[IC] MONSTORY

[Dead Cruiser]

The trip to the bookstore had been uneventful; the long, empty roads were mostly devoid of people, and any side streets were really dirt trails more than anything else. Once she hit town, though, it was more challenging to stay out the the illumination of street lights and such, but not by much. Izzy got to the bookstore, slipped in, grabbed a few potentially helpful items, paid discreetly, and got out. All according to plan; not a single soul had seen her or taken notice of her.

That was, until she was two steps out the door of the bookstore.

"Well, there's a familiar face. Late night reading itch?" After having been stopped dead in her tracks by the somehow recognizable voice, Izzy slowly turned to meet the smiling, bespectacled face of Trevor Hansen, for some reason standing right there.

[Riven Wight]

Izzy’s trip to the bookstore had gone without a hitch. The artificial lights of the store stung her eyes for a moment, before they adjusted to the harsh brightness inside. The smell of the bookshop--the robust scent of coffee from the small café, the binding and pages of the books--was more intense than she remembered it, even more pleasurable. She paused only once, pondering on how coffee would taste to her now. Though she took a bit longer than she would have liked to find the section she needed, she found it all the same. They had a fairly good selection, considering the size of the store. After quickly choosing what she thought would be best and paying, she headed outside, the ease of the trip there boosting her confidence for the journey back.
But, as life always seems to enjoy toying with its playthings, the universe had other plans.
Izzy gasped, her back straightening at the familiar voice. How did she know that voice? She turned, taking a slight step toward a darker spot on the sidewalk where neither the streetlights nor the glow from the storefront window fully reached.
There, looking debonair, stood Trevor.
“Trevor?” she said, opening her mouth as little as possible. She cleared her throat and looked down at the books in her hand. For once in her life, she wished she had not put her hair up so she could use it to better hide her face. “S-something like that.” She shuffled nervously through the books. She needed to get rid of him, but she did not want to be rude, especially since the worst thing he had done was make her have a friend.
“My brothers take karate," she began, doing her best to sound sincere in the lie that followed. "I figure it’s time I brush up on my martial arts skills so I can give them a run for their money the next time we get in an argument.” She glanced quickly down the street. “I should probably get back before my parents start to worry.” She glanced to Trevor, gave him a halfhearted smile, then turned to head down the street, silently pleading he would simply return to the bookstore. “It was good seeing you again!"

[Dead Cruiser]

"H-hey, hold up!" Trevor seemed somewhat startled by Izzy's sudden departure, and jogged to catch up with her. "At least let me walk you home, huh? It's not every day we run into each other; I figured we'd be able to have a nice chat." He was still nearly running to keep pace with Izzy, who was moving faster than she immediately realized. "Boy, you sure walk fast. Something bothering you? I guess you're eager to get home, since it's dark out. Can't be too careful," Trevor smiled his usual sort of coy smile, "Especially not with that vampire around, huh?"

[Riven Wight]

Izzy groaned inwardly when Trevor instead chose to follow her. She had not realized exactly how fast she was going until she noticed Trevor jogging just to keep up. She quickly slowed until he looked more like he went at a leisurely stroll, though her legs itched to go faster.
“You don’t have to,” she said a little too quickly. She gave him what she hoped was a thankful smile before looking away again, her head still slightly bent. “I mean, I don’t want to put you out or anything.”
“Sorry,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck at his comment about her speed. “One-tracked mind, I guess.” She glanced to him when he gave her one of his typical smiles. She had to admit, it was a good look on him.
She nearly choked when he mentioned “that vampire.” With the events of the past few days, she had all but forgotten that he was the one who had first unwittingly told her about Cerasus. She gave him a nervous chuckle.
“It’d be a good time to try out my kung-fu moves, running into it.” She took a cheesy stance and carefully implemented a side-kick, her back to Trevor. “Seriously, though. I’ll be fine. I don’t want to make you late getting home, or going wherever you were headed.”

[Dead Cruiser]

"Oh, I've really got nowhere to be. I was just out on a walk." Trevor waved away Izzy's concerns. He was either completely oblivious to her trying to ditch him, or was utterly persistent on wanting to follow her around. It was honestly a toss up for which seemed to be the case. Izzy's kick earned a chuckle from him, though he seemed to notice something as she did it, and his eyes were stuck on an area around her shoulders rather than her face. "Well, I don't know about kung-fu, but I was almost honestly hoping to meet this vampire while I was wandering around. It really interests me, the idea that there's something besides us normal humans hanging around out there." He cocked his head as he continued to stare at that particular spot, before asking, "I think there's something on your neck. Did you get stung or something?"

[Riven Wight]

Apparently, this guy did not know how to take a hint. That, or he was simply ignoring it. After her show of a kick, she felt his gaze on her, and she shifted the weight of the books she held.
Izzy shrugged when he said he wanted to meet the vampire and his interest in such things. You don’t know the half of it, she thought sourly.
“Even if it was real,” she began, casting him a curious glance when he continued to stare at her, “I doubt it’d be as great as you think. Nothing ever is, really, once you ruin the mystery of things. It’s probably just some grumpy old guy who got lost and scared the crap outta some kids after dark.”
Izzy inhaled when he finally mentioned what he had been staring at, and it dawned on her what it must be. She had not thought to check if Cerasus’ bite mark remained.
“W-what?” She clutched her books in one arm, and reached up with her freed hand, covering the spot with her palm. “Oh, probably. I’ve been outside all day. We have some wicked mosquitoes around here. And now you’ve made me self-conscious.” She put on a scowl as she adjusted the collar of her jacket, hoping it would cover the mark. “Thanks a lot.”

[Dead Cruiser]

"Hmm, what makes you say that?" Trevor asked after Izzy's nay-saying of his interest in vampires. "It never hurt anybody to hope for something fantastic. Gotta have some magic in the world, even if it's just what you put there yourself." Izzy explained away her bite marks, to which Trevor nodded understandingly. "Yeah, makes sense. Heh, sorry for pointing it out. Better me than, I don't know, some cute boy telling you about it." Trevor shrugged, laughing lightly. "You've been out all day? Sounds nice. I've been studying all day; math, mostly. I hate to nag, but this is a really important time to study. We've got SATs next year after all. If it's something you struggle with, I could tutor you if you want. Just let me know when you're free."

[Riven Wight]

Izzy gave a quiet sigh of relief as Trevor accepted her excuse. Her panic about him noticing the bite mark turned quickly into irritation. She needed to get back. She was wasting precious time. For all she knew, Riley could return with the news Thurdge wanted to fight tonight. She tapped her books in annoyance. She had to get rid of him.
“Okay, look,” she began with a frown as he offered to tutor her, her voice harsh. She stopped and faced him for a moment, before looking away once more. “I’ve been trying to be nice. I don’t want to be walked home. I don’t need you following me around like a lost puppy. You’re a nice enough guy, don’t get me wrong, but I meant what I said when we first met. I neither want nor need friends. So, please, continue your search for that vampire, and just leave me alone.”
With a huff, she turned and continued down the sidewalk, quickening her pace by a fraction and hoping it was still a normal speed for a human.

[Dead Cruiser]

Trevor seemed a bit put off by Izzy's remarks, his face deflating slightly, but his smile stayed stuck on his face despite what she had said. "Oh, alright. I'm sorry. I feel bad that you had to say that to get me to go away. I'll see you around, Izzy." And with that, turned away and carried on in another direction.

Izzy did not walk far after that before feeling a familiar presence behind her. It was Riley; she could tell from the sound of his sandals and the distinct smell of vagrancy that surrounded him. He didn't waste any time with chit chat after making his presence known, and got right to business. "It's time. The place is the athletic field of your high school. I figured the least I could do was get you a slight home field advantage, heh. I'd start making my way there now if I were you. Not nice to keep grownups waiting."

[Riven Wight]

Izzy was almost surprised at how easily she had managed to get rid of Trevor. She felt bad for being so rude about it as she turned to watch him leave, but at least now she would hopefully be capable of finding someplace quiet to study and practice.
She turned back around and started toward the edge of town. But, alas, she did not get far before she heard--and smelt--Riley approaching her. She stopped and closed her eyes for a moment, her face toward the sky.
Please let this be a coincidence, she pleaded with the night as she turned to face Riley.
But, of course, it was not. She inhaled at the first words he said to her. “A-already?” she stuttered, her eyes widening slightly. She swallowed hard as he finished, and gave the only answer she trusted herself to give: she nodded. Without a word, she headed off toward the high school, breathing deeply to try and calm herself to no avail.

[Dead Cruiser]

You really couldn't choose a time for vampire hunting, but you could certainly choose the place. The school was an interesting choice; it was far from most houses, and while it was usually active during the day, at night it was like a blind spot. It was utterly dead, with no one around for miles. And though the building itself was locked up tight, as long as you could scale the fence, the athletic field was quite easy to access. So for this brief period of time, there would be no witnesses. Perfect for a battle.

Dramatic Theurge was already there when Izzy arrived. He sat in the middle of the field, cross-legged with his eyes closed and his mouth shut. He almost looked as though he were meditating. Quite notably, his massive sword, his zweihänder, was nowhere to be seen. Despite his trance-like pose, he seemed to notice Izzy as she arrived, and rose to his feet. He really was huge, and towered over Izzy's petite form. He almost looked like he had to avoid hitting his head on the moon.

Theurge looked at Izzy with his intense, red eyes, but said nothing. He made no motions, only standing, watching, and waiting.

[Riven Wight]

Izzy felt Dramatic Theurge before she saw him. Just as it had the night she was ambushed, a warning spread through her body as she approached the school. Now deserted for the summer, the silence around the school was unnerving. She stopped near the side of the school, just out of sight of the athletic field. She took a few more breaths and tried to banish the fear she felt pulling at her face.
With a shaky hand, she placed her books down on the grass, squared her shoulders, and strode as confidently as she could toward their battlefield, easily clearing the fence surrounding it.
Spotting Dramatic Thurdge in the center of the field as the massive beast-of-a-vampire stood, she was sure that, if her heart had still beat, it would have stopped. Had she not known any better, she would have thought he had gotten taller. Though she did not see his zweihänder anywhere, she did not doubt that it was not too far.
She stood there for a moment, her eyes locked with his. Again, far too late, she realized she had failed to ask the important question of what the rules of the fight were. Though, one thing she was sure of, was that, for her, it was to the death.
Hoping she portrayed more confidence than she felt in her stance, she took a few steps toward Thurdge. She stopped a few yards away, standing at a slant so her left side was away from him, and held her hands in front of her in loose fists.
“May the best vampire win,” she said, her voice quieter than she had intended it to be.

[Dead Cruiser]

In response to Izzy speaking, the massive man rumbled, "XXXXXX" However, he soon seemed to realized that Izzy couldn't understand him, and he spoke again, "Do not misunderstand, my brethren." He was quite well-spoken for someone of his size, certainly far from some muscular dimwit. "I have not come here to slay you." He paused for a moment, glancing at the ground between them, before looking back up at Izzy. "I did not accede to the pronouncements of that... frivolous-looking man," He could only mean Riley, "Out of a desire to slay you."

[Riven Wight]

Izzy stared at him quizzically when Thurdge spoke to her in the language she had heard him use before, before he switched to English. She examined his face when he finished speaking. Was he toying with her? Trying to get her to let her guard down for an easier kill? At this point, Izzy would put nothing past, well, anyone, especially not someone who had already tried to kill her.
“Oh?” she asked warily, maintaining her stance. She watched him for any sign he planned on advancing, for any twitch that indicated he was reaching for a weapon. “Then what is it you desire?”

[Dead Cruiser]

"I hope to recruit you." Theurge cut past any formalities, and went straight to the heart of the matter. "I put this to you. Why not don the garb of the vampire hunter, like myself?" His posture was... immovable, like a mountain. Same as always. But he was not poised to strike, as far as Izzy could tell. Flat on his feet, with his arms hanging at his sides quite relaxedly. Still, this was far too sudden to not seem suspicious. What was his game?

[Riven Wight]

Out of everything that ran through her head as to what Thurdge could possibly want, being recruited was certainly not something she had expected. Such an abrupt offer, especially after their first--and, until tonight, only--meeting. Her hands lowered slightly, but she still remained ready to defend herself. Though he looked as if he had no intention of resorting to violence, she had a feeling that could easily change on a dime.
“Why should I?” she asked, deciding it best to play along, to try and find out what his true motives were.

[Dead Cruiser]

Dramatic Theurge had something of a... non-reaction to this question. His face and posture stayed as rock-solid as very, but there was the absolute slightest, adjustment in reaction to Izzy's question. Perhaps his eyebrow twitched a millimeter, or there was the barest hint of a shrug. This implacable man was suggesting with absolutely subtlety that Izzy was asking a dumb question. Or maybe she just imagined it.

"You would be well suited for it," Came his answer, "As one whose master has so little control over them."

[Riven Wight]

Whether she imagined the flicker of condescension or not, Izzy was growing annoyed by her questions being met as such, and not just from Dramatic Theurge. It wasn’t her fault she knew nearly nothing about this world, about beasts and monsters. She scowled as he called Cerasus her master, resisting releasing the opposition that bubbled to her tongue.
“Tempting,” she began darkly, “but I’ve got a better offer on the table.” She took a deep, shaky breath. “Which brings us back to the reason we’re standing here in the first place. You stole something from Damocles, and I mean to get it back.”

[Dead Cruiser]

Theurge rumbled, a low, deep sound emanating from his chest. The slight drop to his eyebrows made Izzy realize that such a noise was actually the massive man sighing. "To be honest, I would regret killing a being as rare as you. A thrall of Damocles, the hot-blooded, cold-blooded, iron-blooded vampire. I will give you one more opportunity to join my brethren. There are fifty-three of them currently, and you would be greatly welcome among their number."

[Riven Wight]

Izzy tensed at the sound that came from deep within the monstrous vampire’s chest before she realized it was only the world’s most intimidating sigh.
She cocked her head slightly as he spoke, calling her “rare” and the mouthful-of-a-title she recalled Cerasus using when she first met him.
“Fifty--” She stared at him for a moment, his sheer mountainous size almost making her reconsider so she would not have to fight him. But just almost.
I can do this, she thought in a weak attempt at building her confidence.
She swallowed hard and took a deep, quivering breath. “Thanks,” she strengthened her stance, “but I’d rather not be a part of your 'kill first, ask questions later' collection.”