Path of the Vampire forum

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--
<Nerissa>
The blaring sound of a security alarm echoed down a dark alley, disturbing the quiet. In dark clothes, Nerissa ran out the back door of a warehouse and down the alley, her long purple streaked hair flying behind her. After running past a few blocks she was satisfied that she wasn't being followed and slowed down. She shoved her hands into her jean pockets and sulked as she walked down the alley. This was the third warehouse tonight that she had nearly gotten caught in, which meant she had practically nothing to sell for a couple blood packs. Looks like I have to tap into my savings again she thought to herself. She hated spending the lottery money she won a few months ago, it was getting a decent dent put into it already, but if things didn't look up soon she would have no choice.

As she walked she allowed her mind to wander a bit, which was something she rarely did, but she was too hungry to fight it. First she thought of her sire, who she hadn't seen in a long while. She hadn't returned to the apartment they shared, and even the telepathic messages she used to get had disappeared. The only reason she hadn't gone out to hunt the woman down was Beverly telling her that Pyper was just busy around town. Nerissa was a little miffed that her sire didn't tell her that herself, but Beverly was her partner, so she let it go. Besides, Pyper could take care of herself, and Nerissa would be there when she came back, just like she promised.

However that might be difficult if she didn't get any food soon. She was tempted to go hunting, but at the rate tonight was going she doubted she could do it quietly. Especially with how worked up everyone was with the rifts that had opened all over Harper Rock. She sighed and started looking for the sewer that she took to get there from the quarantine zone, still extremely jealous of the vampires who could just leap over the fence without much effort.

<Nesa> There was very little for the fledgling to do -- she spent a lot of her time in the quarantine zone. She enjoyed hunting zombies -- or even feral vampires; though sometimes those got the best of her. The zombies never did, though, they were easy kills.

She got her thrills off killing feral vampires, though she rarely went after them, she was too afraid of getting too badly hurt. She huffed and shoved her cell phone into the back of the bear. It was missing most of its stuffing, and the back was cut wide open -- it as where she kept her most valuable things, these things being her cell phone; her tome; and any other little personal items.

She tipped her head back to stare at the sky -- she was not inside one of the buildings, at least, not yet. She had just used a fadeportal to enter the zone, so she was still really gathering her wits and deciding what to do. She could always explore the old asylum -- she had not done that yet. But… she liked to stick to familiar grounds -- and familiar grounds were the Corvidae Flats.

She stared around for a moment, her gaze settling on the outside of the Flats. She needed to choose where to go, and soon.

<Nerissa>
Nerissa emerged from the sewers and crawled onto the pavement. She was able to snatch a few rats on her way back, and though they barely had any amount of blood to satiate her thirst, they kept her going. She slowly stood up and brushed herself off and hoped that she didn't get any of the scent on her clothes. It took forever to get the stench out. She sighed and started walking towards the Flats, kicking a rock with her boot as she did. Luckily there were few zombies around, but she expected to have to avoid many inside the flats. Despite all of the vampires there killing them, there were still zombies crowding the main floor of the Flats, and she still hadn't figured out why that was. She made sure her rifle was still secure on her back and her blade tucked into her belt, however while she was distracted, she accidentally kicked the rock harder than she meant to and it flung towards the fledgling standing outside of the building. Before she had time to react her shadow flew towards the fledgling and snatched the rock out of the air, just inches from the girl.

A flash of pride went through Nerissa. It looked like the practicing with Pyper was paying off, and as she watched her shadow slink back to her she noticed the girl. She didn't recognize her, which either meant she was new to the Flats or they had never crossed paths until now. Nerissa was tempted to just ignore her and walk into the building, but she remembered the last conversation she had with Pyper, who told her to meet new people. With an irritated sigh she approached the fledgling and said "Sorry about the rock. You're lucky my shadow caught it in time or else you would have had a nasty bruise." She inwardly slapped herself as soon as the words left her mouth. It had been a long time since she talked to anyone and it definitely showed, but she hoped the girl wouldn't make a big fuss about it.

<Nesa> There was a voice. Nesa had been claiming her knife -- which was her weapon of choice; the gun was for dire circumstances… Mainly because she did not trust guns -- they were strange and foreign to the fledgling, who preferring melee combat.

“Hiya!” She giggles as she turns to gaze at the other female, her aqua orbs dancing over the other female’s features. “How are you? Are you hunting too?” She tilted her head to one side, giggling softly against Uflu’s head.

“This is Uflu, and he says you’re pretty. And I’m Nesa!” She never gave her last name -- she had taken her sire’s last name, because it was all she had. She did not remember her life before her sire, the man had even named her.

“We hunt here all the time,” Nesa bobs her head, blonde curls bouncing around her face.

<Nerissa>
Nerissa was slightly confused at the girl's reaction. She seemed oblivious of what had nearly happened, despite the moving shadow not wanting to relinquish its new rock and Nerissa's comment. Before replying she examined the strange girl and noticed multiple scars on her body, which confused her. From what she understood about vampires they could heal all kinds of wounds, no matter how severe the injury. Could she be human? But then why would she be in the quarantine zone seeming unfazed by what was going on around her? And she asked if Nerissa was hunting, which made it more likely she was a vampire. Nerissa finally decided she either was a vampire with a curse she didn't know about or she was a human who had a few screws loose, which was highly probable in this place.

"My name is Nerissa." Nesa didn't seem dangerous, so she didn't see the harm in sharing her name. "I just got back from working actually. I'm on my way back home." She looked at the bear suspiciously, "Did you seriously say he talked? He's stuffed. Well, sort of." Her tone was indifferent, but she kept her guard up in case the thing came alive or something. Stranger things have happened lately so she didn't underestimate anything these days.

<Nesa> “Nerissa and Nesa! Our names are si--” She does not finish her sentence, because the other woman is questioning Uflu’s existence. One thing the young fledgling could not handle was the existence of her best friend being questioned.

She narrowed her eyes quietly, “I am sorry but… he is not stuffed. He speaks. If he did not speak, that would mean I am crazy!” She practically hissed the words, her fingers jerking the bear’s fur roughly; the poor toy was already in such rough shape…

<Nerissa>
Uh oh, she apparently hit a nerve. Nerissa put up her hands and took a step back. "Okay okay, sorry! Didn't mean to offend." She tried to look less threatening, but at the same time she was getting prepared to defend herself if necessary. "So are you from around here or...?" Maybe some small talk would defuse the tension that had grown between them, and although she wasn't very good at socializing she figured she could come up with something.

As she waited for an answer she looked over at her shadow again, which had abandoned its rock and was now circling Nesa curiously. "Oh, and don't mind my shadow. It's a curious thing." As she said this the shadow seemed to examine the bear, prodding at the shadow that it cast. Nerissa tried to will the shadow to back off, but it ignored her, thinking it was strong enough to handle anything thrown at it.

<Nesa> “I live with my family ‘round here… err, somewhere.” She did not actually know where the hotel was, she always used her tome to get home and the portals to get to the QZ. It never actually occurred to her to figure out how to get around without her tome. Why should it? She always had it.

Nesa was gazing at the shadow as it prodded and moved -- that was interesting, she would have to ask her sire about that. She scuffed her feet against the ground, humming softly to herself as she bounces. “That is a movin’ shadow, how and why?”

She did not understand -- she hardly understood why she had scars and everyone else did not. Honestly, Nesa had the mental capacity of a child. Hopefully she would learn and grow.

<Nerissa>
A hotel? Nerissa didn't know much about the other dwellings in the area. She only knew which buildings were abandoned or not. "Family huh?" So Nesa had connections, which meant if Nerissa got in a quarrel with this girl, there would be more people on the opposing side. Deciding to play it safe she folded her arms and attempted to look casual.

She smirked at the comment about her shadow. "Who knows? It happened shortly after I-" she hesitated slightly, "after I turned. It seems to have a mind of it's own, which makes it difficult to keep under control," (the shadow seemed offended at that comment), "but it's gotten me out of quite a few scrapes." With a hint of pride in her voice she continued "it's very powerful. Nothing has taken it down and probably never will." She knew she was sounding a bit cocky, but she couldn't help it. Her shadow was like her personal bodyguard, and everything she said was true. In the back of her mind a quiet voice told her that someday that could change, but she ignored it.

Suddenly her thirst started to overcome her, reminding her why she was there in the first place. She wrapped an arm around her waist and waited for the urge to settle down again. "So I have to get inside and talk with the guy at the counter, so if you want to keep chatting it will have to move inside." She waited for a response, mostly because her thirst overcame her again and prevented her from moving at the moment.

<Nesa> “Why did you stop? You said, ‘shortly after I-’ and you stopped for a second. How come?” Nesa, having no memory of human life, really did not understand why others were so hesitant to discuss their turning.

Though, having no memory of human life also meant she did not remember how she was turned. It was a blessing in disguise, she supposed. Gaze focused on the sentient shadow, Nesa speaks softly, “Mine don’t do nothin’ like that.”

“You should not be so… sure of yourself, you know. It is rude! And rude is bad. Rudey-two-shoes.” She mumbled the words quietly, kicking a rock absently. When the other female rudely interrupted Nesa’s thoughts, the younger woman huffed. “Sure! Whatcha talkin’ to ‘im for?”

<Nerissa>
Neissa answered with a nonchalant "No reason." She was always careful when talking about her turning. It was one of the greatest things that happened to her and she wouldn't trade that for almost anything, but it was still hard for the logical part of her mind to comprehend exactly what happened and what she became. She chuckled at Nesa's next comment, but doesn't say anything; mainly because she didn't have the time to debate. Being sure of herself kept her alive when she was human, and most of the time she didn't care what other people thought of her, especially someone she just met.

When the wave of thirst passed, she said with a hint of annoyance "Well, I've had a rough night and I need to get something to drink before I pass out." She slowly made her way to the apartment building and leaned against the wall. "Care to join me? Unless you have something else to do."

<Nesa> “Oh.” She huffed quietly as she nodded and followed the other woman. “Don’t got nothin’ to do -- sure I’ll come.” She bobbed her head brightly, why not? Nerissa seemed nice -- safe, at the very least.

At least… she hoped the other woman was safe. If she was not Nesa was in trouble. “Do you live ‘round here?” She asked, as she waited for the other to lead the way inside.