Re: You Must Have Lost Your Phone - Alyssa

[Jedi_Master_007]

*Bump*

[Jedi_Master_007]

It wasn't Will the Wizard on the other line. Instead it was Edge again. You weren't quite sure whether or not to answer, but given that Edge was known to do dumb stuff when she got ignored, you figured it was probably better to pay attention to her. It was like, whatever. She was such a child sometimes. You almost had the idea that Edge's parents left her in the crib crying when she was a baby.

But your phone wasn't going to stop ringing unless you turned it off or answered it. So when you talked to Edge, you found out that it was probably a really good thing that you listened to your not-so-good, good judgment and answered the phone anyway. Because if you didn't answer your phone, you wouldn't have known that Edge was trying to tell you that people with guns were looking for Tyler. Edge wouldn't tell you why, See, he really shouldn't have pissed off the Wizards.

When you hung up the phone and went to tell Tyler, he was gone. He vanished without a trace. At first you thought maybe he was playing an Obstipoofy trick. But then, of course, he never showed back up. Maybe he got the message from Edge too, but unless she was sending him a telepathic message you weren't sure how he got it. Finally, much to your chagrin, you realized that Tyler had left. At least he took his present with him. How rude.

But maybe the Wizards really did get him. You knew they had enough tricks. Will the Wizard might know where he went. After all, Will the Wizard knew all kinds of stuff...

[Shadowpoofy]

“Oh! Phone! One second Tyler. It could be uber important wizard stuff. Will always tends to call shortly after I talk about him. Must be one of his super powers.” I shrugged and answered the phone.

“The Amazing Alyssa speaking. How may I direct your call?” I giggled. I was so totally clever.

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Tyler started to retort, but was immediately lost with how quickly Alyssa talked, and then her phone rang. So, he held his tongue and waited for her to either answer it, or mute it. He tried to think of something logical to say as a retort, but the best he could come up with was "No." So he just stayed quiet for a moment.

[Jedi_Master_007]

While trying to give Tyler your version of a defensive earful about the error of his ways, you heard the Castlevania ring tone from your phone chime in.

[Shadowpoofy]

I gapped at Tyler. “You don’t know who Harry Potter is?! Have you been living under a rock for the past couple of years? Boy, they don’t let you out of the chantry much do they? Don’t you read books or go to the movies or anything? Seriously Tyler, we really need to get you a social life. Harry Potter is a wizard in this book series that was really popular and then got made into a series of movies. And Wizards aren’t fake. I don’t know about that Copperfield or Blaine guy, but Will the Wizard is definitely not a fake.”

I shook my head at Tyler and sighed. “How would you like it if someone told you that all that Thaumaturgy you did was just fake? I know you guys put a lot of work into researching and practicing and making up new stuff. Thaumaturgy isn’t fake, now is it? So why do you think magic is fake? Wizards kick butt. Don’t ever call one a fake to his face or you might just end up a lawn chair on a sunny beach in Florida with a big fat lady that forgot how to shave in a too small bikini sitting her sunburned butt on what was once your face."

I sighed again and frowned; disappointed that Tyler obviously didn’t see the value in the gift I had given him. I went out to the living room and sunk down on a couch, feeling the sudden need to defend my friend. “Will can do all kinds of neat tricks. Like when I am around him I can eat Chinese food no problem, but if I try that when he isn’t around I just get sick. And if he wants to he can make me have a reflection or get me to stay up all day long and I am not tired one bit. And he can win every game of pool that he plays cause the balls just sort of do what he wants them to. That is real magic and it isn’t fake. I don’t understand how it works and the mages are super secret like we are about our traditions so Will can’t explain it to me, but it is definitely not fake.”

I paused, considering. "Oh and the best part about Wizards is their blood is like super tasty but it has some weird side effects...”

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Tyler took the wand in his hand gingerly. A look of confusion spread across his face as he looked at it and then Alyssa. "Spiders can't fly. Its uh... Very cool. Thank you. Who's Harry Potter? Will the Wizard? He like David Copperfield, or that David Blaine guy? You know thats all fake right?" The confusion was getting deeper. Tyler waved the wand around and it lit up and made noises. He raised an eyebrow.

[Shadowpoofy]

“Sure the spider can’t fly. Now you’re just trying to make me feel better.” I mumbled, rolling my eyes. Now where did that box go? Everything had been moved around when the rooms were painted and the furniture brought in. I knew I had put it in a super secret place to keep it safe…oh yeah, the fridge! I found the box beside the milk on the top shelf of the refrigerator.

I came skidding back into the bathroom with both hands behind my back, concealing my package. Presentation was a very important part of present giving.

“I know with the economy the way it is and all the cut backs that the Tremere clan probably hasn’t been able to properly fund all of it’s member’s needs, and I have it on good authority from a Wizard friend of mine that no magic user should be caught dead, or undead, without a good, sturdy wand. Those were his words, not mine. He has this thing where he likes to make lots of vampire jokes, only they aren’t really that funny, but he thinks they are and I have run out of wizard jokes to throw back at him, so you know. Hey, maybe you can help me think up some good ones later.” I paused. It was so easy to get sidetracked.

“Anyway, I have taken it upon myself to provide you with the most notorious, most powerful, most thaumaturgy worthy 14 inches of wood you have ever held in your hands! It will fix all of your potency problems or your money back guaranteed! That’s what the ad said. Or maybe that was a different ad. I get some really weird emails. So…here it is…are you ready? Ta da!” I pulled the box out from behind my back with all the proper flourish and proudly presented it to Tyler.

The box was long and narrow and brown and a little bit cold from having been stored in the fridge. On one end was a fancy golden tag with some numbers and the name Ollivanders engraved on it. Inside lying on a plush bed of red velvet was the wand wielded by Harry Potter in the popular movie series.

“Pretty cool, huh? It’s the actual wand Harry Potter uses! The movies are based on a true story. Will the Wizard told me so. I have a magic wand too but mine isn’t as cool as the one I got you and besides, mine broke last year or needs new batteries or something.” I smiled happily.

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Tyler laughed all the harder as Alyssa went on her tirade. "I'm sorry. It was a joke. The spider can't fly. I made it do that." He was practically rolling around on the ground, but when she mentioned another gift he felt more than a little guilt at not having brought anything himself, and curiosity. "A gift?" Tyler's smile faded quickly.

[Shadowpoofy]

I shivered and scratched at imaginary bugs as I watched Tyler sit down on the floor laughing. “Ick! Now I am going to have nightmares! What’s so funny? I am not finding this at all funny. What if there are more of them just waiting in the other boxes. Oh my god! There are unpacked boxes in my room. How can I possibly sleep there now?”

I sat down beside Tyler, sighing heavily. “God I hate spiders. I should just go back to Braddock. At least there all the rain washes the little spiders down the waterspout and drowns them!” I shivered again.

“Oh! Oh!” I jumped up. “I almost forgot in all that excitement. I have a present for you! Damn, and you could have used it on the spider too. Although that fiery poofy thingy you did was pretty cool. You are so my hero now. I’ll be sure to call you next time bugs invade my home. You are better then that stupid exterminator who always has plumber crack. Yuck! You are much more fun to watch kill bugs then that ugly, old, fat guy cause you are all like a magician exterminator and shit. And you are much smarter too. That ugly plumber crack guy told me those were just bush spiders coming up through the plumbing. Stupid exterminator. I knew he didn’t know what he was talking about.” I took a breath. What was I doing again?

“Oh, present, right. Wait right here. Let me go get it.” I left the bathroom mumbling. “Now where did I put that box? Better not have any fucking flying spiders in it.”

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

The spider pulled back as Tyler started to crack. Laughter filled the air as the Tremere caved under the pressure and started laughing. He concentrated again and there was a spark at the edges of his eyes.

The spider burst into a quick flash of fire as it cooked instantly. Its body popped under the pressure of its insides boiling away and burning into dust. The entire thing lasted merely half a second as a small puff of ash wafted through the room.

Tyler was laughing so hard he had to sit down. "African Barking Spider... Ahhh. That... Was.... Hilarious." He looked up at Alyssa still chuckling to himself. "I needed that."

[Shadowpoofy]

“Holy shit!” I danced out of the way, nearly tripping as Tyler unexpectedly pulled me back.

“Stupid arachnid! Get it Tyler!” I swatted a hand blindly and got empty air.

“Don’t let it bite me!” I whined. “I’m too young to die this way!”

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Tyler nodded. "Of course! Oh! Whoa!" Tyler feigned being alarmed and the spider zoomed across the room, drawing closer to Alyssa as Tyler ducked out of the way. "Watch out!" He put an arm around her waist and helped her get clear of the flying spider as it got within a foot of her head.

Inside, Tyler was fighting off hysterical laughter, and the edges of his face were twisting into a smile as he spoke and moved.

[Shadowpoofy]

I squealed and hid behind Tyler. “Oh my god! It can fly? I thought you said it was a barking spider? You didn’t say anything about it being able to fly! What kind of spider flies? That just isn’t natural. Wait until Logan hears about this! I bet he has never seen a flying spider before.”

I peaked over Tyler’s shoulder at the big, hairy, ugly, stupid flying arachnid. “Why does this stuff always happen to me?!” I whined.

“I am so glad I didn’t touch it. Last thing I need is to get bitten by a poisonous spider! Oh my god! My interior decorator could have been bitten. Then he would have never been able to finish my rooms. And Julia! She’s been in danger all this time too! Get rid of it Tyler! Please! Fireball it or lightening bolt it or something before it flies over here and bites us both!” I gave him my best damsel in distress smile.

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Tyler was in awe of the place. Nothing at all like he had expected. This was inviting, and warm. Some how he had anticipated a dungeon, or at least something that strongly resembled a dungeon. "This place is amazing Alyssa. I love it." He complimented each room in turn up until she lead him to the bathroom where the big, icky, stupid spider was in the tub. He looked at it and then at her. He smiled. It was just a bush spider that had gotten lost. The kind that over powered their prey rather than use deadly poisons to paralyze. It still ate the same way, but its poisons were worthless aside from their digestive properties. Tyler shook his head at the garbage his brain was filled with and for a moment he tried to recall why that was ever important enough to remember in the first place."Oh! Wow!" That didn't mean he wasn't going to have a little fun. "This is a African Barking Spider. Was any of this stuff imported? I bet that's how it got here. In a crate. They're extremely poisonous. Even to Kindred. Their bites are intensely painful." He concentrated on the spider as it sat there and used movement of the mind to pick it up about about 2 feet off of the basin of the tub.

[Shadowpoofy]

“This way! This way!” I danced off around the townhouse pointing out the different rooms on the first floor.

The whole place was done in a sort of classic African theme, in fact some of the statues appeared to be museum quality pieces. In the living room the table lamps were held up by sculpted monkeys and an elephant statue provided the base for a large glass coffee table. The floors were all done in a gleaming hard wood with strategic decorative inlays and all the furniture was heavy carved wood and leather. Expensive looking framed paintings and sketches of the African landscape and animals were hung on the walls. They appeared to be originals. The windows had heavy drapes covering electronic blinds, set on a timer to automatically shut at sunrise. A flat screen television and surround sound speakers were cleverly concealed as part of the décor, along with other electronics.

The kitchen had a tile floor and dark wood cabinets with potted ivies and a trailing philodendron on top near the ceiling. All the usual appliances were there and the countertops were clear except for a few decorations, a well used spice rack, and four cut glass jars holding the dry food staples of a home: rice, sugar, flour, and of course marshmallows. The kitchen was spotless, except for a few dirty plates waiting to be washed in the sink. It looked like Julia had recently eaten breakfast before going to work for the night. On one wall near the pantry was a door. It was slightly ajar and a staircase could be seen beyond leading down into a basement.

The dining room was off of the kitchen and had a large, heavy wooden table that was set to seat six, but that could probably fit a few more comfortably. Above it hung a wrought iron chandelier and along one wall was a very large, very long salt water fish tank with some very large, very strange looking fish swimming around idly in it. All of the rooms had crown molding and this one was painted a neutral two tone separated by a fancy chair railing.

I didn’t take Tyler upstairs or to the basement and explained to him that they were not finished yet. Instead my “grand tour” ended at the bathroom that was attached to a small room designated as the office, or rather soon to be office. The office was in great disarray with wires and computer parts and furniture half put together and strewn all over the floor. Apparently the interior designer and the IT guy weren’t quite finished yet. The bathroom was tiled from floor to ceiling and boasted a large shower. It hadn’t been decorated yet either. Both rooms smelled new, like fresh paint and grout.

I carefully opened the glass doors to the shower and pointed dramatically at the floor inside. “And there it is…the Spider!” I hadn’t been lying. The spider was big, hairy, ugly, and very much alive.

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Tyler laughed and immediately relaxed. He tentatively wrapped his arms around Alyssa and nodded. "I like it so far, and yes, please." He raised an eyebrow at her comments about the interior decorator. He had never had to deal with them himself. "I wouldn't know. I don't deal with them. Up until I embraced her I had Regina handle those kinds of things for me." He smiled at her. It was refreshing to see a friendly face from Braddock.

[Shadowpoofy]

It took me no time at all to answer. I had been waiting impatiently for Tyler to arrive. What else was I going to do? Take a bath with that big, icky spider in there watching me? I checked out the peephole before opening the door. You can never be too careful. Trust me. Some really weird things show up at my door on a regular basis.

“Tyler!” I squealed; before I even got the door all the way open. I threw my arms around him and proceeded to drag him into the townhouse with me.

“Oh my god! I have so much to tell you! Oh and do you like my new place? Cool, isn’t it? Logan got it for me when I told him I wanted to come to LA. He even sent over an interior decorator. Really cute guy. Kind of gay, but I think he still liked me. Hard to tell with the gay ones though. But look, he did a super awesome job!” I waved my hand around at the foyer.

It was painted a sandy tan color and from where you stood it seemed that all the lighting was on dimmer switches. The floor was hardwood with a decorative inlay of lighter woods that made an interesting geometric pattern in the entryway. There was a small table with a little bubbling rock fountain on it and some candles that filled the air with a light sandalwood scent. You could see a staircase with a wrought iron handrail leading up to the second floor.

“Want the grand tour?” I asked excitedly.

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Tyler paused outside the door and opted for the doorbell. He took in his surroundings and decided he liked the look of the place, aside from those damned spoiled kids. He checked his watch and took a guess at how long it would take Alyssa to come to the door. He went with three minutes, and pushed the door bell one more time.

[Shadowpoofy]

Alyssa’s place was in an upper class, gated townhome community. There was security on duty but Alyssa had told them to expect you and they let you right in. Instead of the common black tarmack, the whole parking lot and the roads leading to all of the buildings were bricked. The landscaping was lush and well maintained with a variety of thriving trees and flowers native to California. On the way to Alyssa’s building you passed the community’s club house, a giant stone bricked building with an even larger pool out back of it. There was a group of fairly drunk young men and women in the middle of a pool party, even at this time of night. This was the kind of place where LA’s wealthy would put their kids up when they were too old to still live at home and too spoiled to get a job and pay their own way.

Alyssa’s townhome looked much like the others in the row, except that on either side of her doorway was an ornate pot holding red rose bushes that had been pruned into small trees with rounded tops. You couldn’t see any light coming through the windows; it looked like they had heavy drapes or something covering them, but the porch light in the outdoor ceiling fan was on and you could hear some alternative rock radio station playing inside. The doorbell was a small copper bat with the lit up button in its belly. There was a matching bat door knocker as well.

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Tyler almost rolled his eyes. Almost. He still had her Dungeons & Dragons Spellbook on the shelf in his library on the table. "Fine. Fine. Fine." He replied, laughter creeping into his voice. "I hadn't planned much tonight and spider killing is ok." Tyler turned left across the intersection, immediately setting course for Alyssa's haven. He had no idea what to expect, but it was probably nothing like Logan's, or exactly like it. Tyler really had no idea.

[Shadowpoofy]

“Tyler!” I squealed, happily into the phone.

“I’ve missed you soooo much! I’ve got so many things to tell you! Oh and I got you a present too. Edge is in a bad mood. Something about a bunch of Nosferatu and a football team and a broken motorcycle. Don’t ask me, I don’t get it either. She’s not being at all fun to hang out with. So here I am, all alone and I think to myself, you know who would be super awesome company? Tyler the Tremere! But you forgot to give me your new number when you got a new phone. You know they can transfer those things now. New phone, same number. No need to loose contact with all your old buddies, unless they are old buddies you want to loose contact with. I have a few of those. Stalker types you know. Kind of flattering but really annoying.” I scrunched up my nose.

“Anyway, we can talk more when you get here. You have to come over right now. It is super urgent that I get your present to you right now. Oh and there is a really big spider in my bathtub and I am not touching it. I need someone to get rid of it for me. The building manager said the exterminator wouldn’t be out for two days and I can’t go two days without a shower! Can you believe it? And with what I am paying for this place! I thought maybe you could fireball it or something. Please…with sugar on top? It is really big and really ugly and really stupid.” I rattled off my address to Tyler.

“So how long till you get here?”

[Ac1ds0ld13r]

Tyler was in the middle of finishing his own personal journal entry regarding his evening when his phone rang. One glance at the caller ID told him who it was. Alyssa. He made a curious face. Alyssa had not called him in quite some time and he suddenly remembered when he got his new number he had forgotten to give it to her, and then he immediately wondered how she had gotten the number. That troubled him a little, but he answered it on the fourth ring or so, "Hello, Alyssa, how are you? He tried to sound cheerful as he spoke, but it was half-hearted. The evening had been too difficult, still he was hopeful. Alyssa always had a simple, if not random, way of looking at things and it was hard not to smile around her.

[Shadowpoofy]

I left Edge’s place with a cell phone full of new numbers. It was amazing how many of my old friends had apparently managed to loose their original phones. I mean I had even upgraded my phone several times and they had let me keep my number. Maybe everyone else just didn’t know you could do that. I would have to remember to tell them, starting with Tyler.

I could hardly wait to call him but with the stupid topless car and all the wind it would have been an annoying conversation, so I waited until I got back to my haven. As soon as the door was shut I dialed the number under the listing “Flamer”. Everyone got a super cool, super secret nickname in my phone. Believe it or not, I had problems in the past with people stealing my phone just so that they could call my friends. Silly backstabbing Kindred.

OOC: Your phone is ringing Tyler, will you pick up? lol

[Jedi_Master_007]

Okay, here is your cellphone call and stuff. I assume Alyssa would be at her haven for it, but she can be virtually anywhere you want her to be.

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