aefenglom | Tonight, Maria joins the Hunt

Name: Lady Maria
Date: Auguril 15th - Evening
Format: Video

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[The view opens up to Maria's face, the face of the giant clocktower in the back drop. She's sitting on a ledge on the outside of the building, one leg dangling off the edge, the other foot planted on the worn stone back of a screaming panther-eagle gargoyle. The sky, and the tower are awash with the the deep pinks and purples of the nearly-set sun. Maria herself is wearing her full hunter's outfit, her hat pulled low to shield her eyes against the sunset, but in truth it just makes her eyes seem that much brighter blue. The only oddity in her attire is that she seems to have several sunflowers tucked into her belt, around the holsters for her gun and sword sheath.

The mechanisms in the tower grind and move, and the big minute hand tocks heavily, thunking into place in the next minute slot before Maria speaks. It's almost the top of the hour.]

It has been several months, since the first of us arrived here. Life... is not made easy within this place. Not for anyone, even those of us who might be in better straits than at home. This may be the worst night yet, and we still have many more moons to come, I fear, before any of us are allowed from this place. [This, however, may very well be Maria's own last. She feels the way the headache swells and throbs behind her eyes, the pressure fit to make her burst at the seams. It ebbs and flows, depending on what she does with the Monsters, how she uses her magic, the potions and the herbs and the other stalling tactics, but she's not sure how much longer she can keep on like this. Tonight, blissfully, the pain is at its least - the full moon being the weakest pull of the mirrorbound Witches is keeping things to a dull roar at the back of her skull. For several seconds, she looks back out over the city, scanning the shapes and the shadows, watching people shutter their windows and close their doors.]

On this night, the instincts for the Monsters will be at their worst. If the pull is too strong, and you feel your mind slipping into the madness and chaos of beasthood, seek the scent of... [Lumenflowers... no,] sunflowers. They will lead you to me. I will make it as swift as you will allow me; but it may be most silent if I must seek you out. [This is exactly the threat that it seems to be.]

If the beasts loom large, and threaten to devour you, or crush you, seek me out, as well. Monster, witch, human or not, it matters not to me; it is the threat of the feral I am in search of. [Pause.] As for the rest of you... I hope you do not see me.

[Her foot shifts, and she stands, precarious though the ledge is. The terrifying drop seems to not bother her at all. The shadows deepen on her face as the sky turns a richer purple-blue, the sun setting rapidly now, though it's barely been a minute. Soon, the video cuts to black, but there's still audio in the background; a rustle of wind and cloth. Finally, there's a whirring as the clock begins to turn over again.]

The night, and the hunt are always so very long. I pray we all live to see the morning sun, and put this night behind us.

[Tock. The video cuts out as the first peal of the hourly bells sounds. Over the city, the clocktower chimes eight, and the sun slips fully below the horizon.]

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[All of these protests, these quiet calls for something other than to kill the Monsters - mostly by the Monsters themselves, which she supposes is fair - and then the few that understand what a mercy killing is.

This is... a bit different than all of those. She's been approached by other Monsters before: At least one of her roommates, and a few other acquaintances - direct or tacit understanding that if worse comes to worse, and they become the most dangerous of monsters, she will find them, and she will save the town and them from themselves. She's not expecting it from a voice or a face she's never seen, though. The responses thus far have conditioned her toward hostility from others, so there's a tiny note of surprise when she responds...]

Yes. But do not misunderstand, and do not waste my time - I have no interest in those that are merely afraid of themselves and what they might do, but still hold ability to prevent it. In those cases, I tell you to simply leave the city or find other outlets for your instincts. [This one sounds like he still has his mind for the moment, so... she'll make sure to drive that one home.] However, if there is nothing left but the hunger and the bloodlust, then yes; think of sunflowers, and follow their scent.

[Mary isn't great with technology even on a good day. Though Maria restricts her response to audio, Mary's image is still there on her screen, shrinking back when she brings up those who are simply afraid of themselves. It's obvious that she's hit the nail on its head.

When she finishes, he nods.]

I don't want to die, but I don't want to kill anyone either. That's all.

[Deeeeeep breath. He bites his lip with a single, sharp fang.]

So I won't waste your time. I promise.

Then perhaps you could find a different outlet before it comes down to that. There are other methods here. Just as there are other methods for the Witches to prevent their own overloads. [On the other side, she presses her lips together. But if he's going to be too stubborn, even for that, then....]

Then I will be here, in the city, for these, the nights of the full moon. [She doesn't actually make any promises about the future, because she's not sure about the future. She assumes she's just going to explode and die before the next one, unless she can put off the explosions for a while yet. She's still counting on dying before things get too far, though.]

[Other methods like bonds? That's what she means, right? Because the only other method he can think of as a vampire is drinking blood, and there's no way she could be advocating he do that.

Definitely not.

He can't do that.]

Um, I'll try. I've met some nice people here. Maybe they'll help even if they don't get anything from it.

[He would be absolutely amazed at how much she would be totally okay with him just drinking blood. That's the former Cainhurst side of her. Hell, she'd offer her own, if she didn't still think it was rotten.]

I think there's a sense of community among some of the Mirrorbound. If not, then perhaps someone in the town could help. There may yet be a group of monsters out there that matches your type who can offer tips. You need but seek them out. I have not the answers for that. Only the last resorts.

[The perils of projecting. Mary isn't okay with it. Clearly, no one else would be either!]

Uh... yeah. That sounds... smart. But I'll ask my friend first. Tomorrow. Yeah...

[Considering Mary has yet to speak to a single vampire outside of the Mirrorbound, he isn't super confident in the matter. He's definitely not looking into the camera as he mumbles his pathetic platitude. It's painfully obvious that he's not planning to chat with any locals anytime soon. It's questionable whether he even has a person in mind when he mentions his "friend."]

...If I don't, um. Last resort.

Correct. [She's not convinced, but she's not going to call him on it. It's not her job to talk them back from the ledge - she is the ledge, in a way. It's her job to make sure that people who didn't ask to be accosted by those who can't control themselves do not have to deal with it. Or, at least, her self-proclaimed job.]

While your mind is still your own, as it sounds like it may be. Seek whatever aid you need.

[A curt nod. It's a bit sheepish, but at least his focus has trailed back to her.]

Okay. You should try to stay safe too.

[And with that, Mary ends the video.]

Tonight, Maria joins the Hunt

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