undergrounds | [ ACTIVE/ OPEN ] Southwark Claim

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[ ACTIVE/ OPEN ] Southwark Claim

Date: 28th of May
Plot: Southwark Territory Claim by Daybreak
Areas: Lambeth and surrounding areas!

The month has been one of chaos, following the Night Council results. The surprise loss by Norrell felt like a small victory to those who opposed his rather heavy handed tactics, but of course Millicent had still won -- and what followed... Street hunts, murders, robberies, arson, open hunting of werewolves during the full moon. 'Gang violence', they called it, but everyone in the know understood what was really going on. Such actions cannot go unanswered, and someone has to do something about it soon.

On May the 28th a group of Daybreak members and its allies begin to move in to Southwark, and some of them may notice it's a little easier than they might have first expected...

[ ooc; log for the Daybreak territory claim! This is the Daybreak faction reward claim, and being used as plot distract Millicent! It is being run by Lance in response to the general bullshittery Millicent has pulled, via persuasion by Jean-Claude. Once he realises he has been used he will most likely be reasonably upset, as he has no idea he is in fact a distraction! ]

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He follows in silence, head down and shoulders still hunched a little defensively. Once he's through the door he looks up and around a moment, gauging the room before quietly closing the door behind himself.

Lancelot stays standing, surveying the place as he tries to gather himself.

"Forgive me," he says finally, "but all this is a little new to me. I do not know a great deal about vampires. I have only been... conscious of these things less than a year, perhaps. Well. Longer, in truth, but... that is more complicated. I have begun to read up on it, though. Trying to catch up. I feel a guardian should know exactly who and what they are dealing with. Redbright has a good library on such things and... some of my friends have been kind enough to share their own knowledge."

Jean-Claude ushers Lancelot into his office, closing the door behind him before stepping forward and inside himself. It's perhaps more decorative than one might have anticipated. Black lacquered desk, white lounge sofa. Most of the artwork hanging on the walls is black and white as well, and Jean-Claude himself seems to match the place. Pale white skin. Dark black curls. Black leather pants and boots. White lace shirt. It should be pretty obvious who decorated.

He steps forward to perch on the edge of his desk, offering Lancelot a choice of the sofa or the chair before him. Or to keep standing if he likes. Even perched as he is he remains poised. Slightly calculating, as he follows every stumbling word.

"What is it that you have come to me to ask, mon ami?" he prompts, keeping his tone light and neutral.

"My dreams," Lancelot says, "I saw you in them. Not --" he winces, lets out a slow breath as he tries to steady himself. "Not... like that. You were there. You put yourself there. It's because I drank your blood, isn't it? You can see them."

He frowns at Jean-Claude, as if daring him to deny it.

Jean-Claude cannot help but quirk something of a smirk in response to the other man's correction. Mostly because he felt compelled to correct himself in the first place. Though he does not let the expression linger. He can tell, but the look on the other man's face and the fact that he is as flustered as he is, that he is upset about this. And he supposes that he has a right to be, coming at it from his perspective.

"I was there," he confirms. He can see that Lancelot is daring him to deny it. So he doesn't. Why should he? Lancelot saw him. It is simple fact that vampires have the ability to do such things. He was merely flexing his muscles, testing the water, seeking new infomation. And in truth, he could not help himself.

"Why?"

It's a simple question, but it is something that nags at Lancelot. Why was Jean-Claude in his head, of all places, in his dreams? Why him? What did he hope to gain, or see?

"I did not invite you, Jean-Claude, you had no place there."

Jean-Claude gives him a very direct look that is very difficult to interpret, no doubt. At last, he offers the other man a little shrug.

"I did not invite you to see me this evening," he counters. "And yet here you are. And I am none the worse for having you here. Nor have you been, for having me in your dreams." Another shrug. "One does not need an invitation if the way is already created for oneself. The door was open, mon ami. I entered."

His eyes narrow at that, an expression that is not exactly common on Lancelot.

"You invited me into this office," he counters, "and the club outside it is a public place that needs no invitation, Jean-Claude. You know well the comparison does not work. I did not willingly allow you in. You took advantage of a situation, you have invaded my privacy. I am grateful that you saved my life but that does not give you permission to entertain yourself in my head."

Jean-Claude cocks his head at the other man slightly.

"I did not seek to entertain myself, as you say," he replies. "You would know if I had sought to do as much, mon ami, and then you would know the difference and not accuse me of such things." But he knows that's not enough for Lancelot, with that expression on his face and the righteous anger boiling within him.

"I sought to understand you better," he replies. "And in the limited window of opportunity that I could, I took a step into your dreams." He shrugs again. "I was not party to anything embarrassing or shocking while I was there, if such things have you worried." He doesn't really see what all the fuss is about.

Sought to get to know him better?

"Forgive me, but most people learn about one another by asking questions, Jean-Claude, not invading another's thoughts. It may not be a concern to you but it is a concern to me. You had my trust, but this is not something I can accept easily. I trusted you to act better than those who give your kind a bad name. Taking advantage of a connection is not acting better."

Jean-Claude shrugs one shoulder at Lancelot. "I am better than those who give my kind a bad name," he responds. "And if you are questioning such things then you have no idea what they are capable of. But I am still a vampire. And I am fairly certain that you were aware of such a fact, before."

He sits back slightly. "I will not invade your dreams again, mon ami. You have made it clear to me that you do not appreciate such things, and I will respect your wishes. I did not intend to make you uncomfortable. You must understand that... It has been a long time since I have considered things the way that you do."

His hackles lower, slowly, Lancelot's brow slightly smoothing. Yet all the same his defences are not fully down, Lancelot is clearly upset about this and not about to fully forgive Jean-Claude so quickly.

"I cannot be the first person to dislike it," he says, half in protest and half in disbelieve. 'A long time', Jean-Claude says, yet what is a long time for a vampire? Does that mean simply nobody has protested in a long time, or not noticed, or that he has not done that at all for a while to enact such a response?

Jean-Claude shrugs again. Truth be told, a lot of the people he has used it on, he has not particularly cared what their opinion on the matter might be. "Many people have disliked me for many different reasons over the years," he replies. "You are not the first in that regard, if that is the case."

He's always been willing to put his differences aside for the sake of whatever benefits a connection might have, himself. He supposes he is just practical in that regard.

He tilts his head slowly at that, debating his answer.

"I did not dislike you before, Jean-Claude. Perhaps I like you less than I did, but... I would say that it is more an issue of trust. I want to trust you. You did save my life, whatever else you have done, and I cannot and will not forget that. Yet this... makes it more difficult for more."

It leaves him uneasy, makes him wonder what else that vampire would do without asking and think is no particular issue.

Edited (Too earnest) 2016-06-30 16:11 (UTC)

Jean-Claude nods in response to the other man's explanation. He cannot fault him for it. After all...

"It is not unwise to be wary of a vampire, mon ami," he responds. "It is within your nature, I suspect. It is within the nature of all, I think, to be uncertain of those things which they do not understand." It doesn't seem to bother Jean-Claude himself that he happens to be the 'thing' in question at the moment, for that matter.

"Perhaps you can help us understand then. Forgive me, but form my perspective Islington Nest is doing nothing to invite mutual understanding or respect. If anything it is painting itself, and all of your kind, as aggressive and dangerous. It does little to invite trust."

If anything, it makes Lancelot angry and resentful. Lancelot rarely shows anger if he can help it, and for now his hackles are lowering, but his face is still pulled into a frown of discontent.

Jean-Claude gestures at the other man as if to say, 'very well', before going on after a moment.

"What is there that you need to understand then, mon ami?" he asks, inclining his head at Lancelot, fixing him with a very direct gaze that clearly suggests it is an honest question, rather than a rhetorical statement.

"You say you are better than those who give you a bad name," he begins, "why do you let Millicent do this, then? Is she so unbeatable? Surely if enough people disagree with her she can be toppled? Surely, if the vampires wish to have more support and a better reputation that would be the thing to do?"

To Lancelot this all makes no sense, to Lancelot little is impossible -- and if Millicent is truly this villainous dictator then surely the vampires would wish to do something about it?

Jean-Claude shakes his head in response to the other man's words. "You do not understand what it is like to live under the rule of one such as Millicent," he replies. "Or worse. And there have been worse than her, mon ami. They rule by fear and hatred. And it is not a very good way to gain loyal supporters if you are looking for kind people like yourself. But those who are cruel like her -- they flock to her. They would do anything to curry her favor, no matter how terrible. And the rest of us must behave or be punished."

He shakes his head again. "It is not an ideal life. And there is very little that one such as myself might do about it." He fixes Lancelot with a direct gaze. "One such as you, on the other hand..."

Him? He blinks at that, lofts an eyebrow slowly.

"I have no intention of changing factions," he begins, "nor turning, Jean-Claude, if that is what you are suggesting..."

Far from it, Lancelot finds the idea more than a little off-putting. To die then live again as a corpse fuelled by blood? No, it is not something Lancelot can ever imagine doing. He would rather stay dead then live in such a way, feeding off others.

Jean-Claude lets out something of a laugh at that, shaking his head. "No, no, no, mon ami," he says. "That is not what I am suggesting. And -- I hope you will forgive me for saying this -- but I hope that no one should ever turn you. You are perfect just the way you are." He quirks something of a smile at the other man. "And you would make a terrible vampire, at that."

"No," he continues, "what I am proposing is something much more specific. And something no one from inside the faction itself might be able to do." He cocks his head at the other man. "A faction can only do so much to police itself from the inside. But you, mon ami, you are not Islington. And you have proven yourself to be fairly good at policing elsewhere thus far, for that matter..."

"Policing it?" he repeats, "forgive me, but -- I cannot change the laws. I am only a guardian of the Night Council. I protect them, I do not work on the policies. It is true, I suppose I could speak with them..."

Yet Millicent would likely overrule anything, surely? Would Sylvia listen to him? Not only that, but is it even his place to suggest any kind of rule change? For a faction he has little to do with?

Jean-Claude nods his head at the other man. "You cannot change the laws -- within Islington. But you can help protect what territories the vampires have claim over. You can help protect what citizens might be spared from them in turn."

He tilts his head at the other man, trying not to spell it out completely, but fearing that he might have to if Lancelot continues to question him thus. "Do you understand, mon ami?" he inquires. "The more territory Islington controls, the more power the vampires will have. And the more power to be given to Millicent herself."

All of a sudden it clicks, and all of a sudden Lancelot understands exactly what Jean-Claude is saying.

Yet he still struggles to believe it.

"You're asking me attack you?" he prompts, just to be sure. It's quite possibly the strangest thing he's ever heard, someone inviting another faction to deliberately turn on their own. Yet at the same time it makes perfect sense. Islington being put in their place might well make Millicent look weak.

Jean-Claude shrugs slightly. "Well. Not myself personally," he replies, quirking something of a smirk at the other man in turn. "I understand that you are upset with me, but I do have some sense of self-preservation."

"But yes," he continues. "That is what I mean. You want to see change? Do you think that the vampires are going to make the change themselves? No. How many vampires have you met besides myself, mon ami?" he asks, genuinely wanting to know the answer to the question. Though he supposes he already knows the answer.

"A handful," he replies, "I admit, I don't normally interview people I meet on their face and political situation. But I suppose you're right. Yet, all the same... territory wars are not exactly a bloodless thing. Both of us would lose people. There has been so much bloodshed already..."

Surely there is another way? Surely there is something else that could be done, something more... civilised?

[ ACTIVE/ OPEN ] Southwark Claim

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