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Anton Altman: The glade might be small, but it's a good place to chill at, the atmosphere calm and peaceful--a good place to try to calm your mind down when you're trying to study. It's sunny now, but there's still some snow lingering on the ground from the last Big Snow. Anton is crouched on a rock beside the little stream, backpack resting beside him, and on top of it is an open college text book. He's talking to himself in German, occasionally looking down at the page to read something, then looks back at the stream as he scoops up small handfuls of snow, packing them into mini snowballs, then tossing them into the river to watch them melt and drift away.
What is this accomplishing? Nothing, but he seems too wound up with energy to simply sit and study.
While he's clearly not Uratha, there is a quick tip that all is not normal here, as there is also a spirit sitting on the rock beside the book, in Twilight. A winged woman of all aged bronze, bare chested, who is overseeing this study with a stern expression.
"You should be learning this in English," she chides.
"It is easier to remember if I memorize it in German," he whines, also in his native tongue.
"Your teachers will ask you the answers in English, and if you do not know them, you will fail."
He mutters under his breath, "If I try to learn it in English I will fail anyway..."
Jacob Caulfield: As the pair talked the sound of footsteps heading towards the bridge echoed down the path, offering the Blooded a likely wanted distraction from the scolding he was receiving. Soon enough Jacob came into view, a well-worn leather jacket keeping the lingering chill away as he walked. Upon spotting Anton - and his companion, judging by the glance he gave in her direction - he gave a nod, stopping close enough to be in conversation range. "If I'm interrupting I can come back."
Anton Altman: Anton does look happy for the distraction. He immediately looks up and over at the sound of footsteps, then pushes up to his feet. "Hello!" he says in English, accent think. "No, no! No interrupting. Hello, I'm Anton."
The spirit, however, looks far less pleased about the interruption, but at least isn't making any vocal complaints for a moment.
Jacob Caulfield: The Ithaeur had a bit of that Texas twang to his voice if one knew what to listen for, although whether it was faded due to effort or time away from the area it was hard to say at first blush. "Jacob. Good meeting you, Anton." He spared the spirit another look before turning back to the Blooded with a small smirk. "Seems she's a little cross with you."
Anton Altman: "Do not mind her," he says with a wave of his hand. "She is not friendly to anyone! Especially me!" He bounces on the balls of his feet, looking the Ithaeur over. "You sound like the Walker!"
Jacob Caulfield: "Noted." He gave the spirit a respectful nod before his eyebrow arched, giving Anton a curious look. "Walker?"
Anton Altman: "Walker--ah, The Texas Ranger." He starts singing in what he thinks might be a southern Texas drawl, but--really it's just... barely recognizable. "Cause the eeeyes of the Ranger are upon yoou, any wrong you do he's gonna seee..." He pauses, squinting. "...I do not remember the rest..."
Jacob Caulfield: "Ah...yeah." Jacob nodded once what Anton was trying to sing hit, still smirking a touch. "Something like that, yeah. Lived in and around Houston for most of my life."
Anton Altman: "You are very far from home," he notes, as if Jacob wasn't aware.
Jacob Caulfield: "Good bit, yeah. My younger brother's been living for a while and needed a hand with some things, so I came up and ended up staying with all the current business going on." He motioned about idly, looking Anton over. "Sounds like you are too, if you don't mind me saying."
Anton Altman: He gives an expectant look around when he gestures, as if expecting something interesting to just... suddenly be there. After a moment he looks back towards Jacob. "Ja! I am. I am from Austria. What is current business you are helping with?"
Jacob Caulfield: "Austria...that is a ways off." Jacob gave a nod. "Haven't gotten directly involved in anything yet, but I've put word out that I'm willing to give a hand with the City Hall business, and may be looking into it's weaknesses and whatnot."
Anton Altman: His head tilts, curious. "I don't know what is going on at City Hall," he admits. "Other than my Onkle helped kill a bad magath. That is good of you, to help. You are good at these things? Weakness?"
Jacob Caulfield: "Onkle...ah, you're with the Altmans? Think I met him briefly."
"Something big is still out there, and there's a few folks looking into going to somewhere it was sighted before to see what else we might be able to dig up on it. Reckon it's worth a shot, at the very least."
Anton Altman: He beams. "I am! Sieghilde is my mutter and Sonja is my mama. Ludwig is my onkle."
He bounces some more, then crouches down to scoop up more snow, patting it into a small snowball. "Ja? This sounds no good..."
Jacob Caulfield: "Haven't met those two yet, just Ludwig briefly in the park with a few other folks. Will have to fix that at some point." He smirked a touch as Blake started working up a snowball, eyeing to see where the Blooded was planning on tossing it. "Mmhmm. Wouldn't say I'm specialized at finding weaknesses like that, but I do work with the dead a good bit and where folks are going should be crawling with them so I'm willing to give a hand."
Anton Altman: "Oh!" He perks up, looking at Jacob, his eyes catching the light and glimmering a very unnatural silver. "I can see ghosts! Spirits are easier than ghosts though, I think..."
Jacob Caulfield: "Common gift around here, I'm coming to notice. Not a bad thing, mind." He nodded with a small smile. "Picked it up myself when I got tapped by the Mother on the shoulder, been putting it to good use since."
Anton Altman: The metaphor seems to confuse him, at first. "Tapping..." He deduces that he means changing after a beat, and smiles again. "I have not been tapped, yet. But maybe some day."
Jacob Caulfield: "Maybe. Know of one other of the Blood in town who had it happen recently." Jacob gave another small nod. "Came into it all blind myself, which was...interesting, as you can imagine."
Anton Altman: He smiles, then shakes his head. "That is hard to imagine. This is all I have ever known. It must be very scary, to change, and not know what is happening."
Jacob Caulfield: "It was a definite 'what the fuck' moment, yeah. Pardoning my French." He smirked a touch. "Lucked out in that there was another one of the People nearby that picked up on what happened and gave me a hand in getting things figured out."
Anton Altman: "This is good! I am meeting many newly changed people in my life. My family took care of many. We saw people come and go, learn and grow, many times, back home." He bobs his head.
Jacob Caulfield: "Good on 'em." Jacob nodded with a smile. "It's good work to do for people that'd be stuck in the lurch otherwise."
Anton Altman: He bobs his head, tossing the snowball from hand to hand, then turns to toss it into the water, watching it drift downstream a moment. Then turns back to Jacob, fidgeting, fingers tapping rapidly together against his thumbs in a hyperactive way--he doesn't really seem conscious of it.
"What is it you are doing, when you are not looking for spookies?"
Jacob Caulfield: "I'm a firefighter with one of the engine companies here in town. Did the same work in Houston, too."
Anton Altman: "Oooh!" His eyes widen, grinning wider. "Is hard work! Dangerous, but good. And hot."
Jacob Caulfield: "That it is. Got a bit of a handle on the flame thanks to some of the gifts I've been given, but try not to use it too much unless something major happens. Kinda hard to explain if someone else sees a wall of fire parting without an obvious source and whatnot."
Anton Altman: "This is very clever," he replies, nodding slowly, looking impressed. "Yes, that would be hard to explain..." He crouches down again, gathering more snow to pat into a snowball. His fingers are long--and bend in ways that look a bit... unnatural. "That does make it not so hot, even if this is not the hot I meant exactly!"
Jacob Caulfield: "Ah...you meant in the..." he motioned up and down himself briefly, looking quietly amused. "I have done the calendar thing once or twice, but it's not quite my bag."
Anton Altman: "You have?" His eyes go wide. "I was thinking this is only thing in movies and TV! Is nude?"
Jacob Caulfield: Jacob couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head with a smile. "Nah...least not the ones I did, anyway."
Anton Altman: He nods thoughtfully--does he maybe look a touch disappointed? "Still! That is funny. But I bet it is good calendar."
Jacob Caulfield: "It went towards a good cause, so I'd say so, yeah. Not sure if they do the same thing up here, but suppose I'll see when the time comes."
Anton Altman: "If you do, let me know." He grins. "For the good cause."
Jacob Caulfield: "Can do." He replied with a chuckle. "Although I will let you know I don't swing that way myself, if you're interested in something more than looking."
Anton Altman: He blinks, then laughs, waving a hand. "Is just looking. You are very older than me."
Jacob Caulfield: "Just puttin' it out there. Had a few folks look for something more than that in the past, and I learned it's better to let 'em know early on."
Anton Altman: "It is good," he agrees with a bob of his head. "Communication is important, even when it is just between friends. I am glad to know, so I do not get a crush on you."
Jacob Caulfield: He nodded in return, still looking rather amused. "That it is, and quite welcome."
Anton Altman: The spirit lets out a sudden ahem, and he looks over with a frown to her and the book, before looking sulkily towards Jacob again. "I should return to studying. Is good meeting you."
Jacob Caulfield: Jacob spared a glance towards the spirit, smirking a touch at the sullen look on Anton's face. "Was good meeting you too. See you around, I reckon."
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