Hunters

[bufudine]

Who: Johnny and Serph
Where: Lower District
When: THE UNLUCKY FRIDAY THE 13TH, night.
Style: [Brackets] please!
Status: CLOSED

[The hunger had been great, when Serph finally woke from his week long sleep. The call to devour had been almost overwhelming, and had been difficult to reign in as he went about his daily business, catching up on what he had missed during the day. He can't hunt while there's still sunlight; there are far too many people about at the time. His faith in his ability to control his hunger is stronger than his willingness to risk being caught.

So when night finally falls over the city, Serph welcomes it fully, and leaves the base to hunt, hours after sunset. The Lower District is closest to the Embryon Base, so it doesn't take long for him to find a local as his target. Even with his hunger, Serph is still patient, waiting until the local rounded the corner into the shadows before attacking her while transformed.

...A spray of blood hits him in the face. Careless. But it's too late to undo his mistake. He feeds, ravenously eating the local until there's nothing left but a few drops of blood and scraps of clothing. When he's done, he reverts back to his human form, wiping blood from his mouth and face.

He needs to get back.]

Comments

[not_heavens_adam]

[Instead of subjecting himself to the nightmares he knew would come the moment he closed his eyes, Johnny decided to patrol. For what, he didn't really know, but it was better than nothing.

He did a very brief round near the area of his apartment in Middle District before moving straight to Lower District. If there was one person he felt needed his patrolling it was Jacob.

Everyone else he cared about could, at least, protect themselves.

As the swarm of bats reformed into the man on top of a roof the overwhelming scent of blood and death reached his nose causing his sense to go on alert. He followed the scent, cautious about whatever had caused the scent.

Johnny drew his rapier when he sensed a presence in the shadows below. He'd have to strike fast and without warning to keep his element of surprise...if it hadn't sensed or smelled him already. Jumping from the roof, he swung down as he reached the figure, the scent of blood stronger than the scent of the person themselves, aiming to wound at the very least.]

[bufudine]

[As a human, Serph's sense of smell is far weaker, his ability to detect people around him not nearly as acute when he's in demon form. But he's still a soldier who survived the Junkyard war, and when his intuition tells him to move, Serph listens to it.

The strike still gets his left forearm even as Serph steps back out of the way. He takes several more to put some distance between his attacker and himself. If this were the Junkyard, he would have drawn his pistol and shot his attacker straight away. As it is, Serph has his pistol out and pointed at his assailant, ignoring the sting from the light wound on his left arm. Unfortunately, he can't see as clearly in the night; he is, after all, still part human. Instead, he cautiously waits for their next move, knowing they could possibly be someone on night patrol rather than someone aiming to start a murder.]

[not_heavens_adam]

[The stench of the victim's blood is strong, but it's not strong enough to override the new scent of blood. The familiar scent makes him pause and redirect the swing of his blade down so that it comes closer to Johnny's own body rather than that of who he had been attacking.]

...Serph?

[He finally takes a good look at the man and takes a step back as if to further confirm, both to himself as well as his friend, that he had no intention of attacking again.]

What are you doing here? What happened?

[bufudine]

[He recognises that voice. Perhaps he's lucky that it's Johnny who's found him tonight, rather than someone else. Serph gives him a nod in greeting and holsters his pistol, as if the vampire hadn't just attacked him moments ago.]

Johnny.

[The blood from the cut in his arm is starting to soak his sleeve. Nevertheless, Serph tilts his head at the questions, like he doesn't know what Johnny's talking about.]

I was returning to my base. I live near the Forest Quadrant.

[not_heavens_adam]

And you stumbled upon a bloodbath?

[Johnny put the sword away and took a step closer.]

May I see your arm?

[bufudine]

[Serph considers what he will tell Johnny as he holds out his injured arm for him to look at.

While saying yes, he stumbled upon a bloodbath, would easily throw suspicion off himself, as part of the Defense Force, Serph would be obligated to report it, if Johnny didn't. Having people more wary, as they had been during the times of the murders, would make his hunting more difficult in the long run.]

I need to hunt, like you.

[It's not quite the same as Johnny's need to drink blood, but he hopes the vampire will draw that conclusion.]

[not_heavens_adam]

[Johnny doesn't even hesitate, he takes the arm in his hands and runs a split tongue over the wound, letting the healing enzymes in his saliva do their thing...hopefully. It worked on Otoha and it worked on others...but there was always that chance it wouldn't work on a species Johnny had yet to encounter.

He pulls away and releases Serph's arm.]

...I can't fault you for that. I suppose...they don't sell body parts in stores...it might put people off their appetite; not good for business.

[bufudine]

[W-whoah what. Serph had expected Johnny to examine the wound more closely and maybe bandage it, if he'd been carrying any, not lick him. He doesn't jerk his arm away, but his eyes do widen slightly.

Why..?

But even before Johnny pulls away, Serph can feel flesh knitting together again, answering the question. He inspects his arm while Johnny speaks, though he's still listening. The wound is sealed shut. All that remains is a slight soreness, which quickly ebbs away. Serph returns his attention to Johnny.]

Is this something all vampires can do?

[not_heavens_adam]

Some.[He just shrugs, not feeling like going into the details all that much. True blood vampires, sure, but he didn't want to have to explain what a 'true blood' vampire was if Serph decided to ask.]

Are you alright? I'm sorry I attacked you, I've been jumpy, recently.

[bufudine]

[Serph accepts that explanation without question and raises his arm to show that yes, he's fine. But he tilts his head at the last part.]

Nightmares?

[not_heavens_adam]

[Johnny flinches a bit, not used to being figured out. Even though they'd talked about it, he hadn't expected that fact to be remembered.]

Yes.

Makes sleeping a bit unpleasant, so there's been less of that. Obviously, some things have suffered for it.

[He pauses, cat-like curiosity getting the better of him.]

How often do you need to hunt? If...you don't mind my asking~

[bufudine]

[Serph's used to knowing hundreds of people and remembering the conversations he's had with every single one of them. Vatheon is far easier in comparison.

But if Johnny doesn't wish to tell Serph about his nightmares, then Serph isn't going to press the issue.]

Once a week. Hunting less than that is unwise.

[not_heavens_adam]

I can understand that...~

[He takes a small step back from the area and shoves his hands into his pockets.]

Well, I'm not one to judge, I'd rather it just be you doing what you have to than some murderer going around putting people in danger.

We could walk to wherever you were headed? At least a little ways...to be honest this area is playing havoc with my senses.

[The blood was both intoxicating and distracting, it was all he could smell and a part of him feared it would trigger some amount of bloodlust in his vampire side if he didn't leave soon.]

[bufudine]

[Ah... That makes sense. While Serph's fine with blood and dismemberment when he's not hungry, when he is as hungry as he had been just moments earlier... it's difficult not to give into the heady violence his demon craved. Serph nods and leads the way, back towards the Forest Quadrant.

Serph's glad Johnny is alright with his hunting. He doesn't like having to do it, but what choice does he have? It's either kill one person every week, or go on a rampage and kill everyone around him until he's killed himself. He has to choose between deaths of the locals or deaths of his Tribe. It's an easy choice; his Tribe always comes first.]

Are you usually about at this time?

[Or was it because of the nightmares?]

[not_heavens_adam]

Aaah~ I just like strolls by the moonlight~ [Except it's definitely the nightmares.]

I'm a nocturnal creature by nature~ Besides...nothing wrong with a little extra patrolling.

[He had people to protect.]

[bufudine]

[Nocturnal... So Johnny's active at night rather than day.

He nods in agreement; there's nothing wrong with a little extra patrolling, even if it means there's more chance of he and his Tribe being caught while hunting.]

What else do you like?

[When he thinks about it, he doesn't know much about Johnny.]

[not_heavens_adam]

U-um...[He's surprised by the question. No one ever asks him that, not even Charley.]

I like cats and playing my flute. Aaah! And swordplay~ And books and poems~

Heh...I guess, after five hundred years, you stop disliking things that could prevent boredom.

[bufudine]

[...

...... five hundred years? That's a hundred times longer than he remembers living.Serph can't even begin to comprehend what that's like.

There's a long pause before he speaks again.]

What is a flute?

[not_heavens_adam]

A Musical instrument! Don't you have something like that back home? Piano? Drums?

[Surely there was something. Music was a necessity, at least, in Johnny's mind.]

[bufudine]

[This is a totally blank look.

...It clears up after a brief moment, though, when Serph recalls the things Selphie and Sheik used to make music.]

My world lacks many things. The only music we knew was a girl's song.

[So... no, he doesn't know what a piano is, or what kind of sound a drum produces.]

[not_heavens_adam]

[ave an appalled look. No music at all???]

Well, then! I'll just have to show you some time! I could even teach you how to play an instrument, if you'd like. It might be fun!

[bufudine]

[That does sound like fun. He's been willing to try all sorts of new things in Vatheon, so Serph nods.]

I'd like that.

[He means it. Serph pauses in their walk, now that they're quite a distance from his kill.]

Another time, then.

[If there isn't anything Johnny wants to talk to Serph about, he'll give the vampire a nod in farewell and part ways.]