cityofhex | [Open]

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[na] malin lindberg

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The evening after the market, starting just after sundown, a young woman is wandering around the city. She doesn't look like much - jeans, a hoodie against the cold, sneakers, slightly shaggy brown hair - and will try to stay away from the richer parts of town.

Sometimes she can be caught looking around in worry, studying the face of people that looked at her - Malin still can't quite believe that this collar is really working. That she really looks human again.

But she does. Looking down at her own hands, looking at her reflection, watching other people's reaction to her, she clearly does.

With time, she will grow bolder, even approach people - sometimes to just exchange a greeting with someone taking their dog out after work, sometimes to bother a promising looking person for a few dollars, sometimes to ask the way to a soup kitchen or a cheap club. Not that she wants to go to those places or really needs money, but she wants to try out this illusion and also... talk to people.

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"... Okay. I just want you to be careful." Does she, though? He frowns, rocking a bit on his feet before he decides something, pushing energy through the runes on his fake leg. That necklace of hers practically lights up, and he raises an eyebrow.

And then it hits him - the tingle on his skin that's the magical feedback to let him know that this isn't... well, it's not normal human baseline. He's not sure if she's a Scion or not, just that she isn't human. She's powerful enough, though. And that's interesting.

"Do you want to walk? Maybe we can find you somewhere safe for the night, even if you know how to be out there at night. Or maybe we can just talk."

...That's strange, but if he lets her pick the course of their path, it shouldn't bear too much possible danger. Plus, she can defend herself well enough. And in a pinch she is at least good at running away. Being able to fly and melt into the ground is darn useful that way. There is a reason why Gangrel dare to roam the countryside.

"Sure." She gives him a suspicious look - it's in character, after all, to react to a request like that with suspicion - but moves along. "We can walk and talk."

"No problem." Maybe it looks suspicious, but it's not like he has any interest in girls anyway. Not that he's announced it, but he's aware enough of what a young girl might worry about with a strange guy. "I like your necklace, by the way." He gestures for her to lead on a bit. He's still getting used to the city.

That gets him another, more guarded glance.

"...Thanks.

I like it, too. And you can back right off if you're trying to hit on me or trying to buy services because I'm not interested and not in the trade, either."

Though that she is getting the strong impression that they're not having the conversation that they're having on the surface.

He raises his hands to show her that he doesn't have a weapon. ... That's not entirely true, but summoning his baseball bat isn't exactly what people normally think of when they're imagining someone armed. "Look, I gave you five dollars, I'm not expecting services from that."

Casper waits a moment, before very slowly adding, "Besides. I'm not... interested in girls." He flinches slightly - it's not something he admits to most people out loud. But his dad isn't around, so... it should be fine. Right? And if she attacks him for it he can probably fight back.

She sniggers, and then laughs. "Yeah, if I were in the trade, I wouldn't be that cheap.

...If you're looking for guys, I can point you to the right corner, though." It's a mean kind of tease, she's pretty sure that he's not. Not with how he flinches at the admission. It's also a very awkward way of stating that she doesn't see the issue with him not being into girls. It's a thing that's around more than most people would admit, and in her experience can be as ugly or beautiful as guys not being into guys. Just with a lack of beating other guys up for not sharing their taste.

He pales slightly, the bird on his shoulder nudging him gently to try to reassure him. "I - uh. Nah. I'm good." He tries to laugh, pushing away thoughts of that incident. It comes out a little awkward and nervous, and he does his best to smile.

"Anyway, I'm more looking for a way to get home than a cheap date. So thanks, but no thanks."

"Hey, calm down, nobody's gonna make you." And it's probably for the best that he isn't planning on going there. Prostitutes in general are a population that she doesn't touch with a ten-foot-pole. There are like five illnesses that can affect vampires or be transmitted by them, and one of them is most frequently sexually transmitted. So it's just risk management - the Copenhagen dominion had a fairly firm rule about it, made easy to enforce because one of the Primogen had all their fingers in that business.

...A way home? Hex isn't that big, everyone with average human mobility can walk everywhere, and he looks like he is quite able-bodied. Sure, one can lose their way, but unless he's spent his whole life in the farming district she sees no reason why he should be that lost in Downtown.

"Where do you need to go? I know my way around here pretty well." Even if she might attempt to lead him through a street that a fox passes through well but a human does not. It's like navigating an area with a lot of one-way streets with a car that you've only ever used on bicycle before.

"I don't know if you'd believe me if I told you." He smiles a little bit, and reaches up to scratch Bob's head. He's not sure if he should make a fuss, anyway... he wouldn't want to draw the wrong kind of attention, after all.

"Try me."

She has no idea if there are few or many people like her here, who know about a world outside of the walls. She hasn't been able to really ask anyone until very recently, and then she wouldn't know how or where to start looking.

"All right... well, I need to get back to America. The east coast, up near Maine." He's not sure that he should tell someone who's not a Scion exactly where it is, but... close enough.

"So you're not from Hex, either."

She wonders how much she should tell him about herself for a moment, but then... It's not like she can even be specific about where she was.

"I'm from Europe. Scandinavia."

He brightens up a little bit, grinning. "Really? It doesn't seem like a lot of people here are from places other than Hex."

"Most people don't even realize that a world outside of it exists, I think."

Going by what she has overheard on the nights when she had the time to just laze around in owl or fox form and eavesdrop on people, trying to at least have human contact by proxy.

"I've noticed that... and I don't like it. There's got to be something keeping them from knowing the rest o the world... as long as there is something else there..."

For all he knows, this could actually be a point on a gas giant planet and the sky is being projected.

... Alternatively, he's been watching too many sci fi movies.

"It's no better or worse here than anywhere else, as long as you aren't on the run."

Because then you'll have nowhere to go to.

Is she on the run? She doesn't know. Maybe, but if they really have no contact to the outside world here, she's a lot less in trouble than back home. And now that she has a human appearance again... She'll still watch out for vampires. Because diablerie can't be hidden, she's been told, at least not in the months or years after. It was all a bit vague, which she didn't worry about then but which makes this harder now. But it's a risk not worth taking.

And besides, she still can't figure out who even rules this city and where they are.

"Depends what you consider on the run." From the Titans, yes. From others, maybe not.

Still... if he's here, maybe he doesn't have to fight. He's never liked the idea of fighting... and while he still has the need to go back and fight...

No. Part of him burns with shame at the idea of running from a fight, and he takes a step back, face contorting in anger. "I have to go back. I have to... I can't let them win. If they win, we're all dead."

"Except for you, because you'll be here.

Who are "they"?"

Sorry, did you think she was particularly invested in feelings of duty?

No, but he's kind of a different case. "The Titans. They have to be defeated. I wouldn't be surprised if they can rip through worlds to find this place, too."

... Maybe he should have shut up.

She gives him a very disbelieving look. She might not know much about the world (well, more than the average human, but compared to other supernaturals) but that sounds seriously out there.

"And is there a realistic chance of defeating them if you go back?"

Not that she'd have any idea how going back should be possible. So far she's found nothing.

"They're strong. Better to try to do the right thing and die in battle then just sit around being scared." Not that he has much of a choice, really - but even if he didn't... he can't just be afraid for the rest of his life.

"Personally, I think surviving is a pretty good option, too. Better even than pointless heroics."

Because pointless heroics will see you dead. It's as easy as that.

"True, but if you're dead either way you might as well go with something that has a chance of fixing things. That's what I think, at least." He knows he's not got the greatest of wisdom, but it seems fair to him.

"Only if it's not a difference of "die now or die in two hundred years"." If you'll die soon either way and going along with world saving efforts might prevent certain death at about the same time as you'd die in any other way, she could consider joining up with such efforts. But seriously? World endings?

"We're not going to get that long if they get their hands on things. But... well. Not everyone can fight. I don't have a choice." There's a hint of bitterness to that last bit, but it's true. Would he still fight if he didn't have these abilities? He's not sure.

"As in, someone is forcing you to?"

She raises and eyebrow at him, though not for long because she is also keeping an eye on the way ahead of them and trying to at the same time keep an eye on their surroundings. Being wary never hurts.

"Something like that." He doesn't want to think about what would happen if he refused. He'd probably be killed and be in even worse trouble than he already is.

"Then it's not like you can help it." No actual heroism going on here. She can get being forced into a line of action, one way or the other.

"But yeah, I think you'll be forced to stay here. I doubt there's a way out."

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