for the rest of us death will be a relief

[praevaricatio]

Comments

[veneratia]

[She wrinkles her nose briefly, but it's one of those instances where her style sensibilities have not caught up yet.]

It's more leg than I'm used to.

[But she'll take the advice. She reaches to remove the tags on the suits she's wearing, but leaves the dress on the collection of things they'd gathered.]

Do you think they have some kind of travel trunk for the rest?

[foreclosures]

Probably bags. But, we could leave them here until we find a place to rest our heads and then get someone to bring everything. How does that sound?

( Compulsion really works wonders. )

[veneratia]

Perfect.

[She takes a sip of her champagne, glancing around at the different shoppers before she catches a bored husband scrolling on his phone. It's not the first strange box she's seen, but she's in a better frame of mind now to be curious about it.]

What is that box?

[And she'll point to the man waiting.]

[foreclosures]

That is how everyone communicates these days over long distances. Some people are more attached to them than others, and from what I can see, the phones now are smaller and flatter. That's what they're called. Phones. We can also hire someone to give you a rundown. You'll want one.

( A pretty case to match, too. )

That should be our next stop. We won't get far without them.

[veneratia]

[She nods, trusting her guide to point her in the right direction.]

It's amazing how much things change. The lights, the transportation, the clothes. It's like humanity never stops trying to change.

[She's not sure if that's a good or bad thing, in the end. She thinks she has to do more exploring.]

[foreclosures]

Humanity vacillates between trying to work together and trying to put one another in the ground. Progress, ultimately, moves forward.

( But that is the definition of progress.

The compelled attendant nicely keeps their purchases and directs Isobel to the nearest Apple store, which isn't helpful when you don't have providers, and then T-mobile. Much more helpful.

Phone in hand, she then does take Adrienne to the Apple store and compels her a nice seminar on Apple technology, phones, and the basics. Her helper is compelled to not blink and take into account that Adrienne is very old and was dead for some time. So, teach her like a novice.

In the meantime, Isobel realizes she only has one number memorized: Katherine's. So, she tries dialing what may be a defunct number, and someone may be by the phone so I am not talking to myself. )

[gambled_ourmistakes]

[Yes, yes, that's fine. They'll say Katherine is in the shower or something. What pops up is an unknown number, and Damian answers because it might be a case.]

Hello?

[Which is not the person you were expecting, sorry Isobel.]

[foreclosures]

( She takes a second, checking the number she's dialed. It is the one she remembers. She brings the phone back to her ear, trying. )

I'm looking for Katherine.

[gambled_ourmistakes]

You have come to the right place, but unfortunately she's indisposed at the moment. Can I take a message?

[He's very good at taking messages. He would have been a great secretary in another life.]

[foreclosures]

It's Isobel. She'll know who I am. And, you will want to convince her it's me. Because, despite what she believes, I'm the one calling, though not with a moonstone in my possession.

( A simple mention that might let her know it really is Isobel. )

[gambled_ourmistakes]

[Moonstone? That sounds familiar. The name Isobel also rings a faint bell but that could mean a lot of things. He looks back at the phone and nods.]

Right. And she can call you back at this number?

[He knows better than to interrupt her pampering time unless he intends to do something sexy about it. This does not feel sexy.]

[foreclosures]

She should.

( That is, she has no choice in the matter. )

[gambled_ourmistakes]

Right. I'll be sure to pass the message along.

[And with that he will say his goodbyes and hang up, waiting for Katherine to get out of the shower. He can't say he loves her tone, but it's not his decision to make whether or not Katherine calls her back. It's Katherine's.

Which is why when she emerges, he glances up at her with a frown.]

Do you know someone named Isobel?

[shreds]

( "You do that," she says, ending the call before waiting patiently for Adrienne's one-on-one Apple class to end.

Katherine emerges, drying her hair, the steam coming out of the bathroom from behind her. She was going to broach the subject of what's next and what that looks like. It feels like things have changed and the scales have tipped in their favor. How long do they keep needing to be these hunters. She's feeling her age and he clearly is, too.

But, then. That.

She moves to her phone to scan for any group text updates. No mentions of Isobel on there. And then she sees the phone in Damian's hand. She's always had the same instincts. )

She called, didn't she.

( If this is about Elena's blood, or originated from it considering she bled on Matty Blue-Blue in the liminal space -- then why wouldn't her mother be brought back, too. This feels like a complication that doesn't have to be a complication. )

[gambled_ourmistakes]

She did. Said something about a moonstone and was rather insistent that you would call her back.

[He passes the phone to her, but his gaze is curious.]

Isobel an old friend?

[He's using the term friend loosely.]

[shreds]

One of the vampires I trusted before Klaus got a hold of her and compelled her to kill herself. Which means, she's another name that can be added to the list. ( And she may owe Elena a call or message of her own. ) And, yes. We were actually friends. She did help me when I needed it. I liked her.

( She was a little too hedonistic for her tastes, but she never spent many days with her. Only time. )

I sent her to Mystic Falls once for a reason.

( And then didn't realize the second time her reason clashed with Klaus. )

She's also Elena's biological mother.

[gambled_ourmistakes]

I'm sure that will go well with her other resurrected mother.

[Everything seems to be coming up Elena as of late, but he doesn't sound bothered by it. More amused that this is the situation she's in.]

What are you going to do?

[shreds]

I can feel the coparenting from here.

( Not to mention Jenna's whole thing about her. )

I don't know. Probably meet her in person. I suppose I owe Elena the heads up.

[gambled_ourmistakes]

[Damian nods, before pushing up to his feet.]

Well, call her back to find out where she is. We'll figure it out from there. Depending on where she is, perhaps you can call Elena from the car. If you decide to call her.

[shreds]

If? Is that the morally gray bone in your body talking?

( She likes it, but she needs more. He could convince her to keep Elena off her radar completely. But, if it blows up in her face, the very little good will she's created - well, it would evaporate. )

[gambled_ourmistakes]

I think it would depend on what Isobel has to say, no? If she even wants Elena to know?

[He gives a small shrug.]

Maybe it isn't your phone call to make. Maybe it's hers. It is her daughter.

[shreds]

Isobel is dangerous. She tracked Elena down for me and did real damage to her life in the process. The second time she came to town, she did even more. And then she ended her own life because Klaus saw fit to punish me. That last part is just color for the story, by the way. ( She brings her hands up, counting on her fingers. ) Isobel is unpredictable and unfeeling and insatiable. She turned because she couldn't stop searching for more. More than what she had. More than what she could be and once she got that. She became a bottomless pit. I used to find it useful and, occasionally, entertaining, but her being back? Brings up big question marks and bigger ones for Elena. This is more than just about her privacy, or what she wants. There's a big chance she won't even want to see Elena. But, Elena deserves to know.

[gambled_ourmistakes]

[Damian takes all of that in before nodding his agreement. He doesn't know much about Isobel, so he was unaware, but he agrees, when she puts it that way.]

Then we will call Elena in the car. But you need to call Isobel first, still, and find out if not what she wants, where she is.

[shreds]

Fine.

( And we will put this on pause while I figure out how that conversation goes. )

[gambled_ourmistakes]

[Take your time, the girls can chat while Damian gets their stuff ready to go.]