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Night had recently settled in, and like a finely crafted Italian watch, Luigi showed up to his Theater a little later than usual. The mauve suit was tailored to perfection, and reached a little higher class than usual, with silver chains at the breast pocket and silk blue and white polka dot tie. Hands in brown leather gloves deftly removed the lock to the temporary gating at the entrance, and after one last look around, the Ventrue entered his domain.
If one is thoughtful about the matter, something could be read into the fact that Jack and Mearcstapa don't bother to turn up at the theater during the day even once before putting in an appearance in the early hours of the night. If one's thinking that hard about it.
Mearc's standing a hair behind Jack, almost like he's playing bodyguard for the moment. He's dressed in a long black leather duster; when he moves, a faint pattern like panther spots can be seen in the leather. It's strappy and buckle-y and definitely a Look™️, paired with dark skinny jeans, his usual messenger bag worn cross body, long strawberry-blond hair held out of his face with a pair of bobby pins on either side.
It's possible that it's just the hours that a stagehand like Jack keeps, anyway - you know how theater people are. He's stepped up his look this evening, too - the dark teal suit he's got on is every inch as tailored at Luigi's is, and his floral tie picks up the color in the shadows of some of the leaves. His hair is neatly coiffed, showing off a sharp undercut, and he's clean shaven.
Dude cleans up pretty nice, overall.
The two of them aren't inside the theater, but waiting for the Kindred just outside the temporary gating. Jack's got his hands in his pockets, and leans casually against Mearcstapa a little - until Luigi arrives. Then, Jack stands upright, and gives the man an upnod and a quirk of his lips in greeting, his eyes sliding over the man before returning to his face.
He pauses just a moment as he opens the gate to regard the two, then motions for them to 'come on in' as he slips inside, holding the gate open for them and closing it behind. "Good evening," Luigi offers, continuing into the foyer of the theater.
It was a three tiered grand hallway, with the entrance and a massive stained glass window above it on one end, and the royal staircase and main entrance to the theater on the other. Along the way, on the main floor were the ticket sales on one side, and entrances to a gallery on the other. The second level contained entrances to ballrooms on either side, and closer to the staircase was a cafe. None of which were opened or fully furnished, but enough was in place to show just how ornate and detailed everything was.
"Come for the tour, yes? Just had the chandelier installed yesterday," Luigi notes, pointing casually up above him where said massive conglomeration of crystal and lights hung.
"It's beautiful." Mearcstapa nods, following Luigi inside, remaining close to Jack at all times. "Though our intention was as much to speak with you as to see the building. I'll admit, I don't have the same artistic eye as most people, but I can appreciate the clarity of your vision here."
Jack eyes the places as they walk, taking in the details. "Gotta say I'll have more of an eye for how your backstage is set up,but this'll impress theatergoers, sure." He nods. "'S classic, where most new builds lean heavily towards modern nowadays. I can definitely appreciate that."
"It vaguely remind me of home," Luigi admitted. "Do you wish to see the stage?" He held his hand out towards the direction of the main vomitorium entrance, even as his eyes sought out Mearc's own. "I am delighted to discuss anything you wish, except debates over what style of pizza is best." The Ventrue gives a wane smile at this. "It amazes me how many Americans want to talk about that."
Mearc avoids eye contact, glancing slightly past Luigi with a small crooked smile. "I spent almost five years in Chicago, I admit to a personal bias toward deep dish. But no, I don't think that was on our agenda tonight."
"Anything with pineapple's good in my book." Jack smirks, like he knows what kind of debate he's started. "But I'd love to see the stage. And hear more about what you plan to do on it. "
Luigi wagged his fingers at Jack with a devious smile. "That is bait," he said, and started towards the staircase. "There will be a little bit of everything, but mostly theatrical productions is what I am looking for." He gestured to the gallery, and then the ballroom entrances above. "There will be a place to display local artist's work, as well as ballrooms to be used for whatever functions people wish to rent them out for." Luigi took the stairs like an older gentleman- using the railing and each step carefully. "As for the main stage, whenever no productions are available, I will fill the spaces with concerts, and even ...'kid's nights' where movies will be shown."
"Hm, that means you'll need introductions to some local artists as well. We happen to know a few talented ones--and have a connection to the Love Letters Art Collective as well." If the pineapple pizza comment was bait, what's this then?
Jack gives Luigi a warm smile back, and shrugs about the pizza as he follows Luigi toward the staircase. "Ballrooms - damn. This might end up being a community center on steroids, if you've got the money to keep it going like that. You looked for a board of directors, and people to deal with the day-to-day? Folx to handle the business of attracting touring shows, and local groups without permanent homes here for their productions?"
"I am working on that," Luigi replied to Jack. "All of it. As for funding....well, as long as I break even I will be over the moon." He chuckled. "But even at a loss I calculate I could operate for....ah...some time." He started to push at the doors, but stopped, and reached to his back. "Forgive. Maybe one of you younger people could get the door for us?" The Ventrue made a show of stretching as he talked to Mearc. "Getting to know local artists would be a boon you could offer me?"
Mearcstapa's voice lowers to a mere murmur, and he smiles slightly as he speaks, but the expression doesn't reach his eyes. "I don't doubt that we're younger than you, but you don't need to play at weakness to manipulate us. Be very thoughtful about how you choose to try to deceive us, Luigi."
Jack's eyebrows twitch upward, and he gives the Ventrue another slow once-over. Clearly a little less impressed, this time, as he holds the door open for him and Mearc. "As far as manipulation goes, it's...well. As he's said." Jack gestures to his boyfriend.
"Besides the fact that it would be a poor choice of building indeed, if the doors are heavy enough that middle aged men might struggle to open them. More than a few of my coworkers have got decades on you, and they're the types to do a lot of the heavy lifting around places like this." A beat, and he gives Luigi another glance. "Or they look it, at least."
Luigi sniffs and glances up at the doors. "You are right about that- maybe lighter doors should be used." He shrugs and moves into the theater with a shrug, holding out his hand once more to the stage. The vomitorium gave way to a wide path to the left and right, that eventually branched and found its way through the seating. Luigi took a direct path to the stage. "I fought with myself over the styling of the carpet, eventually settling upon this. There are so many details to pay attention to when decorating. I was almost overwhelmed."
As they step into the theater, Mearc glances around and especially upward, as if checking for assassins in the balconies. "Almost, but not entirely."
"I'd imagine building a theater from the ground up is pretty overwhelming - but you seem to have managed." Jack barely glances at the stage, instead looking for...something at the back of the house here. Are there clear places set aside for sound boards, either center or to one side? "You might give the Merriam a run for its money here. Depending on your tech set up."
"I still need a consultant for the cabling and wiring of such, but there should be flexibility in the arrangements," Luigi said, and pointed to what looked like an incomplete wide box seat in the back of the seating area. "That booth should be, according to planning, one of the best acoustic locations, with a clear view of everything. The overheads on stage can be maneuvered and re arranged as needed, to allow for what lights are required, and there are six hidden alcoves for spots, should a show want to use them." Luigi pointed out the locations. He looked back to Mearc. "What do you think?"
Mearc lets out a soft, warm chuckle. "I think you could benefit from Jack's expertise, regarding your tech. My own thoughts, I'll save for when he's impressed you."
He separates from the other two men, beginning to walk around the seating area slowly. Almost prowling it.
Jack nods as Luigi speaks, eyeing the spot locations before trotting down one of the aisles, turning around to eye the upper levels of the house. He looks over the place carefully, with a clearly professional eye, noting the location of the booth as the walks backward toward the stage.. "You might wanna think about a center position and a left or right-of-center position too, for mixing. Depending on the show, some mixers are used to listening in a particular part of the house. Knew a guy who swore by house left for fuckin' everything, drove house crews insane..." His gaze drifts even higher, until he's staring at the ceiling. He turns around slowly to face the stage.
"You have a lift in the pit?"
"Yes, it can be raised to flush with the stage, or lowered for the traditional Orchestral arrangement," Luigi confirmed. As the two did their hunting about, the Ventrue clasped his hands and walked towards said stage, eventually perching on the edge of the mainstage. "Are you offering to be the consultant, Signore Jack?"
Mearc speaks next. "You'll want a closed-circuit camera system; you don't want to be connected to the internet; anyone would be able to jack the system, see what the cameras see. Whoever installed the front doors was sloppy with the latchplates. I wouldn't even need to pick them, I could slip the latches with a stiff piece of plastic, like a credit card. When you do install cameras, you'll have to be very careful about blind spots; there's several areas that would only be possible to get an angle at if you were being deliberate in doing so. Underneath the boxes here and here, for example; you'll want to take special care with that."
There's a careful pause, when Luigi asks his question, as Jack takes his time to look over the proscenium before his gaze comes to rest on the Kindred. "Might consider it. Couple things I'd wanna be sure of, first."
Jack's got that same odd cologne he was wearing at the cafe - it's probably a strange experience to smell a rainstorm from inside a building like this. The coppery tang underneath it gets a little stronger as he speaks, the scent rolling down the isles toward Luigi.
For any Kindred, it's an intimately familiar smell. Blood. Weird cologne, really.
It appeared by all accounts that Luigi was taking notes on what Mearc was stating. "Excellent. This is the sort of expertise I need," he comments. "The security system is actually the last bit of what I intend to finish. " He glances up at Jack at his statement, then narrows his eyes. "And what is that you must be sure of?" Luigi asked. His narrowed even more, and he canted his head.
Mearc walks back over toward Jack and Luigi; there's a sensation that seems to come with him, a sense of being watched, that prickly-hair feeling of eyes on the back of one's neck.
"I work in security consulting, professionally. Primarily physical penetration testing, rather than designing systems. So, you can see we're skilled professionals in our fields."
"It's not often that someone just...shows up to build a new theater, and intends to run it out of passion, instead of as a business. 'S a noble cause, sure, but...what d'you know about the community here?" Jack keeps his posture open, his stance casual. He even leans against one of the seats as he talks. "I wouldn't want my name - or the Local's name - attached to something that might...well frankly, that might be run by an asshole who plans to spend the money that comes in in ways that don't benefit Philly."
Luigi sighs, but keeps his smile. He leans back on the stage, resting on his hands as he crosses his legs at the ankle. "There is little I know of the community," Luigi admits. "In part because this is a selfish adventure." He grins broadly at this. "Even if no one else shows up, I will enjoy the shows. Though performers do better with crowds. " He shrugs. "You do not appear to be people who can be convinced with words alone that I am not some bastard looking to ruin this City. It would be unfortunate to not have the best, but with enough time, the work will be what I need. Sarai lì quando sarà finito o no?"
"Hold your horses. We haven't said no. We've said we're uncertain. I think we need to be a little more honest with one another, to truly have the conversation we need to have. If we're lucky, we'll find in you a kindred spirit." The corner of Mearc's mouth twitches toward a small smirk, before he glances at Jack. "If you're good with it."
Jack's mouth twitches upward there, too, and he shrugs at Mearc. "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't, you know that. And hell, this is already going significantly better than the last time someone tried to get me in their pocket. I'm definitely not saying no to consulting."
The Ventrue blinked wide eyes at them, delightfully confused. "I missed joke, I think," he finally admits. "But I am not going to bribe you, just pay a good rate for good work. My accountants pull at their hair with how not tight fisted I am with my money."
Mearc shakes his head. "Someone else tried to bribe Jack, once. A few months ago. And when that failed, she threatened those he loves. But, the problem was conquered in time."
He stands a little straighter, looking at Luigi's necktie, rather than his face. "Have you been to Maddy's Wafflehouse yet? It's a staple in the city, for certain groups of people."
"'S funny, you know I still haven't managed to get there?" Jack shakes his head with a smile. "Heard a lotta good things about it."
Luigi shook his head at the mention of bribing, mixing between tsking and laughing. But the moment Mearc mentioned Maddy's, the Ventrue vanished. It was a good few heartbeats before Luigi's voice called out, though not from any particular spot. "Forgive, but I must be careful, you understand. Who are you?"
Mearc doesn't seem particularly surprised by the disappearing vampire at all, speaking out into the theater calmly.
"Janus Mearcstapa and Jack Martingale, Lost of the Shackamaxon Freehold. Though we're not coming as representatives of the Freehold, in this instance. We're changelings. And you're a vampire, of the Invictus if rumor is to be believed. And that's sort of what we wanted to lay on the table in order to make sure we reach a proper understanding. We're not here to make an enemy of you, and we have a generally positive reputation among your fellow Kindred. You could even ask the Sakima what she thinks of us, if you're particularly concerned."
Jack blinks in surprise when Luigi ceases to be, though like Mearc he doesn't seem particularly concerned about it. "The both of us have met with her directly, in the past. Not about this, I honestly don't think she'd much care. And neither of us have any interest in antagonizing you needlessly, your society and ours have mutually beneficial agreements in place and we don't want to mess with those."
Luigi reappeared, sitting in a seat in an aisle even with where the two were standing, to their left. He was lounging, arms across the back of seats. "Shackamaxon? That must be a True American name," he mused. He waved a hand as he considered some things. "Forgive, but I cannot be as free with what I am as you seem to be able to, but since you know, and it is not this Pri-...ah...Sakima's rule to tie up such ends, then the Invictus abides."
The smile returns full force. "There will be advantages to working with those who know." He rose, then gave the two a proper bow. "I am Sir Luigi Fabri, Sworn Knight of the Order of the Faded Rose, First Among Equals. At your service."
"The Sakima has agreements with our leaders. Some things are understood. In fact, Shackamaxon and Sakima are words with the same root. Our Freehold's name means 'to make a king place' in Lenape, the language of the Native American tribe whose land we stand on." Mearcstapa echoes the bow, offering a toothy smile. "Mearcstapa, Scrivener of the Autumn Court. A pleasure to meet you properly."
Jack doesn't bow, but he does incline his head respectfully, giving Luigi something of a smirk. "Jack Martingale. Joyeux of the Spring Court. Glad we've got a better understanding among all of us - you've got the dubious honor of being the first Invictus I've met to not try to fuck me over before revealing himself. Good for you."
"It seems you had me at a disadvantage. You are the first of your kind who did not try to take a joy ride in my daysleep," Luigi noted with a chuckle. He adjusted his coat and cuffs just so before rejoining them. "So you will be working with me to finish this then?"
Mearc glances at Jack--to Jack's eyes, the freckles in Mearc's mien shift vividly green before he speaks. "I'm not sure if I'm counting Jasper the same way you are. He didn't fuck me over before making himself known. He just fucked me. And then bit me, I suppose that might count too."
Then his attention returns to Luigi. "Right now, the right to dream free is something of a hot topic on our end. I don't think you'll need to be too concerned about anyone on our end intruding without consent. Anyway, I'm willing to help consult, and I was serious about introducing you to artists; some among our kind, some otherwise. There's a computer expert among your kind we can set up a meeting with, she'd know more about ticketing systems than I would. Jack, where are you on things?"
"Jasper didn't even have the decency to properly fuck me before he bit me, he just expected whatever pleasure it brought to be good enough. And I'm sure he'd claim he 'thought I knew' if anyone asked." Jack shakes his head with an annoyed huff before focusing on Luigi again.. "I don't fuck with dreams, and I know a few types who might be willing to throw their support behind this place. Not to mention the in with IATSE -" Jack gives him a conspiratorial wink. "There's been a lot of talk about this place, and how it's gonna work into what we've already got going on. They'll be happy to hear you're planning on negotiating with us. Which is all to say yeah, I'd consult. What you've got is a good start, you don't seem the type to hire someone just to ignore what they say."
"Why spend money to simply ignore someone. I can go to a cafe and do that," Luigi noted. "This Maestro Jasper- how did you deal with him?"
Mearc shakes his head. "We haven't dealt with him, at all. I've been avoiding him since we had a bit of a strong disagreement. But he's not enough of an actual problem for us to need to resolve."
There's a moment of hesitation. "The...bitch...who threatened Jack and tried to wield her influence and vampiric nature as a weapon against multiple changelings of our freehold, that ended differently, and is the core of why we've been so uncertain about you."
Jack gestures to Mearc. "Dude backed off when I made it clear I wasn't interested in what he had to offer me. Haven't seen him since. Didn't seem like he had the ties, or the ambition, that...she did. We resolved the problem because we had to, she was putting us all at risk."
Luigi raised a hand. "Do us all a service- do not clarify what happened to her to me or anyone who might tell me. I suspect that it would be unfortunate for all involved, dati i giuramenti coinvolti." he then waved the hand. "I have particular tastes, so no threat from me for surprised feedings."
"You know what? I can agree to that." Mearc chuckles. "What I know is, from everything I've seen of you, you're someone we can work with. And be friends with as well."
"Works for me,' Jack nods with a huff of amusement. "The less I gotta talk about her, the better. Look forward to doing business, might hold off on the friends for a bit. See where we are after business. No offense." He holds his hands up, a small smile on his face.
"Senza offesa," he agreed. "I am used to this, honestly. The world is lonely when you are a secretive, immortal ambush Predator." Luigi laughed at that quite boisterously. "Good, good. Do you have an email I can send some documents to, to sort out the work agreements?"
Mearc reaches into a hidden pocket of his long coat (a thorough look reveals there's probably many such hidden pockets), pulling out a notebook and pen. He writes his email onto a page, and then passes it to Jack.
"It can also be lonely when you're a traumatized individual who was pretty much ghouled by an eldritch abomination or maybe a profane god for a length of time that's impossible to count in 'real time' meaningfully, before escaping and trying to figure out how to rebuild your life."
"Sure can be," Jack agrees, and scrawls his email down under Mearcstapa's. "We lonely folx gotta stick together, makes life a little easier, no?"
"Forgive, I was not trying to play a game of who has most shit life," Luigi said softly to Mearc. For his part, the Ventrue pulled one of his simple cards out to exchange for the emails. "I will enjoy working with you two. There is one more piece of information to disclose, however." He held up the card, and made it disappear and reappear in quick succession without apparently doing anything. Then huge swaths of seating did the same., followed by doors and even the chandelier. "This is just a demonstration. Normally I would not bother with such things, but I am given to understand such could be troublesome for your kind. The Theater is my Palazzo del potere, and while everything within it is real, whether or not it is...noticed is at my whim. You, nor anyone else who comes in good faith would be subjected to such, but it is good you should know about it."
"Good to be warned, it's not something you ought to be pulling around us often, the same way we're not going to incite Bedlam in your theater once it's filled with people--that'd be worse than yelling 'fire', I think." He glances over his shoulder at Jack, checking to make sure he's okay.
Jack's mantle has flared, that tang of blood growing stronger - and Mearc can see the flickery charcoal lines that shudder around him, bits flying away from his body to dissolve into nothingness. But he takes a breath and shakes his head a little, and the lines steady. A small nod at Mearc, reassuring him he's okay.
"Yeah you...don't wanna do that unless you really have to. 'Troublesome' could be an understatement, honestly."
"It is a defensive measure, better than any security system," Luigi said. "Though I still want a complete one of those." He nodded to Maerc when he said that. "Grazie for the talk this evening. You will hear from me shortly. For now, there is more work I must tend to. Feel free to explore!"
"You're very welcome. I'm glad we were able to work everything out." Mearc grins with lots of teeth.
"Thank you." Jack inclines his head again, giving Luigi a closed lipped, but sincere, smile. "'Bout ready to head out, myself."
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