The "Becoming Monsters" LitRPG setting was originally created by AiLoves, and is now managed by OtterlyMindblowing.
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"--and, with the rations, I was finally able to settle down. Each day was no longer a battle to survive, but after a year and a half of hunting, I had no idea who I was anymore."
Both girls were sitting on the couch, holding each other's hands. Alicia had her legs pulled up underneath her, and had quietly listened as Katrina shared what her Change had been like. She'd wanted so badly to speak up, to try and offer comfort, but she could tell how hard it was for Katrina to recount everything that had happened. In the end, Alicia had opted to stay silent, to let Katrina speak until she'd shared everything.
"Even with the rations, it was still incredibly difficult. I get enough to survive, but never enough to feel sated. I'm constantly battling my hunger, suppressing the urge to sink my teeth into everyone I see." Katrina paused again, wiping a tear from her face. "Every year, without fail, on the anniversary of the change... I stay up until morning, and I sit in the stairwell on my roof. I stare at the sunlight, wondering if this time I'll actually do it. I always want to, more than anything, but... obviously it's never happened."
"Hey," Alicia said, cupping Katrina's face, encouraging her to look up. "I'm happy you're here, Kat. You've made my life so much better, so much brighter, and you've given me a chance to fight for myself."
Katrina leaned forward, the girls touching foreheads as they held each other. After a few minutes of silence, she spoke up again. "I've never told this to anyone. I never thought I would find someone that I trusted enough."
"Not even Sera?" Alicia asked.
"No. I was still hunting when we were together, and I couldn't bear the thought of ruining what we had, which... ended up happening anyways."
"Do you know what happened to her?"
Katrina shook her head. "No idea. She was so angry, so hurt by what had happened... I couldn't bear the thought of facing her again. Does that make me a coward?"
"Kat... I don't think that's something I can decide for you." Alicia brushed a tear off Katrina's cheek before continuing. "All I know is that, right now, you're trying to be better. You haven't attacked anyone in more than two years, and I think that's amazing."
Alicia pulled Katrina closer, hugging her tight before kissing her forehead. She felt Katrina's arms squeeze her tight, and she buried her face into Alicia's shoulder. Her body started shaking, tears running down her cheeks as she began to cry. Alicia held her, brushing her hair out of the way and she did everything she could to comfort the Vampire.
After nearly half an hour, Katrina's breathing calmed, and she stopped crying. Without saying anything, Alicia leaned back, lying down on the couch and pulling Katrina with her. Neither had anything more to say, and eventually they both fell asleep.
---
As usual, Alicia woke at the crack of dawn. Though initially confused, as she hadn't fallen asleep in her tree, she couldn't help but smile when she found Katrina still in her arms. She was surprised the Vampire had actually stayed asleep, and wondered if the stress of sharing her past had simply drained her.
After a few minutes of appreciating how Katrina's body felt against hers, Alicia saw rays of sunlight start to filter into her house. Panic set in, and she removed herself from the couch as quickly as she could. Miraculously, Katrina managed to stay asleep the whole time, and Alicia gently placed a blanket over the Vampire as she got to work.
Walking outside, Alicia expanded her senses, reaching into the ground just in front of her house. Vines sprouted, creeping up the large bay window until they'd reached the second story. As they grew, heavy leaves began to emerge as well, working together to form a heavy blanket of greenery that covered the window. With that finished, Alicia let herself take a few minutes to nitpick over details; she added a few flowers, some smaller vines with cute blossoms, just minor details to keep her inner botanist happy.
A quick trip inside revealed that her plan had worked perfectly. The living room, while not pitch black, was easily dark enough for Katrina to sleep safely.
The matter at hand resolved, Alicia took a seat on the floor. She was in no rush to start her day, and this was her first chance to start unpacking everything that had happened last night. A fancy date, a new delver, and her first kiss with Katrina. She could still feel herself blushing when she thought back to that moment, it had been such a surprise.
Of course, then Katrina had finally opened up about her past. On the one hand, Alicia was ecstatic that Katrina trusted her enough to share everything, but on the other, it was hard to deny that Katrina's history had been significantly more harrowing than she'd expected.
Much like Katrina, Alicia wasn't entirely sure who she was, and what the rules of this new world were. She always knew the Change had been chaotic, she repeated the stats often enough at work, and her own neighborhood had been trashed the night of the Change, but it was hard to escape the nagging feeling that she'd been extraordinarily lucky. The carnage hadn't hurt her, or her Heart Tree, and her Race was an incredibly peaceful one. She had no violent urges, and she had access to free food so long as the sun continued shining.
How many demons had hurt people during the Change? Most of the carnage Alicia had seen that night had been the result of a huge Rage Demon picking a fight with a Dragon. Their fight had been terrifying, and it had only gotten worse as people around the neighborhood started discovering their powers, using them to try and protect themselves.
Alicia had been terrified, but the danger had evaded her. The fighting had stayed away from her tree, and the more dangerous individuals had quickly left the neighborhood afterwards. It had been easy to feel secure in isolation, to welcome the loneliness with open arms if it meant an escape from the horrors of that night. Thinking back on it, most of her first month after the Change had been spent hiding in her tree, jumping nervously at any sign of life.
Shaking her head, Alicia realized she was now watching Katrina sleep. Not wanting to be a creep, she walked back outside and started her morning routine. Visiting plants, watering flowers, dipping her feet in the stream and enjoying the sunlight.
As her roots sank into the soft riverbed, and the warmth of the sun began to revitalize her, her thoughts continued racing. She recalled the first moment she met Katrina, when she'd realized she was a Vampire. There had been a tiny flash of fear, possibly a remnant of the human part of Alicia, but the moment had passed quickly.
She didn't choose to become a Vampire. The System forced it on her, forced her into a situation where she had to hunt to survive. That could have easily been me, there's no reason I didn't turn into a Vampire, or a Demon, or any one of the hundreds of races that can so easily spread chaos in their wake.
The more she thought about it, the more she believed that Katrina was a good person. She wanted to be a part of her life, to see her grow and overcome this part of her. With her job at ORC, she even made decent money; maybe she'd be able to start purchasing blood on a reliable schedule. Katrina made her happy, and she was determined to return the favor.
An idea crossed Alicia's mind, and she opened her eyes. It was still morning, but the sun was now high in the sky; Katrina would likely still be asleep for many more hours. Leaning forward, Alicia focused on the ground on the other side of the river. The sides of the river had been almost completely cleared of concrete, and a healthy patch of dirt stood waiting for her. With a deep breath, she connected with one of her Racial Features, Seeds of Life, and got to work.
Alicia had learned early on that this particular Feature allowed her to create almost any plant she desired, no seeds required. When used in combination with another Feature, One With Nature, she was able to grow and control the plant life around her to an incredible degree. At first, she'd tried to fill her lawn with every possible variety of unique, colorful flowers, but had quickly learned that her magic had limits. Sure, she could grow anything she wanted, but if she stopped concentrating, they would default to normal behavior. If they didn't have water, or if there were any other of a million different problems, the plants would die. This had led her to mostly rely on mundane gardening, using her abilities only to start new growths. Alicia had always grown plants that she knew existed, as they were easy to research, but now she wondered if she could create something new.
On the other side of the river, something began to grow. She tried to be careful, to move slowly so she could understand exactly what she was doing. Small bulbs formed, and then a series of lush, vibrant green stems. They reached for the sky, small leaves forming, then hints of a flower. The buds stayed closed at first, but soon opened to reveal deep, crimson petals. Several large, stronger petals grew wide, and additional smaller petals grew underneath that canopy, almost resembling drops of blood.
When Alicia finished, this new plant had clearly been inspired by Blood Orchids, but had grown into something heartier. She shook her own roots free, crossing the river to inspect her work. She leaned close, breathing in the smell, and her senses were overcome with a dull, metallic scent; exactly what she'd wanted.
To finish her project, she grew a small collection of thick bark, formed it into a makeshift vase, and filled it with water. She took her new flower, carefully dislodged it, and set it inside the vase.
With a sigh of relief, she leaned back, stretching her arms high into the sky. When she opened her eyes to look around, she saw the sun had changed positions again. By her calculations, she had just spent roughly 4 hours growing this plant. Thankfully, there was still plenty of time left to deliver her present. She picked up her new flower and began walking back home.
Katrina was still asleep, though it looked like she'd turned onto her side at some point. With each breath, her chest would rise and fall, and Alicia had to stop herself from getting lost in the Vampire's beauty. She instead left the flowers on the ground, in front of the guitar she'd bought Katrina, and left.
Alicia spent the rest of her day wandering her house. She barely spent any time inside, and decided she wanted to clean it up for Katrina. After all, there was a chance she might be spending more time here, and Alicia wanted to make a good impression. She did her best to wipe away all the dust, pack up all the clutter, and clean the heavy amount of dirt that she'd tracked in over the years. By the time the sun had started setting, the house was far from perfect, but Alicia was pleased with her results.
---
At first, Katrina thought she was still dreaming. A strange scent had filled her senses, one with a heavy metallic tinge, eerily similar to the iron that filled the blood of Humans. She didn't recognize the bed she was currently sleeping on, and when she opened her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar room.
It only took a few seconds to come to her senses. She remembered meeting with Tabitha, convincing her to join, then walking Alicia home. Hearing Alicia talk about her high school prom, receiving definitive proof that, yes, she was into girls. Being surprised with a new guitar, one that could not have come cheap. Alicia growing upset, desperately wanting Katrina to accept the gift without fussing.
