indurare: (5)

[personal profile] indurare 2023-08-21 03:12 am (UTC)(link)
I ... I don't know.

[It's possible. Neither of them have used that particular trick before, but if Scarlett is in a bad enough place to disassociate, maybe she might have tried.]

She's never done it before but I suppose there's a first time for everything.
unforgivably: (is that supposed to wow me)

[personal profile] unforgivably 2023-08-21 11:10 pm (UTC)(link)
For some vampires who can't handle it.

( He is not one of them. No, he wears his walking grudge on his sleeve. )

Would you like my assistance? You are in luck, I've come into an awful lot of time on my hands and I wish to put many miles between me and the ship I stepped off of.
indurare: (7)

[personal profile] indurare 2023-08-22 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
[Her eyes glance back to the ship, because she understands enough to read between the lines of that statement. But she's also not one to judge. She's left her own carnage in her time.]

I would very much appreciate that. Thank you, Damon. I tried to get Rhett to come with me, but he's being stubborn.
unforgivably: (is that supposed to wow me)

[personal profile] unforgivably 2023-08-22 08:55 am (UTC)(link)
Stubborn is Rhett's middle name, one he wears with pride. Should we find evidence or a trail, he'll want to hear about it.

( He slings his duffel back over his other shoulder as he gives a general look around. )

We should find somewhere else, then you can tell me everything you do know and we can start from there.
indurare: (1)

[personal profile] indurare 2023-08-23 03:23 am (UTC)(link)
[She nods, before opening her purse and pulling out her travel document.]

I made arrangements at a hotel not far from here. We can settle in and I'll catch you up.

[And if he needs to clean up, he can likely do that there as well.]
unforgivably: (Default)

[personal profile] unforgivably 2023-08-23 11:21 am (UTC)(link)
Then by all means, lead the way, Ms. Hamilton.

( He bows his head, letting her take the lead. )
indurare: (6)

[personal profile] indurare 2023-08-24 02:34 am (UTC)(link)
[She nods and leads the way to the hotel. Originally her hotel room was for one, but she casually compels the nice person at the front desk that there's been some kind of mistake, and she actually needs a room for two. Once all of that is arranged, they make their way upstairs and once they're settled, she sits on the edge of the bed to talk about what she did know.]

Scarlett and Rhett got into a row about things that they can't change, and it was ... one of their worst, if I'm honest. So she decided she needed some space and joined the ANC. I think she just...wanted to be useful.

But in her letters ... this war is so much worse than the last. I could tell things were taking a toll and asked her to come home before things got worse, but she refused. My last letter from her was two months ago, and it came from this city, so I figured it was a good place to start.
unforgivably: (is that supposed to wow me)

[personal profile] unforgivably 2023-08-24 12:50 pm (UTC)(link)
( The attendant brings Melanie's things to the right room and ignores them like he should as they sit and Damon listens. )

Two months is an awfully long time. Did your letter include a return address?
indurare: (17)

[personal profile] indurare 2023-08-25 02:23 am (UTC)(link)
How quickly do you think letters actually travel across the Atlantic? It takes a month for a letter to get from her to us in the first place.

[Thus another month for her to realize that Scarlett hasn't responded. A frustrating process, but unfortunately cell phones haven't been invented yet.]

It does. I was thinking of going to check there first, and if there are no leads, going to the ANC next.
unforgivably: (Default)

[personal profile] unforgivably 2023-10-04 06:49 pm (UTC)(link)
( He's asking the questions he can ask. Sue him. Look, he likes Scarlett. And Sage loved Scarlett, so she has that going for her. They were the first vampires Sage taught him to embrace. )

Her bleeding heart cracked right open.

( He supposes there are worse traits to be amplified. )

I know she's prone to fits, but not the occasional disappearance. I'll help.

( It gives him something to focus on. He's only just shaken the self-loathing, but a tight focus keeps reoccurrence at bay. )
indurare: (9)

[personal profile] indurare 2023-10-05 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you.

[And with that she squares her shoulders, and nods. Let's do this.

They do head to the Army Nurse Corps first, who are quick to tell them that they haven't seen Scarlett in weeks, but they do provide the information on the place where she's been staying and any mail she's received. They head to her apartment next - because of course she finagled herself an apartment rather than staying in the barracks - and there are clear signs of her deteriorating mental state ...

... and possibly one ripening body.

The name of her victim leads to some of Scarlett's regular feeding haunts which point her to some local vamps that might be able to help them out. The one they do make contact with also seems concerned, but for different reasons.

"It's been a few days, but ... last I saw her, she was attracting certain company I try to steer clear of."]
unforgivably: (and to that I drink)

[personal profile] unforgivably 2023-10-05 08:37 am (UTC)(link)
Company of the vampire variety?

( Damon and Melanie follow Scarlett's trail. Damon disposes of the body she left behind, it's the least he can do. He's impressed she avoided the barracks. She always liked the finer things. But she didn't keep the apartment in a state he'd expect her to keep it in. It's confounding, really, but it gives him the focus he needs. )
indurare: (11)

[personal profile] indurare 2023-10-06 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
["Oui. They call themselves the Ivory Tower. A pile of pretentious bastards if you ask me, but they were intrigued with Scarlett."

That doesn't exactly strike Melanie as good. And she hasn't really heard of the Ivory Tower beyond jokes and rumors (13).]


I didn't think they were a real thing.
unforgivably: (is that supposed to wow me)

[personal profile] unforgivably 2023-10-06 07:47 pm (UTC)(link)
( Damon comes from the 'New World,' ever the small town man turned military deserter. He was Mystic Falls high society, but not Paris'. It doesn't ring any bell (4), nor does he remember Sage or her compatriots mentioning them. To Damon, they're not a thing. But, he's not delusional to think that there isn't a world beyond Mystic Falls, Virginia.

Here he goes, expanding his world view and maybe rescuing a ... *friend.
)

Pretensions aside, is Scarlett as besotted with them as they are to her?
indurare: (9)

[personal profile] indurare 2023-10-07 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
["Hard to say. She hasn't really been herself lately. But she didn't resist them either."

Melanie doesn't want to just take that without seeing Scarlett for herself, so:]


Do you know where we can find them?

[Their contact shrugs. "They have these salons. I'll see if I can find out where the next one is going to be."]

Thank you.
unforgivably: (no shades all black)

[personal profile] unforgivably 2023-10-08 04:26 pm (UTC)(link)
They're one of those groups. My father maintained an idle fascination with a group in town. All politics and theatricality. Nice to know people celebrate the sentiment in other countries.

( Damon went once and found it rather boring. )
indurare: (15)

[personal profile] indurare 2023-10-09 02:47 am (UTC)(link)
["Not my cup of tea either. But I can't deny they have resources, and they've developed ways for their kind to not draw attention."

Hence the salons.]


I don't particularly care one way or another so long as Scarlett is alright.
unforgivably: (Default)

[personal profile] unforgivably 2023-10-14 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
And in her right mind.

( That matters more. )
indurare: (15)

[personal profile] indurare 2023-10-15 03:22 am (UTC)(link)
[Melanie doesn't know if their friend can promise that. She's willing to bet that Scarlett isn't going to be in good shape for a while, but Melanie's willing to wait it out.

It takes a few hours but their French friend returns with an address for the latest salon, and Melanie passes it to Damon.]


It's not far from where Scarlett was staying.
unforgivably: (Default)

[personal profile] unforgivably 2023-10-15 09:39 am (UTC)(link)
( Damon reads the address. )

How do they take to newcomers?
indurare: (11)

[personal profile] indurare 2023-10-16 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
["They don't mind visitors. Likely because they're trying to recruit to their ranks. But if they ask, say Michele invited you."

Melanie nods, finishing her drink and getting to her feet.]


Shall we?