In restless dreams I walked alone, narrow streets of cobblestone

[interposal]

[This was supposed to be just a night off, a break from responsibilities that even the most diligent of leaders needed to take in order to refresh and be able to operate at their best. With everything going on lately, that was certainly the case for Young-ho.

Perhaps the first sign that something was wrong was the fact that there were reports of unrest in the area, and that while there hadn't been anything lately, there didn't seem to be any indication of the perpetrators being either caught or told to stand down. Being more careful was something that made sense, of course, but sometimes there are small moments that nobody could really account for, either.]

Comments

[lesinset]

[ As first meetings went, both Tarr and Dusty were not dressed to impress. Tarr had his usual clubbing gear on, showing that he had expected to go trolling for a meal or ten after he took a quick peek at how Young-ho was doing. Dusty was dressed more for relaxing at their hotel room, probably even set to binge watch one of his dramas or the like. But despite at how off-footed they had been made, they both were professionals and did not get startled easy. Tarr glanced at her weapons, before nodding once while Dusty took a few steps away from the vampires and letting his shadows coil up over his shoulders and into the ground behind him. ]

Young-ho told you what happened?

[ Dusty glanced over at Tarr and snickered, getting a flat look in response. ] Stop that.

[stanceshift]

[ It actually speaks to how much she's changed over the course of the last year or two that she thought ahead enough to dress for a potential fight. She doesn't react to Dusty's shadows sweeping over him, but she does nod, lightly scratching at her scalp as she nods. ]

Yeah. Should've figured it would be a matter of time before they found out about the whole sneaking out business.

It's not-

Dude. It's classic teenager sneaking out. Only difference is that you've got some of your retainers to cover your ass. [ She raises an eyebrow with another grin, but she doesn't look mad or like she's trying to admonish Young-ho for his habits. ]

But yeah. Assassin squad. And ones that don't come cheap, either. Granted I suppose with what we're trying to at least get a start on, we'd piss off some people in high places. [ She's fairly animated while she talks, hands almost never staying in one spot while she's talking as she shifts between her feet. She has a lot of energy to burn off, it seemed. ]

You guys should be safe if you stick around here for a bit - they shouldn't be dumb enough to send another set around here, anyway. Not if they don't want a boot up their asses.

[ She pauses for a moment before she regards both Tarr and Young-ho, frowning in slight confusion for a split second before a look of dawning realization makes itself known. ]

Huh. Similar bitchface, even. Thought I was the only one between us that has connections in high places. [ Molly lightly elbows Young-ho's side with a cocky smirk, to which he responds with a long-suffering sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. ]

Molly...

[lesinset]

She's right.

[ Look. He may not have had the chance to work with teenage humans, but Tarr has had a hand in helping out young vampires and he was well aware at how they like to sneak away from home to do things that they know is wrong. Young-ho might be old enough to know that it was wrong but it still wasn't going to stop him, especially since he was determined to see what the world was like without being surrounded by his clan. ]

It's not like anyone can sneak up on me that easily. [ Dusty sniffed as he said that before glancing over at the two vampires and sidling over to stand near Molly, leaning in to stage whisper. ] Scary, isn't it? I never knew someone else can do a resting bitchface like Tarr until now.

[ Tarr shot Dusty a look and Dusty smiled back, one of the tiny shadow feelers waving from his shoulder and making the vampire roll his eyes. Typical of the mage. Serious whenever there was danger but give him someone to gossip with and he becomes this nagging ball of dramatics. Tarr decided to ignore the mage for a while and instead turned towards Young-ho. ]

This might be a mistake letting those two meet.

[interposal]

[ Molly gives an "I told you so" grin to Young-ho before she slips further back. While he never had raised a hand against her outside of sparring matches, she liked to keep it that way.

He lets out a sigh, shaking his head as the huntress and the mage stand next to each other. ]

Perhaps. But I don't think we have much choice in the matter at this point. At least until we finish our earlier discussion.

You wound me! [ She fake-clutches her chest before straightening to her normal stance, giving Dusty a wink before continuing, her expression softening slightly: ]

All jokes aside - only reason I picked up on it was because you two are still tired from the fight - makes your energy easier to read. Though honestly I have half a mind to talk with gramps about this.

[ Young-ho rolls his eyes. ]

So all that aside, even without knowing how the jackass that pulled this operates, we obviously can't count on this being an isolated incident. Young-ho here being a young lord notwithstanding, yours truly is someone they don't like on principle for two reasons. One - I'm first and foremost a huntress. Protecting humans is my goddamn job. I try to be more sympathetic than most, but point stands.

Two - on top of that, I just so happen to be related to one of the few lords they can't do much about without getting annihilated.

We're shaking things up too much, we already know that, Molly.

Shush, I'm thinking out loud. So because of that, between the two of us, Young-ho here's the one that's more likely to be targeted due to there being less repercussions for doing so.

[ She's pacing while she says the rest of this, only to stop and make a somewhat dramatic flourish. ]

So the motive's clear as fucking crystal, we just need an actual piece of solid evidence that this Sang-suk asshole is the one that hired those Bloodfangs that were after you.

Yes. Basically. Though what would be easy for you to trace with a paper trail isn't so easily done in our realm, Molly. Though, right now ...

[ She tilts her head, confused at the more pensive than usual look on his face as she drops to a more neutral pose. ]

I want to speak to them alone. Please. Do what you have to in order to find what you need, but not here. [ His voice is quiet, but authoritative. If it weren't for the fact that he wouldn't do it to a friend, Young-ho's voice might've actually been laced with a glamour when he issues the plea.

(Even though they both know that Molly would be able to fight it, if only a little.)

She nods with a sigh, shrugging. ]

Alright, alright. Let me know if you need anything, I'll be back at the scene of the crime. Might be able to dig something up.

[lesinset]

I really don't want to talk about it too much.

[ Dusty rolled his eyes. In his opinion, Tarr always does not want to talk about anything. It took a lot of get him to really start, and even in their partnership there were moments that the vampire would just shut up and make faces. Well. Dusty called them faces but other people may not even be able to get a read on his expressions so easily. ]

Tell the kid. He may need to know and it's not like he will tell it to everyone else.

[ Tarr just stared at Dusty. The mage grinned even wider and leaned closer to Molly, dropping into another stage whisper. ] You know, I think that he wants me to go too. Mind if I tag along? I can help.

[ The elder huffed slightly, looking away since he knew that no matter what he said, Dusty was still going to do some gossiping. It was fine, maybe. The mage might actually figure something out and it would be easier to talk without him underfoot, butting in and being Dusty. ]

I'm not holding you here.

[interposal]

Sure, let the two grump-asses figure out whatever it is they need. You might be able to pick up on something I can't, anyway.

[ She flashes him a thumbs-up before letting out a fond huff of air at Young-ho, already getting ready to jump back down into the alleyway. ]

My bike's near here anyway, just redirect me over there and we'll be set.

[ Young-ho watches them go, shaking his head lightly before turning to face Ki-moon again. ]

As much as she likes to tease, she is good at what she does. They'll find something to help us along.

What else was Dusty talking about, though?

[lesinset]

[ She had to be good for her to have gained enough prestige to at least hold some sway among the vampires. Tarr still couldn't help the slight feeling that scraped down his spine as Dusty took off with her. It wasn't the first time his partner went off to do something somewhere that might annoy other people that then try to kill him, but it still was worrying. Humans were fragile no matter what power they had.

He took a deep breath and pushed the feeling aside. Dusty would just tease him about it if he knew anyways. ]

Ah. The fact that I keep tabs on the family line.

[interposal]

Admittedly I tried to stay out of our family's business after I was turned - it was for the better, or so I thought.

[ His lips twist into a sardonic smirk at the apparent irony at this before he looks away again, frowning slightly. ]

Not that I'm saying anything against the revelation earlier, of course. But now you do have me curious.

I know I had cousins, and my wife did have a daughter before, but - [ He makes a vague gesture with one hand, but even if he doesn't say anything past that, Ki-moon should easily get the implications. ]

[lesinset]

I understand. I was kept away by distance and by my Maker; it was one of the many reasons why I broke free so soon.

[ His sisters needed him in one form or another. Well, the one was married and it was a good match, but the other had been young and his father had been older. He didn't like the idea of him not there making sure they stayed safe as he could make them. That anger helped with weakening the hold that his clan leader held over him.

When he finally made it back home, Tarr had spent a lot of time searching records and listening in corners until he had an idea of what had happened and where the family could have gone. The records were sketchy thanks to the wars, but he finally did find them all. He had nieces and nephews, and he kept track of them. In some cases, he moved a few small pieces to make sure they stayed safe, or that they managed to survive. It had been guilt after all, but it was nice, seeing some of them grow up.

He pursed his lips at Young-ho's words, thinking over the information he had on their blood relatives. ]

There was a few cousins. I think one died childless, but the rest have had descendants. One of them is a Director of Finances in a corporation. The daughter married; I believe there were three children. Two married, and one had a same sex partner, though they did not tell their families until after they died.

[interposal]

It didn't help I've been on the other side of the world ever since I was still human.

[ There's a small sense of shame burning in his gut when he thinks about it - but he had been so out of it the first few decades that he couldn't afford to go back to Korea to see how his family had been doing since he had died. Unlike his great-uncle's maker, Young-ho's was actually fairly sympathetic to a lot of the younger vampire's plight with regard to his family - to a point.

And then came his maker's murder and his subsequent ascension as clan leader. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. ]

Is it sad that despite knowing that it would only bring about more problems, I want to see them? [ He lets out a sad laugh, shaking his head. It would just be another thing to use against him, never mind that the danger they would be involved in would be too great. It's not like Molly's relationship with her ancestor, where she knows exactly what she's getting into and fights on regardless. He's slightly jealous of them for that much. ]

[lesinset]

You had a good maker and later, you had responsibilities to deal with. It would have been strange if you had returned to see them.

[ The lord that changed Young-ho had been a good person as much as a vampire lord could be one, but he had still been very old fashioned. There was nothing wrong with that except that it probably left Young-ho with some traces of old fashioned mannerisms that were not needed among the councils these days. ]

But no, I do not think that it's sad. They are family. [ It didn't matter how long ago it was, they were still of their blood. As crazy as it may seem, they were always going to be of their blood. ] There is one thing about them that you may have guessed - the shifting we are able to do? It comes from the human bloodline.

[interposal]

Perhaps.

[ There's still time, of course. They have nothing but time, considering their existence. It's just something that he couldn't think of doing until things calmed down and more specifically, if they calmed down. ]

Though if what I've been told about sudden revelations on bloodline are to be believed, I may have to be subtle about it. [ Granted, subtlety isn't completely lost on him.

Young-ho lifts his hand and lets it shift for a moment, melding and morphing into a smaller version of the blade from earlier in the night before melting back into a normal human hand. ]

I wasn't sure, considering my maker didn't have much of a talent for shifting like I have been able to do, but that does make sense after what I've seen tonight.

[lesinset]

Mm.

[ Yes, they had time and Tarr would probably take him to visit the family, or at least what he thought was safe to visit. Maybe even show him to old burial spots or to the more modern areas for human remains. It might actually help him find a little bit of home to know that the line continued on. ]

It does help that I am traveling I suppose. It's hard for people to target something they cannot catch, though it may be reversed on me.

[ He trusts that the younger vampire wouldn't be caught easily, let alone that anyone would try to test Tarr's patience. He might not like politics or fighting, but he had a temper and no one wanted that released. ]

Give it enough time and you will shift to entirely new forms or even things that are a part of nightmares. [ And it wasn't even that as Tarr shifted to his female form, even though his voice remained the same. Then again, considering how soft and high it was naturally, it didn't break the illusion. ]

Even to this.

[interposal]

True, whereas for the most part, I've had to stay in one area to either take care of my clan or deal with council meetings. I fear I may becoming too predictable.

[ Which is something he and Molly have discussed before, it was more just a matter of figuring out how they can work against that and still let things run smoothly. ]

I've -

[ And his eyes widen slightly as Ki-moon shifts into a female body, blinking a couple times before he pointedly looks away. ]

I've done some drastic shifting, as I've told you before. Just not ... that. [ And the only reasons for that was because he needed the additional strength for fighting or to catch his enemies unawares. ]