Trial of Trials : Act 2

[thequestgiver]

There's something uneasy that can be felt in the city, and seemingly no end to the rumors springing up in the wake of the downtown explosion that leveled BOARD's headquarters. Stories of an odd sickness where the afflicted suddenly winds up anemic, their blood levels dangerously low, despite feeling fine that morning have already taken root, others of strange animals seen roaming at night, and horrible screams and gunshots in one of the parking garages....

The space where the ill-fated headquarters lays silent, an empty patch of dirt and gravel that seemed to attract those drawn to stories and rumors. Police have already had to shoo away opportunists with metal detectors, hoping to find something interesting in the impressively quickly cleared wreckage, and others have reported something that just feels... wrong, when they walk by the site. The ghosts of those who hadn't made it out of the collapse? Or something else? Noone can really put a finger on it to explain.

And meanwhile, under the cover of shadows, things unknown to those who still walk in the light continue to move. Whispers of the rogue mage and a treasure trove of information, of upsets in the vampire hierarchy, and sworn revenge on the mages who had used one of their own for their gain.

And deep in a hidden lab, BOARD's remains and allies continue to work, twisting all they can get their hands on to create the perfect weapon; made of the very things they wish to cleanse from the world. The loss of the incapacitated vampire elder was only a small one, with how much they had already extracted and drawn from it. And if the rumors of their knowledge being in the hands of their enemies were true? They would just have to speed up their projected timeline. Or simply slow down that of the world. After all, they were mages. Reality bended to their will, not that of those who opposed them....

Comments

[grapeeater]

Micchy has fled the sewers.

It's not safe there, not even with the local Nosferatu either dead or cleared out. But he's made himself too obvious, so while the more ambitious fledglings keep chasing his trail down there, he's moved, again and again. He's considered moving out of the city, but something inside of him keeps telling him no, he needs to stay.

There's something he has to do, and something he has to find, but he's not sure what it is. He's managed to clean himself up, finding clothing from people either after he's killed them, or simply after they've had too much to drink. Some of it is dirty, but he doesn't care anymore. What he cares about is this gnawing in his brain, threatening to overtake him. What matters is completing his goals... once he figures out what they are.

He won't be found during the day, of course, and if he spots anyone he knows he starts to quietly head in the other direction, but he's largely found around the downtown district or near the edges. Never the residential section, and never anywhere near where his dance team once was.

He can't let them see him. Not like this. Not ever again. None of them.

[dangerouslyinlove]

At night, Ryoji is also out- ghosts can show up pretty much whenever, first of all, and he also wants to get to know the town! Combined, these are very good excuses. Though he's only going to tell most people the second one, and if they can see Thanatos lurking behind him then they probably can guess the first one all on their own.

He's downtown at the moment, and chatty and friendly as he is, of course he's going to talk to clearly agitated and/or anxious man. Why wouldn't he? Maybe he can help! "Hello! Are you from around here?"

[grapeeater]

Micchy is slightly younger than Ryoji, but it might be hard to tell with his serious and agitated expression. He looks up at the person who just spoke to him, blinking in surprise. "I... yes." Sort of. Not anymore. Never was. Was he? No - yes. Yes he was. Had to have been. He was, not... yes.

"Did you have a question or... something?" Food? Maybe. Something's off. Possibly. Needs to drink. Him, maybe? No. Yes?

[dangerouslyinlove]

Ryoji, oblivious to Micchy's inner turmoil but aware at least of the surprise, smiles brightly. "Kind of! I just moved here. What's your name? I'm Ryoji." Friendship can probably happen, right?

[grapeeater]

He hesitates. Who knows what knows who knows him as what - people from his normal life would know the name he - no. Okay. People who know him as what he is would know his nickname so - "Mitsuzane."

[dangerouslyinlove]

That is probably not his real name, from the way he paused. Ryoji's dealt with enough people who don't want to give him their name before. Something else is up here, but... unless it turns bad, it should be fine to keep talking to him right?

(Thanatos is not ok with this plan, but it'll probably be ok!) "It's nice to meet you! Have long have you lived here?"

[grapeeater]

"I'm... my whole life. I've been here a long time." He hasn't, though. Has he? ... Yes, he has. "It's my home." Is it? Does he have a home, strange thing that he now is? Even among vampires... he doesn't really have a home anymore.

[dangerouslyinlove]

"That's really nice! You must know the city very well." Though Ryoji's rapidly caring less about his original purpose, now observing Mitsuzane more closely. "What do you like to do?"

[grapeeater]

"I... yes." He tugs his jacket a little tighter around himself, trying to focus. "I take a lot of walks. It's nice to be out, especially at night when there aren't as many people." Too tempting, too many dangers, never mind that he can never see the sun again. "There's a few small museums around if you're into that. Technology and art, mostly."

[dangerouslyinlove]

Ryoji nods, smiling as he takes in the information while trying to figure out what's up with this guy. "Cool. I'll have to check those out. Where do you go for walks?"

[grapeeater]

"... Around the river, mostly. It's quiet there. I don't like being around too many people." He tenses, trying to keep his gaze from flicking to the boy's throat. He's hungry... he needs to keep it in check, but he's so hungry... is he ever going to quench his thirst? Not any time soon, probably...

[dangerouslyinlove]

"Really? Well, I guess crowds aren't for everyone." Ryoji smiles reassuringly, watching the boy's gaze. He... thinks he might be cottoning on to what's going on, but he sure doesn't seem like he's used to this whole thing or at the very least isn't comfortable with it. Maybe Ryoji could help, somehow! Also he's pretty cute. "What brings you out here tonight~?"

[grapeeater]

No, Ryoji. This is a bad idea. "Just... walking. People-watching." Hunting. Reminiscing. Wishing this wasn't the way - but no, he has to keep going, keep getting more power. More, more. Always more, until there's no one who can hurt him or the people he cares about. "There's nothing really going on in this area. I'm not into bars or anything." Just the alleys that they provide.

[ordinarycitizen]

It's not hard at all, actually, to get down the stairs, squeeze through the cat flap in the house door, and explore the area. The hard part is to do it while "Mum" is too busy or otherwise unable to stop her. She's pretty sure that is the case now, though, and the fact that she's managed to toddle all the way to the next bigger street and is now sitting on the sidewalk, watching everyonething that passes by with bright and interested eyes, seems to give validity to that idea.

Not that her thoughts run that complicated. She mostly was bored and saw her chance to be less bored in a new place that is still mostly empty. And now she is here and waves at Micchy when he walks by and happens to look at her, because she's found that most people respond well to that here.

She doesn't look particularly lost, but then - mask or not, it's pretty clear that she is very, very young.

[grapeeater]

Is... is that a child? She's pretty young. Part of him wants to eat her, but - no. No, he has to cling to some humanity. He crouches near her and looks at her. "You shouldn't be out here on your own. There are terrifying things out here."

[ordinarycitizen]

She knows.

But she's also three years old and bored to death, and pretty sure that Louise will notice if she's in serious trouble. Louise always finds her. "But it's boring inside." And going out during the day is something she very much doesn't like, and she's curious about what is happening outside.

[grapeeater]

"It's boring, yes, but it's safe. Out here people might hurt you." He tries not to focus on how good she smells, how much he wants to sink his teeth into her... no. No, this is a child. "Come on. Let's get you home." Or to police who can get her home. He can't... he can't deal with this.

[ordinarycitizen]

She pouts, a bit annoyed, but relents finally.

"I live there." She points at a house on the other side of a small park. "And I'm big. I'm three!" Or something like that.

[grapeeater]

"Fine. Let's go." He reaches down to pick her up so he can take her back there.

[ordinarycitizen]

The main reason why she doesn't have an issue with being picked up is that she knows that she could slip away easily even if he holds on tightly to her. She might not be able to run as fast as big kids and adults, but at least she can slip away.

"What's your name?"

[grapeeater]

He's not holding on very tightly, because he doesn't want to risk using too much strength. "... Mitsuzane. What's your name?"

[ordinarycitizen]

"I'm Lottie."

She watches their surroundings with interest, because this definitely is a perspective different from the one she normally gets, high up almost on adult eye level.

"Why do you look like that?"

[grapeeater]

"Look like what?" There's nothing to see here, he's a totally normal teenager.

[ordinarycitizen]

"That." She tugs at his shirt. No, really, why do people wear what they wear when they could wear anything? She's on a quest to find out.

[grapeeater]

"It's a decent shirt." And also what he could find with cash. He doesn't have his cards anymore - they're too easily tracked.