I12DT: Science, Vampirism, and You

[Molly Malcolm]

After a long wait in Nailah's office until nightfall, Molly was led to the Medical Center where test confirmed that she was suffering from full blown vampirism.

Luckily, this was Xavier's University. They had protocols for everything. Molly was fitted with a collar that locked around her wrist. The wristband was tapped into a vein through a binary system, it pulled blood out, ran it through a testing system, and then pumped it back into Molly's body. The decrease of certain chemicals in her bloodstream indicated her level of hunger for blood. At normal levels, the light on the wristband was a steady green. When it turned yellow, it was indicating Molly was starting to get hungry. When it blinked orange, it meant that she was getting a bit more dangerous to be around. If it reached red, the wristband let out a shrill alarm and immediately notified XU security through an emergency link.

After this was explained to Molly, she was left in a room while some final tests were run. Molly looked awkwardly around the room, trying to avoid looking at the wristband.

"So, what all do you know about vampires anyway?" Molly asks Nailah, "Earlier, you sounded like you'd dealt with 'em before."

[Nailah Weaver]

"Not personally, no." she says, not looking like she particularly trusts all the tests and gadgets. "But people have dealt with these things before throughout history. And apparently someone decided it's now a scientific issue." she says, managing to not roll her eyes. "I do know a couple things you should look out for beyond the obvious ones like sunlight. Such as flowing water and the place where you sleep."

[Molly Malcolm]

"I need to be careful where I sleep now?" Molly says, "Why is being a vampire starting to sound like being the kid with all the allergies."

[Nailah Weaver]

"Where were you born?"

[Molly Malcolm]

"Hanover," Molly says, "In New Hampshire. Why?"

[Nailah Weaver]

"Because you might have to sleep around native soil to find rest."

[Molly Malcolm]

"I have to sleep in dirt? Ew," Molly says. "Being a vampire is gross."

[Nailah Weaver]

"It might be enough to place it under your bed. And you might have a hard time going into town due to the river."

[Molly Malcolm]

"I can't get wet? I've never heard of that before," Molly says with a frown.

[Nailah Weaver]

"It's the moving water. You can get wet, but you probably won't be able to cross the river."

[Molly Malcolm]

"So, basically I have magic OCD now," Molly complains, "Great."

[Nailah Weaver]

"I suppose that's one way to put it. It's more... that you're not entirely human anymore. They're different rules. Humans can't pass through walls, Vampires are bound the the earth in more ways than just that they used to rise from it after being buried. Flowing water has cleansing properties and disrupts the earth. Humans are hurt by flames, you are hurt by the light and purity. That's why crosses can hurt you. They're a symbol of something that, while not all who follow may truly follow, has been imbued with a meaning of sanctity."

[Molly Malcolm]

"That explains why I felt like I needed an invitation to get in here, I guess," Molly says.

[Nailah Weaver]

"It's the same thing, in a way." she nods. "Names, promises, invitations all those kind of things can hold power. And some of it applies to you now."

[Molly Malcolm]

"Why do you know so much about vampires anyway?" Molly asks.

[Nailah Weaver]

"Legends and stories contain quite a bit of truth if you know where to look. The Egyptian goddess Ammit for one was said to devour the hearts of people, damning them to wander restlessly and being kept from the true afterlife. And knowing some of these things is kind of my job outside of teaching English."

[Molly Malcolm]

"What job is that?"

[Nailah Weaver]

"High-priestess of Sekhmet."

[Molly Malcolm]

"Which job pays worse?" Molly asks.

[Nailah Weaver]

"It's more like volunteer work. Though grading tests might be the worse job." she smirks slightly.

[Molly Malcolm]

"What does that whole thing entail? Burning incense? Candles?" Molly asks.

[Nailah Weaver]

"Sometimes. It's also about upholding certain principles. Which at times helps me personally. It's a faith, though maybe not quite as wide-spread as others."

[Molly Malcolm]

"What sort of principles?"

[Nailah Weaver]

"Judgement, protecting those in need, protecting life and upholding the virtues of Ma'at..." she glosses over the fact that Molly might just as well fall under the darkness she's supposed to fight.

[Molly Malcolm]

And that's when Molly exploded into a cloud of very confused looking and panicking bats.

[Nailah Weaver]

Nailah glances around to make sure no windows are open and otherwise tries to not react too much. Molly is probably freaking out enough already.

"Try not to panic." she says, casually reaching out to catch a glass that's knocked down by the fluttering bats. "You've just discovered you can turn into a swarm of bats. Nothing to get upset about."

[Molly Malcolm]

The bats scramble around the room in a fright before they finally all bunch up in the corner and reform into a floating Molly.

"Ohmigod, that was terrifying," Molly says, panting.

[Nailah Weaver]

"Are you alright?" she asks and walks over to the girl.

[Molly Malcolm]

"I was bats!" Molly says, still panicking, "A lot of bats!"

[Nailah Weaver]

"It must have been confusing. So many different images and sounds all at once."

[Molly Malcolm]

"Bats!"

[Nailah Weaver]

"They were... very adorable?" Nailah's not very good at this.

[Molly Malcolm]

Molly takes some deep breaths, trying to calm down. Her wristband's light glows a steady yellow.

"Okay," Molly says after calming down. "Maybe we should run through what I should expect."

[Nailah Weaver]

"Well there are the one's you've already encountered. You have to be invited in before you can cross a threshold, you can't cross running water, holy symbols and sunlight hurt you, staking or decapitating will likely kill you. You might find yourself entranced by having to count things. Garlic and silver will be uncomfortable, you no longer have a reflection and your shadow might move on it's own at times or disappear. On the other hand you will no longer age, you're stronger and faster than you used to be, you can turn into bats and probably other creatures of the night. Maybe even fog. Some claim you might have an almost hypnotic influence on the weak-willed. Of course you're already familiar with flying, so that'll be familiar. You can smell things better, especially blood and other creatures and you might be able to heal faster as long as it were regular injuries."

She pauses for a moment. "Some of those might not be true for you, but you'll have to figure that out for yourself."

[Molly Malcolm]

"I don't think I have to breathe anymore," Molly adds, "I keep forgetting."

[Nailah Weaver]

"Aye. You might also have trouble eating regular food. I would also recommend some heated blankets because you won't generate your own body heat anymore."

[Molly Malcolm]

Molly nods, "Okay."

"...Thanks for, you know, not just putting a wooden stake through my heart."

[Nailah Weaver]

"I'll be honest, this is putting me at bit of an impasse because my instincts tell me to eradicate the darkness before me. But on the other hand I do feel responsible to help protect everyone at this school. And just maybe there's another way to lifts the shadows and save you."

[Molly Malcolm]

Molly looks terrified, "Please don't kill me, Ms. Weaver. I promise I won't hurt anyone."

[Nailah Weaver]

"I won't; you have my word on that. I'll do whatever I can to find a way to lift this curse."