entrancelogs | 010 ƒ open } { they’ll make their judgments, so assured

[In a rare moment, one of her tequila runs coincides with a period where Lux is quiet. In some ways, it’s intended – she isn’t here for her, she’s here to see if Chloe will come by so they can discuss what happened. In her rounds of non-apologies, she never made it to her front door, and while it’s not a situation she’s going out of her way to rectify, she will put herself in places where she may run into her, just in case.

When she hears the sound of heels against the floor of Lux, she looks up and offers the detective a small smile in return. At least one hunch she had has turned out to be right.]

If you’re looking for Lucifer, you just missed him.

[ There were a few things helping keep Chloe's sanity in order; booze, mostly. Seth, and Elena. More booze. Hence why she had swung by earlier in the day, hoping to avoid the crowds of people and maybe have a chat with Lucifer, the kind they used to have back home. She always felt better after she talked to him.

She wasn't expecting someone else, much less Freya. Her presence startled her and Chloe froze in the doorway, swaying on her feet for a moment. She managed to not bolt, at least, or automatically pull her gun, although not without an internal reminder that this isn't that Freya. ]

Oh. [ Chloe glances at the door, and then back to Freya. She's not even sure what to say to her, if there is anything to say. She doesn't look at her and gestures to the door. ] It's fine, I'll... come back.

[Her face falls for a moment, because she knows that wasn't unexpected. In fact, Chloe's the only person who actually reacted the way Freya anticipated her to. She hesitates, weighing her options in her mind, and it takes a second before she finally manages to force out the words.]

I'm sorry.

[The words sound so stilted, and not enough, but she's not going to get better at apologies if she doesn't practice.]

I know I have no control over my mirror, really, but ... I still feel like I should have been able to do something.

[ Chloe raises her eyebrows, surprised at her words. The apology sounds so strange, so meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

Not meaningless. Small, maybe. Genuine, but still white noise lost in the chaos that wasn't Freya's making, no more than any of this nightmare was one of their making. ]

Yeah. Me too. [ There isn't much point in being cold, or in trying to punish Freya over something she had no control over. Chloe imagines she was punishing herself enough as it was.

With a sigh, Chloe finishes her movement down the steps and into the bar area, her arms crossed over her chest. Still on guard, maybe, out of habit. It's hard to look at her and not see what happened before, and Chloe feels like an ass for it. ]

It's not your fault. I know that I just... I'm still wrapping my head around this mirror thing. But I don't blame you. I don't think anyone blames you.

They blame me for some things.

[She reaches for a second glass and pours one for Chloe as she approaches, before passing it across the bar towards her.]

Mostly for trying to protect my brother.

Right. Klaus.

[ He'd mentioned enough of his background for Chloe to at least fake her way through understanding. She knows it is more than a few conversations could put together; a twisted family history of vampires and werewolves isn't exactly something you condensed to a book jacket.

But she is learning. Learning and trying, as much as she can, to understand. Whether or not she wants to be part of all of this, she is now. Elena, Klaus, even Freya... After what they have all been through, she can't turn her back on them. Chloe isn't the type who gave up when it got hard.

She moves up and picks up the drink from the bar, taking a swallow. ]

He gave me a little bit of history lesson. He's some kind of... werewolf-vampire hybrid. You're a witch. Damon's a vampire... With all that going on, I have some guesses as to why people would be angry at you. [ Chloe may not be first hand familiar with this kind of things, but she knows the stories. And they were the kinds of stories you told kids to scare them for a reason. ]

[She nods in agreement.]

I know it's not the most comforting truth, but it's been my life for a thousand years. A lot of it has ... lost it's shine, which means my patience with the disbelieving can be a bit short at times.

[These were facts of her life - don't try to tell her that she's making them up.]

But my mirror also certainly made quite the mess.

[ Chloe is beyond accusing people of making things up. Her frank talk with Klaus helped, and her talk with Elena. But what she saw was the clincher, although she did wonder if it was just her who had gone completely insane.

She still wasn't convinced she wasn't dead, either, but by now it was all a moot point. Whether she was crazy or dead, this was her reality now. It was due time she treated it like it. ]

Yeah. Elena is pretty messed up. But she seems like a strong girl, and I'm sure coming from your world... She's probably more used to it than I am. [ Chloe can't say the same for herself. She has seen more than her fair share of horrors, but she still can't get the images of that day out of her mind. ] Now that I'm up to my neck in this there probably isn't any way of getting out, huh?

[She grimaces a bit in return, before shaking her head. It seems that once someone is touched by their world, both in their universe and outside of it, there's no way of escaping it in the end. Then an idea comes to her, and her head tips to the side for a moment.]

But there are ways to protect yourself. I can show you, if you like?

[ She doesn't need Freya's acknowledgment to know; it was more of a rhetorical question at this point, although the shake of Freya's head makes her feel even more hopeless.

Of course, all of this is starting to make a little sense in terms of why Lucifer is wrapped up in this. He definitely was a fan of drama, and being surrounded by some level of insanity that Chloe preferred to be detached from. And now he had dragged her into it, unarmed and unable to defend herself. ]

I'm listening. [ She looked at Freya, part of her still wondering what the other woman's angle was. She hoped it was just helping out of the goodness of her heart, but Chloe didn't trust that, not completely. ] If there is a way to protect myself and anyone else, I'd like to know.

[Freya nods in agreement, before a small smile crosses her face and she tips back the rest of her shot.]

Alright. Vampire 101 it is.

[She then starts to move around the bar, gesturing for Chloe to follow her.]

The first and most important thing is that vampires from my world, as long as they're properly fed, look and behave exactly like any other normal human. Their heart beats, they can see their reflection in the mirror, and while their circulation is slightly poorer than most humans, it's similar to any other human with poor circulation. But they can't come into your home - or in this case, your room - without your express invitation, so I would refrain from verbally inviting someone into your room unless you're certain they're human, or they're a vampire you feel you can trust.

[ Chloe downs the rest of her drink, figuring that she will need it before she follows Freya. Her hands are clasped in front of her, betraying some of her nervousness, although her eyes stay concentrated on Freya. It won't stop a quip or two during Freya's lesson, though. ]

I wish it were that easy to keep some humans out. [ She tries to crack a smile. ] But okay, no inviting people in unless I know if they're a vampire. If they look just like humans, though, how else am I supposed to tell?

In normal day to day interactions, it's hard to say. They can be a bit paler, but that isn't always a given, since vampires are present all over the world, so they come in all shapes, sizes and colors. There are some consistencies though - when they are looking to feed, their fangs will extend, their eyes will turn a blood red color. There's also some darkening of veins directly under their eyes.

Also, most vampires can't be in the sun unless they have managed to befriend a witch to make them something called a daylight ring. It's made with a blue lapis lazuli stone and is spelled with protection magic. Some wear it in other forms of jewelry, but the most common form is a ring, and if they're out in the sun, they need to be wearing it at all times.

[There's a pause, before she decides to work with a frame of reference she may know.]

If you've spent time with Damon Salvatore, you may have noticed a large family ring on his left hand.

[She holds up her hands as she speaks to illustrate. It's really enormous though, she can't imagine Chloe having missed it.]

[ Chloe thinks back, realizing she did notice the ring before and just never gave much thought to it. ]

Yeah, I remember it. That has to be some seriously strong magic to protect vampires from the sunlight. [ She does wince a little at that, realizing how easy it is becoming for her to talk about magic and vampires like it's normal. Of course, it is her new normal. ] But at least it's something I can actually keep an eye out for. So...

[ A pause. ]

Is that the kind of thing you can do? Make daylight rings?

[ She has so many questions, so she decides to just ask them when she thinks of them. ]

[Asking questions as they come to her is probably the easiest way to do it, to be honest. Holding on to questions until later, runs the risk of her missing something important or forgetting to ask.]

Among other things. My power is grounded in what we call "spirit magic." I draw power from the earth and the elements and channel it into my spells. But there are different schools of magic in the same way there are different schools of science. Not all witches practice the same way.

Okay. That actually makes sense.

[ It's one of the first things anyone has said that does. At least if she can break this down into concepts she can understand, it would be easier to swallow. ]

Is this something you learned how to do? I mean, could you teach me something so I can help? [ She can't believe she is asking this, but after what happened to Lucifer, she can't stand the idea of letting it happen again. ] How long did it take you to learn all of this?

I've been practicing since I was four years old, but ... no. Magical skill is something you're born with, unfortunately.

[She pauses to open the door to her room, revealing the interior that has been switched around since the incident with her mirrors. The carpet has been changed out for hardwood floors, and her room has taken on something more similar to her room back in the Abattoir, in all it's early colonial flare.

Spell ingredients have are still hiding in plain sight all over the room, but in this particular instance she steps in to head towards a small planting box that is resting on the far window.]

But there are more mundane approaches you can use to protect yourself and Lucifer.

[ Chloe manages to always be amazed by the different ways people have arranged their rooms. Her own was stark and boring in contrast, not just to Lux and Lucifer's adjoining penthouse (which looked so much like home it was often heartbreaking for her), but Freya's and the others she'd seen as well.

As she glances around the room her eyes eventually are drawn to the spell items spread around. It kind of feels like she's stepped into a different world; and in a way, she has. ]

Four years old? Wow. And I thought the months of police training was hard. [ She finally concentrates her gaze back on Freya, moving closer to her. ] I'll do whatever it takes. I can't let what happened to Lucifer happen again.

[She nods in agreement before reaching for one of the plants and plucking a sprig of it from the box.]

First things first: vervain.

[She holds the sprig out to her.]

Vampires have an ability called compulsion. It allows them to alter memories, erase them, or force a person do to something for them. But vervain, when worn on your body, prevents them from being able to take control of your mind. You can either wear it, or you can also drink it in liquid form. That's my preferred method, because while I cannot be compelled as a witch, if a vampire tried to drink my blood, they would be weakened from the vervain in my system. It also burns their skin if they come in contact with it.

[ Chloe takes the sprig, holding it up as she turns it in her fingers thoughtfully. It's a tiny little plant, kind of like a weed, and it's hard for Chloe to grasp how detrimental such a little, unassuming thing can be to such powerful creatures. ]

Wow. Okay, so I just need to carry this around in my pocket or something? I guess my wardrobe could use a little color. [ The self-deprecating joke comes off a little flat what in the reality of their situation. ] I can believe this is enough to stop an actual vampire. How often do you have to drink it to make sure it stays in your body?

Every day. I usually drink it in the morning with my coffee. You need to drink it with something strong, because otherwise the flavor is ... far less pleasant.

[Vervain is an herb that was probably never intended to be eaten with anything.]

But otherwise yes. In a pocket, or in jewelry - something you wear consistently.

Ugh, sounds fun. [ Chloe wrinkles her nose. Still better than getting eaten by a vampire, though. ] I think I'll stick with wearing it for the time being. I kind of like attached to my non-vampire related coffee for the moment.

[ It's an attempt at levity, but not a very good one, considering the seriousness of the situation. With a sigh, she looks down at the vervain. ] I guess I'll put it in a necklace for now. Are there... Are there any vampires here from your world currently that I should be on the lookout for?

[She pauses for a moment, before shaking her head.]

Not that I know of. There are vampires from my world here, but I don't believe they're likely to do you any harm. And I don't feel comfortable outing them without their consent.

That's okay. I'm a little more concerned with the ones I should be worried about than the ones who will leave people alone.

[ She already knows about Damon, anyway, and she is sure Elena will also make sure she isn't in any danger. At least, once Elena finds out that Chloe knows what she knows now.

Granted, no one saw what happened with Klaus coming. Chloe just finds herself hoping that the mirrors don't find a way to cause any more trouble anytime soon. ]

Is there anything else I should know?

If you are attacked by a vampire, a stake to the heart or setting them on fire will do the trick as far as protecting yourself. The stake doesn't have to be particularly large, though. Wooden bullets can be quite effective.

[Which might be better for Chloe since she is comfortable with a gun.]

Even if the vampires on this side of Wonderland won't harm you, that doesn't mean their Mirrors will be as accommodating. You should be prepared.

010 ƒ open } { they’ll make their judgments, so assured

chloe | closed

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