The Puzzling Case of a Tyrant {Open}

[Luca Valentine]

It was a puzzling case who launched that pod in the street when she was making her announcement to the city that she was here to stay. It was a strong tyrant that would make a strong familiar in its own right, but who sent it? She couldn't go to Helsing, she had burnt that bridge. She couldn't go to Stonewall, GUARDIAN, or any of them now. Her desire to surpass her old master had just burnt her various bridges that could have been benefitical to her. She had forgotten what she was, to be frank. She wasn't the Apex Predator. She was the Seductress. And nobody knew the art of seduction better than Maricul.

She took side streets to stay away from the public eye for now. It was only a matter of time before any of these factions came looking for her. She knew at least one person who would help her. That person had been the one to tell her about Helsing and Stonewall in the first place. The Genius. But the Genius was always on the move. Never staying in one spot for too long. She continued to walk with her weapons hidden away in her coat pockets. That chill she felt after beating the tyrant was still there. She knew Helsing had something strong in their possession. They were professional killers who killed her kind before breakfast, of course they did. And Maricul had to remind herself that the thing they had couldn't be Alucard.

She knew she was being followed so she turned around to greet the one following her.

"How long are you going to follow me before you show yourself?"

[Zira Firestone]

Zira had been following her for some time now. Reading her thoughts and sensing her emotions. Of course Zira couldn't read her mind. The various familiars inside of her made it impossible to see Maricul's own thoughts clearly, but she could still sense her emotions. Zira felt doubt, uncertainty, and even loneliness coming from the vampiress. These weren't the emotions one expected from a merciless killer. Clearly this Maricul was more complicated than her initial show to the public would have you believe.

"That depends," Zira began before stepping out of the darkness into the light. "Do you plan to kill more innocents?"

Zira was as calm as always. Living a long time did that to you. She could feel this vampire was even older than she. Usually with age came more power and wisdom, but maybe that wasn't the case this time. Zira had orders to kill Maricul, but Maricul was a curious case she wanted to learn more about before she did kill her. Zira never liked not knowing the people she was hired to kill. It unsettled her.

[Luca Valentine]

"Only to prove a point."

Maricul didn't care about the people she killed. They were nobodies to her. Perfect strangers. What she did care about were the connections she could have made if she was more subtle about it like she was in the past. Her lust for revenge and desire to be better than Alucard had gotten the better of her, and now she was paying the price.

"Are you with Helsing?"

Maricul wondered if Helsing finally sent someone to dispose of her. It wasn't who she wanted, but she could build up to the one she wanted. Which was Seras Victoria.

[Zira Firestone]

If Zira was anyone else she would've laughed at that response. So this Maricul felt she only killed with purpose. That was fair enough. But underneath the layers she regretted being so careless. It was an interesting emotion Zira was feeling from this vampire. Who nobody seemed to know anything about. Maricul also thought she was from Helsing, which made sense given that was one of the factions she had called out. Alex wanted them to steal this kill from Helsing and Stonewall so they could exalt themselves as a serious faction that had the people's best interest at heart. That was the whole reason she was here.

"No. I'm not from Helsing. I'm from GUARDIAN. And I'm afraid we can't let you kill anymore innocent people. I think you know where this is going."

Zira was ready for a fight and wanted to see what all this vampire could do. Her battle with the 103 tyrant was impressive, but Zira couldn't help but feel that the vampire was holding back even then. Saving her best abilities for the one she wanted to kill. Zira planned to bring the best out of her tonight and then dispose of her soon after.

"Shall we dance?"

[Luca Valentine]

Maricul was irritated. She had hoped Helsing would've sent an agent to take care of her by now, but instead she was being confronted by a third party she had no interest in. It was enough to make her want to scream.

"To be frank, I'm not in the mood for a fight. Especially with another faction I care nothing about."

And with that Maricul simply turned around and began walking away from the woman. Mari expected the stranger wouldn't take that laying down, but she was ready to escape if she had to be more clever with it.

[Zira Firestone]

Interesting. Maricul had made her mark on the public and now she didn't want to reap what she had sowed. Zira merely chose to follow her for now. Hands in her pockets and a smile on her face as she was amused by the vampire's unwillingness to engage in another fight with a new enemy. She truly was not the Apex Predator. She was something more interesting than that.

"What do you plan to do now that the whole city wants you dead?"

It was a fair question she thought. If it wasn't Helsing or Stonewall or GUARDIAN that killed her. Then surely STARS or TYRANT would be the next ones to eliminate her. Or maybe whoever left that 103 super tyrant would be the ones to end her. Maricul had made a lot of enemies with that show of power. No wonder she felt so alone.

[Luca Valentine]

Maricul sighed irriably as the woman simply followed her down the street. Clearly not catching the hint. Then again why would she let her go? She had orders to kill her and one didn't let the enemy go without a fight. Maricul stopped in her tracks and turned around to face the woman. From her scent Maricul could tell she was a demon, and a powerful one at that. Maricul wouldn't take her lightly, but she still didn't feel like fighting.

"Why do you care? I thought you only had orders to kill me. Who needs a reason from a psychopath who kills innocents without a show of remorse?"

((OOC: This is my last post for now. I'll be back at 7PM central time))

[Zira Firestone]

Zira stopped when Maricul did and only smiled at the woman more as she spoke. Zira knew Maricul regretted her decision to slaughter those people like she did. Maybe it wasn't remorse exactly, but it was some form of regret Zira didn't expect from the vampire based off what she knew from the video tape that was recorded during the fight with the tyrant. It made her more interesting than at first.

"I like to get to know the people I'm going to kill."

Zira knew that was a weird statement, but it was the truth. Zira wanted to know her enemies so she can feel the right amount of pity for them when she has them where she wants them. Zira knew Maricul wouldn't be an easy kill and that was why she wanted to know as much about the vampire as humanly possible.

"Why call out Helsing and Stonewall so willingly?"

[Luca Valentine]

"A strange statement. Perhaps you should reconsider that choice."

Maricul never got close to the people she wanted to kill. She was going to kill them, so why get close to them? Maricul shifted her weight from one foot to the next and tilted her head at the woman's next question.

"I believe that's none of your business. Now do I have to vanish into thin air to get rid of you?"

[Zira Firestone]

"Do whatever you wish. I'll simply find you again."

Maricul didn't really think she could run from all of this now? After what she has done? Zira wanted to chuckle, but she suppressed it for now. Zira stayed close enough to Maricul to watch her closely in case the vampire decided she wanted to fight after all. Alex would've scolded her for not attacking the vampire by now, but Alex wasn't here now was she?

[Luca Valentine]

To that Maricul only smiled.

"You may not like what you find."

After that Maricul's body exploded into little spiders and crawled away from Zira's position. Disappearing into the walls and fading away from the area. Maricul was gone for now, but it wasn't the last anyone would see of her. Right now she needed to see the Genius and learn more about the secrets behind that 103 tyrant she fought before. Everything else could wait.