2020-12-01: The Prettiest Little (Tattoo) Parlor - the Ananasi and the Vampire
| The Prettiest Little (Tattoo) Parlor[1] - the Ananasi and the Vampire | |
|---|---|
| Eyes-in-the-Dark comes to Albin's shop in time to witness a feeding. She then freaks him out and forms an arrangement with him there. | |
| IC Date | December 1st, 2020[2] |
| IC Time | a short bit before midnight |
| Players | Albin and Eyes-in-the-Dark |
| Location | Ink Rituals |
| Spheres | Ananasi & Vampire |
| Theme Song | Harlem Nocturn |
Albin would have been doing some tattooing on a woman, top off on her stomach as he does her back smiling broadly. She was resting and enjoying the ritual of it all, the ink, the needle, the pain. He would pause shortly to lean over her biting her neck which would make the woman shiver as she laid on the chair. It was not a lot, just enough to sustain him licking the wound close as he returns to tattoo. A beautiful floral motive, very lifelike in nature, with the shadowing and how it had been colored. 'I love how you ink me' she murmur which would make him grin "Love inking you, this lotus is popping out very nicely with the rest of them. But I think we shall let this one rest now and continue later.. want me to cover it up or?"
Ever exploring the city and so often in crawlerling form as she is this night, Eyes-in-the-Dark has found a place she had heard of early in her time in Prospect. As thousands of tiny spiders, she has an easy time of infiltrating Ink Rituals, finding tiny gaps in doors, by windows, the air conditioning system, etc to be wide open gateways for the components of herself. She witnesses the willing feeding and the interaction between drinker and vessel. Perfectly content to observe what she assumes to be a vampire and a thrall, Eyes-in-the-Dark lives up to her name.
Albin would tape over he new addition to her tattoos and there would be a light hug and a kiss on the cheek in good bye as he sends her on her way, starting to clear up the work bench and wipe down the chair. Making sure he keeps with the local regulations not wanting to loose his license. He certainly could manage without but rather not cause any issues with the government when you don't have to. He gets up and stretches when he is done. "Hmmm, Johnny? Can you cover the front? I don't have any more appointments and I think I will retire for the evening or head out later" a short wait 'Sure thing boss' Johnny would call back and Albin would be on his way towards the Backroom, with the air ducts it was not hard to follow unnoticed really, it was a business not secure against insects really.
Eyes-in-the-Dark does find crevices, space behind the sheet-rock or drywall, as well as the ubiquitous air ducts. She forms two small masses of spiders around a pair of leader spiders in air vents on opposite sides of the room that the (suspected) vampire has gone to; each mass shifts slightly forming and supporting a human vocal apparatus supported by a cluster of tarantulas though partial shape-shifting. Both, identical, voices begin to hum the tune of Harlem Nocturn which exits the air vents with a slight metallic echo from opposing directions.
Albin looks up and blinks trying to find where the humming comes from. The Backroom was larger then the Body Mod room, with a lot of art, painting, sketches and photographs that he had made, his best work that he has on display, even a small corner for portrait photography with some nice grey silk hanging and draped over a small seat. "What the hell?" leaning against a wall trying to listen to the humming. The place had just been renovated and he defiantly not heard anything like this before around it. And there really weren't much neighbors around either in the art district.
The humming continues but the speech that follows takes place of one of the two identical voices, alternating which direction occasionally. From one direction a woman's voice, possibly vaguely familiar, says, "Blood of Caine has taken the blood of Able tonight," and then begins humming again as from the other direction it says, "But now it was a willing gift rather than a false sacrifice to the divine it seems," and then the voice asks, "Yes?" from both directions as the short song ends and the humming stops.
Albin turns about between the two sources "Who is this? What do you want?" frowning some seeming go rather tense seeming to consider something for a moment. "It was willing, I don't do sacrifices" trying to locate the source better, quite tense as he had never experienced it before, the voice was familiar but it didn't ease his worry.
Within the air ducts the vocal cords are dismissed and the larger spiders become tiny again. Then, almost in a flood, spiders come out of the air vents and from crevices in the corners of the room. They move upwards to the ceiling which, for a moment, they become a living carpet crawling towards the center where, once they are massed together they wripple and re-form into a single creature, one that would have caused nightmarish delirium that he might feel a ghost of a reminder of seeing the form despite not being subject to it anymore. In this form she drops from the ceiling to the back of a couch or large chair, balancing on it perfectly. "Greetings fellow creature from the night," she says in that naggingly familiar voice from her now somewhat human visage.
Albin blinks stepping back away from the mass "Holy fuck!" stepping away from here he grunts lightly as one hand claps over the other, there is a subtle change to his knuckles sharp bone having been forced out through the surface in case the drider was hostile. "You...? I know you..." trying to remember where he knew her from. "Why are you here? I do not want any trouble"
"I am here," the Ananasi says, "Because here is a place I have not been before. I am exploring Prospect." Her most human-like eyes cross over the bone spurs sticking out of the Vampire's knuckles and she smiles, flexing her somewhat claw-like fingers in a stretching motion. "I am not Trouble. I am the Eyes-in-the-Dark," she says matter-of-factly and then asks, "Who are you, Tattoo Artist?"
Albin watches her blinking a bit at her matter of fact delivery "I am Albin Johansson" pauses as he watches the claws "Explore? Not here to kill me then?" still seeming rather tense since, there is a large spider lady in his gallery, which was not something he ever expected to see.
Eyes-in-the-Dark steps down from the back of the piece of furniture onto the pad that would be sat upon by a normal person. "Do you want to die?" she asks. Then, tilting her head to one side examining him she also asks, "Is there a reason I should know that would make me want to kill you?" as if its a normal conversational question, one that a person would be expected to answer honestly.
Albin could not look away from her "No, I wish to live. You know what I am, and from what I understand there are many things in the night that would prefer to kill me due to that fact. Consider me unnatural due to what happened to me. Heck there are some among my own kind that consider killing me for what I can do.. some just for their own reasons" still tense watching her, there is some blood around the knuckles, obviously he injured himself to get the bone through, to have some sort of weapon against the unknown intruder, though he was not raising them towards her.
Eyes-in-the-Dark nods knowingly. "Yes, there are those who would kill you for what you are," she says. "That would be... wasteful though I think," she further says and then asks, "Because you have a place in the web of reality if we can just find it." She scurries off the furniture and begins to circle the vampire, as if wanting to examine him from all sides. "What clan are you a childe of, skin artist?" she asks.
Albin chuckles "You seem to know a lot about us Eyes in Darkness... I am of no clan, my blood did not manifest of any of the clans... I am Caitiff. My place in the web of reality? I do not know how to find that, nor do I know how to look. I just live my life to the best of my ability. Trying to survive, to create, perhaps even leave a legacy. Show my sire who shunned me that she was wrong and show that she made a mistake by leaving me" looking back to her "You have me at a disadvantage, knowing of my kind, knowing the terms. I don't even know -what- you are. But I have seen you.... I know your voice.. your face.."
Eyes-in-the-Dark smiles and nods. Her cheek pedipalps tap against each other lightly, in such a way that it is reminiscent of a person tapping their fingers together thoughtfully. She chooses to address the latter first as she says, "Yes, we have met before but never in this form," before changing subjects and saying, "Caitiff. Clanless and cast aside by she who should have nurtured you into your unlife. Poor Albin, has the Prince even acknowledged and accepted you or are your oft lonely nights tainted by the lingering fear of being designated the target of a hunt?"
Albin tilts his head "Ah so you know general knowledge but not specific.." nodding "I am acknowledged, I might not be of great status but I am at least that." looks to her "So you have more forms, spiders.. half-spider... human.. a shifter.. odd.. never heard of spiders... wolves certainly.. the Lupines are known for their hate.. I heard whispers of cats.. but seems there are indeed even non-mammal ones" tilting his head "Fascinating" still tense but more curious now a sliver of relaxation.
It may be amusing to see, but Eyes-in-the-Dark is not laughing. She's obviously angry at herself, having realized she pushed the deception too far and nods. "Yes, the... lupines would kill you on sight if they knew what you were," she acknowledges. "I shall not confirm others but yes, I am of a similar kind to the lupines but spider. I am not your enemy. I could be your ally if you would be mine. Though I know not how we would help each other at this time."
Albin tilts his "Allies are good, it is always good to have friends, specially in odd places." Wipes his knuckles and the bones are in the right place again and the wounds close. "I am not like many of my kind, I know the art of flesh and bone. It molds to my touch, to my will. I can change peoples looks, bone structure.. permanently, make them look like another person and much more. What could you offer me... well beyond the obvious" motioning to her.
"I can be anywhere. Nobody notices a spider in the corner of the room. Tell me where in Elysium the Elders are meeting and I can report on their discussions for you. I have other gifts and talents which are mine to divulge when I wish. I could be a friend for you to call upon." No promises made, likely only reinforcing the obvious but Eyes-in-the-Dark has hinted much in this.
Albin smiles and nods "Well then friend and ally, I think then when we have an initial agreement of intended mutual benefit. But I have no intentions of sending you to Elysium. But I am certain there will rise need for eyes to see where few can go or are expected to see"
Eyes-in-the-Dark nods and says, "Information will be the best coin you can give me, Albin." She then asks, "Would you tell me how you came to be? The story you hinted at earlier?" as she finishes her slow circuit around him and stands facing him directly.
Albin nods to her "I can, it is not much of a story really. I was slightly famous tattoo artist, artist, photographer in Seattle... I met a woman, gorgeous.. she seemed to like my work, came to see me.. commissioned photos and work.... even had me tattoo her once. Guiding me.. perhaps even grooming me.. Then she revealed what she was, that the work I made was gone from her skin.. but she wanted my talent.. me.. eternally." he shakes his head "Ah but how fickle the fates are.. how fickle the pride of a woman.. she embraced me shortly after... turned me.. not that I protested, eternal life.. damn hot sire... the Kiss.. it was intoxicating." shaking his head "Perhaps her blood was weak.. perhaps there was something wrong with me... but I was not Toreador... my strength had grown.. but she saw me as a failed work of art and discarded me. Luckily for me I was kindly sponsored.. so that I was not killed.. I could continue.. I earned my right... no longer a fledgling.. and came here to find a city tolerant of what I was" shaking his head "Then a spider came into my life.. and here we are"
"Here we are," Eyes-in-the-Dark echos having nodded along with the story, especially the mention of Toreador, as if that was expected from near the beginning. "I do promise you this, Albin," she adds, "I have no desire to kill you but if you descend into the state of a true monster I will not hesitate," as if this is the same as any common promise among friends.
Albin looks to her "I have no intention of letting the beast as they call it take over. If it does, I would welcome a swift end" nodding to her "If I can not enjoy my life if I turn to but a beast of just base need.. what point is there to this?"
Eyes-in-the-Dark nods as if pleased. "Shall I clear up your confusion about my identity, Albin, or would you prefer it to remain a mystery at this time?" she asks. "I give you this choice to repay you the story you shared about your origin in Seattle," she explains.
Albin looks to her "I would prefer to know who I am dealing with. As fun as mysteries can be, riddles are not my thing" shaking his head as his memory could not put her voice and face together with a memory of when and how he had met her before.
Eyes-in-the-Dark steps backwards, towards the furniture she previosly stood upon. Rather than colliding with it her abdomen and rear legs collapse forward as she changes. The monster quickly becomes a human woman, shorter and still wearing the black torc around her neck. Hair grows from her head as the pedipalps disappear into cheeks that are now fleshy as is the entirely nude form she becomes.
As her nudity becomes apparent, the visible hint of ghostly white spiderlings climb out of the torc and begins to weave clothing around her becoming a pair of black tights, a black bra and a translucent, dark gray shirt with long sleeves. Looking up at him from her height of five and a quarter inches, the now clothed woman asks, "Do you remember me now?" with that subtle 'or else' tone that women always seem to be able to weave into otherwise seemingly innocent comments and questions.
Albin looks her over and smiles moving closer to her stepping closer testingly and reaches out to touch her face "Yes, I do" the smile growing "That explains... the eccentricities" eyes wander over her as she weaves the clothing "Fascinating.." he says somewhat absentmindedly
"Eccentricities?" Parker asks as she lets the vampire touch her without flinching.
Albin seems surprised as he touches her and she does not move slowly runs his fingers over her skin feeling it and the flesh, though not using his powers on it not wanting to be rude. "There were some points where your response or question was not.. normal, I wrote it off as you being eccentric" looks to her "You never been human have you?" looking to her "Lupines are humans.. bitten by another Lupine.. but you.. you are not Spider-man" watching her.
Parker nods and intentionally doesn't correct the misunderstanding about the Garou, she has already given a secret this night. More than one really. But confirming a correct guess is not giving away a secret, especially as his statements are littered with information for her to gleam about him. "I have been human. I was when we met. But as you mean more long term personal history, yes, you are correct, I was not born human like you were."
Albin studies her "Utterly fascinating... I have so many questions... Your form was so... liquid... but solid, melting to your spider components... then melding to the form you desire.. are they always the same? Can you choose how they look?" shaking his head lightly "Apologies... but I have never seen flesh act in such way... and flesh" stepping back away from her and starts touching his own arm, rearranging the muscles it being putty in his hands as he makes his arms almost thin as his bones and the other part twice as wide now then re-sculpting it back to his natural self. "I hope you can understand my... curiosity. I mean no offense merely hoping to understand.. but I also understand that you perhaps do not wish to to share it."
Parker watches Albin's fleshshaping with her own fascination and nods. "I do understand your curiosity," she says. Continuing, she confirms, "And you are correct, I do not feel like sharing such details. You have seen me in many forms already, just know they aren't the only forms I can take and be satisfied."
Albin nods "As I said understandable. I thought that showing you some of the power I have would lend at least some favor with you, to show that what I appreciate what I have learned, to show goodwill and intention to continue such an exchange. And to let you know that I keep this power secret even to most of my own kind. The Prince knows though, hiding from him, would cost much if found out"
A curt nod acknowledging these facts. "Yes, I see," she replies. She considers some of the statements and asks, "Will you be able to keep my existence a secret, Albin?" of the vampire.
Albin laughs "I doubt anyone would believe me, and to what purpose? Get the Sheriff worked up, try to hunt you down? I am not a warrior. I do not want conflict. I wish to live, to learn to enjoy. Speaking of your nature would not bring me any of those things." studying her again "You can offer me.. much of that. And I think you are curious about me as well" taking a bit of a gamble
Parker nods but asks no questions about the vampire despite acknowledging curiosity about him. Instead she asks, "I assume there is no deep love between you and the Toreador but would artisticly made clothing help you with any of your mechaninations within kindred society?"
Albin tilts his head "Actually the Toreador of this city are very kind and supportive, I have yet to meet one of them that I do not like. As I said this town is quite open to Caitiffs, treating them close to equal to those in clans. And the Toreador here has seen my talent and acknowledged it, even allowing me to have my store on their territory. My terms with them are very well, but artistic clothing definitely could grant me at least a small amount of clout if it would catch their eyes."
"I am a tailor by trade," Parker says adding, "I predominantly work in silk," unsurprisingly. "Similar to those I'm wearing as well as other styles. But this is not my work, just my styling," she explains about the clothing she is wearing.
Albin nods "So you wish to gain notice by the Toreador, or merely assist me?" trying to figure out her goal in it. "If they took interest they would ask where I got it"
"My work is on the market, sold at Velvet Dreams, so I am not hiding myself from them," Parker says continuing the explanation with a reminder, "They just don't need to know it was created by a were-spider is all, okay?"
Albin chuckles "Of course not, I doubt there is even such a thing.. could you imagine it?" smiling to her probably far to confidently
Parker chuckles and nods. "Of course," she says smiling just as confidently as she acknowledges his playful word choice. "So, you can leave messages for me at Velvet Dreams and I assume I can do the same for you here?"
Albin nods "You can, or you can take my cellphone number if you want" shrugging as he looks to her "I am honestly not that hard to reach... at night of course, I do have some retainers that work for me that can answer though when I am asleep"
Parker shakes her head and says, "I won't be able to take it with me, leave a message with it at Velvet Dreams instead," before her entire form transforms into a humanoid form of spiders that collapses upon itself and scatters. As the spiders scatter the clothing Parker was wearing start to fall to the floor and in the process transforms into loose silken threads and then dust that vanishes before the last of it touches the floor. The scattering spiders find crevices and climb to the air vents and other ways tiny creatures can disappear themselves as Parker, or Eyes-in-the-Dark, departs.
- ↑ Quote from The Spider and the Fly.
- ↑ RPed on 2 Dec 2020 but both Albin and Parker agreed that this was best set the night before.
