Hunting of Hunters

[Levarin Kindslayer]

(Chat summary. Posted this so Mori and I can start up where we left off again.)

Amorshka: *There was only a small square patch of window that had not been boarded up, and through this small square, the moons brilliant soft light shone through bathing Amorshka in a pale white light as she finished nailing the boards on the bottom three window panes. The old Victorian manor she had "purchased" recently had over a thousand windows, and once this one had been boarded up, she would be able to walk around freely inside her new home regardless of whether it was day or night. Finally, the last nail was in and Amorshka stepped back to admire her handiwork. Given the elaborate decorations of the manor, the windows themselves were huge with ten different panes of glass for each window. She had fallen in love with the position of the house, (perched precariously over the cliff of a raging sea, it had been the house of her fantasies when she was a child), and she had had to have it regardless of how much work it might be. After coming upon the house purely by accident, she had knocked on the door to enquire as to the possibility of the house coming on the market. A lovely old gentleman had told her that he lived there alone, and he would not be selling it as he had intentions on leaving the house to his grandchildren when he died. Amorshka had nodded sympathetically right before she had asked to use the mans bathroom. Once inside, she had waited until the poor old fool had turned his back on her to point her in the right direction before she had sunk her teeth into his neck and drank from his old withered veins. The blood had tasted almost stale, and she had dropped the dying body to the ground long before the blood had stopped flowing. Spitting out the foul taste from her mouth Amorshka had snarled at the man ~By the taste of that you were dying anyways.. I merely sped up the progress old man.~ before she had gone off to inspect her new home. That had been four weeks ago now, and she had finally cleared out all the old mans furniture and had it stored away in a room at the back of the basement. Three separate young lads from the local village had been willing to oblige her while moving the heavy furniture in return for some affectionate reimbursement, and after feeling their services had been rendered, Amorshka had paid them in the same way she had "purchased" the house from the old man. Now, in her almost empty house with her boarded up windows Amorshka felt at home for the first time in a long time. Stretching out her aching limbs, she picked up the hammer and wandered up to the third floor balcony.*

Levarin: ::The rumors of the missing boys, the new tenant of the old house on the hill...such things were trivial in most places. Utterly trivial, and the stuff of local legend. But, as the cyborg elf known as Levarin Kindslayer soon figured out, things weren’t always as trivial as they seemed. Levarin had spent the better part of a month tracking down Amorshka. It was obvious she was waiting him out. A newer model from The Tower would have hunted him down in a manner of days if it wanted to. However, he was grateful for her seeming laxity. Either she was very overconfident, or she believed in fair play. It didn’t matter, though, he had been given enough time to prepare himself. He was a master of the pre-modern arts of assassination; carrying one’s weapons and tools. As such, he had to procure everything from scratch. He hated doing that, there just wasn’t the same level of craftsmanship available as there was when he was in The Tower. All he could truly rely on was himself. Perhaps Amorshka knew that. Perhaps it was part of her plan. He honestly had no clue, and while the logical portions of his brain told him not to make up wild theories, what little remained of his elven mind could not help but imagine the possibilities. But, it was due to this elven intellect and a little logical deduction that Levarin found his way to the tiny, remote village of Worthlessminstershire, not too far from the rocky coast of the ocean. Vampires, as it turned out, were more difficult to track than any ordinary person. Perhaps that was why The Tower had chosen Amorshka.::

Amorshka: *Pushing open the heavy oak doors, Amorshka walked out onto the third story balcony, smiling slightly to herself as the cold, ocean wind blew her long multi-toned hair around her head. Tilting her face upwards slightly, she sniffed the ocean breeze, relishing in the smells and sounds of the sea below. But there was something else she could smell, something was in the air around her, closing in on her.. tracking her down. She blinked suddenly and the sense of being watched that she had felt so oppressing only seconds before, seemed to fade away but only slightly. Arching a slender brow in surprise, Amorshka hurried back inside to check on her increasing arsenal, just in case*

Levarin: ::The old Victorian manor slid back into normal focus as his eyes readjusted their zoom level. Elven eyesight coupled with cybernetic enhancements made for a very good range of vision. He inspected the exterior of the house from his hiding spot behind a short building in the village. There was probably a good five miles between them, but the distance was easily covered optically. He could see the boards over the windows from the inside. On the third floor, a curtain rustled in the breeze by an open door on the balcony. Had she been there just moments ago? Or did the owner simply leave the window open? Too many questions. He still wasn’t sure if this was where Amorshka had ended up, or if he had simply tracked a different vampire from the tavern. There were so many. Too many. It made his flesh crawl. He refocused his eyes and brought his vision to normal. He would need to approach the mansion, but there was little cover, and the moon shone brightly over the land. Perhaps...he had an idea. Turning away from the mansion, he left the village and went to find where the land met the ocean.::

Amorshka: *She smiled with satisfaction as she slammed the lid of one of her many trunks closed with a resounding link. The last four weeks had given her plenty of time to prepare for the attack that she knew would be coming soon. The elven cyborg had been given her as his assignment, and she knew that he would not stop until he had completed his task - assassinating her. So, for the past few weeks.. she had made her new home into a relative fortress. Booby traps, hidden weapons and extra little surprises were all over the manor and Amorshka chuckled to herself as she felt a slight prickling sensation break out at the nape of her neck. He was approaching her.. she could sense it. She had hoped to be able to lead him away from her home, to play on a more neutral playing field like the Vampires Tavern, but perhaps it was better this way. She couldn’t be more prepared for this even if she had several more months to spend on preparation. No. The time was now, and she was ready for it. Now all she had to do was figure out how we try to get inside.*

Levarin: ::Hours passed. The ocean licked at his heels with every step. He tried to stay out of the wind, but the ocean breeze was too chaotic under the cliff. He had only a few precious minutes before his scent would be lifted up over the edge. He was sure she’d caught it before, he couldn’t take the chance she hadn’t. He had run down the entire length of the beach in silence, stepping on stones above the surface of the water to avoid splashing, his gift of elven grace somehow still benefiting his bulky form. Like a shadow on the beach, he skipped and leaped down the rocky shoreline towards his goal. His trademark black broad-brimmed hat stayed securely on his head, while the black trench coat hung heavily around his body and swung silently with the breeze of his jumps. The garment muffled any and all sound his body made. Soon, he was directly below the mansion’s position, and with the dexterity of a spider, he began to silently scale the sheer cliff face. Anything and everything was a foothold and handhold, even the rough surface itself. The black blot slid up the cliff and over the edge, where he continued on all fours, approaching the back door of the mansion like some crazed beast. A flash of red from under the broad-brimmed hat was the only indication there was anything there as he stuck to the shadow of the house like a puddle of oil sliding across fresh tar. Now was the moment of truth...on two legs he righted himself next to the back door. Both gloved hands slid into his pockets, and his body twisted around. In that same motion, his black jean-encased leg came up horizontal, and the monstrosity of a black boot at the end slammed into the door to tear it off its hinges. His leg would drop to avoid any traps that might have been set for the unwary conqueror, while his body remained to the side of the doorway.::

[Levarin Kindslayer]

Amorshka: *Amorshka heard the heavy banging of the door being kicked in several floors below her. A nervous smile flickered on her dark lips before her violet orbs began to glow a sickly amber. Every one of her already enhanced senses were now fully heightened so that she could hear, smell and sense anything and everything around her. Glancing down at the floor beneath her as if she could actually see through the two levels of manor between Amorshka and her prey, she picked up the modified pistol she had just been inspecting and tucked it into the waistband of the long red velvet skirt she wore. Her black lacy top clung to her curves, the darkness of the lace appearing to be silken spider webs against her ivory skin. Although she would appeal to the opposite sex in her current attire, she would have preferred to be wearing a more "battle friendly" outfit than the long flowing skirt and tight top. Regardless, she had little time to fret about it as she reached down and picked up a long handled axe. Other weapons of choice were hidden all over her body as well as in various points of interest around her home and Amorshka felt quietly confident that she could handle whatever Levarin had to throw at her. With a wry smile of determination on her lips Amorshka carried the axe and made her way out the door and towards the top landing of the staircase. Peering down over the edge all she could see was darkness.*

Levarin: ::Levarin waited several moments outside the building after the door caved in. He found it odd that nothing happened. He did not insult her by withdrawing a mere pistol from his coat; no, he felt he needed a more powerful weapon if he was going to take her on. He remembered the first time he saw her, how she had taken an armor-piercing round from a rifle at close-range without even a scratch. The best he could hope for was to stun her with shots so he could get close enough to continue the attack physically. As the large assault rifle pressed against his stomach with the muzzle down, he put his head in harm's way and looked into the inky blackness of the mansion, his eyes scanning the confines on a multitude of wavelengths to find anything...any kind of trap in the vicinity.::

Amorshka: *Her sensitive ears picked up a faint rustling noise as something moved below her. Sensing that the next level below her was empty, Amorshka quickly skipped down the stairs, as silent as a tomb. Pausing on the second landing, she peered down into the first story. The door had fallen in off its hinges, allowing the moonlight to form a perfect rectangle of silvery light against the dark black backdrop of the first floor. Her amber eyes narrowed toward the doorway as Amorshka peered into the darkness. She could sense him there, peering in to see if he could see her, just as she was now peering at him. Bypassing the stairs completely, Amorshka jumped down from the landing, bouncing gracefully to her feet on the floor below before darting off quickly to the side and hiding in the old mans study. Surrounding herself in the shadows of the doorway, she looked out over the main foyer, the light of the moon making it impossible for anyone or anything to remain invisible should they choose to enter by means of the open doorway*

Levarin: ::He barely caught the flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. His infra-red vision showed nothing, his electro-magnetic emission scan showed nothing, and his sound vibration scans were picking up small amounts of noise. Oh, she was good. That flicker of movement could have been anything, even dust if he thought hard enough. Compared to her, he was just a klunky piece of machinery. Well, better to get the party started now. With a wish before blowing out the candles, he slid around the doorframe and into the building as quickly as possible. He knew damn well that even sideways, his shadow obstructed half of the door, even if for just a flicker of an instant. In hindsight, maybe he should have waited for a darker night? He was getting impatient these days, and that wasn't good. As he stood against the wall in the darkness again, he decided to move along the side of the room quickly so she wouldn't track his position, but he may have been too late.::

Amorshka: *A smirk slid upon her lips as his tall lanky body nearly filled the doorframe as he entered quickly and made his way to the the wall beside the door. The shadows consumed him as eagerly as they had her, but given his entrance point and the soft sounds his legs made when they swished against each other, she was able to track his process fairly accurately. Reaching down into her ample cleavage, she pulled a small hand grenade out of her corsett and pulled the pin out with her teeth before throwing it in the direction where she thought the cyborg was. Although the grenade was too small to cause any structural damage, it would blow the cyborg to pieces if it landed on or near him. If not, she figured it should do a little bit of damage at least. Almost laughing to herself as the grenade exploded in front of her, she used the quick flash of light to make a quick and silent leap from the study hallway to the first landing of the staircase. Peering down quickly towards the front wall, she tried to see if she had caused any damage*

Levarin: ::Though nearly blind in the darkness, he wasn't deaf, and the pin sliding from the grenade gave him sufficient warning. The grenade flying at him met with the butt end of the shoulder rest of his rifle with a solid crack, and he dropped to the floor in a crouch fractions of a second before it exploded in the air. He opened his eyes after the flash, and noted some shrapnel embedded in his long coat. Ignoring it, his vision flooded with green as he used his own backlit night vision to scan the area. Unfortunately, this meant his eyes glowed green for a moment, giving away his position. The glance was just long enough though for him to spot her looking down at him. The rifle was up in a snap and three rounds fired from the fully automatic weapon, trained on her head. He no longer held the element of surprise, but at least, neither did she for this fleeting moment.::

Amorshka: *His glowing green eyes seemed to lock with hers for a few seconds before he raised a gun and fired three rounds at the landing. She was able to leap up four of the stairs effortlessly out of range of the bullets before they even came close to finding their mark. Laughing to herself as she thought of the many booby traps she had laid out on the first floor, Amorshka ran quickly through the many rooms that made up the second story. Coming to rest in the Conservatory, she moved to the sideboard and removed the large long stun gun she had hidden there. Checking to make sure that the two tranq darks were fully loader in their chamber, she grinned and hoisted the gun up to her shoulder. Stepping forward quickly, she positioned herself behind the sideboard so that her head was the only thing visible. Although the Conservatory was to the back of the second floor, the layout of the main hallway meant that she had a birds eye view of the landing at the end of the hall. Her index finger hovered over the trigger as she shifted her weight and got comfortable as she waited for him to appear. IF he managed to get past the booby traps she had left for him, then Amorshka planned to make him wish he never had*

Levarin: ::As the wall behind Amorshka's previous location erupted into splinters, he was quickly moving across the floor to the stairs. Despite his bulk and heavy weight, he still retained his elven grace, an advantage The Tower had exploited to its fullest. His light and nimble steps insured he never touched the floor with his full mass. Not even his large boots made the whisper of a thud, and he kept his legs apart just enough for his jeans not to rub each other. The rifle was once again pressed to his stomach, muzzle down and left, and his finger was hardly itchy. In fact, every movement he made was calculated and deliberate, with nothing wasted. He could hardly imagine what traps she could set that would deter him.::

[Levarin Kindslayer]

Amorshka: *The sound of tinkling music drifted up to her ears and Amorshka's gleaming white fangs shone in the darkness as a broad grin threatened to split her face wide apart. The music was coming from what appeared to be nothing more than a harmless music box. Given the fact that the music was playing, Amorshka guessed that he had stumbled onto her one of her many traps, perhaps stepping over or on the trip wire she had installed at the bottom of the staircase. How he had managed to avoid the other traps on the first floor was beyond her, but the fact that he had not missed the music box more than made up for her disappointment. As the music continued, it was now clear that it was an old version of Greensleaves. Amorshka had picked the music box up from a small seaside market that she had frequented many times, both for its bargains and its excellent hunting grounds. The small turning mechanism at the base of the box was the perfect instrument for a delicious cocktail she had been working on, and although she had not had a chance to check out the true effects of her plan as of yet, she was confident that as soon as Levarin realized what was happening, it would be too late. Almost on cue, a slight buzzing noise filled the air and seemed to mingle perfectly with the tune of Greensleaves. Amorshka resisted the urge to hug herself in anticipation as she kept her finger poised over the trigger and the gun trained on the landing before her*

Levarin: *He had hardly detected the trip line until it was already too late. The brief tension in the line before it pulled free registered when he stepped down. The electronic components synthesized and gauged the scenario, quickly finding the trap device in the music box, and compressing the probabilities down into a single word to describe his predicament:* "Fuck." *Okay, so the organic portion of his brain had a say in it, too. Either way, he now sprang into the air, hoping to clear the stairs in a single bound before the trap went off.*

Amorshka: *The buzzing noise intensified as the turning cogs of the music box grated against the metal box she had inserted for such a purpose. As metal upon metal produced a single spark, Amorshka laughed out loud as the small quantity of napalm she had used, was ignited by that single spark and exploded into a large fireball that consumed most of the first floor. Because the music box was located so low to the floor, the explosion would mainly be at floor level, with enough room below the ceiling to allow a cushion of oxygen to prevent the fire from rising. Even if he had managed to escape the explosion unsinged, Amorshka knew that the napalm would continue to burn for several more minutes before subsiding, leaving poor Levarin rather hot and sweaty. Knowing that he would be climbing the staircase soon to escape the heat, Amorshka settled herself back down and started through the scope of the tranq rifle*

Levarin: *As the flames engulfed the floor, everything came to light. Even Amorshka as Levarin flew up from the stairs, surrounded in thick smoke trailing behind him, the light of the fire silhouetting him from behind. He allowed himself a triumphant -THUD- on the second floor. His heat sensors were still spiking, and while things were quite uncomfortable for most living creatures, Levarin was only half alive. The other half just settled in and got cozy as room temperature grew level with operating temperature. It was a wonder he didn't appear on heat scans with all the microprocessors whizzing away in his head -- another benefit of artificial blood: coolant. Seeing Amorshka, and hoping to have surprised her, the rifle snapped up in his hands and fired immediately. A round or two would even penetrate the floor he was so eager to tag her.*

Amorshka: *As the tranq gun had been trained on the landing for so long, her finger automatically squeezed on the trigger the moment he leaped up the stairs. She fired, again.. and then again.. three rounds in all, before the glare from the explosion below forced her to squint against the glare. Knowing full well that the light had given away her position, she cursed herself under her breath just as his rifle snapped up and he opened fire upon her. She retaliated with two more shots, but only one of them was successful in firing as the tranq gun only held four rounds of darts. Snarling in frustration as she felt something knick the skin of her shoulder, Amorshka ducked down again and scurried to the right, towards the dumbwaiter. Clawing open the doors, she climbed in, slammed the doors shut and began to pull herself up by pulling on the rope. The small board on which she sat creaked and groaned as she pulled herself up quickly. Reaching the third story opening, she tied the rope off, kicked open the doors and tumbled into a musty old bedroom on the third floor. Pausing to check on her "wound", Amorshka used one finger to wipe up the spilled blood before sucking her finger clean and bouncing out of the room*

Levarin: *He didn't even feel the needles as they impacting his body, he just kept shooting. Bullets trailed close behind her as she scurried across the floor. Fresh holes littered the wall as she disappeared into the dumbwaiter shaft, and finally sensing his prey was lost to the floor above, he allowed the empty clip to drop from his rifle with a clatter. A fresh one slide from his sleeve and into his waiting palm, before snapping it into the rifle. He glanced down at the protruding darts, and brushed them aside, their sedative fluid leaking out from the bent tips. He replayed the previous scene in his mind again, frame for frame, and studied her movements in the brief moment he saw them. Her clothes, of little tactical consequence, sparked curiosity in his elven mind. Why was she dressed to impress? Ah, he could use it for a witty one-liner later. A list of them scrolled through his field of vision for selection. He smiled, and moved on, heading for the stairs to the third floor. He could hear her bouncing around above, and considered toying with her. Mind games were essential tactical maneuvers, after all, and she seemed to be quite adept at them. A storm of bullets struck through the floor under her feet as she moved away from him on the floor above. He had no intention of hitting her, just screwing with her head.*

Amorshka: *She gasped in surprise as a bunch of bullets were shot from below and just managed to jump out of the way before she caught a few in the soles of her feet. Realizing she needed to be more quiet with her movements, Amorshka tiptoed out of the bedroom door and down the hallway. She had the advantage of knowing this layout like the back of her hand, and even in the complete and total darkness that clung to the walls like a shroud of death, she knew exactly where she was going. Pausing to retrieve a large harpoon she had hidden behind another bedroom door, Amorshka made her way quickly and quietly into the third floor servery. A small staircase was hidden behind the walk in pantry and Amorshka knew that she could use it for a quick escape if she needed to. With her back to the pantry, Amorshka hid behind the wall and peered out into the hallway, keen to catch a glimpse of her long time adversary*

Levarin: *He climbed the stairs to the third floor, thumping loudly, each footstep echoing the rhythm of a heartbeat. Louder and closer they came towards her, not yet in the hallway. He wondered silently to himself if she even had a heart left? His own had been replaced with a series of electro-mechanical valves that only performed the necessary function, giving him a much lower heart rate. Less stress, you know. The thumping stopped as he paused at the top of the stairs, near the hallway. The fire had gone out by now, blanketing the house in darkness once more. He simply stood at the top of the stairs, silent and waiting, unseen. He'd let her sweat it out. She knew he was somewhere up there, but could he have slipped past her sight? A quick flick of a small chunk of shrapnel still in his coat from the grenade struck the floor of the bedroom across the hall. Even she would have difficulty discerning the piece as it flew through the air. It could have been him for all she knew.*

[Levarin Kindslayer]

Amorshka: *She heard his thumping footsteps as they seemed to echo throughout the otherwise silent house. One step.. then another… She tried to work out exactly where he was by listening to his footsteps, and just when she thought he must have reached the top of the landing, he went silent. Too silent. A small clunking noise caught her attention, but it was too small to be him, and too far away down the other end of the hallway for her to ascertain what it might possibly be. Tightening her grip on the handle of the harpoon she was holding, Amorshka risked a quick glance down the hallway, her eyes and the top of her head the only thing visible if he should manage to see her through the shadows that draped around her shoulders and concealed her completely from sight. The quick glance lasted less than two seconds, but it was enough to make out a strange dark mass at the end of the hall. There was a small stained glass window located above the landing, and while this window normally cast a small pattern of color onto the hallway floor whether it be by sunlight or moonlight, the window was now completely hidden from her view by that strange dark mass. Resisting the urge to chuckle to herself, Amorshka thought ~I seeeeeeeeeeeee you!~ as she repositioned her weight on her back right heel and pointed the harpoon at the open kitchen door. *

Levarin: *Lev hardly made out the movement at the end of the hall, and smiled to himself. He moved silently into a room nearby, and searched for a way through to the next room. Old houses like these usually had rooms connected together, perhaps he could sneak up on her from behind. He was so silent, he wasn't even breathing. Most creatures could not hold their breath for very lng, but he was a machine being now, and had much less need for oxygen. Even his attempt to kill himself in the deepest ocean had failed to his utter disappointment. Now all he wanted was answers, and to avenge himself against The Tower. Having this...villainous vixen after him had only strengthened his resolve. She would speak tonight, he would be certain.*

Amorshka: *Her heightened senses tuned in quickly to the hallway, and she sensed that he was on the move. Although she could not hear him, she was somehow in tune with his movements and a slight smile formed on her dark lips as she stood still and waited for him to find her. The kitchen only had one main doorway, other exit being the hidden staircase behind the pantry door. With her back to the pantry, and facing the doorway, there was no way he would be able to sneak up on her. She could only hope that he would stumble onto some of her booby traps she had left for him. While they were not in as much abundance as they were on the lower two floors, there was still some nasty surprises waiting for him. All he had to do was just step into the wrong room. *

Levarin: *Not finding any other doorways, he frowned to himself. Looked like he would have to brute force this all the way. Nothing was ever easy anymore. But, as far as he could tell, that also left Amorshka cornered. Cornered and wounded. Wait....wounded? Lev quickly flashed through his memory banks again. There...as he shot her from behind the sideboard, a bullet grazing her arm and cutting her skin open. Was this not the same woman who had taken a Teflon-coated armor-piercing round to the stomach with only so much as a grunt?! She must have been wearing protective clothing. Something was definitely wrong here, and it only left him with even more questions. He slid back into the hallway and slithered down to the last door, leaning against the wall beside it, just out of view. He wanted it to end here. He decided to test her reflexes, and simply turned into the doorway, facing into the room.*

Amorshka: * As she waited, her violet eyes glanced downwards to check out the wound on her shoulder. It was merely a graze, tearing through the thin layer of skin tissue and blood that surrounded the mechanical shell of her modified robotic arm. The blood, which had only been a trickle to begin with, had stopped flowing and Amorshka shrugged as she let her arm drop down and tighten around the harpoon. Her attention was brought back to the hallway, by a strange slithering sound. It sounded like he was sliding himself up against the wall of the hallway, making his way closer to her. Grinning in delight, Amorshka almost jumped as he simply turned into the doorway and stood there facing her. She squeezed instantly upon the trigger, the harpoon shooting out and aiming straight for his chest. If it was successful in connecting, she theorized that the sharp metal spike would surely wreak some kind of havoc with his electrodes and mechanisms within his chest. As he filled the doorway and did not allow much room for error either side, Amorshka was confident the harpoon would find its desired target.*

Levarin: *The harpoon, the primitive a device as it was without even the stopping power of a bullet, glanced off his chest with a "ka-PWANG!" Levarin sneered.* Pitiful. And you dare mock me as an 'older' model? Your emotions clearly rule you. A reaction time of 1.687 seconds would have landed you in The Tower's torture chair for sure. Grenades, napalm, tranquilizer darts, and now this? What are you playing at? Are you so ignorant you didn't even bother researching your target? I should destroy your memory core this instant, if only to save you the humiliation of failing your assignment. *The rifle snapped up in his hands, a hail of bullets showering her. It was only a diversionary tactic, something to screw with her senses as he began approaching.*

Amorshka: *The bullets rained upon her, giving her just enough time to rub the small pressure point located at the back of her wrist on her one good hand. Instantly, her defense shield was engaged, causing the bullets to bounce off her harmlessly. Listening to his words, Amorshka frowned slightly. ~How dare you speak to me you hunk of junk? And such riddles.. you speak of. Why on earth would I bother researching you, when I did not know who or what exactly was coming for me? You speak of being my target, but it is you that was sent to destroy me.. and do not deny it, I have my sources well placed within the Tower. I know all about you. I have known you are hunting me for quite some time now, but I did not think the Tower would send you here..~ She shook her head in confusion, before she sprang from where she stood and aimed a few well placed kicks at his body. Her extra strength was nothing to be laughed at, and she kicked out at him fiercely while her modified arm reached up to punch him in the face. The sound of metal against metal reverberated throughout the mansion.*

Levarin: *Her attacks did not surprise him. She had strength, to be sure, and quickness, but she was only slightly faster than him. He was pleased to see she was not entirely inept at using her 'gifts'. He did not stand there like a stone, accepting her abuse, but reacted in a way only fitting, blocking first her kicks with his arms, and ducking her punch. He struck back, punching for her abdomen first, and then her face. He would also attempt to grab her left arm, not to abuse it, but to find The Tower's mark. He had a tattoo of a chess piece, the rook, on his left arm, he wanted to see if she had her own.*

Amorshka: *The feel of his touch upon her made her skin crawl, and Amorshka let out a howl of frustration that sounded like a wounded cat caught in a trap. His arm blocked her kicks while he ducked her punch, and Amorshka cursed under her breath at the fact that nothing she did seemed to have an effect on her. He tried to grab her left arm, but she stepped back quickly, completely out of his reach. She just stood there, glaring at him. ~What do you want? ~*

Levarin: Answers, wench. *He hissed. He stepped closer to her as she stepped back.* YOU pursue me! I know why, though; I fled The Tower's torture, their "experiments", the servitude. I can talk, they want me dead. So why play games with me? Why pretend you have no clue what is going on? ANSWER! *He raged, bringing the rifle to bear on her again. His eyes flashed red from under his broad-brimmed hat. He waited for her to insult him over his emotional state. Oh, he would love that.*

Amorshka: *She merely arched a slender brow in response to the rifle being aimed at her once more. Bullets were useless while her defense shield was activated and she laughed out loud as she purred ~You speak about research.. surely you should know that bullets do not scare me robot! But, given the babble of which you speak, it is clear to me that perhaps some of your wires have been crossed. You think I pursue YOU? What ever made you think that? Your business with the Tower is completely and utterly none of my concern. Yes, I have been given a list of assassinations, and there is every possibility that you are on that list. But the Tower and I… ~she trailed off. There was no need for her to give this thing any more ammunition against her by telling it of her affairs with the Tower. ~Lets just say, hunting you has been of no major consequence to me. YOU are the one that has entered my home, seemingly hunting ME. Surely you can understand my confusion..?~ *

Levarin: *Levarin laughed, lowering his weapon.* Now you speak in riddles. But, I am good with riddles: You admit I am your target! Thus is the start of the thread. Did you not think I would find out? Of course you did. Thus all the traps in your home. I don't care what lies The Tower has fed you; you still work for them. Your brain is still communicating with their network, probably without your knowledge. It is clear to me they have tried something new. *He smiled triumphantly as he stepped back.* Your own ignorance will be your downfall. *He turned, shouldering the rifle as he stepped lightly to the door, but still quite aware of her.* I almost feel bad for you, honestly. Trapped in a web of lies, like this, nothing but a pawn... *He grinned at her over his shoulder.* It's exactly why I left The Tower. And now you bring it all back to my feet. *He turned again, facing her.* What do you suppose I should do about that?

Amorshka: * ~Do whatever you want!~ she spat. ~What you think and do is none of my concern. You speak of lies and riddles when it is clear you are the one being lied to. You know nothing about me and my affiliation with the Tower, so why should I enlighten you? You are nothing but a pathetic robot, a walking hunk of junk. I am a vampire.. true.. the Tower has made some mechanical modifications, but at the end of the day, you are still a robot and I am an immortal. You are not worthy to lick my boots let alone take up one more minute of my time. So .. unless you want the social pleasantries to go out the window and we resume the pointless attack against each other, you will exit my home and leave me in peace. NOW!~ *

Levarin: *Levarin frowned.* I do not take orders from you, tart. You are as every bit mechanical as I am. *Levarin then stepped closer, making direct eye contact with her. His left eye flashed a strange hue of blue, and should she truly be an assassin of The Tower, her left eye would respond in kind. It was a secret code used to distinguish assassins to each other, useful for when more than one had been sent on the same assignment. He waited for the response, hoping to prove his point.*

Amorshka: *Unaware that her own eye was flashing back at him, Amorshka frowned in confusion as one of his eyes flashed at her. ~Looks like your wires are short circuiting robot. And as for being as mechanical as you.. ~she laughed and almost spat in his face. ~As if! I am an immortal. You are a robot. End of story you stupid fool!~ she moved as if to walk past him. ~Now, if you will kindly step aside, I need to go and check on the house to see if the fire caused any real damage..~*

Levarin: *Levarin watched in astonishment as she didn't even recognize the standard greeting, while at the same time returning it. As she moved past him, he started to chuckle, then laugh. He took a moment to compose himself, and stowed his rifle in his coat.* Very well then, "immortal". *He said it with as condescending a tone as he could.* But should I ever see you again, I shall end your "immortal unlife." Are we clear, vampire?

Amorshka: *She laughed and gave him what could only be considered a severely patronizing glance. ~ Obviously you have no understanding of the term immortal.. you fool..~ She brushed past him and stepped out into the hallway. Turning around to glance back at him she murmured ~ If our paths do happen to meet again Robot, I am sure that both of us will have more than a few things to say by way of greeting..~*

[Levarin Kindslayer]

Amorshka: (Four months later) *As the rain dripped down the nape of her neck, Amorshka grumbled to herself as she pulled her dark cloak tighter around her narrow shoulders. Striding purposefully up the long stone staircase that led to the courthouse, Amorshka kept her keen violet eyes peeled for any sign of life, though she expected to see few at this late hour. Most employees had left for the evening; she knew this for a fact as she had been watching the building for sometime from the safe confines of her beloved ruby red mini cooper that was parked across the street. Only a few remained, and she was certain that Judge Reinholdt would be one of them. After surveiling him closely for the last two months, ever since she had been given the assignment by the Tower, she knew that he often stayed back late after every one else had gone so that he may show his secretary some individual attention. The whore had left the building five minutes ago, and Amorshka knew she had to move quickly to kill the Judge in his office as she had planned. Something about killing someone in a government building reeked of rebellion to her and she relished the fact. As she approached the night guard however, she fixed a calm serene expression upon her face as she let the hood of her cloak fall back to reveal her beautiful face and eyes that she knew would enchant the poor fool as soon as he should look upon her. Five minutes later, she left the stunned guard swaying back and forth slightly as he held the heavy doors open for her and she slipped inside*

Levarin: *A green pair of glows emerged from an alley down the street. Looming buildings cast deep shadow from one to the other, and only the absence of rain reflected by lamplight gave the unsettling impression of 'something' nearby. Levarin had learned things the she-robot did not, but he did not intend to drop in on her casually anymore. Her intentions were clear, at least in her mind, and she was no longer a threat Level Triple Delta. Just a mid-grade Double Beta. With barely a whisper under the severe thunderstorm (with a 90% chance of rain, and humidity at 80% according to his forecasting software), he scaled one building and crawled along a ledge around the twelfth story; the same level as Reinholdt's office. No doubt, she'd be up there any moment. Presuming she took the elevator, of course. He began tapping the wireless internet network of the courthouse, and quickly cracked his way into the security camera feeds in a vain attempt to spot her.*

Amorshka: *Dim yellow bulbs hung from green glass domes at even intervals along the wood paneled walls illuminating the hallway just enough for Amorshka to be able to see all the way to the end of the hall where the doors to the elevator stood. There was only one elevator that led up to the top five stories, and Judge Reinholdt's office was on level 12. Stepping inside the elevator, she quickly punched the 12 button and watched with a detached gaze as the doors closed and the elevator lurched into life. The hairs at the nape of her neck stood on end as a chill ran down her spine, the distinct sensation of being watched. Amorshka glanced around casually as she looked carefully for a security camera. Spotting one in the corner above the door, Amorshka smiled sweetly before removing a small silver pistol from the top of one dark boot. Popping off a single round, she hit the camera square in the middle, shattering the glass and leaving the camera a smoking mess of melted plastic. She had just enough time to admire her handiwork before the elevator dinged, signaling that she had reached her destination. As the doors opened, she stepped out onto the twelfth floor and looked left, then right. Reinholdt's office was number 24, and judging by the numerical sequence she could see thus far, it appeared she would have to go to the right. Walking quickly, it was no time at all before she reached a door with brass letters and numbers that announced this door as number 24 - Judge Reinholdt's Chambers. Standing still long enough to listen closely through the closed door, she heard the sound of a briefcase being snapped shut while a chair scraped against the floor. Grinning to herself, she placed her hand on the cool doorknob, turned it, opened the door, and slipped inside. ~Hello Judge..~ She purred as he turned to look at her in shock. *


Levarin: *Levarin was proud for a moment -- he was in complete control of the building's security network now. He spotted Amorshka easily in the elevator, and actually cracked a smile when she shot out the camera. The video recording would be enough proof to convict her in court. But how to catch her? He needed her alive, and the judge dead. He knew he would not be successful though if she did the deed first. He had to get in there, but she was already in the office... *** Judge Reinholdt quickly stammered out a "W-who are you? What are you doing here?" to Amorshka before water doused the office and an annoying buzzer went off continuously. A bright white strobe light flashed in a regular pattern, and the Judge quickly took cover in the chaos. Security guards were on alert, too, and their quickly beating footsteps could be heard in the stairwell heading for the judge's office. *** Levarin took the time between spotting Amorshka in the elevator and triggering the fire alarm to leap across the wide chasm between the office building he had perched on and the courthouse. A soft thump on the ledge beyond the honorable judge's window and just out of sight surely wouldn't attract any attention from the she-bot, considering her hit was quickly going sour.*

Amorshka: *Her smirk of satisfaction at seeming him standing before her stammering like a fool, was quickly wiped from her lips as water came gushing out of the built in sprinkler system and an annoyingly loud buzzer began to ring in her ear, surely alerting the security guards on duty that there was something amiss at the courthouse this eve. The activation of the sprinklers however, gave her a slight glimmer of hope that they would think a fire had broken out and waste precious moments searching for the source of the flames. This hope was soon dashed as she heard approaching footsteps in the stairwell near the judge’s office, footsteps that quickly made their way to the Judges office and then continued straight past the closed door. From her earlier surveillance she vaguely remembered a fire extinguisher and blanked locked in a glass case further down the hallway near the elevator, and the thought occurred to her that perhaps this is where the owner of the footsteps had been heading. The sound of breaking glass confirmed her suspicions and that sick smirk of satisfaction creased her dark lips again as she shifted her attention back to her target who was now cowering like a lost lamb on his chamber floor, trying to seek cover by immersing his rather large self under his impressive desk. The sight of his huge ass sticking up in the air before her as his head was hidden from view, was too much for her to bear as she let out a long low chuckle. Despite this, and that annoying buzzing alarm that threatened to rupture her eardrums, Amorshka's enhanced hearing was still able to detect the sound of a soft thud as something landed on the windowsill of the Judges office. Arching a brow, she gazed at the window thoughtfully, though the closed blinds meant that she had no hope of seeing the thing responsible for such a sound. Her sixth sense told her that the soft thud and fire alarm going off were somehow connected, and she stamped her foot in frustration as she looked back down at the Judges large ass. She had hoped to mess with him a bit, have her fun. But it seemed time would not permit. Taking careful aim, she let off two shots, one for ass cheek as she shot the Judge in the butt. He screamed and backed quickly out from beneath the desk, his head turning to look at her in agony. She smiled at him before letting off another shot, this one hitting him straight in the middle of his forehead. With one last glance at the closed window, she turned and left the office as quickly as she had entered, her violet eyes scanning the apparently deserted hallway for any sign of possible witnesses. Seeing none, she almost skipped down the hallway, towards the elevator.*

Levarin: *The three shots forced Lev's teeth to grind. That was the second time she'd done this to him. The Tower was sending her on missions like a marionette, when really they were eliminating all those Lev wished to seek vengeance upon. It was the final slap in the face before they tried to kill him again. He had pondered many times though if he were going delusional and paranoid. In this business, you had to be paranoid. He vaguely wondered if The Tower programmed it into him...or if he had been that way before his death? It didn't matter now. Now he had to be cleverer than The Tower. The Tower still had one flaw in its latest creation; free will. It was time to exploit it. He leaped from the building, and landed gracefully on the pavement below. He'd never been a hero before...but perhaps it was time to try. He marched purposefully to the front entrance of the courthouse, and proceeded inside. Sirens could be heard in the distance closing in.*

Amorshka: * The sound of approaching footsteps caused her to slow down just as she approached the hallway. Coming down the hallway from the opposite end of the building was a large, and rather burly security guard carrying a red fire extinguisher. He was obviously searching for the cause of the alarm as he opened each door with a long brass key, checked inside each room quickly, and then relocked the door, before continuing his search. Although his eyes weren't upon her just yet, Amorshka knew that in her current attire she could not possibly pass as a tired secretary on her way home from work, so instead she made up her mind to kill the man if he tried to stop her. Reaching the elevator, she reached out and pressed the button for down, slightly surprised to see it didn't light up as it had previously. The security guard approached her and yelled to be heard over the din of the alarm. ~All the elevators have been shut down cause of the fire miss.. not that I can find one anywhere… You will have to use the stairs.~ he hooked one thumb towards the emergency stairwell exit just left to the elevator before he offered her a wry grin and continued walking past her towards Judge Reinholdt's office. Knowing that it would be only a few minutes before he discovered the judges dead body, Amorshka quickly pushed open the door to the stairwell and began to walk quickly down the twelve flights to the lobby below*

Levarin: *Levarin could only imagine the coroner's autopsy results of the so-called 'judge:' "Shot in the ass twice, one to the forehead, trace elements of silica and iron oxide in the blood with no apparent source." That would be the nanomachines after breaking down. Lev wondered how Amorshka could have been so foolish as to not have noticed the judge was bugged internally. Every door in the stairwell locked three minutes after the last beat of Reinholdt's heart. Except the lobby door, which was intentionally ripped from its armored hinges and tossed aside like a leaf. Levarin didn't bother staying for Amorshka to congratulate him, though, and quickly left the building. A large hole was ripped out of the security gate that slammed down over the front doors long before she would reach it, and the ever-approaching sirens were suddenly halted as three consecutive intersections had five-car pileups due to a mysterious stoplight malfunction. Levarin was waiting by her car in relative safety, arms folded.*

Amorshka: *Just as she slipped inside the stairwell, the door locked behind her with a loud thud. Figuring it to be part of the emergency shut down procedure that had affected the elevators, Amorshka merely shrugged and began her descent. She was fit and high on the euphoria caused by a recent kill, causing her speed down the stairs to surprise even herself. She thought nothing of the locking doors of the stairwell until she got to the door leading out to the lobby and saw that it had been ripped off its hinges. Skidding to a halt, she quickly scanned the area for any sign of danger while her mind kicked into overdrive. What the hell had ripped the door from its hinges, and why? Was it the same creature responsible for almost ruining her hit tonight? With these thoughts spinning through her head, she stepped cautiously through the hole in the wall where the door had been and entered the lobby. Surprised to find it empty, she quickly walked outside, back down the stone steps and glanced left to right before crossing the street to her car. The sound of approaching sirens had stopped suddenly, as had most of the traffic on the street as she walked to her car. Glancing up as she approached the drivers side door, she jumped back slightly and shook her head angrily as she saw that Levarin was leaning against the car with his arms folded in front of him. ~You've got to be kidding me?~ she snarled. ~I should of fucking known..~ *

Levarin: *He nodded his head slightly in greeting, relieving the car of his weight and allowing it to spring to its full height once more. His voice was mechanical and electronic, void of emotion or humor, much different from the last time they met.* I assure you I have made no comical statements. I have your next assignment. The Tower told me we have history, but as they have carelessly misplaced my datapaks, I am without such knowledge until they can be recovered. By your reaction, I take it our past relationship was...tumultuous? *Clean slate. Everything she thought she knew about him was suddenly turned upside down. He had lost his memory, and was now working for The Tower again. Could it really be that simple? The Tower was notorious for not informing agents and freelancers of any changes. Amorshka was a 'freelancer'. Officially. That put her in even less of a position to know anything but what The Tower told her. And how would she know if he wasn't with The Tower again? He knew there wasn't a contract out on him anymore. And even if there were, she was of the belief -he- was after -her-. And here he was, offering his assistance. He could have put a blade in her hand and kneeled, and it would have been the same thing. It was a chance. He was gambling it was worth it to her to take it. He slowly reached into his coat with a gloved hand, and opened the coat to reveal a brown envelope.* Your next assignment. If you're interested. This is a rush job, with little under a week remaining before the contract will be nullified. *Ah, her pocketbook. The Tower 'paid' her handsomely for each contract killing she did for them. He knew it was a slight weakness in her otherwise impenetrable armor of mystique. He would need to study her reactions carefully. He hoped her arrogance would work for him this time, and not against him.*

[Moridanu]

Amorshka Delacroix:

*The eerie stillness of the dark dense forest was broken by the sound of an approaching car. As the cherry red Mini Cooper roared down the barely visible dirt road that led to the Vampires Tavern, its custom mag wheels churned up the forest floor leaving a sea of leaves and debris in their wake. The driver tossed her long multicoloured locks over her right shoulder as she shifted gears and pressed down on the accelerator causing the already speeding Mini to race at a lightning pace towards the tavern. Casting a glance in the rear-view mirror, she smiled at her lack of reflection as she checked behind her for any sign of being followed. Despite her not expecting any company, history had taught her that that was exactly when company usually showed up. Levarin had a nasty habit of turning up when she least expected him and she had learnt it paid to keep an eye out for him at all times. For now though, the road behind her was filled with nothing but the reaching arms of withered and gnarled trees as she sped through the night.

A large full moon had risen halfway into the indigo hued night, the light shining down on the roof of her car, giving the white of the Union Jack an almost luminous glow. As she drove, the hand that had just changed gears now cranked up the volume of her stereo so that the bass threatened to erupt her back speakers. Grinning to herself, Amorshka tapped out the beat to her favourite punk song on the black leather steering wheel, her long curved nails painted a dark plum that was almost ebony . Despite her recent run in with Levarin, where she had turned down the Towers latest assignment, she was in surprising good spirits; the thought of a much needed drink proving to be all that was needed to put a smile back on her face.

Finally the tavern came into view, looming in the distance. Slowing down considerably, Amorshka cruised towards her familiar haunt, before she finally came to a stop several feet away from the hulking building. Parking her Cooper behind a rather large and particularly dense bush, Amorshka turned off the ignition and stepped out of her pride and joy, her long black leather clad legs stretching out onto the leaf strewn ground. Black patent leather boots failed to make any sound as she stepped down onto the ground, turning to reach back into the back seat to retrieve her cloak before she slammed the door shut and locked it. Stepping back from her car, Amorshka studied it for a few moments before she was content that it was well hidden. Should anyone come here looking for her, they would not be alerted to her presence by the sight of her car parked outside.

Tossing her dark purple velvet cloak over one shoulder, Amorshka smoothed out the non existent creases in her black leather halter top as she stalked the remaining few feet towards the front door of the tavern. Her boots announced her arrival on the stairs and wide porch that wrapped around the tavern in a lovers embrace. Pushing open the heavy oak doors, Amorshka entered the tavern, breathing in the beauty before her.

Pausing only long enough to place her order for an extra virgin Bloody Mary, Amorshka glided over to one of the large armchairs and sank her lithe frame into the thick crimson upholstery. From here, she could keep an eye on the front door as well as the few patrons who already frequented the tavern this evening. Nodding to the few who met her violet eyes, Amorshka sighed contently before sitting back further in her seat and waiting for her drink. *

[Levarin Kindslayer]

The constant, angry "thump-thump...thumpa-thumpthump" beat into the earth relentlessly and rebelliously. Pointed ears twitched at the menacing drum line, and a thin red glow shifted towards the source of the irregular heartbeat. Heartbeat? No, it wasn't that...now there was more...shouting. Shouting so loud and incoherent, the sound couldn't travel the full distance to his ears, noise distorting the sounds into something almost tribal. Another twitch and the sound became clearer. A brief analysis and Levarin's eyes opened fully. The giant elf rose to his full height in the wilderness, disturbing a family of squirrels nesting in the branches above him.

"Punk rock," the words left his lips like chewing tobacco -- wet and thick.

It was bad enough he was stuck keeping surveillance on the blasted forest around the Vampire's Tavern, now someone was disturbing the peace with a mobile stereo system. He tried to focus through the branches, but he had chosen the wrong angle to see the particular approach path the vehicle was using. However, he had an incredible vantage of the front door, nestled between thirty or so trees along a straight line 500 yards long. It was all he needed as he watched Amorshka step up to the door. One perfectly pale shoulder and triceps teased him as the cloak swung slowly behind her, her skin a shade of light indigo in the moonlight.

If she knew he was watching her like this, she'd attempt to torture his psyche with taunts of peeping and masturbation, but the only thought that went through his mind was an imaginary cross hair over the back of her heart between two ribs and a whispered "bang" for dramatic affect.

This was purely imagination, though (a rare occurrence, be that as it may), as a wooden bullet would fragment and splinter from the sheer velocity and distance needed to pierce her body from this vantage. He hadn't yet experimented with resin-coated veneers, though, so perhaps in the future his imagination might come to fruition.

He hardly stopped to consider the meaning of a heartless cyborg having an imagination with hope of making it reality -- his mark had arrived ahead of schedule and it was time to move.

It was no use trying to "sneak up" on vampires now that he had been in their territory for quite some time. No doubt some slimy familiar had whispered to its master of the metal-skinned elf hiding in the woods. His intentions were never to be hidden, except from the one person who was reckless enough to never notice him in plain sight.

So it was with great pleasure he simply walked into the tavern, covered head to toe in his ancient ritual garb of black; broad brimmed hat that hid his face and silver hair, trench coat to his ankles with the collar flipped to further shroud himself, and steel-toed boots that strapped up to his knees.

He hardly cared if anyone resented his presence in the tavern unless it became an issue. His blood was hardly edible for the vampire kin, and most who crossed his path knew as much without a second look. He hardly had any reputation as a slayer, since the only one to know as much was sitting in the tavern at that very moment -- and was clearly alive, so either she was a highly skilled combatant, or he was simply incompetent. This worked to his advantage.

He approached the bar and ordered a pint of the tavern's dark ale. He then turned and leaned back against the bar, relaxing with his elbows on top. His gaze casually wandered around the tavern before calmly settling on Amorshka.

[Moridanu]

*From her vantage point, Amorshka had a clear view of Levarin as he sauntered in as if he owned the place. Rolling her eyes, she snarled ~just like the proverbial penny..~ as her violet eyes watched him walk to the bar and order a drink. When he turned around, his eyes met hers and she rolled her own in an effort to show her annoyance with his sudden arrival.

Shifting her weight in her oversized velvet chair, Amorshka cast a casual glance over the woman who brought her drink, and tapped her long plum hued nails against the glass for several minutes before she took a sip. Relishing the feeling of the dark liquid as it slid down her throat, Amorshka purred contently for a moment before her attention was brought back to the present, and – to Levarin.

Sighing deeply, and rolling her eyes once more before they came to rest on him, she called out in a voice loud enough for him to hear ~There’s laws against stalking you know? I mean.. realy, I’m flattered and all, but shouldn’t you go.. I don’t know.. get a life or something? One that doesn’t involve following me around everywhere? People are gonna start to talk..~ *

[Levarin Kindslayer]

A cold glass of ale was set on the bar beside him, and Levarin reached for it, setting payment on the counter before taking up the pint. His eyes closed as he sipped the dark, bitter liquid, and immediately he felt the nanomachines in his body dissecting and breaking down the chemical components, separating good from bad, storing the waste and processing the scant nutrients. He had gotten into a bad habit some time ago of letting the alcohol circulate in his body so he could experience "inebriation" on a regular basis, but tonight he decided that wouldn't be the best course of action. Amorshka was the most unpredictable person he'd ever had the misfortune of meeting, so he had to be prepared.

His eyes opened again after she gave her little rant about being stalked. He'd struck a nerve, apparently, and couldn't hold back the smirk which crossed his lips now.

Striding across the room with beer in hand, he came within a few feet of her and leaned down in a polite bow.

"My dear, as often as we've been bumping into each other for the last three centuries, there have been rumors, just as there are rumors about the monster under the bed, or the one-legged man in the forest," he replied, his mechanical voice cool and collected. It held a certain amount of...life...this time around. A large improvement over the monotone recording last time they met.

[Moridanu]

*She watched in disgust as he carried his drink over towards her, his voice that had strangely changed once again since their last encounter, offering his latest attempt at wit.

[glow=red,2,300]“My dear, as often as we've been bumping into each other for the last three centuries, there have been rumors, just as there are rumors about the monster under the bed, or the one-legged man in the forest,"[/glow]

Unable to resist offering her own anecdote to this bubbling stream of diseased poison that flowed from his lips, Amorshka sat up straighter in her seat.

~Yes, but there really IS a monster under the bed, and I’m sure somewhere out there, there really IS a one-legged man in the forest… there has obviously been a man with only one brain cell in the forest this eve at least. Or perhaps I’m wrong.. the Tower has obviously made some more modifications since last we met.. Perhaps they realised they were wasting their brain matter on you and instead filled that useless lump of a head you have with something more constructive.. such as.. say.. chocolate pudding?~ she paused in her tirade to take another sip of her sweet dark nectar before she placed the glass back down on the table.

~Regardless of what rumours may flow about us Robot, and regardless of what you want to tell yourself to get to sleep at night, you are nothing more than an annoying stone in my rather expensive and incredibly hot shoes. ~ To illustrate her point, she lifted one leather clad leg remarkably high in the air and marvelled at the beauty of her patent leather boots. ~Sooner or later I will scrape my boots on a rather disgusting pile of dog turds, and out you will pop, to be buried in shit forever. ~

Smiling sweetly, she waved him away with a flick of her pale hand. ~Now if you don’t mind, would you mind taking your walking collection of metal somewhere else? You’re stinking up the joint.~*

[Levarin Kindslayer]

His smirk turned to a small frown at her, and he rose to his full height. He ignored everything she said about him and The Tower, and simply stared at her. His voice was quieter now.

"Never in three hundred years have you been this rude. Annoying, antagonistic, reckless, selfish...but never rude. You think just because The Tower decided to 'employ' its children rather than control them, that you're better than me? You've never once even captured me, harmed me, or even caught up with me, while I have broke free of The Tower's control long ago and never looked back. You are a fool if you believed otherwise. How long has the bounty been on my head? Three hundred and twenty-five years, isn't it? Just a little while before we meet. In all that time, has it ever been rewarded or lifted? No. You simply forgot about it and ignored it when you couldn't catch me.

"You are a lousy assassin, a lousy vampire, and your reckless manner endangers everyone around you. You take so much pride and joy in hunting and killing pathetic weaklings that you never once stopped to think about why you do it. All I ever offered you was a meaningful existence, but even that eludes you. A flea knows its place in the world better than you do, and at least feces serves its own purpose as fodder for the generation of plant life."

He took another drink of his beer. He was finally too late, it seemed. She appeared nothing more than another tool of The Tower, drunk with murderous intentions, and not a single shred of independent thought in her head. She was now The Tower's perfect toy, unable to do anything but what they wanted. He shook his head and started walking away, muttering, "Worthless waste of time."

[Moridanu]

*A smirk rose to her dark lips as she realised she had finally gotten under his skin. Amused, she listened to his little rant though she only heard what she wanted to hear. She arched a slender brow as he spoke of the bounty on his head, and how the Tower had chosen to employ her, not control her. Shaking her head bemusedly, she laughed softly, the sound almost like a purr in her throat. Her laugh died down when he turned his attack even more personal by saying she was a lousy assassin and a lousy vampire.

~You speak through your shiny metal ass, my little robotic idiot. I am not “employed” or “controlled” by The Tower. If I choose, I can have nothing to do with them whatsoever. However, I have become accustomed to this lifestyle and they pay handsomely. If they want me to kill some poor hapless fool every now and then, so be it. It doesn’t matter either way to me, though it clearly does to you. As to why you have never had the pleasure of finding yourself to be one of my chosen victims, to be honest, I really couldn’t care less whether you live or die. Since technically you are nothing but a pile of cogs and gears, I don’t suppose you “live” either way. And ta for the offer and all, but this so called “meaningful existence” you apparently offered me in one of your imagined flights of fantasy, sounds rather boring to me.. ~ she paused to take another sip of her drink, swilling the dark liquid around inside the glass for effect.

~ In case you aren’t too educated about what a vampire really is, we like to drink blood.. in fact, we kinda need to. Being how you have none, you’re kinda low on my priority right now. I suppose the Tower has mentioned your name to me a few times in the past, and I suppose I could have taken them up on their offer to wipe you out once and for all. But.. like I said.. care factor = zero.~

She yawned then, to illustrate how boring she found the entire conversation before her eyes narrowed as she stared hard at him while he turned to walk away. She heard him muttering away to himself, and she called out to him

~Of course, that can always change. It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind after all..~

[Levarin Kindslayer]

He was still moving away from her as she called out her little threat to change her mind about him. Borrowing a page from her book, he raised his unoccupied hand in a one-finger salute over his shoulder.

Reaching the bar, he finished his drink and placed the glass mug on the counter top. He also left behind a nice tip for the bartender -- at the very least he wouldn't spoil his good reputation with the tavern. Stuffing his hands back into the deep pockets of his trench coat, he stalked out of the tavern dejectedly. What a waste of time.

He looked up at the moon in the night sky and snarled. He knew she was right...about the meaningful existence. What meaningful existence could the likes of them have? Cybernetic, immortal, and bastards with no family. It seemed he was doomed to be the depressed philosopher between them, while she remained blissfully ignorant and happy like a child in mud.

Maybe he was becoming like her, disenchanted with the world around him. He found a lit cigarette in his mouth, and was pulling it away to blow smoke at the moon. With all the technological advancements inside his own body, he wondered if the amount of money invested in him would have been enough to fund a mission to Mars.

Tossing the barely-smoked cig to the ground in frustration, he crushed it to dust under his boot and stomped into the forest. Now he was angry at himself for suddenly turning into an emo pussy. That was reason enough alone he ought to be hunted down and shot. He would have done it himself already, but the most damage he'd ever inflicted on himself was a bullet lodged in his left optic nerve, which was unceremoniously spit out by the nano repair bots.

[Amorshka Delacroix]

*Amorshka laughed as he flipped her the bird before he promptly left the tavern. ~Good riddance~ she muttered as she drained her drink, sitting back in her chair and crossing her long legs on the table in front of her.

Looking around for some more action, Amorshka was disappointed to see the tavern relatively empty. There were a few patrons scattered around here and there, but most were either already engaged in conversations or were wearing looks that clearly said they didn’t want to be bothered in any shape or form.

Sighing deeply, she laced her fingers together at the back of her head, as she continued looking around the room. Slowly, she realised that she was bored.

~Damn it..~ she spat as she slowly stretched her body out before standing up. Glaring at anyone who may happen to look her way, Amorshka snatched up her cloak, threw it over her right shoulder and stalked out of the tavern. Hoping that Levarin hadn’t left just yet, Amorshka felt a smile creep onto her dark lips as she saw him moping around outside. She was glad he was still here, it was fun to play with him.

Like any new toy, she knew she would tire of the game all too soon, but for now, he would do.

Skipping up behind him, she flicked him in the back of the head with one long talon.

~Awww whats up Tin Man? You look like someone came and took your oil can away.. careful with those tears pussy boy.. you don’t wanna rust up now.~

She grinned at the undoubtedly surprised reaction he would have to find her behind him.

~Come now, you didn’t think I could just let you go without saying goodbye did ya?~ she smiled sweetly. ~What kind of friend would I be if I just left you out here to mope around all on your lonesome..?~

She laughed.

~Friends like us have got to stick together Tin Man.. otherwise we will never help Dorothy find her way to the Emerald City!~*

[Levarin Kindslayer]

Levarin felt as if the world was collapsing in on itself, that the very foundation of the earth was crumbling and being sucked into the event horizon of a black hole, where time slowed down, and everything stretched into spaghetti noodles. His mind nearly melted, overloaded by the sudden appearance of Amorshka behind him, and her candid laughter and joking.

A sudden spark in the cerebellum forced his mind at ease, and the soft hiss inside his brain cavity was the only sound of biological medicine being released into the system to calm his nerves and sharpen his mind. All the outside world saw was a flash of red in his narrowed eyes. Then he smirked at her.

"Either what I said finally cracked the titanium steel-core skull of yours, or you got too bored to sit in a stuffy tavern all night listening to boring rhetoric on the endless stupidity of mortals." His mechanical voice was soft and quiet, and held that smug air of superiority she often took with him.

"It's amazing how the old personality can sometimes bubble to the surface when given enough agitation. Like a pot of water on the stove, simply taking it to the boiling point temperature isn't enough; it needs a little push. I suppose I finally pushed just enough."

He turned away from her and looked at the sky again. A small passing cloud covered the moon now, but the brilliant light still clung around the edges, giving the cloud an ethereal glow. He gave a nod towards the tavern as he looked back at her and spoke again.

"There was a time when you used to hate that world, wasn't there? Perhaps The Tower has removed all your memories, but the deeply rooted ones never leave."