
-
Bao angled her head as Jake's expression shifted twice and he apologised for his emotional display. She gave a brief nod, thinking that he'd contained himself rather well, but obviously to him it must have felt exaggerated on his face.
"I know only a little more than yourself. He is famous not only as a war hero but as the creator of the shogunate. He was the first shogun. Perhaps the sword contains his spirit." Her greedy eyes found the blade, sheathed on Jake's hip. "Perhaps you would consider adding it to my collection for a price you wish to name?"
-
Jake was thankful for the new information, and decided to look into the history of this man a little more. Perhaps his sword was somewhere in history, waiting to be found. He didn't understand exactly what the shogun did, as opposed to the emperor, but was able to determine from Lan Bao's description that he was very important. He never understood why Mithras would've been given the shogun's blade as a gift. Mithras likely stole it. He never asked for anything.
Lan Bao's offer was unexpected, his eyes darting to the blade and then back to his host. He'd never considered parting with the blade before, and found himself unable to think of a price. The sword was his most potent and personal weapon. Then again, was he hiding behind it? Was its desire for blood fueling Jake's own? Jake had only one thing in his mind that would make him give up the sword, and he doubted Lan Bao could provide it.
"Forgive me," he said, sounding somewhat flustered. "I seem to lack imagination. I can't think of anything at the moment that would make me part with it. We share a bond, and I rely on it to defend myself."
He decided to test the waters with his desire. What was that old adage; questions unasked remain unanswered. "If I were to tell you that I was half a dragon, what exactly would you think I mean?"
-
She thought it unusual that Jake would state so openly that he relied upon a blade. He was a young vampire, she supposed, but even so, compared to his sword, he was the greater weapon. She pitied that he could not see that in himself.
His question about being half a dragon delighted her.
"I would think you the same as me," Bao provided, her lips curling into a smile. Her eyes heralded her curiosity, for she did not conceal it from him. She opened her wind-water eye, making herself vulnerable in the process, and Jake might feel it as a physical sensation upon his skin even though she was not touching his mind - not that she would feel anything from him if she'd dared to. She also knew that vampires could tell when she was reading their chi, which was why she was careful about who and when she chose to do such a thing.
His chi was excessively dark. Unbalanced. Her gaze dropped to the bright red swirls that danced around the blade and then to his hand, covered in a radiant purple haze, too bright to look at directly. She lifted her stare but saw nothing within him that spoke of a dragon. Once her wind-water eye closed, she looked again at his hand and saw the jewel that had cast the bright haze. He eyes lifted again and she gave Jake a broader smile, showing some of her teeth. "I am intrigued."
-
Jake felt confused by Lan Bao's statement, but remembered from his own experience with the Kuei Jin that they could sometimes change their shapes, and had heard of ones who could become great monsters, or terrible beasts. It seemed Lan Bao was suggesting she held this power. It made Jake feel like she was much more powerful than he originally believed. He liked it.
He felt the strange sensation on his skin, and looked to the ring. No vibration occurred, so she wasn't invading his mind. Still, it was unsettling. There was still so much he didn't know about the Kuei Jin, and their power. He smiled back, unsure of what she was doing, but used her smile to suggest she was pleased with the result.
"I want to be a whole dragon," he disclosed. "I want to protect my people, but feel outmatched by my peers on a personal level. If I was left alone in a room with the others, I'd likely be the first to perish. I know you love and value your people. I do too, but I fear that my youth has made it harder for me to protect them. I have to rely on money, and people, and tools to keep myself afloat. I want to walk into a room, and not have to tell people of my power. I don't want to tell people to fear me. I want them to sense it for themselves. I want the power to make sure that those I love will never be crossed. I desire the power of a real dragon, within me. I'm sure that's impossible to do, but it's what I want. I would part with this sword in a heartbeat if I gained the power of a dragon, permanently of course."
As he spoke, the fear for his people, and his love for them, showed on a thoughtful but anxious expression. Under that sentiment though, was the Ventrue's lust for power. Jake had seen a dragon rule the city, and while he knew dragons were vulnerable to some, he knew they were a great deal less vulnerable than he was currently. He wanted to be strong. He wanted unquestionable power, and becoming a winged beast of legend was the way he wanted to achieve it. He'd never spoken this desire allowed to anyone, not even Lisa-Joe. It felt strangely good to state what his true goal was. He'd never even used the ring to become a dragon, but in his heart he knew that was his destiny. He doubted Lan Bao could help him, but perhaps she knew someone who could do what he asked.
He looked at her with an apologetic smile, like what he suggested was pure fantasy.
-
He bared his soul to her and through that action her respect for him grew tenfold. It was not his belly that he showed even though such a thing could make him vulnerable. Sharing his desires with her made him stronger because she could now recognise that he knew himself. Not many people knew themselves and it was even more difficult for men. She tipped her head to him, acknowledging his words. He would never have what she had. He was not Kuei Jin. She pitied him because he would only ever experience a shadow of the enlightenment afforded to her, should she achieve true balance.
Her pity motivated her to help him, even if he would not see it as such. She could only offer the truth and his interpretation would only ever be what he could manage. The whole world was cloistered in individual perception. People spoke of parallel dimensions and multiple worlds and rather than chasing leylines and portals, all they had to do was open their minds to others. Much like Jake was doing now.
"Love is more powerful than fear," she said. She supposed he might dismiss her words as romantic nonsense, but it was the way of the Kuei Jin. Severe loyalists to the bitter end. Dedicated and sacrificial. Her people would die for her. "But it only works if it goes both ways."
-
Jake was confused once again by Lan Bao's words, and began to resent his lack of understanding. Still, there was a kindess in how she spoke to him, and words regarding love should always be considered. She made no offers to transform him forever into a beast like Halen. Such a thing wasn't possible. He'd known it before he even told her, but then why had he told her? He considered he wanted to tell someone, and had he mentioned it to Sam or Lisa-Joe, they wouldn't have understood. It seemed Lan Bao did, at least on some level.
"Yes, I'm sure it is," he said, but felt that was too dismissive. That wasn't how he felt. "I'm just not very good at it, giving it or receiving it. I suppose I need to work on that."
He avoided the tone of self pity he'd had at Charon's, the day he'd asked Ben to testify. This time he said these words with a newfound clarity. It wasn't his fault he was bad at love. He had no sire. His last boyfriend's love was closer to obsession. He had some exceptions in his life, Lisa-Joe and Sam. The former was the most comfortable relationship in his life, and Sam he loved because she was his, even if they struggled to connect on a personal level. The other part of her words made him think she was suggesting the people didn't love him back. He hoped the election said otherwise.
Lan Bao was not was she seemed, in more ways than one. Jake found he liked her, and liked being in her company. She felt warmer than their first meeting, although her actual demeanor hadn't changed much. Perhaps, she was a friend after all. Perhaps Charon was wrong, and that the Kuei Jin would be a strong and loyal ally for the Anarchs and the Central District. He supposed only time would tell, but he'd closed too many doors to close one now. He would support Lan Bao, and her people, and he only hoped she would do the same.
"Come visit me soon," he invited. "I would love to show you my base of operations, and I can show you what few treasures I own. It's nothing as vast as your collection, but I think I have a few items that might interest you."
-
She nodded, once, to his qualification of practicing love. The first steps were always the hardest when converting his followers. He had made it harder for himself with his previous titles designed to inspire fear as well as his focus. He'd even spoken of it now - that he wanted respect through fear without needing to demand it. She would have thought him a loss if he hadn't conceded.
"The more rare the blossom, the greater the appreciation," she began, "and the longer a person walks the path of leadership, the narrower it becomes."
She'd been leader of her people longer than the District Leaders and the Oligarchy. They knew nothing but wide, freshly bulldozed paths. There had been a few pieces of rubble in their way and instead of stepping over or pushing it aside, they had crumbled to dust. She wondered how long the District Leaders would last now that they were all isolated. Perhaps they would flourish, like her, but she doubted it. The more kingdoms were built, the more they would resent that they could have at one point had it all. Still, with either Ben or Jake at the mantle, she had a place in the newest regime.
"I will see you in exactly a week," she declared with a growing smile. "I am honoured to be invited." She bowed.
-
"One week it is," he told her. "Thank you for a lovely evening. We're going to figure this thing out, the leadership thing, but know you have my full support, and that I see you as an equal, not as a vassal, subject, or tool. I know that's not enough, but I hope that it's a start."
It was a well constructed ending to their time, and Jake thought even Damien would be proud of him for how he phrased it. He waited for her reply, and matched her bow, before telling her that he had to go for the evening. It seemed like they both saw this moment coming. They'd covered a lot of ground in a single night.