Just outside the inn

[Anton]

Everything was blurring gently away from Anton, a cool darkness sinking into his muscles and caccooning his skin. He couldn't quite focus enough on why the rain felt so thick, on his lashes, in his mouth, under his eyes.

There was a sound like static in his head, the like of which reminded him of a mosquito in a room.

Outwardly, as Keane reached him, the boy is blood-soaked and strongly beaten, one eye unable to open. Anton's curled ineffectually into himself, trembling slightly. He doesn't resist if moved, though makes a tiny sound in the back of his throat, and turns instinctively into Keane.

[alanwrotethis]

Niketas kept his eye on the writhing warrior, calculating fabric torque, friction, initial surprise.

He raised his left hand. At the tethering post nearby, a chain started to twitch, serpentine. The metal post bent, the hook uncurling, flourishing a stabbing point.

"Jean-Jacques... please relent," he says, a shift in tone as he considers Domination. "If you do not, I will have to call on a few more friends who would like to meet you, and some of them..."

He traces his foot on the ground, forming a sigma in the mud, ready to will the earth to awaken.

"... some of them are a lot bigger and stronger than you. Relent."

[Posh-Tim]

Keane reaches the pair of them roughly when Jean-Jacques drops. With him gone from the immediate vicinity he drops down next to Anton. With his sense heightened still from earlier he has already seen the damage by the time he is there.
"What have you done Anton. You stupid boy." the words a hushed and worried whisper with his face a picture to match. Anton doesn't hear them though, Antons not their right now. He tries to pick up the waif of a boy and struggles, adding Vitae to endeavour he finds he is just able to lift him. Though only barely once he is off the ground.

[Jean-Jacques]

Who had the upper hand? It was hard to tell if a hand was even in the ascendency at all, as Dukes speaks the commotion ebbs..

...Relent

That...voice...familiar...

Jean-Jacques stills and attempts to stand up, a foolhardy option with his having briefly forgotten the coat that has enveloped him, he instead ladies still, trusting that the seams will not outlast his sinews..

In fact...this is hard, the ground, I hadn’t noticed, shit, what was happening...and am in in water?.... i can hear the pounding of rain... hang on, that little shit Anton...

“Merde!”

“Elder Dukes, my apologies you seem to have me at a brief disadvantage, for some reason I am struggling to regain my footing”

The prone figure attempt to carefully unwrap himself, rather than direct conflict with the animated garment

[alanwrotethis]

Niketas furrows his brow. The nearby chains and spikes continue to sway, cobra-like.

"Elder Keane, please take your ward inside. I will remain here until I am certain the neonate is mollified. Please advise the room to stay alert. "

He turns back to Jean Jacques.

"Monsieur, you have affrayed. You're a military man, and you know how delicate your standing is right now... this is the point when you must make your cooperation clear. Accept my custody. Cooperate."

He continues to whisper Latin syllables under his breath, his mind forming fists in the stone underfoot, on the edge of becoming the earth. His veins, hungry for the change, switch to a green hue.switch

After last night, a part of him wants the escalation, to rend and tear. He ignores it, for now.

[Jean-Jacques]

Jean-Jacques is aware of his surroundings, acutely, the sudden inferno within has dampened , his aura is returned to a normal hue.

His senses carry the sheriffs words as he muffled, a little dampness and the wrapped cloth impeding a clear voice...., a response from where he lays prone and stilled.

‘I shall cooperate with your office Elder, “

[Laurence]

Celerity really is the most amazing ability...

Laurence’s thoughts are interrupted as the world once more comes into focus around him, the effect of his speed thus that he felt like he was seeing multiple copies of everything as he blurred through space. His form seeming to vanish from one spot only to appear again elsewhere.

He is standing outside the tavern now, appearing in the spot just outside the door like he had just teleported there. He views the scene before him, Jean wrapped in an animated coat with a spike of metal and chain hovering over him, Dukes standing over the probe Neonate. Whilst Keane scooped up Anton’s near torpor form.

“Neatonate Jacques and Anton. Again.”

[alanwrotethis]

"Hmph, Ancilla Stoker. Based on the manner of your egress, you are trying to be covert. Stop that. The matter is in hand, I am keeping Jean Jacques under custody until I can be certain this latest 'episode' has passed. Unless you have something truly credible or incredible to say I would be very grateful if you returned inside."

[Laurence]

“Not covert Elder Dukes, but aware that any situation in which Neonate Anton has been allowed time to bait one of the younger Brujah may be problematic. And as the Childe’s Sire has retired, I thought it best a representative of the Clan was here to ensure everything remained above board.

Laurence glances down at Jean with narrowed eyes

“Your reputation is of course above reproach Elder Dukes, night I enquire under what authority you are keeping Primogen Granville’s Childe in custody? Just for my own interest of course.”

Laurence has a small smile on his face, seemingly open and honest in his enquiry.

[Posh-Tim]

As Laurence appears and starts questioning the situation Keane throws onenl scathing look at the now stilled pile of coat and kindred. He looks back toward the Tavern to see if there is a door other than the front door he can use. Shaking his head he returns, a little slowly due to the weight, inside. Without looking around he says;
"Thankyou Sheriff, I will see you indoors."
And departs without engaging further, just mumbling quietly to Anton in his arms.