hollower | ☠ 8th Haunt ☠ - [Action

☠ 8th Haunt ☠ - [Action | Voice]

[Action

It's nearing dusk - many of Luceti's residents will be finishing up their daily activities or returning home or, perhaps, beginning their nightly activities. That new club that opened up sure is a hot spot....and the bar is open until the wee hours of morning sometimes. But whether someone is going home or heading out, they may very well spy out of the corner of their eye a figure curled up with her back pressed to the wall of a building, huddled up in the shadows with her arms and legs drawn up close and tight to her body. She's wearing a dirty, white sun dress - the New Feather garb - but it's much too raggedy for this young woman to be among the new arrivals.

Grinding her teeth together, Perona breathes hard, digging her fingers into her arms to the point where she may begin to bruise them. It's too bright...too hot and bright and burning. She can't leave her little patch of shadows...not yet...but she can hear and see and smell all the people passing by. Each beat of their hearts, every exhale drives her senses crazy and despite how hard she tries to remain in one solitary spot - wait a little longer - a screaming, clawing, biting urge gnaws angrily at the back of her mind. She's so hungry...it's awful. But she can't do anything just yet, and the wait is sickeningly long. But she has to be patient, as much as her legs are itching to spring her at the next person that passes by.

Curious folk ought to be wary, because she will be counting every second it takes for the last rays of light to sink below the horizon, won't hear a word they say against the echoing beat of their hearts in their ears - thu-thump, thu-thump - and she'll look at them only with desire, like a ravenous animal would, and only bare her very new, very sharp fangs at them when the sun has fully set.

Through the night though, and with each unlucky person she nets and feeds from, Perona will regain a little more of her sensibility. By the time she's come full circle and gotten a full grip on herself will she backtrack to where she first arrived back in Luceti and find her journal, addressing a certain person in private, voice low and shaking.]

[Voice: Filtered to Trafalgar Law 80%]

M-Mr. Law? [It takes a moment for her to think of what to even say. How does she even go about explaining this? It's not like she really even wants to come clean, but if there's anyone she could talk to, it'd be Law.] I've--...may I speak with you? Now.

[Her head's swimming, trying to find words and how to piece them together. Perona can still taste blood in her mouth, and while half of her finds the notion utterly revolting (it's not at all charming like her favorite books make it out to be), the other half she's become finds the decadent, irony taste extremely satisfying.]

By the schoolyard...p-please. [It was the closest building near her. And just as she's about to close her journal, where the journal feed seems like it's ended, she adds in a very tiny voice--] ...Be on your guard.

[Just in case.]

---
[OOC: Okay, just some clarification, but Perona has been returned as a vampire. Chronologically, Law's thread will be last, but let me know if you want Perona from the get-go is ravenous, bloodthirsty hunger or a more sane attempt to get a bite. Characters also don't have to be bitten! Perona can interact with them when she's a little more herself, but the conversations will be very short, and she may attack them, which gives the option of the character also escaping.

And yes, she still have her Devil Fruit abilities, too, so if you want your character attacked by them or not, let me know. You can ping me on plurk (

MelonFlavored) or PM this journal for questions.]

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[With the lack of footsteps to cue him towards her pursuit, the blond keeps moving down through the plaza. The feeling that something is watching him can't be shaken, though, as strange as it seems. Once in a while, the reality of the Malnosso would hit, bringing its own discomforts, but this felt... different. Different enough to send a chill up his spine.

Maybe he just needed sleep.

His pace is quick, but it shouldn't stop anyone from catching up with him, much less someone hungry enough for a chase.]

[Perona lips turn up at the corners, just slightly. She's unable to help it - the justification of her actions even when not herself is nice. It eases her guilt some, and at least cements that she confided in someone who can at least understand where she's coming from. It's not at is she's proud of acting like a animal. Which is exactly what it was like, she was acting just on basic instinct, everything was a trigger for a violent physical reaction. It was...terrifying. She's never once lost control over her body like that. Her body and spirit have always been something she valued more than anything...losing control of one was terrible.

But her smile disappears when the question is posed, and she closes her eyes and lets out a slow breath.]

Their hearts were still beating when I left them. All of them. [Which isn't quite a definitive answer, but it's the truth. The wounds she left, as far as she can remember, were shallow and non-lethal. Easily patched up if not left to the elements. The light-headedness was probably a worse effect than anything. But just having to go through that, having to lose herself to her hunger, having to actively hunt and prey on people without care to who they maybe - friend, foe, or stranger - wasn't something she wanted to continue.]

...But I don't want to make a mistake in the future. [She doesn't openly ask for help, but her tone is obviously suggesting it. If there's anyone who could at least get blood, it should be a doctor.]

Ack!

[He's stunned when he sees the look in her eyes as she dives at him. He may have faced a number of inhuman enemies, especially those under the effect of the edo tensei, but it's something else to see someone he knows looking so bestial. So he is stopped for a moment, which will give Perona time to latch on.

He does his best to try to fend her off, moving to roll over backwards, but she's at his arm much too quickly.]

What- what is the-? [And he freezes, his eyes wincing as he's bitten.]

[His speediness catches her off guard, and Perona stumbles when she misses her target. Her eyes widen in shocked surprise - that should not have happened - before she regains her balance and tries to spin around to catch him instead. This petulant little shit...she can smell the alcohol on him! It's in his breath, and soiled in his clothes, too! He shouldn't be able to avoid her this well!

Growling more viciously than before, Perona swipes at Vash again - this time aiming to lash out at his neck with her nails - his voice just a distant buzz that's far away from reaching her now. She wouldn't care for his questions anyway, even if she could hear them. All she cares about is getting a hold on him and sinking her teeth into his flesh to feed herself. Nothing else matters other than her hunger and satisfying that.]

[When her eyes lock with the strange male's, she surveys him then turns her head away with a sneer. His scent was too odd, and she wasn't hungry enough to bother with feeding off him. She was curious, but now that she's lost the element of surprise - the bloodstains on her dress aren't exactly making her look inconspicuous, either - it's not just worth the trouble. She's been shot at once and still has a bit of a limp due to that.

Besides, she's got to speak with Law first and foremost. She can't waste time on anyone else, even if her curiosity has been piqued by this stranger's bizarre scent. Hopefully she can just be on her way without him staring anymore, though, she doesn't want to waste anymore time dawdling. Who knows how long she'll have reign on the beastly side of herself now? She only fed off three...four people? Is that enough for one night?]

[Vash jerks his head back away from her nails. He shoots out his left prosthetic arm in great speed, hoping to catch her arm as it sails through the air instead of his neck.]

PERONA! [He's not sure if she would be surprised or not that he knew her name, but he follows what happens on the journals. Even if he doesn't speak. Names and faces is what he's always had a knack for and he's hoping maybe the shock of knowing it may startle her enough to listen.

If he catches her arm he tries to hold her away from him. His left arm isn't real. She can scratch and bite that all she may want, but if she tries to come at him again he'll let it go and avoid her once more.] I don't want to hurt you. [He'll give that arm a squeeze if he has it, because if she forces his hand. He will. She could hurt someone like this.] Please. Please don't do this.

Edited 2014-03-13 00:30 (UTC)

[Understandable isn't justification. There are a lot of things that are understandable that aren't justified. But Law knows wild creatures - or at least he knows Bepo. He knows that wild animalistic urge to defend when backed into a corner, regardless of who's the aggressor or not.

So in this case...]

... aa... [There's subtle but visible relief in that sigh. Not the worst case scenario. No witch hunt to worry about. He'll have to look into the victims... but right now that can wait a while. The tone is asking for help and help he will give.] I can help with that, then. The Battle Dome has transfusion supplies and I believe Good Spirits still has a stock of blood for any vampires in town. I'll make sure to find out if that's still the case if a back up is needed.

[If not, he'll just hunt animals in the woods and bleed them if worst comes to worse. He can barter the meat and skins with the people receptive to a trade, perhaps get something useful in return.]

[A couple feet was about all he could see a head of himself since he stepped into the darkness outside of the bar, but he thought nothing of it as he was more or less drunk and in higher spirits. The unfortunate unknown consequences meant that he would walk, sometimes stumble on his path home, all the while musing to himself about how fun some of the nights conversation was and making himself an easy target for a vampire.

About half way home, though, is about where he starts to feel the other effects of slow beer. Dizziness being one of them, so he decides to take a moment to stop and rest against the building wall, unfortunately also stumbling in the right place at the wrong time. Still he was in high spirits though.]

Whoaaa, haha. This is not good. Maybe I should have taken Jade out with me after all...

[But why chase an idiot if she can take advantage of a trait he knows he possesses and lure him to her? They're familiar with one another - nothing serious, but it's enough. He's a good person, and that she can work with. It's so simple to trap the good ones.

But she has to position herself just right, so she does pick up the pace somewhat, just enough so he'd be able to hear her when she touches down on the snow and cement hard, her body making a dull thud, and lays there a moment before trying to get up. She flicks her wings and curls them in on herself for a more dramatic effect, then just curls up on the ground with a soft groan.

He's a good person...or so she hopes, so she recalls. He should come over. She just has to make her ruse believable.]

[Blood fills her mouth immediately, and Perona's muscles tense up at the pleasant taste - the necessary sustenance she now desperately needs. Exhaling through her nose when the first drops touch her tongue, she begins to draw mouthful after mouthful with no remorse or no mercy - now that the beast has tasted blood, it will not stop until satisfied.

Keeping her grip firm and tight, a low growl - more like a purr, really - rumbles in her throat, but that's the only sound Perona makes before she just continues to feed off her poor victim. She's none too gentle or dainty about it, either, some of the warm, red liquid dribbling down the corners of her lips and staining her dress. It's good...it's so good to finally quell the coarse dryness and scratching ache in her throat.

She needed this.]

Edited (whoops account expired mid tag) 2014-03-15 19:51 (UTC)

[Hearing her name doesn't get very much of a reaction out of her - just the brief flick of her wings before she hisses at him again. He's too fast...she miscalculated. He wasn't drunk, he was lying, faking it...he deceived her. A smart move, and she rolls her lips over her teeth in irritation - this would have been easy if he wasn't a filthy, nasty, dirty liar.

He does indeed catch her arm, and she makes the same mistake of misjudging his wit, flinging herself instantly onto that very arm and trying to sink her teeth right into it. With a mouthful of absolutely nothing, she releases his fake arm and lets out an animalistic shriek. Bastard! He fooled her again, that worthless sack of meat! This shouldn't be happening, she should have punctured his skin by now, she should have been feasting on his blood!

Breathing hard, her body shaking with fury and hunger, she shoots him a bloodthirsty glare, the red around the rims of her irises now spreading to color them completely - deep, dark, purple-red. The arms are no good...she has to go for his neck from here on out.]

[Rock Lee hisses in pain as the blood leaves his arm - and the bite itself isn't too pleasant either. What sort of jutsu is this? He's starting to get a bit dizzy from the blood loss, but at the same time Lee is someone who is used to thriving under extreme circumstances.

He mutters in a weak voice.]

Perona-san... Is this how you choose to fight? I... I...

[Maybe he deserved this for how improperly he was around Perona in the past. But at the same time, he could not blindly subject himself to this torture. Maybe it was really an attempt to train, after all. So he'll struggle as he will, trying to move the bitten arm to shake her off. Failing that, he'll try to punch her with his free hand.]

[No witch hunt indeed, thankfully. Most, if not all of the people she attacked were familiar with her in some way - which meant quite a bit of explaining on her part. Or avoiding them and hoping this blew over sooner rather than later. Better yet, she won't have to go on her own hunt either, especially if blood is stored in the bar and, obviously, the battle dome clinic. She was wise to seek out Law for this.

Sighing, Perona stands up, though she is keeping most of her weight on her good leg. She crosses her arms over her chest lazily and nods her head toward Law. She doesn't thank him, that's not how she operates, but at the least Perona can make her gratitude known.]

...I'm indebted to you.

[Vash takes a few steps away from Perona, eyes full of hurt. Not for himself but for her. He has a very good feeling that these are not typical actions on her part judging from the white dress she wore. Slowly he removes his gun from it's holster at his hip, but keeps it pointed down at the ground. He hasn't fired it at anyone living in some time and he didn't really want to start, but he can't leave her attacking people.]

I'm so sorry.

[Almost like the apology was some kind of spell the gun shoots up with incredible speed as he takes aim for one of her thighs. He just wants to slow her down a bit. Then maybe he could slip behind her and find a way to pin her until this is over.]

[Law inclines his head slightly in acknowledgement - quiet smile appearing. Yes she is, he won't deny that. But he won't hold it over her head either - he likes her after all. Rather have her company than any other payment. He and she were the only two pirates he knew of in Luceti left.]

... I should mend that leg for you. It can't be nice to stand on.

[She's fed enough by this point in the night that Perona's at least in a variable state of mind when she sees--...no, smells Peony. She was crouched in an alleyway, tending to the gunshot wound left by her first victim, cleaning out the small hole and - with a lot of grunting and hissing - managing to take out the bullet itself. She's no experienced doctor, but she has a good enough knowledge of medical procedure that she's improved greatly on over two years back home.

But some antiseptic, gauze, and bandages doesn't stop the ache in her thigh, and she's still not yet fully satisfied her thirst for blood. Again the scent of blood, breath, and alcohol reaches her nose and she crinkles it up, a low growl vibrating in her chest. That was how the first one was...and here she is now, tending to a wound. It shouldn't be difficult is this one is actually drunk, and she shouldn't go crazy now that she can think straight, but...caution. She needs caution.

Standing up with a bit of a wobble, she follows after the scent and--oh. Oh, this is a bit upsetting. Perona hesitates from her spot in the shadows, lips pursing together. She knows this one...Peony, right? That was his name. And while no where near friends, she had a slight fondness towards him. He wasn't one she actively wanted to harm, but then again this is necessity. And she can't override the whisper of her inner beast, muttering to just take a little. He'll understand, it's necessary. You're hungry, and he's a good fellow, he'll understand...

Just as he's about to fall over for the nth time, Peorna glides over and catches his arm. Hopefully he won't question her bedraggled appearance or the blood on her dress. She can always lie about it, too. She's a pretty convincing liar.]

Too much fun tonight, Peony-san?

[The struggling is to be expected, but it's still rather irksome. Perona shoots Lee a brief but vicious look and tightens her grip on his arm, clamping down harder as well. She continues to draw blood into her mouth, trying to get as much as she can - enough to satisfy. Sadly, Lee's will is stronger than her own, as is his physical prowess.

His fist catches her hard in the side of the head and knocks her off him and onto the ground. The mouthful of his blood she was gorging on splatters to the ice and snow and she snarls, baring her fangs at him - now stained red. She doesn't move to attack him again just yet, weighing her options carefully in her mind. If he's weak enough from blood loss, she may consider it, but until she sees what he's capable of, she'll just observe him like the predator she is. She's filled up enough on this one as it is, if he's still able to fight, she's not going to stick around.

There are plenty of other people, smaller and weaker, she can prey on.]

[It's that very same like, that fondness, that makes Perona want to repay her debt owed. If it were anyone else, she'd never even speak of compensation due for such a large favor, but Law was...hm. She's not quite sure what their relationship is in words, but whatever he asks of her, if ever he needs help in turn, she won't turn a blind eye to it. All she can really offer in a place with no money, nothing to barter, and little knowledge of what Law likes or demands is her services. Her strength.

That's the way of most pirates - you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. Or not stab it.]

You don't trust my skills? [She laughs, and an actual smile pulls up on her face. Now you're just spoiling her.] It's not a problem, don't trouble yourself, Mr. Law.

[The weapon makes her hesitate for an instant, she pauses to eye it, then just knits her brows together and hisses at him again. Is that toy supposed to scare her? Fine then, if he wants a real fight, she'll give him a real fight. She pounces, but not fast enough to dodge a bullet, and the agonizing pain makes her leg buckle and fold into itself. She hits the ground hard, curled up with one hand holding her leg and the other clawing at the ice and snow. She's still, stubbornly, trying to get at him.

Of course she tries to get up again, but she can't get more than a few inches off the ground before the pain makes her stop to curl her hands around it. And of course, she struggles, kicking and hissing and looking positively furious. She shrieks a mess of incomprehensible babble Vash's way, her wide eye staring at him, cursing him quietly. After a few minutes of breathing hard, she tries again, trying to force herself to get up and to him.

It doesn't work. Perona gets as far as a few measly inches before she crumples up once more. This time, she kicks out with both legs, clawing and scratching at the ice and snow and lets out a high-pitched shriek. She's enraged that she can't even pursue her prey. And that rage manifests into something white and wispy - like a cloudy mist surrounding her body. Glaring at Vash again, she roars at him, baring her teeth and fangs, and an explosion of white, ghostly forms spread out from the white mist that once surrounded her, flying every way, though some charge him.

Ghosts. A good dozen or more of Perona's negative ghosts erupted from her body, though only a few (two at best) will come at Vash with a vengeance.]

Edited (booo html) 2014-03-16 19:18 (UTC)

[Vash felt awful watching the girl in front of him fail to stand over and over again. It may be the effect he had wanted, but he still hated putting her through so much pain and frustration.] Please, stop. Perona, please, listen. [He tries to get through to her as he carefully moves closer, keeping a close eye on those nails and teeth of hers. Maybe if he could get one good hit to the back of her head he could knock her out. He knows he can move fast enough to do it.

He's calculating how hard he'll have to swing the handle of his gun as he tries to move himself into a better position. Staying out of her reach until he can just rush in and jump back in case whatever the Malnosso have done to her causes his calculation to be off and he'll have to try again.

He pauses his careful movement as mist seems to suddenly start to surround Perona.] What the... [Was she about to disappear? Turn into a bat? Vash suddenly finds himself cursing his limited knowledge of vampires. If that is what he's guessing the Malnosso have done to this girl.

He doesn't want her to get away to hurt someone else so he takes the chance to charge in before she can. Then she's roaring and the white explodes taking shapes.] What the hell!?

[Vash jumps far back away from Perona, nearly slipping on some ice but keeping his balance at the last moment. A bad miscalculation as he nearly loses his footing, but exploding ghosts was not something he had expected. He gains it back just in time to move out of the way of the first, but it comes circling back. Vash takes aim and while the noise is loud his bullet sails harmlessly through the ghost's shoulder.]

Yeah, didn't think that would work! [What was he suppose to do about ghosts!? His mind is racing. Ghosts. Bullets don't work. Vampire on the ground. Ice below. Can't hit them. Silver? Where's silver? Does silver wor-BEHIND YOU!

He once heard something about ghosts and iron. Suddenly wishing he didn't have what would be considered an advanced gun on Gunsmoke. He's pretty sure it's mostly steel, but steel was made from iron, right? Lacking better options at the moment he switches his gun to his left hand and swings at the ghost flying at him from behind.

It's not very effective. In fact it's not at all as the ghost continues right through Vash leaving the gunman rather startled at first. Yet, it passing harmlessly right through him. Almost harmlessly.

Vash stares at the revolver in his hand.] W-what am I doing? [He flips the safety back on it before tossing it away from himself. He suddenly feels heavy and he slumps down to his knees, eyes already filling with tears.] I can't. Every time I lift that thing, someone... someone dies. I can't save anyone. I'm sorry, Rem! I'm so sorry! Please, Rem. I don't ever want to hurt anyone again. I want to be with you.

[The tears start coming very freely now.] But I don't deserve it. Wolfwood was right. Legato... everyone. What they say about me is true. Everyone around me dies. I'm a monster who shouldn't have ever been born. It would have been better... Rem... you... you'd...

Edited 2014-03-17 00:35 (UTC)

[Looking into her eyes when she's like that just sends chills down his spine. It is so unlike Perona, even at her most disagreeable, that it is worrying to Lee. But right now, the pain is probably the thing to focus on.

As she releases her grip, he does wince in pain as he blood comes out. He puts his other hand over the wound in an attempt to control the bleeding. He seems weak and woozy for the moment, but he still has his senses about him.

His eyes snap open, and his teeth are grit as he looks towards Perona. He is certainly weakened, but he still looks read to put up a fight.]

Why... why are you doing this?!

[That's exactly the effect Perona wanted. And while in this animalistic mindset she didn't expect it to happen, she's glad for it. He's down, he's unarmed, he's weakened. She forces every ounce of strength into her arms to pull her forward, hissing against the pain in her injured leg, but it's only a minor deterrent. Her thirst is a far more powerful desire - pain and injury is not an obstacle when prey is right there, powerless now.

It takes her a few seconds, but eventually Perona manages to crawl her way toward Vash. She grips his clothes feverishly, grip tight as a vice, and pulls him down toward her. This is it, she can finally get a precious few drops of blood. Breathing hard from the exertion that she went through just to get to this point, she focuses her gaze on the male's neck. Swallowing just once reminds her yet again of how dry and pained her throat feels, and she wastes no time in pressing herself against Vash, mouth on his neck and fangs digging into his skin. She's none too gentle about the puncture, either, nor is she about the actual feast. Every draw of his blood she takes is long, hard and swift.

The blood calms her down, though. It appeases the monster, and her eyes close as she drinks deeply. The ghosts disperse into nothing, no longer of any use to their master, and the night is calm and quiet. At last...at last she's gotten what she wanted. She always does. On way or another Perona always gets what she wants.

Always.]

[Vash sees Perona dragging herself closer to him. Why had he been fighting her? Look at all the pain he had caused her. He really was a monster.

The gunman doesn't move as her fingers grip his jacket and he leans down easily with her pull. He even tilts his head back slightly as she leans in towards his neck hopeful that this time maybe Luceti won't send him back. He didn't deserve to come back after all he had done.

He grunts and his muscles tighten for a moment as her teeth sink in. It hurt, but not nearly as bad as he deserved for all he had done. Vash can feel his blood draining from his body; an unsettling feeling he does nothing to try to stop.

Eventually he starts to grow tired. Weak. He begins to slump forward, the only thing keeping him upright now are the fangs in his neck. His eyes feel heavy and the world is spinning.]

R-Re--Rem...

[No. He doesn't deserve her. She won't be there waiting for a murderer like him. With a sigh he shuts his eyes and drifts away into sleep as he waits to be completely drained.]

[And there is the answer to her question - too strong, not worth the effort of a fight. It's annoying, though...she hoped her attack would have had better effects in rendering this one to a more manageable degree. It's obvious she's bitten off more than she can chew with this individual, and trying for another bite is simply out of the question.

Perona bares her teeth at Lee with a low growl then turns and immediately escapes back into the darkness of the alleyway. She's much quicker than usual, and even is Lee does give chase, she'll be long gone. Or at the least, very well hidden.]

[The sound of a body hitting the ground is unmistakable. The young man immediately halts, his momentary jitters quickly being replaced with a sense of both caution and urgency as he turns to look behind him. The night may not help much, but from the widening of his eyes, he's spotted her quickly enough, shoving that jacket under one arm and dashing back down the street.]

Perona...? [He's still a good arm's length away, cursing under his breath as he kneels, trying to look her over.] Hey, are you alright?? Perona??

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☠ 8th Haunt ☠ - [Action | Voice]

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