i feel the love, and i feel it burn, down this river every turn

[oyashiromama]

[The trial, as usual, was taxing. It's for different reasons every week, but what it all comes down to is there are fewer of them than there were, and that keeps on happening. The note comes, as it always does, earlier than last week, but still with some delay. There's a note slipped under everyone's door. ...One under Gold's door because of course Silver will be staying there, she knows.]

Please come to the dining room, if you would like not to be alone. There will be food, and there will be some cards and board games if you need a distraction.

- Hanyuu & Elda

[True to that, there are a variety of foods. It's nothing too fancy. Rice, grilled fish, eggs in various styles. ...No creampuffs this time, it seems Hanyuu thought that would be a little in poor taste. Also a bunch of fries? ...Really spicy fries, like incredibly so.

On a far table, board games brought from the games room have been left out, along with many decks of cards.]

Comments

[matchbreaker]

It's a vampire's taste. Everyone has an individual sort of human that they're attracted to the blood of.

[iaspis]

Oh.

[She doesn't really get it.]

Like how some of the humans don't like sweet things?

[matchbreaker]

I suppose it's similar...?

... Well, no, for example: My darling grandson Ren is attracted to human stress. Those who are dealing with difficult times in their lives poorly will have their blood sing to him, and his body can't help but react to how delicious that smells. My Henry is attracted to human pride: the boastful, those who hold themselves erect, perhaps even beyond their station make him react. And then for myself, I've always been attracted to that weariness that middle aged humans exert.

[iaspis]

I... see. Strange.

[She doesn't really get it, but.]

I haven't heard of anything like that before.

[matchbreaker]

Well, you also aren't a vampire.

[ Not like the whole blood affinity thing is super common knowledge. ]

[iaspis]

Yes. That's true enough, I guess.

[matchbreaker]

So it's not that surprising!

[ A beat... ]

... However. I suppose it's also good to ask, and not assume.

[iaspis]

It's not like I know much at all about organic beings. I know the most about humans, but even that is very little.

[matchbreaker]

Well then, are you curious about anything else.

[ She said, well... asked, really. Gesturing for her to have more fries ]

[iaspis]

I wouldn't know where to begin.

[But she's totally here for eating more of her pile of fries.]

Are vampires a different species from humans?

[matchbreaker]

Oh, of course! [ She laughs, shaking her head ] Anything else is just a myth. Vampires are born just the same way humans are.

[iaspis]

I see.

You are mammals, then.

[......like this really needs to be stated]

You've told me before you have to hide from humans. I understand the reasoning, but are you able to blend in at all?

[matchbreaker]

Mmmm... yes? Well, mostly. [ She shakes her head ] For a vampire awakens around thirteen or fourteen, unless they develop quickly they're usually fairly similar to a human. The sun often won't even start to bother them until they're eight or so. So many families these days, including mine [ Thanks, Henry and James ] opt to have their children grow up in the human world until they awaken. After that point...

Well, it's changing these days, but it would be suspicious to any human to be around someone who can't eat their food, drink their liquids, and can never be in the sun. It's fine for short term interaction, like I know my grandson Ren operates like that for how he hunts, but a long term relationship is always going to be strained.

[ And this is Elda at her utmost, utmost fairness.

Because she really wanted to say "why would we?" ]

[iaspis]

Thirteen and fourteen is... young, right?

[Gems don't really age, but given the age of some of the people here that seems to be a "definitely still children" sort of age.]

I can't blame you for wanting to stay hidden. People fear what they don't understand.

[matchbreaker]

Mmmhm. These days, in Japan, human children finish their schooling somewhere around eighteen but then don't come of age as adults until twenty.

[ Which is still a little weird but whatever. She... She has a reaction to that second part, but it's hidden under a smile. Her eyes briefly darken, and she's taken back to an old, old hurt. ]

That they do.

[iaspis]

At least no one has tried anything on you yet.

[....probably should knock on wood there]

Here, I suppose people have better things to worry about.

[matchbreaker]

[ Here... ]

... Those first two weeks, I really expected something to happen because of it. I was so brazen with my identity on the first day, because I assumed I could just erase everyone's memories once I worked this out. By day's end, even.

[iaspis]

That's an ability you have normally?

[matchbreaker]

[ She nods.

She's not explained it to many people, but it seems oddly safe to do it at this point, even here at this party. It's not like it'll change anything if Jasper knows. ]

[iaspis]

That's... strong.

[dude]

I've never heard of a Gem capable of something like that.

[matchbreaker]

[ That's not the reaction she expected. Elda blinks, and she laughs it off, waving her hand ]

It's a basic vampire ability! It's necessary to make humans forge after you feed on them.

[iaspis]

I see.

That... would make sense.

[but why don't you just kill them afterward?? that makes more sense....]

[matchbreaker]

[ tbh Elda can't say she 100% disagrees with that, but... still... ]

Mmmhm. Leaving a bunch of people who remember being attacked would draw too much attention to us.

[iaspis]

Yes, I imagine it would. Better they don't remember.

[matchbreaker]

Precisely.

[ She hums, drumming a finger on the table. ]