undergrounds | Five Years Later...

Five Years Later...

A lot can change in five years. Students who were at Redbright have now started their careers. People have moved out, moved in, started a new life together or apart. Some move on from the city while others return to it. But while the lives of its residents continue to grow and change, London remains as it has ever been: a focal point for magical power.

A tentative peace
The last five years have not been without conflict, both internal and external. The vampires have played with the politics of in-fighting and backstabbing. The werewolves have overthrown their leader and chosen a new alpha. The witches have suffered one scandal after another. And the fae have quietly engineered a small change here, a personal revenge there, until finally with Redbright and Hillingdon acting as neutral parties a peace agreement was reached between Circle Daybreak, the Islington Nest and the East End Pack. Their territories are still beholden to the same rules (e.g. vampires are still forbidden to enter East End territory and vice versa) but they are no longer in open conflict. Small steps, perhaps, but positive ones.

A delicate balance
The year is 2022. The balance of power in the city is now evenly split between the East End Pack, Islington Nest and Circle Daybreak, thanks largely to the rise of the werewolves and the new President Laura Roslin who simultaneously holds the post of Werewolf Representative.

Samantha Okeke lost her position as Witch Representative following allegations of corruption, and has been replaced by Diphylleia "Dee" Absin, a much more co-operative member of the Night Council. While Samantha has retained her title of Mother of Witches, there are rumours that she lost her powers during a confrontation with a powerful fae. Circle Daybreak firmly denies all such speculation.

The connections between the Redbright Institute and the Hillingdon Clan have grown stronger since the former is now perceived to be a more neutral force rather than tied to the Night Council, although Hillingdon certainly still has the less clean-cut image of the two.

Meanwhile, the Seelie and Unseelie Court have largely withdrawn from public life in the mortal realm except in isolated corners, though they claim the right to go where they please throughout the city. Consequently, there are no barriers preventing travel between the realms, which seems for now to be an acceptable compromise.

And after all, politics is the art of compromise.

Looking ahead
All in all, the vampire and fae presence in the city has reduced as the vampires move around and the fae decide that if they're invited it can't be that great a party anyway. The number of witches has recovered thanks to an amnesty allowing those who were once members of Circle Midnight to return (though the faction itself has not reappeared).

The biggest change that has been noticed first by staff at the Redbright Institute however is the increasing number of meta humans, in particular young meta humans, being discovered in the city. Often these are humans with no knowledge of the supernatural developing their powers for the first time. The reason why has yet to be discovered...

Threaded | Flat

HILLINGDON/OPEN

He's back here at least once every few months at this point. He quit hunting a few years back and quit the leadership ladder at Hillingdon along with it, freeing himself of any obligation to be loyal during those times when he didn't necessarily agree with the direction that the faction was going. He's okay with it as it is now, while it's relatively peaceful, which means his semi-regular visits are quite pleasant.

He doesn't just come to catch up. Usually when he arrives it's to update Faolan or another one of the higher-ups about materials or bounties or something equally relevant. Getting wooden bullets made in specific calibers is not an easy trick but Arthur has a line on all the suppliers and he can usually forecast this particular market months in advance. So despite the fact that he hasn't taken a bounty in years he still serves as one of the middlemen making sure Hillingdon is well equipped to keep doing what it's doing.

Sometimes he can be found in the kitchen grabbing some coffee as payment for his services.

FOR FAOLAN

He often finds himself at Faolan's office whenever he visits. He still kind of likes the guy even after all these years. It helps that he's not a Guardian anymore, but ultimately there's something about his nature that Arthur just gets. So it's nice to sit down with him for a few minutes every time he comes by the House just to catch up.

Today he appears in Faolan's doorway with a soft knock on the door having just caught up with a former colleague about selling some leftover bullets.

"Hey," he says genially, "you got a minute?"

FOR EAMES

It makes sense that when you're centuries old you stop caring about your birthday to the point that you may not even remember it at all. Arthur suspects many fae don't remember the day they're born unless it aligns with some magical day and even then maybe only for a little while. Certainly not for as long as Eames has been alive. Regardless, Arthur pushed for a general idea - a month or a season at least - so that he could do his part and make the gift-giving in this relationship feel a little less one-sided.

Sure, a book and a fancy bottle of wine don't compare to a week-long vacation in Greece, but Arthur's doing what he can and he's not even going to try and compete with Eames' idea of a gift. He has no chance against an immortal with countless and mysterious sources of revenue. He thinks he's got this vague-birthday-month present nailed down pretty well though, so when he comes home with the wrapped book tucked under his arm and the bottle of wine in hand he calls out for Eames to get this started right away.

WILDCARD IT/OPEN

Arthur's living a pretty normal life. He still takes the odd security detail job once in a while and he offers his services to anyone who needs them. He still frequents a few bars that serve primarily supernatural guests but it's more often than not for fun rather than for intel. He still has a part-time day job to fill the gaps but it leaves plenty of time to sit at cafes reading the news on his laptop or wander the supermarket trying to find interesting ingredients for Eames to cook into dinner. He's an overall less stress and happier person now than five years ago.

Thomas had been gone for a little over five years, and a lot had changed since he left. For him, and for the city as well, he would assume. One of his 'sisters', fellow progeny of his sire, had permanently removed that thorn from both of their sides when his sire tried to sacrifice Thomas in a ritual with the help of three witches. His brother, his real, biological brother, had helped in that, too. Because he was in contact with his biological family now, and that was amazing.

And now Thomas was doing his brother a favor. Back in Chicago, things were a bit messy between witches and vampires, and neither Thomas or Harry thought it would be a good idea for word to get out that Harry's brother was a vampire. Harry also needed some ancient books that were apparently in London to solve some mystical problem that was going on, and since he was needed in Chicago for 'magic stuff', it made sense to send Thomas to fetch the books. That, of course, also had the added bonus of getting Thomas out of the crossfire, and keeping people from wondering why Harry was spending so much time around a vampire.

Of course, he would stop by and check in with the Islington Nest, pay his proper respects as well as saying 'hi' to people he knew. When he's not catching up with old friends, however, he can be found in magic shops and mystical libraries, taking an unusual interest in magic tomes for a vampire who can't cast spells.

It's been a busy five years for the Dodger, even though he'd deny that any sort of effort went into anything. He's aware of his heritage now and... well, he finds that information bloody annoying if he's honest. Just one more reason to add to the encyclopedia of why he off'd Fagin.

Well, okay, he didn't kill the old fae personally, but he was involved in it and, well, that feeling never stopped being odd. It broke up the den, and the Dodger hadn't seen a lot of them in years. He'd seen Nancy, though, a few times.

She was back with Sikes. That... wasn't good. How was he going to sort that one?

GEN

Nancy could not be further from the girl she was five years ago. Five years ago, she’d had a boyfriend that never dreamed of laying a hand on her, a disposable income, a beautiful flat, and some powerful allies. Now, Nancy still has a boyfriend, but Bill Sikes is far worse than Cooper could ever be. With Bill’s return came leaving the lavish lifestyle that Cooper was able to indulge in. It had been a near impossible choice, but what she had with Bill always would be the most important thing in her life. What they had was… well, it was magic.

Suffice to say, Nancy’s grown increasingly quiet in most of her circles of friends, eventually fading out entirely. Though Fagin’s death has done great things for her, there are other bad forces in her life, and there always would be. If Nancy’s spotted, it’s usually late at night in some down-trodden bar or alley, and if you’ve kept in touch, it’s probably all due to you.

Still, however long it has been, Nancy will try her best to make some time to chat.

FOR COOPER. BREAKUP.

Nancy had put it off for far too long. They’d always known their relationship had an expiration date. It just happened that today was it. Tomorrow was the day Bill was getting out of jail. Eames had told her, counseled her. But Nancy knew what she had to do, as she’d always known it. She and Bill were meant to be together. There was something deep and magnetic, ancient and primitive that drove the two of them to each other. Nancy was the only one who could keep Bill on a metaphorical leash. He listened to her. He listened to her as a wolf. That meant something.

The last time she’d seen him had been so long ago. She’d just been a girl, never thought anything was going to happen when she’d kissed him before running off to get to work. He’d been arrested that very night, caught red-fanged. Nancy’d come home to solemn faces in the den, telling her the news: Bill wasn’t coming home.

That had been five years ago, and now, now he was finally being released. Things were going to go back to normal now. She’d be at his side, they’d get married, have children, everything she couldn’t have with Cooper. Everything she’d always wanted.

But in order for that to happen, she had to break up with Cooper.

This time, it’s Nancy waiting for him, when he comes home. She’s had too much to drink, it’s clear in her eyes, in her face, in the way she can’t look at him.

“Cooper- John,” his first name, reserved only for special occasions. “You- you know I love you.” Her voice was already starting to crack. This wasn’t going to be good. This wasn’t going to be good at all. She couldn’t handle the tears, the emotions. She should have done this weeks ago.

She should have done a lot of things.

FOR COOPER. AWKWARD RUN-IN.

Honestly, Nancy’s exhausted. It’s clear from the circles under her eyes, visible only under layers of foundation and magic, illusions keeping her face in place. It’s a lot of hard work, being her. She’s up at all hours of the night with Bill, work is hell, and she’s been drinking even more. So much so to the point that she’s sure her blood is more gin than actual blood at this point.

There are a few good things about Bill’s return. Perhaps the only one is that, though he’d turned her back to the streets, she was no longer in the business of blood. Bill wouldn’t have it- he’d been furious to find out about her ex-lovers, raking his claws over their scars, making them his own. It had been romantic, she’d decided. Bill was erasing the mistakes and pain, replacing it with himself, right?

There’s a noise at the end of the darkened street, the low gunning of a motorcycle, and Nancy looks up from where she’s just sent a text to Bill, telling him when she’ll be home. Her eyes are wide when to her surprise, she recognizes the engine. There’s nothing else that sounds like that in all of London.

That’s Cooper’s bike.

Without waiting for him to recognize her, she breaks into a run.

FOR EAMES. ALSO BREAKUP.

Nancy was a good girl. The best, Bill had said. Which was why she did what she was told, if she wanted to or not. And she did not want to have this conversation with Eames.

Ever since Bill returned, Eames had made it very very clear he hated the man and what he did and represented, and undoubtedly the abuse he visited on Nancy. And Bill had made it very very clear that he hated the fae and what he did and represented and didn’t trust him for an instant. He didn’t like the relationship Nancy had with her older friend, and it was easy to guess where it went from there.

Honestly, Nancy had just hoped to fade away into the background. Become a stranger to the people she cared about most. It worked on most people, when Bill came back, when she started spending all her time with him. But Eames was not most people.

So today, when he stopped by the small flat Bill owned in the East End, Nancy was waiting for him, drink in hand, a thick envelope in the other.

—
[hmu if you want something specific! I will do so many threads.]

Edited 2017-10-11 23:59 (UTC)

Bar in Wolf Territory

Time hasn't changed Girl much physically; she's still small, still delicate looking. But she walks with more ease than she used to and talks with a confidence she never was as a teenager. It helps, now that she's serving at a bar near the edge of East End's territory. The fights don't scare her anymore and she knows how to flirt a customer into spending half their pay check. She's sure of herself now, no longer holding herself back.

Girl doesn't mind the accusations that she plays favorites at the bar. Mostly because it's true. Whenever a familiar face walks in, she always greets them with a glass of something free and avoids work until she's had the chance to catch up. She doesn't care as much about job security as she does about enjoying herself, a lesson that's held over from the company she keeps.

She can be found at the bar most weekends, trying to break up minor scuffles on the floor or slacking off at one of the tables with some amused patrons.

Wednesday Addams had not returned home on completing her degree, having found a new home in London. Well, part of a new home - the Manor would always be calling her, often literally. Still, it couldn't be denied that the damp, thick air of London had done her pallor well. She had gained friends - a rare feat - and had managed to get her way on to the Night Council. Oh, a relatively minor position, but it was still something.

She bent her policies towards fairer treatment for all supernatural beings, including an end to the policies that protected herself and fellow witches and made them almost untouchable. She would never forget the burnings that had happened - many family were lost - but where was the fun in doing some heinous if there was no thrill of repercussions?

She didn't expect to be popular, but who did, in politics?

Since Samantha’s slow erosion of power, Eames’ life has calmed down significantly. Things have gotten less tense for the fae with an impotent leader at the helm of Daybreak, which means there's been a lot less pressure from both sides. He'd been more than happy to give up their territory once freedom of movement was assured, and a general lack of interest in the mortal realm resurged.

He still hates his Lordship and he probably always will, but at least it's not an active pain right now.

Besides that, the mysterious death of an old friend has really been a boon for business. It takes a little more creativity these days to get around the lack of anonymity, but whatever. It means if you've got some stolen goods or goods that need stealing or information to trade; he's your man.

Also if you just wanna hook up with a hot dude (or hot lady, sometimes.) He's got his wonderful dog and excellent boyfriend who lives with him, but, you know. What's a monogamy.

[hmu if you want to do something a little more specific!]

Roddy was doing well for himself. He was now a violinist in an orchestra, making his dreams of playing music for a living a reality. He even got to play for a version of the Nutcracker. He also might still help Dodger with a few criminal activities from time to time, but it was no longer about needing the cash, and more about helping a friend out. He'd also learned to fight with the help of Ghoul, and while his role in Hillingdon never became too involved, he was able to help out competently from time to time if things started to get too crazy in London.

Overall, life was good.

He could be found in various parts of London, especially in territories owned by the East End pack or Hillingdon, but he could really be found anywhere, especially if there was a music store nearby.

For the past five years, Natasha has been in London. Which is longer than she expected to be alive really, let alone in one place. That's not to say that echoes of her past haven't popped up, vampires from the old country or even hunters, but nothing she couldn't handle. Nothing that's interfered with her ability to have a life here.

And she's done okay with it. Since she started drinking human blood again she never entirely stopped, though it was a slow process learning to be moderate. Not without some slip ups, but nothing with tragic results. Good enough.

Her relationship with Evie lasted a while, and while it wasn't forever (or even a few years), she doesn't regret it. The pair of them are still friends, and Natasha would like to believe they both look at their time together fondly.

She's still with the Guardians and still working with Redbright, quietly using what influence she has to further the goals of integration within the supernatural community and secrecy from the larger society. As a rule, she doesn't seek out the spotlight and she doesn't make her stances public, but behind doors she makes friends, she trades favors, she does her best to do her job and earn the respect that she can parley later on into influence.

It's not so bad.

And she's not so unhappy with how it's gone.

Edited 2017-10-22 20:26 (UTC)

Threaded | Flat

Arthur | Ex-Hillingdon/Unaffiliated | Human

Thomas Raith | Ex Islington | Vampire

The Artful Dodger

Nancy | Witch | crap I think she's East End Pack by now maybe?

Girl | East End | Wolf