Louicita Mercado

*A Reluctant Vampire*

* Overview
* Sheet
* Background
* 'Ships
* Logs

Lucy was turned into a vampire at age 18 when it was offered as a way to escape the life she was living and gain her own freedom. Although she did gain her freedom, she was not prepared for the consequences of living forever. Now, without the man she called her best friend by her side, she travels around the U.S., stuck with the depression of living forever, the desire to be as normal, and as human, as possible, and the hope to live a happy life, with friends to share it with.

## Personality

The first thing people usually find out when meeting Lucy is that she's shy. She is usually rather reserved as well, staying quiet and letting others do the talking in a conversation. She isn't a fan of being the center of attention.

She can open up when she gets closer to someone, and then they usually find out that she has low self-confidence. She believes strongly in her abilities, she knows what she is capable of, and yet, mundane things such as looks tend to be an issue for her. This is mainly because of her deep-rooted humanity, so deep that she feels much more like a human in a vampire's skin, than the other way around.

She has a very deep-seated depression, stemming from the choice she made to be immortal, a choice that haunts her even now. She didn't fully understand the implications when she was turned, and it's come back to bite her. She also lost her absolute best friend, the one she could trust the most. He is not dead, but he is no longer by her side, and it troubles her.

She is very kind-hearted. Even if she's deeply rooted in humanity and the mundane, she would never hesitate to use her powers if she could help someone else, especially if it's someone she cares about. Over all, she tries to make the best of her life. She seeks happiness, and friends to share it with, more than anything else.

There is one side of her, rarely, rarely ever seen. Despite her soft, sweet, and shy exterior, if someone she cares about is in trouble, she can become hard and ruthless, going from the softest girl you've ever met to the bitch who took out the government, putting all of her abilities to use to make sure that the problem is dealt with. In short, do not underestimate her, and, for your own sake, don't get on her bad side.

## SKILLS

Lucy is a good cook. She is no master chef, but she can prepare and serve good food, which she can also eat. She also owned a restaurant at one point, in which she was also a cook.

Lucy is only 100 percent fluent in 1 language, and that is Filipino. However, she knows more than enough to get by in both Indonesian and English, and she also knows a bit of Spanish.

Lucy has learned various forms of martial arts from throughout southeast Asia. The one she is most familiar with is Arnis, though she has learned to blend styles into her own unique style of combat. She can enhance her combat with weapons made from her own blood as well.

Lucy learned from her father how to paint when she was little. Although it was never something she had a serious passion for, she enjoyed it enough to keep doing it. Her art is likely not going to win first place at a giant nationwide contest, but it's quite good, and it's definitely unique.

Lucy doesn't know very many enchantments at all. The ones she does know, however, she is very good at. She knows how to enchant things to have much more space inside than they appear on the outside, how to make things cold inside while the temperature can change wildly on the outside, and how to mask the contents of a bottle to not be what they appear. Her biggest application of these enchantments is on small vials, which she enchants to have the space of very large bottles, that she fills with blood, which she can carry with her so that she always has access to extra blood, even when someone to feed on isn't readily available, or she can't easily get a blood bag. Although she could use the enchantments for other things, she chooses not to, and, even if she wanted to, the size of the object she's working with, not to mention the size of the space inside of that object, will drastically affect the time it takes to perform the enchantments. So, although she could make a mansion inside a broom closet, it could take days, possibly weeks, of uninterrupted work to accomplish, and likely wouldn't be worth it.

Lucy started learning to play the violin before she became a vampire, when she was only 14. She didn't give it up after she was turned, and has become extremely good as a result. She knows many pieces, both classical and modern alike, and could easily learn more when she wishes to.

## ABILITIES

Lucy can, through the power of her blood, create various forms of energy. These include but are not completely limited to, fire, electricity, and plasma, as well as other forms of magical energy. She can use them as weapons by, for example, setting something or someone on fire, shooting bolts of energy, etc. The more energy she produces, the more blood is required. This ability is not as costly as teleportation, but requires considerably more than kinetomancy. Also, as an example, bathing an entire person in flames may require considerably more blood than, say, lighting a home fireplace.

Lucy has a set of retractable fangs she can use for feeding. Her fangs contain a venom which isn't very powerful, but upon injection into the blood stream, will numb the pain of being fed upon, as well as partially paralyze the target, possibly even fully paralyzing if she injects enough. Her saliva also has a minor healing agent, allowing the wound made from feeding to clot and heal quicker to prevent bleeding after she finishes. The venom will have the same numbing affect on supernatural creatures as it does on humans, but those with resilience-based abilities may be able to resist her bite. For instance, Enhanced level regeneration negates her ability to induce paralysis, and Supreme level regeneration will prevent numbing altogether. The healing agent will also slightly speed up the rate of healing for those with regenerative abilities.

Barring certain poisons or items tailored to be especially hurtful to their kind, a vampire of this type can and will heal from virtually any injury. Even in the case of losing limbs, they can either reattach it in seconds, or they can regrow it, although the latter may take days to accomplish.

Lucy cannot die from the passage of time alone. She has not aged since the day she was turned. Unless she is beheaded, she will continue to live and will eventually recover from any injuries so long as she has enough blood. Even running out of blood would not kill her, but it would leave her in a comatose state until she was given blood again. At that point, she would revive normally.

Using blood, Lucy can manipulate telekinetic energy. She can lift and manipulate objects, and even turn them into weapons. She can also create force fields and strong magical barriers, as well as use blasts of telekinetic force against enemies. She can lift a couple tons without much effort, though anything over about 3 tons becomes difficult, and 4 tons is about her limit. This can be pushed slightly, but the more she wants to lift, or the more force she wants to use, the more blood is required. The amount of blood required to lift something or send a telekinetic blast of a force less than 3 tons is pretty linear, the cost starts to rise quicker up to 4 tons, and beyond that the amount required is exponentially higher, meaning pushing her limits requires a very high amount of blood. This ability costs less than evocation, however, with the exception of pushing her limits. Also, a magical barrier or force field will require more blood to sustain the stronger she wishes it to be, and, as long as she has the blood, for a very short amount of time, maybe 15 seconds at most, 20 if she's absolutely full, she may even be able to produce a barrier of supreme level strength. Barriers draw blood over time to maintain as well, and a hit will require more blood to ensure the barrier isn't weakened.

Provided they have regular access to blood, vampires of this type enjoy vastly increased speed, strength, agility, and stamina. They possess strength enough to bend metal, demolish doors, and toss an average human a considerable distance away with little effort. They are quick enough in short bursts to dodge projectiles or seem to vanish and reappear several meters away, and they can run at low highway speeds for extended periods of time. They are able to fight for hours without needing any rest. Not least of all, they are considerably more durable than any human and are able to take significant damage.

Technically, all of Lucy's magical abilities fall under this umbrella, however they are detailed in other entries, this one focuses specifically on her ability to manipulate blood. It is worth noting she can only manipulate her own blood, but not the blood of others. She has fine control of her own blood once it is outside her body. She can harden it into a very strong solid, as strong as heavily reinforced steel, projecting it over her form as armor, or forming it into strong weapons which only last for a limited amount of time. She can also send small drops at people at rapid speeds, using them as essentially bullets, doing about the same damage. She can also call her blood back to her body either when she is finished, or, in the event she is bleeding. Finally, she can turn her blood into a thick red mist that she can use to confuse the senses. This doesn't work as well for those with enhanced senses, but on normal humans it can be very affective.

In addition to all of her other magic, Lucy has learned to use her blood to affectively pass as human. She can make her body temperature warm, and cause her heart to beat. She can also, through the same means, enjoy things that other vampires may not be able to, such as food, though she still requires blood for nourishment. This ability requires very little blood to use over a long period of time, allowing her to use it almost indefinitely, as long as she has enough blood in her system to properly function. This is also the only magical ability that works outside during the day time, as it requires so little power.

Using her blood, Lucy can teleport from one place to another. The further she wants to go the more blood is required, and this is her most costly ability. Even completely full on blood she has a limit of a few hundred miles that she can travel, while still having enough blood to function with any level of humanity remaining.

The senses of this vampire type are enhanced well beyond human norms. They are able to see perfectly well in the dark, with the hearing of a wolf and a preternaturally keen sense of smell. This is most especially true when it applies to blood and types of blood.

## ADVANTAGES

Not only is Lucy naturally beautiful, but becoming a vampire has made her beauty even greater, giving her an aura of appeal and charisma to humans, as well as some mystery, which may help to draw them in, or help her get her way when needed.

The Coterie of the Crimson Lotus is the vampire coven that Lucy joined upon becoming a vampire. Although she is not a direct member anymore, she remains on very good terms with them, and can call upon them for advice or help if she needs to. Although they are too far away to directly assist with a problem most of the time, they can give advice, there are members who know much more than her who may be able to answer questions, or give suggestions on what to do.

Lucy is not rich. However, over her extended lifetime she has done various jobs and earned money, enough to live comfortably and have plenty left in savings. This means she technically doesn't need to work a day job, though she does keep an eye out for things she could do to occasionally add to her funds to make sure that she doesn't eventually end up spending away all her savings.

## WEAKNESSES

A blood-starved vampire is a danger, just like any hungry predator. Vampires of this type are no exception. They must fight the thirst, and without a steady supply of blood (animal or human), the risk of berserker rages grows.

If lucy completely runs out of blood, she will go into a coma. It will not kill her, but the coma will remain indefinite until she receives blood again, at which point she will begin to feed until she has enough blood to become functional once more. Needless to say, she tries very, very hard to prevent this from happening, and if she does go into a coma, killing her suddenly becomes much, much easier.

All of lucy's magic falls under the umbrella of blood magic, or sangromancy. As such, all of her magical abilities take up blood when she uses them. This means, the more she does magic, the less blood she has to actually function, and the less amount of time she can go before she must feed again.

Lucy is afraid of getting close to people. She fears their judgement when they realize just what she is, even if she is not the monster she believes that they all will think she is. For this reason, she is also very shy and withdrawn, afraid to open up. She also does not have many friends.

Lucy is not directly affected by sunlight. If she is inside during the day she is fine, but going outside, no matter what the weather, she will lose almost all of her vampiric gifts, including the ability to do any sort of magic, with the exception of the basic magic that allows her to appear human. She will essentially be nothing more than a human, though her senses will remain enhanced, and of course, she can still feed. Her regeneration is also not impacted. She also won't become drowsey, or suffer from any other negative affects. She also does not need to sleep, she can if she wishes to, but it is not required.

Lucy can be a bit sensitive. Because of her fear of being too close to people, and her low confidence, if she believes someone is mad or upset with her, she might become very emotional and upset. She's also, to an extent, empathic, meaning she can be affected, sometimes heavily, by the emotions of those around her.

Lucy doesn't have a reflection. She cannot physically see her appearance in any reflective surface. This has been fixed in recent years with the ability to look at one's self using a phone camera, but even so, her confidence in her appearance is low. She is also a vampire, and afraid that she is a monster, even if she tries very hard not to be one. Sometimes she can also be afraid of not only the fact that she thinks she's a monster, but also the abilities she has.

Lucy has no reflection. It doesn't matter if it is a mirror, or water, or any other reflective surface. Although this doesn't really affect her physically in any way, it can be a challenge emotionally, as she may worry more about her appearance, not knowing exactly what she looks like. Although the ability to use a phone camera to see what she looks like helps, it's still not the same as looking in the mirror. In addition, this is a dead give away to a vampire hunter, making it easier for a clever hunter to discover her true nature. It can also pose a problem if a normal human were to realize, as it could potentially reveal her presence as something that is not natural to those who really should not know the supernatural exist.

Lucy is unable to cross a threshold into someone's home without permission. In this case "home" means a private residence that is actively being inhabited. Public buildings, places of business where no one lives, or abandoned buildings are not barred to her. Permission to enter need only be given once, though it can be rescinded if the owner no longer wishes to have her there. This does not instantly expel her, but it means that, once she has left, she will once again be unable to cross that particular threshold, as if she had not gotten permission in the first place.

Louicita Mercado was born in 1920 as a seniorita to one of the remaining hasienderos of the Philippines, following the end of colonization of the Spanish after it was sold to America. She had everything she wanted, money, her parents would get her anything she desired, except for one single thing, the one thing she wanted the most, and the thing that would ultimately drive her life-changing decisions later on, freedom of choice. Her father made all the decisions on where she would go, setting her down the path he wanted for her, and she resented him for this since the time she became old enough to realize what was happening, mainly into her teen years.

She had a grand 18th birthday party, her parents inviting many people, including many that were well-known in her town. There was one particular man that caught her attention more than anyone else, his name was Pedro Dela Cruz. He was tall, handsome, sparkling blue eyes, curly brown hair, and vampire alure, which ultimately drew her in. Following the party, they started spending time together, and he got to know her, her status, her lack of happiness, and her desires, mainly, to be free. And as he got to know her, he saw something in her, something he couldn't identify, but something that would ultimately make her a very powerful vampire, with the right guidance.

Finally, he revealed himself to her, his true identity, as a vampire, a member of The Coterie of the Crimson Lotus, one of the most powerful vampire covens in Southeast Asia. He offered her the choice, to become a vampire like him, to live forever, or, at least, hopefully, for a long time, and, more importantly, at least to her, freedom, to break away from her parents, to live how she wanted to live. She had hesitated, but she didn't really know the ultimate consequences of the decision she made at the time, freedom of choice was what spirred her most to say yes.

The transformation was painful, and took some time, and at first, he fed her his blood, and then human blood, though at first he didn't allow her to actually feed off of a human. Once she was fully transformed, and more used to being a vampire, she was inducted into The Coterie of the Crimson Lotus. All of the members were magical, each one with one particular ability that they were especially good at, though they all knew the same basic power set. They were peaceful, and many of them liked to protect innocent humans, their food sources tended to be the lowest of the low life humans, rapists, murderers, the kind of people that were...not redeemable. These vampires had mind magic that they used to find such scum, and identify whether they really could be redeemed or not, and if they couldn't, they were killed.

The coven helped train Lucy in magic, and helped her identify her special ability, using her blood magic for powerful defense. She was never a great combatant, but she never wanted to be, she preferred to stay out of fighting where she could, and keep herself safe. Her fighting style, as a result, is much more defensive than offensive.

Through the years, she watched the world change, watched humanity change, and, as she got older, started to realize the mistake she'd made. She was going to live forever, and any human she ever knew she would outlive. Suddenly, she didn't want to live forever, she wanted to be mortal again, but that wasn't a choice. She would never be able to live a normal human life. That hasn't stopped her from trying, right up to wandering by day, even if she can't use her powers outside.

At least she had Pedro, so she thought. Nothing had ever developed between them besides a very close friendship, but one day, he had to leave her. He never broke contact, he always found a way to keep in touch with her. But the coven, since he was a high-ranking member, had reassigned him on a mission that lead him away, to Europe. She was never told by him or anyone else exactly what this mission was, but it left her quite devastated. She had the rest of the coven, but none were nearly as important to her as Pedro. Since they weren't mates, he hadn't been allowed to take her with him.

She spent the next years, the 1970's and 1980's, exploring southeast Asia, learning pieces of new languages and cultures, and getting to know more people. The 1990's lead her to settle down in Japan, where she stayed for most of the decade, moving around the country, spending time in all of the biggest cities, including Tokyo, of course. The 2000's lead her back to the Philippines to find out what had become of her country, including spending some time in her home town. Finally, in 2018, she wanted something different, so decided to travel to America. She didn't necessarily break ties with the Coven, but she wasn't so much a member any longer. However, they made her a promise, if she needed their advice or assistance, they would be there, even if they couldn't necessarily help her directly.

So, since 2018 she's been living in America, traveling around the country, more or less on the road. She hasn't lost the spirit of travel, and enjoys seeing new places, and old ones, making new friends, seeing old ones again. She tries to live life to the fullest that she can, trying to live as a human as much as she can, even in the supernatural world she lives in.

Logs featuring Louicita Mercado:

*Coming soon!*