1762/Interview with a Vampire: Vol 2

Interview with a Vampire: Vol 2
Date of Scene:	26 July 2016
Location:	Uminari City - Central Harbor
Synopsis:	Naru Osaka and Lacrima have a talk about things. A talk that surprisingly also doesn't end in a drain or anything bad! Except being rained on. Lots of rain.
Cast of Characters:	Norie Okana, Naru Osaka

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Norie Okana has posed:
It's mid morning, that time between Morning and Noon and it's raining. Heavily. The rain is supposed to stop in the afternoon some time, but right now it's raining from an overcast grey sky. Luckily, the summer weather means that it's a warm rather than cool rain and it breaks the heat of the summer fairly well.

Standing under a busstop is a girl with a black umbrella, trying to keep out of the rain. This is Lacrima-- in Norie's clothes more or less. Purple hair, purple eyes, pale complexion, but wearing the floraled clothes and skirt and shoes of Norie. People are looking for the runaway Norie Okana. They are not looking for Lacrima. The umbrella does a good job of hiding herself as she seems to have it angled down purposely. There's some sort of book in her hands. It appears to be a Japanese edition of some Anne Rice novel.

Beyond being under a busstop, and with an Umbrella, she doesn't seem upset or bothered by the rain at least. She seems to be quietly sitting and reading. There's no one else at the busstop. Making it a prime place to run to out of the rain with that free, mostly dry bench underneath the protective cover of the busstops sheltered roof.

Naru Osaka has posed:
It's a really bad day to be without an umbrella.

More accurately, it's a really bad morning for one's umbrella to break. Naru is at least not frozen half to death, but the race from the shop she'd been in, over to the bus stop renders her into something approximating a drowned rat. Or at least half drowned schoolgirl.

Naru hides in the shelter of the bus stop, shaking water from her clothes and her hair, and her bags as she collects herself.

There's only barely a glance for the other person at the bus stop, but there's a second one after the first, and a blink of recognition. "Lacrima!" Her voice sounds generally pleased to see the other girl, as surprising as that might be, all things considered.

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima is reading the novel and she turns a page. She looks up a moment, the umbrella tilting up with her as she blinks once when someone comes to join her on the bench. She resolves to tilt her head back down to read when instead there is a resounding:

'Lacrima!'.

Well. Someone knows her name so that's not a good sign for her solitude. She tilts her head back up as the umbrella does so too as she blinks once at.... Naru.

"Oh. It's you. Hi." she says matter of factly.

A pause. "You look wet."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Oh, you're reading, sorry about that." Naru has the grace to look sheepish once she recongizes that she's inturrupted the delight that is quiet reading time.

"I am wet. My umbrella broke in a gust of wind, inside out and broken struts and everything." Naru sighs and pushes her wet hair out of her face. "At least its warm, and I'm on the way home. I'll just drip all over the bus." She gives her shirt a little shake, trying to encourage it to dry, as futile as it might be in the rain.

"How are you?" Naru asks and then gestures. "Would you rather I let you get back to your book?"

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima blinks. This girl is. Odd. Because. The last two times she met her. She drained her-- or tried to. And here she is now. Trying to make some sort of conversation with her? That's...

That's really odd. Even by Lacrima standards who often feels more out of place than anything.

"No. I've read this one a few times already." she says as she closes the book after inseting a purple bookmark into the book. She places it down on her lap.

"I am mostly confused. This is not a new feeling." she says. A pause.

She seems hesitant as she seems to be thinking something over. "Why are you out in the rain?" she asks.

"I like the rain." a pause. "...but I like gloomy weather. I guess that makes me odd." she says.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I'm out in the rain because I needed to do some shopping before I left on Saturday." Naru holds up her bags in illustration. "And I'm not going to melt if I get wet, I did start out with an umbrella at least." She smiles easily and gives a little shrug, accepting of that.

What are you confused about?" Naru asks curiously, coming to sit on the edge of the bench, not fully settled back, the feel of sitting on wet skirt is not /that/ awesome.

"I usually prefer to watch the rain on the dry side of a window, with a cup of tea. It's only a little odd to like gloomy weather, I know others who do too. I admit, I rather like sunshine." Naru quirks a quiet smile, a half chuckle to a remembered conversation from not so long ago.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana head tilts. "Leaving? Are you being chased out finally?" she asks.

She doesn't even sound a little guilty.

"Confused about a lot of things." she says matter of factly. "Mostly lost on a lot of things. Sad I guess." she shrugs a bit. A long pause. "Right. No worries about me trying to drain you today. At least. Right now. I'm 'full' so I'm under control. Mostly. Mostly under control." she says matter of factly.

"Easier for me to think and act like that." she says plainly.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Only on vacation. Tokyo isn't rid of me quite that easily, I'll be back." Naru smiles a touch and shakes her head at the question about being chased off.

"I'm glad to hear it, that its easier for you to think when you're full." Naru nods and stretches her legs out, crossing them at the ankle. "What sort of things has you confused, or sad?" She sounds curious as she sets her bag on the ground, enjoying not being rained on for the time being.

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima closes her umbrella as she places it between her legs and sort of places her hands into her lap so she can see them, and keep track of them. She probably doesn't trust herself to try not to drain Naru anyways. It'd be so easy. Wouldn't it? It's raining. She'd tire out if she ran....

She's just a few inches away...

She mentally twitches as she gets her mind back onto ANYTHING else except energy draining. So she decides to talk.

"I...." a pause. "Well 'Norie Okana' ran away from home." she says flatly. "I almost did something horrible to my brother so I ran away because I didn't want to do that." she says.

"I've also been confused about...." there's a long hesitant pause. ".....My girlfriend. Who knows what I am and what I do and have done but doesn't care." she says quietly. "I feel things I can't process about her. Because I can't. Positive emotions are hard for me." she says.

She seems to sort of slink down a bit, as if she's making herself smaller as she wraps her arms against her chest a bit.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I had heard that Norie ran away." Naru nods slowly. "I hoped it meant you were alright. Congratulations on removing yourself from situation where you could harm your brother. That had to be really hard."

Naru smiles. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend. Good for you!" She quirks her head. "Just hard, or are positive emotions like, cut off or something? That disconnect between knowing you should have the emotion, but not actually feeling it? That's really disconcerting, I didn't like it at all. I dont' know if that's the same as what you're experiencing."

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana frowns. "I didn't even know she was intrested... until she kissed me. I don't pick up... on things like that. Everything is so literal to me and I hate it." she says. She looks down a bit and sort of crosses her arms. "When she kissed me... I blushed. I hadn't blushed since... this whole vampire thing. Before that. When I was human." she says softly. "It felt so odd... because. I'm so cold now? And it was really.. hot in my face. It felt like I was burning." she says softly.

She frowns. "....but now my family is worried about me. And I dunno what to do. Two of my friends think I should make a new identity. Run away. Live that. Well. Two.. but one wants to try to make the situation better but it isn't really that easy...."

She blinks. "It's...." she says. "I remember. How things used to feel. So. I remember when I should feel certain things. It lets me fake it.. usually." she says. "But. I can't. Reach those feelings. Not really." she says.

"Or I'll feel... less involved versions of those feelings." she says. "Like I can't say I'm happy, but I can feel 'content'. or 'bemused' if something is entertaining to me." she says. "So yeah it is something like that. I know I should be feeling it, but I don't." she says quietly.

"At least. When I have a baseline to begin with. Love is... confusing me. I never knew what that felt like before this." she says.

"It feels like sinking and quicksand." she says matter of factly. "Inside."

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru laughs softly, shaking her head, a gentle sound. "I think if someone was interested in me, I'd end up finding out the same way, and blush just the same. Good for her on having the gumption to kiss you though. Blushes feel like your cheeks are burning even to those of us who are usually warm, I can only imagine how hot they'd feel to you."

Naru scoots back on the bench a bit, to be able to tuck her legs up and sit cross-legged, no matter that she's still soaking wet. "I'm not sure how to manage your family being worried and you being you, that's a helluva challenge. I don't envy you that one at all."

Naru considers, nodding slowly. "I hated that sensation. Knowing what I should feel, but not feeling it. You're coping better with it than I did. Although content is a good start on touching happy again." There's a soft little giggle and Naru shakes her head. "I'm no help with love, I've no idea. It seems confusing to everyone I've met who are in love, or think they are. It seems complicated and confusing and worth it. I've never been in love, not like that."

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana looks down. "I asked her to a dance, because she wanted to learn how to dance. She took it as 'asking her out on a date' and kissed me. She probably wouldn't have done that if not for the misunderstanding." she says softly.

"I just..."

"I have a friend who's trying to help me. She did some research... on my condition. She found... forum messages. From my brother. Claiming I was some sort of 'witch or vampire' and wanted to 'do away with me'. I know why he thinks that, even though he doesn't quite remember it. He was my 'first victim'. It was just instinct. He came into my room to wake me that morning this happened and just.... drained him. He fainted."

"It'd happened after I'd been sick in the hospital for a few weeks too... because of. Well. I guess now that I look back me being sick musta been the whole transformation thing happening to me. Doctors say my heart stopped a lot of times. Was pretty sure I was doing to die. heh..."

She kind of almost chuckles. Almost.

"Guess I did." she shrugs.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"If she took it as a date.. then she was already interested." Naru points out with a grin. "Because I've asked people to dance, and it's not been a date. So a good misunderstanding."

"It's hard to remember for most people. You just sort of come up with excuses in your own head. I sort of remember doing that, although not very well." Naru comments thoughtfully. "You sort of did die, I suppose. A few times, and now you're this you." She looks over to Lacrima and quirks her head. "Has your friend come up with any insights into your condition? Do you want to change it? Or just learn to manage it better?"

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana kind of settles. "I can't 'change' my condition. I'm not 'human'. I won't ever be 'human' again." she says quietly. I want to be, but that won't happen." she says softly as she purses her lips.

"Mostly my friend has been trying to find replacements for things. Like for energy. Nothing has worked yet." she says. "...she's trying to find a way to help me feel positive emotions again. And find a way to disguise myself that doesn't eat my energy so much. She's also looked into visions I have and figured out the village where the person who had my power before me lorded over. It's in Spain somewhere." she says.

She shrugs. "I haven't been burning much energy since I haven't.. 'disguised' myself since I ran away-- nor have I gotten in any altercations."

Then a pause. "Why are you talking to me anyways?" she asks confusedly.

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru nods, accepting that declaration of 'I won't ever be human again', without unduly commenting on it. If she agrees or not, she gives no real indication.

"What sort of replacements? Food isn't much good to you, right?" Naru asks, thoughtfully. "Positive emotions might just take some rewiring to regain, like letting your brain reconfigure, so to speak. Almost like they had to heal back. I mean, if you can get to content.. is that new? Cause if that's newer, and you're getting to content and bemused, then it sounds like they're emerging, just slowly."

Naru's turn to shrug a little. "I enjoy talking to you. Quietly, I mean. It didn't go so well when Maeko and Hannah were there, but if it's just you and I, talking goes pretty well, I think."

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana shakes her head. "I've always been able to feel that way since this started. Not much... has changed. Not much I didn't change myself.. anyways." she says quietly. "I used to be worse. Manic... quick to anger and act." she says. "Early on. Because I was starving myself. Because I didn't want to hurt people to 'feed'." she says.

"But I'd starve myself until I ended up blacking out and I'd 'wake up' into coherency again, fed, usually with someone unconcious in front of me. That went on for a while. I hated myself."

"I still hate myself. I mean. But." she shrugs.

"I'd also become crazed whenever I learned something horrible about myself. Like when I hurt myself badly one time. I just started.. oozing this black ichor from the wound and I couldn't comprehend it. 'Is this what it's inside me? Is this what I am!?' and I lost it and then I had to explain that I didn't punch three girls into unconciousness in the locker room. I..."

"..get into trouble at school a lot nowadays. Well. When I'm not a runaway." she says.

"Things like that go easier for me now, but I think it's because I accepted that I'm not human and stopped fighting the urges to feed." she says quietly.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Starving yourself, food or energy.. just doesn't end well. A body needs sustenance, and I'm not surprised that you had trouble controlling yourself when you were half starved to death." Naru points out and then mmms softly.

"So. I have a lot of experience with energy drain these days. Like.. a lot. For sure I notice yours, and it's uncomfortable. I won't lie to you and say it's awesome, but it's not /that/ bad. I have had a lot of way worse. There's some that are just crazy painful. I'm glad, for your sake, that yours isn't like that."

"Well, you're getting to know yourself too, and how things work and all of that. It has to be a lot less scary." Naru gestures a touch. "And worrisome and everything else." She smiles. "And a girlfriend. Which can't hurt /either/."

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana frowns. "If I don't eat. I'm just another monster. If I keep myself fed, I'm a person. But I still need to do monstorus things to keep that." she says.

She shakes her head. "I can't change that. Sorry." she says softly. "I can control the flow. I think it hurts if I just do it like I normally do. Like. As I said. people usually scream. I went slow with yours because you were talking." she says quietly.

"Not many talk to me. Usually. They just scream. Or shout. Or run." she says. "So I gotta be quick." she says.

"Natsumi-chan helps a little bit..." she says quietly. "She doesn't care that I'm this monster... or isn't in love with 'just Norie' or 'Just Lacrima'..." she says quietly. She seems to shuffle, uncomfortably for a bit.

"...can I ask another question...?" she asks softly.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"If I dont eat, I get snappy and cranky and generally fairly miserable to be around, even if I only figuratively turn into a monster, rather than more literally, but it makes total sense to me." Naru replies with a nod.

"Slow was pretty bearable. I mean, I could chat with you and everything. Sometime we should compare the two. If quick is like ripping off a bandaid, smarts but is over quick." Naru muses thoughtfully and then smiles. "Natsumi, hunh? I don't think I know her. I'll have to meet her sometime."

Naru nods. "Sure you can ask me another question."

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana softly frowns. "If... someone is dating someone. And that someone is secretly someone who also hurt them a lot in the past... and might in the future... and I know, but I'm keeping silent because I don't want either of my friends hurt...." she says.

"Is that wrong or right...?" she asks.

She sort of shifts again as she looks down at her book and then back up at the rain.

"I think I'm resolved to keep my mouth shut..." she says quietly. "Regardless. Just...."

"...not like my wrong or right compass is fine tuned these days..." she says quietly.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"That one is hard." Naru replies quietly. "Partially because I /do/ think people are ever changing, and having hurt them in the past might make it more likely in the future, but doesn't mean it's a for sure thing.. so how do you give someone the benefit of the doubt if you just declare 'oh, that happened in the past, so we'll assume that you'll always do the wrong thing forever'." Naru mmms softly. "I mean, that's not right /either/. So I struggle with that sort of question a lot. I suppose.. I just watch. And know that I'm going to feel guilty either way. Guilty if they get hurt and I didn't say something sooner, and guilty if I cast doubt on a relationship that's working, and keeps working and doesn't need judging from outsiders."

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana kind of twiddles her thumbs, yes. One over another. "It's funny. Because she said 'Maybe a girlfriend would help her, too!' and it's funny because they are actually dating and don't know it. It's kind of silly." she says quietly.

"I was worried for my other friend.. because...."

She nrgs. "Look. I dunno. How much you understand. But. People who... 'use dark energy' can access this place. This place is convient. We can use it to heal with dark energy, and it's how we mostly do the 'teleport' thing." she says.

"--but you need to be rolling kind of deep in it. Like I am. Enough that it... changes you." she says. "She didn't /used/ to be able to shift into this place. But she can now. She's been acting odder too. I'm kind of hoping she's able to stop her or make her think about her actions... if she has someone to care for.." she says quietly.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"It's been a bit of a learning curve." Naru admits with a wry little smile. "I'm starting to slowly realize how much I've worked out though." She nods through Norie's explination with a soft little 'mmmm' of understanding.

And the next little 'mmm' is thoughtful. "So I've heard. That it changes you." She leaves off the fact that it's not always for the better. "Having someone to care about, who cares about her too, it's important. It makes you feel connected, as if your actions and your thoughts and /you/ matter. It's really important, and its easy to forget how important it is." She mmms softly again, introspective this time.

Norie Okana has posed:
Norie Okana looks down. "I guess." she says quietly. "My girlfriend really hasn't changed much about me. It's just nice to know someone cares. I'm just glad that that the voices in my head either haven't spoken up, or agree that she's pretty great..." she says quietly.

"I was awake for two days straight worrying about it. When one of the voices would speak up and tell me it was a bad idea. But that didn't happen." she says.

She pauses. "Yeah. I do need sleep." she says. "I mean. I can forgo it. But then days run together and I begin forgetting things. Sleep kind of acts as a... process for me? To file things away." she says.

She then pauses a moment as the bus comes.

"I wasn't waiting here for the bus." she says softly. "I was just out and about. To get some air.." she says as she offers her umbrella.

"Here..." she says quietly. "I just bought it, and not like I can't buy another..." she says softly.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Having someone who quiets your voices, and who think she's pretty great? That's a change for the good." Naru smiles warmly as she stands, clearly about to get on the bus that's arrived. "Sleep lets all of us process.. you're human /that/ way at least."

Naru waves off the umbrella and her smile is bright, and genuine as she nips from shelter to bus. "Keep it! Then you wont get your book wet! I wont melt. Take care Lacrima! See you again soon!"

Naru waves and then, is on the bus and gone.