RAISING MERIDIAN
Back at Vladimir's house:
Young Kain: *angrily* I have done nothing to you, scrawny feline person.
Vladimir: *mournfully rubbing his aching eyes* Well someone's messed with the temporal and dimensional shift on the bloody things, that's for sure…and you two temporally misplaced misfits are the most likely culprits.
In the midst of this confusion, the front door can be heard slamming open. This goes unnoticed by many of those standing in the room, but what happens next does not.
Celia: *raging tempest voice* Vladimir Mikhail!
Vladimir: *hisses in a breath* So THAT'S what I forgot today... I knew there was something.
Lupa: *utter disbelief* You had a date?
Vladimir: Ohhh, not even close…
Celia: *advancing on him furiously: Vladimir backs up against a wall* You sieve-brained, fumble-pawed, cheese-fearing idiot! How could you?! I had to walk across town- in petticoats, AND A CORSET!
Lupa: *looks almost amused, but manages to control it* I have to ask - why the corset?
Celia: Costume party, my relatives coerced me into dressing up as my great-grandma.
Kurt: *polite and savagely curious* Sounds…interesting. How did that go?
Celia: Oh, it was wonderful, Tybalt got his pet sylph to follow me around and somehow I kept my undine from becoming jealous, I'll never quite know how I pulled that one off.
Old Kain leans across to Raziel.
Old Kain: Her what?
Raziel shrugs helplessly.
Celia: *surveying the motley collection in the room* So these would be the houseguests you told me about?
Vladimir: *nods* Well, Lupa you know, or should, as I've said enough things about her-
Lupa: *dangerously* What kinds of *things*?
Celia: *smiles winningly at the wolf-girl* Oh, I'm sure when I remember them, they'll ALL be good.
Lupa does not look impressed. She sniffs, suspiciously, and her yellow eyes narrow.
Vladimir: *sensing conflict, steers Celia away* But the boys. You should meet the boys. My manners. Honestly. Forget my own tail if it wasn't glued on.
Catching a vibe from the mage, he (perhaps unwisely) turns to him first. Krobelus glares at Celia with his dark purple eyes and does not hold out his hand.
Vladimir: *realising a possible mistake too late* This…ah…is Krobelus, you'll like him, he does magic too.
Celia: *to Krobelus, trying not to grimace at the feel of his aura* Charmed. He wants to shake my hand just about as much as I want to shake his, moving along.
Kurt: *bounds in effusively and scoops up Celia's hand* Very glad to meet you, schöene Fraulein. I am Kurt Wagner, and yes, I'm a natural blue.
Celia: *delighted laugh* Likewise. *smiles* And I'd hate to think of what you'd pay in hair-dye if you weren't.
Vladimir: Don't mind him, he's caught chivalry from somewhere and we can't find a cure. This is Raziel.
Raziel sweeps an ironic bow, somewhat ashamed, as always, of his dilapidated appearance, then holds out his claws for her to shake.
Celia: *wide eyes* Oh, look at you!
Old Kain: *sarcastically* There's yet another girl fallen for your new and improved charms.
Raziel: *hand still in the middle of shaking Celia's, growls at Old Kain*
Celia: *studying his forearm, entranced* Your muscle tone... if only I could bottle that color, I'd monopolize the paint industry.
Kurt: *laughing* She only loves you for your body, Raz.
Old Kain: She'd be the first in centuries.
Vladimir: * wisely steers Celia away from Raziel and out of the direct line between Old Kain and Raziel*
Young Kain : *stepping up on his own, comes nose to nose with Celia, who is backed into Vladimir* *in a deep, growly voice* I am Kain, milady.
Celia:*raises an eyebrow* I am unavailable.
Old Kain reaches out an arm and casually pulls his younger self back by the hair. Young Kain hisses defiantly and struggles.
Celia: *raising the other eyebrow* Now THIS is something I've never seen before. *to Vladimir* So... if you take that one *pointing at young Kain*, twist and stretch, *shifting her finger to old Kain* you get THAT one?
Raziel: *snickers - this is without doubt one of the funniest things he's heard in weeks*
Vladimir: Essentially. Somehow they've messed up my gates.
Krobelus: *still glaring and on his guard - to Celia* and just who might YOU be?
Vladimir: *speaking before Celia can* Allow me to introduce Celia Cameron of *smirks at Celia's groan* the Golden Gate Camerons, painter, sculpter and Watermaster of San Francisco.
Krobelus: San Francisco?
Kurt: Earth.
Krobelus: *has no idea what Kurt is talking about* Ah.
Young Kain: *suspiciously* Watermaster?
Raziel: *smirking* I like her already.
Celia: *also smirking, fingering the edge of Faustus' jacket* The title is exactly what it sounds like, as another vampire found out earlier today.
Young Kain: *thoughtfully* Come to think of it... that coat looks awfully familiar...
Celia: *innocently* Well, after my undine had gotten it wet, he didn't seem to want it anymore.
Lupa: *suddenly perking up* You mean there's a vampire running around my Nexus without a shirt on? Bonus.
Old Kain: What did this vampire look like? *holds up his hand* About so high, gold greaves, took too much time with his hair?
Celia: *raises an eyebrow* That's him exactly.
Young Kain: Faustus!
Old Kain: *groans*
Vladimir: *hysterically* You mean there's more of him?! *pointing at young Kain*
Lupa: *gleefully* This just gets better and better…
VladimirsAngel: *shakes head* Oh, no it doesn't, Lupa…something I'm sure you'll find out very soon…*looks out at the reader* Please review! Or the Soul Reaver gets it! *holds a banana to Raziel's temple*
Raziel: *staring at her* Isn't it time for your medication, Angel dear?