1249/What ARE you

What ARE you
Date of Scene:	01 March 2024
Location:	Mitakihara Ward
Synopsis:	Mamoru's long day ends with a vampire attack. No, really.
Cast of Characters:	Mamoru Chiba, Taro Yamada, Kyouka Inai

---

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
It's nighttime, and a tall boy in a leather blazer is in Mitakihara on his way to the closest metro station. He keeps glancing up, as if expecting it to rain, but his eyes scan the overhangs of the walk-up apartment buildings he passes. The street lights pool illumination on the ground, and the neighborhood itself is quiet, because it's nighttime on a residential street.

Mamoru pulls his shoulders in, cold for no reason, and he idly wishes he were playing cat-taxi. Even Luna yelling in his ear would be better than this quiet, where the sounds of traffic and nightlife are far away.

Taro Yamada has posed:
Rattle, rattle, clank. Up above, a cloaked figure perches on an apartment balcony.

Taro has gotten a couple part time jobs, a capsule hotel room, and hungrier and hungrier. Working under the table means not worrying about a fake id, but like it also means his wages are lower. Means he's stretching his food budget. Means he's getting restless.

A tiny wooden head pokes out of his cloak. "Look," says Jack, the doll with the smiling face. "That boy there. I can sense he'd make a filling meal. It's him you should hunt tonight."

Taro nods silently, tugging his hood further over his face before hopping the balcony rail -

He'll try and corner the man, make sure he can feed from him uninterrupted. If he's not seen, he can ambush him - and if he is, the fear will only make him stronger.

Rattle, rattle, CLANK.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Rattle rattle CLANK! Mamoru spins on his heel, taking his hands from his pockets, one of them holding a pocketwatch-- but there's nothing there.

"Himeko...?" he asks the night air uncertainly, but there's no answer.

He stands there for a long moment, listening-- and then glowing very, very faintly and listening, and looking, and... there's nothing there. No ghosts. Not haunted.

The glow fades away and Mamoru turns again, steps quickening as he continues along on his way to the metro station. He healed two people tonight. He's not exhausted, but he's tired, he doesn't want a fight. And he doesn't sense any dark energy in use, and any youma would have been more forthright-- he's just letting the night get to him.

His footsteps quicken again, dress shoes ta-tapping on cement.

Taro Yamada has posed:
Glowing. Glowing? Had this guy just come from a party? Or was he like those girls he saw in the painting?

Or was he like him? A yokai, a monster?

His stomach rumbles. It doesn't matter. He's hungry.

He lands softly and begins to follow the boy in leather, keeping to the shadows. His dark brown cloak will make him difficult to see.

But he's walking quickly to catch up with the boy. Two sets of footsteps echo.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
A mugger? Mamoru does not want a fight, but he also can't transform and put an end to it if he doesn't want to use too much force on a mundane citizen, no matter how potentially violent--

He can't fight with his fists if he's got a henshin device in one of them, he doesn't want to break his watch, of all things. So the watch goes back in his pocket and he goes to sprint, heart pounding, because why is this scary? Why is he so scared? He's Tuxedo Kamen, he's Prince Endymion, he can take a monster if he henshins and he's Mamoru Chiba, he can take a mugger if he doesn't, unless the mugger's armed, in which case--

--oh no, his watch is obviously a precious object, he can't let this--

So again the kid turns, still moving, backpedaling, looking behind him as he takes his watch out of his pocket and calls out with his heart in his throat, "Earth Prism Power, MAKE UP!"

It's sparkling with shades of red and gold, its shadows are dark and dramatic, its light is brilliant and makes for afterimages; it's a full-on magical transformation, and then this kid. This kid. Is dressed like a dracula but with a mask. All white tie and tails and neck badges and white gloves and--

Taro Yamada has posed:
There's a plume of light, gold and red and shimmering. The boy disappears into it, and when he steps out he's become a proper vampire, suit and hidden eyes and protected neck. Taro has to stop for a moment to stare, fascinated and revulsed by the elegant creature before him.

There's a plume of light, gold and red and shimmering. It lights up the mugger from the shadows in scarlet and sickly yellow - a haggard face whose mouth bulges with fangs, with two gleaming red horns that curl from the forehead and eyes that reflect like a cat's in dark.

"That's neat," the creature rumbles as it lopes forward, hands spreading to show red claws growing -

And lunges forward.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
It'll be fine it'll be fine it'll be FINE-- wait, the monster likes his henshin sequence? I mean it is neat but--

"ThaaaAAAAHH!" yells Tuxedo Kamen, starting to say 'thanks' but you know that did not end any way he thought it might? At all? There's a rose in his hand in between heartbeats, and there's not enough time to let it fly, what the hell are those fangs about?! This isn't a youma! Is this a youkai? Still? More?! There's not time to throw a rose which means there's not time to jump away, either, and the rose gets used -- again -- as a close-range dagger-ish weapon again, stabbing into whatever the hell is in reach with that cloak being so large as the cloak and the frightening mass of monster within it crashes into him full force. "GET OFF ME!"

Why is this happening so fast? What's it doing to him? Is it really so much faster than he is? Is it affecting his mind?? He should be able to wrench away, he should be strong enough for this; he shoves--

Taro Yamada has posed:
The other vampire stabs him, once, twice, a dozen times - it hurts, but Taro's so high on adrenaline he barely notices as his healing kicks into gear. The dirty jacket he's wearing under the cloak is torn, but it's as if the flesh underneath was never touched.

Good. His prey is properly frightened, and his strength is pulsing higher and higher from it; it's easy enough to pin him against the ground.

One huge hand flexes, and a long red blade grows from the palm; it dips into him with the strange feeling of flesh parting under anesthesia, pressure without pain.

"Stop wriggling," he growls. "You'll stain your shirt."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
'The other vampire' is, it seems, just a boy with blunt teeth, in a mask and a cape and very fancy clothes -- for all his strength and agility, he's honestly scared now, because he can't break loose and he is not used to that, he has no idea what this creature is, other than it thinks his transformation is cool?? and doesn't want him to stain his shirt?!

And then he feels what should be pain but isn't, and he's already trying to heal around it even as he's trying to push the arm away, push the vampire away, push this night away... it's truly a more horrifying sensation than getting stabbed the normal way. Getting stabbed is at least identifiable...

"What are you DOING? Stop! I'll just get a new shirt!" he argues in terrified indignation, the blade buried in him surrounded by a bright golden glow. It's warm like sunshine. He's warm like sunshine, like a lazy day with no school, like piling the blankets up to watch a thunderstorm out a window. And yet he's the one demanding in a voice that betrays him and cracks, "What ARE you?!"

Taro Yamada has posed:
"I'm sucking your blood! That seems self explanatory- OH!!"

He chokes on his words. Suddenly there's sunshine in his veins. Instead of blood being siphoned out of his victim with his red blade, it's light. The residual pain from the roses recedes as his body takes it in, as light dances around his red horns.

"What is this stuff?" he breathes. His head feels too light all of a sudden - light, ha, because this is light, sweeter than blood and more sustaining, like being wrapped in a hot towel, like the first sip of ramen on a winter day, being able to huddle under the covers when it's storming.

"It's so good - what is this? It's not blood, it can't be blood - what are YOU?"

He starts laughing, shrill and shocked and satisfied, feeling better than he has in years.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"SUPER non-obvious--" Tuxedo Kamen gasps, still writhing, still trying to get free-- and then oh no oh no this blood-sucking guy has converted to an energy-eating guy?? Thanks to Mamoru??

The overdressed magical boy stills when the monster-man does, breath shallow, and he suddenly tries to use the contact as a channel for throwing unpleasant feelings at the monster -- touch empathy, weaponized, throwing Mamoru's fear back at this guy to make as if it were his own -- and he tries to fight at the same time, saving his breath to try to shove and punch or kick the guy off him, to try and use his weight to roll over and throw him off, anything, anything. "I'm TUXEDO MASK!"

Taro Yamada has posed:
Stopping to enjoy the moment ruins everything, like it always does. The energy curdles, turning sour with fear - heart pounding mouth dry hands wet -

And his victim must have had rage break through fear because he's able to roll on top of Taro in his lapse in concentration.

"Cut that out!" he snarls, the blood blade sliding back into his hand so he can grapple Tuxedo Mask in return, try and roll back on top of him. "I'm - still - eating!"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"I'm-- NOT-- YOURS!!" grits out Mamoru, starting to scrabble away-- and then he's grabbed again. He's grappling, fighting, and the energy drain has made him more tired, especially after healing two people tonight already -- even if neither of them was too badly hurt, it's still something that makes him tired. He won't give up-- he won't!

But he's not strong enough, and his mind's gone blank from the fight-or-flight, and he's pinned again, and it's going to make his magic eyeliner run under the mask because he doesn't want to die, here, and he's panicking but his limbs feel like jelly, it's a nightmare, it has to be a nightmare!

Taro Yamada has posed:
The blood blade slides out of his palm again, and he leans forward, eyes hungry.

And his victim is growing pale as paper, quivering, and - it's not sympathy that ripples through him. He's not capable of that anymore. No. This feeling must be -

There's a joke his doll Jack tells him when he's feeling pleased with himself for giving Taro his curse. See, there's a farmer with a three legged cow, and upon being asked why, the farmer explains the cow poops gold, gives milk that cures polio, and once saved his life. So, then, what happened to the cow's leg?

"You don't eat a cow like that all at once," he mutters to himself, and grips his wrist.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
The panic hits peak and his heart reaches out to the help his soul looks for first, without even realizing it. But what he does know he's calling for, finally, is help who can absolutely find him:

"Stellar, I need help," he gets out, voice shaking and breathing fast. "Please..."

And the fear starts bleeding off, and Mamoru's shirt is absolutely stained, but he will also absolutely get a new shirt the next time he henshins. And there will be a next time, because Kyouka's going to come get this creep off him--

Taro Yamada has posed:
Oh, he's calling for help? Is it a phone? A pager? It doesn't really matter because he's realizing he's fed plenty - this is his cue to leave.

Taro staggers to his feet - oh, he feels like a kitten who's just been given a bottle, he may have overindulged - and strikes a pose. "You escape for now, Tuxedo Mask," he declares, striking a wobbly pose, "from the clutches of the deadly Back-Street Slasher!"

And with that, he bolts into the night. No point in fighting now that he's full!

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Stellar arrives, literlly out of nowhere, a mere moment later, the sound of faintly disturbed air her only fanfare. In henshin, she takes a moment to scan the area and finds nothing- other than Mamoru, laying on his back on the ground and looking much the worst for wear.

    She is concerned. She does not show it. She walks over slowly, grey eyes watchful of any surprises lurking as this has all the hallmarks of some sort of trap though it would have to be a pretty well-contrived one. She offers him her hand.

    "You look like shit, boss."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"He-- he ran away when I called you--" Mamoru breathes, heart still beating over-fast, shirt stained red. He really does look like shit: he's not just too-pale, he's been rolling around on the sidewalk fighting. He drops his henshin before reaching up to take Kyouka's hand, and at least the red's gone.

"Fucking... vampire?!" he says with no energy but plenty of feeling, and he's heavy, and his phone is pinging so much, and he doesn't get all the way up -- just enough to sit up and put his head between his knees. "Not gonna pass out. Didn't like that. Thanks. Can you text Usa and Kazuo say I'm okay."

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    Stellar, because she is herself, cannot help but look mildly smug when Mamoru tells her that the bad guy ran away at the very mention of her name. "Of course he did."

    She helps him up as far as he'll go, but doesn't push it as he pauses and has to hang his head for a few moments before going the rest of the way. "Vampire? You're not gonna go all undead on me, are you? I mean you've got the wardrobe but I'd miss getting coffee during daylight hours."

    She might be quipping but she's watching him carefully. Her magic sense tells her he is low on reserves- unnaturaly so. She says, "Sure" and pulls out her phone, shooting off texts to both Usagi and Kazuo, leading with "Mamoru's alright, I'm with him."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Thanks."

Then once he is up all the way, Mamoru leans against the side of the closest building, one hand rubbing at his chest where the knife went in, and he looks tiredly angry at the situation. Until Kyouka asks if he's undead, and there's a strangely hitching little laugh before he takes his glasses off and scrubs at his eyes. He puts his glasses back on and just breathes for a moment.

Then, "Nah. Just need to get back to campus and, I don't know, take a nap on the ground or something. Then go to bed properly. He called himself the Back-Street Slasher, but when I henshined he was like... 'that's neat!' like he literally said that? And he stopped just before I called you, I think..."

Kyouka Inai has posed:
    "Your magic is way low." Stellar tells the boy as he leans back against the wall. She taps the side of her nose. "I can tell. Seems like drained you of your power.. standard energy drain? Or something else?" She shrugs. "I'm not an expert. Maybe we should ask Naru-chan. Either way, sleep and food ought to help. I'll get you back."

    At mention of the Back-Street Slasher, she quirks an eyebrow. "Really? Isn't that that old urban legend about the vampire? That was around back when I was a kid, even. Maybe some dude is using the urban legend as an identity or a cover or whatever. Huh."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Yeah. Took blood and energy. Don't think I can transform again. Some weirdo monster vampire using it as a cover. You should have seen how many teeth..."

Mamoru's obviously discombobulated, still, but Kyouka will get him home. "What a stupid day," he says as they start down the street.