[Remy]

The last time Remy was in Hesia, it hadn't been out of her own will. This time was no different. The small vampire disliked travelling outside of Espur, but what could she do but obey when her director gave the command?

The Hesian Cabal were already expecting Remy and Dominik's visit. When Landon originally made the contact with Hesia, he hadn't planned to share why they were visiting, but Hesia was adamant and the answer was bound to get out soon. So Landon had provided it: Dom's human cousin lived in Hesia and was now missing. Dom wanted to look for his cousin, and Remy was a young vampire who Dom took out to learn the ropes.

As her hunter companion wandered into a nearby bar in search of his 'cousin', Remy found a bench. Sitting, she rested her backpack onto her lap and unbuckled the sunflower-patterned front. Pulling out her COM, she pinged Paula that she'd arrived, that Dom was close at hand, and yada yada. Paula would relay the message to Landon. For a moment, she glanced toward the tinted windows where Dom was now mingling with strangers. Then, she clutched her COM tightly to look as if she were waiting for somebody, and sat back.

Bars were a place of loose tongues and abundant rumors. She hoped that Dom might find a few leads. Even though Dom was looking for a redhead human named Leon Seesu, they were really looking for a redheaded vampire. But how would you look for someone you've never met? What little Remy knew about Gerald Iepthae had been provided from a file. The director had sent Gerald on errands in Nubia a couple of times, but the last time Gerald left Espur, he never came back. And when a little birdie from Hesia mentioned that Gerald might be in town...

Remy crossed her arms and people-watched. She didn't expect to do much on her first day except scope their surroundings. But already, she could sense someone watching her and she did not wish to stand out any more than necessary. Kicking her legs around, she pressed buttons on her COM to begin a game. She was just a random Hesian waiting on a bench for somebody.

((FYI Remy's mental shields will be heavy for the duration of this thread))

[Argyris]

"That little girl? You sure?" Argyris' voice was low, in an attempt keep the conversation private. Her companion, an older vampire named Elric, scoffed at her dubious tone.
"Have a little faith in my senses won't you? Not every vampire is bound to rules as tight as we are."
"Then she could be an apprentice..."
"Hah! Like those lowlifes have the times to sitting around in the middle of the day when there's work to be done. Not everyone's like you, little pampered princess-knight." The older vampire scoffed again, letting his gaze run over foreign vampire once more. "Oh no, she's... definitely not a bottom feeder. Go take a stroll through her mind if you really want to make sure, Argyris."

"I don't have Charmer skills, remember? But okay I'll take your word for it. I've seen and memorised her appearance already, can I go back to work now?" Argyris turned to leave, but her uniform-clad shoulder was held onto threateningly. She stopped moving, and the grip relaxed.

"Che. That's why I call you a princess; so haughty, and useless. Your superiors have put you on an indefinite leave of absence, so go say hi to that little girl and bring her around the city, okay?"

Argyris looked up the ex-human, eyes widened. "What?! When-Why? Gah, forget I asked. Hind's teeth, the cabal better support me in both blood and cash during this time." She waved off Elric's reply, not even bothering to register whatever he said. She waited a second before approaching the little purple-haired girl, the trademark Hesian Knight Smile on her face. The child appeared to be engrossed in her COM, but going by what Elric said, she ought to be aware of the attention she was attracting. Not wishing to place any more pressure or appear threatening, Argyris decided to do it the Apali way and approach her upfront.

She crossed the foreign vampire's line of sight (had she looked up) before sitting down beside her on the bench. They were close enough to speak without having to raise their voices, but were not yet touching. "It's not safe for you to be alone here. Though I suppose you're not. And it's pretty much going to stay that way, unfortunately. I've been assigned to be your closest friend ever for the duration you'll be spending in Hesia. No doubt your companion or companions will be similarly afflicted as well." And just in case the girl decided to play dumb, Argyris smiled widely enough to show the tips of her fangs. "Well, I'm Argyris, Elyxendria Agryris. A proud Hesian Knight and citizen, and also a member of the Dark Sun Cabal of Hesia. Let's try to get along, shall we?"

[Remy]

Feet kicking idly at one of the legs of the bench, Remy pressed the buttons of her COM as the hydra on the screen moved left and right to maneuver through a maze. She wasn't trying hard at the game—it was ridiculously slow at the beginning levels. As the hydra maneuvered bit-by-bit past flaming arrows and spiked walls, Remy continued to build layers of spikes and stones around her own mind. At one side, she felt the slight tap of a kindred being at the walls of her mental maze, but it withdrew before she could pinpoint the owner.

So when a red-haired woman walked toward the bench, bright hazel eyes lit toward the stranger as she took the seat beside Remy. At first glance, Remy recognized that this was not the same being who had bumped minds with her. The redhead had pointy fangs, however, so Remy knew her for what she was. Mouth curling into a child's wide grin, Remy shut the screen of her COM (her game was lost, anyway) and gave her own introduction. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Argyris. My name is Remy, and I draw on cakes.” She was not obligated to share anything else unless the woman of the Dark Sun asked for it.

Remy was not surprised to have been approached by a vampire so quickly. Any foreign vampire would have been tailed just as soon in Espur. The only difference here was that Argyris had bothered to make introductions. For a moment, she glanced toward the distant bar, wondering about the sort of person Dom had been saddled with.

She didn't know what to think about having a Knight at her disposal. Argyris was of the cabal, yes, but she also held legal authority in the city. The situations could turn either way with this guard. Deciding to gauge the stranger, Remy spoke politely with a quirk to her lips. “I would like to get along with my new close friend. Wanna take a stroll?”

[Argyris]

Argyri's smile relaxed when the girl did not attempt to put up a fight, quizzcal amusement colouring her face when the girl talked about drawing and cakes. Perhaps it was an Espurian euphuism. She would ask about that later, if there was a suitable opportunity to. An unlikely possibility, since Remy was on business and not leisure. Elric had informed her, along with a sarcastic rebuke that she should check her COMs more often, that the Hesian vampires were here to look for someone. A cousin, apparently. The Dark Sun took accepted the given reason, but as Argyris' presence proved, was none too trusting of those of The Ruby Claw.

Her lips covering her canines once again, she tried to get a feel of Remy's power level. Argyris had no intention of fighting the vampire herself as of yet; she was a Hesian Knight. However it was precisely because she was a Hesian Knight, leave or no leave, that she had to inquire about Remy's abilities. "Sure, do you have any idea where you would like to go to first? If not, I recommend the Verisimilitude. Or Guildhall, as we call it. Not too far from here, it is one of the few places where those of our kind can feed without being labeled as a rogue."

Argyris herself had just drunk her obligatory one pint earlier in the morning, so she would be able to hold out for some time. As per duty, she explained the relationship of Hesia and its vampires to Remy as if she were just another curious traveler and not a foreign vampire. It did not even occur to her that Remy might have known about the rules of Hesia already. "By Hesian law, all vampires are held up to a Vampiric Oath of Peace, brokered between the Knight-Commander Aitemeo Pinimos and Bernan Ellis. It's long and lengthy, and yes there's a song version of it just like the original Hesian Oath of Peace, but it's not as popular. The main gist is basically 'Fangs off Hesians' and 'No feeding in public'. As a vampire in Hesia you're expected to adhere to these rules. Even drinking bottled blood is not allowed on city streets, and since I am a Hesian Knight...Well the penalty for flouting them is death. So, would you prefer to go have a drink at the Guildhouse first or leave it for later?"

[Remy]

Terrence had debriefed her about all the important stuff that there was to know about the Dark Suns. He'd lectured about Hesia's blood monopoly, their strict no-drinking rules, and especially the Oath of Peace. She hadn't known about the musical version of the oath though, and thought it a great shame that Terrence hadn't sung it to her. Her eyes lit up in slight humor at the very thought of the stone-faced giant singing. As she simultaneously listened to Argyris and scanned the crowds again, her expression grew more solemn as the topic went to death penalties. She would be very careful not to offend the Dark Sun. Neither would she feed. She had promised that to Landon, and she'd never dare break a promise to the Director.

Remy had not been aware of the name of Dark Sun's headquarters, but it seemed reasonable that the cabal should have one. The Ruby Claws had their theater and the Black Roses a hotel. Remy wondered what sort of building the Verisimilitude was, and she was tempted to look. However, she'd rather not walk straight into a nest of foreign vampires without familiarizing herself beforehand. Anyway, she had business to conduct.

Remembering that she should appear as a young fledgling, Remy held two fingers to her lips in thought of a good excuse. Shaking her head, she asked, “Can we leave it for later? I had my drink yesterday so I won't feel woozy for a while,” and continuing with a proud smile, “Teddy says that I'm improving. I used to drink so much before—my friends kept watch to make sure that I did. I didn't like the taste back then, and I still think it's odd even now. Like metal...” She was rambling and mixing truths into lies that she would have to remember later. Most of her childish enthusiasm was genuine though.

Tucking her COM into the front pouch of her bag as she stood, Remy smiled kindly at the other vampire. “I would be happy for some hot chocolate or apple juice. If we may go there, I know of a bakery along Cheefle Street off Akakios Lane. Can you lead the way?” Remy did not know if the Dark Sun had an agenda for her, but she'd make her own path while the option was still possible. Right now, she had an appointment with one of Paula's contacts. If they met up, Remy hoped that he'd provide a good lead.

[Argyris]

Argyris gave a wry smile at Remy's response. It was coming close to half a century and for her nothing had improved. She liked it that way. That she still found the thought of drinking blood unpleasant helped to reassure the Hesian Vampire that she was more than just that. The need for another identity was the driving force behind her relentless work ethic as a Knight and bounty hunter; Argyris did not want "Vampire" to become her primary identifier. Or an identifier at all. If only there was a way to reverse the virus that haunted her body... But there was none.

"Sure, hot chocolate sounds lovely."

As Argyris stood, she almost held out a hand to the younger-looking vampire from habit. At the last moment she awkwardly took back her half-outstretched hand, letting it rest on the hilt of her rapier. She had come very close to potentially offending the Espurian vampire. For those afflicted with the Bloodlust, looks were deceiving, incredibly so. Remy could very well be decades older than she; though what the Espurian had said earlier seemed to indicate that the girl was indeed as young as she looked. In vampire terms anyway.

As she started heading towards the street Remy mentioned, Argyris consciously shortened her strides to match that of the smaller Vampire. She flipped open her own COM, skimming through the usual instructions from the higher ups of the Dark Sun. The second message took her by surprise, and made her frown. The kidnapper was a prolific one, it seemed. Argyris tried not to let her emotions show on her face; the information that had been sent out may or may not have been for public consumption. For the time being, it was best for her to act as if she was not a Knight despite what she had said to Remy earlier.

---

OOC: You can skip to the bakery if you'd like ^^

[Remy]

The extended hand had not gone unnoticed to Remy, but the smaller vampire merely ignored the brief pause as Argyris lowered the hand toward the hilt of her Knight sword. Hopping off of the bench, red boots planted themselves onto the cobblestones and turned as Remy strode toward one of the larger roads. As the Hesian Knight shortened her strides to match Remy's the young vampire smiled slightly. Her smile wasn't a smile of gratitude, but mostly one of acknowledgement of the considerate action. Even so, Remy was already well-accustomed to walking briskly and matching people's paces.

Neither vampire talked much as they walked side by side. As the vampire of the Dark Sun walked and checked the COM, Remy had to refrain from sending a mental eye toward the stranger's screen. From the first moment of their meeting, Remy had realized that the other vampire was a charmer like herself. She would tread lightly until she knew how skilled the other vampire was.

The small bakery was sandwiched between two other stores of the building toward the end of Akakios Lane. It was quite close to the bar, and as they neared the store, Remy quickened her steps to run ahead of Argyris. Placing both palms on the heavy oak door, she pushed it open by a crack and slid through the opening. As she spotted her target sitting at a table for two, she sent a private ping into the therian's mind. “With a Knight of the Sun.” It was vague, but Brenden would understand the need for discretion. Half-skipping toward the seat next to Brenden, Remy piped to her firey-haired companion, “Brenden! So good to see you again! May I introduce you to my friend Argyris?” And to the approaching waiter, she asked, “Can we have a third seat?”

Seeing the Hesian Knight, the tan therian stood and extended his hand in greeting. “Argyris? Good to meet you. Brenden Kerne.”

Backing into the empty wicker chair across from Brenden, Remy reached her arms behind to grasp the handles and pull herself into the seat. As she positioned her messenger bag onto her lap, she smiled pleasantly between her two acquaintances as Brenden and Argyris exchanged brief introductions. The air smelled of fresh bread and warm coffee. Their new setting reminded her of home, and the thought made her happy.

[Argyris]

Argyris had raised both eyebrows when Remy suddenly sprinted ahead. Was hot chocolate and apple juice so appealing? She lengthened her strides, briskly walking towards the building Remy had disappeared into moments ago. Widening the gap between the wooden door and its frame, she let herself in. The smell of bread was evident, but still she looked around the store for traces of suspicious activity.

Her attention moved back to Remy and the Therian she was speaking to, when she heard her name being spoken. Argyris smiled in amusement at the preceding "my friend". She grasped Brenden's proffered hand and gave it a light shake. Her firmer handshakes were reserved for on-duty occasions, when she needed to assert some level of basic authority. Neither the Dark Sun nor her commander had told her to take action, so right now she was just 'Remy's friend' and not an enforcer of any kind.

"The pleasure's mine. And don't worry; you're not in trouble - I'm off-duty, just tagging along with Remy." Making a show of looking around and breathing in deeply, she continued. "You've quite the business going on here; I've no idea what it is, but something smells positively delicious. - Ah, thank you; no, it's fine, it's fine."

The waiter had returned bearing another wicker chair. Argyris awkwardly refused to let the young man tuck her into her seat. Instead she took the chair from him, placing it between Remy and Brenden. Shifting it slightly closer to Remy as she sat down, Argyris asked for a cup of hot chocolate. She needed to reassess Remy, it seemed. Her initial impression was that this was the first time the purple-haired vampire had been here in Hesia. Certainly that had been the impression that Elric's words had given her. Remy's familiarity with the way to this place and first-name(?) relationship she had with Brenden said otherwise however. Interesting, but perhaps she was overthinking things. It would be better to focus her mind on other matters of interest, but sadly she was in no position to do so.

[Remy]

As the waiter shifted attention to a different table, Brenden leaned into the back of his seat and clasped his hands together. “Well good, because I've done nothing worth getting in trouble for,” and as he gestured toward the cafe's counter, “You'll have to thank my good friend Amelia for the delicious smells. Her bakers just finished a fresh batch of danish pastries.” Glancing toward Remy, he continued, “Strawberry filling, topped with a glaze of vanilla and sugar, almonds, and raspberries.”

“Mmm, I should get one of those,” remarked Remy as she met Brenden's gaze with an even smile. Now he was just showing off, no doubt to bargain for better compensation for his services. Prior to Remy and Dom's arrival in Hesia, the Ruby Claw had commissioned Brenden for some scout work. But Paula's acquaintance or not, Brenden wasn't getting anything from the Ruby Claw until he produced what they wanted.

“Yeah? You should bring some for the folks at home too.”

“Yes, I'll need to drop by once I've finished my tour of Hesia.”

At this point, the therian fidgeted and tucked his feet under his chair. “Oh aye? Have you seen The Wall yet?”

Was this a hint? “Sadly not yet. I might take a look at it if there's time today,” or rather, if their search led them to the Wall. She glanced toward Argyris pleasantly, as if she were inquiring their 'friend' about the day's plans.

“If you happen to visit, try to take care. The Wall's not as young as it used to be and though masons have tried to patch it up, it's still a little crumbly.”

“Haha, I'll need a helmet then. You wouldn't have any to spare, would you?”

Brenden chuckled and shook his head. “Even if I did, it would be too large for you. Anyway, I'd sooner give it to your pretty friend,” he remarked with roguish smile at the red-head. Now the Therian reached into his jacket and pulled out a tan envelope. “But here. This might help navigate the area.”

Finally. There was no way she could see the contents without the presence of the knight, so Remy ignored all pretense and ripped open the top of the envelope. A thick leather wristband fell onto the table. Folded with the wristband was a short list of locations Gerald was known to frequent in Hesia, she realized as she unfolded the piece of paper. One happened to be a pub near The Wall. Remy smiled truly then, and her fangs showed slightly from below her lips.

“Oh, I think it will.” Tilting her face toward the waiter as he returned to their table, Remy said, “I'll have some hot chocolate to go. And Argyris, would you like something?”

[Argyris]

Argyris made no disguise of looking at the envelope Brenden passed to Remy. There was little outstanding about it, but the same could not be said of its contents. A wristband, and a note. She scanned the words on the note; written on it were the names of several places in Hesia. Some were obscure, while others were well-known. While the paper did not explicitly have the Wall written on it, Argyris had a feeling they would be going near it anyway. The Therian had hinted at it, and the Wall was a fairly sizeable structure that had a habit of attracting all sorts of activity. Argyris largely considered the structure to be a soon-to-be-outdated relic from the past, but there were people who found a certain allure in its uneven shape. From both the outside and within, and often the activity was less-than-desirable.

"Hot chocolate as well I suppose. Can't dodge falling debris well on a empty stomach."

Argyris waited till the waiter came back with their orders before standing and moving to the exit of the store. She continuing standing on the threshold on the pretense of holding the door open for Remy, but was far enough from the table that Remy and Brenden could exchange a few words in private if they so wished. Argyris valued privacy, and were it not for her orders she would not have even stuck so close to the Espurian in the first place. As it were, Argyris figured that Remy deserved a little bit of breathing space.

[Remy]

Argyris had been generous enough to stroll toward the door, and therefore grant Remy some time to talk alone to Brenden. Remy was immediately suspicious of the redhead's actions—was Argyris so lax because there were others of the Dark Sun around? Glancing about her surroundings, Remy didn't dare risk a ping into the crowds, lest she find the answer she sought for. She decided instead to shift her attention to the upcoming task. Pocketing Gerald's wristband and Brenden's notes, Remy said quietly, “Thanks for this, Paula will get in touch.”

“I know. Give my regards, and” the therian nodded and said quietly, “Pleased to meet your acquaintance.”

Their false pretenses would have been blown if Argyris had heard that. Of all the obnoxious things for the therian to do. With a nod and a curt “likewise”, Remy took her hot chocolate turned for the exit.

After asking Argyris for directions to the Wall, Remy walked beside the taller vampire quietly. She wondered at what the redhaired woman could be thinking about all this, but did not attempt to check. Instead, she sipped at her rapidly-cooling hot chocolate, which promised at least some comfort during her trek to the Wall. As they stepped across the cracked cobblestone streets and occasionally checked for loose stones in the Wall, Remy reached into her pocket and offered Brenden's list to Argyris. “Honestly, I've heard only of the vile Leviathan.” They were headed to that pub first, not in the least because a long-gone friend had talked about it a long time ago. “Do you know any of these other places?” She would have preferred not to share the list with the cabal-member, but Argyris was all Remy could use in Espur for now.

((Thought I'd pick this up again. PM me if you want to plot away, or we'll just post whatever comes to mind like before. ))