[Alice nods before stepping off to the side and pulling out her phone. Not that all the vampires in the room can't hear it, but she wants at least the illusion of privacy.
Ring, ring Lizzie phone.
Josie ... does not answer. Not because anything's wrong but more because she's busy chatting with the new surprise family members.]
( Lizzie also does not answer, because she's as polite as her sister and they're entertaining!
Hope gets voicemail and figures if things were dire enough she'd probably know? So, she clears her worry, evens her tone and says "Hey, it's just me. Call me when you get this. Love you.")
[Alice will not leave a voicemail. But she will send a text:]
Heyyyyyyyyyyy.
Talk to Danny today?
[Because that's a random not at all weird question. She then pauses and swipes into Whatsapp because she remembers that even if Lizzie gets her in the divorce, she does have Danny's number for emergency and/or surprise reasons:]
You good?
[He also will not respond.]
Okay. There are texts, hopefully they will respond when they can.
It's fine, it's nothing I haven't heard before. I assumed it would either be me, Uncle Elijah, or Bela. And, for the record, I don't care who does. He's not going to love hearing it either way.
( And she is a little at a loss, mostly because she doesn't know what she's talking about. (
But, I can go with Bela. Or, Elijah and Bela. Whatever. But, I think we all agree I shouldn't go alone.
[She may not be unkillable, but she can handle his moods. Maybe she'll pick up Cami on the way for extra measuring.]
Why don't you go with Alice to find your aunt and uncle?
[Because she also knows that Kol and Kieran have been wanting to have a conversation with Hope and if an witch war is oncoming, Kol may want to speed up certain timetables. Likely not how he and Kieran wanted to have this conversation, but times are what they are.]
Whichever. And then we should all come back together. Strength in numbers.
( (14) Does her uncle need something from her? Still, she does love Kol and definitely takes Alice to Kol's bedroom, rapping on the door.
"Come in," he says, both dressed. Kol is working on his cufflinks and Keiran is at his mirrored bureau. How fortuitous. "Hope. I thought you might be your uncle hurrying us along to help with the manual labor.")
Alice, giving away the game before they even get started.
Kieran turns, fixing her earrings as she glances between the two girls. Something is not quite right. She has a feeling they're not here just for manual labor.]
( Her aunt and uncle are - many, so, her thinking is, Kol. For someone mired in death and evil Hope is swimming in family. )
No. It's not. Or, we don't think it will be. We're a little scant on the details besides an oncoming witch assault, slayers in Scotland being attacked, and - yeah, that about sums it up.
( Rebekah is most likely still with Doc, if not possibly called by Donna or Aaalis. )
Sorry to barge in. It's just. ( She gestures. ) Witch. Have either of you heard of the Gauntlet?
( Like Hope, Kol remembers vagueries, stories that go bump in the night, that have no real name. He was more about the objects, the legacy, the chemistry, than actual witch politics, and so he turns to Kieran.
And in perfect timing, Julian goes to knock on his sister's door, but it's open. Crash is still getting ready. He doesn't pry into Crash's preparation for a party like this. He's already prepped his sister as it is. He doesn't care what anybody else here thinks.
"Is there a family meeting I need to step away from?" he asks.
"That depends,on if you want to be left out of the conversation about witch wars and assaulted slayers," Kol helpfully and glibly answers, but mostly he's giving the floor to Hope and Alice. And to his girlfriend, to see if they have more information. )
[Kieran also has no idea (5). She's being so unhelpful. Too bad the only one who can be helpful is still putting their face on - literally.
(And for the record, Kieran likes Crash. As long as Julian is happy, she's happy.)
Alice will give the run down of the call from her mother. "She was supposed to be having Thanksgiving diner with the Underground, so they might have information that she glazed over but ... she was pretty concerned."
Not to me, but I haven't filled out a W2. Most of them won't even look me in the eye, think I almost got people killed. ( Taylor and Sweets are nice. Angel keeps to himself. Cordelia is wary, but in a way where it feels like maybe she's dealt with people like him before. ) Which, I did. But, if anyone knows anything, it's Crash.
("Is everyone bringing a plus-one tonight?" Hope asks, quite tactlessly.
"And to think," Kol starts. "normally, our family repels the invited." He smirks. When they're not the talk of the quarter, but they definitely aren't. Not with vampires, witches and humans having their own factions now. Everyone peacefully attended the policeman's ball. )
[Speak of the devil. They had come in search of Julian and instead found a crowd, and as all the heads whip around to face them, they raise an eyebrow.]
[Because Julian was the thing that tipped Alexander and Jackson off to it all.]
Jackson said it was related to something the guy who was watching over you while you were coma'd said.
["H?" Kieran asks, turning to face them more. "What does this have to do with him and Hallewell?"]
That I don't know. I wasn't there. But Jackson and Alexander were asking around and Aalis spilled the beans on something called the Gauntlet. It's a whole heir battle royale thing, mostly for the witch adjacent.
("The adjacent being all witches. Or, so we've been warned," Hope says. "To be fair, this is all second or thirdhand." Still, she leans against the nearest piece of furniture. "But, I guess it's better it's been mentioned than no one here knowing anything at all. And, aunt Rebekah lived through it."
To Kol: "Salem."
Kol takes that in, knowing his sister wasn't "involved," but believing she was aware. )
And now we're all just...
("Quite caught up," Kol says, putting a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder. )
( He doesn't want to take them away from the holiday. This was supposed to be fun. Low stakes. (As low stakes as anything is Mikaelson-adjacent.
"In the meantime, maybe we can head downstairs. Convene altogether. Find out if we should be battening down the hatches or if we can actually have turkey?" Hope suggests.
"Just a minute, Hope" Kol asks, as everyone shuffles out.
And with that, they will head off to track down some information. When Kol asks Hope to stay back, Alice starts to walk back but tosses a look at Hope over her shoulder to be like "you good?" without actually making it seem like she's asking it as far as other people are concerned.
But if/when Hope waves her off, she will follow Julian and Crash downstairs.
Kieran glances over at Kol like oh we're doing this now? before turning her attention back to Hope.]
We wanted to talk to you about something. I was shooting for after dessert, maybe with alcohol involved, but ... we should also probably give you time to think about it.
( Hope will not, Julian follows his date plus-one, and Kol brings his hands up, making a face. Is there a better time to do it? Especially if the witches are about to be scattered to the winds? )
Uh...
( she looks from her uncle to his girlfriend, really not aware of what they're even getting at. but her (17) realizes it must be something about her. something -- tribridy? )
I find alcohol never makes a situation better, only mildly more -- what do you guys need?
I was hoping you might be willing to help us with a project.
[Yes, that's a good place to start.]
I'm ... trying to crack the being a vampire but also able to use magic thing. I know the theoretical whys, but I want to try and crack into the actual, metaphysical whys. Since you can still use magic as you are, I was wondering if you would be willing to lend me a sample of your blood, so I could compare it to your uncle's.
[With the ask out there comes the caveats.]
Blood is kind of my special witch skill. I'm good at breaking down the magical properties and creating charms with it. I only need a small sample to work with and I know that your blood has a lot of different properties and issues, so once I'm done I can return it right to you. I won't need to keep it long term.
[And considering the intimacy of the ask, it's only fair she puts her cards on the table.]
I have Huntington's Chorea. So that means my options are a long, debilitating death where I slowly lose control of my body, euthanize myself before I get that far, or have a quick clean death and become a vampire after. For me, the most appealing option is option C. But that doesn't mean I don't still love magic and would rather have it than not, so I want to use the time I have left before I hit the use it or lose it point to see if I can crack the code to why you and heretics can still use magic but most vampires can't.
[She glances over at Kol with a small smile.]
That's part of why I sought your uncle out. Because I knew that if I could crack it, he would probably be first in line.
[She then looks back at her.]
There's no pressure. If you say no, then I'll try and see if I can find one of the few heretics left out there. Rebekah's already agreed to help from the cured vampire end of the spectrum as a point of comparison. And if you say no, I'd understand.
( Hope knows a thing or two about agency, so that start speaks to her. And she believes that's why she sought out her uncle Kol. )
Are you two really together?
( If they aren't, that might make things thornier.
"We aren't trying to trick you. She did seek me out, but very quickly I recognized something in her. And I did fall in love with everything she is. Including the mind she so desperately would like to save," Kol says. Her (15) has him believing Kol's intent. )
no subject
( Mystic Falls has always been an insular group with a small town mentality.
"Call Lizzie," Hope decides, stepping away to call her girlfriend. )
no subject
Ring, ring Lizzie phone.
Josie ... does not answer. Not because anything's wrong but more because she's busy chatting with the new surprise family members.]
no subject
Hope gets voicemail and figures if things were dire enough she'd probably know? So, she clears her worry, evens her tone and says "Hey, it's just me. Call me when you get this. Love you." )
no subject
Heyyyyyyyyyyy.
Talk to Danny today?
[Because that's a random not at all weird question. She then pauses and swipes into Whatsapp because she remembers that even if Lizzie gets her in the divorce, she does have Danny's number for emergency and/or surprise reasons:]
You good?
[He also will not respond.]
Okay. There are texts, hopefully they will respond when they can.
no subject
Hey, happy Thanksgiving if you even celebrate that, just checking in! )
One voicemail, one text.
no subject
We spread the word. I'll go find Vincent. Have you all seen Rebekah?
["She said she was going to find Kol and Kieran."]
Alright. Who wants dibs on telling Klaus?
[She jests but also she's not jesting at the same time. She already called dibs on Vincent.
Alice's finger goes up to land on her nose. "Not it. He freaks me out, no offense Hope."]
no subject
( And she is a little at a loss, mostly because she doesn't know what she's talking about. (
But, I can go with Bela. Or, Elijah and Bela. Whatever. But, I think we all agree I shouldn't go alone.
no subject
[She may not be unkillable, but she can handle his moods. Maybe she'll pick up Cami on the way for extra measuring.]
Why don't you go with Alice to find your aunt and uncle?
[Because she also knows that Kol and Kieran have been wanting to have a conversation with Hope and if an witch war is oncoming, Kol may want to speed up certain timetables. Likely not how he and Kieran wanted to have this conversation, but times are what they are.]
no subject
( (14) Does her uncle need something from her? Still, she does love Kol and definitely takes Alice to Kol's bedroom, rapping on the door.
"Come in," he says, both dressed. Kol is working on his cufflinks and Keiran is at his mirrored bureau. How fortuitous. "Hope. I thought you might be your uncle hurrying us along to help with the manual labor." )
no subject
Alice, giving away the game before they even get started.
Kieran turns, fixing her earrings as she glances between the two girls. Something is not quite right. She has a feeling they're not here just for manual labor.]
Everything okay?
no subject
No. It's not. Or, we don't think it will be. We're a little scant on the details besides an oncoming witch assault, slayers in Scotland being attacked, and - yeah, that about sums it up.
( Rebekah is most likely still with Doc, if not possibly called by Donna or Aaalis. )
Sorry to barge in. It's just. ( She gestures. ) Witch. Have either of you heard of the Gauntlet?
( Like Hope, Kol remembers vagueries, stories that go bump in the night, that have no real name. He was more about the objects, the legacy, the chemistry, than actual witch politics, and so he turns to Kieran.
And in perfect timing, Julian goes to knock on his sister's door, but it's open. Crash is still getting ready. He doesn't pry into Crash's preparation for a party like this. He's already prepped his sister as it is. He doesn't care what anybody else here thinks.
"Is there a family meeting I need to step away from?" he asks.
"That depends,on if you want to be left out of the conversation about witch wars and assaulted slayers," Kol helpfully and glibly answers, but mostly he's giving the floor to Hope and Alice. And to his girlfriend, to see if they have more information. )
no subject
(And for the record, Kieran likes Crash. As long as Julian is happy, she's happy.)
Alice will give the run down of the call from her mother. "She was supposed to be having Thanksgiving diner with the Underground, so they might have information that she glazed over but ... she was pretty concerned."
Kieran turns and looks at her brother.]
Abernathy mention anything about a Gauntlet?
no subject
( "Is everyone bringing a plus-one tonight?" Hope asks, quite tactlessly.
"And to think," Kol starts. "normally, our family repels the invited." He smirks. When they're not the talk of the quarter, but they definitely aren't. Not with vampires, witches and humans having their own factions now. Everyone peacefully attended the policeman's ball. )
no subject
[Speak of the devil. They had come in search of Julian and instead found a crowd, and as all the heads whip around to face them, they raise an eyebrow.]
What? Do I have something in my teeth?
no subject
No, we've just stumbled into yet another ensuing tragedy. Everyone, this is Crash. My plus one.
( "Hope. And hoping you can give us a little more context into the Gauntlet. And why it might involve Scotland being targeted."
"What she said," Kol adds. "Pun not intended." )
Did Abernathy mention the possibility of a -- witch's Gauntlet?
no subject
[Because Julian was the thing that tipped Alexander and Jackson off to it all.]
Jackson said it was related to something the guy who was watching over you while you were coma'd said.
["H?" Kieran asks, turning to face them more. "What does this have to do with him and Hallewell?"]
That I don't know. I wasn't there. But Jackson and Alexander were asking around and Aalis spilled the beans on something called the Gauntlet. It's a whole heir battle royale thing, mostly for the witch adjacent.
no subject
To Kol: "Salem."
Kol takes that in, knowing his sister wasn't "involved," but believing she was aware. )
And now we're all just...
( "Quite caught up," Kol says, putting a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder. )
no subject
["There was an attack in Scotland," Alice supplied. "According to my mom it was Gauntlet-adjacent."]
Your mom ...
["Wynonna Earp?"]
Dolls' smokeshow! Okay, now I understand. I can go check in? See if there's more information to go with the warnings?
no subject
( He doesn't want to take them away from the holiday. This was supposed to be fun. Low stakes. (As low stakes as anything is Mikaelson-adjacent.
"In the meantime, maybe we can head downstairs. Convene altogether. Find out if we should be battening down the hatches or if we can actually have turkey?" Hope suggests.
"Just a minute, Hope" Kol asks, as everyone shuffles out.
"Yeah?" )
no subject
And with that, they will head off to track down some information. When Kol asks Hope to stay back, Alice starts to walk back but tosses a look at Hope over her shoulder to be like "you good?" without actually making it seem like she's asking it as far as other people are concerned.
But if/when Hope waves her off, she will follow Julian and Crash downstairs.
Kieran glances over at Kol like oh we're doing this now? before turning her attention back to Hope.]
We wanted to talk to you about something. I was shooting for after dessert, maybe with alcohol involved, but ... we should also probably give you time to think about it.
no subject
dateplus-one, and Kol brings his hands up, making a face. Is there a better time to do it? Especially if the witches are about to be scattered to the winds? )Uh...
( she looks from her uncle to his girlfriend, really not aware of what they're even getting at. but her (17) realizes it must be something about her. something -- tribridy? )
I find alcohol never makes a situation better, only mildly more -- what do you guys need?
no subject
[Yes, that's a good place to start.]
I'm ... trying to crack the being a vampire but also able to use magic thing. I know the theoretical whys, but I want to try and crack into the actual, metaphysical whys. Since you can still use magic as you are, I was wondering if you would be willing to lend me a sample of your blood, so I could compare it to your uncle's.
[With the ask out there comes the caveats.]
Blood is kind of my special witch skill. I'm good at breaking down the magical properties and creating charms with it. I only need a small sample to work with and I know that your blood has a lot of different properties and issues, so once I'm done I can return it right to you. I won't need to keep it long term.
no subject
Are you looking to become a vampire who can use magic, or to restore a vampire's magic? I'm assuming you have an intended recipient.
no subject
[And considering the intimacy of the ask, it's only fair she puts her cards on the table.]
I have Huntington's Chorea. So that means my options are a long, debilitating death where I slowly lose control of my body, euthanize myself before I get that far, or have a quick clean death and become a vampire after. For me, the most appealing option is option C. But that doesn't mean I don't still love magic and would rather have it than not, so I want to use the time I have left before I hit the use it or lose it point to see if I can crack the code to why you and heretics can still use magic but most vampires can't.
[She glances over at Kol with a small smile.]
That's part of why I sought your uncle out. Because I knew that if I could crack it, he would probably be first in line.
[She then looks back at her.]
There's no pressure. If you say no, then I'll try and see if I can find one of the few heretics left out there. Rebekah's already agreed to help from the cured vampire end of the spectrum as a point of comparison. And if you say no, I'd understand.
no subject
Are you two really together?
( If they aren't, that might make things thornier.
"We aren't trying to trick you. She did seek me out, but very quickly I recognized something in her. And I did fall in love with everything she is. Including the mind she so desperately would like to save," Kol says. Her (15) has him believing Kol's intent. )
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)