Mara smiled softly at Bao. "Maybe you should be both," she suggested. "She has found ways to grow up even without your guidance."
If Pakpao intimidated Bao, well, perhaps he deserved it. Good for her, too. Mara hadn't expected to like Pak, not really, but she was willing to face her fears and that spoke volumes.
She glanced around the room. She still didn't see Aishe anywhere but she knew the woman hadn't left yet and still had that sensation of being watched. Maybe she was being paranoid; Aishe certainly could be talking to Clanmates in the Evenhet section of the club, or even taking the opportunity to feed herself while she was here.
"When will this next meeting take place?" she asked. She was genuinely curious. If neither of them minded, she would like to be present. It was interesting to her, to watch them try to work through their differences. Maybe on some subconscious level she was trying to gather information to use at a later date, because no doubt a similar situation would eventually happen.
Pleased to Meet You, Won't You Guess My Name (Attn: Pak, Aishe and Mara)
Bao grumbled about the sewer entrance, he always did. Perhaps it was one of the reasons he avoided The House of Pain, or perhaps it just wasn't his style, at least not most of the time. It didn't matter, he would put up with a lot to get to actually talk to his wayward offspring. And if the sewer was the worst he had to endure it would be a very small price to pay.
Deciding it wouldn't be wise to sit in the Anantya section, if he were to take 'home field advantage' she might resent that, or possibly even run after all, he found a neutral booth. It managed to be semi private but wasn't so tucked away that you couldn't see most of the floor from it, again he didn't want her feeling trapped. He'd seen what she did when she felt trapped. Whether Pakpao knew it or not she'd broken his nose and a couple of toes when then ran into each other in California.
He ordered a drink and then all he could do was wait. It was hard not to watch the various writhing masses of human and vampire without looking like a predator. But that wasn't the image he wanted right now. Truthfully, he didn't know how to go about this. Apologize? Defend his actions? Simply tell her she owed him three hundred years of service and education? No, none of those seemed right and he'd rejected all those ideas between when Mara had told him of this meeting and now.
As much as Bao was loathed to admit it, even to himself, Pakpao had the power in this meeting. He needed to know what she wanted from him before he could respond. If she were part of Anantya or completely unaffiliated, he could take what he wanted. But unless she left Evenhet willingly, trying to snatch one of them would cause more trouble then he was authorized to start.
He let his mind wander, trying to prepare for this in some way his eyes never leaving the crowd, trying to spot her.
Mara
14 years ago
Bao
14 years ago
"Scared?"Â?
Bao snorted. She was a little thing and untrained. But still, she had a good presence and obviously still had some anger issues. Yes, perhaps he should be, but he wasn't about to admit any more than he already had to Mara.
"She doesn't have the first clue how to fight. I thought I might teach her. I know a quiet, exclusive dojo down town."Â?
Of course, he didn't have the first clue where to start with her. Perhaps Aikido, as he had with Dana. Bao suspected that Pakpao would be more comfortable with some defense than offense.
"I was thinking three days from now, perhaps four. Would you mind setting it up? She didn't bother to give me her number."Â?
He smiled wryly. It was a small bit of poetic justice. Up until tonight he'd never given her any of his information.
"I suspect she will be brining a friend with her."Â?
Bao snorted. She was a little thing and untrained. But still, she had a good presence and obviously still had some anger issues. Yes, perhaps he should be, but he wasn't about to admit any more than he already had to Mara.
"She doesn't have the first clue how to fight. I thought I might teach her. I know a quiet, exclusive dojo down town."Â?
Of course, he didn't have the first clue where to start with her. Perhaps Aikido, as he had with Dana. Bao suspected that Pakpao would be more comfortable with some defense than offense.
"I was thinking three days from now, perhaps four. Would you mind setting it up? She didn't bother to give me her number."Â?
He smiled wryly. It was a small bit of poetic justice. Up until tonight he'd never given her any of his information.
"I suspect she will be brining a friend with her."Â?
Aishe
14 years ago
The pink and grey faded, leaving normal colors of conversation fading in and out. Seeing nothing alarming at all, Aishe tried to close the door on her empathy again, a task that was difficult to do. Her focus needed practice. She knew that. Sometimes when she opened herself up, she got far more than she bargained for. And here at he House of Pain it was more than she wanted. She tried to look at the floor so as not to see flashes of violence or lust from the people crushing around her but her empathy wasn't entirely based on sight and sound. Like any other empath she felt the moods around her, and in crowded places she didn't like it.
Unable to quickly come to terms with the overload, Aishe headed for the door. She didn't get another chance to glimpse the woman or Pak's creator; she was consumed with the need to find some sort of solitude. She couldn't help thinking, though, that she'd seen that woman before.
((ooc: Aishe out))
Unable to quickly come to terms with the overload, Aishe headed for the door. She didn't get another chance to glimpse the woman or Pak's creator; she was consumed with the need to find some sort of solitude. She couldn't help thinking, though, that she'd seen that woman before.
((ooc: Aishe out))
Mara
14 years ago
Mara nodded to Bao. "I can arrange something, I think." How interesting, now that they had met properly, Bao was going to take an interest in his wayward daughter? Apparently.
Out of he corner of her eye, the bit of her that was watching the ebb and flow of the House of Pain crowd noticed someone heading counter to it, against the tide. As Mara watched, Aishe made her way quickly out, hr head down, obscuring her face. Mara had to wonder what the younger woman had stayed behind for, and if she'd gotten whatever she'd wanted.
"A friend? Who do you think she'd bring along with her?" Mara was curious. She knew who most of Pak's friends were, but she hadn't been aware that Bao was familiar with them too.
Out of he corner of her eye, the bit of her that was watching the ebb and flow of the House of Pain crowd noticed someone heading counter to it, against the tide. As Mara watched, Aishe made her way quickly out, hr head down, obscuring her face. Mara had to wonder what the younger woman had stayed behind for, and if she'd gotten whatever she'd wanted.
"A friend? Who do you think she'd bring along with her?" Mara was curious. She knew who most of Pak's friends were, but she hadn't been aware that Bao was familiar with them too.
Bao
14 years ago
"Thank you. She is still a bit reluctant to,"Â?
Bao paused, he didn't know exactly what Pakpao was reluctant to do. Obviously she was willing to deal with him, apparently she didn't want to encourage contact between them just yet. Rather uncharacteristically Bao trailed off, leaving the thought unfinished. He did, however, take it as a given that Mara was invited. If she was willing to play coordinator he saw no reason to keep her way. She knew as much about the situation as anyone.
Who? Bao had not asked that question. Now that he thought about it that was a significant detail, one he should have covered. But he had been so concerned about making sure she would come, that she was comfortable he forgot. Bao mentally kicked himself. He was getting soft and worse yet, careless.
"Honestly I have no idea. I would guess would be someone from security. She is a bit jumpy yet."Â?
Bao paused, he didn't know exactly what Pakpao was reluctant to do. Obviously she was willing to deal with him, apparently she didn't want to encourage contact between them just yet. Rather uncharacteristically Bao trailed off, leaving the thought unfinished. He did, however, take it as a given that Mara was invited. If she was willing to play coordinator he saw no reason to keep her way. She knew as much about the situation as anyone.
Who? Bao had not asked that question. Now that he thought about it that was a significant detail, one he should have covered. But he had been so concerned about making sure she would come, that she was comfortable he forgot. Bao mentally kicked himself. He was getting soft and worse yet, careless.
"Honestly I have no idea. I would guess would be someone from security. She is a bit jumpy yet."Â?
Mara
14 years ago
Mara splayed her hands in front of her, palms-up. "Of course she's reluctant, of course she's jumpy," she said, defending Pak. "You've scared the hell out of her Bao. Surely you didn't expect her to be ready for a fatherly embrace on your very first real meeting?"
Her lips quirked up wryly. Bao was usually patient. He just had to remember to continue to be. Pak wasn't going to come around quickly, Mara didn't think. Then again, it wasn't as if she knew Pak very well herself, either. Maybe she would surprise them both.
"I'll let her know you want to get together with her," Mara promised, stopping short of a lecture. Bao didn't need that. He knew what was what.
Her lips quirked up wryly. Bao was usually patient. He just had to remember to continue to be. Pak wasn't going to come around quickly, Mara didn't think. Then again, it wasn't as if she knew Pak very well herself, either. Maybe she would surprise them both.
"I'll let her know you want to get together with her," Mara promised, stopping short of a lecture. Bao didn't need that. He knew what was what.
Bao
14 years ago
Irritated with himself, Bao let Mara berate him. Although, not for the reasons she was laying out. He was still upset he'd be so stupid as to not find out for certain who Pakpao would be brining with her. That was dangerous. Just because she'd done no more than throw a drink in his face and yell tonight was no guarantee she wouldn't try and kill him later.
"No, of course not."Â?
It was a half snarl. He knew he should expect that, but it felt like an attack on his honor. Scared or not she should understand he'd not hurt her at an arranged meeting. She should -know- he wouldn't start a fight with Evenhet. What kind of woman was this child of his that she didn't understand these things?
Shoving these thoughts aside he signed and nodded at his older sister.
"She knows. I think she's agreed. She only needs to know the where and when."Â?
Bao was feeling slightly discouraged over all. If he didn't make some head way with Pakpao at their next meeting he might ask Mara's advice. Perhaps she would know how to get through to his daughter.
"No, of course not."Â?
It was a half snarl. He knew he should expect that, but it felt like an attack on his honor. Scared or not she should understand he'd not hurt her at an arranged meeting. She should -know- he wouldn't start a fight with Evenhet. What kind of woman was this child of his that she didn't understand these things?
Shoving these thoughts aside he signed and nodded at his older sister.
"She knows. I think she's agreed. She only needs to know the where and when."Â?
Bao was feeling slightly discouraged over all. If he didn't make some head way with Pakpao at their next meeting he might ask Mara's advice. Perhaps she would know how to get through to his daughter.
Mara
14 years ago
Mara arched her brows and gazed levelly at Bao. Quite the outburst, for him. Clearly he was a little more upset with events than he really wanted to admit.
She smiled reassuringly at him and said, "I'll provide the where and when in that case. I'll let you know what she says."
She stood to leave, favoring him with a softer expression. "It's good that you're doing this. At least, whatever happens, you've tried to make things right with her."
She wanted to tell him that Amir would be proud if he knew what Bao was doing right now, but she had, of course, lied about their creator knowing of her involvement. Mara didn't want to say anything that would encourage Bao to bring the matter up with Amir. She'd find a way to cover those bases later.
She made her goodbyes to Bao and headed out of the House of Pain after a little detour to find dinner. Thoughtfully looking toward the direction she imagined her father would have gone, she found an alley, discarded her clothing, unconcerned about finding it again, and shifted with a sigh of relief into her cat shape. On velvety paws she tip-toed out of the alley and headed away from the downtown areas, out toward the suburbs on Nachton's outskirts.
((ooc: Mara out))
She smiled reassuringly at him and said, "I'll provide the where and when in that case. I'll let you know what she says."
She stood to leave, favoring him with a softer expression. "It's good that you're doing this. At least, whatever happens, you've tried to make things right with her."
She wanted to tell him that Amir would be proud if he knew what Bao was doing right now, but she had, of course, lied about their creator knowing of her involvement. Mara didn't want to say anything that would encourage Bao to bring the matter up with Amir. She'd find a way to cover those bases later.
She made her goodbyes to Bao and headed out of the House of Pain after a little detour to find dinner. Thoughtfully looking toward the direction she imagined her father would have gone, she found an alley, discarded her clothing, unconcerned about finding it again, and shifted with a sigh of relief into her cat shape. On velvety paws she tip-toed out of the alley and headed away from the downtown areas, out toward the suburbs on Nachton's outskirts.
((ooc: Mara out))
Bao
14 years ago
At least some one was moderately on his side in all of this. Bao almost smiled.
"Thank you Mara. You've been a great help in all of this."Â?
He hoped Pakpao appreciated her help as well. They had needed a mediator of some kind, that was clear because if left to either one of them, Pakpao or Bao, they never would have even met.
Slowly and thoughtfully, he finished his drink absently encouraging a girl on the dance floor to approach him. Bao didn't need to eat right now, but he wasn't about to turn down a free meal either. He was less gentle with her than he could have been, but she didn't seem to mind and it gave him something else to do, to think about.
Once finished with the girl Bao excused himself from the club, his thoughts back on a small Siamese vampire with blue eyes. He hoped she would meet with him again.
((OOC... Bao out))
"Thank you Mara. You've been a great help in all of this."Â?
He hoped Pakpao appreciated her help as well. They had needed a mediator of some kind, that was clear because if left to either one of them, Pakpao or Bao, they never would have even met.
Slowly and thoughtfully, he finished his drink absently encouraging a girl on the dance floor to approach him. Bao didn't need to eat right now, but he wasn't about to turn down a free meal either. He was less gentle with her than he could have been, but she didn't seem to mind and it gave him something else to do, to think about.
Once finished with the girl Bao excused himself from the club, his thoughts back on a small Siamese vampire with blue eyes. He hoped she would meet with him again.
((OOC... Bao out))