<Haruka_Emmerich>    The Trans Am's ignition roars to life with little trouble. "OK, been a while since I drove stick...just throw it in reverse like usual, then pull into first when I wanna go forward, right?" Haruka turns to Ake, trying to relax her by letting her confirm that guidance.

<Axel_Wildfire>    "Pretty much... don't forget the clutch. Ignition for the *other* drive is that lil' button under your thumb." Ake seems vaguely hunted, a cross between willing and unwilling; but she takes a breath and attempts to calm herself. "You should be able to tell when to shift by the sound of the engine, but if you can't, do it at about the red line."

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "I always preferred keeping an eye on the tach for it. Racing game reflex." A brief depress of the clutch, and Haruka has smoothly pulled out of the Mist's alley lot. "...I'm not going to engage the psy-current if it's this obvious you don't want to, Akebara."

<Axel_Wildfire>    "... I kind of want to." she admits quietly. "Actually, no, I *do*." Something in her eyes hardens. "Maybe it'll help me figure something out."

<Haruka_Emmerich>    At this, the white-haired woman starts making for the closest highway on-ramp. "What might that something be? You're too eager to get hit with your own weapon, Ake. You've forgotten your Patton - you don't win a war by dying for your country, you do it by making the other sumbitch die for his."

<Axel_Wildfire>    "To be honest, I'm the type who can't stop thinking about something until she gets an answer; curiosity eats at me." Ake grimaces. "I want to know why Becca had the reaction she did. Maybe this'll help."

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "...I think I get it." The Trans Am approaches second gear as Haruka's thumb hovers over the switch. "You want to see why Becca straight-up cracked, so you want to test yourself. See if you'll resist like Haru or accept it like me."

<Axel_Wildfire>    "... something like that." she shuts her eyes and does her utmost to relax back. "Any bright ideas on your end, by the way?"

<Haruka_Emmerich>    They're well on the highway and cruising in third gear now, with several hundred feet separating the Trans Am from most any other vehicle that can get a visual on them. "I dunno...Inspire me."
<Haruka_Emmerich>    And then Haruka hits the switch.

<Axel_Wildfire>    "Kkh.. ahhn..." The response is immediate, but controlled; Ake's head lolls back as a gasp escapes her, but she forces herself to focus. "Factual data - Rebecca hasn't ever had - ahhn... had a sexual experience be... before..." Deep breath. "... by herself or with a partner. Theory - new experience hit resistance and *crack*."

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "Iiiinteresting..." Haruka finds herself having to suppress a blush. "Haru is...well-versed in the concept, as she would be considering the nature of her family. And of course, I'm just crazy."

<Axel_Wildfire>    "You yourself didn't... notice..." Haruka can see Ake digging her nails into her palm to keep herself afloat. "... because you assumed it was just your love of the high-powered engine."

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "...or DID I?" The Fangire lets the car coast for a bit before taking a curve in second. "You see...there's a curious thing that happens when I go full kaijin. You know how I'm so ludicrously paranoid about things like mind control and brainwashing for sinister ends?"

<Axel_Wildfire>    The downshift seems to almost release her from the car's hold and Ake slumps visibly, gasping for the breath that had seized in her throat. She looks sideways at Haruka and just raises an eyebrow at her, inviting her to continue.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    And she does, the oncoming straightaway practically inviting Haruka to put 'er back into third. "Anti-psychic counterbalance. As in, immunity to outside influence. I was arousing MYSELF and using this car as a boost."

<Axel_Wildfire>    "Gah... damnit... onto me from the start..." Ake's head lolls back again, but this time she seems more in control than before. "... hey, car has four gears, you know... use 'em... and, how about Becca?"

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "How 'BOUT her? You said she hadn't been exposed to it before. I know she's familiar with it NOW, though." They peel into fourth. "She...we HAD to. Kenoko would never have snapped back to normal if we hadn't."

<Axel_Wildfire>    Her whole body jerks; the sudden motion elicits a squeal of pleasure from the young half-Fangire, but again she seems to drag herself back from the brink... barely. "W... was asking... nngh... about your theory... on B-Becca-ahhn... fuck this car..."

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "...My theory on Becca is the same as yours. We can't exactly test it on YOU, though; you KNOW what this car does. And it'd be wrong to chuck someone else inside just to experiment." Haruka continues to gun it. "So it'll remain a theory. A rather sound one, but a theory nonetheless."

<Axel_Wildfire>    "Not... good enough for me -" Ake cuts off, heart pounding fit to burst. /That's... weird.../ she thinks, a moment before something *wrong* happens inside her and her eyes widen, flaring like stained glass for a minute. "Ha-Haru... ka... pull over and stop...!"

<Haruka_Emmerich>    The Sirknight Fangire grins. "...why should I? You didn't stop for my niece." Another turn, this time swiftly taken in third before the Trans Am snaps back into fourth.

<Axel_Wildfire>    Another moan escapes her; Ake wraps her arms tight around her body, arching her back as the car toys with her. "D... do it...! Haa-... please...!"

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "Actually, no. This isn't just about you." Haruka redlines it, seemingly oblivious to Ake's turmoil. "Sixty years, and this world has yet to stop for me. Why should I bother stopping for it?"

<Axel_Wildfire>    She seems to retreat further into the seat as if melting, her words lost into a long moan... and the barest hints of stained glass starting to crawl it's way up above the neckline of her shirt.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "If you wish to be a woman who makes everything into a battle...then you should be better prepared to deal with someone who can never stop fighting." The white-haired woman is uncharacteristically cold.

<Axel_Wildfire>    "I... I'm sorry..." the words are barely coherent, slurred together. "J... ust... sto..p..."

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "No. Not until I get to stop. Not until I can just curl up with my family without having to worry about wolves at the fucking door." Haruka finally turns to Ake, and the rampant Fangire flare-ups. "Not until I'm through teaching the past its place."

<Axel_Wildfire>    By this stage, Ake's eyes are glazed and she's non-responsive, and the stained glass has crawled it's way halfway up her throat.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "...show me your heart, Akebara. Show me your ultimate weapon."

<Axel_Wildfire>    As if the words are a trigger, the rate of corruption hits top gear and overwhelms her body in a second - and Haruka is left with a snarling, struggling Cheetah Fangire in the passenger seat. Long-limbed and long-backed, it's clearly not made to move like a person, and the struggles against it's restraints are doubtless it's response.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "This is hardly what I'd expected of this vehicle, Ake. I'll need...additional data." Regardless of the sadism in Haruka's voice, she's taking her straightaways in third, and inching towards an off-ramp. "In the meantime...how does it feel?"

<Axel_Wildfire>    This is... perhaps a mistake... as given a moment, the Cheetah Fangire slips the restraints and bounds *from* the car, easily dashing alongside the Firebird on all fours - and then she, no, *it* accelerates, leaving Haruka in the dust and hurtling into the city. One word: rampant.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "..." She wordlessly slips onto the off-ramp at speed. Yes, Baraen Akebara, how DOES it feel? To be on top of the world and still be held back by the hatred brewing in your own race? No...the hate within ALL of metahumanity?
<Haruka_Emmerich>    It hurts like hell, doesn't it? And that's why we have to turn love into a weapon...

<Axel_Wildfire>    Ake, or rather, the Cheetah Fangire, clears the divider and suddenly it's into the city - smart people run like hell, and the slower ones get battered aside - up until one unfortunate that the Cheetah Fangire *literally* mows down, pinning him to the ground and raising one of her paws, claws *snicking* out as she makes a move to finish him off.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    Haruka barely manages to catch sight of this as she pulls up to intercept, raising a stained-glass-covered arm. Oh no, Ake, we're not having any of THAT now. She slams the brakes a mere few feet from the fracas, concentrating on pulling the Cheetah up and off the poor sod...

<Axel_Wildfire>    She struggles - but she's still *lifted* and generally held off the ground, thrashing about but unable to *do* anything.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "All right, Ake, I want some answers." Haruka cuts the ignition as she finishes manifesting, the Sirknight Fangire calmly climbing out of the Trans Am. "Why this one? Why none of these OTHER bystanders?" She waves to the man on the ground to get clear, and he complies in the flabbergasted manner that innocent bystanders usually do so.

<Axel_Wildfire>    Haruka only has to take a glance at him - and then back down the line - to get her answer. Out of the entire mess of people she ran through, the guy the Cheetah Fangire had mowed down is the only one both male and Fangire. Obviously, there's no actual answer from her, as she's been snarling and squirming and trying to break free.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "Hmph. This clearly answers the greater Why." She drops manifest and hastily slams Ake into the nearest convenient wall. "Kivaara! Containment measures, chop chop!"

<Axel_Wildfire>    *Slam*. The Cheetah Fangire hits the wall - then the floor, on all four paws - and springs at Haruka, snarling.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    Haruka barely sidesteps in time for Ake to start rushing the car, Kivaara quickly flitting to her lips after. "Henshin."

<Axel_Wildfire>    *SLAM*. She mows headfirst into the car and staggers sideways, stunned.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    When the Cheetah Fangire reorients herself, she catches sight of Avalanche Kivaara tugging the slide on its blade. "Fated Circle."

<Axel_Wildfire>    Another snarl and another charge; it seems like she knows little else.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    Ignorance hardly proves bliss; Ake slams right into the wave of paralyzing light generated by Haruka's spin slash.

<Axel_Wildfire>    - which the Cheetah Fangire tears *straight through*, ignoring it as she goes for Haruka with her wicked claws.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    Said claws do naught more than spark off Haruka's armor. "Dammit, Ake, I REALLY don't want to get dirty with you..." And yet with another cock of the Kivaara Hyperion's slide, she advances for a stab.

<Axel_Wildfire>    The result is... well, the Cheetah Fangire gets sent sprawling away, beaten and bruised; mewling almost in terror, it turns and starts limping away, attempting to escape Haruka.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "Down, Ake." Haruka charges for another Fated Circle as she gives chase. "I know this is a place you don't wanna be in, but..."

<Axel_Wildfire>    Ignored, and she somehow manages to get herself up to a lope, but still not faster than Haruka can go.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    Another swing, Haruka gritting her teeth as she poured more psychic energy into the attack.

<Axel_Wildfire>    This time, it works; as the blast washes over her, the Cheetah Fangire seizes and then topples sideways, snarling faintly from it's frozen position on the asphalt.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    Haruka trudges up, panting as Avalanche Kivaara's armor dissolves and tapping at her earbud for a containment dispatch. "...Ake, this...c'mon, Akebara, calm down. Think! What would...Haru think if..."

<Axel_Wildfire>    The struggle continues for a moment before another rush of stained glass overtakes her body - and Ake is left there, curled into a ball, dark circles under her eyes and tears in them. "Y-you..." she sobs out quietly.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "...Yeah. I know." For all her part in this, the white-haired woman is likewise downcast. "But it was the only way...to show you your folly."

<Axel_Wildfire>    She tries to move, finds she *can't*, and promptly *freaks*, suddenly terrified. "H-help!" The single word tears from her throat, simultaneously begging and pleading.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "Calm down! It'll wear off in time, and we'll get you some rest." Haruka sighs. "In the meantime, answer me this: why'd you beast out on me instead of just letting loose? Were you as antsy about leaving the seats clean as I was?"

<Axel_Wildfire>    Ake doesn't, eyes wide and still struggling; she seems absolutely terrified.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "...9th ZECT is en route with a medevac. If you won't talk to me, get some sleep and you can have it out with THEM in the morning." Haruka crosses her arms, clearly tired of having to deal with this kind of guff out of people who ought to be allies.

<Axel_Wildfire>    "Just make it stop! Let me move!" Ake's shouts have risen to the point of panicked shrieks by this point.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "Not until I'm sure the car was the ONLY thing that pushed you down the path of a kaijin serial killer."

<Axel_Wildfire>    "Haruka, please...!" At this point, it seems like Ake hits her limit, and she breaks down into hysterical sobbing.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "...and now I know what makes you Becca out." She snaps her fingers, releasing the pressure. "...promise you'll stay put till we can get the official folderol taken care of?"

<Axel_Wildfire>    She curls up tightly, sobbing into her hands, but nods regardless, squeezing her eyes shut tight.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    The rumble of a ZECT-Van and an ambulance fade in, the street already well and cordoned off. "All right, Akebara. Get some rest. And remember...what you're going through right now, I've been dealing with for decades."

<Axel_Wildfire>    "J-just... just... shut up." if possible, Ake curls up even tighter.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    Another sigh out of the white-haired lady as she motions for the stretcher team to advance.

<Axel_Wildfire>    Ake doesn't respond to her again, simply going slack as she sobs quietly - she allows herself to be manhandled away with little fuss.

<Haruka_Emmerich>    "Ugh..." The rest of the business is handled equally as quickly. "...it's always the ones who need it the most, isn't it?" As 9th ZECT clears out and the ambulance drives off, Haruka trudges back to Ake's car, hand fishing in her pockets for the keys.