Warning for language in this one. Damsel has some dialogue, so it's sort of a given.
Mirina stalked into the Last Round, her booted feet silent on the wooden floor and her lacy white dress swirling around her legs, blood staining the hem. Her pale skin was spattered with blackish blood and flecked with ash, and her hair, normally bound back in a long braid, was loose and flowing down her back, the cord she fastened it with long gone. Moving with predatory grace, she moved quickly past a startled Skelter up the stairs, ignoring him as he tried to stop her. She had places to be.
Reaching the top floor seconds before Skelter, the malkavian paused, her eyes listening to the urging voices as she fixed on the red-headed Damsel, who looked up in surprise as the fledgling darted towards her.
..
Damsel blinked as the malkavian moved with unexpected speed across the room, her slender hands curling around the Anarch's forearms as Jack muttered a curse from his corner and Skelter ran up the stairs behind the white-clothed vampire. Before anyone could react, the malk gave Damsel a little shake, her unusual two-toned eyes wide as she stared up at the taller woman, her blood-red lips spilling nonsense into the upper room of the bar.
"Tell me, where did you hide the sky? I need to find the Numbered Name, to tell him the Jester's false words. It's not safe where he is." Damsel blinked again, her face twisting into a scowl as she tried unsuccessfully to pry the young kindred's hands from her arms. She was surprised at the fledglings strength, and suddenly Jack and Skelter, who had been approaching, stopped in their tracks, power rolling off the malkavian in waves as she gave the Anarch another little shake.
Finally composing her thoughts enough to respond, Damsel frowned at the malkavian and snapped, "Whoa, hands off Cammy. You want to find Nines, you're going to have to give me a better fucking reason then because you said so."
The slender kindred inhaled sharply, her hands dropping to her sides and her head tilting to one side, her expression calming slightly; ignoring the power still clouding the air around the youngest vampire, Skelter moved forward to stand next to Damsel while Jack leaned against a nearby table, a curious expression on his bearded face.
Finally, the malkavian swayed slightly, her eyes shifting from Damsel to Jack, then back again. Her voice was low, and she spoke slowly, perhaps hoping they would understand better that way, "The Jester made a pact with the Queen of China. Used her power over the little bits to make the White King into a guilty picture, but he was not who he said she was when she turned the mad bishop to ash. Then the Black Jester King betrayed his Queen, and sends this little pawn to find the White King, bringing false words of friendship with me."
The three Anarchs blinked, exchanging puzzled glances as the malkavian clasped her hands together, her face calm as she waited for a response. Jack spoke up, asking, "Ok, so, if I'm puzzling this out right, LaCroix made some deal with the Kuei-Jin, and... they're shape-shifters? They framed Nines for the Malkavian primogen's death, then he sold out them out. Now he wants you to find Nines for, what, an alliance?"
Mirina smiled and nodded. "Yes, but his tongue is forked, the old serpent, and he cannot be trusted. The game draws to a close, and the White King must be on the board, or forfeit the match."
Damsel glanced at Skelter, who shrugged, then shared a look with Jack. The older vampire nodded, his eyes moving back to the patiently waiting malkavian.
Finally, Damsel spoke up, "Ugh, fine. He's in the park." Jack interrupted, "Griffith Park, you'll have to hurry if you want to get there and back before the sun comes up."
The malkavian began to sway again, her head tilted sharply to one side and her hands lifting to hover next to her temples. She stared at Damsel and Skelter and said in a whisper, "You must wait below the cliff, your King will need help after the teeth and claws take him over the edge." Turning her attention to Jack without waiting for a response, she murmured, "And I will need a ride come the dawn."
With that, she turned gracefully on her heel with a swirl of her bloodstained dress and darted downstairs. The three exchanged glances, and Jack shrugged with a wide grin. "Ah, Malkavians. Fun aren't they? You two better get moving while I go steal a car."