The harsh lights occasionally spaced along the walkway didn’t seem quite so harsh against her. Pale skinned, and dressed in white, the lights should have had a washout effect, should have made her look well and truly ghastly. Like a ghoul fresh from the earth, still draped in a burial shroud, and yet they did not. Indeed her pale skin looked almost intentional, protected and cherished out of the sun. Her bare arms looked smooth and almost inviting to the touch and had simply been made a stark contrast to the flowing river of midnight that beat an unbidden path down her back to settle at the end of her spine.

What should have made her frightening; instead made her lovely. Dark eyes, so dark they seemed black, even in the glare of florescent bulbs made the contrast within her oval shaped face. Her features for their part were little more than average, average nose, average if slightly full lips, average ears, and jaw line. Yet as average as they might have been, together those features over came mediocrity. And indeed was the woman enchanting.

Her garb did nothing to enhance this. A simple white tube of fabric, it looked like silk, felt smooth and slick beneath the finger tips. And yet silk of course would have been shear, in the harsh lighting. And with a lack of lines through the attire such a thing might have been disastrous or at least uncouth for a woman out alone at night. But then her dress was not shear, it was opaque, in and out of light. Indeed she seemed not a part of the world, but apart, not influenced by things such as light and shadow, as the world in general. In fact there was but one thing that marked her as a part of this world at all. And that was the simple line of ruined flesh that spread down from her hair line in a puffed crimson line down to her eye and even upon her cheek.

The scar alone seemed the only mar upon her beauty, strange when she was so very average. And yet it was not such one that she was not beautiful, not apart and shining, like some beneficent goddess. No. It was simply the one thing that marked her vulnerable, even though she was on the small side. Short, petite, and fragile looking, she still seemed a conquer. A conquer that smiled as she watched the tigers pace and heard the hoot of monkeys, and yet a conquer still.

Chi had gone to the zoo for one simple reason, to relax and get away from the pressure that the world was now putting on her. She walked by every animal her eyes gazing at them and then continuing until she stopped at the Siberian tiger. She had come to look at creatures from her part of the world though even these weren't quite from her home. She wanted to see if any animals she saw, she would recognize. Of course for her a plain lion would make more sense. She had seen many of those in her youth.

She wore a simple white toga that was wrapped around her skilfully, her feet were bare and no sound was made as she walked. She was silent and now gazed silently as she had approached the lions. Her silver hair, braided down her back and out of her face. She was older than she looked, much older and she stood straight and looked like a queen in her simple garb. The only thing that brought any color to the paleness was the red sash that she had tied around her waist. It emphasized who she was and the clothes was from a time that she knew well.

She didn't glimpse the other vampire but then she was lost in a time that was long gone, a time that had faded even from the minds of men. Long before the Roman and Greek Empire, long before anything that was even close to civilization or more close to the time of cities.

Dark eyes watched the animals, took in their struggles and paces. The signs of life. Such things the white clad woman called it, the things the animals did, the mortals, indeed in many cases the plants and trees as well. They were little things, little yet miraculous things. They were things that the woman appreciated, even in a way found beautiful, but they were not things she longed for. Unlike some that appreciated the beauty of life however, they were not something she wanted. Indeed the thought alone was enough to make her quiver. It touched from her mind to her skin like a chunk of ice, a burden to be bared and she almost tore away from the animals, away from the zoo and it’s feel of mortals, of humans, and the natural world. She almost ran, leaving this all behind, but then suddenly there was something else, someone else. And her expression became thoughtful even as she realized that this one. This one was older even than she. Older and yet familiar…

The dark haired woman turned equally dark eyes to the other. She gazed at her for a simple moment, gazed at a woman that was much younger than she when she received the blood and yet ironically probably predated her by more than two millennia. It was strange but only moderately so.

And the woman’s gaze became full on attention as she turned to study the other. Then she was moving forward. She came within striking distance of the other, and gave the slightest kneel and bow of head. A gesture of respect. Then she was speaking.

“Pardon my interruption elder, but I am new to this city. To its people, and even this century…” That last was said as slight as could be. Easy so that the wrong ears would not hear it. “Would you dare brave a few questions?” And that was it, simple and to the point. Such was a calling card of the vampire known as Nuwa.

Chi hadn't felt the other, until the other was fleeing. Her tie to the air around her, made her feel when there was an unusual air and someone running, would definitely make the air move. She frowned her head lifting up slightly and her mind being pulled out of her reverie. She hadn't noticed the other before, but now there was no way that she could miss them.

She turned her body towards the other as she knelt. Chi tilted her head to one side and looked at the other with curiosity. No one had showed her respect before, because of her age before, for her power perhaps, but then respect had to be earned not simply given and that was something that many people missed. "Stand up little one, respect is earned not simply given. Despite my age, there are times where I still act like a child."

She raised a delicate eyebrow. "Go ahead, I would love to help, but I do not guarantee that I will have all the answers. You may have questions that i have never heard, but I will do my best." An ironic smile appeared on her lips. "It's not like I have anything else to do. I have all the time in the world."

The other rose gracefully; an expression not quite readable on her face. Then it was gone, replaced by a thoughtful expression as the dark flow her hair obscured it with the motion of her body, before being quickly smoothed behind one slightly elliptical ear. The gesture managed to make the woman look younger and yet looking at her it was hard to catch her age. Indeed she was at a point in her life where she very well could have been young (perhaps late teens), older (late twenties to early thirties), or even mature (forties to fifties). Looking at her it was quite difficult to tell.

Her hair was still deeply dark, but her bone structure was just so, that it would lend longevity to her looks no matter what age. And vampiric age had taken away any hint of line or wrinkle that might have been a clue.

On her feet, she nodded then.

“Those are wise words elder,” She commented then. “Those that I would expect of one that is worthy of my respect...”

There was a light in her eyes then, a change in the consideration that she had been giving the other vampire. And Nuwa was pleased then, pleased that the other had passed her test so easily. How she did hate the pompous and ego driven, truly pathetic were they, such pandering and flaunting, the woman had firmly stacked beneath her. More so beneath her notice, it was good to Nuwa, to finally find a truly intelligible member of her race.

This brought a more comfortable expression to the woman’s eloquently average features. And she nodded then to the other’s statement. She understood, but likewise would pose her question in hopes of an answer. In hopes that she could be sure of things and even things to come.

“I thank you for at least a bit of that time.” The woman said then, turning to look around her carefully as if taking in everything.

“The first thing I wish to ask; is about this city. This is the city is it not? The city that houses all the leaders of the world’s covens? I have heard much of these covens and well among other things, they interest me.”

Chi was one of a kind, one could say that she was young, but beyond that nothing much. Some would even say that she was older, because of her silver hair. She acted younger and that was perhaps the best way to fool mortals. When she got offended though, she would act her true age with 6000 years of wisdom behind her. It was that that confused people, the way she spoke and the words that she spoke, not something a 16 year old was bound to it, yet she did it anyway.

Chi shrugged her shoulders. "Vampires who think they deserve respect aren't worthy of it. You need to earn it, no matter how long it takes. I've seen civilization rise and fall, none are impervious to destruction or death. Vampires are no different. You can respect people or objects yet you can change the way you see said person or object." Her logic didn't always make sense, but what else could you expect from a vampire that was many thousands of years old.

Chi smiled. "Take as much time as you want, it isn't like I have something to do. I have a lot of time to spare and i don't mind doing it to help another." She was different from many, yet she was helpful. Her eyes showed her intelligence as well as her age, sometimes they glowed almost unearthly, but when it did she was going through a crazy moment.

Chi looked at her present companion, eyes and face unreadable. It was an interesting question, so Chi nodded. "Yes it is true. Why does it interest you?"

The woman nodded.

Nuwa looked considering then. For a moment her expression was rather stoic, as firm and immovable as if it was chiseled bit by bit from ivory marble. And yet like her companion, her eyes were hot with a vibrancy that spoke of age, life, wisdom, and knowledge. A heavy contrast to be sure. And as of that moment of course it was hard to see what or rather to what end was that energy focused. However it wasn’t focused long at all, indeed it was little more than a whimsical phantom as stoic became a friendly smile.

“Indeed it does…” She replied then, still smiling. “In fact so many things interest me of this time. You see I slept before all of this…this…” The woman waved her arms toward the zoo and even the city skyline that could sill be seen, illuminated against the darkness that the vampire had long ago noticed men seemed to dread so.

Her smile grew wider then, and it made he look much younger. Young and innocent like a child on Christmas.

“All of this splendor and wonder, before things of man seemed things of sorcery and indeed the gods themselves…” There was a sudden lull in excitement at that last, but Nuwa smiled nonetheless.

“Yes, I’m interested.” She confirmed then. “I want to know of it all, but for now. For now could you tell me of the covens?”

Chi simply watched her companion, there was no expression on her face, a simple blankness. Thought flitted around her head, but none showed on her face. it was a rather odd sight, considering most teenagers wore their emotions on their sleeve. Any mortal would have frozen at the look, there was only one thing that was worse then the blankness and it was her anger. She could perhaps seem innocent, but she was no such thing.

Chi then smiled. "Once you understand how they are made, you realize perhaps that it isn't that difficult to see. Of course there are many different things to see and understand and many overlap or are mixed together." She tilted her head to one side, giving then vampire a curious gaze. "If you are into reading you could try books. Many explain the creations around us quite well."

chi shrugged her shoulders. "The covens can be elaborate, what would you like to know about them?"

Nuwa nodded then, inclining her head like a bird, inspecting something. It was perhaps an odd gesture and yet not so odd that it came off as practiced or rehearsed. No, it was simply the woman being as she was. Her dark eyes seemed to devour everything, indeed the light itself. Eyes so dark as to seem a moonless night, as dark as her raven hair, and yet if not light, there was definitely life in those neigh endless depths.

“Thank you.” She said, with a nod at the other’s advice.

Then she seemed to think about something, until finally she said.

“Tell me about the leaders of the covens. Who are they, what kind of men and women, rule over our world now?”

Chi was more similar to the woman then many would think. Though they looked different, there were similarities between them both that was why they had some similar mannerisms. Chi's eyes never left the other, unlike her silvery hair her eyes were dark, a chocolate brown and sometimes they would lite up as they were now.

She tilted her head and smiled. "Two men and three women. Marcus is head of the Amman and a barely turned vampire is head of the Nephim, named Colton. The Ishak and Tarepha are controlled by two ruthless vampires, Euthalia who looks like a 6 year old girl and Kie-Linque head of the Ishak. I don't know much about the Enashe, but the ruler there is Lilla." Chi wasn't that interested in coven politics, she was an independent and happy that way.

Nuwa nodded, taking in the provided knowledge slightly and carefully. It was true that it was vague and how she did detest vague knowledge, but it was enough to draw pictures in her head, at least at the characters of these leaders of their kind. And the pictures she knew would only be used to supplant holes in her knowledge until she truly understood. After all the other immortal had made it abundantly clear that she had no interest in the inner workings of these groups. Indeed the woman got the impression that the other was rather glad to be spared them.

Perhaps that was something else they had in common. Something other than heritage or appearance, even mannerisms. Nuwa, could see these things in the other now, well now that she was looking for them. Now that she understood what was facing her. And she smiled again, happy with the answers she’d found.

“Thank you for what you can attribute to my knowledge elder.” She said simply.

Then her smile turned thoughtful.

“Interesting,” She muttered then. “Or at least I find it so. Interesting that one in the body of a child and one that truly is a child amongst those that live near indefinitely, could rise to power…”

Even as she said it, Nuwa came to an understanding then and there. Of all those she’d just heard of, this Euthalia seems the most imposing. Nuwa was not stranger to leadership. Indeed she knew that road well, had walked it many times and stubbed a toe on the many hidden rocks. But to do such as a child; always and eternally, huh. That spoke of a considerable strength. Indeed perhaps the same could be said for the other. A child in the blood and he was leading a group of what could hardly be called his “peers” hmh. Interesting indeed.

“Would there be a way for me to speak to them?” Nuwa asked then. And then she smiled as she added. “And where is the best place, the best place in the city to procure its books?” It seemed Nuwa had an insatiable hunger for knowledge.

Chi didn't have any interest at all in the covens. She was an independent and liked it that way. She found no use to being under someone younger than her. She had the experience of time. She was almost 4000 years older than the eldest leader. Truly belonging to one would have served no purpose. Until she found it useful, she would stay away from such politics.

Chi shrugged. "Perhaps it is interesting to see that, but to every coven their own. The oldest vampire isn't always the best for the job of leadership. Every coven has their own demands for a leader, if someone younger will do the job so be it." She shrugged again. "I don't spend much time in vampire politics, I have other stuff to do."

Chi looked at her strangely. "Well you could try the library, they have books on everything, careful what you decide to read though, not all of them speak of truths." She shrugged again. "No idea. I don't spend much time around coven followers or even the leaders."

Nuwa gave a respectful nod then, unphased by Chi’s lack of information, or perhaps delighted by it. Looking at the woman alone, it was hard to say which, but regardless of it, she nodded and met the other’s gaze clearly as she spoke.

“I understand, and I meant no disrespect.”

She turned to look up at one of the lights that lined the zoo’s path. The mellow orange-yellow light made it much easier to see all the animals, indeed even those without benefit of the immortal’s fabulous vision could have gotten along well in it. And this of course was one of many things that Nuwa had come to understand and accept of this world, so new to her. She’d learned that technology was a wondrous and useful thing. As well as that the new was not to be underestimated; indeed she’d known that for a rather long time.

After all one of the truths of being an immortal had been just as the elder said, the eldest is not always the best leader, indeed those that walk the path of time walk very different paths. Some might walk forever and always be fools. And that thought brought with it another smile on her behalf and she began to speak again.

“I find politics to be a necessary evil.” The woman said matter-of-factly then. “There are always more important things, but sometimes you must simply give over to them in order to not have the world around you shaped by hands not your own.”

Nuwa met Chi’s gaze then, looking concerned and thoughtful, perhaps a bit hurt. But the hurt in her eyes was an old thing, ancient and far removed, indeed it was nothing more than pictures now. Images that flooded behind her eye lids as she sleep and yet when she spoke it held a weight of that personal experience.

“That dear Elder, I have never been able to tolerate. My fate is my own, even the gods never truly asked so much of us. And that is no doubt the reason I feel the way I do.”

She smiled again then.

“Though in this I’ll admit I was merely curious.”

Her smile widened then and she nodded at the other’s statement of libraries. She remembered libraries, indeed she remembered those that stretched out of miles and held the entire knowledge and cultures of entire civilizations, but of course she had not seen so magnificent a building anywhere to be found in the city, so clearly things had changed. Nuwa supposed she’d simply have to find out about the location of this place.

And then she gave another nod, this one of thanks.

“Thank you for your warning.” She said then. “I shall search for it shortly, but if you are sure I am not bothering you. Would you mind walking with me?”

Nuwa smiled again then. Her dark eyes moved silently taking in all that was around her and she gestured forward then.

“Please. I’d like to continue talking, but also, also I’d like to explore this place. Is that alright?”

Chi raised an eyebrow at the other. "There was no disrespect seen and i did not mean to say it the way that it came out. Even ancients make mistakes though many seem to think that we never do. Most of us simply lose touch with reality." She did still every now and then, yet it seemed to become more and more infrequent. She was lucky, if it could be called luck, something else could be causing it, yet it would be hard to see what, there were so many variables.

If Chi could have heard Nuwa's train of thought she would have agreed with the younger vampire. Technology was one thing that needed to be understood. It could be something to fear, but if you understood it, at least you would know what was coming at you, if ever you found yourself at the end of one of the weapons. Chi was pretty sure that she could dismantle one with her telekinesis, it didn't seem all that hard, though she probably would want to go over the schematics of all hand held guns. It would be unfortunate if she pulled on a piece and the thing exploded in the person's hand.

Chi shrugged her shoulders. "As long as politics don't bother me, I won't be bothered by it. If there is a matter that interests me, then perhaps I will consider it and see what is the decision on the matter, but until then I have no need to be interested." That was a closure on the topic, if the other opened the topic, it was doubtful that Chi would answer, though so far the other hadn't been quite kind and Chi responded to kindness better then anger or sadness.

Chi tilted her head in acknowledgment. "I would love to walk with you, tonight I have the night ahead of me, since I did my affairs during the day." She smiled inhaling the scent of the night. "I love this new creation, though perhaps they should make the cages bigger."

Nuwa nodded at Chi’s statement of the cages and even as she did, her dark gaze falling upon a pacing tiger. The massive cat was not those she remembered from her homeland, but larger still. Even in the low light she could see the differences and yet that made the beast no less nostalgic. For a longtime the tiger had been a symbol of fortune and power, perhaps longer even than both Chi and Nuwa had lived.

Yet watching it pace in its cage, it was easy for the vampiress to understand that the size came up short of the great beast’s restlessness.
“Predators never have enough space.” The woman commented mysteriously, and then she was in motion picking up a stride that seemed the mirror image of that tiger on the prowl.

As they walked, the woman thought, first of what she’d learned from her companion and then of what she knew or rather had already learned since waking from her long slumber. Curious. These things made her curious and while she had stated a bit of her curiosity, perhaps as much as she could for the night, she still had more concerns, more thoughts and questions that ran feverishly through her mind.

Still it is the mark of the truly disciplined to know when enough is enough and if ever there was anything that Nuwa lacked, it had never been discipline.
So she walked on, for a while not saying anything at all, simply taking steps that made no sound and watching the cages for the signs of life before searching her mind to identify that life. There were many creatures that she knew and yet some she did not and it was one such beast that she paused on now, looking at it as it moved about in what was not exactly a cage, but a pit of sorts, though this pit had a roof and even glass at its side. And right before her eyes through the glass, Nuwa watched earth and water split, and sitting upon on isle of land was a large bear. It stared at her as she looked, gazing with eyes even darker than her own that drew a stark contrast to its ivory fur.

Even as she looked, Nuwa looked down at the sign before the animal’s pit. The words “Polar Bear” meant little to her. Yet she looked to her companion then.

“Can you tell me of this creature, please.” Nuwa requested, carefully looking at the bear as it seemed to look back just the same. This involved it craning its neck upward to gaze upward, but despite the situation it was no less a studying gaze, as if with its dark eyes it sought to indentify her even as she sought to do the same.