Public Service Announcement

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

Alright.

To everyone in Central, I'm going to speak to all of you on equal terms.

I'm a vampire. I can't go out in the daylight, garlic sucks and I have to survive off of the blood of others. Despite popular belief, this isn't very fun, not only that, but I also don't have a choice.

Some of you seem to be upset over a few recent vampire attacks. For those of you that have gotten bitten, I apologize for the scare. But, believe me when I say that it was done for the sake of whichever vampire's survival.

Now before I start to get 'Hurting others for your sake is wrong', there is a reason I'm addressing you all.

Clearly those of my kind can't go on like this, if there's going to be a rally rising up against us. I come here with a sort of compromise.

There are others of our kind that are monsters. They've only done harm for the sake of doing harm, and we wish to put an end to this. If you help us, we'll be able to help you and this town. We've no desire to lose our minds to our own hunger and we've no desire to let the already deranged continue to hurt and kill.

So, I suppose this is a white flag. I have my terms. What say you?

Comments

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

You'd have to be. The both of you are vampires, yourselves.

[alphonse.livejournal.com]

--Really?! Are they here too?

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

Somewhere.

[alphonse.livejournal.com]

I've seen some pretty strange versions of us around here, but nothing like that. You all got turned into vampires together?

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

You and your brother did, at least.

[alphonse.livejournal.com]

And then we found you later on? Were you all working for some kind of King Vampire?

Ah, sorry if I'm asking too many questions, but this whole thing is really fascinating.

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

Oh, no, that's quite all right. I find it endearing. You're much younger than the Al I know.

We don't work for anyone, but we do travel together. We're searching for a cure to our condition.

However, I am trying to become an Emperor in my world, so I suppose I could be considered a Prince Vampire.

[alphonse.livejournal.com]

Wow, I have to tell the Ling I know about that. Even though he might just say I've been reading too many comic books again.

I guess having someone bite you the first time would be pretty bad, but what makes you hate vampirism enough to want a cure for it?

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

The Ling you know isn't a prince?

[alphonse.livejournal.com]

[Hesitates briefly before laughing.]

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

What's so funny?

[alphonse.livejournal.com]

The idea of you--him--being a--

[Stops to get a hold of the laughter.]

Sorry. No, he isn't any kind of prince. I mean, I think he's from a wealthy family, but you wouldn't be able to tell it from the way he acts.

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

[Laugh]

Ah well, I've always put my goals before my formalities. I've always found acting in such a way is hindering.

[alphonse.livejournal.com]

He'd probably agree.

You know, you never answered my question earlier. Is being a vampire really that awful?

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

...ah.

It's ...not a fun existance, no. Talk to most, and the answer you'll get is 'it's a curse'.

They're not wrong either.

[alphonse.livejournal.com]

Oh... Everything I know about them comes from fiction, which... isn't exactly accurate.

How's your search for a cure coming?

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

No, and I suppose I can't blame you for being curious.

I can't see the sun without being severely harmed. I survive on the blood of others, and if I go too long I could lose my mind and possibly rip someone apart. That's ...just the tip of the iceberg.

It's a lot of rumors and dead ends so far.

[alphonse.livejournal.com]

...

I'm really sorry you have to go through all that, Ling. The lack of self-control isn't something I usually hear.

If--if there's anything we can do to help...

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

Ah, try not to worry so much, yes? I just wanted to make sure you heard the whole of it before you got any funny ideas.


I'll keep that in mind.

[alphonse.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't worry, I wasn't going to suggest anything! Even though... theoretically... you could make more vampires if you wanted to, right?

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

Good. ...theoretically. It's how I was made, anyway.

[alphonse.livejournal.com]

You've never tried it?

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

No. I don't plan to, either. Not after the sort of distress it caused to the one who turned me.

[alphonse.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't be too worried about their distress. Some stories say you can change back by killing the master vampire, but you make it sound more like a medical condition...

[sheng-ji.livejournal.com]

The circumstances are complicated.

That's how the Elrics like to look at it.