5 | [ location: the taxon mall / accidental visual ]

[whoneedsrules]

Katherine strolls along the aisles of the mall, disjointedly humming Happy birthday to you. She's not interested in browsing for clothes or shoes today, but neither does she want to sit in her hotel room and be restless. On a whim she finds herself in the home decor section, admiring ornately framed mirrors and silver candle holders until she comes

Comments

[ voice | locked ]

[allthefunever]

[ ...oh, this is too good. ]

Problems, Katherine?

[ voice | locked ]

[whoneedsrules]

[ ugh, why'd it have to be damon? the strain her tone is totally not there, btw. uh huh. ]

None whatsoever. Except maybe you, opening your mouth and asking stupid questions.

[ voice | locked ]

[allthefunever]

Really? Because it looked like you're having a little trouble, there. Want some help?

[ no basically he's gonna fuck with you forever, kat. ]

[ voice | locked ]

[whoneedsrules]

Yes really, don't believe everything you see and no, definitely not - respectively.

[ forcing all the nonchalance ever in that reply. katherine says GO AWAY, damon. ]

[voice | locked]

[rose_tainted]

[Now this was an interesting development.]

Karma's a bitch, isn't it?

[voice | locked]

[whoneedsrules]

I know something else fitting that description. Or someone.

[ she's a little snippy at the moment. :| ]

[voice | locked]

[rose_tainted]

Sticks and stones, Katherine.

[You can practically hear the smirk in her voice.]

[voice | locked]

[whoneedsrules]

Did you have a point or are you just filling your daily quota on useless and unwanted comments?

[ voice ]

[whoneedsrules]

[ despite the myriad of questions and concerns percolating in katherine's head, she attempts to calm herself down enough to answer the girl who sounds vaguely familiar. she might be in trouble, but she still has her role to keep up. thought she tries hard, she can't quite hide the shakiness that lingers in her voice when she replies. ]

Um, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine, save for the bruised knees and dented pride.

[ voice ]

[whoneedsrules]

Ouch. [ katherine manages a sort of sympathetic, 'i feel your pain' kind of chuckle, albeit slightly rough around the edges as she struggles to keep to her cover story. ] Accidents happen and it should be no biggie when they do, and yet it's never any less awfully embarrassing.

[ location: taxon mall ]

[aregulargirl]

Max doesn't make a habit of visiting the mall too often, but she's here today with the intent to pick up (translation: shoplift) a new jacket. Since the weather's getting warmer in Taxon, the one she currently wears is a bit too warm, and besides which, she'd like some variety in her wardrobe. (She's a tomboy, but not that much of a tomboy.)

She's about to head into one of the stores when a young brunette girl nearly collides with her, and she takes a second to steady herself.

"Sorry, I - Jesus," she says, noticing Katherine's bleeding hand and panicked demeanor. "What happened? Are you hurt anywhere else?"

[ location: taxon mall ]

[whoneedsrules]

Katherine barely manages to bite back a curse at almost colliding with the other woman in her haste to leave the mall; had she not suddenly reverted back into a god damned human (the thought elicits equal amounts of anger and panic in her), she would have heard and likely smelled the other girl coming. Of course, in that case she'd have no reason to panic like she does now. But, details.

"Just my hand," she explains shortly, managing a self-deprecating sort of half-smile with great effort. "I fell and cut my hand. Sorry, I, uh... the sight blood makes me a bit queasy. I was looking for a restroom to clean this up."

Which is of course not true in the least, but she had to think of some reasoning for nearly plowing the other girl over.

[ location: taxon mall ]

[aregulargirl]

She nods - she has no reason to disbelieve the story (because she didn't catch the broadcast) and, not knowing anything about Katherine, has no reason not to trust her.

"I think I saw one a few stores down," Max says, giving Katherine a quick, similar type of smile before she points in that direction. "Here, if you want to go there I can pick up some bandages and stuff and meet you there." She doesn't doubt the girl's ability to take care of herself, but she does seem pretty shaken up.

[ location: taxon mall ]

[whoneedsrules]

Max's offer makes Katherine pause. One part of her would like nothing better than to just make her excuses and leave, but on second thought... she probably should do something to her hand before exiting the mall. No use drawing any unwanted attention to herself right now. And if someone was willing to do this for her, why not take advantage of the offer?

"You'd do that?" she asks, frowning a little. "I mean, I would appreciate it a lot. I just wouldn't want to trouble you."

Katherine could be courteous with the best of them when the situation called for it.

[Voice]

[a_pretty_fire]

You're wasting it.

[She means the blood, of course. The blood that makes her stomach growl and her teeth lengthen and which shouldn't be there at all. Not on her fingers.

She was new again. Or was she simply very old? It was terribly exciting.]

[Voice]

[whoneedsrules]

Drusilla.

[ katherine can very well guess what drusilla means, and it's doing nothing to quell the anxiety she's feeling right now. ]

Yes, well, I'm not having a particularly good day today, as it turns out.

[Voice]

[a_pretty_fire]

There, there. Drusilla will make it better.

[Voice/Private]

[whoneedsrules]

[ katherine locks the feed before responding, somewhat crankily. ]

Unless you can persuade the hamsters to cancel this, there's likely very little you can do.