A Friendly Neighborhood Vampire

optimum-discipulo-interpres:

“… well…” Barako begins as she rubs the back of her head and looks away apologetically.

“I guess the initial impetus was that I didn’t know we’d be in a killing game of all things,” Barako admitted, “and I assumed things would be over quick or wouldn’t escalate as bad as they did but… well look at where we are now.”

It was the truth! It wasn’t like Barako would know Lucian would get his legs paralyzed or that Reina, Katsumi, Keiko and Emiko would all die. Things as they were now were drastically different than when Barako made the lie… though partially she can’t help but still internally blame Lucian a bit for buying something very obviously fake.

It almost felt even more rude to have to treat Lucian as a child about these things but… well here we are.

“Lucian… I’m sorry about what happened. To your legs and about my suspicions of you at the trial. If I offended in that regard, that’s my own fault and I’ll accept that,” Barako sighed.

“And I’ll also accept that telling you all that was also not something I should have done so casually… but it does all stem from a larger issue I have with you. As an… acquaintance,” Barako inhales and lets out an exasperated sigh.

“Domnul Ravenholm… I can’t accept that you’re a vampire,” she states simply, “it just raises too many questions. Like… okay, say you are immortal and over 200 years old. Are you the only one? Or are there more? If there are more than… where are they? Why does no political or scientific establishment talk about them? Why aren’t there official newspaper articles and webpages dedicated to discussing what’s going on in the immortal undead creature community?”

“Do they hold a masquerade to keep mortals from knowing of them? If that’s so then… why do you walk into every room dressed as Lestat going ‘Hello I am vampire man I am undead and immortal let me suck your blood’! Shouldn’t they have stopped you by now!?” Barako’s pupils have dilated a bit and she’s gripping her head. The thing here is… she doesn’t even sound accusatory or desperate. Just confused.

“And if you’re the only one then… why hasn’t HPA’s associates or some medical study come out about you? The literal MIRACLE OF MEDICAL SCIENCE. Most movies and indeed anything have taught me that if there’s something that defies normal convention science would do all that they could to know more about it! And again, you’ve never once attempted to hide or cloud this fact so… why is there no agency looking to dissect you? And yes I say dissection because if what you say is true they would technically be opening up a dead body,” Barako continues with an exasperated tone.

“There’s just so many things your claim makes me question that I can’t really accept it without something… very hard and concrete on top of that,” Barako admits, “It’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s that I can’t believe you. Because to believe you would be to change my understanding of the world itself on faith alone which is… a lot to ask someone.”

This is Barako’s honesty. She might still think Lucian a fool, but a pitiable fool. She isn’t showing hatred or malice or… anything toward him other than the simple fact: she disbelieves. She disbelieves him just as much as if he were claiming to be Santa.

And then… she looks to Hoshimi. She certainly has a relationship with Lucian but given her talent… she’s not entirely sure WHY she’s so close to Lucian. Is there really something unique about him?

“Abe-san…. I don’t know what you think of me at this point. But…” she kind of just… shrugs and sits back and waits to see how these two react. IF these two react.

“Why does this even matter t’ ya?” Hoshimi cuts in, eyes narrowed as they look across the table at Barako. “Yer so wrapped up in yer own perceptions a what th’ world’s ‘supposed’ t’ be. So what if ya don’t believe ‘im? Ya don’t need t’ tell ‘im! Never mind provide all that stuff t’ try an’ prove ‘im wrong.”

They pick up a fork and angrily tear at the food they’d gotten for themself. Oh yeah, this type of stuff was why they had a problem with Barako.

“What yer doin’ shows no concern fer others. And what ya’ve done in th’ past shows that this’s more than just disbelief. Ya’ve gone out of yer way t’ make fun a him, and made comments that were incredibly innapropriate, ‘specially considerin’ the situation we’re in.”

They glance over to Lucian as they say that, avoiding being specific about those instances in an attempt to prevent him from getting more upset.

“Yer too quick t’ judge anyone ya deem ‘different’, and t’ be vocal ‘bout that judgement as well. Ya just… don’t treat people well, based off nothin’ but shallow judgement. As for what I think… I think yer a stuck up asshole that needs t’ realize that not everyone’s gonna fit yer ridiculous expectations. But… I also think ya have th’ potential t’ learn better, which is more than I can say ‘bout other people I’ve met.”

When Barako started off with ‘I’m sorry about your legs,’ Lucian was confused. That wasn’t what they had been talking about, it didn’t really have anything to do with anything. Except to be a cushion for what she said next.

An issue I have with you.

I can’t accept that you’re a vampire. 

Lucian visibly flinched when Barako said that, and it just kept going from there. Getting worse. She was-- she was attacking him, mocking how he dressed and how he acted. This wasn’t like Ren saying they didn’t like him because he didn’t know boundaries, this was different. This was personal. And then she’s talking about dissection and lying through her teeth, right to his face, about it’s not that I don’t believe you. 

And it hurt.

He wasn’t sure when exactly the tears had welled into his eyes, or when the lump rose in his throat. Hoshimi spoke up, and he was grateful, really. She still had his back. 

“... So you were... just making fun of me because... because why? Because I wasn’t like you? Just because I look different, just because I’m not human anymore?” Lucian’s voice trembles, but there’s an edge of hurt defensiveness there. "Are you jealous because I’m... I’m comfortable knowing who I am?” But he’s not comfortable being torn down. He’s not. 

“I’m not the only one! I run several of the blogs! The vampire who turned me was part of the medical community! I don’t... I don’t know everything, I’m just-- I’m doing my best, okay? I got my title for a reason, because Hope’s Peak sees my research and sees that I’m making a difference!” Or maybe he wasn’t. 

Maybe everyone who indulged him was just like Barako. Just like Yoshiro.

How many people were lying to him?

“Everyone else is just scared to come out of the darkness because of people like you.” His cheeks and nose flush a little and he is blinking back tears, keeping his arms wrapped tightly around himself. 

“I’m dead. I don’t have a pulse. I’m not alive. And I don’t-- I shouldn’t have to prove I exist to everyone just to have you stop making fun of me!” Lucian’s eyes squeeze shut and he leans forwards, finally uncrossing his arms to put his face in his hands. 

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Oh how to approach this. Damn. Damn damn damn damn… he still thought she was a robot didn’t he?

“Uhm…” Barako began as she coughed a bit.

“Domnul Ravenholm?” Barako says nervously before approaching the two, “It’s me… Sekise-san? You know… the uhm… robot…”

She takes a seat across from the two and swallows the bile in her throat before continuing.

“Domnul Ravenholm… the truth is. I’m not a robot. I wasn’t made by ‘Doctor Magnar’. And I don’t protect the earth from Aliens. All of that was… a lie,” she admits.

“… and my ‘blood’ that you drank was actually Mountain Dew.”

Well, at least Barako’s owning up to the lie, instead of trying to push it further. It may hurt Lucian more at the moment, but trying to keep up with the lie would cause her to lose what any respect Hoshimi still had for her. Which really isn’t a lot to begin with.

They look between Barako and Lucian, trying to gauge Lucian’s reaction before showing any emotion themself, as well as whether Barako actually feels guilty about it, or if she’s just owning up now that she was caught in the lie.

Once he heard the Romanian, Lucian knew who this was -- but, she looked human. Confusingly human. It was impressive, really, how realistic of an android whoever that was had made her.

“Oh, Rose-san, multumesc. I just didn’t recognize you.” He smiles apologetically. He glances at Hoshimi, wondering for a moment why Barako was addressing him instead of the one she had come over to talk to, until she started talking.

His smile drops instantly, and his brow furrowed a little. With each word that Barako said, it was almost like he deflated just a bit more. 

His chest felt tight, and for a moment he was really glad that he didn’t have a heartbeat -- if he had, it would hurt even worse against that awful crushing feeling. He opens his mouth, once, twice, his fangs obvious despite this being real life. 

“... Really?” Lucian finally asks, his voice small. “You... why?”

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The Communal Dining room was open that day as Barako walked inside. Her eyes wandered about and she spotted someone familiar. The figure of Hoshimi was there, looking as she did before when her avatar form was removed. It seemed she was sitting with someone although it didn’t register to Barako who that could be yet.

She thought back to the trial and how the two had a… bit of a prickly relationship up until now. Perhaps it would be for the best to speak to her in real life?

“Ah! Abe-san? It’s a pleasure to see you in flesh and blood!” Barako greeted as she approached the two.

“I wanted to speak with you about the trial and some misunderstandings-” it occurred to Barako at this point that the individual sitting next to Hoshimi was Lucian. Lucian… and she was approaching him as a human.

“Oh bollocks”, she suddenly uttered in English.

To tell the truth, Hoshimi wasn’t quite sure who was approaching them. There were… a few people they’d had misunderstandings with, during the trial and otherwise. One thing was for certain, though, this girl was very cute, and Hoshimi is feeling the gay tonight.

“Oh, it’s, uh, nice to see you too…?”

They’re kind of hoping the girl will offer her name, but the transition into English answers the question of who they’re talking to just as easily. Their smile slips, and they glance over at Lucian, not sure if he’d figured it out yet.

Lucian looked up when he heard someone approach and speak to them, and turned around to see...

....

Who was that?

His smile dropped and was immediately replaced by confusion, and he tilted his head to the side while he tried to figure out who he was looking at. As for himself, he looked... surprisingly the same. Long blonde hair, wavy. He was notably smaller and very thin, and strangely enough he was wearing a BITE ME t shirt and skinny jeans instead of the extravagant stuff he wore in VR, but it’s no wonder that Barako identified him to herself quickly. 

Misunderstandings in the trial... someone that Hoshimi thought it was nice to see...? 

Lucian looked down as Hoshimi verbally lashed out at Nao and Michi. They had pressed buttons, it seemed; buttons that Hoshimi didn’t like being pressed. 

Wait, what was Barako saying? Something twisted in his stomach. “Ce? No, I– it wasn’t me, how could you–” His voice faltered, but thankfully Hoshimi spoke up in his defense. Right, she wouldn’t let anyone accuse him. Not for something like this; for killing his friend. He fell quiet, though, as the conversation kept going. “I wouldn’t make it so bloody, even if I did, and… and I wouldn’t have hurt her like that first.“ 

Obviously it couldn’t be him. 

People weren’t accusing him anymore either. That was good. That was really good. (But, being… Barako’s first thought? That was…)

Yoshiro came around, and Lucian talked to him a bit quietly before letting Yoshiro help roll up his pants legs a bit and take off his shirt. Anyone looking could probably make out some bruises on Lucian’s arms. Once that was done and he did a quick look over of Yoshiro, he turned around quickly and had to catch himself on the podium to keep from falling. Bad idea. Maybe he shouldn’t do that.

"Yoshi-chan’s clear!” He proclaimed loudly once he stabilized more. 

Same size as Keiko.

Wow, other people left a lot of messes around, too. Lucian mostly just listened, until his name came up. He nodded and smiled at Hoshimi. 

“Hoshimi was with me, we sleep together in her bed. So it definitely wasn’t them, and they wouldn’t murder anyways.” There’s no hesitation or question in his voice.

Lucian looked at Nao in confusion once the other claimed to know the murder weapon. “… A razor? That doesn’t make any– Her neck couldn’t have gotten like that from an eyebrow razor, and that’s the only kind of razor we noticed was used. Unless there were the longer ones - straight edge razors? - that you found messed with. Eyebrow razors are like. Tiny, though. It would’ve been a really messy cut and not nearly as deep." 

He reached up and tucked some of his loose hair back behind his ear, carefully trying to keep balanced. Good. He wasn’t moving or anything, he could do this. Then, he looked back up at Nao.

Seeing that Keiko was the body hurt. She was his good friend, even if it took a moment and asking Hoshimi to be entirely sure it was her. She’d been a good person, and yet someone had… 

This was different than Reina; he hadn’t known the other girl. This was different than Katsumi; Keiko hadn’t hurt anyone. For the whole investigation, he had pretty much stayed with her body, even though she wasn’t there. It was… sad. There wasn’t even a point in trying to turn her, not with her neck like that. It was too close to…

Hoshimi carried him into the trial room, but with some whispers and pointing towards his podium, he got dropped off there next to Yoshiro, where he promptly leaned his weight onto the podium itself. His pants are somewhat bloody – not a lot – but at least he’s dressed more appropriately this time.

“Da, Hoshimi’s right. The blood wasn’t all down the front of Keiko-chan’s body, so she had to have been laying down when her throat was cut.” He lowered his gaze, looking down at his podium. “I think that… Keiko-chan treating an injury of the killers’ makes a lot of sense. She was really helpful, she gave me blood, so I feel like she would probably do her best to try and help if someone asked for help.“ 

Lucian exhaled, shifting to lean a little more heavily against the podium. He still wasn’t used to trying to stand much at all, and it was making him a little nervous. At least Yoshiro was right there if he needed someone’s help. 

The move was surprisingly fast. Lucian drew his hand back and, without even a slight hesitation, swung. His open hand struck the side of Kurokuma’s head with as much strength as his avatar had. “Just leave us alone!”

Lucian’s punch failed to cause any real damage whatsoever. It did however prompt Kurokuma’s eye to glow brighter than it had ever before. “Excuse me… Are you… Hitting on me?” Was that a pun? “Ohohoho~ Tell me, do I make your legs weak?”

A red glow surrounded Lucian’s legs, accompanied by Kurokuma’s laughter becoming MUCH more sinister. “I’m not surprised. You’re not the first to fall for me.” The bear lightly pushed against Lucian, causing the boy to topple over.

Lucian’s eyes widened and he threw his hands out to try and correct his balance, but the simple push was enough to turn his ankle in his platform heels. And something was. Wrong. He tried to catch himself but only ended up hitting the floor of the hub hard.

Trying to get up, though… didn’t work. His legs moved but he couldn’t… he couldn’t feel anything from the ground or any of the motions he is making or his ankles not cooperating and supporting his efforts. “W-what…?!” His chest rose and fell with rapid breaths, and it became painfully obvious to anyone that he was on the verge of panic, held at bay only by the fact that he hadn’t fully processed it yet.

What? What was this? A tingling feeling like pins and needles slowly grew from his toes to the rest of his low extremities. This is all that he would ever feel again.

The confusion and panic grew into horror as it started to sink in. He couldn’t feel his legs. Why? Why?  What happened? Why why why? His hands immediately began grasping for Hoshimi.

And Lucian screamed.

“Honestly, do you lot even know how to read. Out of my bountiful kindness I gave that brat a warning. One I made sure you all heard.” He pointed to Yun.

“I even put it in writing for you. Frankly, this should have been expected.”

Lucian was, of course, right at Hoshimi’s side as the group came together. As Kurokuma approached them, though, something twisted in his stomach, there was… fear, that Kurokuma was going to stop in front of him and that everyone would–

No.

It wasn’t him.

But like a coward, he had shrunk back, stepping just slightly away even as Hoshimi’s real appearance was shown to everyone. It was… almost the same. That was good. (If he was sharing things about them, though, what if he said–) And then Kurokuma did. Said it, just like that, and made it sound even worse.

“They’re not a liar!” The words spilled from his lips and he reached towards Hoshimi’s arm, but before he could touch them he was

there

somewhere else

It hurt.

Then they were back in the hub, not hanging in the car but standing there in a group. The pain in his head changed as soon as he was back, it was sharp and present and real, just as real as what Hoshimi said. He could feel it. He could  feel it, he could feel the pressure of the belts across him, almost swear he could feel the stickiness of blood under his fingers even as he held the side of his head in one hand and pressed the other to his stomach, even as he could see the hub and the classmates and that bear.

(Breathe, [REDACTED].)

Lucian blinked back blurry vision and finally pulled his hand away from his head, stepping forwards to get in front of Hoshimi almost like he was on autopilot.

Lucian was still dressed in what passed as sleepwear (but didn’t pass as appropriate) that he’d been wearing during the party. He’d woken up aside Hoshimi, in the blanket nest he’d co-opted from Suu, after his first slumber party. The promise of a new motive, though, did seem to raise a little nervousness… and then it was revealed what it would be. He blinked, his eyes widening a bit as he drew just the slightest distance back. Their true appearances? Ah. Hm. 

“It’s a good thing vampires don’t lie. I have nothing to hide; I look exactly the same,” he said, his fingertips wandering up to touch his lower lip. Hm. That means everything, about everyone, that wasn’t part of their real bodies would change…?

At least Suu and Barako would look exactly the same; he’d be able to spot them anywhere. 

The others, though…

His eyes wandered the group. Who would be picked first? What would change? What would– Then, his answer on first came, rather abruptly.

A child. Osamu was…. a child? Vlad Tepeș. Ah…. Ah, that wasn’t good. Lucian murmured a few words in Romanian under his breath, watching as she ran off, watching as several people ran after her, watching as threats and promises were made to anyone who dared lift a finger to her. 

Despite his many years, he could remember what it was like to be that age. To be that young. To see–

He wouldn’t approach her, not yet.