WHO: Chuuya Nakahara and Adrian Ivashkov WHAT: Random Vampire Meeting WHEN: This evening WHERE: Hope's Cajun Restaurant WARNINGS: Talk of killing, alcoholism, mental illness STATUS: Closed/Completed Gdoc
Adrian was really enjoying the chance to spend time with other kinds of vampires that weren’t Moroi or Strigoi. He’d quickly discovered that he was one of the strangest kinds of vampires - none of the others he’d met were alive, and none of the others he’d met possessed magic. Some people might not consider the Moroi vampires at all, although they did require blood to live, so that was something.
He’d been out shopping all day, trying to find the perfect gifts for Sydney and for Jill. He hadn’t found something for either, but thankfully he still had a few weeks until Christmas and time to find that gift that expressed how much he cared for both of them - Sydney as the love of his life, and JIll as his beloved younger sister. Even though Jill was older than him here, which was incredibly strange, and he didn’t really like thinking about it.
Anyway.
Wanting to reward himself for the effort he made, even if it hadn’t been good for much, he headed towards the Cajun restaurant. He once would have gone to a bar or lounge for this reward, but he was three years sober now, and wasn’t going to break it just in time to ruin Sydney’s Christmas.
It was crowded in line, and he found himself beside another person who made his Spidey-senses twitch. Another vampire? He looked over at the man and nodded, then moved closer, his voice soft enough only for the two of them to hear.
“Another vampire. There are a lot of us here.”
***
Since Irina had left, Chuuya hadn't been in the best of moods. Usually he was able to quickly move on when he lost someone, which had happened a lot. But such was life in the mafia. But this time it was different and even though it looked like he had moved on on the outside, it wasn't quite the same on the inside. Thankfully he had work to distract him, among other things.
He didn't have work today and feeling too cooped up in his house, he decided to head out. He eventually ended up near the Cajun restaurant and while he didn't need to eat, he figured he'd try it since he never had Cajun food before. So he headed in, a bit annoyed about how crowded it was. Hopefully the food would be worth it.
He pulled out his phone while he waited and browsed the network until someone interrupted him. His dull, lifeless brown eyes lifted as he glanced at the man who had approached him. "Yes, although I'm pretty sure most are from the Mikaelson family." There were quite a few of them. Chuuya had once joked they kept coming into town like they came out of some vampire clown car or something. "You're like one of the few vampires I met that wasn't part of that family or even from that world."
***
Adrian’s eyes, on the other hand, were a deep, vibrant green that twinkled as he listened to Chuuya.
“Nope, not a MIkaelson,” he grinned. “I’m one of the weird ones. You know, with magic and the fact that I’m actually alive.” Not dead. Not undead. Perfectly alive, just like a human would be. Or a tree. Or something like that. “There are a lot of them here, though,” he agreed. He’d talked to several of them.
“So you’re not from their world either? What kind of vampire are you?”
***
"I thought you seem different." When he focused, he could hear what he was pretty sure was a heartbeat. Definitely weird, as the guy said. "What kind of magic can you do?" he asked curiously. He'd never heard of a vampire that could do magic before. "There are. I've only talked to a few of them, though. I dated a vampire that was sired by what's his name..." he paused for a moment. "Klaus, I think. That's kind of how I know of them." Most he didn't really know or spoke to, a couple he didn't mind, and one he hated.
He shook his head. "No, I'm from a completely different world. And the regular kind, I guess?" he shrugged. "I'm undead if that's what you mean. But I do have an Ability as well.”
***
“Yep. I know it’s weird, but I’m alive. And we have elemental magic. Everyone specializes in a different element. Mine’s Spirit, which is the rarest. It’s also kind of the coolest, except for the fact that it drives you completely insane if you use it too much.” He grinned, as if that was kind of funny. In reality, it was terrifying, but it was better to joke about it. “I can do cool things, though. Like bring people back from the dead. Heal horrible injuries. Turn Strigoi back into humans.” Or Dhampirs. “Strigoi are the undead vampires from our world.” He shrugged. “Don’t know if it would work on the types of undead vampires who are here.”
He cocked his head slightly to the side.
“What’s your ability?”
***
"Never heard of Spirit as an element before." He knew of the four main ones of course, though in Japan there were five with void being the fifth one. He also knew about one's powers driving them insane. Whenever he activated Corruption, he usually went insane and completely feral, completely uncontrollable in his deadly rage. But since he just met the guy, he kept that to himself. "Interesting. I imagine the healing comes in handy." They didn't have any healing type Ability in the mafia, which would have certainly been useful.
"I can manipulate gravity. I also have something called a Singularity. Mine is similar to the singularity of a blackhole."
***
“It’s really rare in my world, too. For years, they just thought me and the others didn’t specialize because we weren’t particularly good at earth, air, water, or fire. But then they discovered old writings about Spirit and figured it out.” He shrugged. “It made feel like less of a loser for not specializing, since, you know, I did. I just didn’t know it.”
His eyes widened a little.
“That sounds…big? And dangerous. I’m guessing it isn’t big enough to suck you in?”
***
"Glad you figured it out then." He imagined it must've sucked to not really know what your powers were. He knew there were Ability Users back home that probably didn't quite understand their own powers. He didn't know any personally but he knew there were some out there.
"I'm not sure how big it is exactly, but it is quite dangerous. I could destroy the entire town if I opened the 'gate'. It's happened before back home," he shrugged. "But I've had my genes altered so my body could handle it."
***
“Yeah. I was twenty-two when I figured it out, though, when most Moroi are sixteen or seventeen when they specialize. My dad had already decided I was a loser, but he might have come to that conclusion anyway. It’s been a real learning experience, but thankfully I found someone who was going through the same thing as me and we kind of learned together.” He really wished Lissa was here sometimes, so that they could continue to see what they were capable of. After all, nobody really knew the limits of Spirit. Or if it really had any, aside from the mental capabilities of its users. “Well, um, don’t open it?” He didn’t feel like being sucked into a black hole. He’d seen plenty of movies where that happened, and it didn’t seem fun. “Really? What was that like, having your DNA altered?”
***
"Sounds like your dad was a jackass." Was that too blunt? Probably. But Chuuya never really cared. "But glad you found someone you could learn with. I had that with another guy too. We both have the same Singularity and gravity manipulation Ability." He and Verlaine had a rough start, with Chuuya killing Verlaine's only friend and Verlaine killing Chuuya's friends. But they'd come to think of each other as brothers now.
"I just say a chant." Which was half of it. The other half he had to wear his hat while saying it. The hat had a special metal inside that he needed to open the 'gate'. It also prevented him from being mind controlled. But he wasn't going to mention any of that, of course.
"I don't remember," he said. "All my memories from before I was seven were erased."
***
Adrian saw Lissa as a friend, too. Or, like he called her - a cousin. Christian hadn’t always liked the time they spent together, but Ozera had jealous tendencies. Adrian had never had any romantic interest in Lissa whatsoever.
“Well, that’s…good?” He was glad he had something that stopped him from destroying all of Madison Valley and the nice little life that he and Sydney had built here. He wasn’t up for having it destroyed any time soon.
“Oh. Wow. Was that because of what they did to you? Was it…consensual?”
***
"Yep," Chuuya just shrugged. He had no interest in destroying the town, even if he hated the dome for sending Irina away from him. He also had no reason to use Corruption here. The only times he did use it was to fight things like dragons or giant tentacle monsters.
He nodded. "It was, yeah. But no, it wasn't consensual. I was kidnapped by the military when I was five. They did experiments on me until I broke out when I was around seven. I don't remember anything before that. Nothing but this complete blue-ish black."
***
“Good because I’m pretty sure I’m not strong enough to bring everyone back if you kill them.” He’d learned his limits the night that Olive had died. It had been a horrible and painful way to learn, but he’d never do that again. He’d never push himself to the breaking point.
“Well, that’s just shit,” he said, looking quite displeased. “I mean, my powers were natural and nobody messed with me to make them happen.” And he didn’t think he’d like that at all if they had. “I mean, not remember anything about being a little kid? That’s rough.”
***
"Nah, I never had a reason to open the 'gate'. Not unless Godzilla starts attacking the town." But even then, he still wouldn't. Once he activated Corruption, he couldn't stop it. The only person who can wasn't here. "Does bringing people back take a lot of energy out of you?" he asked.
"Yeah. I definitely had to grow up quicker than most." He never played games or had birthday parties or celebrated holidays or any of that. "But it is what it is. Can't do much about that now."
***
“Good to hear.” He sighed. “Yeah. It does. Spirit is kind of like my life force. I only have so much. And the more I use, the more it eats at my sanity. I mean, if it comes down to it, if I have to save someone, I’m going to do it, but I don’t want to use it just for little things. And I found out that I only have so much even without it completely messing me up. I have to have rest and have blood between to get my power back.” He wished he’d known that before Olive had died, so that he could have kept her alive.
“Hopefully you get to do some fun things now, at least?” Adrian had done plenty of stupid, fun things as a kid. As a teenager. Okay, even a couple of years ago, before he’d fallen in love with Sydney. And he’d probably done stupid things after that, too, but he hoped it wasn’t as much, at least.
***
"Oh. Well, hopefully you won't have to do that anytime soon." If it were Chuuya, he would just let people stay dead even if he had the ability to bring them back. Death was a huge part of his life and he was used to it. There were very few people he might bring back but that was it.
"Yes but I still don't. Mostly because I never have the time, but it also feels weird to me," he shrugged. He didn't know why it did, but he wasn't used to people wishing him a happy birthday or wanting to get him a cake or anything like that.
***
Adrian really didn’t have the choice. It was almost like his magic would eat at him and push him into it whether he wanted to or not. He could resist, but it took a lot of work, and really, why would he? Why would he let someone die if he could stop it from happening? It just wasn’t in his nature.
“Having fun feels weird?” He felt sorry for the guy. “A couple years ago I would have invited you out for drinks and gotten us both so drunk that you had to have fun.” But really, when he thought back over it while sober, being that drunk really hadn’t been so fun. But it had been something to pass the time that he thought was fun while doing it, anyway.
***
"Well, I do go out for drinks or drink at home if I'm not in the mood for company." And thanks to being a vampire now, he could drink more these days without feeling the effects of alcohol. Before then he couldn't have a glass of wine without getting wasted and passing out. "And fighting is fun sometimes too. But things like celebrating birthdays or Christmas is weird to me." Or relaxing or going on vacation. His former boss sometimes had to force him to take some time off work.
"'A couple years ago?' Does that mean you wouldn't do it now?"
***
“Yeah. I had a problem when I was younger. Trying to self-medicate from the side effects of my Spirit, I kind of, well, I was an alcoholic. Still am, of course, but I’ve been sober almost three years now.” And he didn’t plan on going back on it. He couldn’t stand Sydney’s disappointment in him if he did.
“I mean, there is a strip club in town, if you’re into that sort of thing.”
Adrian would have been all over that once, although he’d only been to this one once or twice because he’d honestly rather be at home with his wife.
***
"I see. Well, congrats on being three years." He didn't really get how being sober was interesting but he did recognize how hard it could be for someone to quit drinking. The least he could do was be polite and congratulate the guy.
"I'm aware but no, it's not really my thing." Irina would've ripped his head off if he ever went. But even though she wasn't here anymore and he was single now, he still didn't really care to go.
***
It wasn’t really interesting. It was actually terribly boring. Adrian of five years ago would have considered Adrian of today a boring waste of space. But he’d changed since meeting Sydney, and not drinking everything in sight meant that he’d probably live a whole lot longer. So he just shrugged. “Thanks. Never thought I’d be here, never thought I’d want to be, but there you have it.”
Adrian just nodded. “Well, there are other things to do in town too. Bowling. Movies. Axe-throwing. You’ll find something, I’m sure.”
***
"Sure. I can't imagine it was easy." He wondered what made the guy quit drinking but figured it didn't really matter.
"I've heard about axe throwing. Might give that a shot," he shrugged. He wasn't sure it was a good idea to give a mass murderer an axe but luckily he'd never been the type to just kill for no reason. "I kinda wish they had more concerts in town." Well, besides the ones at the Electric Lady. He missed going to rock concerts. "But I'll stick with booze and violence for now. And working since I do enjoy my job." He wouldn't have it otherwise. He didn't believe in wasting time doing something he didn't enjoy.
***
“Nope.” Basically he’d had to choose between being with the woman he loved while being sober, or losing himself completely as a lifelong drunk. It hadn’t been easy, and he’d definitely not been perfect on the way to sobriety, but he could almost look at alcohol now without craving it. Almost.
“Yeah, they don’t really have many of those. I mean, the spring arts festival has some stuff, but not music all that much. Probably because the good bands can’t get through the dome, you know? But maybe we should all encourage those who are musical to give us more concerts?” He knew that there were some people.
“The axe-throwing definitely seems like it would destress some people. Seems like too much work to me, though.”
Adrian might have come a long way, but his hands still didn’t do manual labor.
***
"There is that and some of the bands aren't half bad," he shrugged. "I usually watch some of them play and check out the art if I have time." He wasn't the artistic, creative type but he could appreciate art. He did prefer music though. "Too bad the festival only happens once a year. And yeah, maybe." But Chuuya wasn't exactly the encouraging type nor did he know any musicians in town.
"Really? Even though you're a vampire?" If the guy was human, he could understand. But surely throwing an axe wouldn't be too hard for a vampire.
***
“I mean, yeah, I’m a vampire, but we don’t have super strength or anything like that. I’d probably pull something if I tried to pull an axe. So, yeah, pass.”
Adrian always looked slender and healthy, but that was more from his Moroi genes than from any effort he’d put into it. He was not the sort of guy who liked physically exerting himself in any way. Probably partially because he would always be the spoiled royal who had everyone else do things for them.
“Super strength would have been cool, though. Let me guess, you have it?”
***
"Huh, you really are different from the vampires I've met before. I've always figured we all had super strength." Or super speed or fast healing, among other things.
"I do but I've had it before thanks to the experiments, so it didn't make much of a difference. The gravity manipulation helps with that as well." Lifting a giant boulder or a car wasn't difficult for him at all. Sometimes he barely had to touch it.
***
“Nah, we don’t. We have our magic, and we’re immune to most diseases and we have a little more than average lifespan, but we don’t have a lot of things other vampires do.” He shrugged. “I guess being able to have kids and families is supposed to make up for it.” Did it? Maybe. Adrian wasn’t upset with who he was, even if other vampires seemed a little cooler.
“We have vampires like you in my world…well, sort of like you. The Strigoi are pure evil and have no souls and all of that.”
***
"You can have kids as well?" For himself, that part didn't bother Chuuya. He had never planned on becoming a father anyway, so it was no loss to him.
"I see." While he didn't think he was completely evil, he didn't deny it either. He was a bad person, even before becoming a vampire, and he was fine with who he was. He accepted both the good and bad parts of himself, even if he didn't think there was much good. "So what are your types of vampires called?"
***
“Yeah, we’re fully alive like anyone else. We can totally have kids. I’d like to someday.” He’d always thought he would just because that was what royals did. But he never thought he’d actually want kids until he met and fell in love with Sydney.
“We’re called Moroi. It’s Russian. Or Romanian or something. I don’t know exactly. I mean, I guess I should, being part of the royal court and all, but I don’t.”
***
"I never really planned on kids, so that wasn't really much of a loss for me," he shrugged. He'd be a terrible parent anyway. "Were you around when the future kids showing up?" That had been quite strange for him but he was glad it was only temporary and the kids didn't stick around.
"Sounds a bit more Romanian to me." A good thing about having dated an actual Russian princess was he picked up on some of her native language. "But I could be wrong."
***
“Uh, I don’t remember? It could have been when I first got here. I didn’t have any kids show up, either way. That might be a little weird. Did you have kids show up?”
He’d rather have kids that he knew from the time they were born than kids who just showed up and were like ‘hey, dad!’. That might be a bit much for him.
“I don’t speak either. I know that’s terrible but I never really took school that seriously.”
***
"Oh. Well, can't blame you if you forgot. This things tend to blend together after awhile." For Chuuya, they did anyway. Or it was the time. Sometimes he'd remember something he thought happened only a couple months ago only to find out it had been longer than that. "Yes, my girlfriend and I ended up with twins. Which was completely impossible since we're both vampires. We figured they must've been from an alternate universe."
He also had a couple other kids but since they were his with Irina, he didn't count them.
"I know a few languages but Romanian isn't one of them." He paused for a moment. "Looks like my food is ready." He'd ordered takeout since he didn't feel like eating out in a crowded place tonight. "It was nice meeting you. Maybe I'll see you around sometime."