Hawknell Splish Sploosh Steps
#1

Looks (upper part of the river close to Opal)



Sometimes, she just needed to stretch her wings and enjoy the elegant bird form that she'd been given so long ago. Happily, she flew to where a safe spot was; or she believed safe and went to land knee-deep in the water to walk through.

She could feel the cold sensation rushing against her spindly legs but the strength of her claws kept her firmly in place with no fear of being swept away by the current.

Her wings stretched and flapped a bit before tucking right back against her sides, it felt nice. A nice place to mentally digest what had changed lately for her.
#2

Outfit



The roar of an engine announced the vampires arrival as he pulled up onto the grass. Kicking the stand down and cutting the engine he stepped off. Tugging his helmet off he muttered angrily under his breath as he left it on the seat. Stalking away from his bike he moved closer to the river up ahead, needing some space from the world. His last attempted heist had been miserable at best and he was still bitter about his failure.

Walking quietly Carlyle moved along the edge of the river. His feet balancing on a long log, the product of a past storm. His green eyes flickered as he gazed at the moving water. It was nice to look at he guessed but the city streets were more his style. This place was just a means for escape.
#3
Kesi had just been standing and relaxing, beak dipped in the water when the roar of an engine had her looking up and around a bit. She looked and saw someone then, removing a helmet and coming down. It took her no time at all to be able to tell this one was a vampire who looked like he had a rough day. Stepping through the waters easily, she approached slowly.

"Rough evening? " the bird asked. Kesi felt far more comfortable like this while meeting with a stranger.
#4
"Shit!" Jerking backwards, Carlyle swore as he slipped off the log. It was a split second adjustment that kept him from falling completely. It was a shock to hear a voice but even more so to hear it from a bird.

Swallowing hard he settled his jumping nerves with a deep breath. "Um. Yeah. Did I...finally go bat shit crazy or are you a talking bird?"

He'd never seen a vampire shift or knew about it really. Just whispers about the ability. This was entirely new for him.
#5
Kesi watched him swear and then stumble back after she spoke; it was a small pleasure to watch someone stumble about like that and made her stiffle a small laugh as her wing lifted up to her beak while she approached a little closer.

"No. You are not the bat shit crazy. Use your senses, I'm like you but able to change forms, " she told him, wanting him to feel out that she was a vampire like himself, "Are you alright? "
#6
Continuing to watch the bird he could feel the energy a bit better as she got closer. The meaning clicked in his mind and he relaxed a fraction. Vampire.

"Er I could be better. Not exactly my best day. The drawbacks to my ability are extremely frustrating." He explained a bit vaguely with a shrug.
#7
Once he appeared to relax, she did as well, stepping onto the land now to let the water drip from her.

"Might I ask what the draw backs are? Perhaps I can help. " The bird offered to him. No, he was not going to see her just yet, she wanted to see if he could give a smidge of trust to someone he didn't know the face to.
#8
Carlyle settled into the log he had been standing on. Sitting was easier than awkwardly rocking back on his heels. Dragging a hand across his short hair he sighed. "I get awful vertigo. The world starts tilting on its side and doesn't let up for a long damn time. Makes it hard for me to make an escape or walk or see straight."
#9
"How often do you practice? " she asked of him, taking mental note of what he said so far. What an unfriendly side effect; she'd not trade her own for that, not a chance.
#10
Carlyle considered that, his lips pressed together. "Whenever I do a little...night thrifting. So often but likely not often enough."

He shrugged not fully willing to admit to his thievery. Forging documents was only how he spent part of his time. The other half was trying to unlock electronic safes or trigger cash registers to open in little stores.
#11
A nod left the bird, her beak bobbing a bit, "Ah...well, suffice it to say that is your problem, you are not practicing enough, " she told him with a relaxed tone. With a small sigh, she let herself leave her comfortable avian form to be her normal self, her hands smoothing her blouse down a bit.

"There we go, now...it sounds like you need a safer place to practice than your...activities that apparently do not give you enough of a challenge. " Kesi suggested while adjusting the golden bracelets around her wrists.


Attirehey look she's a person now!

#12
Carlyle watched in wonder as the bird became a woman. A seemingly flawless transition that nearly left his mouth agape. Clearing his throat he focused on her words and nodded with a small sigh.

"You're likely right. It's not safe when and how I do this. I've just been rolling with the punches and it's a chaotic assembly most of the time." he admitted with a shrug.
#13
Kesi smiled a bit, "Well...how about I offer to let you practice safely with me? I've helped a few vampires in my life with their powers and you can do it safely without risking getting harmed, " she had no ill wishes to the young seeing vampire.

Maybe Samiel might be of good help as well; though she'd cross that bridge when it came to it.
#14
Carlyle thought it over, glancing away briefly. The situation didn't feel dangerous or like he was being led into a trap. A genuine offer? He dared to hope it was so. Looking back up he stuck his hand out as an answer, offering his hand to shake.

"Kinda figured if we're doing this trusting thing you ought to know my name. Carlyle. Carlyle Moran."
#15
Kesi waited, patience always having been something she did well and eventually an answer was granted and a name! Her lucky stars tonight.

Reaching out, she wrapped her fingers around his hand, "Kesi Farouk and to offer a little more trust, my ability is to be able to summon and talk to the dead, " she told him, a bit of pride in her voice with that. It was beyond a point of bothering her really.
#16
Well shit, the ability to summon and speak to the dead both sounded scary and useful. There were immediately a thousand questions on his lips. His eyes wide with wonder. He'd never met a vampire with that particular ability. Though how could he have with how isolated he'd spent his time.

"Technokinesis. Though that's not nearly as impressive. Can you raise a vampire from dead sleep? Since we are...undead?" Of course the first question he let slip was one about the technicalities and loop holes of the ability itself. What did and didn't count as 'dead'.
#17
Technokinesis. That was an odd one, she'd heard of it but she'd not seen it in practice, "Is that with technology? Like computers and clocks? " she asked curiously.

A little shake of her head at the question, "A vampire may be technically dead since we did die once upon a time ago but we are still alive. My magic does not allow for that. Now a vampire who has died again and turned to ash, I can bring them back from the dead for a temporary time to converse with and see. "
#18
Carlyle nodded proudly and smiled. "Yes, technology. Usually machines and electronic phenomena."

The explanation of her ability made him nod again. That made more sense. "So it's a temporary thing? You can't revive someone from the dead entirely?"
#19
"Incredible...At my place I do have a bunch of electronic safes and safety locks, perhaps those would be good for you to practice on? " she was a slightly paranoid woman over her collection so that was the only tech she splurged on.

"Truly, if I was able to do that; even if it took years off of myself, I would but yes, it is only temporary. I can reanimate corpses as well but those do not speak or interact; just act as wild guard dogs almost, " she informed with a very slight grimace.
#20
Carlyle's eyes lit up at the items offered to practice on. That would make for a great opportunity to hone his ability. Still he was curious. "What drawback do you suffer from?"

The undead being more like wild dogs made his nose wrinkle a bit. "Do they obey you? Was your first time raising the undead frightening?" Those few questions had more lingering behind on his lips but he didn't want to overwhelm her. His curiousity truly knew no bounds at times.
#21
"I go blind after a time of using my gift, I am used to it by this point," she told him with a relaxed tone. It was something she was comfortable with now.

"They will only me for a time but when I feel them starting to grow beyond my control I dispatch them as quickly as possible. " a little laugh left her, her head nodding at his question, "It was surprising. I had accidentally brought a mummy back to life before I could finish preparing them for their final rest. It was not a fun evening," she told him with a small shake of her head.
#22
A mummy?!?! His eyes widened almost comically at the mere thought of it. Raising something so old seemed both dangerous and hilarious. "Did the Pharaoh curse you?" he quipped in a light teasing manner.

Carlyle chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Were you a human then? Or already lost to this eternal wandering?"
#23
Smirking a little at that, "No...thankfully the Pharoah did not mind me too much and felt my talents were a gift from the gods " she told him with a slightly coy smirk at that. She could have been in trouble for it but thankfully she had some graces.

"I was human at the time...I don't find myself lost...I have friends that offer companionship in this long life so that I don't suffer in its tempting loneliness, " she told him with a soft little smile.
#24
Carlyle winced and glanced away, cursing himself for the slip. He was so used to his own lonely existence. He tends to forget that many others don't have that same experience. "I've never stayed long in the company of others. I viewed my condition as a gift and a curse. I never expected to live this long." he admitted with a shrug.

When the news of unturning came about he was deeply frightened. Even if it was a choice. He'd never get a choice other than a permanent end. Carlyle wanted to live a new life if he had the chance to reverse this condition but that wasn't in the cards at his age.
#25
Kesi took a small step towards him, reaching out if he let her, to touch his arm, "It's alright...honestly, I have the same sentiments. I never imagined living so long as I have and have even thought of letting the sun reclaim what it's owed from me but...I always found a new reason to continue, " she told him with a small smile.

"Have you thought of maybe being around others like us? "
#26
Carlyle stood statue still as the hand came down on his arm. His muscles slowly unlocked when the touch didn't bring the pain his mind was waiting for. A reaction born of scars from the past, reluctant to remove their deep hooks in him. "Ashes to ashes, that's the fate down the road. If I can't get my humanity back I'll live as long as possible."

The question had him nodding lightly. "I've considered it. It's just not something I had access to in my life thus far. Until I moved to Colorado. That's the first time I'd seen groups of more than two or three."
#27
"It is a respectable way to return back after our long lives and never give up on hope that you'll find that bit of humanity that's inside you. No matter how old you get, it's there, you just have to look, " she told him gently.

"Well...I happen to know a group and a group leader if you'd like to meet him, " she asked curiously. She did not want to make clutch decisions without having Samiel involved at least. She'd welcome him, he did not appear to be a poor vampire, just a lonely one.
#28
Carlyle smiled faintly at her words, this vampire had far more hope than he. Maybe that would rub off on him someday. To have hope again was something he often reached for but rarely could obtain. His past had a way of throwing rocks in his path.

Finding himself suddenly eager, Carlyle nodded. "Yeah..I think I'd like that. If they are willing to meet me."

The prospect of joining a group gave him butterflies, what new adventures would this lead to?
#29
Kesi offered a little bit of a smirk now, reaching into her pocket and pulling out her phone to open up a new contact for this rather interesting vampire gentleman. He didn't give her the sensation that he was some wild wacko that would turn their lives upside down at the drop of the proverbial hat.

"Oh I know he will given I'm his second and I think you'll fit in rather well honestly. Now, it's not a big group of us but it's enough that you don't feel that quietness of being alone all the time; which I am sure you know that feeling of quite well. "
#30
Watching her pull out her phone, he fumbled in his pocket for his own. The mobile device was a few versions behind the latest but it worked for him. Pulling up a new contact as well, he couldn't help the small smile that touched his lips. "Carlyle Moran. C-a-r-l-y-l-e. M-o-r-a-n he spelled out his name and then murmured his phone number. "Nicknames are fine just not Carl." Carlyle's nose wrinkled at the thought of that damned annoying nickname. Pausing he prepared to type in her name and number in return.
#31
Her fingers typed away as she saved it into her phone, "Honestly, I like your name more, so I'll just have it as it is for you, " she told him with a kind smile. Once she saved his, she tucked her phone away, "K-e-s-i. F-a-r-o-u-k. If you manage to come up with a nickname i'd surely love to hear it, as it is, my name is not an easy one to nickname, " she told him with a little chuckle.

"Would you like to meet him tonight or another evening? I can have it all set up and then after; no matter how it goes, we can get some practice in for you; sound good? "
#32
His lips twitched in a smirk at the challenge of finding a nickname. "Could just go with an easy one and call you Kes." he mused dropping the 'i' at the end. Tucking his phone back into his pocket he cast a weary glance around. Keeping an eye on their surroundings.

"If tonight works for him I'll take it. Otherwise my nights aren't that busy."
#33
"Kes....my, in all my years I don't believe I've had a nickname truth be told...I quite like it, " she told him with a proud smile before nodding.

"Give me a moment, let me message him and see if he has plans. "
#34
Surprised and silently grateful she approved of the nickname, Carlyle gave a small chuckle. "I'm glad you like it.

Shifting his weight he patiently waited for her to send her messages. Shrugging his shoulders a bit in an effort to shake off his nerves of rejection, he took a slow unnecessary deep breath.
#35
"Tomorrow evening he would love to meet you at his office; would you like me to go with you when you meet him? Or no? " she asked, happy to accompany and meet him there so that he wasn't alone with someone he hadn't met before.
#36
"Yes!" The response flew past his lips before he could really stop it. He didn't want to face more vampires alone in case he made a mess of things. Strangers were still difficult for Carlyle even with his loneliness.

Clearing his throat he nodded."I mean, yes. I would appreciate that."
#37
Kesi smiled at him, "Of course. I will text you the address and I will meet you out front and stay with you. Samiel is a good man, you don't have to worry too much, " she told him, trying to offer some sort of reassurance about her Dux.
#38
Carlyle nodded and relaxed slightly, this hopefully would go well. "I'll see you then I suppose. Thank you Kes. I appreciate all you've done for me." He smiled brightly.

Good with me to close for next thread :)


#39
Kesi smiled and inclined her head a little to him, "It is my pleasure...I'll see you then, " she told him warmly, happy to hopefully bring someone new into the fold.
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