Breakfast (Katie and Malyen)

Katie sat on top of one of the buildings, watching idly down at a group of children playing. They had toys. She didn't know where they'd gotten them, but they had them. There was a five year old with an airplane, and he chased the others with it as they shrieked. Their cries were loud and shrill, but Katie didn't mind. They seemed not to notice her, which was better for them. 

When the children died, she liked to go into their houses and sort through their toys. Sometimes there were stuffed animals in the blanket nests, which she took back to her room. She loved them, though she made sure no one knew. She couldn't explain it, she just did. She had almost a dozen. 

Katie let out a sigh, rolling onto her stomach and propping her chin up on her hands. One of the children was sick, and the leader of their little gang seemed to be doing a great job of pretending it would be alright. But Katie knew it would be only a matter of time before the child fell. It was sweet, how the children formed little families. When she was younger, she used to try and help them out, but they always fell apart. Now, she just watched them from the rooftops, waiting for their deaths so she could swoop in and take their things.

Malyen was walking around the streets casually, without a care in the world. She didn't care much for the children living in Sanguinem, but she understood their purpose well enough. Their life spans were short, it wouldn't end happily for anyone to get into any kind of relationship with one. Her boots clunked softly against the pavement. She always liked the Victorian era houses Sanguinem had. It reminded her of the era she was born in, after she escaped from her cell. The buildings were quaint and simple. She was feeling thirsty, and not for water. She could wait though, Malyen had no issue with self control. 
She spotted a small child, wearing vampire clothes. She didn't know her name, as she didn't entirely try to learn EVERY vampires name. That's too many people and too many conversations she honestly didn't care to have. She decided to confront the small vampire, nonetheless. Her boredom overtook her. She squatted and hopped onto a nearby rooftop and walked towards the fellow vampire. 
"Hey there~ What are you looking at?" Malyen asked curiosly, as the vampire was lying on her stomach, her head in her hands. She seemed focused on something... Malyen followed her eyes to a group of livestock. She shrugged.

Katie looked over at other vampire, then waved politely. "Hello there," she chirped, moving to sit up. "Nice day, isn't it?" She scooted over towards the other vampire, moving and speaking quietly so the children wouldn't hear. "Though, down here, you can never tell." 

She looked back down at the children. She recognized the vampire as a common one, much older than her, but not a noble. She couldn't punish Katie. So, Katie was still somewhat relaxed. 

"I'm watching them play," Katie said, with a smile. "It's interesting...the families they form. Each one thinks they'll live to see a world beyond this place, but their fates are all the same. Sad, if you think about it. They have so much hope, but everything always collapses around them." 

Hopefully, Malyen didn't think Katie was too eccentric. Katie let out a soft sigh, not taking her eyes off the children's antics. The one with the plane had been scooped up by another, and shrieked with delight as he was tickled. She eyed the sick one, who sat on the steps coughing and wrapped in blankets. The child wouldn't last much longer. 

"I'm Katie. And you are?"

Malyen watched the younger vampire readjust herself. The younger vampire appeared slightly tense, but overall relaxed. Something that could be viewed as dangerous to the younger vamp, though Mal didn't care. Malyen hadn't even asked a question, when the short vampire spoke. Malyen was still standing, one foot placed directly behind the other leaving her legs crossed. She did find it sad, that those with hopes inevitably lose them. Though, it's the same way with everyone. Most people have a dream, many of them don't accomplish it. She nodded to the other vampires words. She felt little sympathy for them, after all it was their own weakness that landed them here to begin with. Blame yourself, blame your ancestors for being cruel, blame anyone you want.
It's never changed anything before. 
"I'm Malyen, pleasure to meet you Katie." She found herself saying sarcastically. Mal eyed the sick child, coming to the same conclusion they would die soon. Such a shame, if livestock could live longer it's possible they wouldn't need to continue replenishing the stock. 
"They can really only blame themselves though. That they ended up here to begin with. It depends on who you ask whether death or slavery is better." She commented. She knew it was illegal to drink from a child directly, but it hadn't stopped her before. Though seeing how Katie had a look of forlorn on her face, Malyen decided to converse a little longer. Besides, Katie's reaction to her question or if she commented on drinking one of them would be absolutely wonderful.

Katie got the sense that the other didn't like her. Guess she had come off as too eccentric. She brought her knees up to her chest, bringing her gaze back down to watch the children. 

"Slavery is better," she sighed, after a moment of silence. "At least they die having lived...a happy shadow of a life. Though, I'm not saying humanity doesn't deserve it." She ran a hand absentmindedly through her long hair. "They've done awful things. They destroyed themselves, so this is what they get. It's justice." 

And Katie firmly believed that. It was just...difficult for her to see the children as the same humans that destroyed the world, and murdered her kind. It used to be impossible, but she is learning. Maybe one day, she'll stop caring about them completely. It would be a welcome blessing. 

"You see him too, don't you?" she murmured after another moment of quiet. "The small one, by the stairs. He's been like this for weeks. He doesn't have long."

She knew what Malyen was thinking, yet she didn't want to suggest it. Malyen was older than she was, and she could probably get her in trouble if she suggested drinking from the boy. Usually, she wouldn't want to harm one of them, but the small boy was so tired. She had watched him struggle against death for weeks. At least the end they could give him would be quicker.

Katie surprised me a little, believing that a shadow of a life is better than never having lived at all. As someone who was a former slave, if you can really call it even that, i would much rather have died. Yet here I am, and i don't plan on giving up m freedom anytime soon. Humanity's disgusting, throughout all of history. Yet some of them blame the Vampires for their own mistakes. No matter though, it won't change a thing. 
"I do see him, looks like he won't last much longer." I was a little surprised at how long she knew he had been sick. How often does she come down here to look at the children? Enough to recognize them from each other? I could think of many vampires who'd never let her down for that. "Almost makes you want to give him a peaceful end, rather than suffering for another week. The cycle of life is a beautiful thing, after all. Nothing wrong with feeding off of one who's dying anyway to survive." I suggested, could have labeled it more clearly, but she most likely knew exactly what i meant. I doubt I needed to spell it out any further. I jumped down from the building, and looked up at Katie to see whether she would follow or not. No one else should come down this precinct anytime soon... 

The children screamed as Malyen jumped down, scattering. The toy plane was dropped, cracking as it hit the ground. Katie let out a sigh, jumping down besides Malyen.

"I will not tell anyone if you feed. He is finished," she murmured, looking at the sick boy. Most of the children were inside by now, but one of them had paused to try and lift the sick child. Katie stepped forward, eyeing Malyen to see if she would scare the other away. She glared at the other child, who stared back at furiously. 

"You know this is hopeless," she hissed at the child. "Leave him, or you will perish as well." 

The child took a step back from the sick boy, who whined, screaming the other's name. The child stood in the doorway as the sick boy tried to stand up, crashing down on the stairs. Katie could see the child's hatred, his gaze bore into her, but she merely stared back. He was smart. He would survive a bit longer.

The smell of blood was pleasant, and Katie shut the child's cries out. She nodded, grateful Malyen was offering to let her finish. She doubted the vampire had a high opinion of her, though she didn't care much. She'd done the best she could. She took the boy into her lap and dug her fangs into his neck, gulping quick mouthfuls down. There was no reason for him to suffer any longer. She felt the boy's heart slowly beat and die, and she set him down, her mind buzzing with pleasure from the sensation. 

"Thank you," she murmured. "I just...enjoy watching them, sometimes. Entertainment, you know?" She was trying to justify her actions, though she was sure it was too late. "They're interesting. Yet, cowardly." She eyed the window of the house all the children were sheltering in.

I understood the need for entertainment. When you live for a hundred years or so, boredom is inevitable and never fun. Katie was trying to explain herself, though it wasn't hard to tell she wasn't telling the whole truth. Why should she? Most people lie half the time anyway. I doubted she only watched the children for entertainment. I did agree with her on one thing though. Humans are cowardly, rarely would they show something new that I would define as 'interesting'. 
"Humans are cowardly, rarely will they show something that i would define as interesting. Entertainment can be fun though~" I agreed.

She shrugged. "I like their social bonds," she explained. "They're interesting to me. I don't expect anyone else to understand. Thank you for sharing your meal." She looked around, ready to leave. She didn't think Malyen liked her very much, and she didn't want to force her to spend time with her. "It was nice speaking with you, Malyen," she said with a polite nod.

The social bonds between humans had their limits. Though those very bonds did make me just a teensy bit envious. Vampires could have similar bonds as well, but few took into the endeavor. I nodded along with her words again. I did get the feeling she didn't want this conversation to go on much longer. I shrugged at the thought, not really expecting much else. I found her eccentricity's interesting in a vampire to say the very least. Her empathy could eventually become a curse for her, if it hasn't already. I wasn't exactly one to go around and help others, and that is precisely want i'm going to follow. 
"The conversation was a nice change of pace, perhaps we'll meet again~" I said nonchalantly, not expecting anything actually out of it when I had begun walking away, having noticed her eyes darting around looking for an exit.


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