Werewolf the Apocalypse: The Changing

[kaeim]

Hey all,

So this is basically a write up of my Werewolf the Apocalypse sessions. This won't be a constantly updated, mostly its for me practicing my writing and for my GM to double check notes and the like.

The main premise of this write up follows as such:

This is a solo chronicle between me and my GM, the themes of this are exploring the life before becoming a Werewolf and trying to adjust to becoming a Werewolf afterwards, while dealing with the aftermath. The main intent of my character is to try and hold onto two conflicting lives, the life they had before the Changing, and the life they have after. Feel free to ask any questions if you have it, otherwise I hope you enjoy the ride alongside me.

 

[kaeim]

The pounding music echoed through the room, the darkness only semi-banished by a small, swaying light that cast strange shadows through the room. The stench of years-worth of spilt alcohol filled the room, a strange acidic stench that lingered. Kneeling by a large fridge, a young woman was knelt by its open door, packing cold bottles into a large box that clanged with every addition added to it.


With a loud huff, the woman closed the fridge and stood up, holding the box gingerly, her arms clearly straining as she turned and walked towards the stairs. Jenni sighed as she got ready for another night of work. She worked regular shifts at the Great Northern, and she had just worked three nights in a row. She hated weekends.


A ripping sound suddenly filled the air, and Jenni felt something catch at her side. Glancing down, she saw that part of her top had caught against a old nail sticking out of place. A feeling of frustration came over her, and with a deliberate tug, she pulled against the force. The sound of ripping echoed again, and Jenni was free. She fucking hates the outfit that they had to wear. Deliberately skin tight, it showed off all of her, and she really hated it when clothes did that. But did Rick, their owner give a shit? Not in the slightest.


Opening the door, Jenni stepped out into the bar and the music that had been temporarily muted in the cellar below hit her full force. Although it was only around half nine, the place was already half full. Some band that was apparently popular was opening up the night, and its fans swarmed the place. Jenni made her way to her station at the bar, quickly ducking low to open the small empty fridges and began to fill them up as quickly as possible. She nodded to a couple of regulars who waited patiently at the bar, a quick glance around revealed that they were outnumbered tonight by the various groupies. At least the career alcoholics weren't likely to stick around tonight. Hopefully she wouldn't even have to clean up any puke tonight.


It looked like the vast majority of people here tonight were students, fresh looking young ones, likely with more than a few holding fake IDs too. She glanced over to where the head bouncer, Tibs, was letting people in. As much as she liked the guy, she knew he was a bit of a sucker for a pretty face. She'd have to keep an eye on who she served.


Another glance revealed her boyfriend (and christ, she couldn't believe that was still a thing) James over by a group of Asian businessmen. All of them were laughing amongst themselves, James roaring alongside them. She couldn't help but smile as she looked at him, he always knew how to make people laugh. It also meant great tips as well hopefully. They could really use the money.


A sudden presence behind her made her head spin. Standing above her with a grumpy expression was Rick, her manager. Hopefully he hadn't been staring at her ass, she grumbled inside her head. "On your feet, girl, we got trustafarians to relieve of their money," Jennie's boss Rick half-shouts above the noise before he walked away.


Jenni simply rolled her eyes as she put the last bottle in its place and stood up, already attracting the attention of a couple of people looking to get served. As she began to take orders, James walked up and slid a piece of paper over to her - drink orders from the businessmen. As she took it, his hand quickly slid across hers and squeezed it. Shooting a grin at her, James swirled on his feet and began to cruise the club again, looking for people to take orders from. Her smile still lingering on her face as she took it, her night seemed to be just that little bit lighter.


Several hours in, that feeling seemed to disappear as she poured yet another drink for what felt like the umpteemth time. Her pocket vibrated again as she felt another text message come in. Probably from Dawn, complaining about her boyfriend again. Rick, yet another asshole. Maybe someone ought to look into a correlation between people being assholes and people being named Rick. And her night only seemed to look worse as she turned to her next customers.


A pack of four punkish guys waited impatiently at the bar, all grousing at each other.. "Oi! How bout some Fat Tires sometime this century? Jesus lady!" one of them calls out, a particularly greasy looking individual.


Jenni glanced at the punks as she pours another beer. Another bunch of drunk pricks. Their kind also tended to tip poorly, if at all. Putting on a smile, she glanced at them and began to pour their drinks, putting them in front of the punks once she had finished pouring.


"That'll be twelve dollars and seventy cents," She says to the lead punk


Greaseball frowned a heavy-brow grimace as he picked up a glass, glaring at it as though it had insulted his mother. "This fuckin 'Tire is half foam." He looks aside to one of his mates, angry. Jennie saw a tattoo of some Asian creature that surprisingly wasn't too dissimilar to the one that she had on her thigh. Glancing at his companions, she noticed to her mild distaste that it almost matched exactly that of his companions on the left side of his neck.


"I got you, man," James suddenly appeared at her side with a fresh, freezer-frosted glass stein. "The CO2's probably turned up too high. Here, on the house." He slid the second stein over the bar's lacquered surface as he gave Jennie's side a reassuring, cautioning squeeze. Keep these guys peaceful, he seems to warn, before he's back out on the floor with both hands full of Cosmos, Jagerbombs, and more.


"Fuckin right it's free, greaseball groused again, but seeming mollified.


Jennie's phone buzzes again.


Jenni frowned in the direction of James, suddenly feeling a large sense of annoyance coming over her. What, did he still think she couldn't handle herself? Christ, maybe she thought about it too much, but sometimes he could just be that little bit overprotective. Even if those guys tried anything, it wasn't like they didn't have bouncers watching everything that was going on. She blew a stray bit of hair out of eye as she felt her phone start buzzing again. Damnit Dawn, she was at work.


Mentally, she tried to work out when her next break was. Not long, hopefully?


She smiled at the punker as he took his free beer. "Anything else?"


To her alarm, he leant forward suddenly, almost sniffing the air as he looked at her. "Yeah," He said with a grin, revealing almost yellow teeth. "How about your sister's number. Maybe yours too. I'm a friendly guy, ya know."


Over by the front door, Tib waved over at her, catching her attention. He beckoned her over, to which she gave a glance. Catching on almost immediately as his eyes glanced between her and the group, he caught the attention of a passerby and pointed over at them. In a few seconds, a stunning noveau-riche gal in red walked over, giving a disgusted look at the group.


"Hey, that bouncer guy said to come over, he needs to have a word with you or something," she half yelled over the music before moving disgustedly away from the leather-clad pack as they turned their attention towards her.


Jenni just gives the punk a foul look and turns away, not even bothering to respond to that. She felt a wave of anger go over her, a burning sense of humiliation. Goddamned jackoff.


She glanced between her boss and the door, then at the customers waiting. 'Fine, fine,' she murmured to herself. Her eyes lit up briefly as she saw James returning with another order to her. Leaning over the bar just as he reached her, she called out as best she could over the noise.


"Can you take over for a few seconds? Tibs says that someone's looking for me, and I reckon it has something to do with the constant buzzing from my phone."


James nodded, glancing around as well towards where Tib was patiently talking to a staggering student. "How long?" He called back.


"Five minutes max, promise!" With a daring grin, she leant in and kissed him on the cheek, ignoring the mocking whoops from the customers before she made her way past the bar and through the crowd towards where Tib was, skillfully ducking and weaving past drunken students who were making their way back and forth from the dance floor. At this point of the night, the opening band had finished and it looked as if the main band were setting up. She had better be quick, since the majority of dancers would be making their way to the bar to freshen up.


As she reached Tibs, the broad-shouldered bouncer chin-checked her in casually, a large smile on his face. "Dere's a mon in a monkey suit waitin ovah dere, m'say dat," he informs her in his thick Jamaican accent, pointing just outside. His fellow bouncer, some new guy who had been brought in from some agency also nodded at her, looking harassed as he checked ID after ID. Glancing out, Jenni noticed to her dismay that the queue extended almost around the block. Tibs took it all in a cheerful manner, hardly checking the IDs of the more attractive women, regardless of their state of sobriety.


Diagonal from the line, a man dressed in a almost-comically formal three-piece suit and driver's cap stood with his hands jammed in his pants pockets, looking directly at her. Right behind behind him was a black Jaguar crossover. He hadn't noticed her yet, and was instead looking at the crowd, a careful expression on his face. Jenni slowed as she looked at him, confusion filling her. She had no idea who he was. Kinda scruffy looking, he very much looked like he was uncomfortable.


His head turned towards her, and almost immediately he straightened up, a relieved expression coming over his face.


"There you are!" He said loudly as he began to walk towards her. "Finally! Jenni, yeah? I've been sent here by your uncle, he's sent me to collect you." He paused momentarily, scrunching his face. "And...Jim? He said you'd know who Jim is."


He clicked his fingers a couple of times, before he grinned widely. "James!" He said proudly, "James, that was his name!"


Reaching into his pocket, he felt around for a couple of seconds before pulling out a set of car keys. Turning towards the jaguar, he pressed a button and the car unlocked itself. He reached for the back door and opened it before looking at her expectantly.


Jenni stared at the man, her mind a whirl as she tried to process what was going on. She stared at him, not moving a inch forward as she glanced between him and the bouncers behind her. Her uncle? What the hell did that asshole...Slowly, she shook her head, backing off a step or two.


"I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about this. And I can't leave, I'm working. And why would my uncle send you, and not tell me?"


The man looked visibly distressed as Jeni spoke, slowly he closed the car door again. He pulled off his cap, and started squeezing it between his hands.


Jenni suddenly felt goosebumps prickle on her skin, and she suddenly felt as if she was being watched from all sides. Her hairs stood up on her arms and back, and it suddenly felt like everyone was watching her. She felt nervous, the centre of attention. She glanced around, taking another step back.


She jumped suddenly as someone shoved past her. Turning on her heels, Jenni realised she had stepped into the middle of the queue, garnering dirty looks from those who were waiting. She leapt back, but a loose bit of stone beneath her gave way and in her ridiculous shoes, she started to slip. She almost fell, but a pair of strong arms quickly caught her. Glancing up, she saw the smiling features of Tibs holding her up. The man in the car had moved forward as well, but halted as Tibs looked up at the man, his friendly features rapidly turning into a warning scowl.


Tiberius gently helped Jenni to her feet, moving out of the way to allow a gaggle of sorority girls through, all of them laughing with each other and giving her mocking looks of pity and contempt. Jenni felt humiliation start to boil inside of her. "No blockin' de wey, ma chère," Tibs said quietly as he let go of her.


"Look," The man spoke up again, his eyes meeting hers. "If you could go on in and fetch Jim, then we all go to meet your uncle, and I get to keep my balls intact, okay?"


Jenni's raised her eyebrows at the man, the humiliation still burning in her. Although her Uncle was distant and could be quite cruel in his inattentiveness, the thought of him being violent struck her as odd. He could be cold and distant, but not violent.


"Look," Jenni snapped at the man, "I'm sorry, but I have no idea what is going on here. And quite frankly, I'm not interested. If my Uncle wants to see me, he's more than welcome to contact me himself, and he can do so at a reasonable time and hour, but not when I'm working!"


Turning on her heels without looking at the man, she made her way past Tib into the club, ignoring the shout from behind her.


"No, you don't under--it's been impossible to find you!"


Once again, the sound hits her like a wave as she walks through the front entrance. She waves at a couple of other coworkers, giving them distracted smiles. She suddenly pauses as she feels another buzz in her pocket. Glancing around for the unwanted sight of Rick, she ducks to a corner and pulls out her phone.

 

[kaeim]

Jenni unlocks her phone to find dozens of messages cluttering her front page, the most recent message from a unknown number.


'Hi, Jennifer, this is Brendan Rosser,your uncle dispatched me to contact--'


How the fuck did he even get her number? A sudden buzz came through, the same number again.


'Look, Jennifer, I'll be by your place first thing in the morning. It's important. Please answer the door then.'


Jenni quickly opened his number on her messaging service and began to type back.


'First of all, asshole, my name isn't Jennifer. Second of all, please do not come to my house first thing in the morning, because I will be sleeping. For most of the day in fact, I will be sleeping with my boyfriend next to me. In fact, don't come to my house at all. I don't know who you are, and I definitely don't know how the hell you know where I live. If you come to my house, actually, if you come near me at all again, I will call the police. If my Uncle is in fact behind this, then he can contact me himself!! Don't call me on this, I am not bluffing."


Clicking the send button, she turns to her other messages. A couple of them were WhatsApp group messages, but the majority of them were coming from the same number - her best friend and roommate, Dawn. She scanned through them briefly, all of them pretty much complaining and garousing about the same person - Rick, her asshole boyfriend. She really, really did not like Rick. There were too many red flags with that guy. Opening the most recent message, she quickly typed back a reply.


'Hey babe, do you need to chill after work? I'll be dog tired, but we can hang out together and watch some shitty TV if you feel up to it? Just me and you? I could use one, I've got this guy pestering me. Says he's from my Uncle and he wants me to go, not sure what's going on there. Xx'


Pressing send, she slid her phone back into pocket and hurried back to the bar. Reaching James, she saw him smiling his usual confident smile as he slid a drink over to a blushing college girl. Upon noticing her, his grin grew wider as he opened the hatch to let her in, closing it quickly behind her. His hand drifted to her side in a comforting manner, his smile dimming slightly as he saw the look on her face.


"Everything alright, J?" He murmured in her ear as she made her way past him to her station.


Jenni glanced up at him, and plastered a smile on her face, trying to put a confident side up.


"Yeah...just work getting to me."


He nodded slowly, glancing behind her before moving back out into the club. "Looks like Rick's moving about, I'd better get back out there J. Not long before the night's over, yeah?"


"Yeah, maybe..." Jenni murmured under her breath as James walks away from her. She sighed, rubbing her eyes before with a large smile, she turned to her next customer.

==The Great Northern==

2 am local time, Saturday morning.​

Jenni finally served her last customer as the clubbers began to move out, escorted by the various bouncers. Covering her mouth, she tried to conceal a large yawn that practically stretched her mouth out. She felt completely exhausted from the whole night. The thought of her bed called to her, although...she felt her stomach rumble again. She was also starving.


She looks over to where James was. He was with one of the other bouncers, laughing in what looked like a really engaging conversation. Turning off her till, she quickly ducked underneath the hatch and walked up to him quietly from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist when she got close enough.


"Heeey," Jenni moaned into his back, her tone dulled by the exhaustion. "Can we get a pizza and go home?"


Turning to his side, James slips a arm around her side, a wide grin on his face. He didn't even look tired. "Definitely, I cleared $600 in tips tonight, those Chinese guys tipped amazingly!" He shakes his head almost admiringly, "Can drink like fish too, goddamn…" With his arm still around her, he began to walk towards the exit, "Lets go to BorDough, haven't been there in ages."


Jenni nudges him in the side, a small smile coming over her face, "Big spender tonight, aren't you?"


A laugh in his voice, he nudges her back giving a upper nod to Tibs as they walked past. "And since I'm buying, we're getting pineapple."


Jenni scrunched her face up in response, "Eww, no way."


The two bickered lightly over what type of pizza topping they should get as they often did, James fervently defended pineapple as God's gift to the world, while Jenni simply argued that the classic 'The Big Cheese', a pizza with six types of cheeses was and would always be superior over any other pizza. It was a long standing argument they had, and one that neither would ever win.


As they pulled up to BorDough Pies, Jenni quickly pulled her phone out. There were a couple more messages from that Brendan guy which she quickly deleted without even looking at. She sighed in slight disappointment and guilty relief that Dawn hadn't replied to her messages. She'd probably had another argument with Rick which would end with them making out and...probably other stuff. Ew.


James opened the car door for her, making her roll her eyes as she slipped the phone back into her pocket and got out. She leaned against James, feeling his arm slip around her as they both walked into BorDough.


Jenni basked in the warmth of BorDough's as they entered, the warmth of the ovens emitting through the restaurant, while the smell of cheese and crust added a extra comfort.


"Same as usual?" At her nod, James headed to the counter while she found a table. Not hard at this time of night, with barely more than half a dozen people inside. It was that magical hour between when normal people went home for the night and when the drunks would come in from off the streets.


Barely a few minutes went by before James sat across from her, placing her own pizza in front of her before he dug into his own. Some kind of caribbean mix tonight for him, she noted. Not that it mattered much to him, so long it had some kind of pineapple, he would eagerly eat it. For her though...she stared at her meal with rising excitement. Cheese oozed almost magically, layer upon layer upon layer. Scooping up a slice, she quickly caught a strand of cheese that almost fell off the edge of her slice in her mouth. The two remained in silence for several minutes as they eagerly ate.


"So," James finally spoke up as he pushed half of his food away from him, leaning back in his chair lazily. "How did your night go? You looked busy as."


Jenni shrugged as she practically shoved half of a slice into her mouth, chewing eagerly to the satisfaction of her stomach. "It was...alright, I guess. You know how it goes, I'm just glad to get out of there."


"Oh?" He replied curiously, "Just one of those nights, or something more? Was it related to whoever was waiting for you? Jake said you were talking to a guy…"


Jenni paused munching for a few seconds, before letting out a sigh. "There...was this one guy. Apparently he knows my Uncle, says that he wants to see me. I basically told him I wasn't interested. I don't know why he wouldn't contact me himself, but there you go. I've not received any missed calls or anything from him. I might give him a call tomorrow, but I don't know if I can be bothered to deal with him." Jenni sighs dramatically and leans back in her chair, casually rubbing her full belly.


"Yeah, no. That is weird. I dunno if you've mentioned your uncle before," he responds noncommittally. "I hope everything's alright."


"Ehh, I've kinda mentioned him in passing." She idly glanced at her plate and pushed one of the few remaining slices around. "He's quite distant. A good guy, I think." Her mind flashed back to what Brendan had said. "Look, babe, I don't really like to talk about my family history. Can we just drop it?"


James looked at her for a few seconds, before nodding slowly. "Yeah, alright. Have you finished?"


At her nod, he stood up. "C'mon, lets go home."


"Mmm," Jenni lazed on the aisle. "Carry me?"


Rolling his eyes, James leant down and helped her onto her feet, sliding his arm around her and walking with her out. Jenni felt her eyes start to drift downwards, drowsiness threatening to overcome her. She eagerly sat down into the car, ignoring the uncomfortable seating. She started to shift to find a more comfortable seating, finally finding a sweet spot. She leant against the window, feeling herself starting to drift off as she felt the car start up.


She jolted awake when James opened the door, a smirk on his face. Flipping him off, she undid her seatbelt and got out, stretching sleepily.


"Come on you, lets get some slee-"


Jenni suddenly stopped in her tracks, suddenly fully awake. Her mouth opened slightly as she stared at where the front door used to be. Shattered into pieces and swinging from its hing outwards, the entrance was fully exposed.


"Holy shit…" She heard James murmur as he saw for himself.


"Dawn!!" Jenni yelled as she pushed past James to run inside.