#elders first

Elders first, learn it!

Scott never felt confident in his flock before, but after the last few days, he couldn’t say that he wasn’t at least a little optimistic. Looking at the people around the long table in the dining hall, with the shining chandelier hanging, red table runner, and glasses filled to the brim with blood or wine, he saw people he trusted to help him take down Oakhurst.

He, of course, had the most faith in Owen, Pyro, and Shelby — they’d been by his side since day one. He was warming up to Cleo and Drift just fine. Avid just needed another push or two in the right direction. It was Apo he wasn’t too sure about, but he would leave her to Owen. It seemed like he handled that… situation just fine.

“We really need to get these humans under control. They’re starting to get on my nerves,” Scott addresses the group.

Owen sat at the very end of the table, across from Scott. They’d naturally taken a seat at each end of the long table. Both felt the need to be there, to establish proper hierarchy. They took to it naturally. Especially Scott.

The others were spread out wildly. Shelby, Cleo, Drift, and Avid sitting closer to Scott. Pyro — who had, for once, peeled himself off of Scott — was sitting closer to Owen.

 “But the question is: just who are we most threatened by? They’ve been wavering the last couple of days. And now that our numbers have grown,” Scott turned his attention to Avid and Drift, “we’ll have a better chance at taking them down.”

 “Well, whatever we decide, we’ll need to get some sleep if we’re going to take over the town at some point.” Owen got up and disappeared down to the crypt, leaving everyone confused.

 When had any of them ever really gone to sleep, ever since arriving in Oakhurst? There had been something off about Owen the last few days, and Scott felt obligated to figure out why before it’s a problem. So Scott wasted no time dismissing everyone and following the other elder.

 Scott followed the other, all the way down to the crypt, where Owen wasted no time, digging more escape routes for them. Something every single vampire were in on. “So, are we not gonna talk about what just happened up there?” Scott tried, but he only got a huf from the latter. Why were he always avoiding Scott’s attempts to actually build trust? Why was he so cold. So, difficult. Why didnt he care for trusting anyone, or let them trust him? “This is worrying, and I need to know I can trust my coven,” Scott pushed. He knew it might break Owen’s already unstable emotional state, but he needed more than Owen had offered him.

 Owen stopped digging, looking up at Scott with those heavy eyes. They never had any spark in them. Only hatred.

 God! Could he, like, not ruin this vibe they had going? Scott was just getting in the mood for mass murder, and then he had to look at this disappointing thing here.

 Scott desperately wanted to change the mood, but he definitely didn’t think before the next words left his mouth. “Why don’t we talk about something or someone else, then. Maybe from our time as humans,” the elder suggested, which only earned him a scoff. Scott sighed deeply, knowing Owen certainly wouldn’t be the one to start. This guy was really getting on his nerves, but he just had to suck it up. “I guess I’ll go first… I knew this guy once. He was mighty powerful, and everyone just respected him,” Scott started voice low and serious, which seemed to grab the man’s attention.

 “It was an unspoken respect. And no matter how evil he was, admittedly, he was the kindest of us,” Scott continued now that he had the latter’s full attention. “Small guy. You wouldn’t know just how powerful he was from looking at him. But he was a madman, that’s for sure. He had the wildest ideas out of anyone I’ve ever met. And that says a lot considering I lived through the 1500’s.” He paused, tilting his head. His eyes searched the other’s in hopes of finding something — anything — that wasn’t rage. But he found nothing.

 At that point he knew, it was a lost cause and that he was sharing more about himself than he would’ve liked.

 “Nothing to say, Owen?… Fine.”

 Scott got up and made his way to the spiral staircase. Climbing that thing without powers was a nightmare, so he understood why Drift and Avid — whom both still hadn’t mastered their lunge yet — were sometimes late for meetings. He stood in the middle of the spiral, looking up at the sun. It made his skin sting a tiny bit, but after so long he’d gotten used to it. And at some point, it became the only thing that reminded him that he’s not fully dead, nor alive. He’s surviving. A certain foe from years ago taught him that; He learned many things from the only man he ever feared.

 ---

 They had been hunting the humans more often as of late, turning beacons whenever they could. And yet the humans always seemed to have more of them. Scott was tired of being nice.

 It needed to stop soon.

 They needed to be stopped soon.

 The humans were stronger than he’d like. And with Pearl and Martyn still on their side, it didn’t really matter how many vampires strong they were, the humans always took a good chunk out of them. It annoyed him a lot. They should really learn to respect him.

 Respect him like Pyro — although, he had to admit that might be too much. But at least have mutual respect for him like… He did. He always knew how to keep everyone in check. Keep the idiots moving, doing something helpful; Not just, running around laughing and having fun. No, He always seemed to have a plan brewing. Scott admired it, up until the last time he ever saw his foe and—

 A hand on his shoulder snapped Scott back to reality.

The hand came from a concerned looking Shelby. He didn’t like that look on their gentle face. It looked wrong. Their face was always lit up by some sort of crazy idea, which usually led her to run off down the crypt with Drift and Avid tailing after her. She might be the most harmless of them, but that — for some unknown reason — didn’t bother him the slightest.

 “What’s wrong Scott?” they asked carefully.

 The thing was, he didn’t know how to put it. He had never been in touch with his feelings. That was always the other lords’ thing, and he never knew how to put his into words anyway.  So, he just sighed.

 “Nothing’s wrong, I just think I might have to do something that I’m not a big fan of,” the elder replied.

 Shelby didn’t press, but he could tell they wanted to know what the latter had in mind. But just how does he tell his fledgling about a foe that sent shivers down his spine. He was supposed to be the fierce leader. But he couldn’t be that if she knew the truth.

 First, he just had to make sure that his sneaking suspicion was correct then it all would be fine, he assured himself.

 He went out on top of the roof — a comfort he had found since rebuilding the castle, no one ever came up here to bother him — and concentrated on feeling Him in the air; An old trick he had forgotten he could do, but it resurfaced with the memory of the dear friend.

 Scott felt a presence.

 He responded.

 And He agreed to help.

 ---

 “What are we doing here again?” Avid asked for the fifth time in the last ten minutes. If Scott didn’t find him useful, he might have killed Avid by now.

 “We’re waiting for an old friend of mine,” Scott answered with a strained sugar-coated voice.

 “I thought all your friends were dead?” a confused Pyro asked, and a few other heads nodded in agreement.

 God! He’d done so much for these eggheads, and all he got in return was insults. Did they not trust his judgement?

 “Well, I for one believe we could use the extra help,” Owen chimed in, making the others shut up. “And if Scott has brought this old friend — who has survived for this long, and came this quickly — then I trust that Scott knows what he’s doing, don’t you all?”

 Everyone either avoided his gaze or stared at the front door like it might have the answer to who this person was. It was nice that Owen could put those rascals in their place occasionally. The elder hummed in contentment at this new-found peace and sat back in his chair, relaxing ever so slightly.

 Just as Avid was about to open his big mouth once again, a knock came from that same front door most of them had been staring at. Scott stood, and moved to the door, excitement visible in his features. His footsteps echoed off the tall empty walls. He stood before the big wooden doors and took a breath.

 He hadn’t seen this friend in what must be more than one thousand years. He left after the first three hundred years to start a business, run on turning other nobles — which set Him up very well for eternal life. It was how most — if not all — wealthy folk got turned, including himself and Scott.

Scott opened up the heavy doors, and was met with the same cold scarlet red eyes that had a thousand years ago.

Scott stepped aside, so the two parties could see each other, and so he could close the door behind the tiny man. He didn’t look like He had done much while Scott had been sleeping — which was most likely why He had come on such short notice.

 Scott remembered a time where they’d done everything together, causing chaos wherever they stepped foot. His fellow elder still had that spark in His red, fairly dead, eyes. They were shining with mischief, ready to get back in action. He followed behind Scott into the dining hall, and He just stood there taking them all in for a few moments.

 He looked just like Scott remembered Him. His pristine midnight-black hair always combed to perfection. His hollow, endless eyes that looked like they bleed tears. His stark white complexion revealing freckles dusted all over His exposed skin. His attire, a formal dress shirt with a red, corset-like blouse, and the long sleeves were with ruffles at the end. His presence was just as cold as it had been a thousand years ago. People used to get them mixed up. Although he didn’t see it.

 He walked through the main hall, over to the rest at the table with such grace, it looked like He was floating. Scott came up behind Him and introduced Him to them all.

 “This is my old foe. He’s one of the most trustworthy people I have ever put my faith in,” the elder explained. Though he doubted any of them — even Owen — was completely convinced, but they said nothing.

 Scott cleared his throat, “Well, should we get the game started, Grian.”

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LIFE SERIES REFERENCE?????????? IN MY VSMP FANFIC???????????

JAZZ!!!!!!! YOU ARE SO GOOD AT WRITING!!!!! WHAT THE HELL????