'Cause what you see you might not get [OPEN]

[desmodusdraculae]

WHO: Kirk and you!
WHERE: Maurtia Falls, Anywhere
WHEN: April
WHAT: Explosions, Shopping, Bartending, and Bat antics
WARNINGS: None. Will update as necessary!

01. POOF (closed to people who live in Maurtia Falls 005 or may be visiting)
[Shortly after arriving, Kirk had claimed part of the basement as his lab space. He needed somewhere dark so he could work without needing his goggles, and as he's not entirely inconsiderate so he didn't take it all. During the day he can often be found down there, working on various experiments, though mostly mixing up an artificial plasma for whenever he's trying to be good and can't get down to Re:Cafe.

One afternoon in April, after two months of uneventful nothingness, there's an almost cartoonish explosive "poof" sound that goes off in the basement, whatever it was barely strong enough to shake the building. For the investigative sort who checks the basement to inspect the source of the noise will find his lab area a mess--overturned beakers spilling out various liquids, a blacked spot on his lab table, and one pissed-off pseudo-vampire, face covered in something with the color and texture of tomato paste.

For the non-inquisitive sort, Kirk will eventually come upstairs, face covered in something with the color and texture of tomato paste.

No matter the scenario, Kirk will glare in the other person's general direction and growl:]

Don't ask.


02. Clothes shopping - Wherever
[At various points throughout the month, Kirk can be found in various clothing stores throughout the various porter cities, staring holes into shirts in his hand. He's come to the realization that he only wears black, and while it's versatile, he can't help but feel like he's living out some sort of brooding teenage vampire stereotype.

So he pulls out shirts that look bright or popular, only to remember why he wears black--he has no sense of style whatsoever.

After staring at the shirts for what feels like forever, he growls under his breath and shoves them back into the racks.]

I have no idea what I'm doing.


03. Bartending - The Crimson Mist, Maurtia Falls
[Kirk had never really held down a steady job before. Sure, he'd helped his dad a bit at his back in his body shop in high school, but his scholarship covered his college, and after that, well... He considered himself unemployable.

So when he'd been told to just show up at some bar in Maurtia Falls to earn a paycheck, he honestly went more out of curiosity than anything. He knew nothing about bartending, but picked it up quickly. He isn't the chatty, psychologist type, but he will be ready with a refill before you have to ask, so he gets decent tips all the same.

The bar itself isn't fully sure what it wants to be; half faux vampire bar, half 80s roadhouse dive bar. Kirk has no fucking clue how this came to be, but the strange hodgepodge of customers don't seem to mind, so he doesn't either.

He can be found behind the bar serving drinks, or helping the waitstaff when things get slammed. Maybe he spills a drink on you by mistake, maybe you're very lost and just need directions. Either way, Kirk's here until his shift's over.]


04. Bat time - wherever
[The only time Kirk ever feels truly comfortable with himself is when he's wearing the costume. It's stupid, but he can temporarily forget all of the insecurities and problems and just focus on beating the hell out of some scumbag that deserves it.

Maurtia Falls is ripe with such scumbags, so he can usually be found there, but every so often he stalks his prey to one of the other porter cities, looking for the higher man on the totem pole. Maybe he's beating up on some scumbag, or staking out a nearby building or perhaps stalking across rooftops in hot pursuit of someone else... hell, maybe he's following you by mistake. Either way, he's here and he's not going anywhere anytime soon.]


05. Wildcard!
[Feel free to run into Kirk anywhere, in or out of costume! If you want a specific starter, feel free to reach out on plurk at redconfession]

Comments

3!

[h2no]

[this is a vice of his archie should be more mindful about, but sometimes... sometimes you just gotta get trashed. he doesn't always like doing it in maurtia falls, seeing as that's where he works, but he's far too tired to care tonight. he's already in shit for breaking and entering, anything that happens tonight can't get him in worse.

it's quite late and mercifully a little quiet when he decides to approach the bar for a drink. he grins at kurt, ever the people person.]

Yo, bro! Can I get the most colourful monstrosity of a drink you guys sell?

[desmodusdraculae]

[Kirk is already heading over towards Archie as soon as he sits down, giving a small smile in response.]

I'll do my best.

[Kirk turns to the bar to get to work, while in the back of his head, he's trying to figure out just which group the newcomer belongs to--he doesn't look like a wannabe vampire, but usually the "Roadhouse" crew doesn't order "colorful monstrosities" either. Perhaps someone lost, or doesn't care?

When he turns again, he's holding a cocktail in a margarita glass, the bottom cloudy white with just the top part a deep blood red and puts it down in front of Archie.]

Not as garish as you were expecting, perhaps, but still colorful.

[h2no]

[archie counts under at least two of those categories. he watches kirk with interest, trying to see what he can while the guy's back is turned.]

Damn-- [a look at his nametag.] Kirk! That's gotta be some kinda record.

[he looks over it delightedly before taking out his comm and snapping a picture, then looks to kirk.]

You wanna be in the pic, as the artist?

[desmodusdraculae]

[Kirk's caught completely off guard by the question. He just made the drink as he was instructed... why is he thinking he did anything special?]

I didn't... do anything special...

02

[am_i_a_monster]

[Abigail's looking through a display of silk scarves nearby, when she hears the voice.  She's uncertain if the man is talking to her and she looks over.]

You're shopping.

[She says it with only the faintest hint of sarcasm and then walks over.  She can manage for some empathy.  She rarely had choices in her old life, just what her family could offer and later what the hospital, Alana and Hannibal gave her. Shopping was an adjustment back when she was new to this world.]

I don't work here but I can spare a second to help.   You're looking for shirts?   For everyday or a specific occasion?

[desmodusdraculae]

Well crap, I thought I was playing basketball.

[Kirk responds to the sarcasm in kind as he glances over at the newcomer through red-lensed glasses.]

Just... I guess everyday. I don't mean to be a bother.

[am_i_a_monster]

It's no bother. [It's a nice distraction from being on her own. Abigail glances at the shirts and gestures to them as she talks.]   Eggshell is a good choice for everyday.   Or the azure.   Or even a subtle pattern, like this checkered one.  But not that red and white striped one.   [She gives an amused smile.] You'd look like a big candy cane. 

[desmodusdraculae]

[Kirk smiles a little, his hand touching each of the shirts she mentions.]

I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate this. You clearly see the results of what happens when I dress myself.

[He pulls out the checkered one, holding it against himself, then looks over at her for approval.]

04, Maurtia Falls

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

[Jacob encounters Kirk much the same way as he did in their first meeting- while gliding overhead on patrol, swooping in to investigate strange noises in an alleyway. What he finds is Batman- a Batman, at any rate- beating the snot out of someone.

He hops off his glider and lets the machine automatically fold itself up on his back as its programmed to. Then he folds his arms across his chest and looks from Kirk to the guy and then back again.]

I'm assuming there's a good explanation for this.

[desmodusdraculae]

This is what I usually do to people who catch me in the middle of a meal. You were the lucky exception.

[Kirk drops the guy, seeing as he's unconscious anyway.]

If you want them, you should get here sooner.

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

Didn't realize it was a race.

[Jacob steps forward to get a better look at the guy, making sure he's just unconscious, keeping a careful eye on Kirk as he does.]

That's it? He just interrupted you while you were having a snack?

[desmodusdraculae]

Kirk doesn't need to check--he can smell that the guy's still alive.

[A pity.]

I was joking. [Seriously, he's not that pathetic.] Caught him robbing the store up the street.

Closed to Lestat

[desmodusdraculae]

[For not the first time in the past several minutes, Kirk wondered to himself whether or not he made a mistake. He'd picked the spot--a gargoyle on top of the tallest building in De Chima--as a joke, but as the time ticked away he once again wondered if he'd taken said joke too far. He was a good 15 minutes early, so it wasn't like his company had stood him up, but he barely knew this man and who in their right mind would actually come up here?

Kirk nervously runs a hand through his hair as he silently curses his life choices again. He'd actually dressed for the occasion--a nice light grey button down shirt and clean slacks, with red glasses tucked neatly into the breast pocket should he need them.

He'd just... wanted to impress another actual vampire.

Leave it to him to just make an idiot out of himself.]

[youresovein]

[ A vampire is never late nor is he early, he arrives precisely when it's most dramatic. At least when that vampire is a former stage and screen actor.

Lestat, always keen to impress (but especially keen to impress another vampire), waits. And watches. And hovers above the city skyline. He's watching the storm, waiting for an opportune moment, and it finally comes after excruciating minutes: a crack of lightning splits the eastern sky in two, and Lestat drops down from above, perching as casually as anything on a one-foot ledge one hundred and twenty stories above the pavement. His hands are in his pockets. He's wearing a leather jacket over an old-fashioned lace-cuffed shirt. It's how incredibly cool vampires do things, dear Kirk, and you're going to learn. ]

Bonsoir. I'm a little surprised you made it.

[ But he isn't, really. Kirk seems so genuine, so earnest, so — well, strangely hopeful. ]

[desmodusdraculae]

[It takes a lot for Kirk to be surprised, but surprised he is as Lestat seemingly drops from the heavens. He looks up through the darkness to see if he can figure out where he even came from before giving up and blinking owlishly with blood red eyes at the other vampire.]

I should say the same thing to you. I didn't exactly pick an easy location.

[youresovein]

[ Lestat smiles beatifically at him, eyes bright and gleaming even in the nighttime gloom. He shrugs, as sweetly as he can, answering the unspoken question with the unspoken thought: perhaps I'm an angel. You never know. ]

You thought I'd stand you up? [ Tut tut. ] But I did ask you to choose, didn't I?

01

[topmeup]

[At least this time it wasn't Max causing a power outage or something. The house shakes and he stays on his feet in the kitchen, but it's really hard not to know where that came from. So he goes over to the basement door, open to walk down the stairs a bit and pokes his head down so he can see.]

Uh...that's not gonna eat your face off or anything is it?

[desmodusdraculae]

[It's taking everything Kirk has to maintain his composure, not that it's Max's fault. He's mad at himself.

He still finds himself speaking through gritted teeth.]

No. It's harmless.

[topmeup]

Okay. Cool. No big then. I had worst blow-ups in the kitchen when I was learning how to cook.

[Kirk does look hilarious though and it trying hard not to snicker now that he knows it's not going to kill Kirk. If Kirk can die.]

4 - Maurtia Falls

[codeofiron]

[Brandon is typically up early and out late. In Maurtia Falls, the latter in particular leads to some interesting occasions. Usually somewhere down an alley, which is where the sounds of a fight are coming from tonight. Brandon draws, pointing the gun towards the ground as he turns the corner into the alley, back to the wall.

He hasn't seen the man in costume before, but it's easy enough to guess that he's an imPort. And easy enough to guess that the other man is probably some sort of criminal, an impression that's confirmed when he tosses a definitely-stolen purse towards Brandon. Did he mistake Brandon for someone he knows?]

[desmodusdraculae]

[Still holding the criminal in one hand, he turns to follow the path of the purse, and his eyes narrow as he sees the newcomer holding it. He slams the first guy to the ground, essentially knocking him out, then stands and turns to give (what he believes is) the second his full attention.]

You really want to try it?

[codeofiron]

[Shaking his head, Brandon tosses the purse back towards the costumed man. Maybe he has an idea of where the owner is.

...He should probably clarify, too.] I don't know him.

#4 / bat time, maurtia falls -- lmk if this doesn't work, i can edit!

[obediences]

[ Luther isn't exactly a vigilante — he just has a family member living in Maurtia Falls now, and the level of crime in the city concerns him, okay? So he goes for long walks at night. Keeping an eye on things, with an air of faux nonchalance. Half-hoping someone decides to pick a fight with a 6'5" brick shithouse.

They don't, of course; but he does eventually come across someone else's attempted mugging. Before he can lunge into action, though, another masked criminal — attempting to flee across the rooftops from another crime entirely — suddenly plummets from a fire escape and hits the ground hard, stunned, with a winged figure following them down. Possibly-probably having thrown them off to begin with. ]

Whoa—! Uh. What.

that totally works!!

[desmodusdraculae]

[Kirk doesn't notice the giant meters away from the scumbag he did indeed throw off the roof, too preoccupied with catching his prey he's tuned out the world around him. The crook starts babbling about mercy as Kirk grabs him by the collar of his shirt, fangs bared.]

Mercy? Like you showed that security guard?

[obediences]

[ It's like Luther's accidentally stumbled into someone else's drama, and one can tell at a glance that the masked, red-eyed man has this entiiiirely under control. So after a perplexed and indecisive moment, Luther starts trying to sidle away again, as subtly as a clumsy giant can when his shoulders almost span the whole alleyway. (So: not very.)

But then the other mugger, brandishing his ill-gotten purse and spotting a distraction, tries to sprint right past them. ]

Heyyyy, no. No, you don't—

[ And Luther's lashed out, catching the second man by his neck and pulling him into something like a one-armed bearhug, holding him immobilised while he flails and windmills and while Kirk's seized his own prey. ]