12

[chalicejoker]

[That's it, then. Time to leave. Hajime's tearing out of town on his motorcycle, but he's not taking a direct route to do so. No, he's driving around making sure others have a chance to escape, even if he's slowly moving in the direction of the exit.

Don't worry about those hazmats. Kamen Rider Chalice aboard his motorcycle will come jumping over something to ram into them, buying you some time to escape.]

Hurry up and run! I'll take care of them!

Comments

cURSE YOU FINALLLLLLLS-!

[windows_hyliaedition]

[LOOK IT'S FI! ...Well at least you know she's alive now? Scrapper is proving to be quite handy in fending off anything that comes too close, and otherwise her own flexibility and hovering is making up for the lack of arms. She skirts past and... Heads straight for the bike?]

Thank you!

[Fi you're already running out of breath aren't you.]

FINALS NOOOOO

[chalicejoker]

[He's brought that motorcycle to a screeching halt.]

Fi! Are you alright?

[spitefulvitae]

[On the back of that motorcycle, clinging tightly to Hajime, is a vampire with a slowly-healing hole in her chest and a faintly crazed look on her face. This... all of this... it's a whole hell of a lot to comprehend. But she's with a... a friend. That helps.]

When... when are we going to head to the way out ourselves?!

[Oh, hey, he's doing fancy bike tricks to kill hazmats again!]

AAAAIEEEEEE!!!

[chalicejoker]

Now's probably a good time--we've stayed as long as we should.

[The tricks this time aren't showing off as much as they're legitimate attempts to kill the hazmats. And oh, there's a wall of them in the direction they're heading. Instead of taking an alternate route, he speeds up and braces for more screaming from Natalie's end. Seems as though he's about to ram them.]

Just hold on tight!

[He's running a card through a slot on the bike and the bike becomes enveloped in a tornado. Suddenly, ramming the hazmats makes more sense.]

[spitefulvitae]

I have never held on tighter!

[That is up for debate. She's not quite as terrified as she was that time they made it down the volcano....

She continues to meet Hajime's expectations and screams upon the next acceleration! But the scream dies out as he does... something with those cards of his, making things far more effective. Oh. Wow.]

...you can do an awful lot with those, can't you?

[chalicejoker]

[He relaxes as soon as they're through that wave, and judging by the way he whips the motorcycle into a turn, is finally heading towards the exit.]

Yeah. Gives me plenty of options in a fight...an under ordinary circumstances, would mean that I'd reliably get stronger with each new victory.

You doing all right back there?

[spitefulvitae]

[That sudden turn gets another shriek, but it's more one of being startled than of abject terror. Besides... that's the way to the highway, isn't it?]

...with each new victory? What, do you get new ones when you... defeat someone? I, I mean, an Undead?

[Hey, maybe she's starting to get the hang of this...

She nods a bit, forehead resting momentarily against his back.]

I'm alright. Given the circumstances, I'm alright...

[chalicejoker]

[Wherever he learned to drive this thing, it clearly wasn't focused on safety. Then again, given the circumstances, perhaps speeding and driving like a madman is a good thing.]

Yeah. I seal other Undead, take their power. Use it to become stronger.

[Judging from his sigh, he seems relieved.]

I hope I wasn't too rough on you back there...

[spitefulvitae]

[I have come to suspect that Kamen Rider suits have a built in Hazardous Fancy Motorcycle Driving aspect to them. Or maybe he got his driver's license via mail-in exam....]

Aaah...

[It sounded just a bit like diablerizing another vampire. Not that she had any experience in doing so, but that's what they all said it was like. (Right before telling you to never ever do it.)]

...could the other undead seal you, too?

[Her grip loosens a bit. And the hand connected to the previously-broken wrist just rests there lightly, rather than holds.]

You stopped me. That's the important thing. I didn't drink too much, did I...?

[chalicejoker]

[Given that he hasn't actually existed as a human for very long, he may not even have anything as fancy as a license.

He's quiet for a moment.]

They can. Under the right circumstances. It's...unpleasant. Getting unsealed from that is almost worse.

[A shake of his head.]

I'm fine. Wouldn't be the first time I've lost blood in a fight.

[spitefulvitae]

...you've had it happen?

[Well. Now that they're talking about it, there's no use NOT talking about it. She's morbidly curious.]

I'm almost sad that it wasn't the green stuff. I think I'm mostly relieved. Goodness knows if you could have put me down, if I'd had any of that....

[chalicejoker]

It was a very long time ago...and I wouldn't say I was in my right mind at the time. Probably for the best, really...

[He shakes his head a bit at that.]

For once, the town interfering in matters worked out in our favor, it would seem.

[spitefulvitae]

[She makes a little uncertain sort of noise. And when she speaks again, her voice is smaller and softer. It might not even be able to be heard over the sound of the engines and the wind wooshing past.]

When not in your right mind or body, they take us down, of course, yes...

[Once again, her forehead comes to rest against his back. This time, it stays here, her head remaining bowed.]

[chalicejoker]

[He's quiet for a while. Perhaps he didn't hear. But he gives a rather heavy, sad sigh.]

[spitefulvitae]

[Hajime's sigh brought Natalie back around from the quiet mental place that she had retreated to. Her head lifts, and the hand that's still holding onto him shifts slightly.]

...where do you think we're going?

[She makes a point to speak clearly, this time. This isn't frightened rambling, like she's often prone to. It's scared, yes, but lucid.]

Is it really going to be better? Do you think?

[chalicejoker]

It's not Mayfield. That's all I care about for now. It's got to be better if it isn't Mayfield.

[He's just going to keep telling himself that...]

[spitefulvitae]

Anything would be better.... would anything be better?

[It's not a bad refrain to repeat. But Natalie isn't sure... oh, to be sure. There's comfort in being sure.]

....if it isn't Mayfield... it's better.

[She puts some firmness into her voice. Repeat it enough, and it becomes something that you can believe.]

[chalicejoker]

We'll be free of Mayfield's control. It'll be better.

[He's sounding firm about that, too. He needs that bit of optimism as much as she does.]