Sword Maiden

[Malkavian Riddler]

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."

[Black Philip]

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.

[Malkavian Riddler]

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."

[Black Philip]

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."

[Malkavian Riddler]

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.

[Black Philip]

"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.