Oh Yeah. You Blend. (Attn: Cris)

Natt looked dubiously at the camera that Cris was trying to talk him into wearing. It wasn't that he hadn't worn one before, he had but Alfarinn had always done the deed and for some reason the tall Norseman seemed more trustworthy. That irony wasn't lost on Cris.

"It will not hurt. I promise.” He shook his head at Natt. They both looked up when MARI announced that Alex was at their door.

"Thank you, MARI.”

Cris looked at Rowan and smiled. "Last chance for fun with new vampires and old vampires with new abilities.” He leaned down, carefully because he now had a crow perched on his shoulder, and kissed his husband on the cheek.

When he had told Rowan that Alex was coming down to practice blending Rowan said that the two of them should go and have fun. He was going to stay home and do some stuff around their new addition, maybe play some music...they could get together later.

"You better wait up for me.” He warned with a smile. "Or I will wake you up...even if it takes a while.”

He and Natt arrived at the door and held it open for Alex. "Good evening, fellow night walker.” Cris smiled and gestured with one hand to his feathery friend. "Natt has agreed...”

Natt cawed at him.

"Natt is almost convinced to join us in the mischief making tonight. I am thinking a bribe might be in order. Got any suggestions?”

When Cris arrived at the door with Natt on his shoulder and held it open for Alex, Alex smiled and entered. "Hi," he said in response to Cris's greeting.

Then, he tilted his head at Cris's question. "Suggestions for mischief making, or for bribery?"

Alex assumed it was the latter, because he didn't really have a mischievous bone in his body. That might change; knowing Cris much better now than when they'd first met several years ago, Alex suspected the deceptively straight-laced Chief of Security could probably give Alex a pretty thorough education in mischief-making. Not to mention his husband, who seemed to thrive on it.

Alex looked around for said husband, but didn't see him. Which was unusual, actually. Rowan and Cris were usually sort of attached at the hip even at home on their days off.

"Rue working?"

Just then he heard from upstairs the strumming of a guitar, nimble fingers plucking out a lively tune. He gave a little 'ah.'

"Never mind," Alex said, smiling easily. "And for bribery, hmm, Henri fed the birds dried cranberries and almonds."

He shrugged. "Food is usually my go-to bribe. It's getting tougher to fall back on with you lot."

He scratched his head. "Us lot, I guess."

He was now officially part of said 'lot.' Alex still enjoyed cooking, though. He was going to have to find more people to cook for since technically, it was now a waste. Even if he could still eat - and planned to.

Cris simply smiled. Alex could give him suggestions on either or both and he would take them under advisement. He would prefer a helpful solution to his avian problem.

[This one was at the wedding. Sick. Different.] Natt tilted his head and pointed one keen eye at Alex. Cris nodded and then sent his agreement with the statements.

Alex asked about Rowan and he was saved from answering by the music that played upstairs. He would have preferred to make some plausible excuse for his partner's absence but at this point most anything he said would be awkward. He was glad that Alex hadn't picked up Alfarinn's knack for empathy. "He was not feeling up for anything social and energetic tonight. Honestly, I would prefer him to get another day's worth of sleep but I doubt I could convince him.”

"Follow me.” Heading through the kitchen and down the hall, he went into the study. Cris opened the closet and pulled down a box.

"Nuts and berries makes sense.” He mused over Alex's suggestion for bribery while he picked up the two accessories he was looking for.

[Nuts good. Berries good.] Natt agreed when he mentioned them to him.

"Apparently that idea was a solid one.” He thought about what he had on hand and decided that there was some walnuts and pecans in the house but not fresh or dried fruit.

After explaining that nuts were available for his consumption, Natt agreed to wear the camera that he had procured for the tech department.

He gave Alex a frank look. "You know that if you were not a friend and hadn't been through a lot recently I would feel obliged to do my sacred duty as senior vampire and explain to you that in the beginning it is necessary to be nude while blending.”

Cris smiled. "Good thing you are a friend, is it not?” He handed Alex one pair of the funky goggles that he had been holding. "These are the more simple version. I had to take over making them when Artemis was convinced they needed lasers and other such nifty accessories.”

Placing his pair on his head, he pulled the goggles down over his eyes. "This one has a camera feed when you flip the second lens into place.” He flipped down the second lens over his left eye. "If you press this button it will change the feed to something else that it is programmed for...such as receiving the camera feed from Natt's camera. The other side can be left with just the clear lens in place. This lets you know that your partner is blended.” Cris tapped the lens over his right eye. "And the camera then lets you see him.” The cameras had become the perfect way to coordinate with agents able to blend. Technology had been both a bane and a boon to people with his ability.

"Any questions so far?”

Alex frowned when Cris responded to him about Rowan. "I didn't realize he wasn't feeling well. He's okay, right?"

Alex knew Rowan had worked himself stupid taking care of him. He glanced up at the ceiling and the strains of guitar chords. "This isn't about me, is it?"

He had seen at Alfarinn's apartment Rowan's awkwardness, which didn't suit him one bit. Alex hoped it really was just that Rowan was beat. He knew the doctor had gotten, if possible, even less sleep than Eiryk.

He turned his attention back to Cris, who told him Natt approved of his culinary suggestions. Alex was glad for that; he might have been totally off, after all. For all he knew he'd prefer worms or something.

Cris informed him about how lucky he was to be a friend and Alex coughed a little in surprise, his face growing a little pink at the fact that he probably would have fallen for such a trick. Maybe. Was he that gullible? It was likely.

"I figured you'd be better at the mischief thing than I," he said with a little giggle. "That just proves it."

His tutorial with the interesting goggles was only a little confusing, but he got the gist of it. He shook his head when Cris asked if he had any questions. "I think I have it," he said, and continued to study them. "That's really cool. I don't want to break them."

Cris did his best to look completely unconcerned and answered Alex's question about his husband. "He is fine.” He smiled and hoped that his normally introverted ways would help him look convincing. "Just physically and emotionally drained, being up for days takes a lot of even a socialite like my darling redhead. He will refill his batteries and be out being the life of all the parties in no time.”

To Alex's next question, he shrugged. He hoped that it wasn't about Alex and he hoped that Rowan no longer felt guilty about not being able to save him. Alex was no longer human but he was otherwise fine, one might even say better than fine. "I am not sure. We will let him have his space and then we will see.”

He would distract Alex with blending practice.

They got the goggles set up and then placed the camera on Natt, which required providing him with a few nuts as proof of the goods.

"If I were really good at making mischief then I would have let you go through with it.” Cris shook his head and smiled. It wouldn't have harmed anything, so long as youtube wasn't involved.

"Do not worry about breaking them these were just some of the first models. We have a ton of them now. There are a decent amount of blenders in Security. Some even have the added ability of sending. It makes us both very dangerous.” Cris grinned at Alex, who probably wouldn't consider himself very dangerous at all.

"Okay, some modern vampires like to think of being invisible as bending light around themselves or some such. I am older than all that new fangled nonsense. I think about it as people not noticing me, like a disguise. Perhaps a servant while in court or a beggar on the street or just an average person in the city. Try whatever you think will work for you and I will let you know if it does.”

"I will give you a moment to think it over.” Cris turned away from Alex and talked to Natt. This ability to speak with animals made them far more interesting than he would have guessed. He wondered if everyone he knew had picked exceptionally bright companions or if all animals were more complex than he had been giving them credit for.

[So what do you think of horses, Natt?] He asked the crow about the large animals that had never impressed him with their intelligence but had been necessary for travel for so many years.

[Big. Stupid] Natt's croaking caw sounded scornful to his ears. His small companion plucked a seed from his fingers with gentle finesse and then poked his head through his curled fingers in the search for more. Very trusting, Cris mused but then Natt had been around Alfarinn for a long time. Apparently human shaped people who could talk to you tended to be okay.

[What about raccoons?] Cris asked, producing another seed with his other hand.

[Banded tails?] Natt cocked a head sideways at him and considered. [Smart. Mean. Good at finding food.] He supposed from a crow's point of view that was likely accurate. They probably only came into contact with raccoons when they came upon them in a tree. Crows weren't generally very nocturnal. Natt's little band was something of an exception but when left to their own devices even they stayed out during the day and caught some sleep at night.

"You ready?” Cris asked Alex. "If not I can continue interviewing Natt. He is giving me his opinion of other animals. So far we agree.”

"Mmm. Okay," Alex said easily regarding Cris's opinion of Rowan. Cris knew him best, after all, and he didn't seem terribly concerned. "I hope he feels better. I know how hard he worked. On me."

He lifted his shoulders in a little shrug; it was a moot point. Alex certainly didn't blame Rowan for anything that had happened. He hadn't been capable of deep thought during the events leading up to what would have been his death, but he had known he was incredibly sick. It was hard to consider pulling through, honestly, based on what he had felt at the time.

He chuckled at the idea of Cris letting him go through with the whole naked thing. "No, no," he argued with good humor, "I think it just means you aren't evil. Coming up with the mischief still qualifies you as mischievous, I'm sure."

When his friend suggested he think of a way to define his blending to himself Alex knew exactly how. He remembered what he'd been thinking of when Alfarinn had told him he was doing it. When Cris asked if he was ready he nodded. He was already thinking of it, since the topic had come up. He didn't know how to leap from thinking about it to making it happen but he supposed no real harm could come of trying.

"I was thinking about how all my life I just wanted to blend in. To any crowd. Which was what my parents wanted me to do. They didn't want me to stand out in a way that was too... well, feminine for them. It was okay if it was sports of something but my cooking was definitely not what they wanted. They tried to scare me into being straight by telling me how bigger kids would beat me up for being a fag. All the bad things that would happen if I was too gay for society."

Alex lifted one shoulder. "It worked. I tried really hard not to stand out in anything so I wouldn't get beaten. I always wished I could be invisible."

He supposed that if his personality had a role in what abilities he'd ended up with, he could very well understand blending. When he'd been younger all he'd wanted was to be unseen. It was such a strong desire of his, to be able to go about his business and be who he wanted because nobody would ever see him.

He could even understand being able to send. Hadn't his whole life kind of been one big pathetic cry for help? At least until he'd come to Nachton and found real family and friends. And now he could always reach them. He appreciated that.

Alex sighed, closed his eyes, and focused on being invisible because he'd always wanted that more than anything. He knew it wasn't true invisibility; it couldn't be, when a camera could still pick you up. But mostly invisible was still pretty damn good, in his opinion.

Alex's reasoning for blending was a sad one. It was a shame that his family couldn't accept him. Having to face the troubles of the world without your own kin willing to love and welcome you was horrible. It hindered a person like the strangling vines that could choke even the mightiest tree. Cris hoped that in time they would be Alex's true family and that his friend would grow more confident and open with the love and acceptance he knew that Alex would find in Evenhet.

At least something good could come of Alex's desire to simply blend in. He let his friend get into the mindset that he needed to use for his ability before he turned to look. It would have been hard for Alex to overcome his mind, being not even a week old, while he was looking at him so he chose to look away to make it easier.

"With Rowan, Alfarinn and I, we will make sure that you do not get beaten up very often.” Rowan had already been teaching Alex how to use a sword. Cris had come from time to time to give them both a little different flavor. Any of them would be willing to teach Alex how to handle himself in a fist fight thought Rowan and Alfarinn were probably better at that. Rowan and Alex were the same height and not so different in build that the techniques that worked for one wouldn't work for the other. Alfarinn was a little taller but not bigger. He worked with Aishe and though they were not the same gender or exactly the same height they were both considered small; he knew how to deal with people who considered him an easy target and now his daughter did as well.

"Your abilities will give you a big advantage unless you are dealing with someone much older than you...but if you are dealing with vampires wanting to beat you up then you send to me.”

Cris turned and looked in the room and smiled. He didn't try very hard to look for Alex. If he did then he would pierce Alex's blending and that would spoil the fun. "No exceptions... and very nice work.”

He looked at Natt and smiled. "Let's get this party started” Cris made himself scarce and then headed to the door. [After you] He sent to Alex and then went out behind him.

[First person on the list is Ume.] Because if you couldn't play pranks on your own familiar then who could you play pranks on?

Alex blinked at Cris when he mentioned being beat up by vampires. "Does that actually happen? I mean, what are the odds?"

He was halfway alarmed. Alex had kind of thought maybe he wouldn't have to worry about being beaten up now that he had superhuman strength and all that. Not that he had ever gotten beaten up in recent years. He was tall and reasonably muscular although yoga didn't pack on the muscles - he was lean and toned, not musclebound and bulgy. But he supposed vampires could be bullies too.

A supernatural beating would probably suck way more than a mortal one.

He huffed a little sigh and focused as Cris turned away, which struck Alex as amusing. How did he know when he was blended? He didn't feel any... no, wait. He did feel a little different. Slippery. Not like, used too much lube slippery... more as if the air was simply slipping around him, or off him.

Cris sent to him. [How do you keep this up for a long period of time? Will it get easier as I use it?]

Now that Alex was paying attention, he could feel the air become minutely rougher against his skin when his focus flickered. Then he got his mind engaged again and he became all slide-y again.

As he sent to Cris, he realized he was flickering back into sight. Apparently he needed to work on multi-tasking. He gritted his teeth. [Okay. Ume.]

He made his way the short distance towards the office of Cris's familiar. He did his best to send and remain blended at the same time, and thought he succeeded. [What are we going to do?]

"To friendly yoga instructors? I would imagine not often.” Cris smiled. "If you ever choose a different line of work then perhaps the odds would increase.” But he would hope that if Alex chose a more violent line of work then he would be prepared adequately to deal with the risks involved. Until then Cris would be happy if Alex stuck to pretzel shaped people; he was sure that Eiryk would agree.

[It gets easier the longer you practice.] Cris sent, amusement in his mental tone. [I used that excuse to sneak up Grisha many a night.] He suspected that his Creator let himself be 'ambushed' more than once.

He spied the agent that he had been expecting coming through the main entrance to the building. [Here comes Robert. I sent to him asking for his after mission report a few minutes ago and told him he could leave it with Ume....When he opens the door try to slide through it with him. You have to be quick since he doesn't know he's opening the door for two. And try not to bump into him.]

Alex was going to have a more difficult time getting through doors unseen than he did. In this case it helped to be small and slender. [If you accidentally hit him then quickly try to send to him so he doesn't give you away. He will most likely play along, especially if you tell him you are practicing your blending.] Of course the ultimate goal would be to not have to explain anything but what were the odds that this would go perfectly smoothly on the first try?

Cris leaned against the glass wall outside his office and watched Robert come down the hall. [May the force be with you, Young Padawan.]

((OOC: Oh the many and varied ways this could potentially be hilarious...))

"It happens," Alex muttered softly. He was a friendly yoga instructor but he'd gotten his fair share of attitude from jocks and rednecks and the like. He shook his head and smiled though; he was just being bitter. He wasn't afraid of anything like that happening.

[Oh... good idea,] he sent when Cris mentioned sneaking up on Grisha. He could do that to Eiryk. Maybe he'd start tonight. Practice made perfect after all. [I'll just have to make sure he's not standing near anything breakable.]

He nodded when Cris told him what to do and gave him some advice. Taking a deep breath, making sure he still felt slippery (okay, maybe he'd have to come up with a better descriptive term), and headed toward the door and the man named Robert.

Alex tried to channel the etiquette instructor from A League of Their Own. Gracefully and grandly...

He slid into place very quietly, following close behind Robert as he opened the door to Ume's office.

Gracefully...

Alex stuck his foot into the doorway. Right in front of Robert's. Robert stumbled, flailed, and began to fall.

...and grandly.

Alex found himself tugged along. "Shit. Wait. Send."

[Shit!]

They landed in a tumble, Robert halfway on top of Alex who was, ironically, still actually blended but also still talking. And sending.

[Sorry!] Alex pushed himself away and felt the slippery fade. "Sorry about that!"

Cheeks flushing red he held his hands up, adjusted the goggles on his head, and backed toward the door. "Uh, no one saw anything. I'm not here."

Gracefully and grandly...

He flailed behind him for the now closed door, opened it, and backed through it, blending again. Once out, he heaved a sigh. He wanted a do-over.

Cris didn't really have much time to muse on what Alex might try to pull on Eiryk. He was sure it would be amusing, whether Alex succeeded or not. It would be difficult to get the drop on a vampire so much older but once blended it would be much easier for Alex to simply sneak up unnoticed. Perception, the normal noticing of things not the ability, didn't necessarily get better with age. For instance, he knew plenty of hundred plus year old the still didn't manage to look up when looking for someone.

With the camera lens over one eye, he could see Alex stepping up behind Robert. The agent wasn't looking for a blended vampire in The Towers and therefore didn't notice his sneaky shadow. Cris would have to discuss attention to detail with Robert...later.

The whole getting through the door operation was going well...until it suddenly wasn't. Cris silently winced, cringing for Alex's sake...and Robert's when the agent stepped on his friend's blended foot and stumbled.

He shook with silent laughter when they both tumbled to the ground. Alex exclaiming out loud about how he should send if things went wrong. However, he was pretty sure that the gig was up.

"What the hell?!?!” Robert yelled as he tumbled to the ground. He shoved poor Alex off him and then rolled in a dramatic and practiced combat maneuver. It would be more impressive if he hadn't just stumbled over an invisible newbie vampire. He grasped the door frame, looking around, one hand hovering over his holstered pistol.

The invisible person said out loud that he was sorry about that. Robert looked a bit confused but seemed to catch on quickly enough, perhaps because he was getting at least part of his information actual sent straight to him.

The agent stood up and dusted himself off. Grinning at Ume, he spread his hands. "I don't suppose you would believe that I was just a little clumsy?”

She shook her head and peered at the space in front of her door. Alex was pushing himself back up but she wouldn't be able to see that...oh wait, now she would. Cris noticed that Alex had appeared to both of his eyes at the same time.

Natt helpfully cawed from his place just above the door jam. He said he could create a distraction and then Alex and Cris could go in and get the food...because obviously that must be the point of this whole excursion.

Ume raised her eyebrows and smiled at Alex. She nodded yes to his statement of not seeing him and that he wasn't there, then she shook her head no. "I don't believe that's going to happen, sorry. Not even for a cute recently made vampire with nice eyes...now, if he were to have a latte, say a Christmas Cookie latte...then all might be forgiven or forgotten, whichever.” By this point she was speaking to Alex through the closed door because his friend had backed up and slid through it.

[Her recent favorite.] Cris helpfully supplied. [She's a latte addict. Unhealthy. I shouldn't enable.] He waved an invisible finger thoughtfully. [Tell her yes and we will practice next up at Barney's.]

[Stop fooling around, Robert.] He sent to the agent. [I still have not received that report.] He smiled to himself as the security man jumped, looked around the room and then stood up straighter. He grabbed Ume by the wrist and handed her the flash drive. "Get this to Mr. Bern as soon as possible, please. He's waiting for it.”

"Is he?” Ume narrowed her eyes dangerously and slid them sideways toward his empty office.

"Yes, please. I'll get you a latte myself if you like.”

She smiled and took the flash drive over to her computer.

"Why didn't you let MARI send it to Mr. Bern?” She asked while sending the files to her boss in an email.

"He told me to give them to you. I am following instructions.”

"Well you've been a very good boy. Get yourself a coffee too.” She smiled and then spoke up, he presumed for Alex's sake. "Whipped cream and sprinkles on top if you don't mind.”

[Well that went well. Ready for the next one?] Cris headed to the elevator and waited for Alex to catch up.

((OOC:Hopefully that is better. Robert would be fumbling out from underneath Alex at the same time Alex was pushing himself away, looking for the unseen danger. He would have noticed Alex soon anyway obviously, now that he knew to look. Perhaps he can help at Barney's. Since it appears he will be headed there also. I am guessing that when Robert asks Alex what he is doing in a return send that Alex would explain he is practicing...hence Robert trying to help.))

Alex knew his face was fire engine red. He didn't have to check a mirror, he could feel it from his chest out to the tips of his ears. He had attempted to explain himself to Robert, and felt incredibly grateful that the guy wasn't pissed. Alex had sort of made him look bad. Of course he'd made himself look a lot worse so maybe that was all right.

Ume called out something about whipped cream and sprinkles and Alex, without coming un-blended this time, managed in a weak voice, "Yes, dear."

He turned around in place, looking for Cris, the goggles plenty confusing. [That went... oh, ha-ha. Sarcasm. I almost didn't recognize it on you.]

Well, Alex could generally give as good as he got. He was okay teasing with Cris. He followed him to the elevator and sagged against the wall. [I'm like the worst vampire ever.]

Pushing away from the wall again Alex listened for the smooth hum of the elevator. He could see Cris now in one field of vision, and Alex rolled his eyes at him. [Did you see what went wrong?] He waited a second. [What went wrong? I mean one second I was doing great and the next...]

Alex flailed his arms in demonstration, making it look even bigger and stupider than it probably had been. What he hadn't expected was that as he flailed, someone walked around the corner. Innocently enough; he and Cris were blended and whoever it was didn't see them there.

Clearly not, or they wouldn't have, um, walked into Alex's flailing hand. Alex stopped sending immediately when he felt himself make contact with flesh.

"Ow. What the... "

The voice was familiar. Unfortunately, Alex had momentum. As he reversed and brought his hand back, whoever he'd just smacked in the face got another shot on the back of the head.

"Fucking... seriously?"

He didn't sound angry. Amused, actually. Alex slowly turned, but he knew who he'd see. Guiltily, he slipped into sight and had the mild pleasure, at least, of making Kem jump a little.

"Uh, he did it."

Alex opened his big grey-lavender-brown eyes wide, batted his eyelashes, and pointed at the apparently empty air where Cris stood.

Kem blinked at him. Raised one eyebrow. Alex bit his lip and wrung his hands together as he blushed again. "Sorry. Can I just buy you a cup of coffee now and get it over with?"

[I know. It is shocking.] Cris agreed as if what Alex said was completely serious. Sarcasm was something he was well versed in and his friends saw it more often than anyone. There were many people who had been acquainted with him for years that thought he had no sense of humor at all but those people did not tend to be friends.

At the elevator, he watched Alex sag against the wall and berate his meager vampiric talents. [You are not the worst vampire ever. You are still alive which means you are better than plenty. This is the first real practice of your abilities. If you were perfect then I would be amazed. As it is, you have gotten the hang of sending quite well.] Cris patted Alex on the shoulder. [For instance you haven't sent random thoughts to total strangers yet so count yourself lucky.] He hadn't learned to handle his sending nearly so quickly. He hadn't had so many teachers available to him for the beginning of his life so some things he had to learn by trial and error and lots of practice.

Alex asked what went wrong. [Well, I believe you accidentally put your foot in front of Robert's. He didn't know it was there so he stumbled over it. It is a tricky business getting through doors. You have to follow very closely but try not to get in the way and hope they do not suddenly stop, which is always a risk.]

[Uh...] Too late. Kem came around the corner as Alex was demonstrating in grandiose fashion the failing of his first blending foray. The Elder was unfortunate enough to walk right into his friend's blended gesture. Cris stuffed a knuckle into his mouth and bit down, shaking with laughter as Alex turned and managed to hit Kem again in the back of the head.

His traitorous friend then blamed him. Cris slid into view, face serious. "Yes, well, preemptive strike. I am sure it was warranted for some reason.” He clasped one hand around his other wrist in front of him and did his best to appear business-like while in jeans, t-shirt, athletic shoes and goggles. That last accessory was currently perched up on his forehead, blond hair sticking up behind them. He gave Kem a slight smile and a small shrug.

His friend then confessed, more or less, apologized and then offered to buy Kem some coffee. "That bribe works on Ume. I hear that it would probably work well enough on our local Elder but...we could just ask him if he wants to come along and get into trouble. I have a suspicion that an invitation would be better than a cup of joe.”

Cris smiled at Kem. "So care to join us? We were...practicing.” Natt cawed his version of an invitation from the elevator door frame.

Double bitch-slap aside, Kem was pretty pleased to see Alexander. It was sort of cute, the way Evenhet's newest addition blushed and tried to blame Cris, who also faded into sight. Natt perched above them, too, clearly on loan from Alfarinn.

Interesting.

He looked back and forth between the two and then shrugged, grinning easily. "Yeah, no coffee. Barney's is good but mine is better. I don't need any more motivation than the promise of mischief."

He spread his hands, indicating that he was wide open. "What are we doing and who are we doing it to? I have a list, like, a million miles long, of people who need stuff done to them."

Alex should have been at least a little surprised at the ease with which Kem agreed to take part in what they were doing before knowing exactly what they were doing. He either really trusted Cris, or he was a lot more mischievous than Alex ever suspected.

He was much better friends with Aishe than her quiet, seemingly-solemn husband. Although he'd known Kem long enough by now that he knew he had a quirky, snarky sense of humor. Maybe that's why he wasn't as surprised as he should be. Either way, he sort of always expected Kem to be dignified and stuff - and Kem always kept letting him down.

They might have to have a chat about that one of these days.

"You're going to have to come to Barney's anyhow," Alex pointed out, "since that's where we were headed. To, um, do stuff."

Alex looked at Cris. "What are we doing?"

They both looked at Cris expectantly.

They both turned to him to ask what they were going to do. He was winging it really. Practice could be done anywhere but with real world goals, even mischievous ones, it helped make the practice more relevant to what the ability would likely be used for.

"Well, let us get to the right floor and we can work out the plan before we get there.”

[Natt, would you be willing to ride on Kem's shoulder for this part of the adventure?] The crow looked over at the long haired man and cocked his head sideways, eying the Elder with one gem-like eye. He hopped/flew over to Kem and settled on his shoulder. Cris supposed that was a yes.

He sent to Kem. [I figure that if I need to blend then it would be easier if Natt is with you. He is very well behaved, unlike his vampire counterpart.]

"We have three senders. Two blenders and one of us has telekinesis. The potential for mischief is nearly endless.”

"Let us work on your blending and picking up things.” Cris said to Alex. "Blend and when we get to Barney's move people's coffees around without them knowing. You do not have to move them far or anything. Just switch some around, move them to the other side of the table whatever.” It was a minor trick but it would take timing. "Remember there are likely to be vampire's in Barney's who can see through your blending but they will likely not look unless something really seems amiss and watch out for people moving, or making gestures. You would not want to get hit.” His mouth quirked up slightly at that last piece of advice.

"It is all about timing.” Cris turned to Kem. "Wait until people are turned away or there is a noise to cover your own movements and things like that. I am sure the same is true of playing pranks while using telekinesis, yes?”

"Kem, want to get a coffee with me while we watch Alex work?” He patted Alex on the arm. "We can send to you to help you out, make suggestions and be a nuisance...helpful.” He tucked his goggles into his pocket and pulled out a tablet. "We will be able to see you through Natt's camera." Wearing a pair of goggles into Barneys might not be the strangest thing the coffee shop patrons had seen but it would be odd enough to cause stares, plus any security people used to dealing with blended partners would likely have an idea of why he was wearing them.

Kem smiled when Natt landed on his shoulder. He reached up with a gentle fingertip to caress the slick, soft feathers on the bird's head.

[Aww, Alfarinn's not so bad,] he sent back to Cris, defending his friend. He cared for both men, of course, but Alfarinn was special to him. He'd wandered lost for hundreds of years avoiding all society before Alfarinn had brought him to Evenhet. He knew Cris teased, but there was still a part of him that couldn't always join in, no matter how many practical jokes he and Alfarinn may have played on each other. [He's just trying to keep you on your toes. That's all.]

He listened with amusement to the plan, which thus far involved Alex making all the mischief while he and Cris enjoyed coffee and a show. Put that way, he definitely reconsidered the coffee.

"It's very true," he said to Cris, "although I won't lie. The whole prank-playing thing has gotten a lot easier with the advent of glamour. Now I can cover up my mistakes."

Not that he usually made any; telekinesis was his oldest trick. He'd used it so often for so long he did it without thinking, and doing it around people who didn't expect it was also second nature by now.

"When you put it that way," he said with a smile to Cris, "coffee sounds like a fantastic idea."

He sent his smile Alex's way. "You'll be all right. You've got a good place to practice here."

Alex was sort of torn between exasperation at having to put himself out there again and gratitude for the two people with him. He went with a little bit of both, nodding to both Cris and Kem as they rode the elevator upwards. Honestly, he thought he was probably pretty lucky. He was most likely the youngest vampire in Evenhet, but he had the wisdom of thousands of years to guide him. Not only with his Creator, who by some freak occurrence happened to be the leader of the entire Clan, but with Cris and Kem, two people who also had experience and clout.

Alex still couldn't get over the idea the he, who was no one special, moved in circles with people who were definitely special. It was a little intimidating if he thought about it. So he stopped thinking about it, because these people were his friends too and he wouldn't trade that for anything in the world.

"Okay. So I'll just go be a mischievous imp in general and you two get to watch and laugh? Fair enough," Alex said with a smile.

When the reached the mall Alex separated himself from his friends. "Wish me luck," he said.

He blended almost immediately, wanting to get back into the feel of it. They were a good distance from Barney's yet so Alex walked alongside Cris, feeling the air slipping and sliding around him and doing his best to carefully sidestep anyone they passed while not also jostling Cris or dropping his blending.

He left Cris and Kem at the entrance to Barney's. While they ordered he looked around for someone he could tease. He'd really prefer to practice on someone he knew. That way if he messed up it probably wouldn't be so bad. At least he'd be able to explain himself and maybe laugh it off.

Standing there in the very slippery air told him he was still blended, and he looked around the varied clientele outside Barney's for a likely suspect.

Cris and Kem went and ordered their coffee and found a place to sit. With another person along he thought it would be better if they stayed visible and potentially capable of explaining away any mishaps, averting them (with Kem's help) and intimidating people into their best behavior. Most people take little things so much better when an Elder and the Chief of Security was around to watch them.

He would prefer people not having tantrums over a little spilled coffee if it came to it.

Settling down in one of the outer tables, Cris instructed Natt to keep a watch over the crowd. The crow turned, and thus turned the camera, toward the majority of Barney's. He turned on the tablet and positioned it between himself and Kem so they could keep an eye on the goings on.

To anyone else, unless they got rudely close, it would like they were both intently contemplating something on the device...either that or they were enjoying cat videos.

Alex walked to the edge of the chairs and looked over the crowd. When he started toward someone Cris looked at the nearest tables for the likely target...and saw his creator. Grisha had his nose in a book, unsurprisingly, with a cup of tea just within reach of his hand.

"I cannot watch.” He murmured softly to Kem. "If Grisha kills him I suppose I would be duty bound to arrest my own Creator...”

He watched as the tea cup was gently moved further away from Grisha's easy reach. Cris had to admit that his sire was an easy target with the big hardback book in his face.

Eventually, without looking up, Grisha reached for his tea. He grasped air, scowled and looked over at the table.

"Scoop, stop playing around on the table!” Grisha muttered crossly. A fuzzy little head popped up from the seat next to his Creator. The chastised animal chittered something that sounded vaguely indignant.

"Don't take that tone with me, Mister.” Grisha leaned down and pointed a finger at the ferret. The reproach ended in a petting. His Creator then reached for his tea, sipped and then set it back within easy reach.

"Well if you didn't do it then how did it get there?” He asked Scoop while picking his book back up again.

"Oh right, blaming invisible people now are we?” Grisha tsked at the creature, who happened to have an excellent sense of smell but not the best vision beyond a few feet away from his little body.

Scoop climbed onto the table, the one he was not supposed to be playing on, and turned a searching nose right in Alex's direction.

"Well if you feel that strongly about it then feel free to guard the cup.” Grisha chuckled at the ferret and went back to reading. "I am sure there won't be any more trouble.” His Creator eyed him with a long meaningful look over the top of his book before ignoring the outside world again. Cris gave him a small smile before picking up his coffee, feeling like a caught adolescent, despite not being the originator of the prank.

Scoop curled up near Grisha's tea cup, head on his paws, pointed in the direction of one blended vampire.

Cris laughed. [I forgot to mention] He sent to Alex [watch out for animals that can smell you. Of course most of them have a hard time telling on you. Which means for later make sure your vixen does not give you away when you are practicing on Eiryk.] Having a fox follow you around would be difficult to hide...while hiding.

Alex figured Cris's Creator was a safe target. He'd seen the man in the bookstore on more than one occasion; Alex was sort of a Sci-Fi nut, after all. And maybe, just maybe, the occasional romance novel which went blissfully uncommented on. So Alex figured the man was okay.

He almost forgot himself and cheered for joy when his tiny ruse worked. Almost. He remember not to. He was about to reach out and try it again when Grisha's conversation with... a ferret?... reached his ears.

Said ferret was soon up on the table guarding the cup of tea and, much as Alex was tempted, he wasn't stupid enough to try it again. Cris's sending cemented that for him. [I wasn't expecting the back-up,] he sent back. [You're right. I'm going to have to have a chat with Thora. Insofar as I can. Let me see if I can improve on this mischief-making.]

He looked around quickly. How was he supposed to tell who was a vampire and who wasn't here? There was no way to tell; look at Rowan, for example. Who would peg the pierced and punk-ish vampire for a twelve-hundred-year-old pirate? He looked completely, totally comfortable in his modern age. So trying to find a 'human' target was pointless. Alex was just going to have to hope Cris and Kem would bail him out if he got into trouble.

Maybe he should have argued a little bit, but it had never occurred to Alex to tell Cris he was uncomfortable with this plan. What did that say about him? He was conciliatory? Submissive? Or... perhaps more mischievous than he'd ever had admitted to?

Stepping back even more Alex surveyed the people outside the cafe again. At another table sat a man alone, looking at a tablet intently and tapping it now and then. He was youngish, plain in appearance but not unattractive, and nothing about him screamed 'undead' to Alex. Then again, Alex had a barely functioning gaydar - he was pretty sure his vamp-radar wasn't even on yet.

The man had a tall cup of something, hot chocolate maybe, that he reached out and stirred now and then. Alex waited for him to stir it, and then carefully plucked the swizzle stick from it and laid it down on the napkin. The man wasn't as distracted by whatever was on his tablet as Grisha had been with his book so he did look up the next time he reached for his drink.

With a puzzled little noise he hummed curiously and looked around behind his cup, spotting the stirrer on the napkin. His brow furrowed and he plunked it back into his cup, stirred, and turned his attention back to his tablet. Alex considered briefly, then pulled the stirrer out of the cup and placed it back on the napkin.

The next time the brown-haired man looked up he was clearly startled. "Hey now," he murmured. "What are you up to?"

With a little frown he picked up the spoon instead, stirred his drink, then very deliberately replaced the spoon back on the napkin. Alex was going to leave it there but the man's phone rang and he bent down to the satchel at his feet to get it. Quick as he could, Alex grabbed the spoon from the napkin and slid it back into the man's drink.

"Oh come on now," the man said, but his tone wasn't irritated, just mildly amused. "Murphy, if that's you, you meddler, we're going to throw down."

Alex covered a soft laugh with his hand. Meddler and throw down in the same sentence? Clearly a vampire. He turned and headed back toward Cris and Kem, wondering if he'd worked enough mischief yet.