1538/At least he doens't sparkle..

At least he doens't sparkle..
Date of Scene:	13 May 2024
Location:	Mitakihara Ward
Synopsis:	Taro aims to feed off Naru and gets more (and less) than he bargained for. Naru loses her coffe, of course and some blood, but she gains some interesting information.
Cast of Characters:	Taro Yamada, Naru Osaka

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Taro Yamada has posed:
Taro may have slightly miscalculated.

It's been a busy few months. He's been defeated. He's gotten a new job. He's in school now. He's got a side hustle on top of the homework and the job. He's got a phone to watch the youtubes with, and he makes enough that he can buy rice and oil and vegetables and glorious meat to take home and cook and nothing can stop him!

Unfortunately, it doesn't completely sate his other hunger.

He can feel it lingering in his bones and joints, making him sluggish in the morning. His two dolls are starting to slow down, too: Jack has been hiding under hte bed to make sure no one can tell how he's feeling, but Dory has stayed cuddled up to him when he does homework, her movements a little more wooden (no pun intended) every day. If he didn't do something soon, they might become actual dolls instead of his little allies. Dust to dust, and all that.

So he finishes what homework he can, heads out of the dorms, finds a convenient alley hidden from the dying sunset, and transforms.

The Slasher blends into the shadows in his browns and greys; the eye slides right over him as he clambers up onto a rooftop and watches from above for any being foolish enough to wander alone near him -

He's one win, one loss for magical beings. He could consume so much energy, enough to keep him sated for months and months, but they could also slam his face into the pavement at bone-breaking speed. Which is why he's got an eye out for one he can ambush.

Naru Osaka has posed:
These things always seem to happen when Naru has just gotten a fresh coffee. Granted, the odds are in one's favour on that. She does pick up coffee often. She pauses just outside the coffee shop, not yet in the flow of traffic to have a sip of the still too hot liquid within. The school uniform helps with the possibliity that she's one of the magical kids, there really does seem to be a lot of them at Radiant Heart.

There's no one with Naru as she turns to start walking away from the coffee shop. It's unclear where she's headed, but it's also quite clear that she's familiar with the neighbourhood, turning to take a short cut down a quieter street.

Taro Yamada has posed:
There, that girl! She'd been at the portal with Tuxedo Kamen. She'd been out of uniform - to save on power, maybe, or to hide her identity? Either way, that meant she was recognizable now. Meant that he could ambush her, attack when she transformed - get all the juice from the transformation with minimal risk of getting spattered over the pavement by some super attack. He could heal, obviously, and he'd left his dolls at home so they weren't at risk of being broken and breaking him by proxy, but it was simply! Unpleasant!

So he stalks her by the rooftops. When she turns into a street devoid of people, he scampers down a wall, letting his cloak billow as he begins to follow - you only had one chance to set a first impression, after all, and he wants her spooked enough to let his powers grow....

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru continues down that quiet street, letting her thoughts consume the bulk of her awareness. She pauses midway down the street, to be able to siiiip from the full coffee without, ideally, spilling it everywhere and that's just not something that one does while walking. Nor really, should she be doing it at all, so rude. But it's a quiet street and she did at least pause in her walking!

Naru clearly has no idea that someone.. or something.. is following her. She really should, but apparently distractions are legion today.

Taro Yamada has posed:
She hasn't noticed him. She must be distracted, given the troubles with the portal. Well, maybe that's a good thing, He can just sneak up on her and attack without a fight. His terrifying blood blades caused no pain when they pierced the body - it wouldn't be the first time he fed without his victim noticing.

So he creeps up quietly, quietly - and if Naru doesnt notice hear him, she may notice the looming shadow he casts as the blade flows out from his palm -

Does she realize that the creature looms behind her in time? Huge and cloaked, red horns and a bony, blue-tinged face full of fangs?

Naru Osaka has posed:
There's something in the back of Naru's brain that's tapping at her thoughts. Yo. Naru. Hello! danger. Danger. DANGER!

It's the shadow that catches her conscious mind and her unconscious one that has been screaming at her would give a sigh of relief that she's finally paying attention if it wasn't instead focused on providing adrenaline.

Naru turns just in time to come face to face with Huge and Clocked, red horns and a face full of fangs that is really REALLY in her personal space.

"AHHH!" Naru screams and drops her coffee, scrambling to take a few steps back from him. "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?"

Taro Yamada has posed:
Now THAT'S the reaction he was looking for! He exhales, his chest growing a little broader, his spine longer as his powers feed off her fear. He spreads both clawed hands, showing off the red blades that have blossomed from his palms.

"I am the Back-Street Slasher!" he declares, stepping forward. "I'm awfully hungry, Miss. You wouldn't have any blood to spare, would you?"

His body tenses in anticipation - for an attack, a transformation - he's so hungry that his pupils are pinpricks in blood red irises.

Naru Osaka has posed:
It's right about this moment that he might notice that there was a whole lot more startle reaction than true fear. Naru is still moving backwards as he steps forward, she's hardly suicidal but she squints at him. "Oh SERIOUSLY!?" She doens't sound all that /scared/ per se, she sounds more irritated af. "Are you trying to kill me, or just feed from me?"

Because that's the sort of question Naru asks rather than doing something functional like attacking.

Taro Yamada has posed:
Oh, whoops. He is not growing as big as he anticipated! Maybe these Tokyo girls are made of sterner stuff?

"I'm just going to feed from you, it won't take more than five minutes if you don't do anything stupid," he says, taking another menacing step forward.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Ugggh." Naru sighs and then holds out her arm. "Fine. Whatever. Have at. If you kill me though, I swear I am going to return as a ghost just to send people to kick your ass. If I pass out, could you text my top contact to come pick me up?" She points out and then realization dawns. "AND you made me drop my coffee! Dammit!"

Taro Yamada has posed:
Woah. That was easier than he anticipated? He can with with this.

"Since you're being a good sport, I'll give you a some yen to buy a new coffee if this isn?t a trick," he says as he steps forward again, losing a couple inches. "Just tell everyone you were terrified by the hideous yokai, I have a reputation to maintain."

He takes her hand delicately in his huge, icy hand and retracts the blade from his palm, instead flicking out a tiny one from his pointer finger. "This won't hurt, but you will want to hold still."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Coffee doesn't help." Naru lets her hand be taken and then looks skeptical about it not hurting. "Really?" She hunhs softly. "Most drain does. Unless you are literally snagging blood and not just energy." She isn't pulling her hand away, although he can sense her body language is a little tense. She might have an (over) full compliment of bravado about it all, but he's still unfamiliar and well.. it wouldn't be the first time that she's made deals that were a smidge on the sketch side."So an actual vampire then?"

Taro Yamada has posed:
"I can't drain energy unless you're in uniform and since you seem adamant about not transforming and revealing your secret identity, I'll just get the trace amounts that are in the blood."

Which, frankly, sucks for him, but after all that insane Beryl nonsense, it makes sense. He'd rather not start a fight if he's getting what he wants.

The tip of the blade pierces Naru?s arm; true to his word, it doesn?t hurt - there?s only the strange pressure that comes from touching a body part under anesthesia. She can watch as tiny drops of blood travel up the blade and into the vampire?s finger, bringing color back to his skeletal face.

The shadows are pulling back under the hood, too, revealing sunken eyes and a narrow chin.

"Actual yokai," he corrects. "It's pure coincidence I happen to eat something like a western vampire. And if coffee doesn't help - you got any boys that wronged you?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Sorry about that." Naru sounds .. apologetic?.. about her lack of uniform and transformation. "I don't have one of those."

It makes little sense. The power is there in her blood, he can taste it. A little subtle perhaps, but it's there.

Naru has no qualms about watching him piece her arm, and the blood settle into his blade. "A coincidence you probably spend far too long trying to explain." She flashes a smile for him. "At least you don't sparkle?"

Taro Yamada has posed:
"You don't?" He frowns, and he removes his finger for a moment to drip blood into his mouth before returning it to siphon more. "You will. I can taste it."

It's subtle, but it's there. Her power, tucked deep within her, tantalizingly faint like honey in weak tea.

"Exactly. They're too popular these days, the whole concept is being watered down! Monsters should be terrifying and wicked, not so besotted they sink into clueless depravity! Where's the grandeur? The awe! And what kind of creep sneaks into a girl's bedroom at night? That should be off limits!" Oh, she's got him ranting now.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"No." Naru shakes her head, disputing his claim that she will. "Sunbreaker tried already and that didn't work." Although why, exactly, Naru thinks that's the only way of things is a mystery. Sometimes smart people can be very dumb.

There's a smile as he gets to ranting about the injustices in monster kind. "Okay, the sneaking in is one thing, but the just standing around watching her sleep like a total stalker, that's next level." Naru prods the rant a little, possibly amused at his indigant replies. "Although is a whole different level of terrifying and wicked when it's into that subtle creepy, y'know? Like psychological thrillers rather than jump scare horror movies."

Taro Yamada has posed:
"Try those planet themed girls spooking around. Your power is - you?re too young to know this, but when those Americans went to the moon, they said it tasted cold and dry and like burnt charcoal. Thats what your power tastes like," the Slasher analyzes. "That's the strongest flavor I can pick out. It could be some elemental nonsense but I think with all that planet nonsense going on, space stuff is more likely. Trouble is contagious."

If there's any chance this girl can join her planet buddies and beat up Beryl? That's a win for those who still can't work out a direct attack!!

He brightens as she replies to his horror rant. "Exactly! That kind of stalker behavior could be used for a subtle horror, but instead it's played for romance? That's worse! Creeping alienation from your own life is the peak of horror and instead it's used for cheap lovey dovey nonsense! It's the kind of nastiness only humans are capable of!"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"How are you old enough to know that?" Naru asks with a laugh. "Or are yokai immortal too?" She pauses and then considers what he's actually said and frowns a little. "Cold and dry? Like burnt charcoal?" She mmms softly. "Evocative, and .. interesting. Thank you for that, I suppose." She is as good as her word, holding still to let him drain blood from her.

"There's nothing wrong with romance, and it can be a really added depth to the subtle horror, when there's the extra betryal of trust and all of that." She mmms softly and nods. 'Humans are pretty awful, but I dont think they have a monopoly on nasty. I've heard some awful stories from other places that make humans look pretty decent."

Taro Yamada has posed:
"I'm too powerful to be killed by something like old age," he preens. "I saw the moon landing and Tezuka dying." 1969 and 1989 specifically, though Naru may not know those dates off the top of her head. "Are you sure you don't want coffee money? I don't know if the knowledge you may be pulled into supernatural nonsense is the greatest repayment I can give for a decent meal."

He sighs in satisfaction and withdraws his finger blade; the tiny cut in Naru's arm seals up and scabs over near instantly. "Apparently some real freak is blowing up city blocks now? You probably already knew that," he knows full well she does. "Hate that. Human enough to be awful, monster enough to put power behind it. Even I have standards," he grouses.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"You are waay too late to warn me about supernatural nonsense." Naru confirms with a humourless little laugh. "You haven't even threatened to kill me yet, so we're still distinctly light on the nonsense level and I thank you for that."

Naru considers him. "I'd say look me up again, but with no offense meant, I'd really prefer if future conversations were social rather than professional." She shakes her head at the offer of coffee money. "It's fine. I'll get another one back at home." Or more likely at Adrien's when she drags her likely to be extra tired self to his couch to flop there.

Taro Yamada has posed:
"What kind of freaks live in Tokyo that they're gung ho to murder teenagers? Do they shoot the cow after they milk it, too?" He pinches the bridge of his nose. "No offense, that's a metaphor, you're a lovely young woman." Not cow like at all!

"I'll keep it social if there's a next time. Consider that the repayment." Yeah, that should do it. Only fair! "I'd offer an escort home but I suspect that's a little sparkle vampire at this juncture."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"They really weren't in their right minds at the time." Naru excuses the behaviour with an absent little flick of her hand. "Demons are hell on the psyche."

Naru laughs lightly and shakes her head. "No offense taken." She nods to him at his agreement that they'll meet socially next time. "It's okay, I'm on my way home anyhow." She pauses, sorting out quite how to end this encounter. "Take care. Good.. er.. hunting?"

Taro Yamada has posed:
"Good civilianing," the Slasher says awkwardly, throwing up in a hand half in salute, half in goodbye.

And with that, he scuttles back into the darkness, climbing the side of a building like a much harder to see Spiderman before disappearing into the depths of oncoming night.