"A fun fact about vampires: a fresh thrall has a chance of going into frenzy. Damocles was probably on lookout, so that didn't happen." Riley said, quite matter-of-factly, "Or maybe it would be better to say that he was watching over you." He rolled his neck, but didn't return his head to its upright position, leaving it tilted as he continued, "And come to think of it, when you carelessly tossed yourself into the sun, he didn't hesitate to rush into the sunlight to save you. Even though he ran the risk of evaporating as well." Riley straightened out, and looked at Izzy dead on. "To be honest, it's probably something like the affection humans feel for their pets. But at the very least, Damocles is true to you."
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Izzy said nothing as Riley rolled his neck, chewing over his words, that Cerasus had been watching over her, and even come after her at his own risk that first day. The memory of it made her shudder. If he had not come out and dragged her back inside, she was sure she would be nothing but a pile of ashes right now. First he had spared her, then he saved her. Feeling his gaze, she met Riley’s stare.
A disgusted displeasure flashed in her eyes at the comparison of the whole thing to a human’s care for a pet, and she looked away as he finished.
She let a silence fall between them, mulling over everything he said.
“Okay,” she said at last, her voice nearly inaudible. “I get your point.”
A disgusted displeasure flashed in her eyes at the comparison of the whole thing to a human’s care for a pet, and she looked away as he finished.
She let a silence fall between them, mulling over everything he said.
“Okay,” she said at last, her voice nearly inaudible. “I get your point.”
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"Good. I just don't want you to think of yourself as a victim. That's the one thing I can't stand." Riley said, without a hint of malice.
"You two done having a heart to heart? We have another battle to schedule!" A strange, yet mostly familiar voice sounded from the classroom where Cerasus had been eating.
"Guess the kid is done." Riley nonchalantly said, gesturing for Izzy to follow.
He rounded the corner into the classroom, and there was a surprise waiting for them. Cerasus had... changed. His body had developed from that of an eight or nine-year-old boy to one right around Izzy's brothers' age. Still a child, but he could ostensibly be referred to as a teenager. His clothes had changed as well; it was still an old-timey school uniform, but he had acquired long pants and a sleek blazer. His hair was still a curly mop, but it now hung down around his ears, nearly to his shoulders.
Only a few days had passed and he had already grown.
"You two done having a heart to heart? We have another battle to schedule!" A strange, yet mostly familiar voice sounded from the classroom where Cerasus had been eating.
"Guess the kid is done." Riley nonchalantly said, gesturing for Izzy to follow.
He rounded the corner into the classroom, and there was a surprise waiting for them. Cerasus had... changed. His body had developed from that of an eight or nine-year-old boy to one right around Izzy's brothers' age. Still a child, but he could ostensibly be referred to as a teenager. His clothes had changed as well; it was still an old-timey school uniform, but he had acquired long pants and a sleek blazer. His hair was still a curly mop, but it now hung down around his ears, nearly to his shoulders.
Only a few days had passed and he had already grown.
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Izzy responded to Riley with a simple, noncommittal snort, then looked up when a voice floated from the classroom. Though it still held a hint of the childlike voice of Cerasus, it no sounded far more mature.
She looked to Riley, then followed after him as he headed into the classroom. She came to a halt just inside the doorway when she saw the new Cerasus standing in place of the child. She glanced around the room, wondering if he had a stash of dated school uniforms somewhere, or if that was another vampiric ability.
“Nothing like a nutrition-filled arm to make a young vampire grow up healthy and strong,” Izzy said, looking Cerasus over.
She looked to Riley, then followed after him as he headed into the classroom. She came to a halt just inside the doorway when she saw the new Cerasus standing in place of the child. She glanced around the room, wondering if he had a stash of dated school uniforms somewhere, or if that was another vampiric ability.
“Nothing like a nutrition-filled arm to make a young vampire grow up healthy and strong,” Izzy said, looking Cerasus over.
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One day later...
"So... this kid's body grows every time he eats one of his stolen limbs?" Trevor indicated his grasp of the situation.
It was immediately after sundown on June 22nd. Cerasus was still asleep. A vampire's day and night were reversed; this applied to Izzy too, but she felt bad about dragging Trevor out at late hours. As such, she had woken up early.
There was a barrier placed around the abandoned school. That's what Riley said, anyway. It concealed the presence of Cerasus and Izzy, but also made it difficult for regular people to find the school without a guide, apparently. For that reason, Izzy had to go out and find Trevor once he was in the general vicinity of the school and bring him there. After the sun set, that was. Trevor was in the exact spot that they had coordinated, perfectly on time.
"Heya," he had said.
He had even brought what Izzy had asked, as she could tell from the bags he was carrying. They passed through a fence and into the school. Private property, no trespassing. Riley was out negotiating, and Cerasus was asleep. Izzy had told Cerasus she was bringing Trevor in, but he didn't seem particularly interested. In any case, the two settled into one of the other second floor classrooms with the windows boarded up. Izzy was fine getting by with her vampire eyes, but she had arranged a flashlight for Trevor. That was to say, he had brought one for himself.
After a little idle chit-chat (Izzy had been deprived of TV and newspapers over the last couple of days), Izzy told Trevor the story up to that day. He sat, listening with interest, nodding. Maybe his curiosity about the unknown exceeded most people's. Izzy told him everything she could, lying about nothing.
And when she had finished telling him about Cerasus' "growth" he had said, "This kid's body grows every time he eats one of his stolen limbs? Hmm. Though maybe 'this kid' is a bad way to refer to a, what, five-hundred-year-old vampire? Anyway, is that the deal?"
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Izzy had been relatively surprised at Cerasus’ rather aloof response to her bringing Trevor into the loop. Though part of her still worried about dragging him into this world of aberrations--with herself included in that category, she refused to refer to them as beasts or monsters--part of her felt that, if she did not talk to an outsider, to someone who knew as much as she did about this obscure side to the world, she might explode. And Trevor seemed to be a good guy, even, as much as she rebelled against it, perhaps a good friend.
So, with a quick check of the time, she managed to get a hold of Trevor and arranged their meeting.
That day, she had difficulties sleeping with everything running through her head, from what she planned on telling Trevor, to the conversation she and Riley had had. There was something about their conversation that had nagged at the back of her mind, as if she had missed something important. As, at long last, she began to doze off, her eyes snapped open as it hit her: unless Cerasus had told him about it, there was no way Riley should have known about her incident in the sun. Unless, of course, he had been there, watching them.
She inhaled and sat up. If he had been watching them, then their first meeting, him just happening to be passing by in time to save her, became far less like a happy coincidence.
She glanced to the door of her chosen classroom, thinking she should bring this to Cerasus’ attention in case he had not realized it.
It can wait until tonight, she decided. With that, she laid back down, using the backpack she had packed as a pillow, and did her best to get some sleep.
Izzy woke before the sun had fully set, hoping to lead Trevor to the school and begin her explanation before Cerasus awoke. With the hunters still in the town, and the barrier over the school, the rotting building seemed the safest place for them to talk. She waited at the door for the sun to sink below the horizon enough for her leave, then rushed out to meet Trevor and bring him to the school.
When she began her tale, from beginning to end, she paced in front of him, her arms moving in emphasis as she spoke. Once she began, she found everything pouring out, any filters abandoned. She cast him frequent glances, watching his expression and reactions carefully.
Upon finishing, she stopped pacing and stood in front of him. She straightened the bottom of her plain t-shirt nervously as she waited for him to say something.
“That’s what it looks like, yeah.” Izzy sat in front of him, her legs crossed. Her usual light camouflage jacket, now more of a vest with the remaining sleeve carefully torn off to match the other, sat discarded atop her backpack in a corner, her staff leaning against the wall beside it.
She glanced to the closed door, then looked back to Trevor, her voice low as she voiced her concerns from the previous day. “And then there’s Riley. He says he’s a neutral party, but if he’s been watching us this whole time, he has to be after something. And who knows how long he was watching Cerasus before I came into the picture.” She shook her head. “You know, you’re taking this a lot better than, well, most of humanity would.”
So, with a quick check of the time, she managed to get a hold of Trevor and arranged their meeting.
That day, she had difficulties sleeping with everything running through her head, from what she planned on telling Trevor, to the conversation she and Riley had had. There was something about their conversation that had nagged at the back of her mind, as if she had missed something important. As, at long last, she began to doze off, her eyes snapped open as it hit her: unless Cerasus had told him about it, there was no way Riley should have known about her incident in the sun. Unless, of course, he had been there, watching them.
She inhaled and sat up. If he had been watching them, then their first meeting, him just happening to be passing by in time to save her, became far less like a happy coincidence.
She glanced to the door of her chosen classroom, thinking she should bring this to Cerasus’ attention in case he had not realized it.
It can wait until tonight, she decided. With that, she laid back down, using the backpack she had packed as a pillow, and did her best to get some sleep.
* * *
Izzy woke before the sun had fully set, hoping to lead Trevor to the school and begin her explanation before Cerasus awoke. With the hunters still in the town, and the barrier over the school, the rotting building seemed the safest place for them to talk. She waited at the door for the sun to sink below the horizon enough for her leave, then rushed out to meet Trevor and bring him to the school.
When she began her tale, from beginning to end, she paced in front of him, her arms moving in emphasis as she spoke. Once she began, she found everything pouring out, any filters abandoned. She cast him frequent glances, watching his expression and reactions carefully.
Upon finishing, she stopped pacing and stood in front of him. She straightened the bottom of her plain t-shirt nervously as she waited for him to say something.
“That’s what it looks like, yeah.” Izzy sat in front of him, her legs crossed. Her usual light camouflage jacket, now more of a vest with the remaining sleeve carefully torn off to match the other, sat discarded atop her backpack in a corner, her staff leaning against the wall beside it.
She glanced to the closed door, then looked back to Trevor, her voice low as she voiced her concerns from the previous day. “And then there’s Riley. He says he’s a neutral party, but if he’s been watching us this whole time, he has to be after something. And who knows how long he was watching Cerasus before I came into the picture.” She shook her head. “You know, you’re taking this a lot better than, well, most of humanity would.”
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Trevor had sat down at one of the ruined desks in the building, with what seemed to be a small amount of trepidation. He evidently wasn't used to such an uncleanly environment, but he was making do. As Izzy told him that he was taking everything well, he only gave a nervous sort of laugh and shrugged at her. His glasses reflected the light of his flashlight, making it hard to read his expression.
"Well, actually, I was thinking," He started, sort of slowly and contemplatively, "Maybe it was my fault. Your run-in with a vampire, I mean." He obviously could sense how crazy Izzy thought this idea was. "Rumors have a funny way of coming true, right? Rumoring... has a way of having them come to you. Think about it, y'know? I was the one that told you the rumor, and I even ran into a vampire, too."
"Well, actually, I was thinking," He started, sort of slowly and contemplatively, "Maybe it was my fault. Your run-in with a vampire, I mean." He obviously could sense how crazy Izzy thought this idea was. "Rumors have a funny way of coming true, right? Rumoring... has a way of having them come to you. Think about it, y'know? I was the one that told you the rumor, and I even ran into a vampire, too."
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Izzy cocked her head at Trevor’s nervous laugh, then raised her eyebrows when he voiced blaming himself. She let out a laugh of her own at the ridiculousness of it.
“Yes, it’s your fault my brothers drove me to get out of the house," she said sarcastically as she placed her arms behind her and leaned back, paying little attention to the rubble she felt beneath her palms. Between her favored woodsy environment and the past week of bunking in the school, it had all but become normal. She sighed. “I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time is all. That’s how it happens. But if that is the case, why don’t you make up a rumor for me that will get me out of this without having to duke it out with two more hunters?”
“Yes, it’s your fault my brothers drove me to get out of the house," she said sarcastically as she placed her arms behind her and leaned back, paying little attention to the rubble she felt beneath her palms. Between her favored woodsy environment and the past week of bunking in the school, it had all but become normal. She sighed. “I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time is all. That’s how it happens. But if that is the case, why don’t you make up a rumor for me that will get me out of this without having to duke it out with two more hunters?”
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Trevor seemed stuck on the idea, resting his chin on his hands as he continued to muse, "Maybe there's another way of looking at it. The rumor precedes the, the... aberration, was it? Rumors cause them to be born. Like, idunno, fairy tales or oral tradition. Chicken and the egg." He leaned back and sighed. "Come to think of it, I was going out of my way looking for a vampire."
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“Oh?” Izzy cocked her head quizzically at him as he began. She nodded when Trevor checked his terminology.
Izzy shook her head as he leaned back on his chosen desk. “Rumors don’t cause anything besides a hype among those spreading them, or anger in whoever they’re about," she began, sticking to her original thinking. "Rumors don’t make truths, let alone bring beings into existence. Truths are what spread into wild rumors.”
She regarded him when he finished. “That’s right, you were, huh? So it shouldn’t surprise you that you found one!” She gave him a halfhearted smile, then sighed. “Trouble likes to seek people out. Go looking for it, and you’re bound to collide.”
Izzy shook her head as he leaned back on his chosen desk. “Rumors don’t cause anything besides a hype among those spreading them, or anger in whoever they’re about," she began, sticking to her original thinking. "Rumors don’t make truths, let alone bring beings into existence. Truths are what spread into wild rumors.”
She regarded him when he finished. “That’s right, you were, huh? So it shouldn’t surprise you that you found one!” She gave him a halfhearted smile, then sighed. “Trouble likes to seek people out. Go looking for it, and you’re bound to collide.”
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"Well," Trevor tilted his head, thinking the situation over more, "Maybe I wasn't really looking for a vampire, specifically. I think I was more stomping my feet, looking for something that didn't exist. How do I say this... I guess I was going in circles, and wanted a change in my life." He slouched in his chair a bit, but didn't seem any more sullen in his face or voice. "Just trying to escape reality."
Trevor then sat up and grabbed one of the shopping bags that he had carried in, "Anyway, here's the change of clothes you asked me for. I can leave if you'd like to change right now; you're kind of a mess." The bag was indeed full of shirts and pants and things, but notably there was a complete change of clothes present, to include undergarments, which were right at the top. Trevor seemed to remember this, suddenly adding, "Or, y'know, not, or, uh... whatever." He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. "I just hope everything fits okay. I just got small sizes for most of it. Uh, and, uh, I couldn't figure out certain... other sizes, so I just got camisoles."
Trevor then sat up and grabbed one of the shopping bags that he had carried in, "Anyway, here's the change of clothes you asked me for. I can leave if you'd like to change right now; you're kind of a mess." The bag was indeed full of shirts and pants and things, but notably there was a complete change of clothes present, to include undergarments, which were right at the top. Trevor seemed to remember this, suddenly adding, "Or, y'know, not, or, uh... whatever." He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. "I just hope everything fits okay. I just got small sizes for most of it. Uh, and, uh, I couldn't figure out certain... other sizes, so I just got camisoles."
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“You wanted a change?” Izzy nodded thoughtfully. “A bit surprising, but I understand that.” She had, after all, wished for the same thing a few days earlier, a change, an escape from the town, from everyone in it and the memories it held. “I guess we both got a bit more than we bargained for.” She gave a small snort, then sighed, her head turning to glance around the classroom.
She looked back to him when he straightened and collected one of the shopping bags.
“Oh, gee, thanks,” She rolled her eyes with a smirk at Trevor’s comment about looking a mess, and took the sack when he offered it. “You try hiding out here for a week and looking any better! I’d kill for running water and a shower right now. Figuratively speaking, anyway,” she added quickly, then looked in the bag as he continued. Realizing what sat on top, she closed it quickly. “I’m sure everything will fit fine.” She gave him a thankful smile. “I won’t take long to change. Though, with that comment, maybe I should make you look at me as a mess a while longer.” She placed the bag of clothes on another desk. “Thanks, Trevor.” She looked to him. “I owe you, big time.”
Izzy waited for Trevor to leave. She rummaged through the bag, pulled out what she needed, changed quickly, then went to the door to give Trevor the all clear.
She looked back to him when he straightened and collected one of the shopping bags.
“Oh, gee, thanks,” She rolled her eyes with a smirk at Trevor’s comment about looking a mess, and took the sack when he offered it. “You try hiding out here for a week and looking any better! I’d kill for running water and a shower right now. Figuratively speaking, anyway,” she added quickly, then looked in the bag as he continued. Realizing what sat on top, she closed it quickly. “I’m sure everything will fit fine.” She gave him a thankful smile. “I won’t take long to change. Though, with that comment, maybe I should make you look at me as a mess a while longer.” She placed the bag of clothes on another desk. “Thanks, Trevor.” She looked to him. “I owe you, big time.”
Izzy waited for Trevor to leave. She rummaged through the bag, pulled out what she needed, changed quickly, then went to the door to give Trevor the all clear.
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Trevor returned to the classroom, and gave Izzy a rather long, appraising look. He didn't seem lascivious, more like he was being critical. Probably in the way the clothes fit her, as he seemed to be a bit fussy about that sort of thing. Even so, his gaze ran along Izzy's arms and legs with that same sort of cautious analysis.
"If anything doesn't fit right, let me know and I'll take it back." Izzy thanked him, and he looked up to meet her gaze. "Oh, really, it's the least I could do. I honestly wish I could do more to help." His face resumed its earlier sort of critical look, and he shared his observations with Izzy, "You know, I thought this yesterday when I spotted you from behind, but you look different. Like, the shape of your body has changed. You're definitely leaner and more muscular-looking."
Cerasus poked his head into the doorway at this time. His long hair was mussed, and he had a distinctly tired look on his face. He must have just woken up. "That's natural... Our powers of regeneration keep our bodies," He paused to yawn, covering his mouth. "In peak physical condition." He walked back out of sight, past the doorframe, and then the sound of something slumping over onto the floor follow. He must have fallen back asleep.
"Rising and shining must not be his thing," Trevor quipped. "Anyway, here," He reached to the other bag he had carried in, and handed it to Izzy. "A present." The bag was full of books, from what Izzy could tell. "So, you bought those martial arts manuals to go fight that big person, right?" That was evidently Trevor's estimation of Dramatic Theurge, a "big person," "I think it was a good idea to try and prepare for a tough battle like that, but I think you went about it the wrong way. Martial arts are how humans fight, it's a human skill. But your strength is greater than a human now, so I think it would only limit you. So I think these will help more, instead."
Comic books. That's what the bag was full of. Superheroes, capes and everything. Evidently quite a lot of different series in the bag; some were trade paperbacks, others were just single issues.
"I tried to find one that was kinda close to your situation, but I didn't have much luck. So I got ones about high schoolers, about vampires, and about general supernatural stuff. There's also a fantasy novel that I like that I would recommend, but I think learning visually would help you more. Just use these as your yardstick, and let me know which ones you like, and I can run out and more later."
"If anything doesn't fit right, let me know and I'll take it back." Izzy thanked him, and he looked up to meet her gaze. "Oh, really, it's the least I could do. I honestly wish I could do more to help." His face resumed its earlier sort of critical look, and he shared his observations with Izzy, "You know, I thought this yesterday when I spotted you from behind, but you look different. Like, the shape of your body has changed. You're definitely leaner and more muscular-looking."
Cerasus poked his head into the doorway at this time. His long hair was mussed, and he had a distinctly tired look on his face. He must have just woken up. "That's natural... Our powers of regeneration keep our bodies," He paused to yawn, covering his mouth. "In peak physical condition." He walked back out of sight, past the doorframe, and then the sound of something slumping over onto the floor follow. He must have fallen back asleep.
"Rising and shining must not be his thing," Trevor quipped. "Anyway, here," He reached to the other bag he had carried in, and handed it to Izzy. "A present." The bag was full of books, from what Izzy could tell. "So, you bought those martial arts manuals to go fight that big person, right?" That was evidently Trevor's estimation of Dramatic Theurge, a "big person," "I think it was a good idea to try and prepare for a tough battle like that, but I think you went about it the wrong way. Martial arts are how humans fight, it's a human skill. But your strength is greater than a human now, so I think it would only limit you. So I think these will help more, instead."
Comic books. That's what the bag was full of. Superheroes, capes and everything. Evidently quite a lot of different series in the bag; some were trade paperbacks, others were just single issues.
"I tried to find one that was kinda close to your situation, but I didn't have much luck. So I got ones about high schoolers, about vampires, and about general supernatural stuff. There's also a fantasy novel that I like that I would recommend, but I think learning visually would help you more. Just use these as your yardstick, and let me know which ones you like, and I can run out and more later."
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Izzy shifted her weight uncomfortably as Trevor looked her over. She glanced down at herself then looked to him, trying to gauge his thoughts. She thought they fit pretty well, but waited for his verdict nonetheless. She smiled and nodded when he spoke, then shook her head when he continued.
“You’ve done more than enough as it is. I mean,” she crossed her arms, “we’ve only spoken, what, four times now? I think it’s usually a common courtesy to wait until at least the sixth time you say ‘hey’ before asking someone to pick up clothes and bring them to a ruined school in the middle of nowhere.”
As he commented about her physical changes, she made out the sound of footsteps beyond the door as they headed toward them. She looked to the doorway a moment before Cerasus peeked inside.
“Morning, sunshine,” Izzy greeted before he solved the mystery of the unspoken “Why.” “Makes sense,” she said as Cerasus disappeared once more. At the sound of him apparently falling asleep to the side of the doorway, a look of amusement settled over her face. Sometimes, he made it easy to forget that he was a 500+-year-old man, and not the youth of the form he was forced to take.
Her attention returned to Trevor. “You should see him if you try to wake him early.” She cocked her head when he handed her the second bag. “A... present?” She took the bag, the feel of the contents distinctly a mix of books and what felt like magazines.
“Yeah, that was the plan. For him and the other two.” Izzy sat the bag down on the nearest desk and reached inside, glancing to him courteously as he spoke. Pulling out a couple of the comic books hidden inside, she smiled as what he said made sense. “That’s brilliant, Trevor!” She thumbed through one of the issues. She shook her head disbelievingly and chuckled. “Little did the authors know, their imagination would prove more useful then the knowledge of kung-fu masters.” She paused, contemplation replacing her smile. “Wonder if any of them did know,” she mused, picking up another to flip through it as well. “If this side of the world,” she continued softly, pensively, “with vampires, hunters, and who knows what else, exists, how much of what we’ve thought to be products of overactive imaginations is, actually, true to some extent?”
She shook her head as if to dispel the thought, then looked to Trevor again as he finished speaking. “This is great. Really.” She turned to meet his gaze. “You’ve gone above and beyond.” She sat the books she had been flipping through down. “If there’s ever anything I can do for you, just say the word.” She looked back to him. “So, think I’d make a good Superwoman?” She struck a pose as if about to jump into flight, one fist held above her head and the other back by her waist. She held it for a short moment, then relaxed her stance and crossed her arms. “I can honestly say that I never in a million years would have thought that reading comic books would count as doing research. I owe the nerds of the world an apology.”
“You’ve done more than enough as it is. I mean,” she crossed her arms, “we’ve only spoken, what, four times now? I think it’s usually a common courtesy to wait until at least the sixth time you say ‘hey’ before asking someone to pick up clothes and bring them to a ruined school in the middle of nowhere.”
As he commented about her physical changes, she made out the sound of footsteps beyond the door as they headed toward them. She looked to the doorway a moment before Cerasus peeked inside.
“Morning, sunshine,” Izzy greeted before he solved the mystery of the unspoken “Why.” “Makes sense,” she said as Cerasus disappeared once more. At the sound of him apparently falling asleep to the side of the doorway, a look of amusement settled over her face. Sometimes, he made it easy to forget that he was a 500+-year-old man, and not the youth of the form he was forced to take.
Her attention returned to Trevor. “You should see him if you try to wake him early.” She cocked her head when he handed her the second bag. “A... present?” She took the bag, the feel of the contents distinctly a mix of books and what felt like magazines.
“Yeah, that was the plan. For him and the other two.” Izzy sat the bag down on the nearest desk and reached inside, glancing to him courteously as he spoke. Pulling out a couple of the comic books hidden inside, she smiled as what he said made sense. “That’s brilliant, Trevor!” She thumbed through one of the issues. She shook her head disbelievingly and chuckled. “Little did the authors know, their imagination would prove more useful then the knowledge of kung-fu masters.” She paused, contemplation replacing her smile. “Wonder if any of them did know,” she mused, picking up another to flip through it as well. “If this side of the world,” she continued softly, pensively, “with vampires, hunters, and who knows what else, exists, how much of what we’ve thought to be products of overactive imaginations is, actually, true to some extent?”
She shook her head as if to dispel the thought, then looked to Trevor again as he finished speaking. “This is great. Really.” She turned to meet his gaze. “You’ve gone above and beyond.” She sat the books she had been flipping through down. “If there’s ever anything I can do for you, just say the word.” She looked back to him. “So, think I’d make a good Superwoman?” She struck a pose as if about to jump into flight, one fist held above her head and the other back by her waist. She held it for a short moment, then relaxed her stance and crossed her arms. “I can honestly say that I never in a million years would have thought that reading comic books would count as doing research. I owe the nerds of the world an apology.”
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Izzy's wonderings about the relationship fantasy authors shared with the supernatural earned a bemused smile from Trevor. "Just like I said: chicken and the egg. Who is inspiring who, right?" Izzy's high praise was waved away, perhaps with a bit of embarrassment. "Hey it's nothing, honestly. What are friends for?" He chuckled innocently at her Supergirl joke as well, "I don't think you get along with this Yellow Sun of Earth. Much less the Red Sun of Krypton." Her comment about the nerds of the world earned a smile and a shrug. "Hey, sometimes we're useful."
The two chatted for a while after that, Trevor all the while fussing about doing other menial favors like cleaning up the room Izzy slept in, as she told him not to worry. Eventually he headed home, and no sooner had he left than Riley appeared. It seemed that he had good news; he had scheduled the next fight for Izzy. It was to be with Psychotic Episode.
He sure was late.
It was June 25th, sometime just before midnight. Izzy wanted to check her watch, but she had forgotten it. She had also forgotten her phone. Izzy stood in the athletics field of the high school, just as before, only now she was the first to appear. Just as before was well, she had come empty-handed. It was a decision she had reached with Trevor not to bother with weapons. Most of them couldn't withstand her strength in the first place, and she wouldn't want to get stopped by a cop for carrying something suspicious. Somehow even so she felt like she hadn't learned anything from her last fight in this respect.
Psychotic Episode, a blond, young-seeming man with a sharp suit, a giant metal cross, and a kind of annoying way of speaking. Izzy didn't really know anything about the man until just a few days ago. Evidently Riley didn't, either. He didn't even know what time it was, mostly. He didn't carry a cell phone. Though thinking about it, nothing seemed further removed from monsters and magic that a cell phone, really.
Izzy had to consult Cerasus for the most information she could get on the man. The first thing that she learned was that he was a half-vampire. She still wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but it didn't sound good. As far as getting any other information out of him, well...
"I forget." Cerasus said, quite bluntly.
He was sat on the floor, leaning against the wall with his hands folded behind his head. Izzy had merely asked him what else he knew about Episode, and this had been his simple response. It was somehow more insulting than if he didn't know anything in the first place. Even so, he sat around, quite relaxed, as Izzy pulled her hair out over her coming match.
The two chatted for a while after that, Trevor all the while fussing about doing other menial favors like cleaning up the room Izzy slept in, as she told him not to worry. Eventually he headed home, and no sooner had he left than Riley appeared. It seemed that he had good news; he had scheduled the next fight for Izzy. It was to be with Psychotic Episode.
Three days later...
He sure was late.
It was June 25th, sometime just before midnight. Izzy wanted to check her watch, but she had forgotten it. She had also forgotten her phone. Izzy stood in the athletics field of the high school, just as before, only now she was the first to appear. Just as before was well, she had come empty-handed. It was a decision she had reached with Trevor not to bother with weapons. Most of them couldn't withstand her strength in the first place, and she wouldn't want to get stopped by a cop for carrying something suspicious. Somehow even so she felt like she hadn't learned anything from her last fight in this respect.
Psychotic Episode, a blond, young-seeming man with a sharp suit, a giant metal cross, and a kind of annoying way of speaking. Izzy didn't really know anything about the man until just a few days ago. Evidently Riley didn't, either. He didn't even know what time it was, mostly. He didn't carry a cell phone. Though thinking about it, nothing seemed further removed from monsters and magic that a cell phone, really.
Izzy had to consult Cerasus for the most information she could get on the man. The first thing that she learned was that he was a half-vampire. She still wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but it didn't sound good. As far as getting any other information out of him, well...
XXX earlier...
"I forget." Cerasus said, quite bluntly.
He was sat on the floor, leaning against the wall with his hands folded behind his head. Izzy had merely asked him what else he knew about Episode, and this had been his simple response. It was somehow more insulting than if he didn't know anything in the first place. Even so, he sat around, quite relaxed, as Izzy pulled her hair out over her coming match.
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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2 mos ago
“Yeah, yeah,” Izzy responded lightly to his comment about friends. “Don’t rub it in, you sly fox.” All the same, she gave him a friendly smile. She groaned at his comment about the sun, then grumbled, “Don’t remind me.”
After Trevor left and Riley appeared with his news--she had the suspicion he had been watching the entire time, waiting for Trevor to leave, but did her best to hide her unease--she waited for the man to leave and pulled Cerasus to the side to share her suspicions about Riley watching them from the beginning.
Izzy spent the remainder of the night at the back of the school, the playground overrun with weeds and seedlings, reading through the comic books. She glanced around the area, wondering if Riley was lurking about somewhere, unseen through whatever powers he possessed. Putting that thought aside, she even occasionally acted out some of the fight scenes she encountered in her reading. At least here, no one would care about property damage.
As much as she distrusted Riley, of the many things he had said those couple nights past, a question he had planted the seeds for begged Izzy to answer it: how bad was her life that she had offered it to Cerasus instead of walking away?
Though she had debated against going, she now crouched in the shadows of a rooftop. The building she had chosen as her perch sat a couple blocks away from her family’s home, but she could still easily see it. Despite the late hour, the light in Zach’s room cast a golden glow through his window, and someone had forgotten to turn off the porchlight. She had called her parents earlier that day, thankfully getting their voicemail, and left a message telling them she and her friends planned on extending the camping trip for a couple more weeks, and to not worry.
What would I be going back to? she wondered.
Her brothers drove her insane. Though good people, between hiding from her brothers, always being outdoors, and their unpredictable work schedule, she rarely spent much time with her parents anymore. She had no other living family she was close to. No friends, other than Trevor. She had made sure of that. After all, she had planned on leaving this humdrum town the second she got the chance. Perhaps that chance had just come sooner rather than later.
However, she missed the sun. She missed spending long days and late nights outdoors, of not being bound by the cycle of the heavens. She had had plans to leave, to explore the life of other places, to experience the world, even if only a small grain of it, plans that being trapped by the sun would make difficult at best. She missed conversations not centered around fights or missing limbs, and not always looking over her shoulder, waiting for the next aberration to pop out of the woodwork.
But knowing that there were monsters out there, lurking, waiting to prey on people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, could she really, truly return to her old normal, or would she still be looking over her shoulder, wondering what secrets every shadow held, checking around every corner to be sure something was not there, waiting? Now, she had the powers of a vampire on her side to combat that knowledge, but as a human, she would have little, if any, means of defending herself against monsters. And she had to admit, this invisible side of the world was certainly not without its share of adventure. Which was just what she had wanted. Wasn’t it?
Izzy gave an irritated sigh, then pulled her phone out from a pocket to check the time. She did not want to risk overstaying her welcome. Replacing her phone, Izzy cast her home one last glance, then made her way back to the outskirts of town.
Izzy stood in the center of the athletics field, her form a dark statue in the night. She listened for any sign Episode had arrived, and waited for the warning she expected would accompany his presence. Not wanting to risk the demolishment of more clothes than necessary, she wore the same clothes as when she had met Theurge, including her jacket-turned-vest. After a minute, she instinctively reached toward a pocket to check the time on her phone, before remembering she had left it behind to keep it from getting broken.
With Episode still absent, she took the opportunity to run various scenarios of how their fight could go. Though, with the little she knew about him, anything could happen. She scowled as she thought of the conversation she had had with Cerasus about it before leaving for the high school...
Izzy bit back a sharp retort at his response, as if he had cared so little about it that he could ‘forget’ important details about Psychotic Episode. Still, she made a strangling motion with her hands as she fumed, then took a couple deep breaths.
“Okay,” she growled, gripping the bridge of her nose between thumb and forefinger, and doing her best to not snap at him. “If you ‘forgot’ anything else, what should I look out for from a half-vampire? Will he be capable of vampiric transformation? Regeneration?” She paused. “I don’t suppose there’s a crash course I could take in transformation, is there?”
After Trevor left and Riley appeared with his news--she had the suspicion he had been watching the entire time, waiting for Trevor to leave, but did her best to hide her unease--she waited for the man to leave and pulled Cerasus to the side to share her suspicions about Riley watching them from the beginning.
Izzy spent the remainder of the night at the back of the school, the playground overrun with weeds and seedlings, reading through the comic books. She glanced around the area, wondering if Riley was lurking about somewhere, unseen through whatever powers he possessed. Putting that thought aside, she even occasionally acted out some of the fight scenes she encountered in her reading. At least here, no one would care about property damage.
Friday, June 24. Around One A.M.
As much as she distrusted Riley, of the many things he had said those couple nights past, a question he had planted the seeds for begged Izzy to answer it: how bad was her life that she had offered it to Cerasus instead of walking away?
Though she had debated against going, she now crouched in the shadows of a rooftop. The building she had chosen as her perch sat a couple blocks away from her family’s home, but she could still easily see it. Despite the late hour, the light in Zach’s room cast a golden glow through his window, and someone had forgotten to turn off the porchlight. She had called her parents earlier that day, thankfully getting their voicemail, and left a message telling them she and her friends planned on extending the camping trip for a couple more weeks, and to not worry.
What would I be going back to? she wondered.
Her brothers drove her insane. Though good people, between hiding from her brothers, always being outdoors, and their unpredictable work schedule, she rarely spent much time with her parents anymore. She had no other living family she was close to. No friends, other than Trevor. She had made sure of that. After all, she had planned on leaving this humdrum town the second she got the chance. Perhaps that chance had just come sooner rather than later.
However, she missed the sun. She missed spending long days and late nights outdoors, of not being bound by the cycle of the heavens. She had had plans to leave, to explore the life of other places, to experience the world, even if only a small grain of it, plans that being trapped by the sun would make difficult at best. She missed conversations not centered around fights or missing limbs, and not always looking over her shoulder, waiting for the next aberration to pop out of the woodwork.
But knowing that there were monsters out there, lurking, waiting to prey on people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, could she really, truly return to her old normal, or would she still be looking over her shoulder, wondering what secrets every shadow held, checking around every corner to be sure something was not there, waiting? Now, she had the powers of a vampire on her side to combat that knowledge, but as a human, she would have little, if any, means of defending herself against monsters. And she had to admit, this invisible side of the world was certainly not without its share of adventure. Which was just what she had wanted. Wasn’t it?
Izzy gave an irritated sigh, then pulled her phone out from a pocket to check the time. She did not want to risk overstaying her welcome. Replacing her phone, Izzy cast her home one last glance, then made her way back to the outskirts of town.
Saturday, June 25. A Little Before Midnight
Izzy stood in the center of the athletics field, her form a dark statue in the night. She listened for any sign Episode had arrived, and waited for the warning she expected would accompany his presence. Not wanting to risk the demolishment of more clothes than necessary, she wore the same clothes as when she had met Theurge, including her jacket-turned-vest. After a minute, she instinctively reached toward a pocket to check the time on her phone, before remembering she had left it behind to keep it from getting broken.
With Episode still absent, she took the opportunity to run various scenarios of how their fight could go. Though, with the little she knew about him, anything could happen. She scowled as she thought of the conversation she had had with Cerasus about it before leaving for the high school...
Earlier That Day
Izzy bit back a sharp retort at his response, as if he had cared so little about it that he could ‘forget’ important details about Psychotic Episode. Still, she made a strangling motion with her hands as she fumed, then took a couple deep breaths.
“Okay,” she growled, gripping the bridge of her nose between thumb and forefinger, and doing her best to not snap at him. “If you ‘forgot’ anything else, what should I look out for from a half-vampire? Will he be capable of vampiric transformation? Regeneration?” She paused. “I don’t suppose there’s a crash course I could take in transformation, is there?”
GM
Dead Cruiser Dishonour Before Death / Better You Than Me
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19 days ago
"Calm down," Cerasus groaned, pulling himself up into a kneeling position. "Give me a second, and I'll see what I can remember."
As Izzy sat wondering what mental trick or perhaps magic technique he had on hand to remember the details he was currently forgetting, Cerasus lined up the fingers of his right hand straight toward his temple. Then, without skipping a beat, he dug his nails directly into his head. The boy's slender right hand disappeared into his skull, nearly up to his wrist. Blood spurted out dramatically, though it evaporated as soon as it hit the floor.
"Juuuust a second..." Cerasus assured Izzy as he started to rummage about inside his own head.
Cerasus dug around in his skull, doing something like mushing around his brain. Not only blood now, but something clear, like cerebral fluid, was spurting out of his head. What's more, it seemed that his fingers were caught on his ocular muscles, as his right eye made jerking, idiosyncratic movements. Cerasus was literally searching through his memories. This was a hell of a mnemonic, for sure.
Finally, Cerasus removed his reddened hand, his temple healing instantly, and he wore a refreshed smile.
"I remember." He sat back down heavily, returning to his earlier, relaxed posture. "I'm sure you remember Dramatic Theurge's attempts to win you over? It's easy to tell that he doesn't hunt vampires with any particular hatred. But Psychotic Episode is different; he hates vampires."
As Izzy sat wondering what mental trick or perhaps magic technique he had on hand to remember the details he was currently forgetting, Cerasus lined up the fingers of his right hand straight toward his temple. Then, without skipping a beat, he dug his nails directly into his head. The boy's slender right hand disappeared into his skull, nearly up to his wrist. Blood spurted out dramatically, though it evaporated as soon as it hit the floor.
"Juuuust a second..." Cerasus assured Izzy as he started to rummage about inside his own head.
Cerasus dug around in his skull, doing something like mushing around his brain. Not only blood now, but something clear, like cerebral fluid, was spurting out of his head. What's more, it seemed that his fingers were caught on his ocular muscles, as his right eye made jerking, idiosyncratic movements. Cerasus was literally searching through his memories. This was a hell of a mnemonic, for sure.
Finally, Cerasus removed his reddened hand, his temple healing instantly, and he wore a refreshed smile.
"I remember." He sat back down heavily, returning to his earlier, relaxed posture. "I'm sure you remember Dramatic Theurge's attempts to win you over? It's easy to tell that he doesn't hunt vampires with any particular hatred. But Psychotic Episode is different; he hates vampires."
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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2 mos ago
Izzy cocked her head inquisitively from where she stood as Cerasus moved into another position. “What are you...” she started when he raised his hand, but finished with a loud, aghast, “Oookay then!” when he dug his fingers then hand into his head.
Stomach churning uneasily, she placed a hand over her mouth and chin and looked to the side of the room, his movements just in her peripheral vision.
“Y-you’re insane, you know that?” she said into her hand, and looked slightly toward the ceiling. The fingers of her other hand tapped against her leg as he, quite literally, rooted around in his head for a memory.
Seeing the motion of him removing his hand, she dared to look back to him.
“Feel better, do you?” she asked at his expression, her voice slightly higher pitched than normal as she moved her hand from her face to the back of her neck. “After that,” she continued as he returned to lean against the wall as if what he had done was perfectly normal, “I should hope you remember every little detail from the last half-century!” She shook her head, then said softly, "Maybe you and Psychotic Episode should think about swapping aliases."
She took a couple quick breaths as he informed her of what he had remembered.
“So, don’t expect him to be as... civil. Great. But you didn’t answer my question," she added almost hesitantly. "What do I need to be on guard for with him being a half-vampire? What can he do?”
Stomach churning uneasily, she placed a hand over her mouth and chin and looked to the side of the room, his movements just in her peripheral vision.
“Y-you’re insane, you know that?” she said into her hand, and looked slightly toward the ceiling. The fingers of her other hand tapped against her leg as he, quite literally, rooted around in his head for a memory.
Seeing the motion of him removing his hand, she dared to look back to him.
“Feel better, do you?” she asked at his expression, her voice slightly higher pitched than normal as she moved her hand from her face to the back of her neck. “After that,” she continued as he returned to lean against the wall as if what he had done was perfectly normal, “I should hope you remember every little detail from the last half-century!” She shook her head, then said softly, "Maybe you and Psychotic Episode should think about swapping aliases."
She took a couple quick breaths as he informed her of what he had remembered.
“So, don’t expect him to be as... civil. Great. But you didn’t answer my question," she added almost hesitantly. "What do I need to be on guard for with him being a half-vampire? What can he do?”
GM
Dead Cruiser Dishonour Before Death / Better You Than Me
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19 days ago
"Ehh, yes, yes," Cerasus made a generally dismissive gesture as he recalled the rest of what he had regained from his brain massage, "While a half-vampire is not immortal, they possess none of a vampire's weaknesses. They can walk in daylight. They can cast a shadow. In other words, for half a vampire's strength, they eliminate all of their weaknesses." He held out a finger in a gesture of warning, "Still, I must stress, do not underestimate him. He will not give up easily. For Dramatic Theurge this was just a job. For Psychotic Episode, this is a passion."
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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2 mos ago
[i]How does someone forget that? Izzy thought, but dared not voice the question. Instead, she nodded at Cerasus’ warning.
“Don’t worry.” She crossed her arms . “I won’t.” She paused, registering that Cerasus had categorized a lack of shadow as a weakness. “How is not having a shadow a weakness?” In the whole mess of things, she had all but forgotten she no longer cast a shadow. She had rarely taken note of her shadow as it was before, let alone since she had been turned. Even knowing that, in the darkness of the school, she would not have had one anyway, she glanced down to check for one--rather, the lack thereof--at her feet. “I can see it being suspicious, sure, but a weakness?” She looked back to Cerasus. "Why don't we have one, anyway? It's not like we're see-through." She raised an opaque hand in front of her to illustrate.
“Don’t worry.” She crossed her arms . “I won’t.” She paused, registering that Cerasus had categorized a lack of shadow as a weakness. “How is not having a shadow a weakness?” In the whole mess of things, she had all but forgotten she no longer cast a shadow. She had rarely taken note of her shadow as it was before, let alone since she had been turned. Even knowing that, in the darkness of the school, she would not have had one anyway, she glanced down to check for one--rather, the lack thereof--at her feet. “I can see it being suspicious, sure, but a weakness?” She looked back to Cerasus. "Why don't we have one, anyway? It's not like we're see-through." She raised an opaque hand in front of her to illustrate.
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