2025.03.08: Brandon and Faust

March 8th, 2025

The beat-up black '69 Ford Mustang zooms along, navigating the streets with ease

"So what the fuck did you do to your arm? Don't give me the run-around or lie to me, either. I'm not gonna yell at you or anything."

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
Brandon glances up from where he’s typing, frowning. “I... made a mistake...”, he returns half-truthfully.

Faust04/30/2019
"Elaborate."

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
He stares a moment before turning back to the computer.
“No.”
The typing resumes, as screenlight reflects off Brandon’s eyes in the dark interior.

Faust04/30/2019
"Is it that embarrassing?"

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
“It’s not anyone’s business but mine,” he replies guardedly.

Faust04/30/2019
"Den mum saw, and if anyone cares she sure as fucking hell does. You may not tell me, but I'd highly advise that you tell her at some point. Besides, it stinks."

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
He pauses in his typing before shoving his left hand in his jacket and typing one-handed. After a minute: “Do I need a badge or an I getting snuck in? I can shut down any security systems if needed.”

Faust04/30/2019
"You're getting snuck in, take care of the security cameras. I've got keys and access codes."
"What the hell did you see when you touched the goop, anyways?"

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
He taps in to the device. “They’ll be down as soon as we arrive.”
Glancing up. “I saw... the man... the dead man. He found the substance in a... swamp? And it entered him and then he was driven towards... power and violence...” Brandon looks away with a nauseous grimace.

Faust04/30/2019
Faust makes a face "...Gross. Swamp goop."

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
“Essentially...”

Faust04/30/2019
"...Just in case, you do know some tricks to nonviolently incapacitate people, right?"

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
“Ummm... I think aquakinesis counts as a Masquerade breach but yes.”

Faust04/30/2019
"...Can ya do it stealthily?"

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
Brandon turns to stare at Faust. “Uhh.. not really... kinda involves a small amount of chanting and hand motions...”

Faust04/30/2019
"Well. Forget that, then. We'll just have to hope one of us can peacefully talk our way out of things, if it comes to that." Faust turns and presents a fanged grin at Brandon "The water magic didn't have anything to do with your arm, did it?"

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
Looking to Faust, Brandon breaks eye contact, frowning disconcertedly. “In a sense...” he says evasively.

Faust04/30/2019
"Oh ho, yeah, no more water magic for you. Well, looks like we're a couple of screw-ups, huh? I nearly get Doris torched and you sacrifice your arm and almost flood the place." Faust laughs and shakes his head "Couple of dumpster fires, we are. That's cool, though. Something to laugh about later when Doris isn't mom-staring a fucking hole through your soulless body."

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
Brandon snorts slightly as he types, a foreign sound of amusement.
After a few moments of silence: “so... who are you anyway? I mean, I know your name and that you apparently suspect bodies but that’s it.”

Faust04/30/2019
"Faust, aka Felix Mueller, veterinarian, medical examiner, gangster, thug, thief, murderer, and just a general rat bastard. I've known Doris since forever, but I'm not a crusty old fart like 90% of this city, it seems. And yourself?"

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
"Oh, uh, Brandon. Moore. I'm a TA at the university. Tremere of course."

Faust04/30/2019
"What did you major in?"

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
"Computer Science." Continues to type. "Got head hunted out of college as it were."

Faust04/30/2019
"I only know average shit, I can work a computer and a smart phone and do the usual, basic stuff with 'em. I try to keep up with the times, it tends to help as you get older."

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
“How... old are you?”

Faust04/30/2019
"Now that's just plain rude, asking a vampire their age." Faust chuckles "I was alive before radio and TV. Not much before, but I was."

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
Brandon nods to himself. “And uhh.. what clan are you..? I’m not sure if that’s a typical question to ask...”

Faust04/30/2019
"Not typical, no, though I do understand. Sometimes it's difficult to tell 'em apart based on mannerisms and crap. Gangrel. Some folks might take offense if you ask, though."

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
Brandon nods again. "Never needed to know that stuff outside of the academic sense."

Faust04/30/2019
"Hand-holding is generally frowned upon."

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
He snorts again, returning to the typing before giving a muttered, "hell yi". Looking up, he announces, "Camera's have been looped for the next hour so shouldn't be anything amiss there."

Faust04/30/2019
"Peachy. We're almost there."
Faust mutters something about grabbing dinner while they're there

Brandon Moore04/30/2019
Brandon frowns, pulling out another red bead from a pill bottle and swallowing it quickly with a muttered arcane phrase.

Faust05/02/2019
Later,

The car begins to navigate the streets once more. A super busy night, it seems, for this vehicle "'S fair... oh... you know how to write oncology reports, right?"

Brandon Moore05/02/2019
“Uhhh... like how accurate we talking. I probably qualify as a pre-med by now so I could fake it..”

Faust05/02/2019
"Same, but it's gotta look really credible... I can probably write it, but formatting it and providing fake identification and such is something I cannot do."

Brandon Moore05/02/2019
“I’m guessing Brad Morrison needs to write a report for the doc? I’d need to ask Mr. Meissen about that. He might know where to get credentials fabricated.”

Faust05/02/2019
"I think Crowley can do it, but I've asked a lot of him already, getting him to switch the samples and all." Faust rubs a temple and sighs loudly "'Go be a medical examiner,' they said. 'It'll hide your disgusting habits easily,' they said. This is so fucking complicated."

Brandon Moore05/02/2019
A long pause. “...how...how do you feed...?”

Faust05/02/2019
"Normally. With a few.... additions. Someone in my line must have diablerized a Nagaraja or some shit in their unlifetimes, 'cause just plain blood isn't.... satisfying. I have to also eat blood-rich organs and tissues." Faust doesn't seem to be terribly unfazed or anything else by this. He's probably used to it and has resigned to his fate.

Brandon Moore05/02/2019
Brandon frowns further, the queasy look returning. “Nagaraja..?”

Faust05/02/2019
"From what I was told, they're one of the lesser bloodlines, some offshoot from someone somewhere... they have to eat flesh and drink blood. Like, the whole body, though. I can get by on the major bloody organs."

Brandon Moore05/02/2019
“Ohh.. I see...” Whatever academic coolness he had in the morgue is gone as he thinks on the more personal idea of eating human flesh.

Faust05/02/2019
"So yeah. I haven't... eaten since I got here, so... kinda really hungry and irritable." Faust just laughs, it's one of those 'I'm slowly going insane' laughs

Brandon Moore05/02/2019
Brandon draws his phone and fires off a short text. “Got here as in... to the morgue?”

Faust05/02/2019
"To the city. The night of the church fiasco, I just so happened to arrive. Great timing, only to create a disaster."

Brandon Moore05/02/2019
“Oh! Well, welcome! Yea, crazy night...”

Faust05/02/2019
"I have a good feeling it's going to just keep getting worse."

Brandon Moore05/02/2019
He frowns. “I wouldn’t say that... Stuff can be stressful but you gotta stay optimistic..”

Faust05/02/2019
Faust just smiles. It's... unsettling...

Brandon Moore05/02/2019
Another text.