Highlander: Immortal Lives - Page 4

**Opunaya** · 07-24-2008, 12:10 PM

His breath finally regained, Wade stuck his out of the alley, glancing cautiously towards the cafe; the police had already arrived on the scene, and now were investigating around the area.

"Perhaps I'd best be headin' home now." Wade muttered to himself, cautiously working his way to the back of the alley, planning on sneaking down the backroads in order to make it back to his pawn shop, hopefully without attracting any sort of attention. Wade whistled a small tune in order to keep his nerves as he walked in order to keep himself from sprinting away and attracting attention--covering a block quickly before returning to the main sidewalk, brushing the dust off his red and white jacket, smiling as he thought about the symbol on the back-- a large red bullseye--a hint at the twisted humor he possessed. Within a few minutes, faded sign of his store was within view--appropriately called "Stuff". Now fully relaxed, Wade took out his keys and opened the glass door, breathing a sigh of relief as the door closed behind him--shutting out the rest of the world; sitting down behind his counter, the store owner shrugged out of his jacket, and then began unstrapping the sword holsters from around him. Placing the weapons beneath the counter for easy access, Wade next went to working with unhooking the metal neck-brace, which had grown very uncomfortable very fast while running--but thanks to a adrenaline rush, he had been able to ignore it until now.

"Well, that was a fun morning. Now everything will be good forever." Wade smiled, leaning back in his chair, readying for another day of normalcy.

**Ristaron** · 07-24-2008, 03:01 PM

If Matthias hadn't been genuinely troubled by some of the day's events thus far, he may have taken offense to being berated by one so young as Léana. Instead, he smiled and shook his head.

"Young lady", he said, trying not to sound overly condescending, "you really need to be introduced to the rules..."

((OOC: Skipping this ahead, here, tell me if it's too fast and I'll edit the post to allow for anything that you would have preferred happen in the interim.))

Matthias and Léana continued, exiting the campus by the East exit and crossing the few blocks to a quaint brick house with a front facade covered with winding vines of ivy. The white-framed windows gleamed in the evening sunlight, matching all the others in the row of houses along the residential street.
"Welcome to my home", Matthias graciously opened the door for the young immortal, "you may find it more hospitable than an inn, if you would care to accept my spare bedroom for the time being. It will at least be safer for you for the time being", he added as he closed the door behind him. "It's nothing special, but it's what Matthew Cole, the part-time university professor of Late Antiquities at the University of Bristol can afford". He smiled distantly as he removed his messenger-bag from his shoulders. Changing his identity had always been rather amusing to him, though the alternative would be to invite other immortals to find him and come after him.
"Now", he went on as he made his way toward the kitchen, passing the stairs that led to the second floor, "I don't have anything comparable to a café, but if you're still interested in some coffee I can brew us a pot. I'm afraid I'm short on tea, much to the ire of any British friends I entertain". He trailed off with a chuckle.

**Ginevra** · 07-24-2008, 10:29 PM

She just looked at him indignantly, mouth partially open, having not really responded to anything she had said, she had no idea what to say back. Especially since it appeared likely he'd ignore that too. "Young lady", as if that was all the response he needed! He left and was apparently surprised when I came looking for him!She'd have half a mind to just walk off if she didn't know by now that she'd be a fool to leave. Slapping him sounded nice too but, well... he could cut off her head...

"Rules?" She muttered under her breath, turning away from him. "The crazy headhunters have rules. I... whatever. What. Ever."

She turned looked back at him, gritting her teeth and leering slightly.

"So." She said, looking at him, and he turned and headed East.

**

He lead her to a nice brick house, that reminded her slightly of the one she grew up in. He offered her his room and opened the door for her, commenting about it being nothing much. If she wasn't still slightly peeved at him, she would have told him how much she liked it, as it was, she simply thanked him for letting her stay. Her mother wasn't around to scold her, so she supposed she'd have to start minding her own manners.

He offered her coffee, but it really didn't sound good, and she smiled thinly at his humor.

"I'll just have water, if you don't mind." she requested, standing somewhat stiffly as often happened when she was in someone's house for the first time, especially someone's house whom she had just met today.

**Ristaron** · 07-24-2008, 10:45 PM

Pouring her a glass of water from a filtering jug, Matthias handed it to Léana as he led her into the living room. Like most of the interior of the house, it was painted in a warm colour that matched the furniture. As he took a seat in his preferred arm-chair Matthias took his coat off and withdrew his Roman Spatha from the custom inside fold.

With his free hand, Matthias gestured at the loveseat opposite to his recliner.
"Well", he began, "I suppose you're anxious to hear an explanation for what has happened to you. I'll tell you straight off that I don't have all the answers, but what I do know I will share.
You died recently, as we have already established, while you haven't explained to me the exact circumstances I can piece together what happened after that. You woke up a short time later, confused. You found that you were unscathed, regardless of what injuries might have befallen you, and might have simply dismissed it as a dream if it weren't evident that your old life had ended with that incident.
I don't know the process by which it happens, but I've seen it countless times. That violent death triggered something in you called a Quickening. Every one of us, every immortal, has one. It's part of us, and it's what distinguishes us from mortals".

**Ginevra** · 07-25-2008, 09:34 AM

She sat down on the loveseat and, finally sitting down, she almost fell asleep right then and there. This wouldn't do, talking about this now, she could never focus properly. Still she made herself focus enough to listen. Immortals, finally a name for it, though that meant that she could survive a fall like that again? I, I can't think properly right now.

"I appreciate that you're willing to get right into this," she began, "but I don't think that I can think this much right now." Her weariness was in her eyes and on her face.

"Is there any way that we could talk about this tomorrow?" she pleaded.

**Ristaron** · 07-25-2008, 07:19 PM

A look of concerned understanding crossed Matthias' features. He'd been there, he knew the hell of the first few years... and months... of immortality.

"Of course", he said softly, "this must all be too much. You're welcome to stay here as long as you need". He stood up and gathered his coat. "I need to go out", he said, "you should be safe here, but if somebody comes looking for you I want you to get to the chapel down the street as quickly as possible... its the only place immortals can't fight. I'll be back later", he smiled, "try not to trash the place. The spare room is first on the right up the stairs".

**Ginevra** · 07-25-2008, 09:26 PM

"Alright, thanks."

She headed up the stairs and took off her backpack, with the few things she'd snuck in and taken of hers. She pulled out some pyjamas and put them on, and went in search of a bathroom.

Leaving the bathroom feeling slightly better after washing her face, she walked back towards the room and laid down, thinking only for amoment about the fact that she never ate a thing since that morning, but was soon lured to sleep by the softness of the bed and pillow.

**Ristaron** · 07-26-2008, 12:23 AM

As Matthias left his house, he went over his brief image of the man from the café. As the initial image of the man's face -- full of anger and panic -- had become less potent in his memory. With some concentration, the immortal had picked out a few other details he had noticed. The man's dual swords, an uncommon (but not unheard of) style, his distinct red hair, and the prominent bulls-eye emblem on the back of his leather jacket.

From his brief meeting of the man, Matthias had made several conclusions about him. The man was obviously new to the Game, or simply didn't care if he gave away his cover. He was also very evidently paranoid, and therefore wasn't likely to have traveled far from his comfortable radius; and since Matthias had frequented that café and never encountered the man before was indicative that he likely avoided becoming a regular at any of the local cafés.
That being said, he was hardly inconspicuous.
Might as well start with the nearby cafés, then, Matthias decided, I need to find this guy before he blows everyone's cover.

The sun was waning as Matthias entered the first of the other local cafés. His initial questions didn't get him much information, though it seemed like it was perpetually teeming with activity, and would repel a sociopath anyways. Two other local cafés turned up similar results before Matthias came upon a smaller, hole-in-the-wall café.
I swear, Matthias grumbled to himself, if I have to buy one more cup of coffee for nothing...

Pushing open the door, a bell rang in "A" tune to alert the tender of the cash register that a customer had arrived. The café was similar to most of the local taverns, complete with the brass oak bar and booths. It was as if someone had simply converted the establishment from serving liquor to serving caffeine. Strolling up to the bar, Matthias took a seat on one of the cushioned stools.
"How's your evening?" the tender inquired.
"Tedious", Matthias answered flatly.
"How about a coffee to keep you going", the man offered, flashing a toothy smile. The immortal smiled at the sales technique.
"I'll just have a green tea", he said, "but maybe you can help me solve the problem that's been driving me to every coffee shop in this part of town".
"Oh?" the man's expression became quizzical.
"I'm trying to track down a friend of mine", Matthias began as the bartender placed the steaming mug of green tea before him. "He's hard to miss, red hair, about 5'7", maybe about two hundred pounds... kind of a dodgy guy, a bit frenetic. Wears a leather jacket with a prominent bullseye on the back".
Prior to the last feature, the bartender had maintained a forced-pensive expression as Matthias listed the description of hundreds of clients each year. When Matthias mentioned the unique leather jacket, however, the man's face lit up with recognition.
"Ah!", he exclaimed, "the owner of the pawn shop down the street! 'Stuff', I think it's called".
Matthias chuckled slightly. "That sounds like him", he said, playing up the disguise.
Finishing his tea, Matthias dropped the last of the change he had brought with him on the counter and left.

As the immortal made his way up to the shop he was looking for, he felt the unique sensation of another immortal's presence.
"I guess this is the right place", Matthias said to himself, ignoring the CLOSED sign and knocking on the glass pane of the front door".

**Opunaya** · 07-26-2008, 10:32 PM

"Soccer mom!" Wade cried out, his eyes snapping open; he jerked suddenly at the knocking that came from the window, losing his balance in his chair and falling out the back of it--crashing on the back of his head, jarring his brain and causing a small plume of dust and dirt to float up. Dammit, I need to quit falling asleep while leaning back in chairs...hell, I shouldn't be falling asleep during the day anyway...had I only gotten my coffee... Wade groaned painfully as he rubbed the back of his head, his head tingling painfully.

Wade cursed to himself again as another polite knock at the glass door reached his ears. "It's open! As am I! Or the store! Whatever! Come in." He brushed the dust from his arms and chest, making a mental note to be sure to start actually cleaning behind the counter as well as the front...not that he ever cleaned there either. With one quick motion of his leg, Wade kicked the chair back onto its legs and promptly returned to his seat, prepared to be kind and professional.

**Ristaron** · 07-26-2008, 10:51 PM

The irate invitation momentarily puzzled Matthias, who took another look at the sign in the window. Shrugging, the immortal pushed open the door and entered the store. He was immediately greeted with a plethora of random items arranged in a glass case against the side of a bookshelf that ran perpendicular to the front of the store. To his left was the counter and cash register, as well as the store clerk, matching the mental image Matthias had captured of him that afternoon.

"Good evening", he greeted, "my name is Matthew, we met earlier at the café on the University of Bristol campus. I was wondering if we could talk". As Matthias spoke, he watched Wade's expression closely, ready to draw his Roman spatha to defend himself if the man lunged. The man had almost certainly felt Matthias' approach, but the immortal wasn't taking any chances with Wade just yet.