Preston Forest Shopping Center
The Preston Forest Shopping Center is large and classy. The entrance is open and spacious, a rectangular fountain surrounded by potted trees leading up the middle of the mall, with pathways on either side for shoppers. One can easily see both floors from here and the lighting is amazing - beside the typical electric bulbs, the roof is comprised of glass allowing the sunlight to filter in.
Shops and businesses spread out here both east and west as well as to the back of the mall. Hidden away in the back corner one can find the escalator to the second story, as well as washrooms and a bank of payphones.
It's early night in Dallas, just enough where the sun's gone down to invite out the city's vampiric citizens. And even the undead like to shop. And thus Dietrich Eberle finds himself moving amongst the shopping center, although he's prietty low key tonight, as only the most observant of the people mark him for a vampire and he acts prietty normal too, browsing amongst the shelves with some keen interest in a electronics store. However, since he does not find what he is looking for, he steps on out, looking about the mall for another place to go.
—
Ivan has dropped by the CVS within the shopping center, and now with his arms filled up with plastic bags and convenience store goodies, the witch is making his way through the main lobby, clearly intent on heading out of there and home as quickly as possible. His trajectory is going to bring him right past Dietrich, and he doesn't even blink at the vampire so far.
—
Dietrich stands there looking about and then Ivan passes through his vision, prompting a blink from the vampire, whom then falls into step with Ivan, "Good evening, Mr. Fontaine… might I have a word with you, please?" The vampire seems prietty non-threatening at the moment, no weapons, nothing truely alarming at this point, just that he wants to talk with Ivan.
—
Ivan's eyes swivel over to Dietrich when he simply appears beside him. Now, the man does not seem to be in a good mood. And he definitely doesn't appear to be in the mood to interact with Dietrich. "Fine," he allows the other curtly, without even bothering to slow down. "Although I would like to warn you to keep your distance from me. I'm not in a particularly chummy sort of mood. What is it?"
—
Dietrich raises a eyebrow at Ivan's bluntness and says, "Peace, Mr. Fontaine. I merely wish to talk to you about the state of things in this city. As I recall when we first met you seemed to be the man whom wanted to do something constructive in this city about humans and vampires. And thats why I'm here, if you're still that man?" He does back away a little bit for Ivan's comfort and waits to see what he gets out of the man.
—
"Theoretically, yes," Ivan offers to Dietrich, glancing over in the vampire's direction with a purse of his lips. After a moment, he hesitates into a slow drawl. "That had been my position, yes. But your kind makes it almost impossible, and I do confess to feeling as though compromise is futile at times." Code for: I just want to kill you guys sometimes. "What do you wish to discuss, exactly?"
—
Dietrich chuckles and says, "That is because you don't have any clue about how the true politics of the vampiric world work, Mr. Fontaine. It's why you find dealing with us so fusterating." And how. "However, due to the current situation at hand where I may find myself at odds with quite a few of my kind, depending on how the winds blow, I'd much rather take a side that will result in a more peaceful atmosphere. As lets be honest, a war between humans and vampires is one won handily by humanity. Vampires have not a hope in hell of suriving it. So I'd rather take a path that does not result in that and I'm hoping you'll be willing to help me with that, in exchange with me helping you to understand vampire society."
—
Ivan is not amused by Dietrich's chuckling, and he whirls around to face the vampire, his eyes cold and dispassionate. "You, sir, are severely underestimating my intelligence and my exposure to the vampiric world. I know more then you think." He snaps, and with that, he starts walking away, assuming Dietrich will follow after him. Or if not, he doesn't really care. "I know this. Your kind knows this. And at this point, I am the only thing - the only thing - keeping the human government from turning dramatically anti-vampire. But what do you have to offer me that I don't already have access to?"
—
Dietrich follows with an amused smirk on his face. "I do neither, as I know what you'll have been exposed to and to tell you quite plainly that you don't know jack about the vampiric world because -they- prefer to keep you that way. The Royalty. The Kings and Queens of the 50 States of the US of A. The motherfuckers I would rather prefer to have see the sun than have to deal with their bullshit, but so long as they kept the peace I was willing to live and let live… a few nights ago blew that all to fucking hell. I don't trust them anymore, prehaps I never did, but there you go. The King of Texas bit the dust a few nights ago and so things in this city are likely to change. Prehaps for the better, prehaps with a vampiric cleaning crew coming through and 86'ing every vampire that had a hand in the King's destruction. -That- is why I'm talking to you, Mr. Fontaine, not only for my survival but for the vampires of Dallas. And if you have such clout as you say, then this simply benefits us both."
—
"Get out of my face." Ivan snarls, lips curled with distaste, before finally swirling around to face Dietrich and advance towards him in a semi-threatening manner. "You know what bothers me the most about your fucking kind?" His words are low, a near hiss. "Your fucking entitlement. This insane believe that just because you're fucking dead, you know everything. You're better then the rest. Like your shit is 'oh so complicated' and my puny human mind couldn't comprehend. Give me a fucking break." Snort. "Newsflash. You're not gods. In fact, you know why you're allowed to 'live'? Because I permit it. I'm in fucking charge here, so chew on that before you dare to condescend to me again."
—
Dietrich stares back at Ivan, his smirk gone now as he says, "You seem to forget I'm asking for your help, Mr. Fontaine. I'm not saying your stupid or can't comprehend it, but I'm saying that you only know what you've been told. We stayed secret for milennia because we were damned good at it, Mr. Fontaine. And it doesn't behoove you to threaten someone who is willing to offer you help and fill in the blanks in exchange for helping him. I havn't threatened you, so why should you threaten me? And don't forget, I also hold your life in my hands as well, I don't think the government would take well to learning of the existence of magic, shifters, and whatever else there is in the world. If we go down, we will drag the rest of the supernatural world down with us. Don't forget that." Beat. "So will you help me and help each other and prevent pursing such a fracas to it's final stupidity?"
—
Ivan smiles in a humorless fashion. "Please. Your lot has never been a 'secret'. It's been shushed up for years, willingly, by all parties. And, frankly? It's been the worst kept secret of all time. However, the typical person does not know of the politics surrounding your kind, but, as I am not the typical person…do see where I am going with this? And, don't try your paltry hand at threatening me, sir. There is no qualitative way to measure magic, and 'magic' has been mainstream for centuiries. It is nothing new, and nothing that would result in our demise."
"I want you to give me one reason. One reason to help your kind - to keep from eliminating you from the city altogether. All I've seen from you is contention, and a willingness to use everyone as means to your amusement. And, granted, humans are not much better, but humans don't have nearly the same capacity to create chaos and evil, purely by virtue of the fact that they're not strong or quick enough."
—
Dietrich frowns at Ivan and says, "Honestly? There's not one fucking redeeming thing about vampires Fontaine. I certainly didn't choose to become one. I would have been quite content to have lived out my life three centuries ago and been at peace as a witch. But I didn't get that chance. So should I be killed just because some older vampire decided to put me under his boot? You'll find my story is not unique. Alot of us were turned against our will, although it's rarer these days. I am mostly content to get my TruBlood and be happy, but we're under a tyranny of whom is older, Fontaine. If I were to get into a physical fight with say, Will Grant, I would lose. Hands down. He's about seven centuries older than I and if I didn't have magic, I'd have to concede to whatever he wanted. Thankfully that's not the case, but most of us don't have that luxury. Thats why you should help us. Alot of us are slaves, even if we don't seem like it. Slaves to those fuckers the Royalty." He growls, this topic seeming to be of particular irritation to him.
—
"Perhaps you should. I haven't decided yet." Ivan admits honestly, eyeing Dietrich. But when the man attempts to pass himself off as 'slaves', he lets his eyes roll. "Slaves, mhmm? Slaves, with quite a bit of freedom, I've heard. I know the vampiric laws. I know how they hold up. And frankly? they allow quite a bit. It's benevolent slavery, compared to the hold you have over humans. But, regardless, I'm out. I'll call for you. We can discuss this further, when I'm not quite so tempted to say 'fuck you all' and am thinking more clearly." And with that dismissal, Ivan runs off.
