The Regent Grand Hotel

Lyle seemed to ignore Estela's reaction to his departure and return. Maybe he didn't notice, or perhaps he idnt bother to care. Once she has taken a seat next to him, he puts back his hand on her opposing shoulder, allowing her to be a little closer. He did the gesture quite naturally but it was certainly not a reflex gesture: he chose to do it with his consciousness. He puts his other hand on the keyboard, having a look at the pad still in its case next to it. He doesn't move the fingers at all, but he looks focused an instant. He then offers a slight smile to Estela and gives an explanation with a natural tone that seems too normal to be something else than "I'm fucking with you !".
(Lyle) There is some of that.. It's magic. And as a magician I cannot tell of my secrets. Why are you so afraid that you'd rather stay with a Tremere scumbag than meet with what you consider a friend ?

Estela scoots a bit closer to Lyle when he places the arm on her shoulder so that he doesn't have to stretch his arm as much. There's no hesitation in the movement either, she seems to enjoy the proximity. She follows his gaze to the encased pad, then turns it back to the Tremere as he speaks. His words draw a chuckle from the young vampire and she opens her mouth to give a playful retort when he abruptly changes the subject to Claudia. Her mouth clamps shut, and she lets the breath she'd taken to speak escape in a sigh.
“I told you.” She grumbles softly, sounding reluctant to have to continue the subject. “We had an argument. If I were to go to her now, I'd feel like I'm admitting to being wrong.” Her expression becomes stubborn. “And I'm not convinced that I am.” Estela smirks lightly, her features softening, returning to a more playful state. “As for the 'scumbag' part...well I wouldn't call you that. You're honest in a very blunt way, and when you lie it's in a pretty obvious way to make sure everybody gets that they're not going to get a real answer anyway. From what I've seen so far anyway.”

perception + alertness >5:

Kersten can't help a raised eyebrow at Estela's reaction to the subject of Claudia. He is certainly aware that sh doesn't like the subject. As a response he vaguely taps her shoulder with his fingers and observes her with a look that shows clearly he's analyzing the situation. In the end he shrugs and lets out a small comment.
(Lyle) Chicks. Get rid of that ego of yours... And I've been called a scumbag every other night for centuries now so it became part of me. Don't get fooled, I am not exactly what I show you...

He smiles openly, he did let go the subject of Claudia after all. He stays a little distracted, as if he was doing several things at the same time (he probably is, at least he's thinking and responding).
(Lyle) Why stay with me rather than go to someone you trust... Why afraid of staying alone ?

Estela can't help a small chuckle, followed by a small, self aware shrug. “Eh. Nature of the beast...?” She's being slightly joking about it, trying to wave the critique away.
Her expression becomes a little more serious after, weighing Lyle's words. She lets out a sigh and shrugs again, then grins. “Well, long as you don't show yourself a scumbag where I can really punch you in the face for it, I suppose I won't treat you as such.”

Estela notices his distraction, frowning a little but then accepts it silently. His question makes her mildly uncomfortable, made visible with her light weight shifting and looking away. Her answer comes slow and hesitant. “I...I'm just not comfortable with going out on my own like this yet. I mean, this area is familiar and I'll just start running into mental circles......”

perception +subterfuge>4:

perception + alertness>5:

The Regent affords a look to Estela, letting his hand off the keyboard for an instant. He observes her up and down then down and up.
(Lyle) You will have to get used to it, young girl, considering what you have become. But again, you're not ready.. You have to take the risk and train yourself lest things get worse. Instead of worrying about my state of mind. I am by fat the less miserable of our kind. What will you do when you'll understand others ? We are slaves all the same. Claudia denies it all, lying to herself and ignoring everything which may step into her daily life. How long do you think she'll last until it'll come back to hit her in the face ? It's not rhetorical, I'm far too egocentric to care. You on the other hand should think about it... And ask yourself how long will you last.

Estela doesn't move under Lyle's observing gaze, though his words do seem to make her a little uncomfortable. She looks away, pulling her knees up to her chest without shaking the Regent's arm off her shoulders. “It's not as easy as you make it sound! If it was just...” IShe clamps shut on that, as though the young vampire had almost said something she hadn't meant to, and caught herself just in time. For a couple seconds she is silent, then she continues softly. “Long as I'm with someone, I have something to focus on. I can distract myself, and not think of all of this to much.” She lets her forehead rest against her knees. “I don't know how long I'll last.... As long as Claudia? Longer? Shorter? I don't know.” The grip around her legs tightens while her voice drops in volume. “Anything is better than accepting it.”

Perception + Subterfuge >6:

The Regent lets go the shoulder even if Estela didn't move against it. He just replaces his hand on her back and affords a small tap, the kind that wishes to comfort. It's clear that he's not quite good at comforting, as his words are quite harsh, but it seems he just doesn't fully understand Estela. The differences are too big, or maybe his comprehension of "human" nature has faded through the years.
(Lyle) Being what we are now is a struggle, Estela, you need to accept it. Even if your own acceptance is more problematic. None had it easy, and you must understand that. And most of all.. Look, I can solve the problem and kill you, after all you are now dead, your life ended at the very moment you crossed the path of your sire. Accept it or die, you can't afford to run away.

Estela lets out a sigh at the Regent's words. It sounds almost tired, mentally exhausted. “I know, I know,” she mutters softly. “And I don't wish to die, even if you say I already am. It's just...” Her voice fades as the young vampire suddenly narrows her eyes and turns herself to look at Lyle with suspicion and wariness on her features. When she speaks again, slowly and choosing her words with a certain care, she sounds hesitant but also rather defensive. “What do you mean with 'more problematic'.”

He stays silent an instant, before putting his keyboard apart and turning a little more to Estela.
(Lyle) Your blood is of Malkav.

As he says so he puts both of his hands on Estela, one on her shoulder and the other on her leg.
(Lyle) Each clan has its problems, their childer's Becoming is different and problematic. The Tremere have to survive the training, the Toreador have to cope with their attraction to whatever pleases them, the Brujah have to tackle their passions.. And the Malkavian need to work on and to understand their vision of the world. Whatever it means. Yours in particular is more problematic because you aren't ready to consider being a vampire to begin with, you were left out without education, without time.

He smiles, trying to be kind, understanding, even if he doesn't seem to be fully interested.
(Lyle) Claudia understands far more these issues than anything I could give you. Gregory Darvault too, eventually. Both will need your patience, if they even accept helping you out. You need time, and despite being immortal, time is a luxury we can't always afford.

Estela's eyes widen and her body tenses up when Lyle reveals he knows her clan. She remains like that for several seconds, merely staring at the Regent in surprise and even some fear. For a moment it seems like she might want to deny the claim, then her shoulders sag in resignation. “You knew?” she asks when she finds her voice again, though the rhetoric question is barely audible. The young vampire looks away from Lyle, trying to hide the mixed expressions going over her face. A wry smirk without any humor in it curls her lips when she speaks again, her voice dry, sad, and disappointed, probably in herself. “Was it that obvious then?”
She lets her fingers trace the paint on her arms, just to give her hands something to do while she listens. “Vision of the world...right. That's one way to put it I guess...” Her voice sounds bitter and sarcastic. “Stark raving mad would be closer though.” The young vampire seems to shrink before the Regent's eyes as she sinks back in the pillows of the sofa, pulling her knees closer towards her. “I'm scared of it.” She admits with a tiny voice. “I...I don't want to become the type that gets locked up with a straight jacket, ranting and raving to figments of the imagination. I don't want to wake up one night, look into a mirror, not recognize the one staring back at me and not have the mind to care or worry about it.”
Estela raises her head slowly. Tears appear to be close to falling, but so far she's still biting them back, refusing to let them go. “Why did it have to be the crazies? If my Sire had been Toreador, had I really been Toreador, it would've been so much easier. I love art, just as I love,” a moment of hesitation, then she corrects herself, though the words come out thick with misery, “loved, painting. Now I barely dare to think of it, for fear of what will come from it. As for Claudia...” She looks away again, her expression pained. “I told her that I'm....well, what I am...and I scared her. She was scared of me. I know we weren't the best of friends when I was still in Bordeaux but.....” The young vampire helplessly shakes her head, unable to put her feelings at that under words.

The Regent can't help a small chuckle when Estela asks if it was that obvious. He lets her move and withdraws his hands off her but doesn't step back.
(Lyle) I knew. But I wouldn't have guessed. The clan just determines your predispositions to certain things and it sometimes says something about your skills, but sires chose whoever they want for the embrace for very wide reasons, apart from "being a good addition to the clan", which is highly subjective. Some Toreador deserve far more that straigtjacket than some Malkavian. And even some Tremere. To mortal standards, Claudia is insane... As well as every single kindred out there. Obsessions, control freaks, fixations, power issues... And they're all megalomaniac too. Except me, but I'm drunk so what do I know.

He's half serious about being drunk but it's clear the Regent has quite a good knowledge of his peers, and of himself, stating that he's no better with derision. He knows about them, not because he understands the issues, of course, but because he's a manipulative Tremere who knows where to touch them to obtain something. It makes him smile. He puts back one of his hands on Estela's shoulders, and taps it a few times.
(Lyle) You'll fit right in. Victor managed it quite well. As for being a Toreador, I don't know, it seems to be so much pressure. And I know pressure. You're better off free to build your own existence, anyway. Use it as a chance, you -are- free.

He shrugs, then smirks.
(Lyle) It's normal Claudia was scared, not of you, but of what you represent. Her Embrace right was given to a Malkavian. I just managed to kill her before he got a chance to do it. Then the Malkavian didn't really like it, and she didn't like it, and everybody thought it was rude of me.. Which it was. Anyway, Claudia and the Malkavian clan.. Yes, she was scared because she flees that clan as much as she flees me.

Estela listens quietly while the Regent speaks, generally unmoving aside from her eyes which have fixed themselves on Lyle. As clear a sign as any that he has her attention. From her expression it's clear that at least part of the young vampire seems unwilling to believe that the majority of Kindred, Malkavian or not, could count as insane from mortal standards. She does however let out a soft chuckle when Lyle calls himself an exception because he's drunk.

As Lyle explains about Claudia's disposition towards the Malkavians, Estela nods slightly. “Yea. She told me that. But still...” She sounds a little bitter, her friend's initial reaction to hearing about the young vampire's true clan having cut her deep. “She should've known me well enough to not warrant such a reaction.” She stares at her hands for a bit in thought, fidgeting a little. Then she looks up again, focusing on the Regent once more.
“From what I know of Claudia, she seems quite normal, the whole being dead thing aside. What makes you say she is insane? And what'd you mean when you said that I'm free?”

With a friendly, amused smile, the Tremere nods as Estela chuckles, after all, he said he was drunk and it made her focus and think of something else. That or maybe he wasn't planning it at all and was just describing that he also has a problem (a drinking problem, of course).
(Lyle) So now she can speak about it, well, that proves up to a certain point the level of friendship she has for you. Not that we speak, really, but I get around to know things. She was diagnosed insane and locked up in a mental facility ; if she wasn't insane to begin with, being interned certainly turned her. 

No need to say he expresses no pity nor compassion towards hi own Childe, but coldly states facts.
(Lyle) I often ask myself "why?", while witnessing many of her attitudes and behaviors, without finding an answer. I gave up understanding her acts. Unlike you, I'm not a social person. I'm not a people person either. I can barely say I am a person anyway. And to be honest, I'm not even that interested in understanding her as long as I can use her. She responds well to certain things and it's all I need.

There's a little more than using and manipulating his Childe, obviously. He likes speaking about her, it shows, and he somehow cares about her, if he didn't he wouldn't know that much. He may not be aware of it.

Estela raises an eyebrow then gives a mild shrug, uncertain what to think of that part of Claudia's past. “She showed me some of the scars she has left because of it...I can understand it if someone was driven to insanity because of that, but I still don't see why she'd even be diagnosed as such to begin with. I know they were somewhat different times and all that, but it's not like the concept of sanity changes so radically in just a few years.” The young vampire is quiet again for a bit, thinking on the matter, though she's still half listening to the Regent, as is made clear by the slightly confused look she sends his way when he mentions he could barely call himself a person.

auspex 4:

She lets her head lean back, resting against the pillows of the sofa, and observes Lyle a bit closer, a faint, mischievous smile playing along her lips. “You know,” She starts, voice slightly teasing. “For a bastard who doesn't care about his 'Childe' beyond how she can be manipulated for your own uses, you sure seem to enjoy talking about Clau.”

The Tremere can't help a laugh as Estela tells him about Claudia.
(Lyle) Oh, really. The concept of sanity changes every twenty years or so, and it always depends on where you are, and who you are. It just takes to fall into the hands of a wrong doctor or a nurse with a political or religious agenda.. Or even the wrong family. No, to be truthful, a hundred years ago, she surely qualified for an honest, direct and basic internment.


Lyle moves a little closer, to respond to the tease with half closed eyes, smiling, whispering almost, in a quite scary, intimidating way, as he probably means something else than the actual words he's speaking.
(Lyle) Are you jealous ? She's my blood, my 'creation', after all...

Though Estela listens to what the Tremere has to say about sanity, it's clear that she finds it hard to understand what he means exactly, most likely because she's still young and not yet alienated from the current norm of modern society, nor has she been amongst cultures much different from her own. What she knows of the changes in society over the years probably all comes from history books.
She gives a small shrug. “I suppose. Maybe I'll ask her sometime, when the moment seems right. Seems like it might be a sensitive subject for her.”

The young vampire inches away a little when Lyle moves closer in an intimidating way. She ceases this as he speaks and she notices his smile. She chuckles softly, shifting her pose to let her arms rest on one raised knee while the other hangs down the sofa casually, her head tilted to the side. “Oh I might've been,” she says, grinning ever so slightly. “If I hadn't known how much she utterly despised you.”

The Tremere smirks and nods as he takes account of Estela's absence of jealousy. He moves back to his original position and rests on the sofa, staring into nothingness with a certain satisfaction towards the response he got. He puts back his hand on her shoulder in quite a casual manner. He doesn't comment further on Claudia's insanity, not his problem after all, they'll talk it out. As he speaks, he taps a little the woman's shoulder as to point out he's teasing, 'scolding', or showing a certain.. oddness of behavior.
(Lyle) She told you she hated the living hell out of me, and yet you came to see me and you stay by my side.

He turns back the head to catch Estela's eyes, taking back a certain seriousness after the tease. He doesn't move his hand. He shows clearly part of his relationship with his Childe, if not all of it, was duly planned and wanted. Yet it's somehow a choice that touches him, as if it was the only solution, the least worse one. Again, he may not be fully conscious of it, just "doing what needs to be done".
(Lyle) I know she dislikes me. She has all the reasons not to appreciate being close or talk to me. Even I don't like hanging with myself, so I can't blame her (I did kill her, after all). She's a smart woman and she certainly understands it. She never rebelled, she complies, she obeys, and she still calls me "Regent Kersten". Now, tell me why you ignored her advice, her fears ? I don't need to understand her to know she didn't want you to approach me.

Lyle's words seem to bring a certain embarrassment to Estela, as though she hadn't taken the time to think of her being around him that much. She smiles in a slightly sheepish manner because of it, fingers playing with her earchain. Her shoulders rise briefly in a small shrug. “Yea, she did indeed tell me...well, not to be with you. And more.” She's a bit hesitant about mentioning that last part and what it implies: that Claudia told her some unpleasant information about the Regent.
Apparently unwilling to dwell on the subject, she gives it a light twist, her expression changing to teasing and mischievous. Grinning, Estela turns herself a little so that she can let her head lean back against his shoulder, allowing her to look up at the Tremere's face. “That you'd even ask why I'm here. You're older, you have power, money, connections, influence, knowledge. I'm completely new in this world. Gotta leech what I can.”

The Regent smiles openly when the young girl confirms her friend told her against seeing him. He doesn't insist on what else she told her, but he has noted there was something else, and he makes it clear he will use it. He moves back his arm so she can access his shoulder at ease, and puts back the hand on the opposing arm. He does it quite naturally, without showing any awkwardness about the situation ; it's like he's done it all his (un)life. He even chuckles an instant.
(Lyle) Oh, how far away from the truth you are... I have personal power. I am older. I.. know a thing or two about a thing or two... But I'm far more a burden than anything else as far as growing in our society is. Hold on..

His free hand goes through a pocket, pulls out his phone, glances at it, then puts it back away.
(Lyle) Seriously... He smiles a little then shrugs and taps a little Estela's arm. You can tell me about your doubts, I'll try to get you on the track. Know that, of course, my view is subjective, and I'm a blood-thieving manipulative Tremere asshole Regent, and everyone will be suspicious of your attitude if anyone finds out.

Estela doesn't seem uncomfortable with Lyle's arm around her, simply continuing with using the Regent as a comfortable backrest. She chuckles at the answer she's given to her little joke, amused. “Well, deny it all you want, but you know more than I do at least.” A shrug. “Though not that that's really hard, unfortunately.” The younger vampire turns a little to take the stress off her neck from the looking upwards. There's a little smile when she adds something softly, sounding a little embarrassed but also truthful. “Well, some burdens are worth bearing.”

She follows his motions as he reaches for his phone and eventually puts it back after a moment of just looking at it. Some curiosity and suspicion appears briefly on her features, but the interest fades quickly due to a lack of the former. Estela purses her lips a little in disapproval when the subject returns to a more serious tone, before she sighs in resignation. It takes her a few moment before she finds the right words, and she speaks them clearly after only a short hesitation. “I just have trouble finding my own place in this world. It's to different from what I thought to be true and I just have a hard time just accepting it all, let alone what I need. I want to figure stuff out by myself and make the most of it, like I always have, but at the same time I know that if I try that, either I die, or I get someone else killed, which is something I don't want on my conscience.”

Lyle observes and lets do the neonate as she wishes. He keep smiling, appreciating somehow the discussion and contact. He lets his head rest on the back of the sofa with a small sigh, understanding somehow what the young Kindred say, but also what she doesn't say. He speaks with a certain seriousness, but also a certain coldness.
(Lyle) By engaging this path with me.. By engaging anything with me, you know you will suffer. I am a monster, by all definitions of the word, I will not change. I won't go easy on you and you will barely get anymore than this ; some companionship when I feel like it. As for your place.. There is no such thing as a place for you, or for anyone. You make your own place, by pushing out the others. You're now the clerk of a company where there are no retirement and no death, in which the CEO have values from the 14th c. at worse, from the Industrial Revolution at best, and in which all employees have addictions, self interests, and serious megalomania. And that's without counting the fact that we all hate each other, where murder is just another tool to use, and where social faux-pas can mean a death sentence. You will kill, it will happen somehow, sometime. Either make amends and pay your dime to your church.. Or just accept it as a fact of life. Destiny, god's will, they are better off this way.. Better me than some overdose or the cancer or whatever excuse eases your conscience. Once you get used to acting around, you'll manage not to kill most of the time.

Estela can't help a small chuckle at what Lyle says about himself despite the serious tone of his voice. Keeping the smile on her lips, she tilts her head backwards so she could look up at the Regent again. “Such an evil, coldhearted monster you are. Giving only when you feel like it.” She grins, her tone teasing. “And yet you're still here because a pretty young thing asked you to with a charming smile and pout.”
She sighs as he continuous about the existence of Kindred, pulling a displeased face and shaking her head lightly. “Urgh. Sounds way to much like what I was trying to get away from by studying here in the first place.” Her voice is a soft grumble. “Jealousies, rivalries, greed, powerhungry assholes. Give organizations and companies different rankings and it appears eventually, without a doubt, no matter what they focus on. The only difference here is the whole 'undead' thing and the related age of the higher ups.” Estela's expression hardens in stubbornness. “Perhaps in time my view on this will change, but I hope it doesn't. I won't kill.”

The Regent smirks, then openly smiles when Estela confronts him with his contradictions. His fingers let go the arm to go and tickle kindly the back of the neck, while he is speaking with a half teasing tone. It could be truthful, honest, believable, but he's forcing it, yet without giving too much information.
(Lyle) Don't get me wrong Estela, I have something to gain from your presence... And yes, I do have a little thing for lost, ignorant neonates I could manipulate for my own profit.

He keeps playing with the skin, softly, the fingers going to the throat an instant.
(Lyle) This new existence can be quite pleasurable if you avoid people like me and live on your own like Claudia. Grow wiser enough, hold on to boons against well placed kindred, find a little bush to hide into, and you'll be set until your ego and your ambitions grow above the shock of being undead.

He gives a little scratch on the skin, as if to have her all attention.
(Lyle) You are of a cynical generation, who grew up with everything that was lost in front of you. Kindred life isn't much worse than the adulthood that you were to enter. Now you are free from the society that was crushing you into its reality. Being a Malkavian in your case is a blessing, I guess you just need to learn how to canalize it. I will not insist about your future murders, as long as you cover up your tracks it's not truly problematic. Your conscience is another problem I won't be able to help you with.

He nods and smiles openly, before putting his free hand on the Ipad again.
(Lyle) Will you be able to handle it ?

Estela laughs at the tickling in her neck, inching away just a bit from the teasing contact on her skin. She half swats at his hand in a playful manner, but otherwise doesn't fight the touch.
“Of course you have something to gain from my presence. It is my presence, my wonderful personality brightening up that loneliness you claim to enjoy.” She doesn't comment on his mention of manipulating neonates like herself, either because she is unsure of how to respond, or simply because the young vampire chooses to ignore it.

Though Lyle's mention that she should stay away from people like himself draws a small chuckle from her, Estela otherwise listens silently to what he says. She doesn't seem to be all happy with his words, evident by a disconcerted grumble. When he's done Estela lets out a slight sigh, freely leaning back against the Tremere, using him as a backrest.
“I don't know,” She murmurs. “I just don't know. It's to much at once. To many things I thought to know, changing without word or warning.” Her eyes lower to look at her arms and the dried paint still staining the skin. “And then there's the whole...you know what thing that just outright messes with my head and makes me do shit I don't want... Perhaps in time I will be able to handle it, but on my own?” She shakes her head, the gesture somewhat helpless and uncertain. “Being with others helps. It distracts me. Gives me some peace of mind, however temporary.”

Lyle seems to agree somehow on what Estela states about her personality. It draws out of him a smile, probably one of the most honest and deep smiles he made in the last few nights. He doesn't comment on it, and gently rubs the high part of the back and the back of the neck, as if he saw part of the doubts and pain of the neonate when she shamelessly uses him as a pillow.
(Lyle) Eventually, you will manage. There is never a warning, you just need to go along with it, adapt.. evolve. You're just running away from the problem, as you act now. Embrace it, child, ride along. You do not have time to settle, actually, you'll just have to deal with the consequences, the flow, the feelings. Like the thirst. Either go for it, or you'll be forced to it. I was kind tonight, let it be a warning.