Always tumbling down over that abyss of Madness

[moonlitknight]

Who: Zero and Open
What: Zero loses his shit falls to his bloodlust
When: May 4th
Where: Everywhere.
Warnings: Blood, violence, manipulation, self-harm, he'll be an arrogant ass too


He digs at his throat obscuring the tattoo. The pain a welcome change to the raw hunger clawing at his throat making it impossible to even think! His stomach churns and his form convulses bringing him to his knees. His hands slam forward breaking the fall as his instincts single out the faint sound of a heart beating in the distance. He covers his ears to block out the sound but it doesn't go away!

Starvation.

It turned vampires mad. And Zero had been starving himself for far too long.

His body screams in agony, forcing his instincts to the surface as hunger grips him in its claws forcing his heart rate up, the sound mixing with the steady one in the distance. It was close. If he--

"Stop it!"

He grits his teeth and his breathing falls into ragged breaths. He's losing control. Beneath the blood and raw skin, his tattoo begins to glow and his eyes pulse a deep red. He's slipping, falling off the ledge of sanity and the monster lurking inside raises its head and tests the will that always kept it at bay, and for the first time it come away with a grin. The Hunter lost more than his memories, he lost his strength to defy it.

Time passes and his throat begins to heal while that beating heart echoes in his mind drawing the vampire toward the source, a wide grin marring its lips when its meal falls within its sights.

Comments

[candyconsumption]

He's not 100% sure what he feels, but he feels something, and whatever it is, the sensation is both alarming and familiar.

Itachi is outside, taking time to reflect, thinking about the past few days and what his decision on speaking with his god is. A part of him is worried that he will insult his god, while the other half finds himself not caring. It would do him well to care, at least a little. He's not heartless, and even if his god has not utilized him as of yet, perhaps he needs him. However, another god, Sasuke-sama, has already shown that does need him... and how can he deny the other that, when it is so apparent?

He's attempting to ignore the creeping feeling, but eventually it's not enough. He stands from the bench that he is sitting in, looking towards the shadows.

"...Who is there?"

[moonlitknight]

"What."

Zero emerges from the shadows, blood marring his otherwise pristine throat.

"You don't recognize me?"

Light eyes fall on the familiar shinki, his ears following the steady beat of his heart.

[talkbirdytome]

It's late. Or early, depending on how you look at it. Hiyoko is taking a walk through a park on the near shore. She should probably know better than to be wandering around alone at this hour. But she's a goddess now! And besides, she knows how to take care of herself.

What's the worst that could happen?

She stops for a moment to pet a passing stray cat.

"So Kitty, I don't suppose you know anything about existential politics..."


'Mrow?'


"Yeah, didn't think so."

[moonlitknight]

A little known fact about vampires - animals are frightened of them and run at the first sign of one. A fact that holds true when the cute little feline suddenly hisses, its back arching as every hair on its body stands in alarm before taking off.

"You think it recognized me?"

Zero emerges from the shadows, blood marring his otherwise pristine throat.

[purehonkproject]

Honoka doesn't really have much awareness of her surroundings. She's on her way back from picking up prayers from Enyo's shrine in the evening, humming a tune to a some show's theme song. They did a prayer, maybe if she keeps bringing them home Bakugou'll do more of them. There she is, completely oblivious to the vampire that's stalking her.

[moonlitknight]

Like a shadow in the dark, he moves past her with fluid grace and emerges ahead, stepping into her line of sight only when she draws closer.

"That's a nice song."

[blindfoldcode]

Kido's not the most observant kid. Her earbuds plugged in and doing her best to stay out of the way (she doesn't need another Hajime ambush, c'mon), she's also not the most defensive of people. She takes back routes to get to the apartments and pays more attention to the thudding of the bass in her ears and the way her are going on the ground than what's going on around her.

It's not a great idea, honestly. Even if most of the time she's safe, there've been way too many attacks in heaven, lately.

She's unguarded, alone, and inattentive. This can't go well for her no matter what.

[moonlitknight]

The wind carries her scent in the air which as him stopping in his tracks to trace it back to the source and there, up ahead, he spots her.

His lips lift up, admiring the ease in which she moved while utterly alone. Like a shadow in the dark, he moves past her with fluid grace and emerges ahead, stepping directly in her path.

"You should really pay attention more."

Blood mars his otherwise pristine throat.

[birdstheword]

"So many~!"

Today had been a lively one. Not only did she get to test out one of her Gatchaman abilities but she also got a lot of photos of various people. Scrolling through her phone as she skips home, she smiles as she flips through them. All the selfies and pictures alike came out so cute! There are quiet a few missing though. Friends and soon-to-be friends alike. It's something she'll have to continue tomorrow since it's getting late. Davesprite was expecting her home soon anyway. She had mentioned stopping by somewhere to grab food. Surely he was hungry by now! What to get though, hmmmmm!

[moonlitknight]

The sound of a single heart beating in the distance has him stopping in his tracks. Zero turns toward the delicate sound, throwing his senses out until he catches the scent of the girl in the air. He grins, tracking her down with a ruthless determination until at last, he spots her.

Alone.

A perfect target.

He moves with fluid grace, stepping into her line of slight like a shadow emerging from the dark.

[galactically]

"— And make sure to be there when I meet you! Okay? I'll see you later~"

Sheryl is in the middle of a phone call after arriving from work sometime late at night, pushing a cheerful lilt in her voice to reassure her shinki. They are supposed to meet her in the corner of a block since she's carrying a bag of nighttime groceries, from food to different kinds of beverages. And honestly, she's the type to make either one of her shinki carry it for her, anyway.

The sky is becoming a lot darker, urging her to briskly turn a corner and glance around before she walks faster, the sounds of high heels making loud clacking noises with each step she takes. Even making it back to Takamagahara safely isn't enough to push away the chills down her spine, not since this place was attacked weeks prior. She has to exercise caution.

[moonlitknight]

The quick steps of a woman in movement has him stopping his tracks and Zero turns. He throws out his senses and he latches onto the sound her heels, an exhale, inhale - his lips pull into a grin - a heart beat.

He moves with fluid grace, tracking her by sound until he catches the scent of her in the wind, which only has him picking up his speed. Like a shadow in the night, he moves past her, faster than the eye can catch and emerges from the dark into her path.

[prideinthefall]

Sephiroth is split nearly fifty-fifty on which place is more abhorrent to him: the mortal world or the heavens. A place filled with people? Or a place filled with gods and weapons who don't seem to know what they're doing? A tough call in his mind. These are the thoughts that spin around behind green eyes casting a glacial look at just about anything that crosses his path.

His goal is a simple one: to get beyond the more populated areas of heaven and hopefully find some quiet. Long strides eat up the ground under the heavy trend of thick boots and he does not stop until there is no temple in sight.

That's when he notices that he's not alone.

"Show yourself."

[moonlitknight]

A quiet chuckle echoes through the air.

"Took you long enough." The voice comes from above, in the trees. "And here I thought I'd have to shoot you before you noticed me." This time it's from the ground, to his left.

"You're kind of slow, aren't you?" Right.

[toremainbehind]

It was usually one of Izumo's habits to wander, gathering information as much as he could. It had been a busy day at work, helping the new employees and trying to figure out what kind of supplies that needed to be restocked. Somehow, the need to be busy was calming to him, so he usually didn't mind doing the odd jobs that had him going out to see what else he could find.

However, ever since he arrived in the area, something felt...off.

Izumo rolls his shoulders, trying to ease the tension away. He was being paranoid, that's all.

[moonlitknight]

Not paranoid.

Like a shadow, he moves through the dark with fluid grace, his movements too fast for the eye to catch. That is, until he suddenly stops, in front of him. A foot away.

Hello.

[blizzardrock]

Somehow...this would be his third trip to the convenience store today. Sure, he has amnesia and all, but that's no excuse to be forgetful...!

He's trundling along, muttering things to himself so he wouldn't have to make a fourth trip, when he notices someone off in the distance. Someone kind of familiar, to boot.

"Hey... Are you okay?"

[moonlitknight]

He caught the steady beat of his heart half a mile back and the vampire instantly tracked it down to its source. The beast had stretched its lips into a wide grin the moment it recognized its prey. It watched him in the dark, following, thinking. And at last, it melted into the dark, emerging up ahead where its prey would spot him. Come to him.

Zero turned toward the familiar figure, the blood marring his otherwise pristine throat glinting in the moonlight.

room for another?

[cursedblood]

He patrols the near shore often. It's both habit and happenstance; he may not be of the Agency anymore, or at least insomuch as it doesn't exist here, but he still finds himself going through the motions. It comes in handy when it comes to finding certain targets, or at least opportunities to answer small prayers that don't take too much time, but, well...

...it's the sudden peak at the edge of his senses that catches his attention. Arikado hasn't felt something like it in some time; oh, he's felt the ayakashi and the way those register, he's still getting used to a newfound ability but this...this is old, familiar, if dangerous.

The dhampir is off like a shot. Literally leaping up the nearest building and striding across roofs, his own form blurring behind him as he races to track the sudden dark energy.

Secret twin! ;_; Of course!

[moonlitknight]

After his prey is ripped from his arms, the vampire is left with adrenaline buzzing through its system as it tracks down a second victim. His focus narrows on his prey still a distance away that he misses the shift in the air as he moves through the shadows.

[vindicavi]

When meditation fails, he takes walks -it's something he's done since he was young, a way to clear his mind while thinking things through. There are a lot of things to think about, after all. Itachi, home, this world, being bound to another that he knows only as an acquaintance, being a supposed 'god' when in reality he's probably more flawed than most...

Immersing himself in this world is probably the only thing he can do to keep himself sane, but he doesn't want to. Immersing himself means accepting the idea that he's now a god -a goddess, even- and that someone is tied to him in a way that not even the bond between parent and child can touch. He isn't so sure he wants that. He doesn't always play well with others.

His thoughts drift off as he turns a corner to start down a darkened side street, and he doesn't get very far before he stops short, eyes fixed straight ahead, his posture shifting as he straightens up. He isn't a sensory type, but he's not an idiot.

Sasuke's been through enough battles in his life to know what it feels like when he's being hunted.

"... I know you're there. You might as well come out."

[moonlitknight]

From behind -

"I wondered how long it would take it."

Zero emerges from the shadows, blood marring his otherwise pristine throat.

[revolutionfalcon]

It's late, and as usual, Shun is too restless to stay in the confines of his temple. The need to patrol, to be aware and know what's happening at all times, is too deeply ingrained from his time on the battlefield, and it's one habit he hasn't at all been trying to break. So it is that he finds himself walking the Far Shore for what feels like the hundredth time since he came here, even if it's only been a month, almost exactly. It doesn't feel like it's been that long, but enough has been happening to keep things unexpected, and not necessarily in a good way.

The first sense of being watched comes with a faint prickle at the back of Shun's neck, and he immediately pauses, eyes moving across every point in his vision in a second before he turns and gives the same sweeping glare behind him. His entire bearing is wary and prepared, and when he speaks, it's in a low, dangerous tone.

"Whoever the hell you are, if you think I'm going to let myself be hunted, think again."

Being pursued by any enemy is tantamount to being hunted these days, to him, but the point is the same - he's not going to stand here and let himself fall prey. Even as he stands alert and ready, his golden eyes continue moving, seeking out any signs of motion in the darkness.

[moonlitknight]

The announcement has the vampire smiling. How astute.

He emerges from the shadows, blood marring his otherwise pristine throat.

"You already are."

[miraculo]

[ Sanae had been out and about the grounds of her temple, where she currently harbors and tends to a multitude of dust bunny spirits along the foothills. She's feeding them some grains when she happens to notice his presence. Turning around, she smiles brightly at him. ] Zero...!

[ She exclaims happily. Because she's always happy to see her friends-- and yes, he's considered a friend.

...But her smile immediately is replaced by a look of concern, noticing the clawing at his throat and his strange expression. And the red eyes. She doesn't take a step back, but her brows shoot up. He's looking like how some of the youkai of her world looked at her-- like she's just their prey. But perhaps he just needs a little help. A little benefit of the doubt. Perhaps his mind has not been lost yet. ] ...What's going on?

[moonlitknight]

[ Red eyes immediately land on her and a dark smile spreads across his mouth. This. It was too easy. He moves on her, his approach a slow matter as he follows the scent in the air that had brought him to her temple in the first place. Even in this state, he recognized it and the power behind it.

He came to a stop a few feet away, his smile in place as his tattoo pulsed to life glowing a deep red as his mind raced with the possibilities. ]

I need your help.

there we go

[pachintoki]

[Gintoki wasn't one to wander around at night unless he had somewhere to be or something to do, so he's enjoying a comfortable night at Inari's temple. He'd been able to communicate enough with Inari's foxes - they weren't his, he wasn't Inari, after alll - to coerce them into something like security for the temple, with foxes alerting him if something was off, or even if the unexpected visitor was to drop by. It worked. Mostly. At least, for as long as he was able to give them some extra fried tofu. There was always plenty left at Inari's shrines, after all. He'd given up on keeping them out of the house at this point; it seemed like they belonged there, anyway, but his room was still off limits.

A scratch at his bedroom door has him sliding it open with a frown. ]

Oi, I already gave you guys all the extra pillows. . .

[But the way the fox is sitting there at attention has him pausing. It seemed someone was out and about being a pain in the ass. He'll give a frown. Having delivered it's message, the fox still hasn't left yet. Gintoki sighs, then gives it a pat on the head, and then it's off with a few suspiciously happy flicks of it's tail.

But then he's the one off, a slightly-lazy stroll through his grounds revealing exactly what he never wants to see - something he should probably fix. As he turns a corner down one of the lantern-lined paths of Inari-san's temple, a few of the god's large white fox messengers are harassing a passer-by -- nipping at heels, yipping and altogether not letting this guy go anywhere.

Gintoki will take a good look at the kid, noticing the blood-stains right away. His - no, Inari-san's - foxes didn't do that.]

Oi.

[He'll lean on the wall a bit.]

What are you doing here? You know, if you don't have tofu for them, they just won't like you much.

/saw nothing

[moonlitknight]

[ It was a common fact that animals didn't like vampires. The instant they caught scent of them they went berserk and tried to get away as fast as possible. It was a common theme, except these foxes weren't common. Instead of running away, they attacked.

Red eyes glared at them, as he stood still, unmoving within their circle. He would have attacked them by now, but he sensed someone's approach, the wind carrying their scent before the man arrived. Exhibiting a predator's patience, he waited.

At his arrival, Zero turned to him before he spoke, gauging the distance between them. From his position it'd take him less than two seconds to reach him, but then the game would be over and that would be no fun. ]

They won't like me either way.

whoops just saw this I'm here now

[roeh]

After little more than a week back in the far shore, Shepard's days have settled into a sort of restless monotony. Monotonous because she's confined to bed as her body knits itself back together, still too slow even in this world with all its powers acting on it. Restless because her shinki, keeps vigil over her like a loyal watchdog leaving her wanting for nothing except for the sanity that would come with her freedom from the temple.

Even now she had to do her damnest to convince that she wouldn't disappear if she left his sight so go out, see your friends, live the life that she can't right now and then maybe she'd at least get to enjoy hearing about it later. Which leaves her with the company of internet and even heckling people on it has lost it's charm.

So long has she spent in this room, that she's well familiar with it by this point, it's quirks and charms and the subtle nuances behind the things that go bump in the dark corners. So when she hears the unfamiliar, unscheduled tapping of something just outside her room she sits up straight, eyes trained on the door.

She doesn't call out; a friendly face will make itself known soon enough and anything less, well, the element of surprise works both ways.

Using what little time is left she scribbles out a quick message to Yasusada though she hesitates to surrender to her hasty apprehensions, and hit the send button just yet.

And I went MIA for a week >_> /sorry!

[moonlitknight]

Having lost his prey, Zero was on the hunt for another when a curious sight caught his attention. When he went to investigate he found himself staring at a bed-ridden woman in red.

Seemingly vulnerable, her delicate features stood more pronounced than usual and the vampire was disappointed she could not provide him with a hunt. Still, he was hungry and if poked, she could prove more somewhat entertaining.

With that idea lodged firmly in his head, the vampire landed on the rooftop and propped himself at her window lattice before purposely tapping her door, while making the perfect frighteningly picture what with his throat smeared with blood from where the Hunter had clawed at the tattoo.