InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "le sigh"

Vlad Drăgoi {Dracula} (nobleblood) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-07-05 02:33:00

Entry tags:

bluebeard, dracula

Who: Vlad and Bernadette
What: Dropping by
Where: P3
When: Sometime after Helena gets out of the hospital and moves into 507 {yes, I fail at timelines. again}
Warnings: Probably none

Things had begun to die down a few days after everyone was suddenly returned to their own time, although some people still remained in the hospital while others moved around the building cautiously, still recovering from their wounds. Vlad's burns were healing nicely, but the wound on his shoulder would take much longer, and wearing that stupid brace was an annoyance he was reluctantly learning to deal with. There would always be a scar, but he just wanted to be able to use his arm again.

Helena had remained in P3 for a few days, and he tried to convince her to stay longer, but she insisted on following through with their original plan and moved into 507 with little difficulty. He was surprised at how quickly he began to miss her, and even Cain and Abel seemed subdued and quieter than usual.

When the knock at his door sounded, he was contemplating Max's problem and trying to map out possible solutions, which wasn't easy when he needed to write things down and only had use of one hand. Momentarily annoyed and wondering who could possibly have reason to visit him - Daniel was avoiding everyone, Ella was presumably still in the hospital, and Rosalie apparently wasn't going well either - he made his way over to the door and pulled it open. Not recognizing the woman who stood behind it, Vlad offered a polite yet quizzical smile. "Can I help you?"

(Post a new comment)

blue_blooded
2010-07-05 11:20 pm UTC (link)

The woman, in turn, cocked her head to the side and regarded the man who'd opened the door with an expectant expression and an outstretched hand, a bottle of wine held in the other. "Vlad, I presume? Bernadette Prideux, newly moved in to penthouse four."

Benadette had been somewhat hesitant to simply turn up after only having spoken to Vlad via a few short messages on the apartment board, but as he had agreed to talk to her and mentioned a largely-free schedule there was no reason not to. There was still a certain hesitance on her part to accept all of what seemed to be going on, but several hours reading through the public backlogs of the community had her somewhat concerned for what might be in her future.

"I'm sorry if I've caught you at a bad time," she added politely, her eyes catching the brace and wondering what had happened. "Shall I come back later?"

(Reply to this) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-07-06 04:19 am UTC (link)

The bottle of wine suggested as much, so he wasn't overly surprised when she introduced herself as the newest resident of the penthouse floor. He'd completely forgotten that Bernadette mentioned dropping by on the forum, but his confusion vanished under a much more confident smile now that he knew who she was. "Ah, yes. It's nice to meet you, Bernadette." Fortunately it was his left arm that was currently out of commission, accepting her hand and shaking it firmly.

Vlad followed her gaze to his arm and shook his head. "You caught me at a fine time, actually. I'm not busy at all." He stepped back, away from the door, allowing her room to come inside. "Please, come in."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blue_blooded
2010-07-06 04:58 am UTC (link)

Nodding in thanks, she moved past Vlad and into his apartment, eyes quickly taking in the details of her surroundings and mentally nodding her approval. It was tastefully done up; modern, but classy, with just the hint of something old and most certainly refined. In truth, it reminded her somewhat of a few of her newer hotels, and it most certainly a man's apartment.

She glanced back and smiled. "I wasn't entirely sure if you were a fan of wine or not, but it was the best I could think of as a neighborly gesture, considering the abysmal state of my apartment at the moment." Bernadette had started off with every intention of having her unpacking and decorating done first thing, but ever since her little jaunt around revolutionary Russia she'd thrown herself into as much business as she could, since it would take her out of the building. Glancing at the brace, she cocked her head questioningly. "A souvenir from Russia, or did you have some other mishap?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-07-06 05:12 pm UTC (link)

He shut the door behind her, silently grateful that he hadn't needed the painkillers in a few days, which meant there was no reason for him to not have some of the wine she'd so graciously brought over. There was still pain, of course, but he refused to become dependent on pills and decided it was time to deal with it himself. "I appreciate the gesture, and it just so happens that I am a fan of wine," he reassured with a smile. Who wasn't, really?

Vlad gestured for her to have a seat in the living room while he retrieved two glasses from the kitchen, setting them down on the coffee table. "An unfortunate souvenir from Russia. A particularly angry peasant decided to drive a wooden stake into my shoulder." It wasn't the entire truth, but explaining about Dracula and Seward was too complicated at the moment. "Apparently the wound was deep, and moving my arm would risk making it even worse, so I have to wear this for the time being... although, compared to some, I suppose I was lucky."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blue_blooded
2010-07-06 07:20 pm UTC (link)

Bernadette raised an eyebrow at this little tale as she took her seat on the couch and set the bottle on the table. It was red wine, French, of course. There were, after all, certain tastes she was not likely to be losing even after leaving the continent.

"Charming," she murmured, shaking her head a little at the sight of the brace. "It was certainly an experience for all involved, I'm sure. Though you're right about the others. I didn't really talk to anyone that I saw in the lobby, but the damage looked rather extensive for some people. I'm truly fortunate that I came back with only some scrapes and bruises." Sighing, she rubbed her temple where a dull throb had settled for some days now. "Really, if I hadn't seen everyone else I'd have thought I'd gone insane."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-07-07 07:00 am UTC (link)

He was the sort of person who could take or leave alcohol, but he did appreciate fine wine and this was no exception. Clearly Bernadette in P2 had good taste, which was already a mark in her favor.

Vlad had experienced a lot of things since moving to Bellum, but time travel had completely come out of nowhere and taken them all by surprise. "I think there are still some people in the hospital... it's hard to keep track." He shook his head, taking a sip of wine. "It always seems insane at first, but after a while... well, you become almost used to it." It was almost sad, how the unrealistic slowly became reality over the weeks and months that passed.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blue_blooded
2010-07-07 04:16 pm UTC (link)

"Somehow that thought it not exactly comforting." She could appreciate anyone who appreciated wine. For those whose tastes ran a bit more towards the harder varieties of alcohol, she couldn't shake a sense that they didn't much cared what they poured down their throats in general. Then again, she'd been having an extra glass or two for the last few days...

"No one close to you was terribly harmed, I hope," she sighed, taking a sip of her own wine. Some poor girl had been positively screaming for one of her loved ones, and others had been busy calling for medical help. She'd watched from her own window as the flashing lights of ambulances pulled away from the building, and she wondered why no one seemed to inquire too deeply about what had happened.

After a moment, she sighed and stared at her wine. "So, please... explain. We are... fables? Story book characters?" It sounded so nonsensical coming from her own lips.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-07-08 01:37 am UTC (link)

He nodded in agreement, because being accustomed to the madness didn't make it any more bearable. It was simply the only other option save for denial, which wasn't going to get any of them very far. There was always the option of moving out, and yet there seemed to be something that kept most of them there. It wasn't something he could put his finger on quite yet, but with any luck it would be revealed sooner or later.

Vlad paused, thinking of Helena and of the others, like Rosalie and Darcy and even Daniel. He wasn't sure if everyone he knew was alright, but surely he would have heard something if any of them had... well, if any of them were 'terribly harmed.' "No, fortunately. Everyone I know was either fine or is currently recovering quite well from what happened."

To be honest he hated having to explain about the fables, mainly because he sounded insane even though he knew it was all true. "To put it simply, yes. Everyone who lives here has a fable counterpart... some are more similar to their tales than others. During every full moon we become these characters, quite literally." He paused. "Most of us also have... abilities that pertain to our stories."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blue_blooded
2010-07-08 02:10 am UTC (link)

For Bernadette, her first few minutes in the apartment complex had led her through two and a half days of confusing, infuriating hell that she had not been the slightest bit prepared for. There had been nothing to suggest anything out of the ordinary going on in the building, and now she was finding herself to be caught up with a building full of people who were, at least in some slight sense, used to a dosage of supernatural madness in their lives. For the first time in many, many years Bernadette felt very much out of her element and wanting to desperately maintain face before anyone suspected she might be less than capable of handling herself.

Whatever was being told to her she would have to take as truth. She could hand this.

"Become them?" she murmured, almost to herself as her brows knit together. That sounded less than desirable or promising, and it added another layer of concern to her growing pile. "You mentioned on the message board that they are not usually so vocal as they were in Russia." She was almost talking herself through her thoughts outloud, but she took another sip of wine so she could gather them silently for a moment. "He made no mention of who exactly he was..." She glanced up a Vlad, a new thought occurring. "Would it be rude to inquire as to who you have inside you?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-07-08 05:29 pm UTC (link)

Once the fables had only been a suspicion, a theory that some of the residents believed while the majority discounted as insanity. But when everything went black and upon regaining your senses you suddenly had memories of being someone else for a night, well, it was hard to deny - especially when that someone else left you voice messages and spoke to you inside your head. "Unfortunately, yes. Usually there is no communication between us and our tales... they find ways, however. During one full moon they used the forums to leave us voice messages."

Vlad raised his eyebrows slightly at the 'he', since he hadn't yet met anyone whose fable was of a different gender, but then again there was no reason why it couldn't be possible. He hadn't been looking forward to the inevitable question of his own fable, but it was too public for him to lie about or evade. "Dracula," he said simply, having long since been resigned to the fact that his tale was one of the most dangerous and least desirable - in the opinion of others, at least. "Was the voice you heard a male, rather than a female?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blue_blooded
2010-07-09 12:00 am UTC (link)

The revelation of Vlad's character brought a small smile to her lips, and in a way she felt a little bit better. Though she had a passing knowledge of the character, Bernadette had simply read the classic when she was in school, and had never seen any theatrical representation of the fanged villain outside of an operatic interpretation. She wasn't much for movies, so the sensationalism of the name was lost on her, but she recalled the nature of his overall character. During school she had, of course, also briefly studied the violent prince of Wallachia, though she somehow doubted the man before her had a tendency to put people on long spikes every full moon.

"Vlad Dracula," she repeated with a chuckle, and taking another sip of her wine. "I'm sure you're sick it, but it is rather ironically funny." Somewhere inside of her, Bernadette felt that she perhaps ought to be a bit more worried that there was going to be a real, live vampire traipsing around as he pleased during the full moon, but she was somewhat sick of being ill at ease. "And yes, the voice I heard was a man. He had a great deal to say about me, and what was going on, but answered to very little."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-07-09 03:34 am UTC (link)

The irony of his own name had occurred to him early on, but Vlad wasn't such an uncommon name in Romania and many other European countries, so he'd never dwelled on it until his fable had been revealed. "It is rather ironic, I cannot deny that." There were far too many similarities for his liking, some of which were public and others which were still very much secret. Even the rumors weren't actual proof, and he could handle a little gossip as long as no one could prove anything.

"Interesting. No one else has had a tale of a different gender before." If he hadn't answered to very much then it would be difficult to pinpoint who he was, but hopefully the full moon would take care of that. "In any case, you should find out who he is after the full moon. We all retain our memories of what happens that night."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blue_blooded
2010-07-09 04:04 am UTC (link)

The fact that it had been a man speaking inside her mind in the Russian town and forests had bothered her, but to find out that this was her 'tale'--some kind of past life, or alternative identity--was almost a little insulting. She certainly knew a handful of people who might say that it would explain several things.

"Just what I need, a gender crisis," she grumbled. Another sip of wine was halfway down her throat when she nearly choked with a thought. "So I'll be turning into a man...!" Another less-than-appealing thought. Bernadette sighed. "Well, I suppose you're right about needing to find out who he is. I'll be glad to get this full-moon nonsense over with." It was just so annoyingly out of sync with the real world that she was at least grateful for the fact that these transformations would not be happening often. Still, she'd have to start setting up a lunar calendar on her blackberry. Another sip of wine, and she set the empty glass down. "Well, he thinks in French. That might narrow it down, at least."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-07-09 05:44 am UTC (link)

Vlad didn't think that the gender of her tale meant very much - it was his personality and characteristics that would have forged a link between Bernadette and her tale. Then again, he probably would have been a little insulted if his fable was a woman.

It was a less than ideal situation either way, and he could sympathize a little with how overwhelming all of this must have been. He nodded while finishing off the first glass of wine. "French does narrow it down. Was there anything else he may have said that could give clues to his identity?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

blue_blooded
2010-07-09 06:16 am UTC (link)

She considered this for a moment, running over the things he'd said in her mind, though there had been quite a lot, considering she'd suffered through the pleasure of his mental commentary for two and a half days.

"He comes from money," she concluded, shrugged. "Though that hardly says anything. But he commented on the make of several things that made me believe he was well-versed in luxury items and their value." She fingered the pendant she was wearing, a weary expression crossing her features. "After I traded my necklace for a coat he actually chastised me for not getting a better deal for the gold content, though my only concern at the time was not freezing. And later he urged me to find a sword and join the common we--...I heard."

It was frustrating to consider variables when she knew full and well that fiction and literature had never been a strong point, simply another subject to excel in. And her knowledge of fairy tales, outisde the basic and famous ones, was minimal. "I'm sorry to burden you with my ignorance on this matter, but I'm grateful for the assistance. I daresay I will simply have to just... wait and see."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-07-10 06:31 am UTC (link)

Vlad's knowledge of various literary works and fairy tales was by no means extensive, and he probably wouldn't have been as knowledgeable as Ella was, but he'd come across a fair amount of stories over the years and there might be even the smallest of details that would strike a chord of recognition. Then again, if Bernadette's tale was from a lesser known story, then he probably wouldn't be of much help.

He listened thoughtfully to her description - wealthy, well-versed in the value of items, and clearly not adverse to swordfighting. "I wish I could be of more help, but I agree that waiting until the full moon would give you your best answer. All I can offer now are guesses, and even so no particular characters come to mind. He is obviously wealthy, and has some sort of training in combat if he wanted you to fight. He could be some sort of nobility, I suppose."

(Reply to this) (Parent)