Whispering Pines - Apt #214(#2598RAJLh)

This apartment gives a look of high expense, not in the building itself, but it's contents. The walls and ceiling are painted pure black, and the carpet matches the darkness, save for some off color fuzz, being that it's a pretty new carpet. Across from the door in the living area is a large black entertainment center consisting of a not suprisingly black 42" TV, a large fully digital stereo system with CD and tape players, AM/FM stereo, a setting for the TV, and a useless setting called 'phono'. There are various gaming systems tucked into the entertainment center as well, baring names like Dreamcast, Playstation and Playstation 2, various systems with the word 'Nintendo' upon them... 3D0, NeoGeo, and finally something called a 'colecovision'. This system is complemented nicely by a high quality Bose surround sound speaker system. Two black leather couches are on the left and right of the living area, angled at the entertainment center. A large chest rests on the ground between the couches and the entertainment center, working as a foot rest. The only sources of light are the LEDs on the stereo, the TV, and a small blacklight bulb in the fan in the center of the apartment. A door to the right of the apartment leads to Roger's bedroom(+view) and the small kitchen is visable on the right side of the apartment, almost a part of the living room. The kitchen is lit up by a hallogen lamp, resting next to the front door, pointed towards it.

Contents:

Dakota

Obvious exits:

Whispering Pines 

 

A pair of sharp raps on the door ring through the room. Should someone look through the peep-hole, they will see Miguel, standing casually in the hallway, his face neutral.

 

It's close to two hours after the incident in the farmhouse, but Dakota isn't asleep. She glances to the monitor next to the powerful-looking computer in the living room, one that is hooked up to a camera hidden in the hallway. She knows who's there before she even gets near the door. It's opened up and Dakota is standing there, dressed in baggy grey sweatpants and a black tank top. "...Miguel? What's up?" She asks quietly, blinking at him.

 

Miguel responds in his typically soft-spoken manner, "I was worried about you. I know you hurt your hand, and I just... thought maybe you would want to talk. I... uh.." he begins to second-guess himself as to whether his presence would really be wanted.

 

Dakota slowly smiles at him. "Oh, yeah..." She holds up her hand and shows him. Nothing at all, it's good as new, like it was never sliced open. "We Garou heal really fast from nearly everything." She clears her throat quietly, "Ya probably have some questions about what happened there. Wanna come in? I can tell you the story."

 

Miguel looks shocked to see her hand. Another thing to mentally file away. He slips inside and gently clicks the door shut. He goes and sits on the floor, Indian-style, and nods to Dakota, "Yes, plase, tell me."

 

Dakota grins a bit wider, "Use the couch, s'what they're for." She whirls out Jeremy's leather chair from under the computer, sitting on it backwards. "Besides Alicia, Renee was the first Garou I ever met here in St. Claire. At the time, she was the Elder of the Bone Gnawers, a Fostern Galliard, and Alpha of Rough and Tumble. Alicia was her Beta in the pack. All of this happened before I came, though." She pauses to wet her lips. "See, Renee was involved with this guy named Craig. What no one knew then, was that Craig was a cub who hadn't changed yet. Once Renee found out, they kept the relationship secret, because they had broken the first rule of the Litany. Renee discovered she was pregnant, kept the birth of her metis daughter a secret, and lied to the Sept about how she found her instead. Well, folks found out the truth and she was stripped of her title as Elder and her rank as Fostern. Renee left the sept and just now came back, as you saw her tonight."

 

Miguel looks embarassed, as he stands up a little too gracefully for a normal boy, and sits on the couch, "Sorry," he mumbles, "I tend to sit on the floor a lot. Strange habit, I know." he continues to listen intently to Dakota's story. He responds, "So, the issue is... Renee... who is now Eve, was in a really bad damned if you do damned if you don't situation. The whole argument back there was like... the letter of the law, versus compassion based on the special circumstance. Is it right?" He sighs, "You know, Garou politics are VERY VERY complex."

                 

Dakota nods her head, "Yes it is. A lot of what you saw stemmed down to tribal views. I love Emma dearly, and I hold a good deal of respect for the Get of Fenris, but they do not tolerate anything. If someone shows weakness, they believe they should be killed so they don't drag everyone else down. Us Gaians are the opposite, and we are regarded as weak and spineless by many of the Tribes because we don't place value on the perfection of one's body or mind, but if they're capable of being a good Garou."

 

A moment passes while Miguel lets that all sink in. He thinks carefully before he says anything, "I think, I would not make a good Fenrir. I have too much compassion, and I don't know if I could kill anyone who wasn't a danger to someone I love."

 

Dakota smiles gently, "And that's why you were marked for Unicorn's tribe, not Fenris'. Tongiht, you just got a good look at Rage, and what makes normal folks fear us so much. Even the calmest of us can snap with the right push, so you always want to be careful and do your best to keep your temper in check. It's far from easy, but it's better than accidentally slaughtering your best friend over something small you let get to you. It does, and can easily, happen if you're not careful."

 

Miguel sets his jaw squarely, "Then I will see to it that I work hard to keep my temper in check better in the future."

 

"It happens to all of us sooner or later, when we just can't hold it." Dakota is sure to mention, "But we do our best to keep the Rage in check." She lets out a slow breath, tilting her head to one side to crack her neck. She glances absently to the clock, frowning some. "...didn't think they'd keep him this late."

 

Miguel asks Dakota, "Keep whom late, Dakota-Rhya?"

 

Miguel chuckles, "What a world of difference. I am 17, and I'm practically like a newborn, and you, the same age, are married and teaching me things which go way above my head. I feel like I started growing up all over again."

 

Dakota nods her head, "I felt the same way. I Firsted when I was 16, back in November. I turned 17 in January, became Cliath in Febuary, married in March. I feel like I lived an entire lifetime in less than a year..." She trails off with a yawn, excusing herself quietly. "It's late... should stop waiting up for Jer and just go to bed."

 

Miguel nods to her, and smiles slightly, "Well, thank you very much for speaking with me Dakota-Rhya. I guess I had convinced myself I came here to see if I could comfort you, when actually, I needed you to explain things to me." He gets up and waves a slight 2-fingered wave, and wishes her a "Goodbye Dakota-Rhya." at almost a whisper, before gently clicking the door shut behind him.