Introduction:
Characters: Catori Tiago Gabriel Carne Tika Corthina
Location: The Prison of William Corvinus
Plot summary: Catori makes her entrance to William's prison, the place where her father died, for closure. She's interrupted by Tika and Gabriel.
Logs:
(Amendments Note: These logs have been spell checked prior to addition to this site.)
♍ Catori's short heels dug into the dirt around the outside of the fabled prison of William Corvinus. Her eyes glossed over the river entrance. This was the place her father was brutally murdered. In here. She would be getting wet, assuredly. Her grip lessened on her rifle and she strapped it to her shoulder, she'd left her Walther at home. Her Dad's comrades had pointed out the location for her, out of respect. Catori needed closure.
♍ She flattened her lips as she stepped into the water. It was her fourth step that took her by surprise, her right foot slipping out from underneath her, causing her to slip and splash. Thankfully, her rifle didn't smack the backside of her head. Her 'oomph' of surprise was cut short with the water rushing past her open lips. Catori splashed and sputtered, her hands moving her hair out of her face as she treaded water.
♍ Swimming at a stand-still, she treaded a few more minutes before finally taking the breath to dive underneath the surface. Her feet kicked and she felt her way through the water, keeping her body along the stone of William's prison. It would have been more practical had she gotten the men to lower her through the hole in the ceiling of the place, but she had insisted on experiencing as much of her Dad's final moments as possible. What drove a man to risk his life for someone such as Corvinus? The great Immortal who had bombed his own ship, that year, taking his immortal life. The tiniest of voices in her heart and soul echoed the word coward. After everything that had happened throughout the centuries, her mind couldn't wrap around what exactly threw Corvinus over the edge into his suicide. Her head broke the surface of the water from underneath, bubbles rising from both her nose and mouth as she gasps for air, swallowing a mouthful of water. Catori turned about inside of William's prison until her feet touched ground again. And then she waded through the water, there were several hallways to choose from and she did not know which path to choose. She had no form of communication to call her Dad's men.
♍ She took her time wading through the waist high water. She took the hallway immediately in front of her and passed the almost submerged chalk doodles on the wall. Children had been here? She knew this had only been William's prison, not that people had lived here. Reaching the end of the hallway, she frowned. It looked shorter than the building, but she left it be and turned around, returning to the the river entrance. This second time, she moved toward the massive chamber, taking her rifle from her shoulder and tightening the strap so it fit snugly against the stock. She passed it between her hands, letting the butt weigh the rifle down as it swung around her hand in practiced fashion. The rifle spun around the circumference of her left hand, almost rolling over the back of her hand. She caught the stock with her right hand and let the kinetic motion of the rifle continue in an inverse spin, her left hand pressing the stock down. Catori did this several times as she walked carefully over the stones of the floor, taking her time as she walked underneath a bridge. The helicopter in front of her caught her off guard and the stench of stagnant water hung it the air. Her foot padded around the cleaned area. Her father's comrades had cleaned up the bullet casings well and all of the bodies had been recovered. He died here.
♍ The silence was deafening with the exception of the steady clinks of the strap against her rifle and its slap against her skin when she reversed the spin in her hands. It was a soothing thing for Catori and she had been nervous enough coming here alone and without her Walther. The last thing she wanted was for some lone vamp to catch her unaware. A lycan, well she knew she'd be able to hold them off on her own. She wasn't one to allot a mistake, especially after she became the primary caretaker of the finances and school. Her school was lacking, time was spent keeping her mother from dropping into either a depression or a killing spree of the very lycans that had taken her father. Catching the rifle between her hands, held directly diagonally across her body — her right hand underneath the rifle and her left on its top — she brought it down to her side, the butt slamming against the stone as she knelt. Catori took the moment to breathe, her left hand instinctively coming up to the necklace her Dad had given her who knows how many years ago. As far back as she could remember, she had always had it. She always clutched against the tiny pendant; a sterling silver harmonica. It was one of the few things he'd indulged in around her, although she could never carry a tune herself. Her eyes grew wet with the memory of him in his glory. When he wasn't preoccupied with cleaning up the godforsaken war.
She'd come here to get some rest and heal up after having been in a rather brutal battle, while it may not have been the smartest idea, she at least knew she'd be hidden and not many people would come here. She kept quiet as she snuck around the prison, she had arrived a few days ago and was merely trying to heal up. She turned on her heal though when she heard something either fall, or hit one of the walls. Tika grumbled as all she wanted was to be left alone right now. Making her way cautiously across one of the wooden bridges, she reached what appeared to be a doorway, she ducked inside and knelt down, her eyes searching to see who the intruder was.
Gabriel crouched on one of the overhead walkways, the rotting wood creaking underneath his feet, the damp fibers pulling apart from age and abuse. The place smelt of mildew, stagnant water left to go green and old blood. There was so much of it. Splashes on the rocks, the walls like some grotesque painting left over from the battle. Most of it was human, some mixed with Lycan but the most acrid tang came from the hulking corpse of the helicopter where Marcus had died. Even that small scent made Gabriel's stomach clench, his eyes lightening to a stark, ice blue. Fingers curling over the edge of the gangway he scanned the floor of the prison. His skin tickled with the presence of another being followed closely by the splashing of water. Interesting. Who else besides the vermin that still inhabited this place would come here? Right that second he included himself in his own disgusted thought. So much death had been dealt by the Elders of his Coven and for what? Mostly nothing. His black clad form was expertly hidden in the shadows as he sat and waited, maybe for something to happen, maybe for his attention to wander to something else. The scurrying of small feet and the steady drip of water were the only things that kept him company so far.
♍ Catori's chest grew tight with the anxiety that came and her shoulders hunched downwards, the wet tendrils of her hair slipped forward and covered her face as it skewered in the pain of loss. She was slightly under the suspended helicopter that threatened to fall from its place and to the side of that bridge it interrupted. She hadn't heard the entrance of anyone else. She was careless in her grief and she let her pain flow freely as her rifle fell from her hand and she beat the stone with her bare fists. He had NOT deserved that fate. Her mother had NOT deserved to have her best friend taken from her! Catori gasped and let out a low cry of pure agony. SHE had not deserved to have her father ripped from her. Her Dad. All he had ever done was clean up their mess. Their war. She wept, her hands going numb from the pain. Her knees were held tightly against her chest and her breaths came out in short bursts, her voice lost as it racked her. Six years of holding it in. Six long years. Catori wept.
Tika grumbled as she heard the crying, she shook her head and decided it was best to leave the poor creature to her own devices. Sighing she sat down and leaned against the arched doorway, she closed her eyes, the air here was horrid, the stench of old blood, stale water, and god knew what else, filled her senses. Putting the back of her hand to her mouth to keep from gagging she listened to the woman's sobs, it sounded as if the woman was in pain. But Tika was in no condition to help, she still had scars and marks from where she'd been burned and cut. Her body was slow to heal as it had taken a severe beating. She grumbled once more then decided she should move before she fell asleep. Standing she made her way over to another small chamber, she made sure to keep to the shadows so as not to disturb the girl. The only other sound she heard was that of little feet, mice. She'd become accustomed to the taste of them...as it was the only available food source around.
Gabriel cocked his head as the sounds grew in number. The tap tap of shoes, someone moving about on the walkways around him, and a woman sobbing. Leaning further out from his crouch he swept the ground floor until he spotted a small, hunched figure underneath the broken helicopter. His pupils narrowed as he concentrated on the woman, details becoming cleaner as he focused. Truthfully he didn't need his eyes to show him her grief, the deep racking of her sobs and the scent of loss, flooded out from her like waves. His hunger receded in the face of such pain, the old knight in him rallying at the thought of a woman having to feel the touch of the soul destroying emotion. Frowning slightly, he slipped from his crouch, snagging broken ropes to slow his fall to the ground. His boots hit with the barest of sound, his coat slapping softly against the backs of his legs. Pausing, he took a step forward, hesitant as to whether to offer his words or not. "A lady should not cry so." He finally said, his voice gentle.
♍ It must have been minutes before she could think past the pain again. The back of her hand wiped the tears and snot from her face. Catori wiped her hand against her pants, she'd wash them when she got home. The tap of his feet against the floor and the man's voice cut through the prison. She instantly righted herself, sitting up, her hand gripping the stock of her rifle once more, the barest of residual whines escaping her throat. She couldn't shoot, but if he made any advancement on her, she'd be perfectly able to attempt to knock him out. Her chest was lighter and she could breathe easier. Her temple ached and throbbed from her time spent releasing those memories. She disregarded his words and focused on the fact that he was here.
"What are you doing here?"
♍ She questioned as she stood, her voice shaky but not broken. Catori refused to go down as her father did, especially in a place such as this. She hounded herself that she hadn't been more attentive to her surroundings.
Watching the two Tika crept from the shadows and onto the wooden bridge, she sat down watching them she made sure to stay silent as she didn't want to be attacked nor have either of them think she was a threat. She was neither as of right now. Letting her feet dangle from the bridge as she sat she tilted her head to the side, finally deciding to speak, her voice soft and gentle "One might ask you the same question my dear." She narrowed her eyes to get a better look at the woman, and at the man whom seemed to appear out of nowhere.
Gabriel held his hands out, an offering of peace. He didn't want to get shot, in his experience it tended to hurt. He watched her pull herself together in an admirable amount of time. He felt slightly awkward, like he'd interrupted some important event, which he probably had but he was here now so he'd make the most of it. "Straight to business, I like that in a woman." He said, a slight smile turning the edge of his lips. He looked her over now that she was stood facing him. Nice face, and she obviously knew how to handle herself from what he could tell of her stance. She was expecting a fight. His head slid slowly up at the second voice, a petite blonde. "Well that question could be applied to all three of us yes? Just out for a stroll myself."
♍ Her head snapped to the woman who spoke. She calculated the odds of making it out alive were it to come to that. Catori's grip on her rifle only grew tighter, her knuckles going white from anger both at herself for allotting not one but two people to come up without her knowledge. When the man moved his hands, she flinched, her rifle arcing into the sway she'd held before. Her left hand righted her hair from her face, she couldn't afford to have wet bangs cloud her view. His demeanor showed that he meant no harm, but she didn't relax around him.
"I've business here. It's concluded."
♍ She kept her sentences short and to the point.
Tika shrugged, "Very well then, I'll let you be, was merely curious to see who would be in a place like this, not many come here for a simple visit." Standing she smiled at the man, she liked him, she then turned and smiled at the woman, "I hope that you will be here still, I've got somethings to take care of, but I'll be back soon." With that she dashed off into one of the chambers giggling a bit at the prospect of a plaything, she needed to change her bandages as well as get some rest.
Gabriel's smile faltered at her clipped tone. She obviously wasn't one for small talk. His eyes went from the barrel of her rifle to her face, considering whether he could take it away from her before she pulled the trigger. In reality, he didn't want to hurt her, not after the grief he had seen. He wondered what sort of business she could possibly have in a forsaken hole like this, it has been abandoned for years though someone had obviously come for the bodies. He shook his head to clear the bangs from his face and debated what course of action to take. "I'm not going to hurt you." He said, the words sounding lame even to him. He wondered if his eyes still shone with thirst or if she was that trigger happy. "Honest." He added, making a boy scout symbol with one hand.
♍ Catori swung the rifle gently, it calmed her down as it moved between her two hands. Her left, her dominant hand, allowed the rifle to spin around it once and twice before she let it move to her right hand. She weighed his words with his stance and the smile he'd given her. His eyes. She hadn't noticed his eyes. She'd been careless again. Vampyre. She fought the urge to groan in disgust. At the very least, he was lucky he wasn't a lycan. Catori stopped spinning the rifle and set the butt on the floor with a small clank.
"Alright."
♍ She nodded towards him, inclining her head to show she'd do him no harm.
"What Vampyre takes a stroll out here?"
♍ She emphasized the word stroll, letting it roll off her tongue as slowly as possible.
Tika returned shortly and she'd put on fresh bandages on her body, her clothing covering most of them save for the ones that were wrapped around her hands and wrists, she looked like a mummy and found it rather amusing. Smiling she made her way back to the two and chirped in at the woman's question. "Well, some of us are out looking for something, while others are seeking refuge from those who'd do them harm." She tilted her head sideways as she was still standing on the bridge, she smiled at the two of them as she jumped from the bridge and landed lightly on a boulder. She sat down cross legged still smiling, "I assure you that I too mean you no harm, simply curious as to who was making such a ruckus in this forsaken place."
Gabriel lowered his hands, resting them on his belt then considering that may be a bad position so close to his own guns. He finally settled on just letting them hang loose at his sides. The young bandaged Vampyre had returned and he briefly wondered what had happened to her. He blinked. She knew he was a Vampyre? Did his fangs show when he spoke? He'd had a fair amount of practice to stop himself doing that and he sure that he could pass for human on occasion. Unless of course this woman was 'in the know'. He shrugged his shoulders with a smile at her question, "This is a historic place, the grave for two Elders, something that's never happened before." He leveled his gaze on her, "Wouldn't have anything to do with why you're here would it?"
♍ The woman's answer had been enough to let her know that she too was a Vampyre. Her defenses instantly shot up again and she retorted a bit louder than she had intended.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's none of your business who comes around here." She looked the man directly in the eye. "And I'm well aware of the history of this place."
She let the yes in her answer hang between them as a gust of cold air rushed from the hole in the ceiling, the helicopter's blades creaked ever so slightly. Catori breathed deeply.
Looking up at the blades Tika shuddered and moved out from the spot, she found one that seemed a bit safer even though it was behind Catori, she felt a bit more comfortable not sitting under the hulking piece of metal. She picked up a small rock and gently turned it over in her hands, she looked up at Catori then to the man, the woman's answer seemed to fill in some blanks as to the reasons why she was here. "Mmm, so you've come to grieve, that would be the only logical explanation since you were crying several minutes ago." She tilted her head again and eyed the woman. "You are very brave, but not so smart, you should know how unwise it is to come to a place like this."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow at the blonde vampyre, tact it seemed was not her forte. The helicopter groaned in the wind and he eyed the rope and wood that kept it suspended, probably not a good place to stand with the condition of the supports in mind. "Some people may need a filter between their brain and their mouth." He said, pointedly glancing at the vampyre, "We don't want to put our friend here on guard anymore than she already is." He held out a hand to the woman, though she probably wouldn't take it, her hostility told him that, "Maybe standing under that thing isn't such a good idea." He suggested.
♍ How she wished she'd brought her Walther with her. She was currently more inclined to shoot first and ask questions later. Catori didn't take his hand, although she did move with him, turning at an angle so they were both in front of her. As far as the late Corvinus's men knew, no one came here. Although she wouldn't tell them that. She silently admired his chivalry. She'd never expected a vampyre to be like that. Everything she knew about them was that they were mindless men and women underneath Viktor. And the lycans were less than that. She disregarded the statement the woman made and only nodded in reply to the man. Calling him Vampyre again wouldn't do her any good, so she did her introductions.
"My name is Catori."
Shaking her head she thought to herself 'What's gotten into you, usually you're not like this.' Sighing she looked up at Catori and stood, she bowed a bit, and cleared her throat, "I'm Tika, and I do apologize for not being a bit more considerate, I've unfortunately been in hiding for the last few days, and haven't had much contact with other people, let alone another kin." Glancing at the man then back to Catori. "I didn't mean to come off as rude or impolite earlier,so again, my apologies." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled a bit more warmly at her and at Gabriel.
Gabriel nodded his acceptance of the other vampyre's apology, dropping his offered hand. It had been a while since a woman had been skittish around him. Since leaving the Coven they had either known what he was and not cared or remained ignorant, content with a charming smile and a few compliments. He stood still, allowing Catori her space. "Catori." He said, savoring the sound of it on his tongue, he liked it. "I am Gabriel, it is a pleasure. Forgive me for startling you." He apologised as was proper.
♍ Again she simply nodded at the apology, not truly taking any of it to heart. She softly repeated the vampyre Tika's name after she spoke it, committing it to memory. Catori shivered when Gabriel spoke hers aloud. She was still quite damp from the swim, earlier and she brushed her arms with her hands to show she was cold. Her rifle leaned against her hip as she did this.
"It's fine, Gabriel, Tika."
♍ She addressed them both. She was so used to superficial friendships, no one had seen her cry before. It was strange to her that they both knew that part of her. Catori paused a moment before cocking her head to the side.
"Either of you know an easy way out? One that doesn't involve me going for another swim."
She shook her head "No, the only other way out would be to maybe climb out of the hole that the helicoptor is hanging from, but that would be inadvisable...seeing as how it's not very stable and well, not safe either, the best way I know of is to swim, sorry dear." She looked at the woman, then taking off down one of the other chambers she went to grab a blanket, she returned a few minutes later. "Here, why don't you warm up a bit before you leave...if you'd like I can get you something to drink as well." Tika had come prepared, she had made sure to call for some supplies before she'd arrived. she was glad that they had been delivered to the prison as she had requested. Holding out the blanket she waited for the woman take it.
Gabriel smiled inwardly as Catori shivered, the chill breeze did pleasant things to her wet skin. "She's right, the only dry way out of here is up." He agreed, pointing towards the broken roof where he himself had entered. I'd be willing to lend a hand if you really don't want the swim?" He asked courteously, though his stomach growled rather audibly at Tika's mention of a drink. He laughed lightly, hoping the two women hadn't heard.
♍ The squelch of Gabriel's stomach gave her pause. She had no reason to carry any blood on her, aside from what was underneath her flesh. She eyed the overhang of the roof for a moment and weighed the options of swimming versus letting him get that close to her. 'Skin on skin contact is an excellent way of producing warmth.' Her mind teased and Catori sternly brushed that thought aside. Her rifle would do her no good if it continually got wet. She eyed the vampyre.
"What's the price of your help?"
She'd heard the light laugh, and eyed Gabriel suspiciously, and wondered if he might try something with the woman, she was armed and while she'd seemed to relax a bit, she wasn't trusting either of them fully. "I'll help too if need be, I've got some rope that you could use to tie to a ledge out on the roof, if your really wanting to go that way that is." The thought of Gabriel helping Catori didn't seem like a very wise thing, but she bit her tongue aside from offering the rope she had.
Gabriel's smile widened at Catori's question, he couldn't help himself. Several forms of payment flashed through his mind but none of them seemed appropriate at this point in time. "No price, can't a gentleman aid a lady just out of courtesy?" He glanced at Tika, "Your help would be appreciated but I would not trust a rope to hold on these decaying beams...I was thinking of alternate ways to get to the top." He added cryptically.
♍ Catori pushed her rifle from her hip and caught its tip with her hand, she nodded at them both and eyed the closest set of stairs. The thought of climbing via helicopter sounded like enough fun and exercise, even if there was the danger mixed in. Hell, she was immortal, she could do whatever she pleased, save getting her head chopped off. Or worse, being bitten. She raised her brow at Tika, expecting the rope to be a good one and not something the vampyre had found lying around. She wasn't quite sure if she trusted Gabriel's alternate ways, she'd have to see an example of it, first.
"Forgive me for being hesitant, but I'd rather you show these alternate ways off before you drag me along like some rag doll."
Returning with a 3" thick manila rope, it had been delivered with her supplies, "This should be good, its about 200 feet, and I brought it with me in case I needed it for something, I'm still not liking the idea of her climbing up the helicopter, if anything one of us can go in front, the other can go behind you, in case you loose your grip or start to fall, not saying you will, simply a precautionary measure." Tika was a bit worried about the helicopter and if it would hold all three of them. The blades creaked again and it swayed a bit as a wind blew through the prison. She grimaced in response. "Its up to you dear. We can climb or you could swim."
Gabriel's smile stretched into a grin. He liked this woman, she was fiery and willful. Without pre-empt he took one long step forward and jumped, using his enhanced strength to propel him a good 30 feet into the air and up onto the remains of the second story staircase. Turning, he leapt to the side, using an outcrop of broken stone to aid his descent back to the ground, landing with an ease of grace born of practice. He flourished a bow and then looked to Catori with a glint in his eye. "All perfectly safe I assure you, you wouldn't slow me down in the least."
♍ She caught the sight of the blades creaking and heard the small howl of wind. Catori wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, rifle between her knees pointed at her crotch while she secured the blanket, almost making it cape-like.
"Put my underwear on the outside of my pants and I'm Superman."
♍ Catori made the dry joke after he returned to the floor and smiled briefly. She lifted her rifle and held it out in front of Gabriel, staring him down for what seemed like the nth time that day.
"Any funny business and its your head."
♍ She looked back at Tika and wondered if the woman would follow suit. It beat getting wet again. Catori stepped closer to him, their bodies only the rifle's width from each other. She'd let him do whatever it took to get her up and out, next. Nothing more.
Tika chuckled at Catori's comment, "more like supergirl." She watched as Gabriel landed and eyed him, then nodded at Catori's word's knowing that they weren't really directed at her. "I'll follow behind in case anything happens." To show Catori she was more then capable of making the climb she too lept up to the second story then jumped up higher about 20 feet, onto a beam, then jumping from the beam back down to a ledge that was about forty feet from below she landed then landed back by Catori's side. "I'm just as capable as he is, so no worries, we both will make sure you get out safe and sound."
Gabriel did his best to keep a straight face as he approached Catori and leant down to loop his right arm around her waist. He tactfully didn't comment on the underwear issue, point for him. "You better hold on tight." He said lowly as he picked her up easily and pressed her against his side, securing her tightly. He grinned from inches away, "If you feel something hard, it's my sidearm I swear." Tensing, he made the leap to the second floor easily, pausing to adjust his grip on Catori, strong but gentle. He leap frogged from ledge to beam until they reached the roof. Stars twinkled down on the prison and reflected off the surrounding lake. "See, safe as houses."
♍ Catori clung to Gabriel for a moment or two longer than she had intended. The only hard thing she felt was her rifle pressed between their bodies. When she did remove her body from his, she hurriedly brushed her mostly dry hair aside and loosened the strap of her M19, setting it over her shoulder comfortably. She nodded towards Tika and straightened her face and clothes properly, the blanket still draped around her shoulders.
Tika nodded at the two of them "Well, I'll be seeing you two, I've got to attend to some business, see you both around, Catori, take care." She glanced at Gabriel and shook her head. "I hope she clobbers you." Then she made her way down from the roof top disappearing into the shadows as she left the two on the roof. She'd never been one for a mushy moment...and it seemed those two were going to have one.
Gabriel let Catori pull away from him, his eyes following the flow of silvery moonlight over her brown hair and blanketed shoulders. He shrugged his coat back into place and adjusted his gun straps so that they sat snug and didn't pinch. "See, no price, no payment. I shall be content with your gratitude my lady. I wish you safe passage on wherever your journey takes you next."
She would have been miffed if she hadn't spent the whole of their time together deciding on whether or not he was a threat. 'My, my,' she thought to herself. She'd like to see this Vampyre again. She even considered carrying some blood with her, from now on. Although she wasn't quite sure if it'd be a hindrance or a haven. Her eyes looked over him in appreciation, yes, she was grateful. Even if she could've gotten out on her own, had she so wished.
"You give your kind more credit than I had ever imagined."
♍ Her eyes flashed back to memories of life before the Elders were murdered. Before William had changed her father into that mindless beast that had to be put down. It was their war. The lines were muddled and she had come to dabble in their affairs. No, she would not be the unbiased, passive Immortal as her father was. Like her mother or even the greatest of them, Alexander. With that Catori then turned her back to Gabriel for the first time that night as she scanned the area for the landmark she'd noted when she'd first entered the area. Portugal was calling her.
Gabriel watched the emotions and hidden secrets move behind her eyes before she turned away from him. Such an interesting woman...Somehow he wanted to reach out to her but knew that she would never take his stranger's comfort, her exterior was too hard, too enforced with whatever she believed in so strongly. "I will look forward to seeing you again." He whispered by her ear before fading quickly into the night like a wraith.