1283/Help

Help
Date of Scene:	27 March 2016
Location:	Mitakihara - Kikoku Street - South
Synopsis:	Ayana and Ikiko meet a wayward Vampire. An offer of help is made.
Cast of Characters:	Norie Okana, Ikiko Hisakata, Ayana

---

Norie Okana has posed:
A young teenage boy with a spray paint can escapes down the alley-- he seems in a rush. Surely, the police or a shop owner or a security guard caught him tagging the side of a store.

He's not so lucky.

Lacrima seems to be hop quickly after him. She stops as the boy turns a corner and hides behind it as the girl in the odd purple corested dress stops---

He pants he breathes-- he peeks around. The girl is no longer to be seen. He takes a relived breath as he moves to walk away back to the street-- and where she wasn't before-- as the man turns around, Lacrima is there as her arms shoot outwards toward's the young boy's gut-- checking him against the wall pinning him.

"Draneje!"

There's a short pained yelling as she drains energy. Her gaze is somewhat between cold and crazed.

She releases the boy only when the drain has apparently stopped. She steps back a bit as lucidy turns back to her eyes and demeanor as she rubs a hand up her face.

"...one more.. should be good. After that." she says.

The drain is dark, a dark that might call out to those capable of sensing such things.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
The school year is over, which means less need for waking up early in the morning -- which means there's more time for patrols! And so tonight the Cute Canine Couple of Tsukiko and Inariko are bounding across therooftops, enjoying the spring weather and keeping their eyes and ears out for trouble.

But sometimes it's the secondary senses that pick up on things. In Tsukiko's case, it's the faint whiff of dark energy and a resonant twinge -- she's been drained of energy often enough that its scent causes a reflexive lurch of the stomach, triggered by the memory.

"Someone's draining energy," the wolfgirl remarks, looking around and trying to find the source of the scent. A hop this way, several steps that way-- no, other direction, then a leap closer...

Ayana has posed:
Inariko is alert to her girlfriend's senses, even if hers are better used on mundane occurrences. "Energy drain?" she asks, arching a brow. "You can smell that?!" she asks Tsukiko, somewhat in awe of the girl.

"Sometimes," she notes absently, "I worry about you."

Then she grins and steps through the shadows up to the rooftops. There, she sniffs the air, then tilts her head. She may not smell energy drain, but she can smell fear. It has a pungent, oily, poopy smell.

"This way," she calls to Tsukiko, as she bounds to the next roof. Soon enough, she's standing on a corner overlooking Lacrima's latest work. "Hi," she says by way of greeting to the girl in the purple.

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima is ready to go someplace else-- she's ready to--- be Norie again and find one last person-- just one last one for tonight- then-- then she can be normal tommrow! She senses something in the air--- before she turns around to the voice, head tilted upwards.

She frowns a little heavily. Is-- is that some sort of fox girl?

Is there another coming?

"T--this isn't.. what it-- looks like. You should leave!" she says suddenly worriedly.

"He's okay. I promise..!" she says with a sharper tone.

This hasn't worked a single time she's tried so far. She's not expecting it to work here suddenly.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"Dark energy's generally a faint smell, but the twinge I got reminded me of the time I've been drained," Tsukiko explains as she follows the kitsune. "I don't think I have the best range for smelling it, though."

She lands in time to hear Lacrima protest. "Y'know, for some reason I don't think your telling the truth," the wolfgirl remarks with a flat expression.

Ayana has posed:
"Really?" Inariko asks Lacrima as she drops down onto the edge of the roof, dangling her legs idly. "Because it looks like you're a dark-energy manipulator who drains other people to empower yourself." She considers a moment, then says, "In fact, it kinda looks like you rely on that energy for survival."

Beat.

"Oh, sorry, I should probably explain," Inariko says with a smile, "I'm Cute Fox Inariko, but before I was a good guy, I was just like that. I drained people for their energy, and fed it to my master--do you have a master?" she asks curiously.

Norie Okana has posed:
Okay so it's exactly what it seems...

"T-that's right!" she says. "Then you--should know what I need to do!" she says hopefully. "And why!--so-so! Just let me go!" she says. She's a little wide eyed, a little scared-- somewhere in between Norie and Lacrima right now. But still not in her right mind.

Maybe her head is clearer when she's Lacrima. Or not.

"What..? No I don't." she says softly. "I don't want to hurt people- but I need to, okay!?" she says.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"'Need to'? Sounds like you were right about the survival bit, Inariko," Tsukiko muses. Of course, there's plenty of reasons why someone might need to drain energy, some less objectionable than others.

The wolfgirl peers down at Lacrima. "The name's Cute Wolf Tsukiko, and normally I'd say 'pleased to meet you', but that's not the right phrase for this situation, is it?" she remarks with half a grin. "So -- why do you need energy? What do you use it for?"

Ayana has posed:
Inariko studies the girl thoughtfully for several moments. "I didn't either," she admits with a sigh. "The problem is, we can't just let you drain everyone you meet. It's bad for them," she notes. "But you know, I had a senpai," she explains. "He taught me a trick. A way to avoid being caught, like we just caught you. But actually it's more than that, because it's also a way to avoid hurting people." She smiles a little, then says, "And I might be willing to share that secret."

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima frowns.. they're not attacking her, yet. She seems dour. But curious.

"I'm a vampire. Without energy, I'm.. i'm nothing but a monster." she says softly. "--and then I'd start really hurting people..." she says. "Not because I want to, but because I have no control...." she says softly.

She glances at Inariko and squints. "A Senpai? Who?" she asks softly.

"And what trick? Is there a masking spell?" she asks softly.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Cute Wolf Tsukiko ponders what Lacrima said. Energy needed to stay in control? Not the most common reason to drain energy, but a halfway reasonable one. Of course, then the complication of how to reasonably supply energy comes into play, but it's still a certain amount of progress.

And who better to explain alternates for draining than the foxgirl with actual experience in doing the draining?

Ayana has posed:
"Energy vampire?" Inariko asks curiously, then drops off the ledge down to the street. She joins Lacrima by the boy she drained, considering her thoughtfully. "I think I understand. It's a lot like my hunger," she explains.

"Anyways, senpai," she explains, "Kunehiro Saito-senpai. He was ... different. He drained energy just breathing. It was a part of him. But he trained me to go to the places where there's lots of people and drain just a little. Nibbles, not bites. That way you don't hurt anyone. You don't take too much. Just a touch from everyone you pass is enough.""

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima steps back when Inariko approaches and comes down. She obviously wants distance. She takes a deep hard breath. "I can't do that." she says flatly. "I can't passively drain. If I'm capable of it.. then I'm not capable of it yet-- I--"

"I need to touch someone with my hand and make contact-- and say a word--" she says softly.

"That's how I feed..it's why I do... that." she says looking down at the boy who'd she drained.

"It--it used to be.. I needed only one... then two.. now.. three. To keep... myself... normal. Not-- unhinged.. and weird and-- crazy..." she mutters.

"Do you know what that's like...?" she says. "To have to.. be a monster? To be normal and----"

"Ha...~"

Her laugh gets a little weird, nervous. A little wide eyed. "S-sometimes I wonder because-- even when I'm 'full' I have spats like this..."

"Where I loose myself and I just start spouting on tangents..."

"And I don't even know why~" she says.

Then a pause.

"Why do you even care..." she suddenly spits out.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"Because it's better to help a new friend than to fight a new enemy," Tsukiko replies softly. "And because your reason for draining energy isn't vicious or mean."

She glances over at Inariko and gives the kitsune a brief smile. "And because protecting people is something magical girls do," the wolfgirl adds. "Even if the one you're protecting them from is themselves."

Ayana has posed:
Inariko sighs and stops drawing closer to Lacrima, but that might be because she's kneeling down to inspect the boy that was drained. Still a pulse. That's a good sign.

"Was I this difficult?" she asks Tsukiko curiously, smiling a little at her girlfriend's words. Straightening, he regards the vampire again, one eyebrow raised.

"So touch and take a little," she says. "Enough they'll have a little headache, or feel a little sleepy. Not so much they can't finish their shopping and get home. There are places where you can find hundreds ... thousands of people to drain just a little from. And if you're actually cautious about it," she says, "instead of doing this," a motion to the boy, "I at least would defend your right to do it to the death."

A brief pause, then Inariko quietly says, "We are what we are made to be. I can't help being a fox. Tsukiko can't help being a wolf. You can't help being a vampire. But you can do your best not to hurt others because of who and what you are."

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima huffs. "It always hurt. I can't do it. I need... one more person tonight and I should be.. good..." she mutters. "Good for tommrow. Whenever I wake up." she says, not sure of the time of night.

She does look up. "I met someone who said I shouldn't care what people think that-- you're all just afraid of me because I'm 'powerful'.." she says shakingly.

"I think he's the only one who understood me, even a little." she says. "I don't feel powerful... and.. I don't take more.. energy than I need. He says I should just take and take..." she says.

"I--"

"I don't know."

"Whenever I'm.. myself-- it feels like I'm being pulled two ways...."

"But when I'm just.. this.. it's easier for me to think. But I can't be this going to school... being with my family...."

"D--do you have a voice too?" she asks. "Something that tells you to do things...?" she asks. "Tells you things that you don't want to belive--b--but suspect it's right anyways...?" she asks.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"How many times did we have to remind you that we weren't going to give up on you, no matter how much you tried to drive us away?" Tsukiko murmurs back to Inariko with a gentle smile.

She frowns slightly at the message Lacrima's unknown visitor had mentioned. There's plenty of villains who have thoughts similar to that, but the phrasing was very similar to what Riventon would use.

"Not a voice, no," the wolfgirl replies with a shake of her head. "Some additional instincts that occasionally come in handy, but overall it's just me in my head, spirit quirks and all."

Ayana has posed:
Inariko grins foolishly at Tsukiko's reminder, then shrugs. "Yeah," she agrees. Because really, she can't argue the point.


But she can give that same foolish smile to Lacrima. "I did," she says quietly. "My master's voice would sound in my head, reminding me the things I needed to do; reminding me that I needed that energy; he needed that energy. It drove me mad," she admits. "But ... Tsukiko loved me enough to get me through it."

"That voice?" she suggests. "That voice is your master. You can fight it. But first you have to learn how to control it."

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima looks at Tsukiko and bites her lip. "Instincts.. I guess it feels a lot like that." she says softly.

She looks to Inariko and hrmphs. "I don't think it's my master..." she says. "It says.. it'll go away. If I just accept the truth." she says softly. "That I'm not... me anymore-- and someone else. It--"

"It's... expensive to be myself. It tells me it's foolish, that I should just be-- Lacrima instead of---"

"Who I really am..."

"That's not foolish.. right?" she asks, as if she wants validation from another source. "That man said-- that-- I can be both-- that, 'I shouldn't choose one or the other because he didn't.' but-- It doesn't feel like I can." she says quietly.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Cute Wolf Tsukiko hops down and walks over to Lacrima, giving her a quick hug. "The best things are often the hardest to accomplish," the wolfgirl mentions. "But it feels great once you pull them off, even if it takes a long time."

She gives the reluctant vampire an encouraging smile. "Always remember who you are," she murmurs. "As long as you can keep that sense of self safe, then you can return to it. Even if it takes friends in order to do so."

Ayana has posed:
Inariko arches a brow. "Does it tell you what to do?" she asks Lacrima curiously. "Do you struggle to avoid doing what it says? Sounds like a master to me. Just ... maybe one that's in your head."

She shrugs, then starts forward--only to stop when Tsukiko beats her to it. Rather than crowd the girl, Inariko keeps her distance. "Look, why don't we test my theory about whether you can drain just a little. Come try and do it to me. Just a little. Whatever you think would make me unconscious, drain like ... a tenth of that. Don't worry, you can't hurt me with this."

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima is hugged she feels... nothing. She in fact, does not hug back. She feels cold to the touch. Probably not surprising. She still looks dour-- "--c--can't even....." she isn't feeling anything from that--n-nothing! Her first hug .. si..since this and nothing!?

"Haha~" that laugh again. Not quite a giggle, more like an off key chuckle.

She steps back -- and tries to get more distance.

She frowns. "It tells me what to do--but.. I.. it's different than that too..." she takes a series of hard breaths...

"You /want/ me to drain you!? nrg...I'm tired of this..." she throws her hands towards Inariko--- and grabs her upper shoulders---

"Draneje!"

She calls out, and indeed, proceeds to drain Inariko-- it's painful-- it stings. She keeps that grip tight---and she takes a little more than she's supposed to---but she's eventually able to force her hands off Inariko- eventually.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Cute Wolf Tsukiko backs off when Lacrima does. There's a bit of concern on the wolfgirl's face, but it seems like it's for the reluctant vampire instead of about the reluctant vampire.

She steps up behind Inariko while Lacrima is finishing the drain, wrapping an arm around the kitsune to help give her support. "You okay?" Tsukiko murmurs to her girlfriend, letting the foxgirl lean on her.

Ayana has posed:
Inariko grimaces as the drain begins. The sharp pain ws not expected, but she's also not afraid of a little pain. She reaches up to grip Lacrima's shoulders, steadying herself as te drain continues.

When the girl lets her go, she stumbles back a step, right into Tsukiko's waiting arms. For a moment, Inariko says nothing, then she takes a deep breath, nods, and stands. "I'm fine," she promises quietly.

For a moment, she studies Lacrima, then takes a step towards her. "Again," she mumbles. "Less this time. And without calling it. If you have to call it, do it as a whisper. But try not to call it."

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima frowns. "I have to call it. I have to call anything worth... doing. Theres very little I can do without calling it out-- I can.. float/fly.. I can shift into a weird dark place and end up somewhere else.. I can throw some sort of bolt of energy." she says. "Anything else useful... I call it out..."

She sighs and closes her eyes and throws her hands out again-- it's always quick.. obvious.

Draenje.

It's not as loud as before- but it's not exactly whispered. The same bolt of pain.

She seems to be trying to take less-- but she ends up just taking as much as she did the last time. She frowns.

"I attack people. That's what I have to do. This hurts. I need to grab people." she mutters.

"Not like I kill people.... and I won't kill people..."

"As long as I can keep lucid enough."

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Cute Wolf Tsukiko frowns slightly. "Well... it was worth a try, at least," she shrugs, giving Inariko a kiss on the cheek. "Although, I'm stumped for now. This might take a while to figure something out, but we'll keep working on it."

Ayana has posed:
Inariko once again grabs Lacrima's shoulders, steadying herself as she lets the vampire drain her. Again she wobbles, but this time she falls a little harder into Tsukiko.

She shudders, then squints her eyes, the growls out, "That's a lie. Whoever told you you have to call it lied to you," she assures Lacrima, irritation in her tone. "Again," she orders the vampire, as she straightens out. "And this time, do not call it."

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima frowns. "I--i'm done." she says. She steps back again.

"I don't know....what you're expecting to help me with..." she says softly.

"But I don't need help from you! I've--I've been doing this for eight months now! What are you going to do!?" she asks.

"That I haven't already tried!?" she asks. "I've tried countless ways to- to try to stop me from being this thing and nothing works!" she snaps.

"Someone asked me-- asked me-- why I don't use my powers for good- well! I know deep inside, I can't! All I do-- is hurt people!" she says.

She takes more steps back.

"J-just leave me alone..let me feed.. I don't want to-- to do whatever this is anymore!"

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"And how often do werewolves have a reputation for using their abilities to do good?" Tsukiko retorts. "The first step towards doing good is attempting to do good. Even if it doesn't work at first, you're at least making progress, and you'll undoubtedly do better the next time you try, and even better the time after that. But it'll take practice and dedication."

Ayana has posed:
"I'm expecting to help you with what you said you wanted," Inariko counters irately. "You said you don't want to hurt people!" she reminds Lacrima. "You said you just want to drain them, and survive. Well if you're draining them to unconsciousness, you are hurting them. It takes days to recover from a drain like that. Weeks for some! Meanwhile, leaving them on the street like this results in them being a target for muggers, robbers, rapists, or worse: magical experimentation."

"But it's your choice," Inariko replies. "I am not afraid of this. You can drain me as much as I can handle, and I won't be upset with you, and I will continue trying to help you. But you have to want to do what you said you want. If you don't want that, then I'm going to have to stop you."

"And let me tell you, as a fellow energy vampire, I get it," Inariko reiterates. "Don't believe me? Come here and let me show you what I can do. I understand what you're experiencing better than anyone. But it doesn't have to control you, and it doesn't have to hurt you. You can act just like all the normal girls. You can stop hurting people. And you can be a good person. Eight months? I've been doing this almost a year."

Inariko gets control of herself again, then says, "Drain me again. Twice what you just did. Then the same from Tsukiko," she instructs. "You said you needed one more. That's two halves to make a whole. Then I'll give you my phone number, and tomorrow, when you're less scared of the realization that this can be fixed, call me. We'll try again."

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima scowls. "No!..." she says.

"I mean!..."

"Nrg.."

She seems confused, conflicted-- not right in many ways---but they offer energy. Almost everytime she runs into someone and talks-- they offer energy. Is this normal? Kuaki's about the only one she's she throws her hands out--- one on each girl---

"Draneje..!" she calls out.

There's that drain of energy--- she's allowed to go 'further' so it's easier for her to just... stop and remove her hand. Like it wasn't trying to stick to anything-- and the fuller she gets- the easier it gets to be in control.

It feels good to be in control.

"T..there..." she says softly...

"I..I'm going to--"

"Go-- now..." she says stiltedly.

She'd wait to get the number--before sort of moving backwards into some sort of misty shadow effect. Into the dusk zone!~

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Cute Wolf Tsukiko manages to stay upright during the drain -- Lacrima's exact method might be somewhat painful, but Tsukiko does have a certain amount of experience at being drained, which helps with enduring it.

Once the reluctant vampire leaves, the wolfgirl leans against the kitsune. "I think we should call the rest of the patrol off for the night," she mumbles to her girlfriend. "Head home, munch on some snacks, then sleep hard."