I was born with lightning in my heels | March Catchall

[lasergrenades]

Characters: Pepper Potts, Devin Parker, and you!
Date: Throughout March
Location: Around Aifaran
Situation: Pepper and Devin are getting used to their new jobs. Pepper has an encounter with building materials, goes on patrol, and walks into a bad neighborhood. Devin deals with some personal issues and gets followed around by a pack of inan.
Warnings/Rating: None yet, will add as needed


A. [Pepper] Verdant Sentry - Justice 5 | Open

Pepper has been dutifully studying and basically trying to be the absolute best recruit possible (she may be trying to skip a few steps in this process given her existing skills), and has apparently had a reasonably good impression. They're not letting her run the place yet, but some members of the Sentry have asked her to describe the legal system back home. Apparently, they're intrigued enough that they take her on a few patrols and ask her what police would do, on at least one occasion she's out and about with them wearing the Rescue armor.

B. [Pepper] Sci-Tech 1 | Open

As cool as flying is to get to know the city, it's important to explore on the ground level, too. Pepper is exploring an area where some construction is ongoing. This is normal, for her. New York City almost always had some sort of construction going on, and the scaffolding is a familiar sight. The sudden alarmed yelling as she walks underneath it, however, is new. Before she even has time to properly process what's happening, her ka appears in front of her. The Knight catches the large hammer that threatened to land on Pepper's head, and is shooting an annoyed look at the workmen above them.

C. [Pepper] Crime 1 | Open

Apparently, this is not a great place to wander into. She's on the outskirts of the city as dusk is falling, and Pepper has a very certain sense of being watched and possibly even followed. Perhaps counter to expectation, she is not all that worried. The dagger Solomon gave her is in her boot, Vee is but a thought away, and she's got enough training to be hard to handle. The utter lack of concern on her part appears to have hooked an actual tail, but she doesn't increase her pace.

D. [Devin] Dreaming Bridge | Leo

Most of the time when Devin is not working at the Academy library, he's either in his room or somewhere else quiet where he can read and remain mostly undisturbed. He's not avoiding people per se, but he's not being particularly social, either. The incident with Trahearne and Klaus is still weighing on him. As a result, the vampire is sometimes less antagonistic than he was last month - although sometimes more. Today is one of those days when his roommates are gone long enough that he can have a little peace and quiet, and therefore is probably in a reasonable mood.

E. [Devin] Somewhere Serving Classy Alcohol | Klaus

While Devin can't really afford the amount of alcohol required to get drunk, he does enjoy the flavor of good liquor and isn't opposed to savoring it from time to time. Recent events have certainly been enough to want to take the edge off things, but even if he can't Devin tends to like the atmosphere of older, well-established bars. The lighting is warm, and there's a small booth in a corner that Devin claims so he can see most of the establishment while he sips at a dark, amber-colored drink.

F. [Devin] Metaphysics 3 | Open

He's going to complain to Leo about this. After the young man foisted the cat-like creature on him and refused to take no for an answer, Devin has had to figure out how to be a pet owner. This meant, predictably, a lot of research, and since the inan displays a reasonable amount of intelligence, Devin decides to start training it. He's in one of the city parks working on getting it to come when called when suddenly there's a small pack of the things that seem to want to use Devin as their own personal jungle gym. The vampire is baffled, but he allows the attention and even carefully tries to return it when they let him. One does nip at him, but it's too gentle to break skin, and Devin actually laughs.

(OOC: Let me know if you want a starter or feel free to write your own!)

Comments

[annihilist]

Since the incident with Trahearne, Devin hadn't exactly been avoiding Klaus, but he definitely hadn't sought the other man out. The fight had bothered him far less than Klaus' reaction. It had struck a nerve, and he'd made sure the fang hunter knew it.

He met Klaus' eyes impassively, studying him in silence for a moment. Tempting as it was to say no, Devin could allow him to speak his peace. "If you feel like it."

[purered]

Klaus gave a soft, polite thank you before taking a seat across from Devin. It was a tight fit - not so much so that he couldn't squeeze in, but it certainly didn't make things more comfortable.

Neither did the silence that hung over them for the infinite stretch of a few moments, before he finally broke it.

"I owe you an apology. I should not have been so quick to assume you were at fault for the incident with Trehearne, nor should I have accused you in front of so many people. My actions were both irresponsible and unacceptable."

[annihilist]

Devin's gaze was cold upon Klaus as he spoke. Privately, Devin could admit that the man was better at apologies than he was. He had trouble being so straightforward. The anger that remained over Klaus' behavior rose in favor of being vindictive--

--but he knew that he was not the easiest person to like, and that did not begin to account for Klaus' history with vampires.

"You were not the only one to make mistakes that night," he allowed, reaching for his glass. "I'm used to it." He offered a brittle smile. "It won't remotely be the first time I've cultivated a problematic reputation."

[purered]

Klaus gave a small nod of affirmation. He'd never be so crass as to say that Devin was a bit too confrontational about his state as a vampire than was strictly necessary, but he certainly believed that there would likely be quite a few more conflicts. Especially if other members of Libra showed up.

"What you said back then as well... about not seeing you as anything as other than a Blood Breed -? That... is not strictly true, but I am finding it difficult to unlearn nearly a decade of experience with vampires. But whatever my experience, and whether or not you're used to it - you do not deserve to have been hurt by my prejudices."

[annihilist]

The amber liquor burned in Devin's mouth as he took a sip. His eyes fell to the table as he replaced the glass on its surface. It had been obvious that Klaus' attitude hurt, and Devin wished that it were not.

"You and I have both trained ourselves to think a certain way," he acknowledged. "And I can admit it is unreasonable to expect you to significantly alter that in the short time we've known each other." Particularly when Devin himself was so averse to change.

He sighed and glanced around the bar, counting occupants and studying the way light played over bottles. "I asked to be returned to my world, and I was, for five months. What I said was... informed somewhat by that time. Being back here is disruptive, to say the least, but it's worse there."

[purered]

"It's not unreasonable to expect me to treat you fairly," Klaus reasoned, "however I've been trained."

He folded his hands in his lap, watching Devin as the vampire looked out over the bar. Devin had never struck him as the sort to fidget, but he wondered if that was somehow analogous to it. Whether or not it was the case, the way he tried to downplay what he'd endured back in his world gave off a sense of discomfort.

He wondered if he should ask. He wanted to, but he still very much felt like he had no right butting into Devin's business.

Concern won out over manners, however.

"May I ask what happened during that five months?"

[annihilist]

Maybe Devin ought to learn how to accept apologies as well as give them. He was apparently poor at both. Klaus' query drew his gaze, and Devin arched an eyebrow at him like he was trying to figure out why he had asked. Ultimately, most of what had happened was not worth keeping secret.

"I positioned myself to be captured by a group of hunters with the intent of aiding them," Devin began. "The first two months I spent in a cell with an explosive collar around my neck and armed guards ready to put an entire magazine of bullets between my eyes if I so much as blinked the wrong way." A wry, mirthless smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Against my wishes, they eventually opted to give me a room instead of a cell. There is a war brewing that I'm trying to prevent, and apparently I proved trustworthy enough that I did not need a gun trained on me at all times."

He took another sip of his drink; his tone was bitter when he continued. "And now they have learned that vampires are not the only horrors that go bump in the night. I have unwittingly dragged them into calamity they did not volunteer for."

[purered]

There was some sympathy in Klaus's expression, but moreso there was understanding. He knew how even the best laid plans so often went awry and could involve innocent people taking on burdens they never intended. The fact that Leonardo was a member of Libra and Johnny Landis was dead in a bank robbery gone awry was proof enough of that.

"So things have taken an unexpected turn for the worst... what precisely are you up against?"

Klaus knew Devin was from another world, but there were enough similarities that, were it something Klaus had run into before, he could potentially offer some advice. Perhaps it wouldn't carry over, but maybe, just maybe, something would stick in Devin's subconscious.

cw: mention of murders

[annihilist]

There was quiet between them for a moment, and then Devin gave a solitary, unhappy laugh. "She is the very force of destruction given form, Klaus. A demon. Lucifer's daughter, to be precise. The revolution the vampires are planning is not only her doing, but will barely be a spat if she gets her way."

Devin emptied the rest of his glass and put it down hard on the table. "And in the meantime, I presume she's taking a great deal of joy in trapping innocent strangers in buildings with my name on them, and then setting them on fire. Not for ransom - just because she can." His tone was far, far too casual for the topic, kept steady only by long practice.

The next thing out of his mouth was barely audible, an explanation for why Klaus' actions had wounded him as much as they did: "It's all the hunters can see when they look at me now."

Re: cw: mention of murders

[purered]

Klaus's expression was, for a time, unreadable. Something between stunned, horrified and the dawning realization his words and actions had more weight than he could imagine.

He doubted there were any words in the world that would ease that kind of horror, or to lift that burden of guilt, however much rational thought dictated that the responsibility was on the shoulders on the murderer, not who she was murdering in the name of.

"I'm sure that's what she wants them to think," Klaus said finally, lifting the silence, but his tone wasn't lighter. "Alienate you from any possible allies - you are much less of a threat alone."

[annihilist]

In that, there was at least some small comfort to be taken. The hunters may despise what he was, but their leader was smart. Whatever their commander felt about him, she seemed to think that keeping Devin from Bobby's claws was more important. He wondered how long that logic would hold up against the looming threat of continued massacres. Was his aberrant life actually worth dozens or hundreds or thousands of humans?

Devin would have traded himself for just one of them. 'Your kind of stupid,' the commander had said wisely.

"That fails to change that this entire disaster is because of what I am," he pointed out quietly. Devin exhaled a shaky breath. "Because of why I'm different. Because of a choice I made before I could remember it. I was not allowed to remember it. I don't even know if I understood what the consequences would be, and I can't change it now."

[purered]

"No," Klaus said softly. "You cannot."

He only knew a few people who could actually change the past and that was only on a very localized, deeply personal basis.

"I don't know the circumstances of your choice, or what it entails - but if it was something thrust upon you that you can barely remember..."

He wanted to say it wasn't Devin's fault. Because likely it wasn't. But even if that was (likely) the case, Devin would probably not see it that way. Guilt made people irrational - Klaus knew that from firsthand experience.

"This may seem heartless, but may I ask... was there anything you could have done to help those victims that wouldn't have resulted in something far worse happening? And can you learn anything from her attacks that will allow you to prevent future deaths?"

[annihilist]

Knowing what he did about the Spirit and the fragment he carried, logic suggested to Devin that his choice was likely as informed as was possible, given that no future was certain. Petulance and guilt at times made him wish that it had not been, so that this would not be entirely his fault.

In truth, it wouldn't have been his fault in either situation, and Devin bore the brunt of mistakes belonging to another.

"I don't know," he admitted at length, clearly frustrated. "They're random as far as I can tell." A heavy sigh. "She gave warning, but not one we could act on - only that she was back." Devin studied the cut of his glass more intently than was necessary. "There are things I know here that I don't know in my world. I know what she's going to do, but I don't know how she accomplishes it or what havoc she wreaks along the way. Only that it's war on a scale no one has ever seen."

Only that Bobby will kill him as a mortal man, not a vampire. It should be impossible.

"I'd give myself up, consequences be damned, but wiser people than I have decreed that's not an option."

[purered]

"Given the attitude your compatriots have toward you, I imagine handing yourself over would invite far worse consequences than not doing so."

He didn't need to say 'or they'd have done it already'.

He felt another pang of sympathy for Devin. Did he have friends back home? Did he have comrades he could trust who, in turn, trusted him? What little he'd heard, it didn't sound like it. It seemed more like Devin got to live only because he was less danger out of the hands of a maniac.

"Do you know her underlying motivation? Clearly she wants to start some kind of war, but people do not go to war for no reason."

[annihilist]

There was one person who considered himself Devin's friend, and who might yet become more than that. It was still harder to think of Sam than of what Bobby was doing, and it remained uncomfortable for him to examine that disparity. Adrienne and Lochley and Zaynab didn't seem to like him much, but they didn't glare at him like he was a scorpion in their midst the way the rest did.

"I do," he said slowly. "More or less. I have something she wants." Devin paused, inhaled slowly. "A key, effectively, to a number of doors that must stay closed to her, and to her ilk. Exactly which, I do not know. Her recent actions suggest that she has plans to seize control over humanity, though that may only be a distraction. I doubt it's her only goal."

[purered]

"Does she gain anything from conquering humanity? Or is it conquest for conquest's sake?"

The latter was a rare thing. He was well aware there were several forces in Jerusalem's Lot who were powerful enough to conquer the world should the fancy take them, and the only thing stopping them was apathy towards dominion and subjugation of the world.

"What would it be a distraction from?"

[annihilist]

"She gains a great deal of power, for starters. Demons aren't allowed to just walk around on Earth as they please, at the moment. Hell is still Hell, even for them; I imagine free reign would also be a release from their damnation," Devin reasoned, frowning in thought. "There's also not a lot of upward mobility among immortals."

Things were static for demons as well as angels, most of the time.

"I don't know," he replied, sounding faintly annoyed with the line of questioning. "I have asked myself what it is that she's after a hundred times. I've asked those that really ought to know, and been told nothing." The Spirit always withheld information from Devin, presumably for his 'safety', whatever the hell that meant. "But I wouldn't put it past her to upend the very order of the universe in her favor, just so she has rights to 'redecorate'."