#KeepLewishamWeird

[falsify]

Happy end-of-July everyone. The weekend of the 30th/31st will see a lot of Fae in the Lewisham area, and whilst it's a great place to get some clothes, stationary, and weird hipster decorations for your home all on the same trip... There aren't many Fae in need of that stuff. It doesn't take long for them to get in position, not bothering to wait for it to get dark before they start attacking vampire-run establishments. All at once. It's very much a coordinated attack. Come the second day, before they abscond, those with a lot of battle experience might notice something odd. It's almost like the fae aren't actually trying to take the area. They're certainly suffering some losses, but their goal seems to be just taking out as many vampires as possible before they vanish back into the Other Realm. But that's ludicrous right? Why bother with all those theatrics?

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EAMES

[falsify]

30TH//MORNING//OTA

Eames isn't here for long, mostly just to make sure his face is seen. Keep people on the lookout for the Unseelie Lord who's almost certainly at the heart of this.

He spends a lot of his morning picking up coffees and croissants and carting them off to various people (fae, mostly) in the area, checking in to make sure they're coordinated and ready and reminding them not to let any vampires within an inch of their veins if they can help it

Come the afternoon, when the fighting starts? He's nowhere to be seen. But before that he's a busybody who's all over the damn place.

30TH//EVENING//JEAN-CLAUDE

There's a reason no one's seeing Eames in Lewisham, probably because he's not actually there. By that evening he's at Guilty Pleasures instead, there to seek out the owner for some casual conversation and definitely not to try and get the man to plot a coup of his nest.

It's relatively quiet right now, before the time when the patrons really come pouring in, and Eames spots the owner sitting at a table. He moves over, leaning on the back of a chair with an easy smile, "mind if I join you?"

31ST//AFTERNOON//EVIE

Getting a hold of Frye isn't quite as simple, but she's one of few vampires he can tolerate. Moreover, she's smart and capable and has to know the current state of Islington is untenable. It's only a matter of time before they self-destruct and bring half of London with them.

He does get a hold of her though, and manages to arrange a meeting. Over dinner, no less, at a relatively upscale restaurant. It's almost ludicrously easy to conduct business in a place like this, because everyone else is too wrapped up in their own business to listen to yours and the waitstaff are too busy to listen to anything that isn't addressed directly to them. It's just a shame she's not really the sort of person to be softened up by a free meal in a fancy place, but you can't have everything.

In the meantime, Eames waits patiently at the table for her to arrive. He's a little early, enjoying some wine to tide himself over while he waits.

31ST//EVENING//OTA

It's important to get out before it's fully dark. The sun is already setting and the vampires are already testing the water, confident in the shadows that what little sun is left can't hurt them. And as much as he would've loved to take Lewisham back from these leeches, he knew it was a lost cause going in. Until the courts really start paying attention to what's going on out here? They just don't have the strength to do much of anything to anyone.

Except kill a lot of them anyway, which they have. And in Gurrellia fashion it's time to get the fuck away before they have the chance to retaliate in full.

Eames is back to help get the fae home, joining those opening doors by opening them in full sunlight, where only a few vampires can hope to interfere. It'd be far too easy to get overwhelmed and die here, and he very much intends to make sure that doesn't happen.

[freelife]

No, a free meal won't sway her, but it doesn't exactly hurt Eames. She's not completely sure what he wants to speak to her about, but Evie's got a good idea. They both know what will happen if Raymond stays in power for too long. The stakes are high for all involved, no pun intended.

Natasha was talking about money and influence. And Eames has quite a lot of it, judging from the restaurant.

Evie breezes past the hostess to where she's already spotted Eames. One of the things she learned early in life was that if you act like you belong somewhere, no one is going to question you. Social camouflage, and from her entrance it's clear she knows her way around this room. Approaching the table, she extends a hand. "Eames. A pleasure."

[falsify]

When she comes in, Eames' attention isn't on her so much as the hostess she ignored and who looks incredibly concerned until Evie reaches the table. A waiter sidles up, waiting patiently and clearly looking to pull her seat out for her, and Eames ducks his head with an amused look on his face before he acknowledges Evie with a smile.

"You sure about that?" It's good natured, a lazy smile on his face as he stands to take her hand.

[freelife]

She gives him a good, solid shake. She could smell him from outside, but now, here, she can practically taste him. Good thing the addictive properties of fae blood are not something she wants to have any sort of anything with. Her work is too important to her to let blood lust get in the way of it.

"Well, I hope you don't aim to prove me wrong." She slides into the chair, letting the waiter help her to the table.

"It's been some time, hasn't it?" Her smile is friendly as she looks across the table at him. It was likely at some event or another, they all tended to blend together if you weren't there to assassinate anyone.

[falsify]

Eames laughs softly as he takes his seat opposite her. He certainly isn't intending to prove her wrong, but who knows how this'll go. It's a touchy topic, Eames is well aware.

"I think it was before mobile phones," he says with a thoughtful wrinkle of his brow, as though he couldn't tell here exactly when and where they last saw eachother if pressed. Most things within half a century he can usually remember to the detail; it's a useful skill, but also largely unimportant right now. "What's brought you back anyway?"

[freelife]

"Quite likely." There, they'd acknowledged it had been a while, and that they'd previously known each other. Moving on.

"London's always been my city, I like to stop in from time to time, make sure she's alright. Protect the people. Obviously with the latest shake-ups, I made the right decision." Even if she'd been a catalyst to bring them about. She'd had no way of knowing it would lead to this. But she couldn't help but feel that she should have known.

That's why, this time, things were going to be planned.

[falsify]

Eames nods in understanding, that's something he gets. Despite his wanderlust, London is his home, and can't just up and leave her in this sorry state.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, actually." He puts an elbow on the table, leaning forward a little, "how are things inside Islington?"

[freelife]

Evie gives a bitter sort of chuckle, and shakes her head.

"Straight to the point, aren't you?" She can appreciate it, honestly. There's often far too much small talk and beating around the bush. "I made the right call in coming back- the nest is humming with activity. The recent upset has been... polarizing, to say the least. I cannot say my morals align with the current shift."

[falsify]

Eames doesn't believe in beating around the bush if he doesn't have to, in a lot of ways it's nice to just get straight to the point instead of having to butter someone up or talk circles around them.

"You and the rest of London." He sighs and takes a sip of his wine, like he's imparting some terrible news. It's great news for him honsetly, but for the vampires? Not so much. "You're on track to lose your Night Council seat at this rate."

[baisant]

Jean-Claude plans to be at the front in time. But he has a business to run, employees to tend to. And he cannot just put that on hold whenever there comes up a supernatural catastrophe in the city. Otherwise he would more and more often have to start putting his business on standby. Or hire a general manager to act for him in his absence. He's thinking he might have to do the latter anyway, but come hell or high water Guilty Pleasures must stay open while there's still business to be had.

And so it's easy to find him there, actually sitting instead of simply schmoozing the crowds like he usually does when the patrons are present. He raises an eyebrow at the other man, knowing that his presence here means it is not out with the conflict beyond. And gestures for the other man to take a seat. "Not at all. Though you will forgive me if I am slightly surprised to find you here, especially this evening, of all occasions..."

[falsify]

"If I was at every fae bloodbath, I'd never have a moment to myself," Eames answers smoothly as he sits just opposite Jean-Claude. Fights and hunts are a staple of his people, it's barely even an exaggeration. It's hardly as if he stopped going on hunts because of his conscience. "It's not like I don't agree something needs to change, I just think there are better ways to go about it."

You know, like scheming and going behind your enemy's back to co-opt members of their court into helping you destroy them.

[baisant]

Jean-Claude inclines his head somewhat in response, as though in acceptance of the other man's answer. He is not out on the battlefield himself after all. He is handling his business. A more long-lasting, sustainable endeavor than the single day of a faction dispute.

He leans across the table towards the fae. "What better ways did you have in mind?" he asks. Because he's not a fool. Eames is here instead of on the battlefield, after all. It doesn't take a genius to connect the dots.

[falsify]

"A change in leadership," Eames says, perfectly candid. Taking a sip of his drink as he watches Jean-Claude's face to see his reaction, and then to clarify he continues with, "yours, not ours."

You know. Just in case that wasn't clear.

[baisant]

Jean-Claude offers the fae man a simple nod, and if Eames is looking for a reaction across his face then he isn't likely to find one. Jean-Claude has had centuries in the French courts to perfect the art of keeping his mask on.

"You wish to handle such matters yourself?" he asks. It would not be the first time an outsider has sought to overthrow their leadership after all, though recent past experience really should have taught them better by now.

[falsify]

"I'd really rather not." God, is there anything he'd rather have a hand less in than vampire politics. And he's had his hands in some gross shit. Thanks, 17th century. He reclines with a nonchalant sigh and shrugs a shoulder, "but, if there was a paradigm shift inside the nest? I might help facilitate that a little."

[baisant]

Jean-Claude raises an eyebrow at the other man approvingly. This is not the suggestion that he had been anticipating after all. He wonders whether Eames knew of his own efforts, in coming to him, or had simply settled on speaking with Jean-Claude as the lesser in the long list of evils.

"Facilitate," Jean-Claude repeats, the word sounding infinitely more French as he rolls it around in his own mouth. "I am listening." Indeed, it should be apparent that Eames has his most rapt attention now.

[falsify]

Eames smirks softly over the rim of his glass, both amused and pleased with how this is going so far. He wouldn't be here if he didn't expect Jean-Claude to be receptive to his suggestion, but Eames is also old enough to know that expectations and reality are frequently two very different things.

"Well if Harris just up and died, it'd only cause another power vaccuum. But if there was another replacement at the ready, someone who understood that this kind of mindless slaughter is bad for everyone..." He trails off with an airy gesture, allowing Jean-Claude to fill in the blank.

30th / morning

[iustitiae]

Connor isn't sure he's capable of being useful here, like, at all, but here he is anyway. He walks up to Eames, quirking an eyebrow at the breakfast foods. "That's it? That's your plan? I didn't realize territory disputes were quite so casual."

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"An army marches on its stomach, Mr. Walsh." For a man who's never been in the military, Eames conveys that 'bored general' tone pretty well. His body language is totally casual as he tosses a croissant Connor's way, completely expecting him to catch it.

[iustitiae]

Luckily for Eames, Connor does catch it, and starts eating it, too, since he's been offered breakfast. Not going to turn down real food. "Sounds like a good theory anyway, even if it's bullshit."

[falsify]

Eames rolls his eyes-- kids these days, what are they being taught? Seriously.

"Hungry armies die," he throws a toastie toward a passing fae as if to make his point and sighs, "might not be the only factor, but it's still significant."

[iustitiae]

"Yes, I'm sure. But I also give the benefit of the doubt that they know how to eat before going into enemy territory." You know, as a thought.

[falsify]

"I like to make sure." You know, like when you go to a tattoo artist and they ask if you've eaten before they start. Except just bringing food to this many people seems more expedient. "It's going to be a long couple of days."

[iustitiae]

"Are you really expecting this to last that long?" Admittedly, he knows very little about territory disputes or what kind of time they take. But hey, yay for first hand learning.

Open

[loveconquersdinosaurs]

Thomas, naturally, is completely and utterly opposed to the attack. Of course there had been plenty of vampires who had it coming with the way so much of their nest had been lately, but the problem was, there were plenty of vampires who didn't. Not even counting the fact that letting their territories be nibbled away a piece at a time would be disastrous, Thomas still felt he should at least back up those vampires who hadn't gotten caught up in the whole sale slaughter Raymond had sold so many on.

And that was why he was in Lewisham in a fishnet shirt, tight blue jeans, a belt around his waist holding the holster that carried his gun, as well as his sword and a small pouch filled with iron nails. Unfortunately, that was the only source of iron he could find on short notice. It would have to do.

He mostly stayed out of sight, watching the action before making his move, waiting until he spotted one of the invaders trying to go after one of the vampire residents. Then, he'd pull out a nail, take aim, and throw it like it was a dart, using his vampire strength to make it a little more forceful than it usually would be. Sometimes the back of the nail would end up hitting his foe, however, so he'd try again. The goal here, of course, was to distract them and let the other vampire get some of the advantage, before he'd draw his sword and gun to join in on the fighting.