I'm Waking Up: Origin Stories.

[geistnet]

You’re an old man who had a nasty run-in with Something That Went Bump in the Night, and once believed that the only way to make sure that you never had another problem like that again was to pick up a gun and shoot supes in the face before they killed you or hurt your family – and then some government shitheads called you up and told you that they’re your friends, you all have to get along. They took your weapons, sent you to some fucking program that felt too much like Alcoholics Anonymous. You hang up on them every time they check on you, but they still know exactly what you’re doing, every second of every day.

You’re a house wife in a quiet little town, accustomed to turning a blind eye towards the strange things that happened to people after dark because the local police either didn’t have a clue or were letting those things happen in the first place – and then some nice people in coats came in from God Knows Where, arrested some crooked cops, and made it all go away.

You make a new batch of cookies every Sunday, to give to the coated fellows who still hang around at the street corners downtown; some of them are young, so very young, and remind you of your younger brother. Your little ones want to be just like them someday.

You’re the kid who learns Judo rather than Track and Field after Math every day (Teacher Felipe says that you have to know how to defend yourself), then takes a quiz all about vampires, fairies and werewolves in Occult Studies. Every Wednesday, you tumble around with your classmates, and get mad whenever your best friend does his Superman thing and beats everyone to the top of the hill by flying there. Every Friday, a guy with more guns than you have teeth comes to school, takes over PE classes, and talks to everyone about what he does for a living. Sometimes, he takes “special kids” with him to another school, for special people like them. You hope that he won’t take your best friend away.

You’re the manager of one of the biggest call centers in the country. You’re happy because life’s been great ever since you opened your doors to the local vampire community. They’re damned good at their jobs, and you don’t have to deal with the HR nightmare of overtime, of medical bills and lawsuits anymore. And you feel safe, because you know that if one of them ever steps out of line, you know exactly who to call.

You’re the girl who leapt through time, who met a handsome stranger who took you to a fantastic place full of talking trees and flying fish, the girl who was loved and fucked and tossed aside when you started getting boring.

You came home and found that your house wasn’t your house anymore, that your parents have been dead for decades and all of your friends were old and gray while you haven’t aged at all.

They found you crying on a swing. They told you what happened, and helped you set things right.

You’re the drunkard at the local bar who sees monsters in every face, and still remembers what it was like years ago, when you didn’t have to be afraid of the dark, or wonder what’s beneath all the human skin and human smiles of every person you meet. The Truth fucked you up, you see. You wish that once upon a time, you had the better sense not to listen.

Whoever you are, if you were born between 1999 and 2066, you know about Hunters. You know about the conspiracies and compacts they are a part of, and the Vigil they keep between Day and Night, Light and Shadow. You know that some of them are human, and some of them aren’t, and some of them are somewhere in between. You know about why they’re here, and what they do while nobody’s looking. Hate them, love them, worship them, or revile them: it doesn’t matter. The World of Light and the World of Darkness have blended together, and that means that Hunters are around to stay.

o r i g i n  s t o r i e s.

This post is devoted to threading out the stories of player characters of Waking the Dead prior to their arrival at the Falner Estate. Tag in and tell us yours. We have a feeling it's a good one.

Comments

[outstanding]

Ella nods silently. Once they arrive, she heads up quickly, leaving her door open so that anyone following would be able to enter. There really isn't much to see there; while the flat is obviously high end, Ella never found the right moment or the right mood to decorate, considering she was there much against her will and due to her father being an obnoxious sod.

She snorts at the thought, because it's true. A moment later she has her suitcases open and is putting clothes in, while filling her backpack with whatever useful book and notebook she runs across. Her mood seems to be peaking now; up until that moment she hadn't realized how much she wanted to leave this place.

[superbarbie]

Barbie does follow Ella up after making some last minute calls in to her people down in Falner and instructing the driver to keep the engine idle while they wait around. She doesn't enter the flat, though: she seems to be content with watching Ella from the doorway. That might have something to do with the fact that she's now working through another cigarette.

She notes, of course, the fact that Ella seems to be doing a lot better, and that she's starting to seem almost relieved that she was packing up.

"This wasn't exactly home for you, was it?"

[outstanding]

Taking a little break, Ella looked to Barbara and smiled, although some of the sudden surge of energy that had taken her died down with that smile.

"Father sent me over here to study at PU, partly because I had gotten a scholarship and partly because he wanted to put as much distance between my girlfriend and me as possible. He succeeded."

He hadn't considered what it would happen afterwards, though.

[superbarbie]

"He succeeded for the moment," Barbara said, with notable firmness. "You get to decide what you want for yourself now."

That was how Riley had "raised" her, after the Methuselah had set her free from Christopher Rivera's influence. She intended on doing the same for her own childe.

[outstanding]

"Well," Ella said as she sat over a suitcase and zipped it closed. "My ex is better off doing her own thing now and I suddenly find myself when I actually want to be; the fangs are just an unexpected extra, maybe?"

It won't do if she just focuses on the negative part of it. "I'm a bit mortified over never really turning twenty one, but I think that's a minor issue, all in all."

[superbarbie]

It was refreshing, at least, to see that the girl was attempting to soldier on. Maybe the reality of it will hit her full force in the future, but given her disposition now... maybe she'll make it out of the experience intact.

"At least you'll always be beautiful."

Humor is always good for situations like this.

[outstanding]

Give her a week; she's going to be crying a lot once everything stops spinning.

"Ah, well." She turns to the only mirror on the flat, looking at her now blurry self reflected. "Time to stop wondering if I'm ever going to gain a few more inches, I guess."

Humor, she can deal with right now though.

[superbarbie]

"And start thinking about what colors and make up will suit your new skin tone."

A girl's got to be practical, right?

[outstanding]

"I've always been kinda pale, because England, so that shouldn't be an issue." Her mother constantly insisted she looked good in anything, but Ella's preferences have always veered to the lighter tones. She's pretty sure Barbara has a lot more of experience in this anyway.

Moments later she's locking the second suitcase and she's done. "Okay, all set."

[superbarbie]

"Great."

And Barbara immediately walks over to help the younger vampire out.

"Let's go. We'll have more time to talk the sooner we get to Falner."

[outstanding]

"Right behind you."

She leaves the flat and turns around, sparing one last look inside before locking the door. Things were moving fast, yes, but it was easier that way. She just had to keep remembering herself that.

[superbarbie]

Barbara, in the meantime, waits once again for Ella to climb in and settle down before joining her in the car. The driver pulls the vehicle out soon afterward.

She'll be quiet unless Ella decides to talk to her, all the way until they arrive.

[outstanding]

The ride to Falner is a silent one, but the feeling inside of the car is quiet, almost reflexive. She spends most of the time looking outside, marveling at how different everything looks while her fingers caress the fabric of the seats, taking in the sensations it brings.

And now and then she thinks of other vampires doing all sorts of things her father would usually claim they all did, and she goes a little quieter.

The sight of the gates snaps her out of it, and she grows increasingly nervous as they reach the mansion. Everything is starting to slow down now, bit by bit.

[superbarbie]

The car pulls right up to Falner Manor, and the driver comes around to open the door to them both. Barbara leads the way after thanking the man, and goes straight for the stairs.

"We'll talk in the office that I have here while they're preparing a temporary room for you. You'll stay with me starting tomorrow evening."

Raura still has to get the house in order for his wife's first childe.

[outstanding]

Ella remembers to say thank you, fortunately, and then follows Barbara.

"Okay...but if it is too much hassle I can get a couch or something. I don't mind."

[superbarbie]

"Why would it be a hassle?"

Barbie almost looks incredulous when she turns to Ella at that point. Really, child: you are her childe now.

[outstanding]

"..."

She looks around once again, and realizes that even the smallest couch on Barbara's house is probably bigger than the biggest bed she's ever had.

"Never mind. What do you do, exactly?"

[superbarbie]

"I'm a Philippine Senator, a Keeper of the Vigil, and the Golden Hand - that is, right hand woman - of vampire known as the Daywalker."

Turning around briefly to smile at Ella, as they continue upward.

"How much has your father told you about us?"

[outstanding]

Ella listens...and then she stops walking altogether.

"The Daywalker? As in Riley Falner who owns the Falner State Daywalker?"

Can vampires pass out? She's feeling a bit lightheaded now.

[superbarbie]

It's been a long time since Barbie has gotten a reaction like that. It might be because she tends to be surrounded by people who already knew who she was.

"That's correct." Her smile grows wider. "There's a high chance that he's awake to hear you, you know."

[outstanding]

"Ah. Sorry?"

Barbara's smile isn't making her feel any better. "And is he your...sire?"

[superbarbie]

"No. He's more like my surrogate father figure."

Barbara paused there, looking thoughtful.

"The Methuselah executed my actual sire back in 2012."

And she does not sound too sad about that.

[outstanding]

Yeaaah she's not going to say 'sorry for your loss' since it looks like she should be congratulating her instead.

Better not do a thing.

"Oh, okay. So he and I...we obviously got nothing to do with each other." Obviously. Riley Falner probably has no time to waste on her anyway.

[superbarbie]

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that just yet. Riley likes meeting new vampires."

But she isn't going to add the part about how he will probably want to meet Ella just because Ella is Barbie's first childe.

On that note, the two of them were finally stopping at the door to Barbara's office. The older vampire opened it, and waited for Ella to come inside.

"Sit anywhere you like?"

There were... a lot of couches in there.

[outstanding]

"W-well...okay."

Yeah, that part will probably be a little too much for her to handle at the moment.

Ella walks in and her thoughts about big expensive couches come back to mind. Welp.

She's just going to sit by the edge of the one closest to her desk.