Care for a Bite and a Drink?

[baronbalaz]

Who: The Baron and Kimberly
What: Meeting for drinks
When: Backdated to Dec. 30th
Where: @ 11
Rating:  M for first meetings
Status: Open and Incomplete

Comments

[baronbalaz]

A single narrow eyebrow quirked decidedly upward at the phrase, 'I'm so white'--mostly because compared to Byron Kimberly had a healthy human glow to her, but also because he failed to see the connection between palor and dancing ability.

"I...fail to see what your skin color has to do with your ability to dance, but it would be a pleasure to teach you." He finished his glass of wine and ordered another--something about the music and the sheer raw nature of the dancing was starting to stir the vampire instincts he did his best to keep supressed. Alcohol would help.

He was just about to take another sip of his refilled glass when the question of his origin was posed. Really, there was no harm in answering, especially when most of the town seemed willing to believe literally anything they wee told.

"As for where I come from, I believe it is this planet, Earth...as for when, I'm an unsure of the exact date, but I believe somewhere close to three million years in the future. Would you like to hear about it?" Byron needn't say explicitly that he was Vampric Nobility, after all, and although life on the Frontier was incredibly harsh in the living, it could also been seen as rather romantic.

[onlynewlife]

It took Kimberly a second to process the first part of what Byron had said and she blushed, wrinkling her nose. "It's, uh, just a way of saying I have no rhythm. A kinda racist way, forgive me, but basically...yeah. I can't dance," she replied sheepishly. Suddenly, Kimberly felt fairly stupid for having used such a phrase, but it had been reflexive. Too many years hanging out with Dano, she thought. "But, uh, thank you," she added almost as an afterthought.

Kimberly's eyebrows arched when Byron's answer started with "Earth." Duh, she thought even as the niggling voice in the back of her head made her think that there might be people floating around in this town that weren't from Earth. At that, the alien conversation with Connor popped into her head and she found herself wondering if a human being would reflexively answer Earth or if that sort of an answer would be one that came only from someone not from Earth, trying to blend. She'd have to ask Connor another time, she thought, what his opinion on that matter would be.

Part of her wondered how Byron could not know what year he was from, but she didn't ask. "...three million...?" she asked, incredulous. "Jesus Christ, we must all look and act so...primitive to you..." she mused, finishing her beer and setting the bottle down on the bar again, turning her full attention to Byron again. "Yeah, totally, are you kidding me?!" she asked, eyes wide with wonder. The future?! Hell yeah, she wanted to hear what it was like that far ahead in time!

[baronbalaz]

Byron chuckled--on The Frontier, primitive was a matter of perspective. Aside from the technology, life as Byron had known it had been feudal, with the Nobility still clinging to power over the human cities and villages they ruled.

"Well, I suppose the first thing you must understand about the future is that thanks to war and massive advances in technology, the continents are nothing like they are now." He glanced around quickly for a way to illustrate the incredible changes--thankfully their drinks had left enough condensation on the bar to do so; with a long pale finger he traced a large, globular shape on the bar. "That is roughly the shape of the Earth in my time. Centuries before I was born a number of the continents were made to float, but all either crashed or were brought back to the surface safely."

That was when the Nobility were at the height of their power and could change the Earth to their whims. Before the petty wars and Outer Space Beings attacked. "Also thanks to the many wars, technology is not what you would assume it would be--remnants remain, such as the odd space port and cybernetic horses, which I arrived here with...but for the most part mass travel over huge distances is dangerous unless you are incredibly well equipped, as I was when I left home. Mutants and monsters from every old human legend roam the land by night, werewolves, banshees, witches." A slight smirk crept into Byron's features. "Even vampires."

[onlynewlife]

As she listened raptly, Kimberly's brow furrowed. She was trying to take it in and decide whether she fully believed it, or in some cases, if she even really understood. She watched curiously as he drew in the condensation on the bar. "Wait, what do you mean, 'made to float?'" she asked, looking back up at him. "I mean...don't they already? What happened?"

The more he went on, especially about technology, the more confused she became, suddenly wishing she'd brought Connor along with her. She didn't know for sure, but she had a feeling he might've been able to explain it in layman's terms for her if she asked nicely. "Cybernetic...huh?" she asked, slightly confused. Actually, slightly confused didn't even begin and then the end of his statement - coupled with the smirk - had Kimberly completely lost. "Okay, hold the phone. So...really? Don't tease the dumb chick," she warned playfully. "Are you being serious?" she asked.

[baronbalaz]

As odd as it seemed, the fact that someone might not believe anything he was saying was...reassuring, to The Baron. It meant that there was a level of reason and sense to measure against this town that appeared to make no sense at all day-to-day.

"I suppose fly would be a better way of putting it. And they were shot down, or sabotaged." The more confusion Kimberly showed, the more comfortably he really started to feel. Strange how that worked. "And I assure you, I would never tease you, and I do not believe you are dumb. If you require proof my carriage is right outside." Proper permits and parking regulations be damned, as far as Byron was concerned it was horse and carriage or nothing. The beasts had been with him a long while, but it also worried him that there was no place to have them serviced...although there was a sign downtown saying that a repair shop would open soon...perhaps they had the proper expertise?

[onlynewlife]

"Oh..." Kimberly said, tipping her head just slightly to the side, like a puppy trying to comprehend a command. "How...?" she ventured. "Whole continents flying, really?" She skepticism was in her voice even when she didn't mean for it to be. It just didn't seem possible, never mind the rest of what he was saying. The bit about him not teasing or thinking her dumb made her give a weak, sheepish smile, though, in response. "Well, that's a plus," she replied.

And...it wasn't like she needed proof, but Kimberly was terribly curious to see what the hell he was talking about. "Uh, I believe you, but...can I still see?" she asked almost reluctantly.

[baronbalaz]

"But of course." Byron slipped out of his chair, sweeping over to do the same for Kimberly. If it as one thing he observed about human in this era it was that proper manners were sorely lacking. It was only when she stood that he was able to aprecsiate their height difference. The top of her head only just brushed his upper arm.

Regardless, he offered her that arm as they turned to step back out into the cold. With only a hint of dark aura, the dance floor of @11 cleared for them in an instant.

Wedged between two parallel parked cars right next to the front books, stood a metal and laqured carriage, ornately detailed, the color of deep twilight blue. Gold detailing glinting in the street lights, and the four horses that pulled it...glinted as well. They were horses in form, but plated in placed with hunks of metal. Some had saddles builts in while others wore more traditional tack and bridles. At the Baron's approach, warm, metalltic smelling steam issued from their mouths.

"Do you see? They are not harmed by the mechanical enhancements, but I guarantee you that these four beasts can out run the devil himself. They have been with me a long time now." He stroked a hard muzzle of a roan and it flicked it's head playfuly. "Would you care for a ride?

[onlynewlife]

When Byron stood, Kimberly realized just how tall he was and she felt infinitely smaller by comparison. In fact, she couldn't remember a time when anyone had towered over her quite that much. Feeling inches tall, Kimberly took the offered arm and followed Byron, pulling a face and looking duly impressed when everyone seemed to move out of their way.

It took a second for Kimberly to find what he was trying to show her, because her eyes were still adjusting to the different light outside, but when she found it, her jaw went slightly slack. The horses looked...weird. They didn't seem to be bothered by all the metal, although Kimberly couldn't stop herself from sympathizing that they had to bear the burden, anyway. But the actual carriage was gorgeous.

Without being able to tear her eyes away from the carriage, Kimberly nodded mutely when he pointed out that they weren't harmed by the mechanics. She watched, then, as he stroked one of them and found herself surprised that it reacted fondly. "Uh, sure, yeah," she replied, distracted as she closed her hand into a fist at her side to keep from being tempted to reach out and try to touch one of the beasts.

[baronbalaz]

Noticing her hand clench, Byron smiled gently. "It's quite alright, they're perfectly tame." Imposing, maybe, but imposing was how one got around safely on The Frontier. With the superb driving of D, the horses had taken them through an electrical storm that had fused every inch of earth for nearly a mile around them.

"But come, it's cold." Where it would be easy to see how a carriage in winter would be terribly drafty and uncomfortable, when Byron opened the door, it was already rather cozy. The interior of the carriage was wood and over-stuffed plush seats. "We needn't worry about a driver, the horses know their way around these streets quite well by now."

[onlynewlife]

Kimberly looked up at Byron again when he seemed to have noticed her curiosity manifesting in the desire to touch one of the things, but she was still wary even when he assured her that it would be safe to indulge. Shaking her head and shrinking into herself just slightly, she gave him a sheepish smile. "That's okay," she replied, stuffing the offending hand into her coat pocket.

It was cold, so when he pointed that out and offered her to go inside, Kimberly peeked in. It didn't look creepy or anything and he seemed polite enough. She kept reminding herself that not everyone was as nice as they seemed, but in Aternaville, everyone seemed to negate that deep-seated worry in her. Felix and Connor weren't secretly creepy, that she'd found just yet. Lulu certainly wasn't. Why should she think this guy was, just because he was so much taller than she and because he was maybe sort of goth, wearing the fangs and all? In any case, she did have pepper spray, if something went wrong and, just like her mother, Kimberly was a fighter. She figured she could handle herself.

To be on the safer side, though, Kimberly nodded for him to enter first so she'd be closer to the door. "Really...?" she asked casually, in reference to the horses knowing their way around already. "That's cool," she added with a smile.

[baronbalaz]

Byron's narrow eyebrows knit slightly as Kimberly declined the courtesy, but she was somewhat nervous. It was strange, though...there was something about her that reminded The Baron of Taki, the young woman that had traveled with him all the way to Krauhausen, facing all of the dangers, he, D and Lady Miska had together. Kimberly appeared to have that same strength, although at the moment it was a reclutant one.

"As you wish." Byron slipped inside, his entrance causing hidden gears and defense systems to click and hum to life. A single oil lantern flame flickered to life, casting it's warm glow over the interior of the carriage. "Most of the park paths are cleared, if you wish to go there, it's quite beautiful." Byron suggested, holding out his arm to help her into the carriage. His blue brocade cape was draped over the free seat and he motioned to it with his free hand. "And if you are still cold, feel free. It was a gift from one of my most beloved servants."