Re: Room 13 - Dragon

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Maricruz let herself be lead back to her haven. By now most of the 13's she kept around her haven had changed positions.This time you went very, very noticed. She smiled at you and bid you a fond farewell, complete with the european kiss to the cheeks and was off with the dog.

Returning to where you needed to be left you with a few hours to handle the rest of your night before dawn would drag you off into the slumber of death for the day.

[Jedi_Master_007]

Dragon nodded. He silently wanted to smack himself in the forehead for giving her such an easy out. But at the same time, she did leave herself open to being contacted again if need must. Therefore, in his mind at least, Dragon figured he must have made a good impression. Dragon politely escorted Maricruz out of the club towards his vehicle. He gave his surroundings a routing look, and then opened the passenger's side door...

Dragon would escort Maricruz back to wherever she wanted to go, presumably where he found her, and unless there is further incident, go back to the club.

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Maricruz closed her eyes for a moment and chose her words carefully before speaking, "While you have been a most gracious host, I must decline the invitation to stay longer. I have a hundred other things I needed to attend to tonight." She eyed you coolly. "I fit in this precisely where I want to. Why should I get more involved? Tatiyanna will likely not survive the week, and you've already assured me Han is nothing to be concerned with as long as you and Tyler are in the city. Anymore involvement on my part would only serve to put more of my assets at risk than I need to." She had a point. You had already told you were going to take care of most of her problems, which left her with little reason to do anything to help. "I suspect you'll remember how to find me should you need anything of me." Maricruz made a clicking noise in her mouth and the dog promptly rose and went to her. She rose, indicating she was ready to leave, but waited for you to end the meeting.

[Jedi_Master_007]

Dragon didn't pay more attention to the dog then he had too, especially when it didn't go and get the tennis ball. Dragon did focus on Maricruz though, and yes, since she was offering, Dragon chose to look. He started with her toes, and then watched her legs as she uncrossed and recrossed them. His eyes lingered over her form, up and down it. "Han? Pffft. No problem. I can summon him and fry him with a lightning bolt. Hell I don't even need to summon him to fry him with a lightning bolt. He won't take over a significant portion of anything here in L.A. He's already came and asked me to help him learn about the Cathayans. As if I'd help him." Dragon scoffed dismissively. He waved his off hand. "Seriously. Han, even on his best day is no threat. He's not ashes yet because neither Tyler nor myself considered it worth our time to hunt him down. Before the Sabbat can even threaten this city, it'll need to do something about Edge. Han's scared of Edge. For him to have a chance against the Cathayans, he'll need to infiltrate them from the inside, which isn't going to happen, or he'll need to figure out how to unite the rest of the city against them... which again he can't do as long as we - that's basically the Tremere, are in the city." Dragon shrugged.

"Still doesn't much answer my question with how you plan on fitting into this, though. You wanting to stick around with me a little longer... or you have something else in mind?" Just to test the waters, Dragon carefully let his eyes linger over the Lasombra's assets a little longer then they should. To him, this was a test. It was a test to see how keen she was on his own profile, but it would also reveal just how self-conscience, and just how willing she'd be to use her own body to get what she wanted.

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

The dog looked at you, watched you throw the tennis ball, watched the ball bounce all over the place, then looked back at you panting happily. What it did not do, was move. It looked back at you, and shoved its gigantic muzzle under your hand again, clearly deciding you needed to be scratching it behind the ears. It's nub of a tail wagged happily.

Maricruz uncrossed her legs and recrossed them the opposite direction. Her every move was elegant and had an air of purpose to it. You wouldn't have considered her a threat, but she had a way about her that just commanded respect. "I'm not afraid of Han. I don't think he'll be making another attempt on me. Though if so, I would appreciate some help. Truth of the matter is, if Tatiyanna goes away, Han will take over the Sabbat's interests here, and his biggest focus is getting rid of the Cathayans, and theres a good chance he'll get himself killed in the process. He likes to lead from the front too much." She smiled at the thought. "Its his succeeding that we have to worry about. If he can get the Cathayans under control... He'll turn on the Anarchs very quickly. He knows the numbers and has no compunction about throwing pack after pack at targets until he gets them. He's also frighteningly mobile. Thats the only thing that worries me about him. Last I heard he was in Seattle..."

[Jedi_Master_007]

Dragon listened to Mari while he looked at the dog. He held his hand out just enough so the dog could sniff it, and then tried to scratch the animal behind the head. "Is you a good puppy dog?" Dragon coddled the dog. He looked back up to Mari. Then Dragon outstretched his left hand, palm up. He thought for a second, and then with a small green flash and a puff of smoke. In Dragon's hand was a tennis ball. Dragon looked at the dog again and held the tennis ball in front of it. "What's this? You want this? You want this? Go get it!" Dragon tossed the tennis ball a few feet off to the side, careful to not send it all over the place.

Dragon's eyes shot up to Mari while he stood back up after tossing the ball. "So where do you see yourself fitting into this mess? And how would you like to proceed from here? You know we can protect you from Han, if that's a problem. Clearly we're dealing with Tatiyanna as fast as we can."

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

She chuckled and responded, "I'm just not very adventurous with my meals. I prefer to stay clear headed." She thought about her answer to your question about Edge before answering, "From everything I know about Edge she doesn't make a habit out of making a mess out of other people's yards without someone first coming in hers and making a mess. I thought the wisest course to take with the Autarkis was to simply leave her be. She has nothing to offer me in my plans, and I'm sure I have nothing to offer her. Han is a different story... I barely got away with only losing a hand. Indeed, if I had not gone into Shadow Form he very likely would have killed me. As it was, something more pressing called him away."

The dog responded to your words by lifting is massive body off the floor and moving to you. It sniffed your hand and gave a snort. It was certainly much larger up close. This beast was huge, and right now, it was demanding attention. It shoved its massive head into your lap and looked up at you with sad eyes. Maricruz made no effort to stop it, merely chuckled.

[Jedi_Master_007]

Dragon looked at Maricruz with an off look. He took a few steps away and sort of paced. He looked down at the dog and cocked his head to the side. "What are you looking at?" Dragon upnodded the dog. Even his tone of voice was more directed at an animal or small child, it wasn't the kind of thing ever intended to be said to a Lasombra.

After listening to what Mari had to say... Dragon's brow furrowed. He noted her untouched drink. "What's the matter? Scared of something not icky red in color?" Dragon motioned to said drink. Then he continued. "Okay, fair enough. But why would you so easily dismiss Edge? And why didn't Han finish you off? Taking a hand isn't something Han would just settle for."

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Maricruz nodded. "I've gone out of my way to be hard to find. I knew Edge had shown up, and I knew all about Vincent, I didn't care enough about either of them to get involved. Likely, neither of them even know I'm here. And if you remember, Han cut off my hand?" She wiggled the fingers on the hand that had been wounded earlier. "Like I said, I had thought putting her into Torpor would be enough. Its a mistake I won't make again.'

[Jedi_Master_007]

Dragon finished the last of his drink. "You know I don't believe all of that." Dragon set his glass down. "For that to be entirely true, it would mean that neither Edge nor Vincent did anything about your presence. It would also mean you're operating outside of Han's area of influence... That itself doesn't bode particularly well for you. The part that gets me thinking most though, is why you wouldn't or didn't finish Tatiyanna off when you had the chance? That isn't very Lasombra or Sabbat of you."

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Maricruz shrugged. "Officially I am Sabbat, but I believe they just kind of forgot about me being here. I've been here longer than Tatiyanna. I was part of one of the first packs to come to LA. A scouting party to see if it was ready for us to take over. We stayed, preparing the city for our eventual Crusade. Over the years my packmates have met their ends, some at my hands, others to lupines, others to Cathayans..." She shrugged. "Tatiyanna arrived some time later, all fire and sulfur. I was, and am, comfortable with the existence I have, so my influences among the mortals and the Cainites here is a little lacking... I'm not sure how she even found out about me, but she did and she tried to forge some partnership. Once I heard her terms, which were insultingly tilted to her favor, I put her in Torpor and went back to my Haven." There was a glint in her eyes as she spoke the last phrase, relating the tale. "I would have hoped she learned her lesson. Apparently not. I believe this is why she ultimately sent Tyler after me. Not for the Book. Noddist lore is not something she would be able to grasp for long... I believe it was fear that motivated her. Her and I have been at an impasse for the last decade or so with the Sabbat. She styles herself Archbishop, but I am far older and more powerful than her personally. If I challenge her position, and I will, she knows she'll lose."

[Jedi_Master_007]

Dragon nodded at Maricruz's comment about Tatiyanna's planning. "I agree, which is why I don't think just killing Kruel or turning Ekaterina loose are good ideas." When Dragon saw Maricruz look at the green liquid, he smiled and took a small sip. It immediately turned his tongue green. He didn't mention what the effects were, or that that the Nagah's blood (the Nagah were were-serpents) mixed with the right fruits made a concoction made a venomous elixer that allowed kindred to have a heightened sense of feeling, and that they could almost smell heat and warmth.

Feeding was always more fun, but that was a side effect Dragon had to learn on his own. It wasn't a secret he would share now. "It's good," Dragon said, taking another sip. The slightly grape taste was rather appealing to him. "I think if we kill off Kruel it will save us the trouble later, but in the meantime it will give Tatiyanna some anti Tremere support. I also believe that by keeping Kat couped yo is safer for her, because killing her would actually be worse then killing Kruel. It would give her even more support, I think."

Dragon looked at Maricruz thoughtfully. "What about you? How did you encounter Tatiyanna? Either she knocked off your pack, and the Sabbat left you alone, or you're a loner who somehow came into business with her on your own. Either way the Sabbat is leaving you alone."

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Maricruz shrugged, "Fair enough. Getting rid of Tatiyanna would be nice, however I don't believe she will be taken out quite so easily. She has a strong circle around her, and Kruel and her childe are only pieces holding that circle together." She closed her eyes for half a second. "I would consider that she has already planned around Kruel's loss and her Childe's running away. To think otherwise would be to under estimate her. Thats how she's gotten so far. Everyone thinks she's less than she is." When she seen the liquid was green she raised an eyebrow for a second and turned her attention to the dog, rubbing its face.

[Jedi_Master_007]

Dragon put the Malkavian blood back. With a smile, he picked up a long, slim, jade green bottle with an old cork. There was dust on the bottle. Dragon opened up one of the small boxes on a shelf below and pulled out two old tumblers. He peered into them, nodded, glad they were clean, and then handed one to Maricruz. "I don't like the term prisoner. It's far too crude. I prefer something like cloistered guest. What you call underhanded, I call common sense. We both know you're bluffing with the whole, taking me out as soon as I got there thing, because it's exactly what I would have expected. We both also know that had I not been liberal with my use of Presence, there was no promise save that of someone my clanmate was hired to kill-" Dragon cut himself off and looked to the side just a bit.

I ramble." Dragon said. He opened the bottle and poured some in Maricruz's tumbler. "I did the sensible thing by making sure it is impossible for you to turn on me and survive. If you could have done the same to me you would have. So please, let's dispense with the barbed daggers and veiled threats." Dragon smiled. He poured some for himself. The liquid was sleek and clear, but a deep emerald green. It had the consistency of water and a really sweet, almost tangy scent to it.

"Besides, if all goes well, we will end this thing with Tatiyanna tonight, and then you shall never have to set your eyes upon me again - though I digress, it will be your loss." Dragon just didn't seem like he was able to help himself.

[purplegeekness]

Natalya nodded, inclining her head for Ekaterina to follow her.

"If you would care to follow me, I'll see to your comfort and that your needs are met."

-> Leaving for the following thread "What's behind Door number 6?"

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

She made a face. "I'll have to pass on the Malkavian blood. Whatever destroyed their clan, if it's Blood borne, I have no interest in having it in mine. I've had limited contact with your clan. I remember the Antitribu, and I'm a believer that something your clan did destroyed them... For them all to have vanished so wholly is entirely improbable. Even the Malkavians and Ravnos have stragglers. Beyond that.. Well, I've learned your Chantries are usually the first we attack for very good reason...You're all notoriously underhanded. That stone you pressed into my hand." She wasn't happy about it. The big dog next to her sensed her displeasure and it shifted, looking up at her. "If I had a desire for a conflict when we met, I would've acted on it as soon as you got out of your car, and if you had come in in peace, or to talk, then your actions indicate otherwise. So now I'm looking at myself as something of a prisoner."

[Jedi_Master_007]

Dragon briefly turned his attention to the shelf and stood. "Let's see what I've got, shall we?" Dragon moved to the shelf. He waved her over. He was going to be polite, he wasn't going to treat her like royalty. "Yang Chi... meh. I had it the other night. Mage blood. Nah. Hmmm. Malkavian of a 6th generation?" Dragon looked at Maricruz to see what she was thinking.

"Tell me about your experiences with Clan Tremere." Dragon spoke in a soft tone, but he made it clear with the way he stood that he knew Maricruz wasn't going to be able to remain guarded all night long.

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Maricruz nodded. "I'd be delighted. Enemy of an enemy...You seem to have put Tatiyanna at a disadvantage very quickly tonight. Some of this appears to be simple luck, but bringing Kruel in...That is a going to hurt. I think the real prize is her childe though. Ekaterina will be a more personal blow." She looked around the place happily. "So what did you have in mind for me?" She raised an eyebrow as she looked at you.

[Jedi_Master_007]

Dragon listened to Ekaterina. He knew there was going to be things to go over with Tyler. He also knew this night had just got started. With a heavy sigh, Dragon took another long drag from his cigar. He exhaled and then looked at Natalya. "Natalya, please see to it that your new friend has a room for the next few nights. Give her room number six. Your card can open it up for her. There should be a guest pass at the bar downstairs."

He said nothing else on the matter and nodded. When Natalya was gone with Ekaterina, Dragon turned his full attention to Maricruz. "And so now I save the best for last." Dragon smiled genuinely. This was going to be interesting for him. "Would you accept some of my hospitality and share an old drink?" Dragon waved to one of the shelves with small bottles on it.

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Tyler rose from his spot, made a slight movement indicating he was leaving, and did just that. He had heard enough of the entire charade. The fact that Dragon and Natalya were willing to negotiate with a Tzimisce was profoundly disturbing to him. Granted, it had its uses, but he had not been consulted in any of it, so, it was in that moment Tyler shrugged off the mantle of his clan, and decided to do things on his own.

It was just one more thing that made him question his own loyalties. He really was starting to get disgusted with his fellow Warlocks. They weren't just self serving, that was something he got used to a long time ago, but in his eyes, there were simple lines you don't cross with respect to the people you counted on to help you through things.. Cavorting with one of your allies would be assassins, was easily one of those lines. Tyler made a mental note to kill Ekaterina when he thought she had outlived her usefulness, but first, he had Kruel to deal with.


Maricruz looked back and forth between everyone talking, and idly pet her dog, which lolled its head against her, its short tail wagging happily. The head of it easily took up the bulk of her lap. It was almost commical. For her part though, the Lasombra added nothing, but she took everything in.

[purplegeekness]

Natalya listened to the answers from Ekaterina with a shock. Two within team NOS? That was unexpected! She wondered how badly that would shake up the team. Significantly she expected, primarily due to the fact that the Camarilla wanted a piece of them badly. Her expression grew to one that Dragon would recognise. How could this information be exploited? She expected that team NOS would take care of the traitors within their own ranks....but the price they would pay for this? Natalya had been wondering how to get team NOS to accept her coterie, a snippet of information like this would give her their support. Natalya raised her head watching Ekaterina more closely for signs of deception.....the information she'd already revealed was scandalous.

[Penny Dreadful]

"Very well, I can see you are not to be tested on this."

"Tatiyanna has two other childer posing as members of Team NOS. She is not part of the Sabbat, technically, but I know her to be more than willing to join them if it will benefit her in a substantial way. She wants to rule this city, and she doesn't much care if she does it as Archbishop or on her own. She also has a mortal mage in her employ, a Verbena, if that means anything to you. They are life and spirit mages, though how she managed to get a mages cooperation is beyond me."

She continued on in this manner, giving detailed answers to any questions she was asked, though she was careful to make a distinction between things she knew for a fact and things that were just very likely or that were pure speculation.

[Jedi_Master_007]

Dragon continued to glare at Ekaterina. She had some admirable qualities, but holding her tongue wasn't one of them. "All things considered, my childre know when it's best to hold their tongues, and I allow them free reign most of the time. You... you however." Dragon tried to soften his tone but it wasn't easy. "You are still a Tzimisce, and you are a spy. Given that had the roles between Natalya and I been reversed, this conversation wouldn't even be happening, you've already been given great accord. You don't know me, so I won't hold it against you this time, but I take great insult to having my judgment and my integrity questioned."

Dragon waited a second or two. "It's well within the bounds of reason at this point to also include the notation that you're in no position to bargain, much less make demands." Dragon took a long drag of his cigar. He exhaled slowly. "Now if you started off with something useful, like telling us just who else Tatiyanna has working with her, or perhaps telling us who else she's dealt with recently, I could be persuaded to be more lenient."

[Penny Dreadful]

Ekaterina sighed. This wasn't going at all the way she wanted it to. She had always considered the hatred many Tzimisce bore for the Tremere to be beyond ridiculous, but at the moment she had to admit to a certain feeling of ill usage.

"Very well. It seems I am stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. I had hoped to be able to enter into an agreement based on trust, given that I've already entered your lair with no guarantee of my leaving here alive should I find your terms unacceptable, but clearly that is not meant to be. If given the choice between a partial bond and having you muck around in my head, I will take the bond. At least I know that will dissipate, given time. Since you do not trust me it would be beyond foolish of me to trust you not to implant a dozen other commands in my head that will end with me walking into the sun a century from now."

"I have no interest in your third option, warlock. However, since you say I must drink from one who is involved in this, I request that you at least permit me to choose from whom I shall drink."

[Jedi_Master_007]

Dragon held Natalya and listened to Ekaterina's response. He briefly smirked. He looked at Tyler when he entered and then at the larger Brujah who followed. "I am convinced," he started, and looked at the dog, "that it's an obfuscated warthog." Dragon nodded once, sagely. He motioned for Tyler and Herc to sit.

"We'll get to Kruel in a second. There's more important things going on at the moment." Getting serious, Dragon leaned forward. He looked at Natalya and then glanced at the seat next to him. Once she'd moved and got in position, Dragon returned his attention. He pointed out the Lasombra. "Tyler Crown, meet the Lasombra, Maricruz, who you were hired to kill." Dragon didn't give enough time for there to be an uncomfortable pause. "Tatiyanna wanted her dead because she allegedly has a fragment of Nod. We all can take a guess at how serious that is. Apparently our newest associate here has enough influence with MS13 to keep your new best friend from attacking outright."

Dragon paused. He moved next to Ekaterina. Squaring directly at her, Dragon let his authority loom. He leaned forward and made eye contact. "You're brave and astute. I think you understand the gravity of the situation you are in. If you look around this room you will see that I take my job very, very seriously, especially when I am actually forced to do it. You can say that your master is behind this but ultimately you are the pawn that got pushed. I'll let you live. I'll even agree to protect you. If you are unwilling to take 2 drinks of blood, fine." Dragon sat back and smirked. He recovered incredibly fast though, so fast that he wasn't giving anyone a chance to respond...yet. "Your only other option is to be dominated with subtle commands that prevent you from revealing information about us and what you see here. If you do, you will contact Natalya by any means available, revealing your location and then fall into a slumber which can only be awakened by Tyler or myself. After Tatiyanna is destroyed and we publicly announce our appearance in the city, your mental commands will erase themselves."

Dragon opened his hand, palm up. His fingertips turned black. A small gust of air formed around his hand. Suddenly it sparked and cackled. "Of course. There is one more way, but it is unpleasant in the extreme."

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