Chance Encounters (open to all)

Feeling the urge for a nip of tea, Jacob had headed across the bridge to the Meridian building, hearing that they housed one of the finer beverage establishments in Nachton. Willing to put them to the test, he crossed, slowly, watching the city through this different vantage point. Lovely. The area most proximate to the Towers was a fairly clean neighborhood, and seemed to have a wide variety of vehicles traveling the area. It made the watching more interesting.

Of course, watching the outside meant NOT watching the inside, and that was far more interesting. All of these people affiliated, like him, with possibly the only body in history working to bring together vampire and humankind in cooperation. It tickled him how that rankled the Anantya, as the abolishment of slavery had rankled the Southern landholders in its time. In time they'd get over it, and realize the error of their ways. He had to remind himself that it wasn't their fault, they simply had difficulty changing their minds after so long. They just needed a push.

Ordering a cup of Earl Grey, Jacob looked at his surroundings. Noting a young lad who seemed pleasant enough, he headed over. Seated in prime people watching real estate as well. Lovely bit of luck, that.

"Hello, lad. May I join your table?"

That would allow an out if the young...looking...man wished not to converse, but did want to be polite. There would be no need for curtness, though he didn't seem the sort, this one. And if he was, well, there were plenty of other people here, too.

Will had watched the older man enter the coffee shop, and had tracked him to the counter before returning his eyes to the people outside. He looked like a nice enough man, and Will wondered about his story, since every one had one. Luck had it that the man found an interest in him as well. It would do him good to learn more about the people working and living in Meridian and Liefde. Pushing hair out of his eyes with one hand, and gesturing to the opposite chair with the other, he offered the man a smile.

"Indeed you may, good sir."

He waited until the man had settled himself before offering his hand.

"I am Will Timmerman."

Smiling at the boy, Jacob had him pegged as either a vampire or someone who worked closely with them immediately. It made him a bit sad, but no one used the word "indeed" in casual conversation much these days. Such a pleasant word, and one that really hammered home a positive and pleasant response. At the very least, it underlined the boy's social savvy. He was polite, and knew the proper terms. Lovely.

Taking the offered hand, he nodded.

"Jacob Moor, a pleasure. Quite a lovely nook for observing passers-by you have here. A perfect place for a recent arrival such as myself to set up shop and get to know the faces and moods of the company."

Pleased with his response, he leaned back, sipping his tea. It gave a little information, indicated a lack of familiarity with the area and its people, provided a compliment and allowed for four possible tacks for the conversation to start with. The telling portion would be which his companion chose for them. Always telling, the initial choice of conversation. You could learn a lot from a person based solely upon what they focused their attentions on.

Will smiled at his new companion, before sipping from his second mug of tea. The young woman behind the couter came over with oe of those thermal pitcher things that keeps hot water or coffee hot for a very long time with out having to reheat it. It was one new invention that Will liked very much, and several packets of tea bags. It was very ice to have tea in those little bags like that, but at times he wanted the loose teas he'd grown up with. He thanked her, ad she smiled, dipped her head and left them be.

"It is exactly that, Mr. Moore. For instance, take a look at that young blonde standing in front of the candy shop across the way." He gestured in her direction, with out actually pointing. The woman wore a pair of tan slacks, a green blouse and held several shopping bags. "She has stood there like that a total of six times now. In just a moment she will touch her hand to the glass, sigh and walk reluctantly away. I am tempted to walk over there, purchase a piece of the chocolate she so desperately wants, just to see what will happen to her. I suspect she will have a little orgasm on the spot, then feel terrible for eating chocolate at all."

Will chuckled softly and sipped his tea again.

Jacob was momentarily shocked by the statement, but chuckled as the woman performed the predicted set of maneuvers to the same, repetitive outcome.

"Well, if we were to take her as a void sample of the state of Meridian, we would think that we were perhaps experts of self-flagellation and practitioners of rigid, though grudging, self-control. Of course, if I were added to the averaging, that would balance things out."

Patting his ample belly, Jacob chuckled.

"Perhaps you'll have an opportunity to do your good deed for the day on her next round? I'm certain she would appreciate the delivery more from someone of your stature and years than my own."

Though there were very, very rare exceptions - women who genuinely did not care about the physical appearance of their mates, Jacob found that for every 100,000 or so women who claimed to be completely open minded, only one really meant it. Of course, that one was a true gem and always worth the digging. If one were so inclined. Too much work, really.

"And chocolate, when properly administered, is the greatest counter to guilt that the culinary world knows. Perhaps two would be in order, then?"

"If one only took her as an example it would be a very poor showing. They would need to include the gentleman across the way that has been rating the women that pass him with a sort of umbers system that I don't understand. Those two would show a clearer picture."

Will returned the chuckle, before sipping his tea.

"I am all talk, my friend. I haven't the social graces to complete such a task with aplomb and dignity remaining at the outcome."

He pushed a stray hair from his face, and grinned at Jacob. "I think two might cause her to take leave of her senses. No one would be enough for the resistor of the chocolate temptations."

Will poured hot water into his mug and added a tea bag before speaking again.

"You said you are a recent arrival. May I ask what brings you to Nachton?"

The commentary on the man assigning numbers to women brought a brief wrinkle to Jacob's nose. Generally, folks who gave numbers to people were either up to no good or worked for the Government. Rarely was it anything sinister, really...but certainly not necessary. Bureaucracy for bureaucracy's sake. Mere silliness. Or in the case of the man in question, tomfoolery. He wasn't up to no good, but clearly did not understand the fairer sex, and that they might not enjoy being reduced to a number on a relatively short scale. Ah well. Enough drinks in the face and perhaps the fellow would learn his lesson.

"Yes, but an equally unpleasant one. Adding them will eliminate the self-control card, but now it seems that we're juvenile!"

At young William's self-defeating attitude, Jacob smiled. He had been shy once upon a time, and then realized that just because one HAS forever to make a decision one should not necessarily utilize all of the time provided. No matter what the television shows with bombs suggested, leaving plenty of time on the clock as leeway meant it could be spent elsewhere. More likely the young man already had a little lady tucked away, and it was his polite way of removing temptation.

"I suppose. I've found that where one chocolate is a pleasant treat, two can dull the palette and require reinforcements. I suppose that is why chocolatiers do such brisk trade on their assortments. "

Sipping his tea, he considered his answer options. Settling, Jacob nodded.

"I chose to come by train. Though it takes a bit longer than an automobile or airplane, they are much more comfortable. They are also filled with people who, like me, are interested in both the journey and the destination, and not using the conveyance as a means to an end. I've found most people who travel by airplane simply wish to be left alone, or retreat into their own world, rather than look down on the wonderful map below them or to study the intricacies of the machinery around them. Well, to each their own, I suppose."

As an afterthought, Jacob added

"Ah...and I am attached to the Public Relations department here."

Will chuckled at Jacob's answer. It did answer his question, just not int he way Will had meant. Only Jacob's small after thought had done that. Will himself had never been on a locomotive, had never desired to do so, and airplanes just plain scared him senseless. He would not relate that to this man, it was enough to admit it to himself. Will did not know what a public relations person did or why they did it. He really ought to pay more attention to the inner workings of both Evenhet and it's enterprises.

"Will you be staying in Leifde Towers?" As far as Will knew, only vampires and familiars stayed in the towers, Jacob's answer would tell him how free he could be with his tongue.

Nodding to William's question, Jacob brought the tea back up to his lips.

"I was lucky on such short notice, I suppose. The suite is quite lovely. A bit minimalist in the kitchen, but the rest of the space is quite open, and flows together pleasantly. The temporary furniture until my own arrives is quite adequate, and there are a couple of pieces that I may leave in the room for the duration of my stay. Are you a Liefer as well?"

Will had never quite heard it put that way before, but he supposed this man must be more recently made vampire or one that kept up with the times. Many of the Clan kept up with slang, technology and the like, Will just didn't happen to be one of them.

"Yes, I reside in the Towers. MARI is very adept at finding accommodation for those who need it, no matter the length of notice."

MARI had to be the most disturbing part of living in Liefde. She left him be for the most part and didn't appear on walls in his home or when he was present unless it was necessary. She seemed to understand his fear of her, though as far as he knew he had not told her so. That in itself was just as frightening as a thinking being with out a body. He sipped his tea to calm his nerves, pushing MARI out of his mind.

"I take it then that you have not seen much of the city? I can recommend some sights you should take in and some decent restaurants that offer a wide variety of meals." The last word was said with a small emphasis and a slightly lifted left eyebrow.

Ah...MARI. The young man seemed uncomfortable after bringing up the multi-functional whotsit of the Towers. If one looked at MARI as a discorporate, sentient entity somewhat akin to an electronic ghost, the idea was a bit strange. Another tack was to accept the personality for what she was, and treat her just like anyone else. Sure, she may be lacking in physical capacity in some regard, but physical interaction was hardly necessary for meaningful conversation or communication. Perhaps young Mister William was a bit longer in the tooth than he looked. Deciding to have a spot of fun, Jacob remarked

"Yes...MARI was quite helpful. I look forward to interacting with her in the future. She is a most intriguing young lady. I wonder how well she will grow up?"

Nodding at Will's next conversational tack, Jacob grinned contentedly.

"Yes...any information on culinary delights is always helpful. That is always the trickiest part of traveling to a new location...finding places worthy of regular visitation without blending with the wrong crowd. Sometimes the denizens of a neighborhood are enough to offset the value of a specific eatery. I find that finding cuisine near Orphanages is far too distracting - it takes away some of the pleasure of the meal, as my mind is on the plight of the poor children stumbling through the night. But perhaps that is just me."

Will was not sure how to respond to Jacob considering MARI a real person. In fact it disturbed him dreadfully. He decided to simply let it lie, hoping Jacob was just poking a bit of fun at him. He focused instead on his second answer and found the thought of worrying about orphans wondering around quite humorous especially if one is referring to those of the vampire persuasion.

"Indeed that would be disturbing. Do you have a preference in cuisine? Young, old, ethnicity?"

Personally Will preferred young nubile women so that he received as much pleasure as they, but he had no compunction feeding off the seedier sides of humanity.

Grinning at the open angle of the conversation, Jacob nodded once.

"I find that I prefer not food of a particular region or vintage, but the spice involved. I prefer spicier foods...those that taste of the fire that awaits them in the hereafter."

Stunned a bit at his bold honesty, Jacob was taken back to a particularly savory bit of eating he'd done...shortly after his friend and maker had passed. Some nights he could still taste it, for better or for worse. But those nights were likely behind him. Shaking his head a bit for clarity, he looked up to meet the man's eyes.

"Making the world a better place, one evening at a time. Or something similar."

Finishing his tea, he bowed slightly to his seated companion and neighbor.

"Mr. Will Timmerman, it has been a pleasure. Stop by any time."

Busing his own table setting, he made his exit.

((ooc: Jacob out))

Will stood when Jacob did and offered a parting handshake "The pleasure has been mine, Jacob, welcome to the towers."

Will would inquire with others that knew more about Jacob and perhaps see about helping him find the spice he was looking for. Will was happy with himself for making another friend with in the clan. It was about time he got to kow his fellow vampires. He led a sad life, 'This life was just fine until you started leaving the room, thank you very much," a voice in his head spoke up. He questioned himself in this way, when ever he thought to change himself or his routine. Chage did not come easy to him, and most of that change required use of technology. Will sighed, and pulled his wallet from its pocket. He place enough bills to cover the tea and tip the person that would be cleaning the table for him, next to his mug.

Standing, he put the wallet back in place and went to buy a few chocolates before heading off to his rooms and the sleep his body was suddenly demadig of him.


((ooc Will out))