Bai Gui Hun (ferry_woman) wrote in supernextdoor, @ 2012-01-11 23:25:00 |
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Entry tags: | 09.26.11, bai, bai and rupert, rupert |
Unexpected Guidance
Who: Bai and Rupert
What: An offer from an unexpected source
When: Monday evening
Where: Bai’s home
Warning: None
The spirits had informed Bai last week that the other medium of the city’s daughter had manifested her powers. The child was merely seven years old and while her father seemed more than adequately disciplined and respectful of their gifts, tutoring such a young child was no small task. Especially instilling the gravity and importance of their duty and powers upon one so young.
Which was why she was revealing herself to Dr. Gibbons now. Since the man had never given her any reason to bother him and since he was well skilled in his powers, there was no reason for her to offer her expertise. So she had told the spirits to simply not mention her existence the six years the man had resided in the city.
She had sent him an invitation for tea via a ghost the night before. Bai would have to apologize for the short notice, but the child had been progressing in her abilities faster than the vampire had anticipated. Now would be the time for tutelage and waiting would only give the child a chance to develop bad habits. Which would never do.
The last thing Rupert had ever expected to happen in his life was to be invited to tea via a ghost by another medium. He hadn't even know the woman existed until the night before. The ghost that had visited him was one he didn't know and the timing concerned him. Odette had just recently come into her powers and it seemed she was even more powerful that he was. His thought was a ghost had informed this woman, this Bai Gui Hun, that Odette's powers had manifested and strongly. Rupert was one to keep to himself for the most part and he dislike anyone taking an interest in him and his family that he knew nothing about. He had tried to find out about her but to no avail.
When he pulled up to the address that had been given him, he wasn't surprised by the Asian theme. He was surprised by the extent of the property. This woman had money, no matter how modest her house looked and it worried him all the more. He parked his car and got out, straightening his tie and going to the door, knocking gently.
Bai could understand his concern and wariness, which was why she’d extended the invitation to him only. He would have many questions, she was certain. She had taken this opportunity to put on one of her numerous heavily embroidered gowns and take her long hair from the braid she wore it in when she was working around her home. She answered the door herself, her human servants having been dismissed for the evening. The ghostly ones remained, which would give Dr. Gibbons rare insight into just how many spirits frequently kept the company of the Chinese vampire.
She opened the door and stepped back, bowing respectfully. “Ah, Dr. Gibbons, hello,” she greeted. “Please come in. We have much to speak about.” While the exterior of the home was somewhat modern, the interior was no such thing. It was completely decorated with antiques from every culture in the world and everything was arranged in a manner that would only be familiar to someone well versed in feung shui. “Follow me.” The small Chinese woman with the long white hair offered no small talk. Bai had very little use for it and rarely indulged in it.
This night was getting stranger by the second. This woman was a vampire. There was no doubt in his mind. Her demeanor and way of speaking was not of this time and she just screamed not human in a way that even a person not a psychologist would be able to tell. He hadn't even known it was possible for a vampire to also be a psychic. He was very glad he had told Jayne where he was going and gave the address so if he didn't come home the police would know where to look. "Good evening." he said in response before he followed her as she indicated. "You have a lovely home." he said politely, his eyes studying her closely to find any hint of a threat, which he didn't. He would play this by ear for now.
Dr.Gibbons had nothing to fear from her. Bai Gui Hun preferred not to take lives unless absolutely necessary and surely the man wouldn’t be stupid enough to make that a necessity. “Thank you,” she said simply as she led him into her parlor. It was Victorian in style, with Oriental flavor to it, something of a fad from the time period the decor had been created in. “Do sit down, Dr. Gibbons,” she bid him as she gracefully took her own seat in a damask chair. Her movements would only confirm his suspicions about her own state of existence. She didn’t hesitate or fidget, every motion deliberate and precise.
As she prepared two cups, the Chinese vampire got right down to business. “I’m certain you suspect why I have asked for your company,” she began. “As you have likely surmised, it is because of your daughter’s budding gifts. You have always used our shared abilities responsibly and with great respect for the Dead, therefore I have had no reason to make myself known to you or trouble you. A child cannot immediately understand what our gift means and tutelage is always necessary for such understanding. While you are certainly well equipped to teach her such lessons, I feel it is necessary for me to offer my greater experience in her education. Under whatever terms would make you feel most comfortable and secure.”
Rupert sat as she bid with a smile. "Thank you for your hospitality." he said. Politeness was a defense mechanism for him. He was British after all. He sat and tried to hide the fact he was wearing sneakers with his suit and not proper shoes. He felt very out of place and the more she spoke the more concerned he was becoming. "Odette is a very smart girl." he began. "I knew it was a possibility she would share my abilities so she has always been aware of them. She came to me immediately after seeing her first ghost and I was pleased that she wasn't afraid, but more curious." There was obvious pride in his voice as he spoke of his daughter. "I do appreciate your offer to help, but she is very young and vampires is not something she has ever really been exposed to. I also am leery of placing the burden of our gift on her at such a young age. She's only 7 and I would like for her to be a child first and a medium second."
“That would be the other reason I chose to intervene early on,” Bai said quietly. “As ideal as the scenario you present would be, it is not terribly realistic. She is a medium, regardless of her age. Pretending otherwise is a disservice to her. Regardless of her knowledge of the existence of the Dead, she has no understanding of dealing with them on a daily basis. Tell me, doctor, how much sleep have you lost because of spirits who would not leave you in peace? How many have pleaded with you to help sort out the issues that keep them from passing into their next lives? Encountered hostile spirits disinclined to taking no for an answer? While you and I are well capable of dealing with such situations, she is not, because she is so young. And you cannot be with her every moment of every day. She must learn to control her gifts and understand the Dead or her gift will control her life. There is no one or the other. We are both and so is she.”
As much as Rupert hated to admit it, Bai had many good points. It was hard for him to be objective as Odette was his daughter and his first instinct was to protect her. He had a few vampire clients and he knew who the vampire queen of Toronto ran her city. Odette would be safe, as much as she could be, but it still bothered him. "I do see your points and I like to think I am not a foolish man, it is just difficult for me to know my little girl is going to lose the easy going childhood she deserves." He took a sip of his tea as he gathered his thoughts. "If we are going to do this, I think for now the best place to do so will be at my home where she is most comfortable."
Creating a vampire from a child was strictly forbidden by the Queen, vampire society and against Bai’s own personal beliefs. She had never made another vampire and would not do so until she was ready to re-enter the Cycle. She was not anywhere near that point in this life. His concern was understandable, but unwarranted. “A father wishes only the best for his child,” she reminded him. “But the world is not the best place. Such a reality is the woe of every parent, Dr. Gibbons. In that, you are hardly alone.” She took a drink of her tea and nodded. “I find that more than acceptable. My duty is to protect the dead and guide them to whatever next life awaits them. A child medium throws quite a kink in the works, regardless of how clever she is or how vigilant you are. Hence I offer my experience to ease the way for both of you. As well, I can assure no harm will come to her in my tutelage, be it from the Living, the Dead or the Damned.” Her dark eyes met his behind her curtain of hair. “As my student, she would receive my protection as well.” She probably didn’t have to explain what happened to people who crossed her. She was still a vampire after all.
Rupert wasn't the most thrilled about the situation, but it was the best thing that could be done for his daughter, really. Bai would be able to teach her without any kind of bias which would be good for Odette. His daughter had a tendency to disliked being babied by him and he wouldn't be able to help his desire to do so. "Alright. When would you like to come visit her?"
Such was the advantage of her outlook in general. The Queen often had newly turned vampires study with the Chinese medium for the exact same reason. Bai was known for being a neutral, unbiased and challenging teacher who presented things as they were. If anything, it would allow Odette another perspective on her gift and the more she knew, the better decisions about how she chose to exercise her gifts she could make. “Whenever is most convenient for you both,” she told him. “Unless I am called to court or there is an issue at one of my shops that needs my attention, my schedule is rather open.”
He had to think for a moment. Odette had a lot of activities she was involved in and he would have to work around his own schedule as well. "Perhaps Saturday evening?" Odette had her horseback riding lesson in the afternoon but nothing else that day. "School nights are much too hectic."
“I shall plan for it,” she agreed. “Of course. Her scholastic studies are very important as well.” She took another drink of her tea. “Now, I feel as though I must offer you a chance to ask what questions you will of me. If anything, it may ease your mind a bit about me interacting with your child. As one of my friends likes to incessantly remind me, vampires with psychic abilities are nearly unheard of.”
The more he spoke to this woman, the more he saw the benefits of Odette studying with her. He just hoped his daughter would be alright with it. "Thank you. I must say, it's not something I even thought was possible." he said. "I've done my fair share of studying the supernatural for my job and it's not something I have ever come across. How does it work on a genetic level?"
Bai shook her head. “The field of genetics is not one I can say I am overly familiar with,” she admitted. “In my former life, I possessed the gift. Which from what I am told, is the only way a vampire may have such an ability. If one was not gifted as such in their mortal life, they will not gain such abilities in their unlife. The one who made me was also so gifted, but once again, he possessed the ability in his mortal life as well.” She took another sip of her tea.
Rupert rubbed his chin as he thought it all over. "It's interesting, to be sure." he said. "I have known vampires that had abilities in their life that did not pass onto them once they were turned. I guess it's one of those luck of the draw things like anything else."
“Perhaps, because of the nature of our gift, the connection is already there,” she pointed out. “When my maker turned me, he showed no doubt I would retain my gift. If I did not, there would be no reason for me to remain outside the Cycle. One cannot become the guardian of the dead without the ability to communicate with them.” Bai shrugged. “But it could also have been the ritual used as well. It was a very long time ago and I’m afraid I wasn’t very lucid through most of it.”
"I see...A credible theory, to be sure." he said as he sipped his tea. "I do have many questions but as a psychiatrist I have a tendency to get personal with my questions and I don't want to be rude. You have already assured me Odette will be safe as your student and I am sure over time we'll get to know one another better."
“Do not concern yourself overmuch with offending me, Dr. Gibbons,” she assured him. “If I do not wish to answer a question, I will not. The trouble you may have with me is that I may turn that same question around on you. Knowledge is power, after all.” She quirked a slight smile, letting him decide for himself how serious she was being. “Although, now I am sorry I didn’t make myself known to you sooner. I have known a few mortal mediums in this life and I forget how pleasant it is to speak to someone who shares my gift.”
Rupert chuckled as he saw a bit of humor in her. She wasn't as stiff as she seemed once she relaxed. "Well, I'm more than happy to talk shop, as it were. I spend my days working out other's problems and times it's frustrating not to have someone to talk to about my own gift. No one understands what we go through unless they have the same gift, which is rare. In fact, you're the only other medium aside from Odette I have spoken to in many years."
Bai grinned a bit. More once business was out of the way, she could set aside her more formal attitude and enjoy herself a bit more. “I was married to a mortal medium for decades before I moved to Toronto,” she told him. “He was the one who introduced me to idea of using antiques to find spirits left behind. Many of them become attached to objects, as you well know. But since he passed on to his next life, I have not encountered another one of our kind until now. Perhaps that is part of the reason I wish to help your daughter. As you said, it is easier to accept our gifts and the unique challenges we face when we have others who understand to speak to.”
Rupert smiled in return. "Well, thank you for your kindness in your desire to help myself and Odette. I was apprehensive at first, but now I'm glad you contacted me. We have such a rare gift that our kind should stick together." She may be a vampire, but Bai was a medium and there was a bond in that. He hoped that over time that bond would become a good friendship